Bennett Miller Archives - Big Gay Picture Show

Foxcatcher (Cinema Review)

January 8, 2015 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Vanessa Redgrave
Director: Bennett Miller
Running Time: 134 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: January 9th 2015 (UK)

So that’s the Best Actor Oscar sorted then. Steve Carrell, that lovely chap from the US Office and 40-Year-old Virgin, has gone deep to play the deeply disturbed, and disturbing, John du Pont, and the results are stunning. The film itself is impressive on many levels, if a little one-note, and not quite satisfying, but Carrell’s performance is utterly mesmerising.

The charming, likeable, warmly funny persona is utterly gone. In its place is a portrayal of du Pont, the heir to a vast chemical fortune, enormously wealthy but painfully lonely. His mother, Jean (Vanessa Redgrave), looms like a huge dark cloud over his life, her disappointment in her geeky, fragile, unattractive son all too obvious. She pours her love into horses, he into the sport of wrestling – horses are stupid, he says, all they do is eat and shit. His love of his pastime is so great he decides to basically take over and run the US wrestling team to train them for the 1988 Olympics. Top of his shopping list is Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo), brothers who won Gold in Los Angeles in 1984. [Read more…]

New Foxcatcher Trailer – Channing Tatum & Steve Carell team up for the lauded drama

October 14, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

After several teaser the full US trailer for Foxcatcher has arrived, a movie that following its Cannes debut has been tipped by many to get a good showing at next year’s Oscar ceremony, with many saying Steve Carell is a shoe-in for a nom.

The film is based on the true tale of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), who was murdered by his paranoid schizophrenic friend Jon Du Pont (Carell) in 1996. Du Pont was an heir to the Du Pont chemical company, who teamed up with Dave’s brother Mark (Channing Tatum) to build a wrestling training facility known as ‘Team Foxcatcher’ on his sprawling Pennsylvania estate. The Schultzes tried to get Du Pont help for years before the murder.

Bennett Miller (Capote) directs from a screenplay by Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye. It’s out in the US on December 20th, with a mid-January UK date set. Trailer via Yahoo. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo DIRECTORS: Bennett Miller FILMS: Foxcatcher

New Foxcatcher Trailer – Fresh look at Channing Tatum & Steve Carell in the lauded drama

August 29, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Foxcatcher was massively lauded when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, with many who saw it saying it was the first Oscar frontrunner and many saying Steve Carell could well win the Best Actor gong.

However are with earlier teaser, there’s more of a focus on man-of-the-moment Channing Tatum in this new trailer.

The film is based on the true tale of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), who was murdered by his paranoid schizophrenic friend Jon Du Pont (Carell) in 1996. Du Pont was an heir to the Du Pont chemical company, who teamed up with Dave’s brother Mark (Tatum) to build a wrestling training facility known as ‘Team Foxcatcher’ on his sprawling Pennsylvania estate. The Schultzes tried to get Du Pont help for years before the murder.

Bennett Miller (Capote) directs from a screenplay by Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye. It’s out in the US in December 20th, with a mid-January UK date set. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell DIRECTORS: Bennett Miller FILMS: Foxcatcher

New Foxcatcher Teaser Trailer – Channing Tatum turns wrestler opposite Steve Carell & Mark Ruffalo

July 2, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

When we posted a new poster for Foxcatcher a couple of days ago we noted that the focus seemed to have shifted from Steve Carell – who was the headliner when the film was first announced – to man of the moment Channing Tatum.

That’s just of true of this new teaser trailer, which pretty much suggest it’s all about Channing.

While Carell may be annoyed at being sidelined, he can console himself that following the ecstatic reception the movie received at Cannes, many were already prepared to hand him the Best Actor Oscar, and he remains the current frontrunner.

The film is based on the true tale of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), who was murdered by his paranoid schizophrenic friend Jon Du Pont (Carell) in 1996. Du Pont was an heir to the Du Pont chemical company, who teamed up with Dave’s brother Mark (Tatum) to build a wrestling training facility known as ‘Team Foxcatcher’ on his sprawling Pennsylvania estate. The Schultzes tried to get Du Pont help for years before the murder.

