I’m a sucker for classic film noir, and the latest modern day film to venture into the mostly forgotten genre is Liam Neeson’s “Marlowe”. As the name makes obvious, the film is based on Raymond Chandler’s famous hard-boiled detective Philip Marlowe. It’s more directly inspired by the 2014 novel “The Black-Eyed Blonde” by Irish writer John Banville. Neeson plays the title character in what is the 100th movie of his career. It’s directed by Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game”, “Interview with the Vampire”) and written for the screen by Oscar winner William Monahan (“The Departed”). That’s a pretty interesting group.

The first trailer leans heavy in the film noir style showing Neeson’s Marlowe navigating the seedy parts of 1939 Los Angeles. He’s hired by a wealthy heiress (played by Diane Kruger) to find her ex-lover. But to no surprise, the case leads him down some dark and twisted paths. The film also stars Jessica Lange, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Danny Huston, Alan Cumming, and Colm Meaney. “Marlowe” has the look and sizzle of a classic film noir. I’m looking forward to seeing if it delivers.

“Marlowe” hits theaters February 15th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Kino Lorber has announced the new 4K UHD home release of “Death Wish”. This two-disc combo pack features the film in 4K Ultra HD and on Blu-Ray. This 1974 neo-noir action-thriller sees Charles Bronson turn from straight-laced architect to lethal vigilante after his wife and daughter are victimized by a brutal crime. Directed by Michael Winner, “Death Wish” was a controversial film at the time of its release. But over the years it has become a cult classic. You can read my review of the film HERE.

This new 4K UHD of “Death Wish” hits shelves JANUARY 24, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and breakdown of the bonus features.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:

Year: 1974

Rating: R

Runtime: 94 Minutes

Director: Michael Winner

Starring: Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia, William Redfield, Kathleen Tolan, Christopher Guest, Steven Keats, Chris Gampel, Stuart Margolin, Stephen Elliott, Fred J. Scollay, Jack Wallace, Jeff Goldblum

In this explosive story of revenge and urban violence, screen legend Charles Bronson (Mr. Majestyk, Breakheart Pass) plays Paul Kersey, a bleeding-heart liberal who has a change of opinion after his wife and daughter are brutally attacked by a gang of thugs in their apartment. His daughter is sexually assaulted and his wife is murdered. Bronson then turns vigilante as he stalks the mean streets of New York on the prowl for muggers, hoodlums and the like.

Another classic collaboration between Bronson and director Michael Winner (Chato’s Land, The Mechanic, The Stone Killer), Death Wish is a violent, controversial film that is frank and original in its treatment of urban crime and the average citizen’s helplessness in dealing with it. Jazz great Herbie Hancock (Colors) wrote the musical score. Vincent Gardenia (Death Wish II), Steven Keats (The Friends of Eddie Coyle), Stuart Margolin (TV’s The Rockford Files), Stephen Elliott (Beverly Hills Cop) and Hope Lange (Blue Velvet) co-star. And watch for Jeff Goldblum (The Fly) in his film debut as one of the thugs.

BONUS FEATURES:

DISC 1 (4KUHD): Brand New 2022 HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative | NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Paul Talbot, the Author of the BRONSON’S LOOSE! Books | 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio | Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc | Optional English Subtitles /

DISC 2 (BLU-RAY): Brand New 2022 HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative | NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Paul Talbot, the Author of the BRONSON’S LOOSE! Books | Interview with Actor John Herzfeld | US and UK Radio Spots | TV Spot | Theatrical Trailer (Remastered in 2K) | 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio | Dual-Layered BD50 Disc | Optional English Subtitlesthe following special features: 

Universal Home Entertainment has announced the home video release of “She Said”. This new Collector’s Edition combo pack features the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital. “She Said” stars Carry Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as real-life New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor. This enthralling journalism procedural follows their investigation and eventual exposing of Harvey Weinstein and his long history of sexual abuse against women. You can read my full review of the film HERE.

