Moviefone Editorial

Tag: casey-affleck

  • Best Thanksgiving Movies of All Time, Ranked

    2018's 'The Oath'. Photo: Roadside Attractions.
    2018’s ‘The Oath’. Photo: Roadside Attractions.

    Everyone has a favorite Christmas movie, right? Whether it’s ‘A Christmas Story,’ ‘Elf’ or even ‘Die Hard,’ Christmas movies play ad nauseam on television throughout the month of December.

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    But where are all the Thanksgiving Day films?

    In honor of the annual holiday, Moviefone is counting down the top twenty Thanksgiving Day themed movies of all time!

    Now, to qualify for this list the film must either take place at Thanksgiving or involve the holiday in some way, and we are only counting theatrical releases, so sorry ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.’

    Let’s begin!

    Related Article: Every Halloween Movie, Ranked From Terrible to Terrifying

    20) ‘The Blind Side ‘ (1997)

    2009's 'The Blind Side'. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
    2009’s ‘The Blind Side’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

    The story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman (Sandra Bullock) and her family.

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    19) ‘Pilgrim‘ (2019)

    In an attempt to remind her family of their privilege and help them bond, Ms. Anna Barker (Courtney Henggeler) invites Pilgrim reenactors to stay with them over Thanksgiving. When the “actors” refuse to break character, the Barker family learns that there is such a thing as too much gratitude.

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    18) ‘Black Friday‘ (2021)

    A group of toy store employees must protect each other from a horde of parasite infected shoppers.

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    17) ‘The Thanksgiving Movie‘ (2020)

    Join Butterball the turkey and Missy the Dodo as they come to the rescue of Thanksgiving and embark on an unforgettable, clock-racing countdown to a holiday dinner. It’s a Thanksgiving Movie for the ages.

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    16) ‘Sweet November‘ (2001)

    Nelson (Keanu Reeves)is a man devoted to his advertising career in San Francisco. One day, while taking a driving test at the DMV, he meets Sara (Charlize Theron). She is very different from the other women in his life. Nelson causes her to miss out on taking the test and later that day she tracks him down. One thing leads to another and Nelson ends up living with her through a November that will change his life forever.

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    15) ‘Scent of a Woman‘ (1992)

    1992's 'Scent of a Woman'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    1992’s ‘Scent of a Woman’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino), a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.

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    14) ‘Son in Law‘ (1993)

    Country girl Rebecca (Carla Gugino) has spent most of her life on a farm in South Dakota, and, when she goes away to college in Los Angeles, Rebecca immediately feels out of place in the daunting urban setting. She is befriended by a savvy party animal named Crawl (Pauley Shore), who convinces the ambivalent Rebecca to stay in the city. When Thanksgiving break rolls around, Rebecca, no longer an innocent farm girl, invites Crawl back to South Dakota, where he pretends to be her fiancé.

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    13) ‘Prisoners‘ (2013)

    Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) faces a parent’s worst nightmare when his 6-year-old daughter, Anna, and her friend go missing. The only lead is an old motorhome that had been parked on their street. The head of the investigation, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), arrests the driver, but a lack of evidence forces Loki to release his only suspect. Dover, knowing that his daughter’s life is at stake, decides that he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands.

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    12) ‘The Wiz‘ (1978)

    Dorothy Gale (Diana Ross), a shy kindergarten teacher, is swept away to the magic land of Oz where she embarks on a quest to return home.

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    11) ‘Pieces of April‘ (2003)

    Quirky and rebellious April Burns (Katie Holmes) lives with her boyfriend (Derek Luke) in a low-rent New York City apartment miles away from her emotionally distant family. But when she discovers that her mother (Patricia Clarkson) has a fatal form of breast cancer, she invites the clan to her place for Thanksgiving. While her father (Oliver Platt) struggles to drive her family into the city, April — an inexperienced cook — runs into kitchen trouble and must ask a neighbor for help.

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    10) ‘Home for the Holidays‘ (1995)

    1995's 'Home for the Holidays'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    1995’s ‘Home for the Holidays’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    After losing her job, making out with her soon-to-be former boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) faces spending the holiday with her unhinged family.

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    9) ‘The Ice Storm‘ (1997)

    In the weekend after thanksgiving 1973 the Hood family is skidding out of control. Then an ice storm hits, the worst in a century.

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    8) ‘Addams Family Values‘ (1993)

    Siblings Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley Addams (Jimmy Workman) will stop at nothing to get rid of Pubert, the new baby boy adored by parents Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston). Things go from bad to worse when the new “black widow” nanny, Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack), launches her plan to add Fester to her collection of dead husbands.

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    7) ‘Grumpy Old Men‘ (1993)

    For decades, next-door neighbors and former friends John (Jack Lemmon) and Max (Walter Matthau) have feuded, trading insults and wicked pranks. When an attractive widow (Ann-Margret) moves in nearby, their bad blood erupts into a high-stakes rivalry full of naughty jokes and adolescent hijinks.

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    6) ‘Tower Heist‘ (2011)

    A luxury condo manager leads a staff of workers to seek payback on the Wall Street swindler who defrauded them. With only days until the billionaire gets away with the perfect crime, the unlikely crew of amateur thieves enlists the help of petty crook Slide to steal the $20 million they’re sure is hidden in the penthouse.

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    5) ‘Thanksgiving‘ (2023)

    'Thanksgiving' Parade from TriStar Pictures and Spyglass Media Group, LLC Thanksgiving.
    ‘Thanksgiving’ Parade from TriStar Pictures and Spyglass Media Group, LLC Thanksgiving.

