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Tag: toby-jones

  • ‘Mr. Burton’ Exclusive Interview: Toby Jones

    Toby Jones as Philip Burton in 'Mr. Burton'. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.
    Toby Jones as Philip Burton in ‘Mr. Burton’. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.

    Opening in UK theaters on April 4th is the new biopic ‘Mr. Burton’, which was directed by Marc Evans (‘Hunky Dory’) and focuses on the early life of legendary actor Richard Burton. The film stars Toby Jones (‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’), Lesley Manville (‘Phantom Thread’), and Harry Lawtey (‘Joker: Folie à Deux’) as Richard Burton.

    Moviefone recently has the pleasure of speaking with Toby Jones about his work on ‘Mr. Burton’, his first reaction to the screenplay, what he learned about Burton’s early life, Richard’s friendship with mentor Phillip Burton, working with Harry Lawtey and director Marc Evans, mentors that have helped Jones along the way, and the legacy of Richard Burton.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ 

    Toby Jones as Philip Burton in 'Mr. Burton'. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.
    Toby Jones as Philip Burton in ‘Mr. Burton’. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and how much did you already know about this point in Richard Burton’s life?

    Toby Jones: I knew nothing about it, and so as a result, I was astonished by what I read. It felt like I was reading a 19th century novel, this idea of a man effectively adopting a son in this way, felt incredible. Then, my first meeting with Mark Evans, I was just keen to verify all of that. Not because it bothered me whether it was true or not, but I couldn’t quite believe that it was true. But it’s shocking in the film and I’m pleased at how shocking it is in the film. Because I think it’s also what makes, what could seem like a very traditional biopic, much darker, and suggests a darkness that might well have partly explained some of Burton’s more erratic behavior in his life.

    MF: Through being part of this project and doing research into his life, did you learn anything that changed your perspective on Richard Burton’s life and career?

    TJ: Yeah, it really did. I mean, I knew that he’d come from a working-class background. He was almost the most famous of a whole generation of British actors, including my father, which is why it’s so personal to me, who through a mixture of education, inspirational teaching and the economic climate of the time were able to escape the precariousness and the inevitability of their lives and through acting to achieve stardom. I mean, extraordinary celebrity in the case of Richard Burton. So, I found that fascinating. There’s a big debate in our country, there has been for the last 10 years that we don’t produce as many working-class actors as we used to. By working class, I mean people who aren’t able through their economic circumstances to go to drama school, which is the traditional way into the profession. Because the access points aren’t there, the scholarships aren’t there. So, this film, in a way, highlights how there used to be access in the most unlikely way and how education brings freedom.

    Harry Lawtey as Richard Burton in 'Mr. Burton'. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.
    Harry Lawtey as Richard Burton in ‘Mr. Burton’. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.

    MF: How would you describe Philip and Richard’s friendship in your own words?

    TJ: I think that Richard Jenkins (Burton), however wounded he was, was smart enough, and naturally clever enough, to realize that Philip was a channel in which he could realize who he was. It wasn’t an easy channel, and I think we see this in the film because there was such a strong culture of masculinity in the mining towns of those Welsh valley towns. Yet there was something about how Philip Burton was able to channel the power of literature, and the power of Shakespeare, specifically, but the power of words and education. It tells you something about Richard Jenkins’s sophistication that somehow, he was able to. Yes, Philip helped him, but I think Richard was a survivor and was able to realize that this was a way out and that he could. It was an escape route, and I think that was their relationship in that sense. It’s very moving for me. There are two different kinds of masculinity going on. But there’s at the same time, a joint love of learning that they both have, and Richard Burton had that for the rest of his life. You know, he used to carry bags of books around him, wherever he went. He was able to recite poetry off the top of his head, and all the roots of that are here. For all the famous, rambunctious alcoholic years later, he never lost that love of literature and that love of the spoken word. You see that in the interviews he did on TV, and the root of all that is here in this chemistry between the two men. For Philip, it’s a complicated situation because he’s a single man and I think he glimpses for himself a way out as well. Because after the events of this film, Philip comes out and he goes to America. He forms a drama school, lives in Florida and doesn’t have any kind of pathetic life at all. He flourishes in later years. I think Richard was the source of that strength to do that in a way.

    MF: What was it like creating that relationship on screen with Harry Lawtey?

    TJ: Harry comes from a generation who don’t know who Richard Burton is, which seems incredible to people like me who grew up with him being so famous. So, he totally immersed himself in it, every night after filming, he’d go back and watch another movie. He’d watched everything once already. He listened to the voice, and he had a very complicated job to do, and part of the complicated gestation of this film was trying to find an actor who was old enough to be able to play Burton in the later scenes, but could also suggest the young, naive Burton, and be able to tell the story of his evolution, the evolution of his voice as much as anything, and how the evolution of his voice almost tells the story of the character emerging. Harry’s sophistication at doing that was great. You hope that you’re going to meet collaborators like that all the time, but the dream is that you learn from younger actors, and I relearned something from Harry about that kind of immersion and it was great just working with him.

