(L to R) Carrie-Anne Moss and Douglas Smith in ‘Die Alone’. Photo: Filmoption.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Carrie-Anne Moss about her work on ‘Die Alone’, her first reaction to the screenplay, similarities to ‘Memento’, her approach to her character, working with Douglass Smith, and collaborating with director Lowell Dean on set.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
Carrie-Anne Moss as Mae in the Thriller, Horror ‘Die Alone’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to this screenplay and what intrigued you about this world that Lowell Dean had created?
Carrie-Anne Moss: I loved the script right away. I particularly loved the part of Mae, the character, and I really wanted to play her. I’m not a real zombie apocalypse, gory film watcher, but the story was what really brought me to wanting to be a part of it, the love story, and the journey of Mae. I just thought it was something I really wanted to be a part of, and then when I talked to Lowell, and he had such a clear vision. Any concerns that I slightly had, he was just like, “Yeah,” because the ending of the movie, I wasn’t sure. The ending on the page, it was really disturbing. I don’t mind disturbing things, I am not saying that, but there was intimacy and that quality. There was something in that that I just wasn’t sure as just reading it. He just assured me. He said, “You’re going to love the ending,” and he was right. I love the ending. That really surprised me, because again, I felt the love, I guess. He wanted to tell this love story, and I saw it as that as well.
MF: There is an amnesia element to ‘Die Alone’ that reminded me of ‘Memento’. Did you realize that as well when you were making this movie?
CAM: Well, I have to say that was one of the hesitations that I had with it, was that there was a couple of moments, let’s say two moments between me and him where I was like, “Oh, is this too similar?” But then when I finished it and I really looked at the larger scope of the project, it’s nothing like ‘Memento’. Even the amnesia part, it’s so different, so that was how I was able to quell that. But it deterred me in the beginning, because I don’t want to do something again. You know what I mean? That’s not something I’m looking to do. But overall, I didn’t really feel they were that similar, in the end. There’s a couple of lines where I go, “Oh.” A little bit of a nod, I guess.
(L to R) Douglas Smith as Ethan and Carrie-Anne Moss as Mae in the Thriller, Horror ‘Die Alone’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
MF: Without giving anything away about the plot, as an actress, how do you approach a character as complex as Mae?
CAM: Well, you rely on the writing, for sure. He wrote the character and the script very solidly, then you must play the truth and make sure you hit your moments. I mean, you must obviously do that no matter what, but it was really on the page. I just had to embody her.
MF: Can you talk about the friendship Mae forms with Ethan and what it was like working with Douglass Smith?
CAM: Oh, great. I mean, I’ve worked with him before, so we have a relationship. We know each other. We weren’t close, but we worked a lot more together than we had in the past. He’s very easy to be with. He’s such a good actor, and he’s such a pleasure to act with, very professional. He’s great. I think he does such a great job.
(L to R) Carrie-Anne Moss as Mae and Director Lowell Dean in a BTS still from the Thriller, Horror ‘Die Alone’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
MF: Finally, what was it like collaborating with director Lowell Dean?
CAM: Yeah, he really opens the space to allow you to have the freedom. He hires a lot of great people, even on the crew and stuff. Everyone’s doing their thing. He has an input in all of it, but then when he calls action, he really lets you be, so I appreciated that. I like that way of working.
MF: Just to follow up, is that what you are looking for from a director when working on set?
CAM: I mean, that’s not what I’m looking for, but when it does happen, it’s really my favorite way to work. It’s just not how everybody works, but when it happens, or you have a moment of that, or maybe you’ll have little bits of that, but some people just set that tone. I’d say Christopher Nolan totally sets that tone. First time I’d ever really been in that environment was with Christopher Nolan, where he just opens it up and you get to do your thing. Lowell did the same thing.
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What is the plot of ‘Die Alone’?
Lost in a world reclaimed by nature and overrun by mysterious creatures, a young man (Douglass Smith) with amnesia teams up with an eccentric survivalist (Carrie Anne-Moss) to find his missing girlfriend.