    After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan.

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    4) ‘Free Birds‘ (2013)

    Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history—and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.

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    3) ‘The Oath‘ (2018)

    In a politically-divided United States, a man struggles to make it through the Thanksgiving holiday without destroying his family.

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    2) ‘The Last Waltz‘ (1978)

    Martin Scorsese‘s documentary intertwines footage from “The Band’s” incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.

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    1) ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles‘ (1987)

    1987's 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    1987’s ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    An irritable marketing executive, Neal Page (Steve Martin), is heading home to Chicago for Thanksgiving when a number of delays force him to travel with a well meaning but overbearing shower curtain ring salesman, Del Griffith (John Candy).

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  • Movie Review: ‘Slingshot’

    (L to R) Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Opening in theaters on August 30th, ‘Slingshot’ is the latest contender in the already overstuffed genre of science-fiction psycho-thrillers. Largely a three-hander between Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne and ‘The Boys’ Tomer Capone, it looks to mess with your head almost as much as it does its protagonist’s.

    Yet while it certainly builds atmosphere, the feeling here is very much that it’s following in the footsteps of other, better movies.

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    Does ‘Slingshot’ get up to speed?

    In space, the old saying goes, no-one can hear you scream. Yet you may find yourself screaming with frustration at ‘Slingshot’, which takes some bold swings in the psycho-thriller genre but ultimately comes up short when compared with classics such as ‘2001’ (admittedly, the new movie doesn’t have quite as such lofty themes on its mind) and is more likely to end up annoying than fascinating.

    A slow-burn start is fairly standard for this sort of movie, dropping hints about the main character’s mental state and background, and filling you in on the backstory before putting the actual mystery into play.

    ‘Slingshot’: Script and Direction

    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne, Casey Affleck, and Tomer Capone in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne, Casey Affleck, and Tomer Capone in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    The script for this new movie comes from an interesting duo –– R. Scott Adams (who gets the “written by” credit) has just one other film to his name, 2011 horror ‘Donner Pass’. Nathan Parker, meanwhile (“screenplay by”) has a more expansive resume, including ‘Equals’, TV’s ‘The Underground Railroad’ and perhaps more germane to a space thriller, ‘Moon’.

    But even with plenty of experience, ‘Slingshot’ ultimately comes across as reheated leftovers from other movies –– though it flirts with chewing over big themes such as isolation, the chain of command, paranoia and long-distance relationships –– it doesn’t really do all that much of interest with any of them.

    Neither does it give the cast a lot of interesting beats to play; each moment feeling a little stale and familiar as the situation starts to ratchet up the stress levels for their characters.

    Director Mikael Håfström, meanwhile, also has some solid work in his past; thrillers such as ‘The Rite’, ‘1408’, ‘Outside the Wire’ and ‘Vendetta’ to name just a few. Here, though, while he certainly manages to evoke some paranoia, a lot of what is presented is less than thrilling, from the normal concerns of humans suffering hibernation sickness and the talk of past problems between commanders and officers.

    Related Article: First look at Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’ Pictures

    ‘Slingshot’: Performances

    There are three main performances anchoring this one, though a fourth plays almost as important a part. The cast certainly gives their all, but the characters aren’t always worth the effort.

    Casey Affleck as John

    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Our focal point for the story is Affleck’s astronaut, and he brings his typical low-key energy to the role. John is a conflicted man, missing the woman he loves even though he’s finally on his lifelong dream to be on a space mission. As the situation and dynamics between the three main crewmembers begins to change, he’s the one person we follow through it all.

    Affleck is sometimes on autopilot here, going through the motions, and if you key into his particular weary charisma, the movie may work better for you.

    Laurence as Captain Franks

    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne and Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne and Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Like Affleck, you pretty much know what you’re getting when you hire Fishburne, though he obviously has a much longer cinematic history and has put in some truly great performances. Here, he’s not asked to do too much more than bring his usual charisma to a slightly underwritten, cliched role, the positive commander who is hiding something.

    There’s plenty to enjoy in his work here still.

    Toper Capone as Nash

    Tomer Capone in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    Tomer Capone in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Capone, who is probably best known for his role as Frenchie on Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’, has the chance to be something more surprising since he’s not quite the well-established performer like his co-stars.

    As Nash, he’s the nervier crew member, convinced that something is going badly wrong with the spaceship and is concerned that they shouldn’t attempt the titular “slingshot” maneuver that will see them using Jupiter’s gravity to speed them on their way to Titan, the moon of Saturn.

    Emily Beecham as Zoe

    (L to R) Emily Beecham and Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Emily Beecham and Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    The fourth key member of the cast, Beecham plays the lead of the engineering team that designed the Odyssey-1 ship at the heart of the story. Her tentative, yet passionate relationship with John is also part of the movie’s emotional core, told partly in flashback. She’s perfectly fine in the role, though it mostly subjugates her to being the distant girlfriend.

    Supporting cast

    There are one or two other people who make noticeable impact in the movie –– David Morrissey is the head of the program, who is seen in flashback and also is in contact with the trio via video screens (albeit on delay given the great distance involved). He’s solid in the role, which again is mostly a supporting part.

    Finally, worth mentioning is Nikolett Barabas as the disembodied voice of the ship’s computer, a vocal performance that carries more weight as the film moves on. She adds some gravitas to what is effectively a computerized voice initially making basic announcements.