    Harry Lawtey as Richard Burton in 'Mr. Burton'. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.
    Harry Lawtey as Richard Burton in ‘Mr. Burton’. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.

    MF: Have you had a teacher or mentor who helped guide you, and have you mentored anyone yourself?

    TJ: I’ve certainly been asked to be a mentor, whether I’ve succeeded in that, I don’t know. You’d have to ask people who I’ve taught, spoken to, or chatted with. It’s a complicated relationship because often there’s a certain feeling of unworthiness in it. There’s something about pontificating about acting that I feel a little uncomfortable about. Often with actors who are requiring advice of you, I think, “Well, if you need advice, it’s probably not the best profession for you.” Because normally people are mad, and you must be a certain kind of madcap, confident person, and confident in your own individuality that you don’t listen to it, but you literally pursue your own course. That said, I certainly had a mentor when I trained in Paris under a guy called Jacques Lecoq in the 1990s. He was an extraordinary teacher, and he fed me with enough curiosity about the world and how the world might be used in my work, to last me a lifetime. There isn’t really a day that goes by where I don’t try to honor what I learnt in those classes, not just what I did, but what I saw happening in the classes. Then I was lucky enough at school to have a few great teachers of literature, a bit like Philip, who imbued me with a sort of lifelong love of words, and to not fear words.

    MF: What was it like working with director Marc Evans on set?

    TJ: He’s a very relaxed director. That’s at least how he appears. He’s very quietly spoken, enthusiastic, very supportive, and very Welsh. He’s extraordinarily humble for someone who is an experienced filmmaker. He’s very keen to solicit our views on things, but has a very interesting poetic eye, and an understanding of the landscape of poverty, because that’s the culture that spawned him. So, he’s the ideal translator of that world, really. I absolutely adored working with him. He’s got nothing to prove and as a result, we’re able to talk very frankly to each other.

    Harry Lawtey as Richard Burton in 'Mr. Burton'. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.
    Harry Lawtey as Richard Burton in ‘Mr. Burton’. Photo: Icon Film Distribution.

    MF: Finally, for a younger generation not familiar with Richard Burton and his work, which of his films would you recommend?

    TJ: Well, you can see online his ‘Hamlet’, which was extraordinary. It was directed by John Gielgud and the battle that he had with Burton about how to play Hamlet has been turned into a play. It has been made into a play that’s going to be on Broadway called ‘The Motive and the Cue’. It’s a very interesting play, but you can see the whole performance. on YouTube, which is just great. I loved his last performance in ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ with John Hurt. I thought he was amazing in that. I enjoyed ‘Equus’ on film, and even the old films like ‘Alexander the Great’ and ‘Cleopatra’. They are kind of camp, but camp in an interesting way. Even the schlock that he did like “Where Eagles Dare’, there’s always a wonderful gravitas about him. But it’s interesting, his voice, which was almost unlike anyone else’s voice, it’s fascinating now because there’s something so unapologetic about the joy of speaking that you don’t get in actors now, and that itself dates him a little bit.

    'Mr. Burton' opens in UK theaters on April 4th.
    ‘Mr. Burton’ opens in UK theaters on April 4th.

    What is the plot of ‘Mr. Burton’?

    In the Welsh town of Port Talbot, 1942, Richard Jenkins (Harry Lawtey) lives as a wayward schoolboy, caught between the pressures of his struggling family, a devastating war, and his own ambitions. However, a new opportunity arises when Richard’s natural talent for drama catches the attention of his teacher, Philip Burton (Toby Jones).

    Who is in the cast of ‘Mr. Burton’?

    Toby Jones stars in 'Mr. Burton'.
    Toby Jones stars in ‘Mr. Burton’.

    List of Toby Jones Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Mr. Burton’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Toby Jones Movies On Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘The Instigators’

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

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

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

    Initial Thoughts

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

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

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

    Story and Direction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The Cast

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

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

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

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

    Final Thoughts

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

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

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

    ‘The Instigators’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Instigators’?

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

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Instigators’?

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

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Instigators’:

    Buy Matt Damon Movies on Amazon

    Buy Casey Affleck Movies on Amazon

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

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

    Preview:

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

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

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

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

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    What’s the story of ‘The Instigators’?

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

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

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

    Who is making ‘The Instigators’?

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Who else is in ‘The Instigators’?

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

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

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

    When will ‘The Instigators’ land on Apple TV+

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

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

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Instigators’:

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  • Where To Watch ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’

    Teddy (Ethann Isidore), Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) in Lucasfilm's 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    (L to R) Teddy (Ethann Isidore), Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    While this film may be the last time we’ll see Harrison Ford don the fedora and the whip, it doesn’t mean we can’t go on one final globe-trotting adventure with the famed archeologist.

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    The official synopsis for ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘ is below:

    “Daredevil archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history. Accompanied by his goddaughter, he soon finds himself squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works for NASA.”

    ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ first premiered at the 76th Canne Film Festival, exactly 15 years after ‘Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ premiered at Canne. Leading man Harrison Ford also received the Palme d’Or d’honneur for lifetime achievement at the festival.

    “They say when you’re about to die, you see your life flash before your eyes, and I just saw my life flash before my eyes,” Ford said as he accepted the award.

    The previous installment, ‘The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,’ was not received well by the audience, earning a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, ‘The Dial of Destiny’ received an 88% score from the audience, with many comments calling out certain classic Indy moments in the film.

    Using the de-aging technology, the story takes us back in time to see a younger Indy, with a great action sequence aboard a moving train with the film’s antagonist Voller (Mads Mikkelsen). It had all the classic Indiana Jones movie moments and also set up the film’s McGuffin – the Archimedes dial.

    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), Doctor Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) and Basil (Toby Jones) in Lucasfilm's 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    (L to R) Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), Doctor Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) and Basil (Toby Jones) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Who Is In ‘Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny’?

    Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) in Lucasfilm's 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ is directed by James Mangold (‘Logan,’ ‘Ford v Ferrari’).

    Harrison Ford’s Final Bow As Indiana Jones

    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's 'IJ5.'
    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s ‘IJ5.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Ford has been playing the globe-trotting, Nazi-punching archeologist for over 4 decades, debuting the character in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ in 1981. Now at 80, the actor returns to the role once again. We find Indiana Jones in a very interesting time – weighed down by his failed relationship with his wife Marion, being forced into retirement, and dealing with the loss of his son Mutt (Shia LaBeouf). This is certainly different than the Indy we know and remember, but Ford brings sincerity to the role and is ever committed to big action sequences and a high-speed car chase through the city as he and Helena go after the Dial.

    Related Article: ‘Dial of Destiny’ is an Uninspiring Ending to the Indiana Jones Franchise

    Where Can I Watch ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’?

    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's 'IJ5.'
    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s ‘IJ5.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. TM. All Rights Reserved.

    The movie opened in theaters on June 30, 2023, and is available in various formats, such as Dolby Cinema, IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX. ‘The Dial of Destiny’ still playing in theaters, so be sure to check your local listings and Moviefone below for showtimes in your area.

    Buy Tickets: ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Movie Showtimes

    ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 35 minutes.

    Watch the official trailer for ‘The Dial of Destiny’ below:

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    Can’t make it out to the theater? Don’t worry. Since the movie is under the Walt Disney Studio banner, it will surely make its way to Disney+. Typically, Disney Studios films adopt a 45 to 90-day theatrical release window before it arrives on the streaming platform. This was the case with films such as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ and ‘Ant-man and the Wasp: Quantumania.’ No official date has been announced for the film’s release on the streaming platform or VOD.

    Where To Watch: ‘Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny’ Online

    Buy Indiana Jones Movies on Amazon

    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's 'IJ5.'
    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s ‘IJ5.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. TM. All Rights Reserved.

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  • Movie Review: ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’

    Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    (L to R) Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on June 30th is the long-awaited fifth and final chapter of the ‘Indiana Jones’ franchise entitled ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,’ which was directed by James Mangold (‘Logan’).

    What is the plot of ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’?

    In 1944, American archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) helps colleague Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) against Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a Nazi, from obtaining a mysterious dial known as the Antikythera. Twenty-five years later, Jones is uneasy over the fact that the U.S. government has recruited former Nazis to help beat the Soviet Union in the competition to make it to space. He is about to be forced into retirement when, surprisingly, his goddaughter, Basil’s daughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), accompanies him on his journey for the Dial. Meanwhile, Voller, now a NASA member and ex-Nazi involved with the Apollo Moon-landing program, is also after the dial, and wishes to use it to make the world into a better place as he sees fit.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny?’

    Harrison Ford (‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’) as Indiana Jones, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’) as Helena Shaw, Mads Mikkelsen (‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’) as Jürgen Voller, Antonio Banderas (‘The Mask of Zorro’) as Renaldo, John Rhys-Davies (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’) as Sallah, Toby Jones (‘Captain America: The First Avenger’) as Basil Shaw, Boyd Holbrook (‘The Predator’) as Klaber, Ethann Isidore (‘Mortel’) as Teddy Kumar, Shaunette Renée Wilson (‘Black Panther’) as Mason, Thomas Kretschmann (‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’) as Colonel Weber, and Karen Allen (‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’) as Marion Ravenwood.

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    Initial Thoughts

    ‘Dial of Destiny’ is an improvement from ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,’ but still not a great ending for Indiana Jones’ story. The screenplay is confusing and convoluted, while the pacing is slow at times. Director James Mangold does an efficient job but the “Indiana Jones” magic is still missing from this installment. Harrison Ford gives a strong and emotional performance, while Phoebe Waller-Bridge breathes some fresh air into the franchise, but ultimately the film feels like an epilogue rather than a definitive final chapter.