(L to R) Douglas Smith as Ethan, Director Lowell Dean and Frank Grillo as Kai in a BTS still from the Thriller, Horror ‘Die Alone’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
(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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
(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.
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.
(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.
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.
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.
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.
Drew Goddard, who made ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ is writing and directing.
There is no release date yet.
‘The Matrix’ is 25 years old this year, and if that makes a portion of our audience feel like they should be crumbling into dust, join the club: we’ve had dust jackets made. The three original movies (‘The Matrix’, ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘The Matrix Revolutions’) are still considered landmark genre entries.
So it’s perhaps the perfect year to announce that a new ‘Matrix’ movie is in the works, which might yet come as a surprise given the lackluster box office of 2021’s ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ (not helped by its day-and-date release on streaming service Max).
For the first time, though, neither of the Wachowskis who crafted the original trilogy (with Lana Wachowski stepping back up to make ‘Resurrections alone) are writing or directing this one.
Instead, the new movie will be created by ‘The Martian’ writer and ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ filmmaker Drew Goddard, with Lana Wachowski on board to executive produce.
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What’s the story of ‘The Matrix 5’?
(L to R) Carrie-Anne Moss and Keanu Reeves in ‘The Matrix’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Right now, to no-one’s particular surprise, the storyline is being kept a secret. All that featured in the news release about the movie is Warner Bros. Motion Pictures president of production Jesse Ehrman teasing that the story will advance the fantasy world without straying too far from what made the series a success.
Also unknown at this time? Who from the various movies’ casts (particularly veterans Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss) will return, if any.
Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus in ‘The Matrix.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Here’s Ehrman’s statement on the new development:
“Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the Matrix world, by both honoring what Lana and Lilly began over 25 years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters. The entire team at Warner Bros. Discovery is thrilled for Drew to be making this new ‘Matrix’ film, adding his vision to the cinematic canon the Wachowskis’ spent a quarter of a century building here at the studio.”
And Goddard also seems enthused:
“It is not hyperbole to say ‘The Matrix’ films changed both cinema and my life. Lana and Lilly’s exquisite artistry inspires me on a daily basis, and I am beyond grateful for the chance to tell stories in their world.”
Warner Bros. hasn’t said yet when it might release the new movie. Of course, it might have been good to have it ready for this year’s 25th anniversary, but that’s not happening.
(Center) Hugo Weaving in ‘The Matrix’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Keanu Reeves is one of the most beloved actors of his generation!
Reeves’ resume features classic movies like ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,’ ‘Point Break,’ ‘Speed,’ ‘The Matrix’ series and the ‘John Wick’ franchise.
His latest, ‘John Wick: Chapter 4,’ which is once again directed by Chad Stahelski, opens in theaters on March 24th.
In honor of the new ‘Wick’ movie, Moviefone is counting down the 30 greatest Keanu Reeves movies of all time, including ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’
When a devoted husband and father (Reeves) is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women (Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas) unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse.
A representative of an alien race that went through drastic evolution to survive its own climate change, Klaatu (Reeves) comes to Earth to assess whether humanity can prevent the environmental damage they have inflicted on their own planet. When barred from speaking to the United Nations, he decides humankind shall be exterminated so the planet can survive.
In this Shakespearean farce, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and her groom-to-be, Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), team up with Claudio’s commanding officer, Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), the week before their wedding to hatch a matchmaking scheme. Their targets are sharp-witted duo Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) — a tough task indeed, considering their corresponding distaste for love and each other. Meanwhile, meddling Don John (Reeves) plots to ruin the wedding.
A group of high-school friends (Reeves, Crispin Glover and Ione Skye Leitch) must come to terms with the fact that one of them, Samson (Daniel Roebuck), killed another, Jamie (Danyi Deats). Faced with the brutality of death, each must decide whether to turn their friend in to the police, or to help him escape the consequences of his dreadful deed.
Reunited after 15 years, famous chef Sasha (Ali Wong) and hometown musician Marcus (Randall Park) feel the old sparks of attraction but struggle to adapt to each other’s worlds.