    ‘Slingshot’: Final Thoughts

    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Looking to play with perceptions and keep you guessing as to what’s really going on can be tricky, and ‘Slingshot’ –– no spoilers here –– doesn’t always pull off the trick as successfully as it thinks.

    Still, it has enough tense energy to keep it moving until the final act descends into predictable chaos.

    ‘Slingshot’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Slingshot’?

    An astronaut (Casey Affleck) on a possibly fatally endangered mission to Saturn’s moon Titan struggles to keep his grip on reality.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Slingshot’?

    • Casey Affleck as John
    • Laurence Fishburne as Captain Franks
    • Emily Beecham as Zoe
    • Tomer Capone as Nash
    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    List of Laurence Fishburne Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Laurence Fishburne Movies on Amazon

     

  • ‘Slingshot’ Exclusive Interview: Laurence Fishburne

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    Opening in theaters on August 30th is the new sci-fi thriller ‘Slinshot’, which was directed by Mikael Håfström (‘Evil’) and stars Oscar-winner Casey Affleck (‘Manchester by the Sea’), Laurence Fishburne (‘The Matrix’), Emily Beecham (‘Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant’) and Tomer Capone (‘The Boys’).

    Related Article: Laurence Fishburne Joining ‘The Witcher’ to Play the Character of Regis

    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne and Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne and Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with legendary actor Laurence Fishburne about his work on ‘Slingshot’, his first reaction to the screenplay, his approach to his character, the incredible sets, and working with Casey Affleck.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Fishburne and director Mikael Håfström.

    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne, Casey Affleck, and Tomer Capone in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Laurence Fishburne, Casey Affleck, and Tomer Capone in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and why you wanted to be part of this project?

    Laurence Fishburne: Well, when I read it, I was very surprised that I couldn’t figure out where it was going. I thought, okay, I want to do this because if it surprised me, hopefully we’ll surprise the audience. Also, Casey Affleck was attached, and he’s a brilliant actor, somebody who I’ve admired for many years, and I was like, oh yeah, I really want to work with him. Then I discovered that Tomer Capone was going to be playing the other character, and I love his work on ‘The Boys’, and I just thought, yeah, we’re going to make a wonderful trio. So those are the reasons that I wanted to do it.

    MF: Is that what you looking for when you are reading scripts and choosing projects, something that surprises you with a good cast and director?

    LF: I don’t necessarily approach it with “what I’m looking for”. I always approach it with an open mind and an open heart. If there’s something that I discover whether it’s a surprise or it’s funny or it makes me cry or whatever it is, I really must connect with the story on some level. That’s first and foremost. Then of course, if there are wonderful people attached, like our director, Mikael Håfström on this, a wonderful director whose work I wasn’t familiar with, but once I met him, I was like, oh, this guy’s fantastic, and we’re going to do something really cool together. It doesn’t matter whether anybody gets it, you just know like, we’ve got a good piece of material, we’ve got a great crew, we’ve got a great cast, and we’ve got a leader in our director who has a vision that he’s confident about. So, if he’s confident about it, then he’s the guy I’m willing to follow.

    (L to R) Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing Captain Franks?

    LF: It’s the kind of role that I’m comfortable in, that people absolutely buy me as, kind of an authority figure. I’m the captain of the ship, so I kind of have that kind of military bearing. I’ve played a captain of a ship in space before, so it’s not like a big stretch for anybody to believe me as that. So, it was about the tone because it’s such an intimate film, it’s such a small kind of space. It’s three people on a ship altogether, claustrophobic at times, and then at moments because you’re in space, it’s very expansive. Then they introduced the idea that the ship might be compromised, and the mission might be compromised, and our lives might be in danger. So, when you have a small group of people floating through space on something that’s the size of a golf ball, the stakes suddenly get very high.

    MF: Can you talk about how Captain Franks deals with the mutiny on his ship and the different dynamics between his crew members?

    LF: It’s great because there’s this whole triangulation thing that happens between the three characters. So, in moments, my character Captain Franks sits at the top of the pyramid and then it shifts, when the other two are alone and they’re conspiring about whether they’re going to follow my orders or whether they’re going to mutiny. Then it shifts again when I kind of persuade one of them to see things my way. Then it keeps shifting and changing and that just ratchets up the tension and you’re like, okay, what’s going to happen here? Who’s going to captain the ship, as it were?

    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    MF: What was it like working with Casey Affleck and having him as a scene partner?

    LF: Hey man, he was great. Casey is like the Chet Baker of acting. I mean, he’s lyrical. He’s whimsical. He’s got this incredible sense of melody that’s in the emotional range, and he plays it all so subtly and with a kind of beautiful melancholy that is just captivating. So, it was just great working with him.

    MF: Finally, do you think that the small spaceship set helped add the feeling of claustrophobia to your performance?

    LF: Well, it did at times. It was very deceptive because it’s shaped like a circle, right? So those scenes where we’re walking in the hall, you keep walking round and round, but you can’t, because of the way it’s the angles are designed, you can never see the end of it. So, it seems to go on forever in some ways. What Mikael Håfström was able to do with his DP was he was able to sometimes make it feel like it was quite spacious, and then at other times to bring it tight and make it seem very claustrophobic so that your perspective changes. You’re not sure is it up, is it down? It was really a beautifully constructed and designed set.

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    What is the plot of ‘Slingshot’?

    An astronaut (Casey Affleck) on a possibly fatally endangered mission to Saturn’s moon Titan struggles to keep his grip on reality.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Slingshot’?