    Story and Direction

    Mads Mikkelsen and James Mangold on the set of Lucasfilm's 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    (L to R) Mads Mikkelsen and James Mangold on the set of Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    The movie begins in 1944 at the end of World War II with an excellent sequence that takes place on a moving train. Ford is de-aged for the scenes, and while the VFX don’t entirely work, Mangold shoots the actor as sparingly as possible, as a little bit goes a long way. The sequence is classic Indiana Jones and one of the best set pieces in the film. But once the story cuts to present day, it drags to the next action sequence. Many of the characters’ motivations are unclear, as is the true power of the dial, this film’s McGuffin. And without giving away the ending, that seemed to come out of nowhere, like Indy meeting aliens in the last movie.

    James Mangold is a very accomplished director, having made such films as ‘3:10 to Yuma,’ ‘Logan,’ and ‘Ford v Ferrari,’ and does a good job with the action sequences and the drama, but the pacing and the tone never seems quite right. This is the first film in the franchise not directed by Steven Spielberg, and while I certainly did not like ‘Crystal Skull,’ I have to wonder if the “magic” missing from this movie isn’t him? Mangold leans heavy on the nostalgia, which serves the film well with several cameos and callbacks. The director stages some impressive action scenes including the opening, a parade chase through the streets of New York, and a final mind-bending sequence.

    Overall, the movie feels more dramatic than necessary and lacks the fun of the first three films. The 1969 setting of the movie is refreshing and contrasts Ford’s age and the flashback sequences well. Using the idea of Nazis working with NASA on the space race was a clever idea, but not really explored enough. Nor is the true power of the dial, which is problematic because they’ve been chasing after it for the entire movie and we don’t really understand what it is capable of until the end.

    Harrison Ford Returns as Indiana Jones!

    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's 'IJ5.'
    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s ‘IJ5.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Harrison Ford will always be Indiana Jones! The actor returns to the role a little more gruff, but it suits the character well. Ford gives a great performance, but it is more dramatic than I expected. As an actor, Ford is excellent, but I question taking the character in this direction, as it sucks some of the fun out of the movie. Indiana lost his son Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) in Vietnam, his wife Marion (Karen Allen) has since left him, he is being forced into retirement, and he seems to have a drinking problem. It’s a different way of looking at Indy, and while it’s not my idea of a fun time, Ford brings a lot of sincere emotion to his beloved role. And it is nice to see him wear the Fedora and crack the whip one more time.

    Supporting Cast

    Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) in Lucasfilm's 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge gives a wonderful and cheeky performance as Indy’s goddaughter Helena. It’s a fun character and Waller-Bridge breathes fresh life into the film with her role. However, I do question the way the character was written, as her motivations are unclear at times and seem to change on a whim. That said, she is a good foil for Indy, and has lovely chemistry with Ford.

    Several new characters are introduced, but most of them have limited roles. Toby Jones plays Helena’s father and Indy’s friend Basil Shaw. He’s only seen in flashbacks, but is good in his scenes with Ford, especially in the beginning. Antonio Banderas is introduced as an old friend of Indy’s, and while his presence was more than welcomed, we don’t spend enough time with the character to really get to know him. But the most confusing addition was Ethann Isidore as Teddy, an ally of Helena. No offense to the young actor, who was fine in the role, but the character seemed unnecessary and his relationship to Helena was vague and never really explained.

    Related Article: ‘Star Wars’ Movie News and a New ‘Indiana Jones’ Trailer Revealed at Star Wars Celebration

    Familiar Faces

    Renaldo (Antonio Banderas) in Lucasfilm's 'IJ5.'
    Renaldo (Antonio Banderas) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Again, in a far too limited role, John Rhys-Davies returns as Sallah, who first appeared in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and last in ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.’ He has only a few scenes but they are all with Ford, and it’s great seeing the two together again. Davies also has one of the best lines in the movie, but I wish the character could have been more involved with Indy’s journey.

    Is Marion Ravenwood in Dial of Destiny?

    Yes. Karen Allen returns as Marion Ravenwood, but like Davies, she really only has a cameo. However, the character plays a pivotal role in the film and is the reason for most of Indy’s actions and motivations.

    Villains

    Doctor Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) in Lucasfilm's 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    Doctor Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Mads Mikkelsen plays a strong Indiana Jones villain with his performance as Nazi turned NASA scientist Jurgen Voller. The actor plays the role surprisingly differently than you might expect, and is a worthy adversary for our hero. While the actor never hides the characters motivations or true intentions, the story fails him at times when it becomes too convoluted. Voller’s role with the CIA is also confusing, working with agent Mason (Shaunette Renee Wilson), who seems unclear on why she’s helping him. And Boyd Holbrook basically plays the same role he did in Mangold’s ‘Logan,’ as Voller’s lead henchman.

