Dominic West Archives - Big Gay Picture Show

Tomb Raider (Blu-ray Review) – Alicia Vikander takes on Lara Croft

July 15, 2018 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Daniel Vu, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Kristin Scott Thomas
Director: Roar Uthaug
Running Time: 118 mins
Certificate: 12
Release Date: July 16th 2018

Many people were surprised when it was announced there was going to be a Tomb Raider movie reboot, especially considering the Angelina Jolie movies of the early 2000s aren’t exactly well remembered. However, as with so many other videogames, there’s no intrinsic reason it couldn’t be turned into a good movie. Although for some reason, Hollywood has great difficulty turning games into serviceable film.

This time around Jolie has been replaced by Alicia Vikander, who like her predecessor stepped into Lara Croft’s shoes shortly after winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar (Jolie for Girl Interrupted and Vikander for The Danish Girl). Her Lara is a young woman who’s fiercely intelligent and smart, but whose life shifted sideways when her adventurer father went missing, presumed dead, when she was a child. [Read more…]

Money Monster (Blu-ray Review)

October 2, 2016 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: George Clooney, Jack O'Connell, Julia Roberts, Dominic West, Caitriona Balfe
Director: Jodie Foster
Running Time: 98 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: October 3rd 2016 (UK)

Lee Gates (George Clooney) presents the TV show Money Monster, a programme that tries to make stocks, shares and investments a bit more entertaining. His latest broadcast quickly takes an unexpected turn when a man (Jack O’Connell) bursts into the studio brandishing a gun and forces Lee to put on an explosive vest.

The man, who it’s revealed is called Kyle, is an average joe who’s been sent over the edge by the fact that a few weeks before Lee told people they should invest in a company called IBIS. However, while Lee said it was safer than a savings account, the share price has collapsed due to what the company said was a glitch in its trading algorithm, and Kyle has lost every penny he’s got. Kyle wants answers and thinks Lee should be the one who gets them for him. With the help of his producer, Patty (Julia Roberts), talking to him from the gallery, Lee attempts to keep Kyle calm while they figure out what’s going on. [Read more…]

Genius Trailer – Colin Firth plays the man who helped discover Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald & Thomas Wolfe

March 18, 2016 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

genius Genius has been in the works for a long time – Colin Firth first attached himself to it back in 2012 – but it’s only now that it’s in the can and the first trailer for the movie has arrived. While a movie about a book editor doesn’t sound that interesting, as it’s about a man who helped the likes of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald get published, it’s certainly got potential.

The film doesn’t concentrate on either of those authors though, instead focusing on the birth of Thomas Wolfe as a literary force.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘From Academy Award-nominated screenwriter JOHN LOGAN (Gladiator, The Aviator, Hugo, Skyfall) and acclaimed, Tony Award-winning director MICHAEL GRANDAGE in his feature film debut, comes Genius, a stirring drama about the complex friendship and transformative professional relationship between the world-renowned book editor Maxwell Perkins (who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway) and the larger-than-life literary giant Thomas Wolfe. Based on the biography “Max Perkins: Editor of Genius” by A. SCOTT BERG, Genius stars COLIN FIRTH as Perkins, JUDE LAW as Wolfe, NICOLE KIDMAN as Aline Bernstein, a costume designer sharing a tumultuous relationship with Wolfe, LAURA LINNEY as Louise Perkins, Max’s wife and a talented playwright, GUY PEARCE as F. Scott Fitzgerald and DOMINIC WEST as Ernest Hemingway.’

The film will be out later this year. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Colin Firth, Jude Law, Guy Pearce, Nicole Kidman, Dominic West, Laura Linney DIRECTORS: Michael Grandage

Testament Of Youth (Blu-ray Review)

May 25, 2015 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Taron Egerton, Emily Watson, Dominic West
Director: James Kent
Running Time: 130 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: May 25th 2015 (UK)

It’s almost surprising the world of film didn’t make a few more movies to tie into the centenary of the start of the First World War. However Testament Of Youth is an apt tale to make a new version of at this time, as rather than being a gung-ho war story, it is more about grief and the wiping out of swathes of young lives.

Based on Vera Brittain’s memoir, the movie follows Vera (Alicia Vikander) as a free thinking young woman determined that her path in life will not just to be a wife and mother. She heads off to Oxford (after a little resistance from her father) and almost surprises herself when she falls for a handsome young man called Roland (Kit Harington). However their seemingly idyllic youth, along with that of her brother Edward (Taron Egerton) and their friends, is disrupted by the War. [Read more…]

Dominic West And Idris Elba Reteam For Pixar’s Finding Dory

September 12, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Although few kids are fans of The Wire, Pixar has decided it would be a good plan to get two of the stars of that show to reunite for their Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory, according to Shortlist.

Idris Elba and Dominic West have joined the voice cast, alongside returning stars such as Ellen DeGeneres (Dory), Albert Brooks (Marlin) and Gill (Willem Dafoe), as well as newbies Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy as Dory’s parents, and Ty Burrell as a character called Bailey.

Dominic West talked about his role in a recent interview with ShortList, saying “I saw Idris recently. We’re both in the sequel to Finding Nemo, so we were recording that. I’m in pretty regular contact with a lot of guys from The Wire – a lot of them are godparents to my kids, so I love them dearly.”