    • Casey Affleck as John
    • Laurence Fishburne as Captain Franks
    • Emily Beecham as Zoe
    • Tomer Capone as Nash
    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street's 'Slingshot'. Credit: Bleecker Street.
    Casey Affleck in Bleecker Street’s ‘Slingshot’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    List of Laurence Fishburne Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Laurence Fishburne Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘The Instigators’

    Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    In theaters now and streaming on Apple TV+ on August 9 is ‘The Instigators,’ directed by Doug Liman and starring Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames, Paul Walter Hauser, Toby Jones, and Ron Perlman.

    Related Article: First look at Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’ Pictures

    Initial Thoughts

    Matt Damon and Casey Affleck promoting 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck promoting ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Doug Liman hasn’t had a good time with his chosen profession in recent years. The director’s last three efforts, ‘Chaos Walking,’ ‘Locked Down,’ and ‘Road House,’ have all ranged somewhere between mediocre and unwatchable, a steep fall for the filmmaker who once brought us ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ and ‘The Bourne Identity.’ His latest outing, the crime caper comedy ‘The Instigators,’ isn’t a great piece of work, but it’s considerably more entertaining that his previous few films even if it runs into its own problems.

    Much of the entertainment value comes from stars Matt Damon and Casey Affleck (the latter of whom also co-wrote the screenplay with fellow Bostonian Chuck Maclean), whose longtime real-life friendship translates easily into an onscreen chemistry even as their characters are mostly at odds with each other. The two leads are backed up by a generously stacked cast, including the likes of Hong Chau, Ron Perlman, Alfred Molina, Michael Stuhlbarg, and others, all of whom are terrific to watch even if some of them get short-changed by the shaggy script. Like Affleck’s character, a cynical ex-con who’s smarter and has a bigger mouth than everyone else in the room, ‘The Instigators’ is fun until it becomes irritating.

    Story and Direction

    Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Damon plays Rory, a divorced ex-Marine who has fallen on hard times and is hinting enough at suicide to alarm his therapist, Dr. Rivera (Chau). But before Rory can “cash in his ticket,” as he says, he has one thing left to do: he wants to see his son, but in order to make that happen he needs to settle exactly $32,480 in child support and other payments. And the only way for him to do that is to participate in a heist being orchestrated by lower-tier mob boss Mr. Besegai (Stuhlbarg) and his right-hand man Richie (Molina), who operate out of a local bakery.

    Besegai’s plan is for a small group of thieves to infiltrate the election headquarters of the corrupt Mayor Miccelli (Perlman), whose re-election is all but reassured and who collects a staggering amount of cash “gifts” every election night from stakeholders who want to curry favor with him. The idea is to go in after the election night party is over and stick the place up, grabbing the cash from the mayor and escaping by boat behind the building. In addition to Rory, the crew will consist of Cobby (Affleck) and Scalvo (Jack Harlow), the latter a hot-headed hood who Mr. Besegai puts in charge of the operation.

    Aside from Scalvo being trigger-happy and Rory being utterly inexperienced at crime (plus depressed and none-too-bright), a series of other variables – such as Miccelli losing the election in an upset – turns the plan completely upside-down. This is the best part of ‘The Instigators’: normally a film like this leads up to the big heist in the third act, and even if things go wrong, the crew improvises their way through it. Here the caper goes sideways in the first half-hour, with every carefully laid-out aspect of the plan going completely in the opposite direction.

    Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau and director Doug Liman from Apple Original Films’ “The Instigators” make an appearance at View Boston.
    (L to R) Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau and director Doug Liman from Apple Original Films’ “The Instigators” make an appearance at View Boston. Photo: Marion Curtis / Starpix for Apple Original Films.

    That leaves Rory and an injured Cobby as unlikely partners and fugitives, fleeing the scene with little cash but with a piece of personal property that’s extremely valuable to the bellowing mayor. After its offbeat first third, ‘The Instigators’ becomes more episodic and unbelievable as Rory and Cobby go on the run, evading hitmen and corrupt cops (including one menacing Special Ops officer played by Ving Rhames) through a series of chases, explosions, and narrow escapes — with Dr. Rivera somehow hitching along as a fake hostage.

    The contrivances necessary to get Rivera into and out of the situation, then back in it again later, also lead to some of the most tonally off moments in the movie. One extended, destructive chase sequence finds Rivera dispensing cliched therapeutic bromides to Rory (“Think about the person you want to be,” she offers improbably) as they careen through the streets of Beantown with a dozen police cars in pursuit. Because this is essentially a comedy, the stakes never feel as real as they could – even with compromised cops, seedy lowlife thugs, and political corruption rampant throughout the story, the script and Liman’s freewheeling direction keep this light and all on a surface level, leading to a somewhat tiresome finale.

    The Cast

    Hong Chau, Casey Affleck and Matt Damon in 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Hong Chau, Casey Affleck and Matt Damon in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Even as the air starts to seep out of the script, ‘The Instigators’ (an odd title, since Rory and Cobby don’t instigate anything, but merely react to their changing circumstances) is kept buoyant through its ensemble of sturdy, always reliable players. As mentioned earlier, Damon and Affleck provide most of the appeal here: the way that Damon’s morose straight man and Affleck’s jaded, seen-it-all crook bounce off each other provides most of the movie’s fun. Damon’s Rory has a wounded working-class decency, a guy who’s been pushed to the edge both by his own mistakes and things not in his control who only gradually retakes command of his own destiny as best he can.

