Displaying items by tag: David Harbour

GOAT

US, 2025, 100 minutes, Colour.

Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Stephen Curry, Aaron Pierrer, Nicola Coughlin, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Jennifer Lewis, Patton Oswalt, Jennifer Hudson, Wayne Knight.

Directed by Tyree Dilihay, Adam Rosette.

GOAT – that American accolade, Greatest of all Time. So, what better for the animation fans, and have a literal goat as the hero of the film, an enthusiastic young kid, a fan of basketball, admiring the star player, Jett, and encouraged by his mother to follow his dreams.

GOAT has been very popular in the United States, very American in its presentation of sport, competition, fans and the crowds. And, the sport in question is basketball, eventually playing of games but also the highly challenging and dangerous Roarball (something like a basketball version of cage fighting).

Caleb McLaughlin is the voice of Will Harris, our GOAT hero, eager, ingenuous, learning the realities of the hard life. Gabrielle Union is the voice of Jett, the champion, falling on hard times, getting older. And there are all the fans, especially when they gather at the local diner, a motley group of eccentric characters and their enthusiasm. And there is a regional loyalty to teams, especially when they have not won a competition for years – and an aggressive attitude towards the competitors.

This all comes to a head with the owner of the team, wily Mrs Anderson, Jennifer Lewis, doing financial deals, building up a team of eccentrics, including Jett and Will yet planning all the time for further deals and for Jett and her failure, as well as that of the team.

So, a great range of eccentric characters, visually, and voices. A lesson to be learned from animation films and voices – there is very little distinction between African-American voices and white voices, except some recognition of rhythms and accents. So, here there is racist equality, black and white actors voicing the characters without discrimination. And the same with the two directors.

There is something of a rough and readiness about the animation style, somebody making a reference to street graffiti, paint, brushstrokes, vivid colours, creating something of a tough urban atmosphere. And that applies here to the characters, the visual backgrounds, and especially in the basketball games and their rapid and effective editing.

And, by the end, the underdog team being beaten by the champions and rivals, Will, our hero, overhearing the plans of Mrs Anderson, talking to Jett who is determined to make a last stand for her reputation, disregarding all the teammates. But, as expected and hoped for, she comes to her senses, the team plays, the result is very close, and Will has the opportunity to be the GOAT that his mother encouraged him to be.

Perhaps a warning, anyone intending to see GOAT and who is not enthralled by basketball might be advised to check it out and think again!

NIGHT OF THE ZOOPOCALYPSE

Belgium/Canada/France, 2024, 91 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Gabby Kosmidis, David Harbour, Pierre Simpson, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Scott Thompson.

Directed by Ricardo Curtis, Roderigo Pérez-Castro.

There have been some entertaining animated horror films like The Corpse Bride. This very colourful film is something of a variation on a zombie Apocalypse theme (and one title considered was Night of the Zoombies). The present title, of course, is a nod in the direction of Zootopia.

The film opens with a suspenseful ghase, a young wolf, Gracie, being pursued by young wolves, egged on by their grandma. But, it emerges that this is a game and that the setting is a zoo. And some visuals showing the range of the animals in the zoo as well as the families enjoying the visit, reluctant to leave when time is up.

In the sky, two spacecraft collide, a piece of space debris, electrified, hurtles to earth, landing in the zoo – and a curious little bunny touches and is transformed into a zombie-like creature. Mayhem in the zoo, huge transformations, monstrous characters to frighten the young audience (and perhaps some of the older).

But, Gracie is a survivor and encounters a mountain lion in the zoo, Dan. The film follows their adventures, escapades for survival, smoke and danger, the key to the gate to escape. In the meantime, there is a motley group of survivors taking refuge in one of the zoo’s rooms. They provide chatter, humour, and become very much involved in the adventure and the fight for survival.

One of the creatures in the room is Xavier, Hispanic accented English, giving a humorous running commentary on how horror films develop, the genre, the conventions, expectations, dialogue, all of which is acted out – or, sometimes, contradicted. This provides some humour for adult audiences and horror aficionados.

