Displaying items by tag: Halle Berry

CRIME 101

US, 2026, 139 minutes, Colour.

Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan, Corey Hawkins, Monica Barbaro, Nick Nolte, Devon Bostick, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Taie Donovan.

Directed by Bart Layton.

The 101 of the title is actually the highway through Los Angeles. However, Crime 101 sounds like the title of the basic university course. And, those interested in high-class and well-planned heists are provided with what might be called plentiful tutorial material for their hoped-for careers. But ministers will sit back and enjoy it all.

Writer-director, Bart Layton, has adapted a novel by Daniel Winslow and has intended to make a big budget, strong cast, highly colourful Los Angeles drama. Which he does. Immediately we are introduced to Mike, Chris Hemsworth at his charming best, a gentleman thief, meticulous planning, no hurting anyone, but getting away with jewels. We get a glimpse of his patron, sounding more gravellyy-voice than ever, Nick Nolte.

Then we are introduced to the other key characters, Sharon, Halle Berry, 11 years with a high-class insurance firm, discussing with millionaires policies and planning for a society wedding; Mark Ruffalo as Lou, a veteran LA detective, dishevilled, expert profiling criminals but tending to be looked down on by the smarter professionals. Then, an entirely different character, Orman, Barry Keoghan (in so many films these years), a petty, very petty thug with some-confident violent attitudes, who has to follow Mike and report back on his plans – although he too sets up a rather messy bank robbery to build up his credibility.

There is something not quite right in the lives of each of the main characters and, gradually, they are brought together, Sharon and Lou  through self-help and yoga classes, Mike and Sharon because he investigates her being passed over, humiliated at her company.

This is all moving towards a buildup for the heist in the luxury Beverly Wilshire hotel, the millionaire and his fiancee, a safe full of cash, jewelry, a security expert coming from Europe – and some substitutions, to catch a thief, an intrusion from the violence Orman.

Bart Layton achieves what he set out to do, nothing more, nothing less – a Los Angeles crime action adventure, heists, investigations, car chases, identity switches, and entertainment.