This new Collector’s Edition comb pack of “She Said” hits shelves JANUARY 10, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and breakdown of the bonus features.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:

Year: 2022

Rating: R

Runtime: 129 Minutes

Director: Maria Schrader

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Morton, Ashley Judd, Zach Grenier, Peter Friedman, Frank Wood, Anastasia Barzee, Mike Houston

Based on the bombshell New York Times investigation, SHE SAID follows the remarkable true story of how reporters
Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor went from underdogs to inspirations by shattering the silence surrounding sexual assault
in Hollywood. Determined to expose the truth many fear to tell, Megan and Jodi’s partnership shakes up the system,
empowering courageous women to retake their strength through stories of survival in this extraordinary film from Emmy®-
winning director Maria Schrader (“Unorthodox”; I’m Your Man), featuring captivating performances by two-time Academy
Award® nominee Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, An Education) and Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick, The Plot Against
America), with Mulligan’s performance receiving a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and featuring an impressive cast also including Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April,
“House of Cards”), Andre Braugher (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”, The Mist) and Ashley Judd (Double Jeopardy), SHE SAID is
a “powerful and unnerving” (NPR) testament to the power of investigative journalism and its influence in reinvigorating
the #MeToo movement. The film comes home with an all-new, behind the scenes featurette with real life journalists Megan
Twohey and Jodi Kantor detailing what it took to publish the groundbreaking story.

BONUS FEATURES:

The 4K UHD combo pack and Blu-ray and Digital Copy all contain the following special features: 

• BREAKING THE STORY – An exclusive behind the scenes featurette with journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi
Kantor that recounts what it took for them to break this incredible true story.
• THEATRICAL TRAILER

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY:

• Street Date: January 10, 2023
• Selection Number: 1000823078 (US) / 1000823090 (CDN)
• Layers: BD 50
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
• Rating: R for language and descriptions of sexual assault
• Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian and Latin American Spanish
• Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (DTS Digital Surround 5.1), Latin American Spanish (DTS Digital Surround 5.1)
• Run Time: 2 hours 9 minutes

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:

• Street Date: January 10, 2023
  
• Selection Number: 1000823077 (US) / 1000823079 (CDN)
  
• Layers: DVD 9
  
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
  
• Rating: R for language and descriptions of sexual assault
  
• Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian and Latin American Spanish
  
• Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 for Feature and Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital
  5.1), Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  
• Run Time: 2 hours 9 minutes

Today I’m finishing up my look back at the best performances of 2022, wrapping things up with the Lead Actor category. It’s a group filled with exciting contenders, and (once again) it was a tough one to narrow down. But that’s how these things work, so let’s get to it. Here’s are my five favorite Lead Actor performances along with some terrific honorable mentions. Bet sure to let me know what you think.

Honorable Mentions: Mark Rylance (“The Outfit”), Colin Farrell (“After Yang”), Tom Hanks (“A Man Called Otto”), Hugh Jackman (“The Son”), Ralph Fiennes (“The Menu”), Song Kang-ho (“Broker”), Wes Studi (“A Love Song”), Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”), Daniel Giménez Cacho (“Bardo”), Sterling K. Brown (“Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul”), Park Hae-il (“Decision to Leave”)

#5 – Tom Cruise (“Top Gun: Maverick”)

This is much more than some nostalgia pick or career achievement choice. Tom Cruise was terrific in “Top Gun: Maverick”, not just stepping back into the shoes of his Pete Mitchell character, but taking him to some surprising places. I had high hopes for “Top Gun: Maverick”, but it turned out much better than I ever expected. It’s in large part due to the stellar work of Cruise. I feel the need…the need for an Oscar nomination.

#4 – Adam Driver (“White Noise”)

Adam Driver has reached the point where he never disappoints. So it’s no surprise that he was terrific in Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise”. He’s given a slyly complex role, and getting on Baumbach’s wacky wavelength isn’t the easiest thing. But Driver kills it as a family patriarch coming to grips with his mortality (among other things). Everything from his appearance to line delivery clicks. I just love the performance.