Six months after the events depicted in The Matrix, Neo (Reeves) has proved to be a good omen for the free humans, as more and more humans are being freed from the matrix and brought to Zion, the one and only stronghold of the Resistance. Neo himself has discovered his superpowers including super speed, ability to see the codes of the things inside the matrix and a certain degree of pre-cognition.
But a nasty piece of news hits the human resistance: 250,000 machine sentinels are digging to Zion and would reach them in 72 hours. As Zion prepares for the ultimate war, Neo, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) are advised by the Oracle (Gloria Foster) to find the Keymaker (Randall Duk Kim) who would help them reach the Source. Meanwhile Neo’s recurrent dreams depicting Trinity’s death have got him worried and as if it was not enough, Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) has somehow escaped deletion, has become more powerful than before and has fixed Neo as his next target.
A lonely doctor (Sandra Bullock) who once occupied an unusual lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect (Reeves). They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it’s too late.
Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is an aged music industry exec with a fondness for younger women like Marin (Amanda Peet), his latest trophy girlfriend. Things get a little awkward when Harry suffers a heart attack at the home of Marin’s mother, Erica (Diane Keaton). Left in the care of Erica and his doctor (Reeves), a love triangle starts to take shape.
Tom Ludlow (Reeves) is a disillusioned L.A. Police Officer, rarely playing by the rules and haunted by the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he’s been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’
Super-assassin John Wick (Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.
In “DC League of Super-Pets,” Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne Johnson) and Superman (John Krasinski) are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman, Batman (Reeves) and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack—Ace the hound (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the turtle (Natasha Lyonne) and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna) to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the superheroes.
Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett), young widow and mother of three, makes her living foretelling others’ futures—though her own has become cloudier than even she can see. Threatened by a client’s (Hilary Swank) violent husband (Reeves) and plagued by visions of a missing local woman (Katie Holmes), Annie finds herself pulled into a thicket of lies and deception in which her extraordinary gift may ultimately get her killed.
In 18th century France, Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) asks her ex-lover Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) to seduce the future wife (Michelle Pfeiffer) of another ex-lover (Reeves) of hers in return for one last night with her. Yet things don’t go as planned.
The human city of Zion defends itself against the massive invasion of the machines as Neo (Reeves) fights to end the war at another front while also opposing the rogue Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving).
Maverick old-guard coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) is hired in the wake of a players’ strike to help the Washington Sentinels advance to the playoffs. But that impossible dream hinges on whether his replacements can hunker down and do the job. So, McGinty dusts off his secret dossier of ex-players who never got a chance (or screwed up the one they were given) and knits together a bad-dream team of guys who just may give the Sentinels their title shot.
John Wick (Reeves) is forced out of retirement by a former associate looking to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to aid him, Wick travels to Rome and does battle against some of the world’s most dangerous killers.
The story of the Buckman family and friends, attempting to bring up their children. They suffer/enjoy all the events that occur: estranged relatives, the ‘black sheep’ of the family, the eccentrics, the skeletons in the closet, and the rebellious teenagers.
Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax (Reeves) accepts a job at a New York law firm. With the stakes getting higher every case, Kevin quickly learns that his boss (Al Pacino) has something far more evil planned.
When aspiring model Jesse (Elle Fanning) moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.
Woody (Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” (Tony Hale) to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.
In this loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” Mike Waters (River Phoenix) is a gay hustler afflicted with narcolepsy. Scott Favor (Reeves) is the rebellious son of a mayor. Together, the two travel from Portland, Oregon to Idaho and finally to the coast of Italy in a quest to find Mike’s estranged mother. Along the way they turn tricks for money and drugs, eventually attracting the attention of a wealthy benefactor and sexual deviant.
Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Reeves) are high school buddies starting a band. They are also about to fail their history class—which means Ted would be sent to military school—but receive help from Rufus (George Carlin), a traveller from a future where their band is the foundation for a perfect society. With the use of Rufus’ time machine, Bill and Ted travel to various points in history, returning with important figures to help them complete their final history presentation.
John Wick (Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
Keanu Reeves as John Constantine in 2005’s ‘Constantine.’