    A Conclusion to Indy’s Story

    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's 'IJ5.'
    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s ‘IJ5.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Without giving away the end of the movie, we eventually learn that the Dial’s power has to do with time. This leads to an absolutely preposterous ending, that again, I won’t spoil. But it feels like something someone would write in fan-fiction and not a proper ending to Indiana Jones’ journey. In fact, the ending is so ridiculous its laughable and took me out of the film completely. That being said, it’s not as bad as Indy meeting aliens, but I do wonder if the franchise wouldn’t have been better off ending with ‘The Last Crusade,’ which was pretty much a perfect movie and the best in the franchise next to ‘Raiders.’ Still, it is fun seeing Ford as Indy one more time, and I do appreciate his thoughtful and emotional performance.

    Final Thoughts

    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's 'IJ5.'
    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s ‘IJ5.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. TM. All Rights Reserved.

    In the end, ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ just didn’t work for me. Mangold fills the movie with great action, and lots of nostalgia and dramatic emotion, but the story is all over the place, along with the tone and pacing. The returning characters that you want to see more of are limited, and too much time is spent on ancillary characters. Both Waller-Bridge and Mikkelsen give fresh and fun performances, but just like Indy, Harrison Ford swoops in and saves the movie. If for nothing else, the film is worth seeing just to get a glimpse of Ford as his signature character one more time.

    ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars

    'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.'
    ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

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    ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ is produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. It is set to release in theaters on June 30th, 2023.

  • ‘Tetris’ Interview: Taron Egerton Talks New Apple TV+ Movie

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    Premiering on Apple TV+ beginning March 31st is the new movie ‘Tetris,’ which was directed by Jon S. Baird (‘Stan & Ollie’).

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    What is the plot of ‘Tetris?’

    ‘Tetris’ tells the unbelievable true story of how one of the world’s most popular video games found its way to avid players around the globe. Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) discovers Tetris in 1988, and then risks everything by traveling to the Soviet Union, where he joins forces with inventor Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov) to bring the game to the masses.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Tetris?’

    ‘Tetris’ stars Taron Egerton (‘Rocketman,’ ‘The Kingsman: The Secret Service’), Nikita Efremov (‘Cinderella’), Anthony Boyle (‘The Lost City of Z’), Ben Miles (‘V for Vendetta’), Ken Yamamura (‘The Wolverine’), Rick Yune, (‘Olympus Has Fallen’) Roger Allam (‘Speed Racer’), Matthew Marsh (‘The Contractor’), Toby Jones (‘Empire of Light’), Igor Grabuzov, Oleg Shtefanko, Ayane Nagabuchi, and Sofia Lebedeva.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Taron Egerton at the SXSW Film Festival about his work on ‘Tetris,’ the wild true story it is based on, working with director Jon S. Baird, and playing yet another real life person on screen.

    Taron Egerton stars in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Taron Egerton stars in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Egerton, Henk Rogers, Alexey Pajitnov and director Jon S. Baird.

    Moviefone: To begin with, the film is based on an unbelievable true story. What was your first reaction when you read the screenplay?

    Taron Egerton: So my first reaction was to call (Producer) Matthew Vaughn, who was offering me the role and has been behind lots of the roles I’ve played, and try and get a sense of what percentage of this is fabricated with me thinking it might be 80 or 90%. It’s a much more modest figure than that. There is some Hollywood embellishment, but not as much as you might think. There’s something very exciting about that. There’s always a level of weight that’s added to something knowing that it really happened and it is a fairly unbelievable, crazy story.

    Togo Igawa, Nino Furuhata and Taron Egerton in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Togo Igawa, Nino Furuhata and Taron Egerton in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    MF: What was it like collaborating on this project with director Jon S. Baird?

    TE: I am a producer on the film, but the work in terms of developing the script, that was done by Jon and Noah (Pink), the writer, and Matthew. I wasn’t actively involved until the point that we were in pre-production. But Jon and I had a good rapport. We were shooting up in Scotland just at the end of the first year of COVID. We were all just super excited to get back into creative mode, and so we felt very lucky to be there and we had a really good time. Jon’s a great guy.

    Taron Egerton and Nikita Efremov in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Taron Egerton and Nikita Efremov in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    MF: Finally, when you made ‘Rocketman,’ you spent a lot of time with Elton John to prepare for the role. Did you have an opportunity to spend any time with Henk Rogers and what did you learn that helped you with your performance?

    TE: It’s an interesting question. I mean, I think with Elton, the reason I spent so much time with him was because it’s Elton John and that’s quite exciting, and he was up for it. But also because Elton’s so internationally recognizable that it felt like so many people were coming with such a weight of expectation to that movie that I had a responsibility to try and imbibe as much of who he was as possible. Whereas this is a bit different. I think audiences are coming with little to no expectation, largely, so it gives you a little bit more license to make the character your own, I think. But I did speak to Henk a little bit, and in terms of what I tried to do, I just wanted to create my version of him that tried to capture the spirit of who he was really. I wanted to capture his passion, enthusiasm and determination because those are his key qualities, certainly in the story of the film.

