Horror movies have two speeds: Slasher and terrifyingly intense. At the risk of sleeping with the lights on for the next forever, we’re looking at the latter.
With Halloween fast approaching, Moviefone is counting down the most terrifying horror movies that were released between 2015 and now.
Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) and the terrifying vampire (Bill Skarsgård) infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
An American nun (Sydney Sweeney) embarks on a new journey when she joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, her warm welcome quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbours a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.
When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.
In town for a job interview, a young woman (Georgina Campbell) arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man (Bill Skarsgård) is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway.
A young couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
Still scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) faces the ghosts of the past when he meets Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a courageous teen who desperately needs his help — and who possesses a powerful extrasensory ability called the “shine”.
After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain.
When twin brothers (Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
In pursuit of a serial killer (Nicolas Cage), an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).
Several friends travel to Sweden to study as anthropologists a summer festival that is held every ninety years in the remote hometown of one of them. What begins as a dream vacation in a place where the sun never sets, gradually turns into a dark nightmare as the mysterious inhabitants invite them to participate in their disturbing festive activities.
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) go upstate to visit her parents for the weekend. At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.
Two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie (Toni Collette) and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness.
(Left) Jude Law in Warner Bros. ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.’ (Right) Nicholas Hoult in Fox Searchlight Pictures ‘Tolkien.’
Australian director Justin Kurzel clearly has a thing for true crime stories. And he’s seen success with a few of them, including ‘Nitram’, ‘True History of the Kelly Gang’ and ‘The Snowtown Murders’. He’s back at the based-on-truth track for a new movie called ‘The Order’.
Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult are aboard to star in the film, which Zach Baylin––no stranger to real-life stories himself after writing the Oscar-nominated screenplay for ‘King Richard’––has adapted from Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s book ‘The Silent Brotherhood’.
Here’s the basic pitch for ‘The Order’: In 1983, a series of increasingly violent bank robberies, counterfeiting operations and armored car heists frightened communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. As baffled law enforcement agents scrambled for answers, a lone FBI agent (Law), stationed in the sleepy, picturesque town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, came to believe the crimes were not the work of traditional, financially motivated criminals, but a group of dangerous domestic terrorists, inspired by a radical, charismatic leader (Hoult), plotting a devastating war against the federal government of the United States.
It’s certainly topical and offers fertile ground for drama. Plus both Law and Hoult have long proved themselves capable of this sort of performance. Kurzel intends to start shooting this May in Alberta, Canada.
Both Law and Hoult have been typically busy of late, with Law joining the ‘Star Wars’ televisual galaxy via Jon Watts’ ‘Skeleton Crew’ series about youngsters caught up in the galactic clash. That should arrive on Disney+ this year. There’s also more mysterious drama ‘Black Rabbit’, a drama he’s been developing with Jason Bateman for Netflix, and which also boasts Baylin as one of the writers.
On the movie front, he’ll be Captain Hook for David Lowery’s latest live-action Disney project, ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’, which doesn’t have a release date yet, but we’re eager to see what the director does with the classic tale.
And in stories based on real-life, Law’s playing Henry VIII opposite Alicia Vikander’s Catherine Parr in ‘Firebrand’, which comes from director Karim Aïnouz.
As for Hoult, he was last seen in ‘The Menu’ and has ‘Dracula’-based action comedy ‘Renfield’ (in which he plays the troubled title character looking to break free from the vampire’s employ) due in theaters on April 14th.
Behind the scenes, the actor has a production company called Dead Duck Films and has been developing a TV series to star in called ‘Wildfire Johnny’. It tells the story of a young man who discovers a discarded straight razor with a note promising whoever possesses this blade will gain access to its particular magic. No word on when that one will be shooting yet.
(L to R) Arturo Castro, Aimee Carrero, and Mark St. Cyr at ‘The Menu’ Blu-ray release party at the Blockbuster Pop Up in Hollywood, CA. Photo: Dan Steinberg Photography.