    Affleck’s Cobby is the source of most of the movie’s humor, as his disaffected demeanor, rogue-ish charm, and constant barrage of jokes, pokes, and non-sequiturs hide a street-level, quick-on-his-feet intelligence that gets him and Rory both into and out of every scrape. He becomes irritating not just to his targets but to us as well, and we’re kind of onboard when some of those targets tell him to shut the f**k up.

    Hong Chau is always superb even though she has the least plausible material to work with and a character who verges in the edge of “therapist stereotype.” The rest, especially Stuhlbarg, Molina, Toby Jones (as Miccelli’s mild-mannered accountant), and Perlman as his Trumpy, self-serving boss, are all a pleasure to watch even if their characters are paper-thin.

    Final Thoughts

    Casey Affleck and Matt Damon promoting 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Casey Affleck and Matt Damon promoting ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    “Paper-thin” is a good way to describe ‘The Instigators’: it all operates on a surface level, never resonating emotionally too much and not quite settling on the right balance of comedy, action, and crime thriller. It will make you laugh – or perhaps chuckle quietly – without building to a real comic crescendo.

    Yet Liman keeps it all moving (only the extended finale drags out a bit), gets us in and out of the story in 90 minutes, and provides ample opportunity to watch Damon and Affleck have some fun. There are far worse ways to spend an hour-and-a-half – including a few that Doug Liman has provided before this.

    ‘The Instigators’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Instigators’?

    A desperate, depressed dad (Matt Damon) and a cynical, wisecracking ex-con (Casey Affleck) find themselves roped into a brazen robbery that quickly goes sideways, with the unlikely duo soon hunted by hitmen, the police, the corrupt mayor of Boston, and the dad’s very concerned therapist (Hong Chau).

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Instigators’?

    • Matt Damon as Rory
    • Casey Affleck as Cobby
    • Hong Chau as Dr. Donna Rivera
    • Paul Walter Hauser as Booch
    • Michael Stuhlbarg as Mr. Besegai
    • Ving Rhames as Frank Toomey
    • Alfred Molina as Richie Dechico
    • Toby Jones as Alan Flynn
    • Jack Harlow as Scalvo
    • Ron Perlman as Mayor Miccelli
    Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Instigators’:

    Buy Matt Damon Movies on Amazon

    Buy Casey Affleck Movies on Amazon

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  • Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in First ‘The Instigators’ Images

    Hong Chau, Casey Affleck and Matt Damon in 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Hong Chau, Casey Affleck and Matt Damon in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Preview:

    • Matt Damon and Casey Affleck are thieves in the first images from ‘The Instigators’.
    • Doug Liam directed the crime thriller.
    • The movie will land on Apple TV+ on August 9th.

    We might most famously think of ‘Good Will Hunting’ in terms of Matt Damon and Casey Affleck sharing the screen (then alongside the latter’s brother Ben), but they were also both in ‘Oppenheimer’ last year.

    But later in 2024, we’ll see them in meatier roles for a new crime thriller called ‘The Instigators’, in which they play two thieves pulling off a desperate robbery.

    Apple TV+ was quick to snap this one up and has the first images from the movie online.

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    What’s the story of ‘The Instigators’?

    Rory (Damon) and Cobby (Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to pull off a robbery of the ill-gained earnings of a corrupt politician. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos, pursued not only by police, but also backwards bureaucrats and vengeful crime bosses.

    Completely out of their depth, they convince Rory’s therapist (Hong Chau) to join their riotous getaway through the city, where they must put aside their differences and work together to evade capture –– or worse.

    Related Article: 10 Things We Learned at the ’Air’ Press Conference with Cast and Crew

    Who is making ‘The Instigators’?

    Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Affleck co-wrote the script with Chuck MacLean, and Doug Liman is in the director’s chair.

    Here’s what Affleck told Entertainment Weekly about his inspirations:

    “The inspiration for this was definitely ‘Midnight Run’ and ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’. I’ve always wanted to do a buddy action comedy.”

    And for Damon, this was a chance to reunite with his ‘Bourne Identity’ director. This is what he said:

    “I absolutely love working with Doug. I can’t believe it took us 20 years to find something else to do together. Doug is one of the most creatively tenacious people I’ve ever met. He just won’t stop until the movie is as good as it can be, and that is the best possible thing you can feel from a director. I trust him completely.”

    Who else is in ‘The Instigators’?

    The movie also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Paul Walter Hauser, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, Toby Jones, Jack Harlow and Ron Perlman.

    Here’s Affleck on how some of the cast fit in:

    “‘The Instigators’ is about two strangers who are hired for a heist. They become frenemies and then become friends while Jack Harlow yells at us, Paul Walter Hauser insults us, Ving Rhames hunts us, and Hong Chau keeps us alive.”

    When will ‘The Instigators’ land on Apple TV+

    Apple TV+ will start streaming the new movie on August 9th. Hopefully Liman is already aware it’ll be going directly there; we don’t need another ‘Road House’ protest.

    Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Instigators’:

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  • Where To Watch Christopher Nolan’s Blockbuster Hit ‘Oppenheimer’

    Cillian Murphy (as J. Robert Oppenheimer) and writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of 'Oppenheimer.'
    (L to R) Cillian Murphy (as J. Robert Oppenheimer) and writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’

    Christopher Nolan’s historical biopic was not only a box-office powerhouse but also delivered compelling performances and stunning visuals.