John Constantine (Reeves) has literally been to Hell and back. When he teams up with a policewoman (Rachel Weisz) to solve the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, their investigation takes them through the world of demons and angels that exists beneath the landscape of contemporary Los Angeles.
Los Angeles SWAT cop Jack Traven (Reeves) is up against bomb expert Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper), who’s after major ransom money. First it’s a rigged elevator in a very tall building. Then it’s a rigged bus–if it slows, it will blow, bad enough any day, but a nightmare in LA traffic. And that’s still not the end.
In Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers who call themselves The Ex-Presidents commit their crimes while wearing masks of Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. Believing that the members of the gang could be surfers, the F.B.I. sends young agent Johnny Utah (Reeves) to the beach undercover to mix with the surfers and gather information.
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
Schwarzenegger churned out hit after hit in the early ’90s, beginning with this explosive adaptation of a Philip K. Dick story. As with most Dick adaptations, it’s a pretty loose take on the source material. But when you combine mind-bending sci-fi goodness with all the classic Schwarzenegger tropes and director Paul Verhoeven’s sly, hyper-violent stylings, good things follow.
Director Luc Besson helped define the look and feel of a whole new wave of stylish French thrillers with this movie. It doesn’t hurt that star Anne Parillaud gave us the femme fatale heroine the movie world needed. It’s usually a good sign when an action movie inspires multiple foreign language remakes.
If ’90s kids had a bad case of deja vu watching “The Fast and the Furious,” it’s only because they had already fallen in love with “Point Break.” The two movies share the exact same plot, but “Point Break” has the benefit of some incredible surfing scenes and the late, great Patrick Swayze in the role he was born to play.
The first two “Terminator” movies are critical pillars of the sci-fi genre, but it’s really “Terminator 2” that stand as the high-water mark for this franchise. Great action, compelling characters and a heartfelt story about humanity struggling to change its fate make for an incredible sci-fi experience.
The ’90s weren’t a great time for supoerhero movies in general and Batman movies in particular, but at least we got one more great movie out of Tim Burton and Michael Keaton. Even though Keaton’s Batman is about as agile as a tortoise, “Batman Returns” features some great fight scenes and a generally more exciting, action-packed alternative to its predecessor. And Catwoman is the sh**.
Director John Woo cultivated his own unique brand of action movie in the ’90s, one that combines classics “cops and robbers” storytelling with stylish gunplay and liberal use of slow motion and flying doves. “Hard Boiled” is where Woo really perfected that formula, and also where American audiences began to sit up and take notice of star Chow Yun-fat.
I mean, how can you NOT love this movie?! That’s Stallone, stabbing a bad guy, on a stalagmite (or is it tite?) Whatever, the point is: This guilty pleasure gave Stallone a much-needed action movie career boost in the ’90s. And it’s one of the most beautifully shot action movies ever.
Sylvester Stallone didn’t fare so well in the ’90s, between “Rocky V” and some generally poor choices of roles. But at least he had “Demolition Man,” a futuristic movie that blends satisfying action with a healthy dose of satire. As guilty pleasures go, you could have worse. #ThreeSeashells.
By the time the ’90s rolled around, Harrison Ford was getting a bit long in the tooth to keep playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones. Instead, he transitioned into more an everyman action hero who kicked ass despite his age. And nowhere does that formula work better than in “The Fugitive.”
We’re down for any movie in which Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a Cajun butt-kicker with a mullet. The fact that “Hard Target” also marked John Woo’s first American film just made it that much more of an attractive proposition. Sure, it’s dumb, but the kind of dumb that keeps you enthralled from start to finish.
Few action stars have aged as gracefully as Harrison Ford. The star continued to carve out a new place for himself as a likable middle-aged action hero in this third installment of the Jack Ryan franchise. We’re not sure why Paramount has tried so hard to reinvent the character as a younger, sexier hero when this formula worked so well.
The Die Hard franchise has a pretty spotty track record when it comes to sequels. Luckily, At least we got one great follow-up to the original during the ’90s. “Die Hard With a Vengeance” is the only sequel to retain the blue collar everyman appeal of the original without also simply recycling the same plot.