1. The title, like a college course title, but along freeway 101?
2. All film traditions of crime set in Los Angeles? The classic traditions? 21^st-century version?
3. The Los Angeles settings, the opening credits, upside down, angles, the city, the highways, the lights, buildings…? Atmosphere? The streets and the poor sections? The contrast with the Beverly Wilshire, luxury hotels, insurance offices, police precincts, jewelry shops, yoga classes…, The musical score?
4. The background of the voice-over, self-improvement, the background from Mike, Sharon listening, the yoga classes, Lou present and learning, so it is and motivation for the characters?
5. The morning, the characters getting up, Mike, person, dress, driving, the car and the man in the boot, the shop, the owner, the jewels, the couriers, the fakes, the real jewels of the ankle, the gun, the pursuit, the confrontation, the robbery, the career shooting and a drop of blood in the car for later detection? Letting the man out of the boot? Mike and his robberies, never injuring anyone? Chris Hemsworth, screen presence, the building of a character and personality? The mystery?
6. Lou, status in the police force, old-style, theories, the network of authorities, looking down on him, work with his partner, his partner to bring with him, wanting to work with him? At the site of the various crimes? Lou and his theory, the 101? The man, eliminating various criteria and the remnant of crimes along the 101? Lou profiling the criminal? Lou, at home, his wife, intrusion, the later meeting, the anchor, his walking out, the apartment by the ocean? Going to yoga, the encounter with Charlotte?
7. Sharon, insurance, see her in action, with Munro and mistaking his wife or girlfriend, the wealth, the discussions about the insurance, the forthcoming wedding? Her age, early years, the promise of promotion, following her off, the men on the staff, the new associate, Fabio, taking Sharon’s job, the achievement and praise, Sharon later telling her the truth in front of the executive? Sharon listening to the tapes, the yoga? Living alone, sleep and its limitations? Upset?
8. Money, his age, and Nick Nolte character, raspy voice, the interview with Mike, controlling him? Mike and his rebellion? Wanting to keep his methods, get money, retire? Money and his son summoning All men, knowing Allman’s father, a different kind of criminal, tough, age, look, motorbike, following Mike, Mike observing him, removing the tracer on the car? Observing, Mike’s contact with the IT man, information about peoples access? All finally attacking him, brutally? The scene of the robbery in Santa Barbara, tough, the baby, the locked door, his anger, the victims, the robbery and his escape?
9. Mike, the car crash, discussions with Meyer, the date, the discussions, with high class, the mystery of his background? His reticence? The affair, continued seeing each other?
10. The information about Sharon, encountering her and was discussion about cars, at the Gallery, his arranging the meeting, his discussions with her, knowing all about her, her resentments, the standing for firm and integrity? The scenes of the office, passed over again, her contacting Mike, the explanation of the situation, the methods, the wedding, the insurance, the protection from Europe?
11. The conscience, going to Lou, giving him the information, Lou and the setup outside the jewelry shop, the boy, the shooting, the cover up, his being sacked? The reaction?
12. With, the plan, Mike and his taking the place of the security guard, the flight from Europe, the transition, Mike waiting, Lou taking the place of the guard, the conversation about Steve McQueen, bulletin chases, The Thomas Crown Affair and a gentleman thief?
13. All in, getting the job at the hotel, getting the number of the room, preparing to ?
14. The situation in the room, Mike, the emptying of the safe, the jewels, the gun? Lou pulling the gun, the confrontation, all in, the three games, the woman in fear, the shooting, the wording Munro, the death of Allman? The deals, Lou and his letting Mike go, his previous tracking down Mike’s family, the discussions with his mother?
15. The aftermath, Mike and the car, leaving, sending the photo, Maher and the photo of the family? Lou giving the the jeweller diamonds to show? At the yoga?
16. The gentleman thief, some integrity, writing background, the crime thriller, detection, the resolution?

THE UNION

Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry, J.K.Simmons, Mike Colter, Alice Lee, Jessica De Gouw, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jackie Earle Haley, Stephen Campbell Moore, Lorraine Bracco, Dana Delaney.

Directed by Julian Farino.

The Union is a secret organisation, very secret, which runs all kinds of international operations – and opening one in Trieste a which fails, the death of several agents.

This is a kind of popular espionage film with some comic touches that has been popular, especially since the 1960s with tongue-in-cheek heroes, paralleling James Bond.

This time it is Mark Wahlberg, an ordinary worker, with very few ambitions and horizons, called on by a former girlfriend, one of the heads of The Union, played by Halle Berry. As a bonus, the boss is played by JK Simmons who is later accused of being a mole.

All is drugged and abducted, wakes in London, goes through all kinds of rigorous training, psychological evaluation, new identity, and, probably most improbably, set out to do all kinds of actions, retrieving money, going to option beatings, in great danger.

Looking at the cast list, there is quite a long list of prominent actors from the past as well as in the present, meaning that the range of supporting characters is always interesting.

Clearly building up to a confrontation a climax, a Revelation of the true mole, kinds of action – and, just as it thinks he is free, the head of the Union comes up with another mission.

The cast and the action keep the audience entertained even though, in retrospect, it is just one another of those undercover espionage action romps.

1. The title, the secret union? Undercover? International? American espionage? Threats and expose?
2. The opening in Trieste, the action, betrayals? Deaths? The London scene, action? The contrast with the ordinariness of New Jersey? The musical score?
3. Roxanne, her role, her relationship with Nick, his death in Trieste? Tom Brennan? The situation, the threat of exposure, suspicions? Who worked for 25 years?
4. Mike, Mark Wahlberg role, his work, ordinary life, day by day, the past, the past with Roxanne? Not likely action film hero?
5. The action sequences, and upkeep audiences interested? The various plots, suspects, the plans?
6. The mission, the abduction of Mike, the hotel, London, Tom Brennan and the explanations?
7. The issue, the information, the option, the representatives from various national interests? The range of spy bidders?
8. Mike, the training, new identity, psychological training?
9. The crisis, the ambush, the money lost, the role of the Koreans?
10. Strategies, undercover, sabotage?
11. Juliet Quinn, collaboration, her role, tactics?
12. Nick, reappearance, alive, tactics, motivation? The relationship with Roxanne? His envy, anger? Involvement? Ruth and his motivations?
13. Mike, tantrums, collaboration, the briefcase, the chases, the fights?
14. The final, the confrontation with the deputy director, Tom Brennan vindicated?
15. The future, Mike and his role in the Union?