#3 – Fleix Kammerer (“All Quiet on the Western Front”)

Now here’s a performance that has steadily grown on me since first seeing Edward Berger’s brilliant “All Quiet on the Western Front”. It’s a performance that no one is talking about this awards season but absolutely should. Felix Kammerer brings so much emotion and physicality to his character and shows us war through this young man’s eyes in a way rarely (if ever) seen on screen before. Stunning.

#2 – Austin Butler (“Elvis”)

Despite the slew of movies that have come since, it’s still hard to forget Austin Butler’s star-making portrayal of Elvis Presley. I’ve said it before, but there are so many ways this performance could have gone wrong. But Butler stuns by giving us something far more than an impersonation. From his voice to his body language to his singing – he captures Elvis with incredible authenticity, all while showing us the real man behind the music.

#1 – Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)

What an incredible year for Colin Farrell. He was great in “After Yang”, “The Batman”, and “Thirteen Lives”. But his performance in Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” somehow managed to top them all. There’s so much packaged into his character. He’s funny, sweet, sad, and even tragic. Farrell mines all of those things and brings them out with such a natural touch. I loved everything about the performance, and it has really stuck with me.

So that wraps up another year. Please let me know what you think about my Lead Actor picks or any of the categories I’ve covered over the last few days. Let’s do it again next year.

With the supporting performances in the books, today we began looking back at the very best lead performances from 2022. We start with lead actress, a category full of terrific work from some amazing talent. This was a hard group to narrow down – a testament to a strong year for leading ladies. So let’s get to it.

Honorable Mentions: Aubrey Plaza (“Emily the Criminal”), Rooney Mara (“Women Talking”), Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Fresh”), Cate Blanchett (“Tár”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Causeway”), Vicky Krieps (“Corsage”), Florence Pugh (“The Wonder”), Mia Goth (“Pearl”), Emily Watson (“God’s Creatures”), Haley Lu Richardson (“Montana Story”), Lesley Manville (“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”), Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Regina Hall (“Honk for Jesus. Save Your Sale”), Catherine Clinch (“The Quiet Girl”)

#5 – Jessica Chastain (“The Good Nurse”)

Hot off of winning her very first Academy Award, Jessica Chastain follows it up with a performance that I actually like even better. She’s terrific in “The Good Nurse” playing a struggling single mother and nurse who first befriends and then helps expose a co-worker and serial killer. Its a remarkably understated performance and yet another reminder that Chastain remains one of the best in the business.

#4 – Dale Dickey (“A Love Song”)

I’m convinced that not enough people have watched “A Love Song”. Otherwise Dale Dickey would be getting the awards consideration she so richly deserves. Her nuanced lived-in performance anchors this heartfelt indie about loneliness, loss, and regret. I’m guessing the quiet low-key nature of the film may have kept it from getting a bigger audience. It’s a shame because Dickey absolutely shines.

#3 – Tang Wei (“Decision to Leave”)

Mysterious, magnetic, and utterly captivating. Just some of the adjectives that describe Tang Wei’s work in Park Chan-wook’s brilliant “Decision to Leave”. It’s such a fascinating performance that sees her playing an enigmatic and impossible to read murder suspect. Yet she’s playing more than just some femme fatale. There are deeper emotions at play, but Tang Wei keeps them hidden and keeps us guessing. Extraordinary!

#2 – Tilda Swinton (“The Eternal Daughter”)

Here’s another lead performance that doesn’t seem to be getting the love it deserves this awards season. Tilda Swinton giving a great performance shouldn’t surprise anyone. Here she gives two in one movie. She plays both mother and daughter in this poignant and haunting elegy from Joanna Hogg. Swinton makes it look so easy even though it clearly isn’t, and her knack for capturing the internalized feelings within her characters in second to none.

#1 – Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”)

I don’t usually get this adamant about these silly little rankings. But if Danielle Deadwyler isn’t somewhere on your list, you need a new list. What an emotionally palpable and strikingly authentic performance. Deadwyler is the heart and soul of “Till”, highlighting a mother’s quest for justice amid the excruciating pain of loss. It’s a revelatory turn that should have her name on every awards voter’s ballot (regardless of what the Golden Globes say).