While it wouldn’t see official release in the US until 2000, hardcore martial arts lovers swooned over Jackie Chan’s second “Drunken Master” movie. Never has the actor’s incredible blend of athleticism and physical comedy been more impressive.
Director Luc Besson became one of the dominant forces in the action movie world in the ’90s, and this film was a major reason why. It features one of the all-time coolest action heroes in the form of Jean Reno’s Léon, and the fact that a young Natalie Portman played his precocious sidekick/trainee just makes the whole ting that much more fun. We’re still holding out for a Portman-driven sequel.
For all of you who wanted “Die Hard” on a battleship, Steven Seagal made your dream come true. He plays, naturally, the ship’s cook (with some SEAL training) and, yup, gets into a vicious knife fight with baddie Tommy Lee Jones. This movie is dated, sure, but director Andrew Davis’ tension and TLJ’s scene-stealing performance still hold up.
A lot of the best action movies are the ones with the simplest premises. “Speed” makes the most of a simple idea and its two leads, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Unfortunately, that simplicity is one reason it was so hard to cook up a worthwhile sequel.
As the decade wore on, Schwarzenegger started losing steam as a traditional Hollywood action hero. But at least we got one more great collaboration between Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron first. “True Lies” is a real crowd-pleaser and remains one of the best movies in both their careers.
Michael Bay was undeniably at his best in the ’90s, back before his career became dominated by “Transformers” sequels. “Bad Boys” offered an explosive new take on the buddy cop genre, one anchored by the terrific chemistry between Martin Lawrence and superstar-in-the-making Will Smith.
While 1992’s “El Mariachi” is a great showcase for what a skilled director can do on a minuscule budget, this 1995 sequel allows Robert Rodriguez to operate on a much bigger stage. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a mariachi singer wield a rocket-launching guitar case.
The James Bond franchise was badly in need of a new direction and a new leading man in the ’90s, and it got both thanks to “GoldenEye.” The only Bond film with a story to live up to Pierce Brosnan’s thoroughly satisfying take on the character, “GoldenEye” remains one of the high points in this incredibly long-running series.
“Sudden Daeth” is basically a “Die Hard” sequel set inside a hockey arena. How could you not love that. While not one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s bigger hits of the ’90s, it’s gained a healthy following thanks to its simple premise and strong execution.
If there’s one thing ’90s action movies were good at, it was updating classic ’60s TV series into sexy modern blockbusters. “Mission: Impossible” delivered a satisfying bled of stunts and intrigue. In the process, it established a formula so strong that the series is still alive and thriving even two decades later.
How good is this Michael Bay movie? Good enough to be selected for the Criterion Collection. “The Rock” is a high point in Bay’s career. It’s an expertly crafted action thriller that makes the most of the unusual but satisfying pairing of Nic Cage and Sean Connery.
Harrison Ford had one of his biggest hits ever in this 1997 “Die-Hard-on-a-plane” thriller. In a time of ongoing political scandal, it was refreshing to see a President getting down to business and punching a bunch of terrorists off of his plane. This film served as another reminder that Gary Oldman is the all-time champ when it comes to over-the-top villains.
The premise of “Face/Off” skirts the line between brilliant and ridiculousness, which is only fitting for a movie featuring John Travolta and Nic Cage impersonating one another. It’s a wild, stylish ride, as all John Woo films should be.
In a decade marked by one lousy comic book movie after another, “Blade” finally came along to show what was possible when studios treat the source material with the respect it deserves. “Blade” also doesn’t get enough credit for its influence on the action movie genre. It was basically doing “The Matrix” a year before “The Matrix” hit theaters.
When your crime thriller is crammed with one plot twist after another, it helps to have some satisfying, next-level car chases to keep things humming along. That’s no problem for “Ronin,” which features a nonstop stream of car chases, shootouts and betrayals to keep viewers hooked.
Arguably Will Smith’s most underrated ’90s effort, this paranoid thriller casts him as a likable DC attorney caught up in a conspiracy involving the murder of a politician. Soon, Smith finds himself on the run with surveillance expert Gene Hackman and a lot of fun twists ensue, thanks to Tony Scott’s deft direction.