The acclaimed movie, which was directed by Mark Mylod, centers around a young couple (Taylor-Joy and Hoult) who travel to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the famed Chef Slowik (Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
The event was held at a Blockbuster Video Pop Up on Melrose Avenue, and served cocktails inspired by the characters in the film, as well as Chef Slowik’s “To Die For” burger and fries, which were featured prominently at the end of the movie.
‘The Menu’ Blu-ray release party at the Blockbuster Pop Up in Hollywood, CA. Photo: Dan Steinberg Photography.‘The Menu’ Blu-ray release party at the Blockbuster Pop Up in Hollywood, CA. Photo: Dan Steinberg Photography.
In attendance were actors Arturo Castro and Mark St. Cyr, who along with Rob Yang as Bryce, play Soren and Dave, respectively, who are Slowik’s greedy business partners. Also appearing at the event was actress Aimee Carrero, who portrayed Felicity, the assistant to John Leguizamo’s movie star character.
Moviefone had the pleasure of sitting down with Aimee Carrero, Mark St. Cyr and Arturo Castro at the event to talk about their work on ‘The Menu,’ their characters, the ensemble cast, director Mark Mylod, and if they are surprised by the success of the movie.
Aimee Carrero at ‘The Menu’ Blu-ray release party at the Blockbuster Pop Up in Hollywood, CA. Photo: Dan Steinberg Photography.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was it like for you as actors to be a part of this incredible ensemble cast?
Aimee Carrero: Well, it was like a play and we shot it in sequence, which is such a gift and so rare. What’s cool about the cast that Mark Mylod put together is all of us come from theater for the most part. So, we’re all used to being together, doing the same thing many times over, and just the stamina that it requires to do the same thing over and over again, not knowing where the camera is and still keeping the energy up, and still keeping it really fresh. So, I was really lucky to have a partner like John Leguizamo and have Judith Light, I mean a theater legend, Ralph Fiennes, another theater legend, and Janet McTeer. I mean, I could go on and on.
So, it was amazing. The first day I was really intimidated, but then I remember being in my trailer and thinking, okay, the only way you can mess up this job is by feeling intimidated. You got to go in and know you belong here. You can have something to offer the story. So, I gave myself a little pep talk, but nobody made me feel that way. I mean, everybody was just wonderful and so nice. It honestly felt like doing summer stock theater camp or something. It was just so much fun.
Arturo Castro: Even the days that you didn’t have lines, you had to be there. There was one scene where it’s John Leguizamo and Ralph Fiennes and they’re going at each other, and then the lines end and they start improving with each other. I remember being there. I’m like, I wouldn’t have believed you had you told me that one day I would have front row seats to watch these masters go at it. The movie had a few moments of such gratitude that I felt my chest was going to burst. So yes, it was like theater in that sense, but also just for an audience of twelve, it was wonderful.
MF: Was Ralph Fiennes intimidating to work with?
Mark St. Cyr: He takes his craft very seriously. So, when he’s there to work, he is there to work. In a way you end up being very grateful for it because he sets the tone for the whole set. Everybody’s like, “Hey, let’s treat this as a sacred opportunity while we’re here.” Then Ralph is great when he is not on set. He’s very relaxed, very generous and has a lot of fun. But when you’re there, man, he’s locked in.
Arturo Castro: He’s intimidating in the sense that the man didn’t mess up a line once, not once! One time he went, “I’m going to take that back.” He hadn’t even messed it up. He just took it back one time. I’m like, you can’t set the bar that high Dude. You got pages and pages of dialogue, and we’re fumbling like three lines a piece every five minutes. That was the intimidating part. He just said the bar too high.
Aimee Carrero: Ralph is an OBE, Order of the British Empire. He’s a theater actor. So, I was expecting someone very formal, and he’s not at all formal, which is really nice because we were all a little buttoned up when he walked in. I mean, we’d met him at a rehearsal and a lunch and stuff, but everybody’s like, there’s Ralph Fiennes.
