Posts Tagged ‘Maria Bello’

Short Take: Underwritten and poorly acted. What has happened to John Singleton?

Director: John Singleton

Screenwriter: Shawn Christensen

Cast: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Maria Bello, Jason Isaacs, Sigourney Weaver

Length: 1h 46m

Synopsis: Nathan (Lautner) is a teenage boy who after finding his photo on a missing persons website has begun to suspect that his parents Kevin (Isaacs) and Mara (Bello) aren’t who they claim to be. The night they come clean is when strange men break into their house and try to kidnap Nathan, however he and his friend Karen (Collins), who just happened to be visiting, are able to escape. The strange men work for a Russian mercenary group and believe Nathan holds something of value to them. Because of their involvement Nathan and Karen are also being chased by the CIA, who claim to want to help. Not knowing who to trust the teenaged duo decide to do what they can to stay alive on their own and discover the truth for themselves. Unfortunately, they aren’t bound to like what they find.

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The impetus for this list came from simply re-watching Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film Casino, during which time I could not help but think of the number of movies which prominently feature the goings on of casinos – or at least the alleged goings on. And being that I didn’t quite agree with the listing of the Best Casino Movies at CasinoTop10, I decided to tackle the challenge of ranking them myself. Interestingly enough, though, casino movies aren’t even considered a subgenre, as few if any thematic or aesthetic similarities can be found amongst the movies which significantly feature a casino setting. Not to be discouraged, however, I took advantage of this leeway and simply considered any film which takes place in a casino or casino-like locale either for a substantial portion of the running time or during a particularly important or memorable scene. And now that we’re armed with these criteria let us get on with the rankings, which may contain a few surprises.

5. Casino Royale (2006) 

It seems almost too fitting that a James Bond movie be on this list considering how many times we’ve seen 007 sitting sharply dressed in a tuxedo at a green-felted table over the decades, and the question that immediately comes to mind is what separates Casino Royale from the lot. The answer is that, more than any other Bond flick, it made card games both a significant part of the plot and exceedingly exciting. Not only did James win his Aston Martin in a poker game, but he bested the film’s main villain by the same means. The scenes where the dapper double-o goes toe to toe with Le Chiffre demonstrate the full extent of the secret agent’s wit and savvy, successfully substantiating the notion that he is not just a physical force to be reckoned with but a cerebral one as well. No doubt, it’s as civilized a showdown as you’re likely to find in an action movie from any era, and that it’s as exciting as the film’s car chases speaks volumes about the writing quality.

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Short Take: Intriguing, but lacks competence in some areas

Director: Udayan Prasad (Opa!, My Son the Fanatic)

Screenwriter: Erin Dignam (8, Loved, Denial)

Cast: William Hurt (The Incredible Hulk, Vantage Point), Maria Bello (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The Jane Austen Book Club), Kristen Stewart (Twilight: New Moon, Adventureland), Eddie Redmayne (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Savage Grace)

Length: 1 hour 42 minutes

Synopsis: Brett Hansen (Hurt) has just been released after six years of incarceration when he meets Gordy (Redmayne), an awkward young Native American on his first trip away from the reservation, and Martine (Stewart), a lonely young woman looking for someone to love her.  The trio embarks on a road trip to find Brett’s ex-wife May (Bello).  As the group grows closer, Brett’s past with May is slowly revealed through a series of flashbacks. Read the rest of this entry »