    Nikita Efremov and Taron Egerton in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Nikita Efremov and Taron Egerton in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

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    ”Tetris’ is produced by Marv Films, AI Film, and Unigram, and is scheduled for release on March 30th.

  • Movie Review: ‘Empire of Light’

    Olivia Colman in 'Empire of Light.'
    Olivia Colman in ‘Empire of Light.’ Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    Though they were both swirling around their writer/directors’ minds before the pandemic struck, it’s hard not to see Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’ and Sam Mendes’ ‘Empire of Light’ partly as reactions to cinemas being closed during the long months that everyone was locked down.

    And while Spielberg took a semi-autobiographical approach to channel his love of watching (and making) movies, Mendes seems motivated more by the impact it can have on those who might need a boost. And about troubled people finding each other.

    The setting for the ‘1917’ director’s latest is the chilly, windswept English coastal town of Margate, where stands one of the Empire chain of cinemas. There, a small staff screens the latest releases to local folk.

    This old-school movie palace is falling into disrepair, entire sections locked off and some exposed to the elements, its glory days behind it. The same might be said for some of the staff, though in the case of the careworn manager Hilary (Olivia Colman), the question is whether she ever saw glory days to begin with.

    The cast of "Empire of Light.'
    The cast of “Empire of Light.’ Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    Back at work after a stay in a local mental health facility and facing little sympathy or understanding from her doctor, she’s just trying to hold it together while picking back up an ill-advised affair with the dull-but-authoritative Donald Ellis (Colin Firth, in particularly smug mode).

    Around her are a rag-tag group of employees, including veteran projectionist Norman (Toby Jones), ambitious assistant manager Neil (Tom Brooke) and disaffected candy-slinger Janine. After a dismissal, their ranks are swelled by Stephen (Micheal Ward), an enthusiastic young Black worker with a love for music, who immediately attracts the attention of Janine and, on a deeper level, Hilary.

    Soon, Hilary and Stephen are sharing snacks and sexual encounters in the disused upper echelons of the cinema, where a formerly fancy bar area is now home to roosting pigeons (Stephen rescues one in a slightly stretched simile for his relationship with Hilary).

    Despite hailing from very different backgrounds and with starkly contrasting life experiences They’re drawn together by a shared love of music, cinema and figuring out their issues––her struggles with manic depression, he facing everyday racism in 1980s England, where the fascistic National Front is beginning to assert its power.

    Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes on set of the film 'Empire of the Light.'
    (L to R) Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes on set of the film ‘Empire of the Light.’ Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    Mendes and legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins let their camera linger and rest, eschewing overly showy visuals in favor of beautifully lit moments that help the cast tell the story. And the watery sunlight of the coastal town also help paint the film in tonally appropriate grays, cut by fireworks and the neon lights of the cinema when it is gussied up for a “big” premiere.

    It goes without saying that Colman is as excellent as ever. Brittle and withdrawn at first, though hiding that side with a forced cheery facade, she slowly unravels as the pressure of swirling emotions and years of trauma take their toll.

    Yet she’s matched beat for beat by Ward, who offers a sensitive, charismatic portrayal of a young man still looking for his place in a world where he isn’t always welcome. Despite an early dalliance with Janine, Stephen lights up around Hillary, and Ward plays that to the hilt.

    Firth sheds the charm that usually undercuts the stuffier characters he plays––while you can see why Hillary might be swayed by him, he’s basically a power-happy scumbag who bristles when he spots her while he’s out for dinner with his oblivious wife.

    Toby Jones and Olivia Colman in 'Empire of Light.'
    (L to R) Toby Jones and Olivia Colman in ‘Empire of Light.’ Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    Around them, the rest of the employees are an appealing, if slightly archetypal ensemble: Janine as a punky rebel, Neil the lanky, agreeable type, Norman gruff but kindhearted. And then there are the customers, a quirky assortment of cinemagoers, some who need a little nudge in the direction of the rules (such as finishing your meal before stepping into the theater) and others who prove to be more hateful than the staff had suspected.

    ‘Empire of Light’ is largely a quiet drama punctuated by moments that pop, including Hillary’s stage-storming moment at the premiere to drop some truths and make a scene, and her ultimate dissolution.

    Yet if Mendes true aim was to celebrate the power of cinema to lift you up, he falters slightly here. A lot of that heavy lifting is given over to Jones’ projectionist character, who has monologues explaining how his beloved machines work and the ability of what they project to lift hearts. It can be a little on the nose at times, and the actual act of watching movies is a sidenote until late in the film.

    The director also seems unaware exactly where he wants to end his film, a couple of natural conclusions showing up and sliding by before the emotional punch of the real finale.

    Tanya Moodie in 'Empire of Light.'
    Tanya Moodie in ‘Empire of Light.’ Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    A late act of racist violence, though keyed up earlier in the story, also feels vaguely out of place, the plot’s focus split for a subplot that has little fresh to say about race relations in the UK at the time and buttoned by an awkward scene between Hillary and Stephen’s mother Delia, played by Tanya Moodie. It does at least give us more of a glimpse into Stephen’s private life.