But he was so approachable. He was so funny. He just is a curious person and wants to know about your life. So, he’ll be like, “So tell me about your husband. How did you meet your husband?” I’m like, “Really? You want to know this? You’re Ralph Fiennes, don’t you have other things to talk about?” But I think that’s what makes him a great actor, he’s really interested in people and asks people things. So, he was just a joy.
(L to R) Arturo Castro and Mark St. Cyr at ‘The Menu’ Blu-ray release party at the Blockbuster Pop Up in Hollywood, CA. Photo: Dan Steinberg Photography.
MF: Arturo and Mark, once you were cast, how quickly did you guys get to meet Rob Yang and figure out the dynamics of your three characters?
Arturo Castro: I didn’t meet these guys till I went down to Savannah. But the first day we met, we sat around discussing the script and me, Mark and Rob went out to drink. That was the dynamic, and then we started kicking it from there. We just rode the wave.
Mark St. Cyr: I met Arturo, but I didn’t know who the third Tech bro was at that time. Rob wasn’t there, so we weren’t complete until we did the table read.
MF: Can you talk about the challenge of humanizing these otherwise despicable characters?
Arturo Castro: We all know people like this, and I think there’s more than the two-dimensional factor of it. I think for me it was about people that have made something of themselves, but they come at it from a resentment point of view. Like, “Now I’m on top, so I get to be the guy and you get to feel bad because I’m on top.” These are people that have felt belittled for one reason or another, or that they had imposter syndrome and they are overcompensating on the other end. That’s how I humanize them.
Mark St. Cyr: I think that’s interesting, what you just said about how they feel like they’re on top now. Maybe they were on the bottom before because that table is all minorities, which I thought was interesting as they very easily could have cast all the tech bros as white. So in a way, you kind of get to watch the entitlement attitude that comes with having a ridiculous amount of money at your disposal. I think there are a lot of men that just prioritize money above all else. Money is important, but above all else can do some weird things to you.
MF: Aimee, John Leguizamo has publicly said that he based his “movie star” character on Steven Seagal, who he had an unpleasant experience working with on 1996’s ‘Executive Decision.’ Did you know that was where he was pulling his inspiration for the character from when you were filming?
Aimee Carrero: No. In fact, I thought he was going for a Johnny Depp thing because of the scarf, because he had that little scarf on. But he actually said that during our press junket in November when the movie was going to come out. I remember him being coy about not saying who it was, and finally half way through the junket, he was like, “Honestly, it was based on Steven Seagal.” He just said it. I was like, oh my God.
But no, in fact, I thought he played the movie star with a lot of heart. I actually felt bad for him at times. So, maybe that was his detached, delusions of grandeur kind of thing definitely coming through. But yeah, it’s funny because whenever actors are portrayed in film, it’s always so over the top and kooky. But he chose the route of, this could be an actor or it could just be a guy who’s really full of himself and no one’s ever said no to him.
MF: Aimee, without giving anything away, I felt that both Felicity and Anne, played by Judith Light, did not deserve the outcomes they received. Do you agree with that, or do you think they got what they deserved?
Aimee Carrero: Well, it’s funny because Judith and I talked about that. We talked about the idea of if you’re not making the problem better, then you’re making it worse. I think maybe out of all the people in the restaurant, they deserve to die the least. I don’t think that they were as bad as the other ones. But I think in Felicity’s case, because her mother ran a big studio, she got a job there, she was stealing money, she had no student loans.
I think part of it too, from the writer’s perspective, there has to be a catharsis that the audience feels when they’re having to pay their student loan every month, to watch someone who didn’t have to suffer that meet their end, in a funny way, it has to be cathartic. But I don’t think she was as bad as the other ones. But it does spark a question in my mind, is it okay to just not be that bad or do we have to be good?
(L to R) Arturo Castro and Mark St. Cyr at ‘The Menu’ Blu-ray release party at the Blockbuster Pop Up in Hollywood, CA. Photo: Dan Steinberg Photography.
MF: Finally, what was your experience like working with director Mark Mylod on this project, and were you surprised by the success of the film?