The solution seems to be soap and water to turn the creatures back to normal, especially when Dan is transformed. However, the big plan to flood the pool with water and soap creates only larger monsters. And, spoiler, the antidote in fact is music!

And, happy ending, cranky grandma who has always expected the worst becoming more mellow and everyone else returns to normal!

THUNDERBOLTS*

US, 2025, 126 minutes, Colour.

Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen. Olga Kurylenko, Geraldine Viswanathan, Wendell Pearce.

Directed by Jake Schreier.

A recent listing declares that there have been 36 Marvel Studios films over almost 20 years. Thunderbolts*is the latest and seems to have appealed at the box office.

The Marvel Studios superhero team has been The Avengers – their working together to save civilisation, a number of back stories and further developments. So, the question: who are the Thunderbolts? This is not an action story showing them working together. Rather, it is their origin story of their moving to work together. In fact, the characters have appeared in a variety of Marvel films, as well as in the S*H*I*E*L*D television series. Several of them have appeared in the Captain America films or in the Antman films.

So, who are they now and what is the mission? (And an indication to audiences who rush out during the credits, there is a longer than usual post-credits sequence indicating the future.)

First to be introduced is Yelena, a strong presence with Florence Pugh. She is an assassin, getting tired of her work, controlled by a political mastermind, Valentina. Julia Louis Dreyfus was Veep, but here she is even more powerful, facing the Senate enquiry, masterminding laboratories for developing weapons and reconditioning human beings. Clearly, Julia Louis Dreyfus is thoroughly enjoying this sinister and commanding role.

Then there is return of Bucky Barnes, Sebastian Stan, familiar from the Captain America films, here seen in a political context, confronting Valentina. Then we are reintroduced to Alexi Shostakov, David Harbour, prominent former Russian agent, now down on his luck driving taxis. There is Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) who can appear and disappear through walls, from the Antman films. And, again from Captain America, a possible Captain, John Walker, Wyatt Russell, supremely self-assured.

Then there is Bob, a reconditioned human, Lewis Pullman. He is a mysterious presence, lacklustre one minute, energised the next, – and the character from Marvel comics, The Sentry.

The first part of the action shows each of these characters in action, but, with Valentina’s sinister plans, a great deal of conflict and fighting with each other. When they eventually do begin to understand each other, see how they are being controlled by Valentina, and the concern about Bob, they join to become an active force, building up to an action-packed confrontation.

In many ways, this group consists of a rather unprepossessing lot. Anti-heroes? Not many superpowers, rather relying on determination, intelligence, physical force, available weapons. And, by and large, they don’t radiate immediate charm! So, it will be interesting, as well as a challenge, to move into their next film, working together as a unit, assertive, and, with the*in the title, moving towards being new avengers.

The director, Jake Schreier, has, up till now, had a strong career in music videos and television series.

1. Marvel Studios, the Thunderbolts comics, this film as the New Avengers introduction rather than a thunderbolts adventure?
2. Marvel Studios and superheroes, action adventure, futuristic, the New York setting, destruction of New York, Washington, the variety of centres and experimentation, signs? Special effects? Musical score? Theme song?
3. The range of characters, the introduction to each, their interactions, Bob as the common bond, Valentina, politics, impeachment, hearings, her control, experiments, budget, setting the base for New Avengers films?
4. The introduction to Yelena, assassinations, controlled by Valentina, top of the building, falling, Parachute? Getting out from assassinations? The encounter with Alexi, the taxis, his squalid situation, his past career, the apartment, costumes? Relationship with you Lena, her dead sister?
5. Audience knowledge of Bucky Barnes, Winter Soldier, the past films, in politics, the interview, concern about Valentina? The socials?
6. John Walker, here character but yet,, his family, the possibility in the past of his being Capt America? His role in the team?
7. Ghost, her presence, personality, contribution, less a member of the team?
8. Bob, the comic character, simple, affable, his past, ambitions, the transformation, his becoming the Sentry/Floyd? Participation with the group, the influence of Valentina, is mixed experiences, dangerous, affable? The resolution?
9. Valentina, the influence of her assistant, advice, yet prepared to betray her? The political background, the Senate enquiries and interrogations, her influence, control, plans?
10. The building up of the new team, not so much with superpowers, the contrast with the Avengers, the final action sequences, CGI, stunt work, battles, the team winning, the role of Bob, the defeat of Valentina?