And those are my Lead Actress picks. Let me know what you think. One more day to go. Tomorrow we wrap up 2022 by looking at the Best Actor category.

After a year off and a lot of bad press, the Hollywood Foreign Press have returned with the Golden Globes awards. It was a strange night, predictable at times but with its share of surprises. The show was pretty long-winded, but for the most part it was reasonably fun. And (as usual) it left us with plenty to talk about. So without further ado, here are some Random Thoughts on the 2023 Golden Globe Awards.

• Let me get this out of the way. The lack of love for “All Quiet on the Western Front” this awards season has been astonishing. Sadly it lost the Globe for Best International Film to “Argentina 1985”. It was a category full of great films, but “All Quiet” losing doesn’t bode well for its Oscar chances. And that’s a shame.
• It was a big night for “The Banshees of Inisherin”, topped off with the film winning for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. It was definitely the best movie in the category, and it’ll be interesting to see where it ends up on Oscar night.
• In the night’s other big category, “The Fabelmans” took home the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Does this deeply personal film have the steam to be a Best Picture winner come Oscar night? I kinda doubt it. But don’t count out Steven Spielberg.
• Speaking of Steven Spielberg, he also took home the award for Best Director and the speech that followed was amazing. It’s hard to root against him when you hear that much heart in his words.
• Host Jerrod Carmichael was an interesting choice. He was a little dry, occasionally funny, and sometimes strangely awkward. Not great, but I guess he got the job done.
• It was great to see Colin Farrell win Best Actor Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. What a year he’s had. He was great in “The Batman” and “After Yang”. But he’s never been better than in “The Banshees of Inisherin”.
• What a win for Austin Butler who took home the Globe for Best Actor Motion Picture – Drama. He was spectacular in “Elvis” and this win sets up a fun showdown with Colin Farrell on Oscar night. I can’t wait.
• It was kinda annoying that some winners were given such little time to speak yet certain presenters (looking at you Jennifer Coolidge) went on forever!
• Among the more predictable wins of the night, Ke Huy Quan wins Best Supporting Actor for “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. I was rooting hard for either Brendan Gleeson or Barry Keoghan, but they never had a chance. Quan seems to be the feel-good sentimental choice this year, and I’m guessing it will carry him through to an Oscar.
• How about the great Angela Bassett winning Best Supporting Actress. I liked but didn’t love “Wakanda Forever”. I absolutely loved Bassett’s performance. I hoped Kerry Condon would win, but I’ll never be sad about an Angela Bassett win.
• Is Kerry Condon going to be this year’s Caitríona Balfe? I hope not.
• I’ve always liked Michelle Yeoh and it was great seeing her on stage. She wins Best Actress Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. I just wish it was for a better movie.
• It was really great seeing Eddie Murphy on the stage to receive the Cecil B DeMille Award. But wasn’t it a little odd that his montage had more “Norbit” clips than “Beverly Hills Cop”?
• In vintage Eddie Murphy fashion, he delivered the funniest line of the night. And yes, it was at Will Smith’s expense.
• It was so much fun seeing “Naatu Naatu” win for Best Original Song. It was unquestionably my choice. But I can’t help but wonder, would it have won without that killer dance number?
• Best Original Score went to Justin Hurwitz. Thankfully that was the only time we heard from “Babylon” all night.
• It was so great seeing Guillermo del Toro win for Best Motion Picture – Animated. His “Pinocchio” is movie magic at its finest. A beautifully told story and exquisite animation. The biggest surprise of 2022 and one of the year’s best films. Good job Hollywood Foreign Press.
• Cate Blanchett won Best Actress – Drama for “Tár”, and I can’t imagine anyone was surprised. It was a sure thing. Now she faces off against Michelle Yeoh for the Oscar.
• To be honest, it was pretty hard to take the Best Actress – Drama category serious. I mean Danielle Deadwyler doesn’t even get nominated? Seriously???
• There were a surprising number of winners who didn’t show up to receive the awards. Not quite as many as those who came up on stage drunk, but close.

And those are a few Random Thoughts on this year’s show. What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.