Arturo Castro: We were just talking about it and we feel like it comes in waves. When it came out in theaters, then it came out on HBO Max, and now that it’s on Blu-ray and DVD, so we’re just incredibly grateful. If I may say about Mark Mylod, every morning he would get to set, he would have a team meeting and he would have such humor and grace to what we were going to do for the day. He just set the tone really early in the morning for what the day was going to be. It helped tremendously for morale. So, now that people actually like it, it’s just incredible.
Mark St. Cyr: I would say about Mark, to me, he’s the most incredible director I’ve worked with, and I don’t say that to flatter him. But one of the things that really stood out for me was that he learned the name of every background artist we had and he called them by name. There were takes where they had an important storytelling moment, whether it was crossing or they had to do something. He would check in with them by name and be like, was that good for you as well?
I’ve never seen that on any set that I’ve ever been on. He really invited creative collaboration and there were times when the background artist would let him know, “Hey, there was this thing that didn’t go according to the plan, just want you to be aware of it.” It made the project better because everybody felt like they had a sense of contribution and ownership.
Aimee Carrero: He’s a dream come true. So, I knew his work. I’d never met him, but I watched all of ‘Succession,’ even before I knew I was auditioning for this. So, I’d seen that and lot of the ‘Game of Thrones’ he directed. What I didn’t know about Mark was that he started in comedy, so he did a lot of comedy before he moved into that prestige TV. That was really cool because I knew from jump that it was important to him to bring out the levity in the movie, which is a dark, black comedy. But he was amazing because I think he also was really honest. Being a TV director helps you just be like, “I’m not going to beat around the bush, this is what I need,” which is so helpful.
But also aside from that, he’s a deeply talented person, and he kept the set super light and just really supportive. So we’d get the takes as written, and then he’d always give us a freebie take. So we’d improvise, and a lot of the improv made it in. That whole bit with John and I, when he was like, “I gave you a bad recommendation to Sony.” And I said, “I know, you CC’d me on it.” That was improv. So, they kept a lot of that, which is so cool. Sometimes you don’t have the space to do that, especially if you’re on a tight budget. This was not a huge movie as far as budget goes, so time is money and he would always take the time to make sure that everybody got to do what they felt good about.
What I’m surprised by is how many people were interested in seeing it. We obviously knew we were in a dark comedy, but you’ve got to play it for real. For some reason I thought we were making this art house thing. But people were so excited to see this movie. What surprised me more than the theatrical release was when it hit the streamers. There were all these people that maybe didn’t feel comfortable going to the movie yet because of COVID, or maybe have young children. So, many people saw it on streaming, and I’ve seen more of that now than when it was in the theater. So, that was really cool.
Listen, it’s always a surprise when anything you do, people like. I’ve done a lot of clunkers, so it’s amazing anytime you get it in a movie and then you like the movie, and then people like the movie and you have a good time, that’s lightning in a bottle.
(L to R) Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr and Aimee Carrero at ‘The Menu’ Blu-ray release party at the Blockbuster Pop Up in Hollywood, CA. Photo: Dan Steinberg Photography.
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Coming out of the pandemic, 2022 turned out to be a great year for cinema!
It began with a new take on the Dark Knight from Matt Reeves‘ ‘The Batman,’ followed by the surprise hit ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ then the summer blockbuster sequel ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ and finishing off with James Cameron‘s long-awaited ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ its truly been an amazing year for movies.
With the year quickly coming to a close, Moviefone has assembled its list of the 22 best movies of 2022.
From Damien Chazelle, “Babylon’ is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
Actually opening in limited release on December 30th, 2022 and directed by Marc Foster, the movie follows the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower who is very set in his ways. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, (Mariana Treviño) leading to an unlikely friendship that will turn his world upside-down.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reinvents Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of the wooden marionette (Gregory Mann) who is magically brought to life in order to mend the heart of a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto (David Bradley). This whimsical, stop-motion film directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson follows the mischievous and disobedient adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world.
Directed by Baz Luhrmann, the film tells the life story of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) as seen through the complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).