    The film chronics J. Robert Oppenheimer‘s career from the beginning of his studies to his role in the Manhattan Project to the 1954 security hearing. The film used color to differentiate between Oppenheimer’s point of view and Lewis Strauss’ point of view – with color representing Oppenheimer and black and white for Strauss. The difference in color also depicts their personality, where Oppenheimer sees the world in bright colors, while Strauss sees it in black and white.

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    The official synopsis for ‘Oppenheimer’ is below:

    “During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.”

    Who Is In The Cast of ‘Oppenheimer’?

    Robert Downey Jr is Lewis Strauss in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Robert Downey Jr is Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    The Atomic Explosion

    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    The film did not use any CGI or VFX to recreate the Trinity Test blast. As we saw with Nolan’s 2020 film ‘Tenet’, the director has always had a knack for creating realistic and explosive moments on film with practical effects. To recreate the atomic bomb detonation, Nolan worked with cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema to capture the explosion on film.

    Working closely with special effects supervisor Scott Fisher and visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson, they first ran tests by dropping silver particles in an aquarium.

    “We built aquariums with powers in it. We dropped silver particles in it. We had molded metallic balloons which were lit up from the inside. We had things slamming and smashing into one another, such as ping-pong balls, or just had objects spinning,” said Van Hoytema.

    The explosion was captured in in close-up at variable frame rates, combined with Van Joytema’s IMAX cinematography which filled the screen with an image that is both beautiful and deadly. When this moment is played in the theaters, the film goes silent as the detonation flashes before the deafening blast shakes and resonates in everyone’s core.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Oppenheimer’

    Where Can I Watch ‘Oppenheimer?

    Tom Conti is Albert Einstein and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    (L to R) Tom Conti is Albert Einstein and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    ‘Oppenheimer’ held its world premiere on July 11, 2023, at Le Grand Rex in Paris. The film was released domestically on July 21 in formats such as IMAX 70mm, stand 70mm, and 35mm. The film was released simultaneously as Warner Bros.’s ‘Barbie’, creating the internet phenomenon known as “Barbieheimer.”

    ‘Oppenheimer’ earned over $82.4 million on its opening weekend and has since grossed over $322.4 million domestically and $933.8 million worldwide, making it the 2nd highest-grossing R-rated movie. ‘Oppenheimer’ has a total runtime of 3 hours.

    Buy Tickets: ‘Oppenheimer’ Movie Showtimes

    Watch the official trailers for ‘Oppenheimer’ below:

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    While some theaters are still playing the movie, options are limited as the film has passed its 45-day theatrical window. Currently, there is no word on when the historical biopic will be released on digital or streaming. ‘Barbie’, which was released at the same time as ‘Oppenheimer’, is already available on digital. However, it is possible the film remains in theater longer as Nolan requested a longer theatrical window.

    Buy Christopher Nolan Movies on Amazon

    If the film were to follow the release schedule of Universal’s ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, arriving on its streaming service Peacock 120 days after its theatrical release. That could mean ‘Oppenheimer’ would be available on streaming by mid-November.

    Where to Watch: ‘Oppenheimer’ Stream and  Watch Online

    Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    (L to R) Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Other Christopher Nolan Movies:

  • Movie Review: ‘Oppenheimer’

    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Opening in theaters on July 21st is the new biopic ‘Oppenheimer,’ which chronicles the life and career of the “Father of the Atomic Bomb” J. Robert Oppenheimer and was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan (‘Tenet,’ ‘Dunkirk,’ ‘The Dark Knight’).

    What is the plot of ‘Oppenheimer’?

    ‘Oppenheimer’ tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘Oppenheimer’?

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    Initial Thoughts

    Christopher Nolan has crafted another masterpiece with an epic historical biopic that is as captivating as it is compelling. What begins as a character study eventually unfolds into an intriguing political mystery with unexpected twists and turns. Cillian Murphy gives the performance of his career as the conflicted and complicated J. Robert Oppenheimer, while Robert Downey Jr. also gives one of his finest performances to date as Lewis Strauss, Oppenheimer’s eventual adversary.

    Story and Direction

    Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of 'Oppenheimer.'
    Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’

    The three-hour long movie tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer from his early years studying physics in Germany, to eventually being recruited by the U.S. government to work on the Manhattan Project and the aftermath of the creation of the Atomic bomb. The story is mostly told in flashbacks from both Oppenheimer and Lewis Strauss’ points of views. Oppenheimer is defending his actions following WWII in a secret government meeting, while Strauss is addressing a Senate committee as he has been appointed to a cabinet position. We see the events as they unfold as memories for both characters, with Strauss’ in black and white, and Oppenheimer’s depicted in color, which also represents the characters personalities as Strauss sees the world in black and white while Oppenheimer sees bright colors.

    Christopher Nolan is unarguably one of the most celebrated filmmakers of his generation and is known for making twisty movies like ‘Memento’ and ‘Inception,’ as well as historical documents like ‘Dunkirk,’ but ‘Oppenheimer’ excels because it does both at the same time and embraces everything Nolan does well. Nolan’s script is smart, cutting back and forth between both Oppenheimer and Strauss’ hearings and their individual flashbacks, and using that to frame the story of creating the Atom bomb. But the movie is also a political thriller, and has a ‘Usual Suspects’ level twist towards the end that you won’t see coming.