A WORKING MAN

US, 2025, 116 minutes, Colour.

Jason Statham, Jason Fleming, Maximillian Osinski, Michael Peña, David Harbour, Arianna Rivas.

Directed by David Ayer.

25 years, ever since Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, former British champion diver, Jason Statham, has starred in, and mostly top-lined, a continuous range of action films. And that includes the Fast and Furious franchise from number 6  onwards. Nearing 60, he is still one of the favourite actors for this kind of show, always British, not attempting an American accent.

He worked with director, David Ayer, in The Beekeeper (and a sequel is promised). They obviously click.

We see Statham’s character, Levon Cade, working for a Hispanic construction company in Chicago, on building sites. As a warmup, a group of thugs menace one of the workers – and come off the worse for wear after an encounter with Levon, much the worse for wear. But, we already knew what he was capable of.

He explains that he spent many years in Special Ops for the British, that it had its effect on him, tactics, violence and deaths, his absences, the death of his wife, not being able to see his young daughter, his wife’s resentful father now looking after her and trying to limit custody and access. But, it turns out to be the company owner’s daughter who will be in trouble, strong-minded, working in her father’s office, martial arts training (just as well for the final rescue) but suddenly abducted from a club.

If you are going to see A Working Man for the fights, you will not be disappointed (even if, probably, Statham himself is not doing all of them). But, this is rather complicated plot and we need to keep our wits about us. There are bikie gangs dealing drugs. There is a brotherhood of Russian migrants, well-to-do, sinister with their contacts and controls – but also some rebels in the next generation causing all kinds of trouble, living the high life, arrogant, and, somehow or other in their destiny, not fated to live longer lives after the initially smug encounters with Levon Cade.

Chicago settings, clubs, mansions, all kinds of popular ingredients, the hero who is rather impervious to feelings when villains and gangsters confront him, vigilante executions – but, always the soft spot for the daughter he rescues and nice sequences with his own daughter.

A Jason Statham show.

1. The popularity of Jason Statham action films? Working with director, David Ayer?
2. Statham, his screen presence, age, physique, British accent? At times laconic, at times talking? Strength, determination, fighting ability?
3. The title, Cade and his construction work, his background with the British, Special Ops, training, techniques, violence, detachment and involvement, ruthless, seemingly unemotional?
4. The company in Chicago, the boss and his family in the office, the threat to the worker on site, Cade confronting, defeating them and routing them? Anticipation of what is to come?
5. The boss’s daughter, strong-minded, work, study, martial arts training? Celebrating at the club? The abduction, being held, the woman guarding, her taunts?
6. Cade, the commission from the father, his commitment? His personal background, the suicide of his wife, his action, overseas, the depression, the daughter, love for her, his father-in-law and his hostility, custody and access, the outing with his daughter?
7. The complexities of the gangs and drug trading in Chicago? Cade and his getting information, tracking people down, going to the club, the African-American former soldier, leader, his henchmen? Cade involving him, drug deals?
8. The Russians, following the arrogant son of the leader, seeing him abuse his wife, getting the house, the confrontation, interrogating him over the pool, his death? Reactions of his father, the brotherhood of Russian gangsters in Chicago, the profligate son and his drugtaking, self-confidence, involved in the abduction? Cade confronting, their deaths? The manic members of the group, machine guns…? The quiet controllers in their offices, on their phones? The father, wanting revenge, crying out, told to be loyal to the group, no personal involvement?
9. The businessman, trafficking, choosing victims, his associates and their ruthlessness, self-confidence, his aquarium and fish hobby, their failures? The hold over the daughter?
10. Cade, following through, the leads, the confrontations, the shootings and deaths? The confrontation of the entrepreneur and his associates, their deaths?
11. Finding the daughter, her using her ingenuity, effecting the escape? Restoring her to her family? And coming back to his daughter and his future?
12. The portrait of a military man, skills, ruthlessness, issues of conscience, vigilantes, emotions?