What he didn’t say though is who they will be playing.

Andrew Stanton is directing, with a June 2016 release date set.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Idris Elba, Dominic West DIRECTORS: Andrew Stanton FILMS: Finding Dory

New Pride Trailer – Fresh look at the acclaimed British, gay-themed miners’ strike film

August 9, 2014 By Tim Isaac 2 Comments

After winning the Queer Palm at Cannes earlier this year, Pride is due to hit cinemas on both sides of the Atlantic in September (on the 12th in the UK and the 19th in North America). We’ll have a review of the movie for you before then, but you can get a fresh taste with the new US trailer below.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Pride is inspired by an extraordinary true story. It’s the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the Union, the group identifies a tiny mining village in Wales and sets off to make their donation in person. As the strike drags on, the two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.‘

The likes of Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott and Paddy Considine star, with Tony Award-winning theatre director Matthew Warchus making his feature helming debut with the movie. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: George MacKay, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

Testament Of Youth Trailer – Kit Harington turns First World War soldier

August 1, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Kit Harington sure does seem to get involved in a lot of fighting, whether it’s as part of the ever-shifting allegiances and battles of Game Of Thrones, as a gladiator in Pompeii or in the upcoming Testament Of Youth, where he’s forced to head off to the First World War.

You can take a look at the trailer below.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘TESTAMENT OF YOUTH is a searing story of love and war. Based on the classic First World War memoir, this is the incredible true story of one young woman’s struggle to survive the horrors of war, which robbed her of everyone and everything she held dear, but was ultimately unable to break her extraordinary spirit.

‘Vera Brittain, irrepressible, intelligent and free-minded, overcomes the prejudices of her family and hometown to win a scholarship to Oxford. With everything to live for, she falls in love with her brother’s close friend Roland Leighton as they go to University to pursue their literary dreams. But the First World War is looming and as the boys leave for the front Vera realises she cannot sit idly by as her peers fight for their country, so volunteers as a nurse. She works tirelessly, experiencing all the grief of war, as one by one her fiancé, her brother and their closest friends are all killed and the pillars of her world shattered. But, an indefatigable spirit, Vera endures and returns to Oxford, irrevocably changed, yet determined to create a world in which such a war can never take place again.’

Alicia Vikander plays Vera, with Taron Egerton, Colin Morgan, Dominic West, Emily Watson, Hayley Atwell, Miranda Richardson and Anna Chancellor. It’ll be in cinemas early next year.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Kit Harington, Alicia Vikander, Taron Egerton, Colin Morgan, Dominic West, Emily Watson, Hayley Atwell, Miranda Richardson, Anna Chancellor FILMS: Testament Of Youth

Pride Trailer – It’s Gay-Straight culture clash for Imelda Staunton, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine and Dominic West

June 30, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

After a great response at Cannes – where it won the Queer Palm – the Brit flick Pride is heading for a September 12th UK release. We had a clip a few weeks ago, but now the full trailer has arrived (watch it below), showcasing this film about two very different groups of people wanting to support the same cause.

Based on a true story, Pride is set during the summer of 1984, with Margaret Thatcher in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.

But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a mini bus to make their donation in person. This brings together two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership. But as you can see in the trailer, it’s not initially an easy alliance.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

First Pic From The Gay-Themed Brit Flick Pride, Which Is Set To Close The Directors’ Fortnight At Cannes

April 22, 2014 By Tim Isaac 2 Comments

Last autumn the gay-themed Pride went into production with a cast full of great British actors including Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott and Paddy Considine.

Now the first image from the movie has been released to tie in with the announcement that the movie will close the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2014 International Cannes Film Festival on 23rd May.

The movie is set during the summer of 1984, when Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.

But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a mini bus to make their donation in person. And so begins the extraordinary story of two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.

Pride is directed by the Tony Award winning theatre director Matthew Warchus (Matilda: The Musical, God of Carnage), with a screenplay by Stephen Beresford whose debut stage play, The Last of the Haussmans (starring Julie Walters), was a critical and commercial hit at the National Theatre in 2012.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

Bill Nighy, Paddy Considine & Dominic West Take On Gay Miners’ Strike Film, Pride

September 11, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

In the past, it was quite common for groups of people protesting about different things to come to the aid of each other. Now Matthew Warchus, who’s best known as a theatre director, is planning a movie called Pride about a group of gay activists called ‘Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners’, who decide to raise money to help the families of British miners who were striking in the summer of 1984.

The cast is fast coming together, with Bill Nighy, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine & Andrew Scott (Sherlock’s Moriarty), set to star.

The film follows the activists, who after raising the cash, discovers the National Union Of Miners is rather embarrased to accept money from a bunch of queer. Not put off, they decide to travel to a Welsh mining community to hand out the cash personally.

Gay Star News quotes Warchus as saying, “This was a script I just couldn’t say no to. It made me laugh out loud, it surprised and delighted me at every turn, and it ultimately moved me to tears. It’s a truly affirming and inspiring story, funny, honest and moving, and by the end of it you want to punch the air and cheer.”

Stephen Beresford wrote the script, with the current plan being to start shooting next month in London and Wales. There’s no news on exactly who the actors will play.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Bill Nighy, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine, Andrew Scott DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)