A US soldier (Jennifer Lawrence) suffers a traumatic brain injury while fighting in Afghanistan and struggles to adjust to life back home in New Orleans. When she meets local mechanic James (Brian Tyree Henry), the pair begin to forge an unexpected bond.
Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on his own life story, the movie is set in post-World War II era Arizona and follows young Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), who aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth. Also starring Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch.
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, ‘The Woman King’ tells the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen.
Inspired by true events, the film follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for!
Directed by Matt Reeves, ‘The Batman,’ stars Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne. Also starring Paul Dano as Riddler, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, and Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon.
‘Living’ is the story of an ordinary man (Bill Nighy), reduced by years of oppressive office routine to a shadow existence, who at the eleventh hour makes a supreme effort to turn his dull life into something wonderful – into one he can say has been lived to the full.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and part of the ‘Predator‘ franchise, when danger threatens her camp, the fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder) sets out to protect her people. But the prey she stalks turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal.
Directed by Oscar-winning director James Cameron and set more than a decade after the events of ‘Avatar,’ the film tells the story of the Sully family (Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
Directed by George Miller, the film follows Dr. Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton), an academic content with life and a creature of reason. While in Istanbul attending a conference, she happens to encounter a Djinn (Idris Elba) who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom.
This presents two problems. First, she doubts that he is real and second, because she is a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. The Djinn pleads his case by telling her fantastical stories of his past, and eventually she is beguiled and makes a wish that surprises them both.
Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a “dummy shopper,” buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a handsome and charismatic middleman named Youcef (Theo Rossi).
Faced with a series of dead-end job interviews, Emily soon finds herself seduced by the quick cash and illicit thrills of black-market capitalism, and increasingly interested in her mentor Youcef. Together, they hatch a plan to bring their business to the next level in Los Angeles.
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.
When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”
Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
Directed by Robert Eggers, the film follows Prince Amleth, who on the verge of becoming a man witnesses his father (Ethan Hawke) brutally murdered by his uncle (Claes Bang), who kidnaps the boy’s mother (Nicole Kidman). Two decades later, Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) is now a Viking who’s on a mission to save his mother, kill his uncle and avenge his father.
A couple travels (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
Directed by Oscar-winner Sam Mendes, the film is a love story set in and around an old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s starring Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, Oscar-winner Colin Firth, and Micheal Ward.
New York Times reporters Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) break one of the most important stories in a generation — a story that helped launch the #MeToo movement and shattered decades of silence around the subject of sexual assault in Hollywood.
Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the film tells the story of first love between Maren (Taylor Russell), a young woman learning how to survive on the margins of society, and Lee (Timothée Chalamet), an intense and disenfranchised drifter. What follows is a liberating road odyssey of two young people coming into their own, searching for identity and chasing beauty in a perilous world that cannot abide who they are.
Directed by Martin McDonagh and set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, the film follows lifelong friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship.
A stunned Pádraic, aided by his sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Pádraic’s repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences.
The new dark comedy ‘The Menu,’ which was directed by Mark Mylod (‘What’s Your Number?’), opens in theaters on November 18th. Produced by Adam McKay (‘Vice’) and Will Ferrell (‘Spirited’), the film takes an exaggerated look at celebrity chefs and “Foodie culture” and in doing so, serves up one of the best movies of the year!
The story follows Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), a young couple that travels to a private island to experience celebrity chef Julian Slowik’s (Ralph Fiennes) acclaimed restaurant, Hawthorne. The restaurant specializes in molecular gastronomy, with everything grown on the island, and treating the food more like conceptual art.
Other guests at the dinner include food critic Lillian Bloom (Janet McTeer), her editor Ted (Paul Adelstein), a wealthy couple (Reed Birney and Judith Light), a movie star (John Leguizamo) and his assistant (Amiee Carrero), and three “Wall Street-type” investors (Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr, and Rob Yang). But the dinner soon takes a terrible turn when the guests realize that they were all invited for a nefarious reason, and that Chef Slowik plans to take make an example out of all of them.