    Nolan sets an epic tone for the film, which is grand in scope and design, and he gets the very best out of his ensemble cast. Nolan’s use of cutaways to visual effects of atoms, molecules, fire and stars representing thoughts running through Oppenheimer’s head were interesting but thankfully used sparingly. While the film is long at just about three-hours, it goes fast and Nolan uses the most of his time setting the stakes for the drama and allowing his cast room to breathe. The movie also looks gorgeous, thanks to Nolan and the work of cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema.

    Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer

    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Cillian Murphy is best known for playing the Scarecrow in Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ movies and hasn’t really had the chance to show off his talents until now. As the title character Murphy delivers a strong and layered performance with authority that gives the movie a feeling of importance and urgency. Oppenheimer is driven, egotistical, brilliant, self-absorbed and conflicted, and Murphy conveys all of this with very little effort, giving a seamless performance. This is definitely the actors best work, and I would be surprised if he doesn’t get a lot of attention come awards season.

    Robert Downey Jr.’s Performance

    Robert Downey Jr is Lewis Strauss in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Robert Downey Jr is Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most popular actors of his generation, but after a decade of playing Iron Man, it’s easy to forget just how good a dramatic actor he is and this movie helps remind us of that. Despite the title, ‘Oppenheimer’ is almost as much Downey’s movie as it is Murphy’s, and the actor completely holds his own narrative well. While the two actors share few scenes together and Downey’s role is supporting, his character is pivotal to the story and the true antagonist of the film. In a career as impressive as Downey’s, it’s hard to say this is his best performance, but it’s certainly on the short list, and I’m starting the campaign now for Downey to get nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

    Supporting Cast

    Matt Damon is Leslie Groves in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Matt Damon is Leslie Groves in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Nolan has always assembled incredible casts of actors for his projects, but the abundance of riches here is a bit embarrassing. The movie stars a who’s who of talented actors, and I of course can’t mention all of them, but I will say Matt Damon stands out. Damon plays Leslie Groves, the General that recruited Oppenheimer. The actor plays the role with a bit of his signature charm, which fits the otherwise serious military figure well. Damon also has good chemistry with Murphy, and the two characters forge a nice friendship together.

    Surprisingly, Josh Hartnett, who’s been away from the big screen for some time makes a fantastic comeback as Ernest Lawrence, one of Oppenheimer’s colleagues. Hartnett gives a really strong performance opposite Murphy and is a wonderful addition to the cast. Benny Safdie and David Krumholtz also play colleagues of Oppenheimer and both actors bring a lot to their characters as well.

    Josh Hartnett is Ernest Lawrence in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Josh Hartnett is Ernest Lawrence in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Florence Pugh also stands out and gives a very daring performance as Jean Tatlock, Oppenheimer’s first love. Pugh’s character is sweet and vulnerable, and you understand why he falls in love with her in the first place. But their story is also tragic, and Pugh’s tender performance gives her character a real voice in the movie.

    Unfortunately, Emily Blunt’s performance as Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty, did not work for me. The character was not as well-defined in the script as Jean, and while Blunt is a great actress and did her best in the role, her performance falls flat with her limited screen time. The chemistry between Oppenheimer and Kitty never quite works, especially in comparison to his relationship with Jean, but perhaps that was the point.

    Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Related Article: ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘The Exorcist’ and More Feature in Universal Pictures’ CinemaCon Presentation

    Oscar Hopes

    Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    (L to R) Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    I would imagine that this film will be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars next year. I’d be surprised if Nolan doesn’t get nominated as well for both Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Depending on how the rest of the year shapes up, he’ll probably walk away with at least one of those awards. Nolan’s been nominated five times before and never won, and right now, this seems like the movie and the year where he might actually win.

    I think Cillian Murphy has a great chance of being nominated for Best Actor, and certainly deserves it, but I’m really hoping that Robert Downey Jr. is rewarded for his incredible performance here, as well as his overall body of work. Florence Pugh also has a chance at a Best Supporting Actress nomination, but that will really rely on who the rest of the competition will be. I would also imagine the film will receive several technical nominations as well as cinematography for Hoyte van Hoytema.

    Final Thoughts

    In the end, ‘Oppenheimer’ is another Christopher Nolan masterpiece. A movie that works both as a compelling historical biopic, and an intriguing political thriller with brilliant performances from Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.

    ‘Oppenheimer’ received 9.5 out of 10 stars

    Cillian Murphy (as J. Robert Oppenheimer) and writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of 'Oppenheimer.'
    (L to R) Cillian Murphy (as J. Robert Oppenheimer) and writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’

    Other Christopher Nolan Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Oppenheimer’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Christopher Nolan Movies on Amazon

    ‘Oppenheimer’ is produced by Syncopy, Universal Pictures, and Atlas Entertainment. It is set to release in theaters on July 21st.

     

  • First Teaser for Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’

    Having famously switched his filmmaking operations to Universal from longtime home Warner Bros. after dissatisfaction with the straight-to-HBO handling of some movies and its treatment of ‘Tenet’, Christopher Nolan has been working away on his next movie, ‘Oppenheimer’.

    Universal, naturally, is going all out to promote this one, including with this first, unusual teaser, which features fragments of footage from the film, some voice-over dialogue referring to its subject matter and an ominous countdown clock.

    Some have speculated that it’s to the release date – but not in America, as those figures don’t sync up. But with the movie opening in Singapore the day before its Stateside release, it makes more sense.

    Nolan here is adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning book ‘American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer’ by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. It chronicles how he was part of the infamous Manhattan Project and played a key role in the creation of atomic weapons, yet later came to have complicated feelings about their deadly power. He lobbied for international control of nuclear power and opposed the creation of the even more destructive hydrogen bomb.