    And none of its issues are enough to drag ‘Empire of Light’ into the murk. This is a thoughtful, reflective and often lovely film bolstered by its superb central performance and an evocative trip back to the 1980s (both their good and bad sides) likely to evoke nostalgic feelings even if you didn’t grow up in smalltown England.

    With less of the self-conscious drawing on its director’s past than ‘The Fabelmans’, ‘Empire of Light’ offers its own dark charms and emotional fortitude.

    ‘Empire of Light’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

    Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in the film 'Empire of Light.'
    (L to R) Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in the film ‘Empire of Light.’ Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
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  • ‘Empire of Light’ Interviews: Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes

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    Opening in theaters on December 9th is the new film ‘Empire of Light’ from Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (‘American Beauty,’ ‘Skyfall’).

    Set in an English coastal cinema in the early 1980’s called the Empire, Hilary Small (Olivia Colman) is a theater manager dealing with unwanted sexual advances from her boss Mr. Ellis (Colin Firth), and her own mental health issues.

    When a younger man named Stephen (Micheal Ward) begins working at the theater, Hilary and he start a relationship that will eventually change both of their lives forever.

    In addition to Oscar-winners Olivia Colman and Colin Firth, and Michael Ward, the cast also includes Toby Jones, Tom Brooke, Crystal Clarke, and Tanya Moodie.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Olivia Colman and director Sam Mendes about their work on ‘Empire of Light,’ how Mendes drew from his own childhood for the screenplay, Coleman’s approach to her character, Hilary’s relationship with Stephen, and creating the set on location.

    Director Sam Mendes and Olivia Colman from 'Empire of the Light.'
    Director Sam Mendes and Olivia Colman from ‘Empire of the Light.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Coleman, Mendes, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Michael Ward, and Tanya Moodie.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Sam, can you talk about writing the screenplay, setting it in the 1980’s, and the themes you wanted to explore with this project?

    Sam Mendes: Well, I wanted to explore primarily mental illness with this character of Hillary, that’s based loosely on my own mother. Growing up in that time in the early 80’s with somebody who was struggling with her mental health and fighting not to be pulled down into the darkness the whole time.

    At the same time, my teenage years in the early 80’s, were a time of great excitement musically and in movies. On the other hand, it was a time of great social upheaval, very high unemployment in the UK, racial tension riots and what have you. So for me it’s trying to find those two. There’s an internal struggle going on in her and there’s an external struggle in the world, and eventually they collide.

    MF: Olivia, can you talk about your approach to playing Hillary and what were some of the aspects of the character you were excited to explore on screen?

    Olivia Colman: I was excited about all of it apart from the sex scenes, which I was terrified of but they turned out well and everyone made them comfortable. But I didn’t want to let Sam down. He put a lot of trust in me to play someone that was very personal to him.

    I had Sam every step of the way to help me, so I knew I could ask him anything. I knew he would always be honest and I could say, “So when someone’s coming off Lithium, what’s that like?” I had Sam to describe every moment of it to me. It made my job very easy and I was excited to give it a crack really.

    Olivia Colman in 'Empire of Light.'
    Olivia Colman in ‘Empire of Light.’ Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Can you also talk about the relationship between Hillary and Stephen, why they connect with each other and how that friendship changes both of their lives?

    OC: I think they see each other in a way that, well, he sees her, which no one does. He sees beyond the fact that she’s much older than him and he’s quite impressed with her academic background. I think because he’s clearly an academic young man, it’s quite obvious that she sees a dazzling, beautiful, vibrant young creature come into her world.

    Everyone’s looking at him because he’s so beautiful and she’s thrilled that they react to each other. It’s genuine love. It’s something that is never going to last obviously, but there is something beautiful between them and it sort of transcends age and color. It doesn’t matter to them. I think that’s what was lovely about it.

    MF: Finally, Sam, can you talk about the challenges of finding the right location for this film and transforming the Dreamland Margate Cinema in Kent into the Empire theater?

    SM: I mean there’s something about the English countryside, particularly the English coastline, especially in winter, that has a grandness to it. Bleak slate, gray skies, and I grew up in and around that coastline. For me, I wanted to find somewhere that had that sense of emptiness and beauty, but at the same time, it needed to have a cinema that just looked straight out to sea. It was based on a cinema I remember from my childhood that was in Brighton, but that’s long since gone.

    Then we found this amazing giant art deco palace sitting on the coastline in Margate, which is on the North coast of Kent actually. So, it’s where J. M. W. Turner painted his great paintings, and where T.S. Eliot wrote “The Waste Land.“ It’s a place of real melancholy and strangeness, but beautiful as well.

    There was the cinema and that gave us everything. I sort of moved in for a week and rewrote the script so that it fitted the environment, and it fit the location because I’d imagined a different kind of town, but I felt this was better. So, really we made it for and around this one seaside town and it gave us a lot.

    Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes on set of the film 'Empire of the Light.'
    (L to R) Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes on set of the film ‘Empire of the Light.’ Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
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  • First Image of New Indiana Jones Movie

    Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones in the next ‘Indiana Jones’ movie, which will be in theaters on June 30th, 2023.
    Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones in the next ‘Indiana Jones’ movie, which will be in theaters on June 30th, 2023.

    Though Disney and Lucasfilm offered the first poster-based look at Harrison Ford’s return to the hat and whip as Indiana Jones for the fifth – and still untitled to the general public – movie featuring the archeologist adventurer.

    Today, though (at least outside of set pics), we have our first proper look at Dr. Jones in person, via an exclusive carried by Empire magazine.

    It’s been a long journey for the latest Indy movie, which has been in the works for quite some time. Through different versions and script drafts, it has evolved into an adventure that is mostly a secret for now, but it does seem to feature Indy in the 1960s.

    Most notably, it’ll be the first without Steven Spielberg as director, ‘Logan’s James Mangold instead filling the big chair, and working on a script that has also seen work from Jez and John-Henry Butterworth.

    And Ford, who has said that this will represent his final time playing the character, seems to be happy with the result.

    Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones in the next ‘Indiana Jones’ movie, which will be in theaters on June 30th, 2023. Photo courtesy of Disney and Empire Magazine.
    Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones in the next ‘Indiana Jones’ movie, which will be in theaters on June 30th, 2023. Photo courtesy of Disney and Empire Magazine.

    “It’s full of adventure, full of laughs, full of real emotion. And it’s complex and it’s sneaky,” Ford tells Empire, even if he admits that it was a big challenge. “The shooting of it was tough and long and arduous,” he says. “But I’m very happy with the film that we have.”

    And more importantly, since he was ready to step away, the 80-year-old actor knew he wanted a sense of finality to this new outing. “I just thought it would be nice to see one where Indiana Jones was at the end of his journey,” Ford explains. “If a script came along that I felt gave me a way to extend the character.”

    For Mangold, that was also the aim, while still staying true to what audiences have loved about these movies for decades. “It became really important to me to figure out how to make this a movie about a hero at sunset,” he says. “The issues I brought up about Indy’s age were not things I thought were being addressed in the material being developed at the time. There were ‘old’ jokes, but the material itself wasn’t about it. To me, whatever you greatest liability, you should fly straight towards that. If you try to pretend it’s not there, you end up getting slings and arrows the whole way.”

    The cast for the new movie also includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Boyd Holbrook, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones and Antonio Banderas.

    Whatever its final title, the next ‘Indiana Jones’ movies will be in theaters on June 30th, 2023.

    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.'
    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’
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  • Indiana Jones TV Spin-Off in Early Development

    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.'
    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’

    Disney+ has been a place for the company to extend the already wide-reaching tentacles of the various franchises under its umbrella.

    We’ve had a bevy of ‘Star Wars’ shows (which continues with the likes of ‘The Acolyte’, now in production under the leadership of Leslye Headland), a raft of Marvel TV series introducing new characters to the MCU or continuing the adventures of some such as Hawkeye and all sorts of other offerings for family audiences from Pixar, Disney Animation and others.

    One notable exception – at least so far – has been Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones’, which in recent years, been confined to the big screen.

    That, it would appear, is set to change. According to Variety, Disney and Lucasfilm are in the very early stages of exploring a new series set in the world of Dr. Jones, though given that they are only now meeting with writers to explore concepts, nothing is known about what this could be.

    Given how much use Disney tends to get out of its various titles, it’s not out of the question that other writers and directors could re-cast Indy, even though that would meet with plenty of online backlash – as with the rumors that Chris Pratt could be taking over the role. He’s since said he won’t do it.

    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.'
    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’

    It would seem nigh-on impossible for any series to be built around Harrison Ford as Indy, since the actor has firmly stated that he’s done slapping on the famous fedora and handling the whip. So, we are once again facing the possibility that someone else will play Indiana Jones.

    It has happened in the past on TV – ‘The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles’, which ran for two seasons between 1992 and 1993 saw Sean Patrick Flanery playing, as the title suggests, a young Indy. The shows were retooled into TV movies later.

    But the history of the franchise stretches back to the late 1970s, when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg hatched an idea for a movie about an adventurer inspired by the radio and movie series they loved when younger.

    The result was the second iconic movie character for Ford after ‘Star Wars’ Han Solo. ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, directed by Spielberg, debuted in 1981 and was a big success. Spielberg followed it with ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ in 1984, ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ in 1989 and ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ in 2008.

    Incoming is a fourth entry, this time directed by James Mangold. It has yet to announce a title or plotline. But we do know it’ll feature Ford in what is likely to be his final appearance in the role (unless tempted back by a good offer to cameo in any possible series) and also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas and John Rhys-Davies, who returns to his role as Sallah from both ‘Raiders’ and ‘Last Crusade’.

    The new movie will be in theaters on June 30th next year.

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