While not a mystery per se, ‘The Menu’ reminded me a lot of ‘Knives Out,’ which is ironic since that sequel is being released next month on Netflix. But instead of being a “Whodunit” it’s more of a “how will it be done” type of story since we know from the beginning that something is not right about this island restaurant and Chef Slowik’s intentions. The tone of the film is dark, but it is also quite funny, with the humor coming out of the awkwardness of the social situation the characters are in.
The film also has a lot to say about class, wealth, and the social media enhanced celebrity worshiping world we all find ourselves now living in. While the lead characters have names, you will notice many of the other characters are only known by their titles like Leguizamo’s “Movie Star” character. I would imagine this was done on purpose by the writers to establish the idea that what they represent is more important than who they really are.
Originally set to be directed by Alexander Payne (‘Sideways’), Mark Mylod ended up making the film and it’s by far the best of his career, making him a director that I would keep my eye on. He balances the different tones of the film masterfully, and moves the camera around the restaurant and kitchen with ease, as if we were actually there, adding to the mystic of the film. The set design is also impressive, with a fantastic modern tone and colors popping off the well shot and gorgeous looking food.
However, it’s the characters and performances that really make the movie worth watching. The supporting cast is excellent, even in their somewhat limited roles. John Leguizamo perfectly captures the insecurities of a falling movie star, while Aimee Carrero pulls a lot of sympathy as his assistant, Felicity. Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr and Rob Yang also portray their “Wall Street Bros” characters well and add to the drama of the film. Veteran actress Judith Light (‘Who’s the Boss?’) also shines as a wealthy wife just realizing that her husband is a cheat.
But of the dinner guests, Janet McTeer is absolutely unforgettable as food critic Lilian Bloom, and deserves Oscar consideration for Best Supporting Actress. McTeer brings just the right mix of upper-class snootiness and superiority to the role. Veteran actor Paul Adelstein (‘Prison Break’) is very funny as Bloom’s editor and yes-man, Ted. Actress Hong Chau from ‘Downsizing’ also gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Slowik’s bossy assistant Elsa, who will do anything to please the Chef.
Nicholas Hoult’s role as Tyler is the weakest spot for me, but I don’t think it was the actor’s fault. The character is not as well written as the others and struggles at times to stay as interesting as the other characters in the scene. But ultimately the character is revealed to be not as nice as he seems, and the actor does his best to layer that throughout his performance.
In the end, it’s Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes performances that make the film work, and the exploration of their characters’ interesting relationship. Taylor-Joy gives one of her best performances to date as the over-her-head Margot, who’s only chance at survival is to show the Chef her authentic self.
Fiennes is absolutely commanding in the role and carries the movie’s dark comedic tones and pacing with ease. While his actions could easily be labeled “crazy,” the actor is almost able to convince the audience that the Chef is in the right, which is quite impressive given his motivation and actions. Fiennes also has great chemistry with Taylor-Joy, and the connection between the two characters really resonates.
Without giving anything away, I did have an issue with how the film ended up treating a few characters that I felt didn’t completely deserve their outcome, namely Light and Carrero’s characters, who seemed more like ignorant accomplices than the actual “terrible” people Slowik wants to punish. Yet it seems like that was the point, that someone can be held responsible for someone else’s actions just by being complicit themselves.
In the end, ‘The Menu’ is a fun and fascinating movie that explores class, wealth, and the strange social media and celebrity driven society that we all live in. With stunning directorial work from Mylod, and excellent performances from Fiennes, Taylor-Joy, and the supporting cast, ‘The Menu’ should have a good shot at several nominations this coming awards season.
The movie stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot and Nicholas Hoult as Tyler, a young couple who travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant run by celebrity chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). Chef Slowik has prepared a lavish molecular gastronomy menu, but his approach to cuisine has some shocking surprises for the wealthy guests.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult about their work on ‘The Menu,’ their first reaction to the screenplay, the tone of the film, food, their characters, and working with director Mark Mylod and the rest of the impressive cast.
