Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Strike: The Cuckoo’s Calling (DVD Review) – JK Rowling’s detective hits the small screen

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Apparently, the BBC enquired about the rights to Robert Galbraith’s novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling, before it was revealed that Galbraith was actually a pseudonym of JK Rowling. However, it’s likely their plans for a TV version changed once they realised the interest that would be generated by the connection to the Harry Potter author.

This year we got five episodes of ‘Strike’, the first three of which adapted The Cuckoo’s Calling, and the other two The Silkworm. This DVD just contains the former, introducing us to private eye Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke) – an injured war veteran (he lost part of his leg in Afghanistan), who’s swimming in debt and sleeping in his office. [Read more…]

Anna Paquin & Holliday Grainger To Star In Lesbian Drama Tell It To The Bees

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Actresses Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger​ are currently in Scotland to shoot the new movie, Tell It To The Bees. The film is a lesbian-themed drama, tinged with magical realism, based on Fiona Shaw’s novel, according to Deadline.

In the film, ‘Paquin plays Doctor Jean Markham who returns to her hometown to take over her late father’s practice. When a school-yard scuffle lands young Charlie in her office, she invites him to visit the hives in her garden and to tell his secrets to the bees as she once did. The friendship between the boy and the doctor brings his mother Lydia (Grainger) into Jean’s world. The women find themselves drawn to one another in a way that Jean recognizes and fears, and which Lydia could never have expected. But in 1950s small-town Britain, the secret won’t stay hidden forever.’

Annabel Jankel will direct. It’s a slightly different project for her, as she’s best known for her work in music videos and music documentaries, as well as her movies in the 80s and early 90s such as Max Headroom, D.O.A, and Super Mario Bros. Hopefully we’ll get to see Tell It To The Bees sometime next year.

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New The Finest Hours Trailer – Chris Pine and co. face off against a mighty storm

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finest-hours-trailer-slideChris Pine, CaseyAflleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger and Eric Bana are getting heroic in the true-life tale with The Finest Hours, which now has a new trailer.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the Coast Guard set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly-sinking vessel. “The Finest Hours” is the story of their heroic mission, which is still considered the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history.’

Disney will release the movie in cinemas early next year.

[Read more…]

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The Finest Hours Trailer – Chris Pine, Ben Foster & Eric Bana deal with the ultimate storm

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finest-hours-trailer-slideChris Pine hasn’t had a huge amount of luck as a leading man outside the Star Trek franchise – and in his case it really does seem like bad luck, as he is pretty good. He’ll be hoping for a hit with The Finest Hours, which looks like it’ll be mixing action, pathos and a bit of a period feel.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the Coast Guard set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly-sinking vessel.

‘“The Finest Hours” is the story of their heroic mission, which is still considered the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history.’

The film will arrive in UK cinemas 29th January 2016. [Read more…]

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Downton’s Sophie McShera Going Evil Stepsister In Cinderella

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sophie-mcsheraKenneth Branagh and Disney have obviously been watching a lot of Downton Abbey, as he’s already cast Lily James in the title role of his live action take on Cinderella, and now they’ve got another star of the series in talks for the film, Sophie McShera.

Just yesterday we reported that Holly Grainger was set to play one of the evil stepsister, and now THR says McShera will play the other one..

Game of Thrones star Richard Madden is playing the prince who Cinderella falls for, with Cate Blanchett as her wicked stepmother. But while the cast is coming together, there’s still no news on whether Disney is planning a revamp of the traditional story to make Cinderella more of a modern female.

Kenneth Branagh is directing from a screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna and Chris Weitz. Shooting is scheduled to begin this autumn in London.

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Holliday Grainger Up For Disney’s Live-Action Cinderella

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holliday-graingerIf you’re going to make a Cinderella movie, you need some evil stepsisters. Now Disney’s live action take on the legend has got one, as TheWrap reports that Holliday Grainger (Great Expectations) has signed up to play the role.

Kenneth Branagh is set to direct the movie, with Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother and Downton’s Lily James in the title role. Game Of Thrones star Richard Madden is set to take on the duties of the dashing prince.

Aline Brosh McKenna and Chris Weitz came up with the script, but there’s still no info on how this version will deviate from the original story – although the presumption is that elements will be updated to make Cinderella less passive and more of a modern girl in charge of her own destiny.

The film is due to shoot this autumn.

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Great Expectations (2012) (DVD)

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The BBC must like Great Expectations an awful lot, as within 12 months they produced a TV version starring Douglas Booth, Gillian Anderson and Ray Winstone, and backed this movie version from director Mike Newell (Prince Of Persia). They should probably have stuck with the very well received former, as while handsomely mounted and well-acted, Newell’s movie is a little flat. [Read more…]

Great Expectations To Close London Film Festival

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A few days ago it was announced that Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie is set to open 56th BFI London Film Festival on October 10th, and now it’s been revealed that the closing movie will be the European Premiere of Mike Newell’s take on Great Expectations.

In the film, young orphan Pip is given a chance to rise from his humble beginnings thanks to a mysterious benefactor. Moving through London’s class-ridden world as a gentleman, Pip uses his new-found position to pursue the beautiful Estella, a spoilt heiress he’s loved since childhood. Yet the shocking truth behind this great fortune will have devastating consequences for everything he holds dear.

The movie stars Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Jeremy Irvine, Holliday Grainger, Robbie Coltrane, Ewen Bremner, Jason Flemyng, Sally Hawkins, David Walliams and Tamzin Outhwaite. It was adapted for the screen by David Nicholls, writer of the global best-seller One Day. The film will be released nationwide on 30th November 2012 in the UK.

Director Mike Newell comments: “It’s a great honour to be invited to be the BFI London Film Festival’s Closing Night film. I’m proud that our new version of Great Expectations should be presented this year, the bi-centenary of Dickens’ birth. I’ve tried to make a film that is true to the theatrical vividness, energetic characters and high colour that he is loved for, while mining the deep seams of emotional cruelty and madness that underlie one of Dickens’ darkest-shadowed stories. I’ve tried to make a film for a young modern audience in which Pip and Estella’s fated love affair is shown through feelings and stresses that are of today and in a city that was, then, full of brawling energy, was unimaginably wealthy and very bad.”

Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Mike Newell are expected to attend the Festival. The 56th BFI London Film Festival runs from Wednesday 10th October-Sunday 21st October.

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Great Expectations Trailer – Jeremy Irvine takes on Pip

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Great Expectations is one of the most adapted stories of all time, and now it’s getting a new movie version courtesy of Mike Newell (Goblet Of Fire, Prince Of Persia), packed with Brit talent. War Horse’s Jeremy Irvine stars orphan Pip, who becomes the playmate and admirer of Estella (Holliday Grainger), the wars of the batty Miss Haversham (Helena Bonham Carter). Ralph Fiennes is the escaped prsioner Magwitch, while Robbie Coltrane, Jason Flemyng, Jeremy Irvine, Ewen Bremner & Sally Hawkins also star. The film debuts at the Toronto International Film Festival next month, before getting unleashed in UK cinemas on November 30th.

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