Bennett Miller (Capote) directs from a screenplay by Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye. It’s out in the US on December 20th, with a mid-January UK date set.

Take a look at the new teaser below. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo DIRECTORS: Bennett Miller FILMS: Foxcatcher

Channing Tatum Looks Moody In The First Foxcatcher Poster

June 30, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Foxcatcher is already seen by many as the frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar – although there’s a long way to go and a lot of movies to be released before it gets any prizes. However it undoubtedly got a great response when it premiered at Cannes.

We’ve had a teaser trailer and some pics – both of which have had people commenting on Steve Carell’s fake nose – and now comes the first UK poster, which arrives via The Guardian.

It just goes to show how quickly things change in Hollywood, as when the film was announced, it was Carell who was the headline star with Tatum as solid support. However now it’s Channing who’s front and centre in the first poster, showing just what a box office draw he’s seen as.

The film is based on the true tale of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), who was murdered by his paranoid schizophrenic friend Jon Du Pont (Carell) in 1996. Du Pont was an heir to the Du Pont chemical company, who teamed up with Dave’s brother Mark (Tatum) to build a wrestling training facility known as ‘Team Foxcatcher’ on his sprawling Pennsylvania estate. The Schultzes tried to get Du Pont help for years before the murder.

Bennett Miller (Capote) directs from a screenplay by Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye. It’s out in the US on December 20th, with a mid-January UK date set.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Channing Tatum DIRECTORS: Bennett Miller FILMS: Foxcatcher

Queer Filmmaker Xavier Dolan Picks Up Jury Prize At Cannes For Mommy

May 26, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Xavier Dolan may have missed out on the Queer Palm at Cannes for Mommy (that award went to the Brit flick Pride), but at the main awards ceremony he had more to smile about, as his movie tied for the Jury Prize with Jean-Luc Godard’s Goodbye To Language.

And Godard is certainly not bad company to be in! Some have already commented on whether it’s Cannes almost passing the baton, as the precocious Dolan is often said to be one of the most interesting new voices, while Goodbye To Language may be the legendary Godard’s final film.

In Mommy, ‘A widowed single mom finds herself burdened with the full-time custody of her explosive 15-year-old ADHD son. As they try to make ends meet and struggle with their impetuous and unpredictable ménage, the new girl across the street, Kyla, benevolently offers needed support. Together, they find a new sense of balance, and hope is regained.’

25-year-old queer filmmaker Dolan previously picked up the Queer Palm a couple of years ago for Laurence Anyways, and two awards at Cannes for his directorial debut, I Killed My Mother.

He wasn’t the only 2014 winner though, as Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Winter Sleep picked up the big prize, the Palm d’Or. Bennett Miller added to the excellent reviews for Foxcatcher with a Best Director win, while Julianne Moore picked up Best Actress for David Cronenberg’s Map To The Stars. The wonderful Timothy Spall meanwhile, won Best Actor for Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Julianne, Moore, Timothy Spall DIRECTORS: Xavier Dolan, Bennett Miller FILMS: Mommy

Foxcatcher Teaser Trailer – Steve Carell & Channing Tatum stars in the Cannes hit

May 19, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

It may be eight months until the Oscars, but thanks to glowing reviews at Cannes, Foxcatcher has emerges as the first frontrunner and some are already suggesting Steve Carell (and his prosthetic nose) and going to walk off with the Best Actor Oscar?

So are they right? Well, we can now have our first taster, thanks to a teaser that’s been released.

The drama is based on the true tale of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), who was murdered by his paranoid schizophrenic friend Jon Du Pont (Steve Carell) in 1996. Du Pont was an heir to the Du Pont chemical company, who teamed up with Dave’s brother Mark (Tatum) to build a wrestling training facility known as ‘Team Foxcatcher’ on his sprawling Pennsylvania estate. The Schultzes tried to get Du Pont help for years before the murder. Sienna Miller plays Nancy, Doug Schultz’s wife,

Bennett Miller directs from a screenplay by Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye. It’s out in the US on December 20th, with a mid-January UK date set. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo DIRECTORS: Bennett Miller FILMS: Foxcatcher