(L to R) Nicholas Hoult and Anya Taylor-Joy star in’The Menu.’
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Taylor-Joy, Hoult, Hong Chau, Aimee Carrero, and John Leguizamo.
Moviefone: To begin with, Anya, what was your first reaction to the screenplay when you originally read it?
Anya Taylor-Joy: I’ve become very good, just due to the sheer amount of scripts that I read and the cinema that I consume, and I can usually tell where something’s going to go, or I can guess a line. In this one, absolutely not. I don’t know how anybody guesses that ending in any reality.
I was so excited by the prospect of doing something that original. Then as the cast started filling out, it just became more and more exciting because I wanted to go and play with these really talented individuals, and I was a huge fan of Mark’s work. So, it all kind of came together really beautifully.
MF: Nicholas, can you talk about the challenges of navigating the movie’s different tones?
Nicholas Hoult: Yeah, it really bounces around all over the place. That was something reading it where you’re like, “I think this is funny,” but then you’d be like, “But also horrific things are happening at the same time, so maybe it’s not funny.” That, again, was just something that Seth (Reiss) and Will (Tracy), the writers, did a really great job of creating this world that is extreme and hyper real, but also satirical and poking fun at all these extreme characters.
So, it was like a fun place to play because you could play the characters very authentically, but at the same time, they’re all larger than life characters and slight stereotypes in a way. You see them in really fun ways. So yeah, it was just great writing.
MF: Anya, Margot has a different connection to Chef Slowik from the other guests, can you talk about their relationship and why Slowik takes an interest in her?
ATJ: It’s a bizarre intimacy to explain because it’s not easy to categorize, but I think they recognize something in each other and that begins a kinship. I think for Chef it begins as desperately wanting to categorize her and then bizarrely feeling like he enjoys her pushback. He enjoys being told no, or he enjoys the fact that someone’s not being as reverential as everybody else is being.
It sounds crazy because of what happens in the movie, but I think she recognizes a wounded artist and someone who’s genuinely hurt and upset. That’s how she starts figuring him out. Those scenes were an absolute joy to play.
MF: Nicholas, can you talk about Tyler and his obsession with food?
NH: He is a real foodie. So, that was part of the research for this, which was very nice. I just got to watch food shows, go to nice restaurants and pretend to be a bit of a foodie. But I had to do it. I did it and took it upon myself and then it’s fun. It’s actually a great thing about the writing as well because a lot of the time things are so over explained, and I find as an audience member you kind of fill in the blanks or you can imagine and create your own storylines for all these people.
So, obviously sitting down with Mark and beginning this process, it was creating the relationship between these characters and how that unravels. But also, Tyler’s ideas and thoughts about Chef Slowik and what brought all these characters, I guess, to that restaurant that evening. So, it’s kind of fun to leave it in the actual film, but more up for interpretation. Then as actors to have all this backstory that when you turn up on day one and walk into the restaurant and fill in those characters, you kind of have a lot to bring to it that kind of doesn’t ever have to be said.
MF: Finally, Anya, this is one of those rare films where almost every cast member is on screen at the same time. What was that experience like, having the opportunity to work with all of the actors in this movie?
ATJ: Completely. It was amazing. Mark had told all of us that he wanted to shoot the film in a 360 degrees kind of way, and he wanted us all to be mic’d and on set the whole time because you never really knew when the camera was going to be on you. It was, I think, like a Robert Altman-style quality that he wanted to bring to it.
But what was really beautiful is, oftentimes if it’s not your scene or your closeup, you’ll go to your trailer and rest, or hang out somewhere else other than set. We just spent all of our time on set because if you weren’t acting opposite somebody as lovely as Nick or Ralph, you had front row seats to these incredible performers, and you just got to enjoy them. People would clap after takes. It was just a really beautiful, supportive environment.
Perfectionist chefs are everywhere in the media – you’ve got the likes of Gordon Ramsay on seemingly half the TV channels, and Hulu’s ‘The Bear’ cooks up tension by turning up the temperature on a trained chef trying to run a Chicago sandwich shop.