    Cillian Murphy, a Nolan regular, plays Oppenheimer, who is glimpsed briefly in this first footage.

    Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer' written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer’ written and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Emily Blunt is playing his wife, biologist, and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, with Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project and Robert Downey, Jr. as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

    Florence Pugh will portray psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, who turns out to have a hidden agenda, while Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller. Michael Angarano is physicist Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.

    Also among the cast? Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, Gary Oldman, Dane DeHaan, Jack Quaid, Scott Grimes, Dylan Arnold, Olivia Thirlby, Olli Haaskivi, Matthew Modine, Gustaf Skarsgård (yes, another son of Stellan, and aged between Alexander and Bill), Jason Clarke, David Dastmalchian, Alden Ehrenreich, Casey Affleck, Tony Goldwyn, Alex Wolff, Josh Peck, James D’Arcy, David Krumholtz…

    Look, at this point it’s probably easier just to list the people who aren’t in Nolan’s latest. It might be the first end credits crawl in years where the cast runs for a longer time than the effects teams.

    ‘Oppenheimer’ sees Nolan tackling a historical subject again, and one that surely offers the opportunity for plenty of his terse dialogue and large-canvas visions. It won’t surprise you to learn that it has been shot and be and released on 65mm IMAX and large-format film. Providing the beautiful footage is another repeat Nolan colleague, director of photography Hoyte Van Hoytema, while composer Ludwig Göransson returns after scoring ‘Tenet’. A pulse-pounding biopic thriller with high stakes certainly feels like it could work well for Nolan.

    ‘Oppenheimer’ will be in theaters here from July 21st.

    Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer' written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer’ written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
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  • Casey Affleck Says Brother Ben Is ‘Doing Great’ in Rehab

    Casey and Ben Affleck
    Roadside Attractions/Warner Bros.

    The Oscar-winning Affleck brothers are there to support each other.

    At the Toronto International Film Festival, while promoting his new movie “The Old Man and the Gun,” Casey Affleck gave an update on big bro Ben Affleck, who entered rehab on August 22.

    “He’s doing great,” the actor told Entertainment Tonight. “He’s in rehab and he’s recovering and seems to be doing well.”

    He also told E! News, “I think it is very brave of him to take care of what he has to take care of, handling his business and getting better. I look forward to him being out and back on his feet.”

    This is the “Justice League” star’s third time in rehab, reportedly at the intervention of estranged wife Jennifer Garner and a sober coach.

    Previously, he had been spotted with 22-year-old Playboy model Shauna Sexton after splitting from girlfriend Lindsay Shookus. People reported that Sexton was seen visiting the rehab center this weekend and her car has been spotted at Affleck’s home.

    Prior to entering rehab, Affleck had finished filming “Triple Frontier” with Oscar Isaac and Charlie Hunnam.

  • Casey & Ben Affleck’s Dad: ‘Disgusting’ Hollywood Has ‘Taken a Toll on Both of My Sons’

    Timothy Affleck’s sons Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck are both successful Oscar winners who’ve worked together multiple times. But they’ve also both been the subjects of troubling reports. If you were their father, how would you feel? Maybe a mix of proud and concerned?

    Ben Affleck has publicly struggled with alcohol, he’s divorced from Jennifer Garner (after cheating rumors), he was called out for groping Hilarie Burton on “TRL,” and got caught up in the Harvey Weinstein defense. Meanwhile, the also recently divorced Casey Affleck was accused of sexual misconduct from his 2010 film “I’m Still Here,” and even though he won the Oscar last year for “Manchester by the Sea,” he recused himself from the 2018 Oscars so as not to be a #MeToo era distraction.

    Ben and Casey’s father defended them in a new interview, as you’d expect from a father, while placing the blame on himself and Hollywood.

    Here’s what Timothy Affleck told Grazia about the entertainment industry:

    “It has taken a toll on both of my sons. Hollywood is a disgusting place. I think that’s been a major factor in Ben’s drinking. You’re kind of forced to develop a persona that is hard to shed and go home to your family. It affects your whole life. I think that’s one of the dangers of the film industry.”

    85th Annual Academy Awards - ArrivalsTimothy addressed Affleck’s failed marriage to Jennifer Garner, telling Grazia:

    “It’s very difficult to balance family life in the midst of global stardom. It’s a hard, taxing life.”

    Timothy and the boys’ mother, Chris, divorced when Ben was 12, and the kids stayed in the Boston area with Chris when Timothy moved to California.

    Dad admitted he was “a chronic, severe alcoholic for several years,” and Ben inherited that toxic relationship with alcohol:

    “Ben has always been serious about getting sober. There is no question about that. He wants a balanced life and he is working at it.”

    Timothy didn’t address the misconduct claims made against Casey or Ben, saying you’d just have to ask them. But he did defend his sons as human beings:

    “They’re both kind and good men. They treat women well, I can guarantee that. After 40 odd years, you know your kids. Both of my sons are hard workers. They have a tremendous amount of empathy, they don’t forget where they came from, they’re very kind and generous. Those are the qualities that I value.”

    Of course their dad would say that, it would be strange if he didn’t. But private lives are private for a reason, and parents usually aren’t privy to the daily intimacies of their kids’ lives. We can all improve, and learn from our mistakes. Here’s hoping the Affleck brothers take the right lessons from their highs and lows and live up to their father’s faith.

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