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

Patriot’s Day (Blu-ray Review) – A taut look at the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings

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It’s April 15, 2013 and Police Sgt Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) is preparing to provide security at the annual Boston Marathon. Along with various other people, he’s hoping for a great, celebratory day. However, that is ripped apart when twin explosion go off near the marathon finishing line, killing and maiming those who were there to cheer the runners as they completed the course. Tommy immediately puts his training into action to help those affected, even though he and the other people around don’t know whether there are any other bombs timed to go off.

Patriot’s Day then charts the days after the attack, when the FBI comes in to work with the police to find out who the bombers are, combing CCTV footage and following leads. Then there are the terrorists themselves, the Tsarnaev brothers, who haven’t finished their rampage, and become increasingly dangerous as the net closes in. [Read more…]

La La Land (Cinema Review) – Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone star in a Hollywood love letter

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If you’re going to be brave enough to make a two-hour homage to the golden days of the Hollywood musical you’d better make sure you get it right. So many films have fallen into the trap – Frankenweenie, The Man Who Wasn’t There and The Good German are just a few examples of films that have tried so hard so pay tribute to great movies, that they forgot to be a film in their own right. What Damien Chazelle (whiplash) has done here is produce a beautiful, witty, warm homage, but manage to take it in a completely unexpected direction without spoiling the film’s internal logic. It’s fun, yes, but there is a sting in the tail – a nasty sting.

From the opening sequence we know we’re in safe hands. Hundreds of cars are stuck on the freeway, so what else to do for the drivers but to burst into song and dance. It’s brilliantly choreographed and filmed, in what appears to be a single shot. It’s full of joy and sets the scene for the story to come. Somewhere in the traffic jam is Ryan Gosling’s Seb, and Emma Stone’s Mia, and their first meeting is not a romantic one. [Read more…]

Patriots Day Trailer – Mark Wahlberg & Peter Berg take on the Boston Marathon Bombing

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patriots-day-slideMark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg have only just been in cinemas with a film based around modern day disaster, with Deepwater Horizon. However, they’ll soon be back with another, Patriots Day, which has just dropped its first trailer.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘An account of the Boston Marathon bombing, PATRIOTS DAY is the powerful story of a community’s courage in the face of terror.

‘In the aftermath of an unspeakable attack, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and celebrates the strength of the people of Boston.

The film will be getting an Oscar qualifying release in the US in December, before rolling out wider and internationally in January. [Read more…]

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New The Accountant Trailer – Ben Affleck & Anna Kendrick do some number crunching

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The-Accountant-slideBen Affleck has certainly made impressive turn-around. A few years ago his career seemed in danger of becoming a punchline, but since then he’s become an Oscar-winning director, turned in some really good performances and even convinced many who’d given him no chance that he could be a good Batman.

Now he’s returning with The Accountant.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Christian Wolff (Affleck) is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King (J.K. Simmons), starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of- the- art robotics company where an accounting clerk (Anna Kendrick) has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise.’

The Accountant will be in UK cinemas on November 4th, 2016. Take a look at the trailer below. [Read more…]

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J.K. Simmons Joins Justice League As Commissioner Gordon

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It looks like Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons is swapping teams, as after playing Daily Planet editor J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-man movies, he’s hopping across to the DC stable to play Commissioner Gordon in the Justice League movies, according to THR.

There’s not too much info on how the policeman will figure into the plot of the movie, but Simmons will join the likes of Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), the Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and his presence also suggest Gotham City will feature in the movie. The role will see the actor head to the Justice League: Part One set in mid-April, shortly after the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

Zack Snyder is directing the movie, which is due for release in November 2017, with Justice League: Part Two pencilled in for July 2019. It’s not known is Simmons is likely to be seen in any of the other planned DC movies.

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Whiplash (DVD Review)

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It’s not too surprising that most of the posters for Whiplash, and indeed the DVD cover, is covered in quotes and star ratings from reviews. After all, it was always going to be a tough sell at the cinema to get your average moviegoer to give it a chance, as few people will go ‘Do you fancy seeing the one about the young drummer who gets shouted at a lot?’ – unless you give them a damn good reason, that is. JK Simmons deservedly winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar didn’t hurt either.

It’s actually not too bad a plot synopsis that this is a film about a young drummer who gets shouted at a lot. It’s about a lot more than that too, not least what it takes to make someone truly great at something, rather than just being good. [Read more…]