The two “Matrix” sequels don’t exactly hold up, with dated CG effects and lousy storytelling choices reminding us why this franchise had such a meteoric rise and fall. But that doesn’t mean the original film should be forgotten. “The Matrix” delivered a unique mash-up of philosophy, martial arts and science fiction. It was a revelation at the time, and it’s still a darned good watch nowadays.
With Disney rebooting nearly all of its beloved ’90s animated classics and even lesser-known movies like the thriller “Fear” getting remade, we have to wonder, what’s next?
Here, in no particular order, are some of the sacred movies we’re telling producers: “Hands off!” (We’re working under the assumption that no one would attempt to remake a Scorsese, Tarantino, Spike Lee or Coen Bros. movie. One day, we might be wrong.)
25 years later, we still love the chemistry between Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. (There’s a reason for that.) And given the famously awful sequel (sans Keanu), we can only imagine how terrible a remake would be. Remember how that “Point Break” remake worked out? Yeah, that’s how you get a Sad Keanu.
The more we watch this movie, the more we love this cast. From a dancing-and-singing Heath Ledger, to a badass Julia Stiles, to baby-faced Joseph Gordon-Levitt, to porn-writing guidance counselor Allison Janney, who could fill those shoes? A short-lived TV series (starring Ethan Peck as Patrick Verona!) is proof this was best left alone.
As if someone could attempt to make a high school movie as perfect. One that we still quote on a regular basis. Reminder: “It does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty.” (Sure, several of the cast returned for the TV series, but it just wasn’t the same without Alicia Silverstone as Cher.)
4. “Fight Club” (1999)
20th Century Fox
On of the lesser-known “Fight Club” rules is YOU DO NOT REMAKE FIGHT CLUB. (Or “Seven,” for that matter.)
Trying to top Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino, that breathtaking daylight bank robbery scene and Dante Spinotti’s cinematography? To quote Pacino’s cranky cop character, Vincent Hanna, “Don’t waste my ****ing time.” Arguably Michael Mann‘s best film.
Another Michael Mann masterpiece that wasn’t properly recognized at the time (it received just one Oscar nomination, for Best Sound, which it won). We’re here for the sweeping action scenes, the swoon-worthy “I will find you!” Daniel Day Lewis and Madeleine Stowe romance, and that stunning final sequence. If it came out today, surely Mann, Day-Lewis, Stowe, Spinotti and Wes Studi would all get Oscar noms.
Sure, “Unforgiven” won the Best Picture Oscar the year before, but this is the ’90s western we love to watch over and over. Other actors have played Doc Holliday in different movies, but Val Kilmer will always be (you knew this was coming) our huckleberry.
There has been talk of a remake … except it’s more of a sequel. Or a reboot? And may or may not star Michael B. Jordan. And while we’re sure Killmonger would kill it, it would be damn hard to follow Keanu’s Neo. The existing sequels have their fans, but nothing can touch the mind-blowing impact of the first film and its revolutionary special effects.
10. “Léon: The Professional” (1994)
Gaumont Buena Vista International
No, sir, we do not want a remake of this gonzo Luc Besson action film. (We pity the person having to one-up Gary Oldman‘s crazed, Beethoven-loving corrupt cop.) But we will take a sequel with a grown-up Natalie Portman as a cleaner. Please and thank you.
Even with Anthony Hopkins back on board, subsequent films about Hannibal Lecter, including “Hannibal” and “Red Dragon,” completely failed to match this Oscar-sweeping horror classic. (Jodie Foster notably refused to reprise her role as Clarice Starling in “Hannibal.”) We do, however, recommend Michael Mann’s “Manhunter,” a previous telling of “Red Dragon” with Brian Cox as a far more low-key cannibal.
This twisty crime drama remains one of the ’90s most perfect movies. (Despite the now-toxic duo of director Bryan Singer and Oscar winner Kevin Spacey.)
In John Woo‘s gloriously over-the-top action flick, John Travolta and Nicolas Cage swap faces and lives — and get a change to send up each other’s acting tics. It’s a nutso concept that both actors commit to fully and we couldn’t love them more for it.