Yet ‘The Menu’ promises to be a different dining experience, this one featuring Ralph Fiennes as the imposing Chef Slowik. He’s a respected, talented maestro of the menu, who specializes in crafting stories with his culinary choices. But he’s also not one to suffer fools gladly, ensuring absolute order in his kitchen.
He’s holding an exclusive event on an island to which rich and famous types have secured a much-sought-after invite.
Along with them are Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) and Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), with the former excited to try the Slowik team’s experimental use of fancy cooking techniques such as foam, all harvested from local produce. Margot, meanwhile, isn’t quite as convinced.
Yet as the night goes on, Slowik’s real agenda is revealed: he’s lured the wealthy diners here for more than just tasting his latest creation. They’ll soon be forced to run for their lives in what looks like a version of ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ where humans are hunted for sport. In this case, might they end up on the menu?
Ralph Fiennes in Searchlight Pictures’ ‘The Menu.’
Margot, who despite her connection to Tyler, is seemingly going to have to choose whether he’s with “them” (the diners) or “us” (Slowik and his crew). It’s enough to put your off your dinner.
Originally set up as an Alexander Payne project – he’s no stranger to picky gourmet choices after ‘Sideways’ wine country critique – the movie has since made its way to Mark Mylod, one of the key directors on HBO’s ‘Succession’, and the comic looks at the world of the well-heeled certainly appear to be of a piece.
Even if the Roys rarely face a situation where they are the subject of a crazed chef’s machinations (they’re shooting Season 4 as we write this, so there’s still time for that to factor in).
Will Tracy and Seth Reiss wrote the script, while Adam McKay (who is also behind ‘Succession’) is among the producers. The theme of those who have to cater to the whims of the wealthy deciding that they can take a little creative revenge is certainly a timely one and is also part of Ruben Östlund’s Cannes award winner ‘Triangle of Sadness’, which is set aboard a luxury yacht and sees annoyingly rich cruisers facing a bad trip.
Emma Stone and Ralph Fiennes have signed on to star in the next Alexander Payne film, “The Menu.” Expect more big names to follow soon.
It’s a dark satirical comedy about an unusual culinary event held on an exclusive island. Fiennes will play the world-class chef who sets up the hot-ticket event. (If it’s anything like his concierge in “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” we’re all in.)
Stone will play one of the A-list attendees: Her partner (and the rest of the haute cuisine lovers) has yet to be cast.
The movie was previously described as “a comedic horror-thriller,” which sounds like it’s going to lean in a “Hannibal”-esque direction.
The script is by Will Tracy (an Emmy winner for “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”) and Seth Reiss (“Late Night with Seth Meyers”).
Payne’s previous films include “Nebraska”, “Sideways” and “The Descendants.”
Alexander Payne has ordered up his next project: The filmmaker will direct “The Menu.”
Variety reports that the feature — described as a “comedic horror-thriller” — is being put together by Gary Sanchez Productions, the shingle from Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, and Betsy Koch. Writers Will Tracy (“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”) and Seth Reiss (“Late Night With Seth Meyers”) penned the screenplay.
Here’s the plot of the flick, per Variety:
The pic is set in the world of high-end culinary culture. The story centers on a young couple who visits an exclusive destination restaurant on a remote island where the acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu, along with some shocking surprises.
A remote island setting, an exclusive venue, an acclaimed chef, and some shocking surprises — almost sounds like a Fyre Festival redux, doesn’t it?
Payne has written and directed an eclectic mix of features throughout his career, including acclaimed films like “Election,” “Nebraska,” “Sideways,” and “The Descendants” (the latter two earned him the Best Adapted Screenplay statuette at the Oscars). His latest feature, 2017’s “Downsizing,” was a bit polarizing, though it did net some awards season love for supporting actress Hong Chau.
Gary Sanchez has been on a roll lately, with its most recent flick, “Vice,” netting numerous Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (McKay), and Best Actor (Christian Bale). We’ll see if the Oscars eventually take a bite out of “The Menu,” too.