A remake with “Fast and the Furious” badass Michelle Rodriguez and Cara Delevingne was (very sketchily) rumored around 2014, but never happened. Plus, with her driving skills (and a more than a decade of crazy “Furious” stunts) Letty Ortiz might just that get Thunderbird all the way over the Grand Canyon. We’ll just enjoy the original and its “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” ending.
The odds of a remake of this comedy classic being good are about as likely as two sets of “youts” driving nearly identical metallic, mint-green cars and stopping at the Sac-O-Suds convenience store.
It’s not just the two leads who make this pulp movie work, it’s that fantastic supporting cast: a pre-“Sopranos” James Gandolfini, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper. Tarantino wrote it and Tony Scott directed it and that’s a combo you’re never going to get again.
We know this much is true: A redo of our favorite Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore romantic comedy would make Robbie Hart cry (and possibly upset Billy Idol). And it already inspired a Broadway musical, so I think we’re good here.
A planned sequel to this hilarious space spoof, alas, died with Alan Rickman. By Grabthar’s Hammer, we would not suffer a remake. Now let’s get out of here before one of those things kills Guy!
Thanks to the brilliant match-up of Nicolas Cage (as a nerdy chemical “superfreak”) and Sean Connery (as an unjustly imprisoned spy), this remains the best Michael Bay movie ever. This action film about retaking Alcatraz from mercenaries is insanely entertaining and eminently rewatchable. With these two riffing off each other between the 360-degree hero shots, we couldn’t love it more.
There’s also no stopping the “Matrix” franchise, which seemed to (pretty definitively) wrap up with 2003’s weirdly underrated “The Matrix Revolutions.” Warner Bros announced today (via Variety) that Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann-Moss would return to the digital landscape once again, in a fourth film directed by Lana Wachowski, one half of the Wachowski directing team that spearheaded the first three films. (Lana’s sister, Lilly Wachowski, has a forthcoming Showtime series called “Work in Progress.”)
Interestingly, the new script will be written by Wachowski, Aleksander Hemon (an author who appeared on the Wachowskis’ Netflix series “Sense8”) and David Mitchell, the celebrated British novelist (the Wachowskis adapted his novel “Cloud Atlas” and he, in turn, worked on “Sense8” – at one point he was pegged to write all of season 3 before it was abandoned). Also interesting: Neo and Trinity died in the last movie.
“We could not be more excited to be re-entering the Matrix with Lana,” said Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman Toby Emmerich in an official statement. “Lana is a true visionary — a singular and original creative filmmaker — and we are thrilled that she is writing, directing and producing this new chapter in ‘The Matrix’ universe.”
For her part, Lana said: “Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now. I’m very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends.”
Work on the sequel is said to begin in early 2020. We cannot wait.
She was at the Television Critics Association panel for her Showtime series “Work in Progress,” and was asked about Warner Bros. planned remake/sequel.
She confirmed she’s busy with “Work in Progress” and won’t be part of any new “Matrix” project. “Well, I’m a little busy at the moment,” she told SlashFilm.
That’s not surprising. What is surprising is that she seems happy to hand off the film that put her and sister Lana on the moviemaking map 20 years ago.
“I like it when stories go out into the world and then come back to you in different ways,” Wachowski said. “I mean, that’s what storytelling is all about. I’m part of a bigger thing. I don’t have any ownership over stuff like that, so whatever story anybody wants to tell, I can’t wait to hear. I hope it’s better than the original.”
An interview with former “Matrix” stuntman-turned-director Chad Stahelski caused people to think the Wachowskis might be involved with the new version, but Stahelski later clarified he didn’t know if the Wachowskis would actually be involved or not.
Zak Penn (“Ready Player One”) has been hired to write the script and he has said the movie is not a reboot, not a remake, nor a continuation of the original trilogy.
That leaves, perhaps something set in the same universe, but with different characters. Michael B. Jordan has been mentioned to star, but there’s no indication that’s actually going to happen.
Lilly Wachowski’s “Work in Progress” debuts on Showtime on December 8, 2019.