NEVER LET GO

US, 2024, 101 minutes, Colour.

Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B.Jenkins, William Catlett, Matthew Kevin Anderson.

Directed by Alexandre Aja..

French-born director, Alexandra Aja, made an impact with his French horror film, High Tension, in 2003. With a strong reputation for successful horror films, he has worked mainly in the United States, remake of The Hills Have Eyes and Piranha 3D.

Which means that his fans and horror audiences were expecting some more high tension. There is tension, but of a different kind. This kind of film is better described as a terror film rather than a horror film, characters experiencing a sense of menace and uncertainty, imminent unknown threats, and the audience sharing in this unease.

And this happens in the first part of the film, slowly building up the tension (far too slow for those who want immediate gory horror moments of which there are comparatively few here). The mother and her two children isolated in the woods for years, she telling them that evil has entered the whole world and destroyed it, the whole world is now them, their family bonding, love, surviving, and an incantation to reassure that evil has not overtaken them, going out the house connected with long ropes mutual security, and the continual reminder, “never let go”.

The mother is played by veteran Halle Berry and the performances of the two boys, Anthony B.Jenkins as Sam, Percy Daggs IV as Nolan, are quite remarkable., Momma has frequent hallucinations, her dead mother, confrontations with her dead husband, reminding the boys that all these are in their imagination, not real.

Where is this leading? The last part of the film moves into action, family starving in winter, the threat to kill the family dog,  desperate, even though he was their protector in the past, Nolan upset, confronting his mother, moments of doubt about the evil and its presence, wondering about the real world.

The screenplay introduces a hiking character, Nolan confronting him, wondering whether he is real or a hallucination, Sam is sceptical, but this intrusion into their world leads to a dramatic crassus, the testing of the two boys, the reappearance of their mother, more hallucinations…

Given the premise, the first half building up the atmosphere of the family and the tension, the final dramatic confrontations and resolution indicate that, of its kind (emphasising once again that this is really not a horror film and expectations that it is are misleading) it is a satisfying menace and terror drama.

1. The work of the director? Horror films? Expectations? This film as terror and menace than horror?
2. The backwoods settings, the isolation, the winter, the forests, the lack of animals, the bark and insects from the trees, the isolated hut and interiors? The musical score?
3. The premise of the story, Momma’s story and her experience of evil, her photos, of her previous career, with her husband and children? The evil, her withdrawing from the city, taking the children, the death of her mother, the death of her husband? Telling the children that evil had taken over the world? Their isolation and fear? The food supply, its diminishing? Their starvation? The rope, keeping safe when linked? The repetition of “Never let go”? The poetic incantation on the wood, the guarantee that there was no evil in the house? The life together, the boys’ love for their mother?
4. The character of the mother, her past, protectiveness, her story, the appearances of evil, her seeing them, her mother, her husband, confrontations with her husband, his threats, the old man in the woods? Hallucinations? Love for her children, protective? Starvation, cooking the bark? The issue of the dog, to kill it, her arrows, taking it to the barn, not killing the dog, confrontation with her two boys?
5. The scenes of hunting, the boys, the squirrel, the grubs, cooking and eating? Venturing out, the rope? Nolan and the egg, Sam and his fall and injury?
6. The boys, the characters, twins, Sam, older, serious, love his mother, thinking she preferred Nolan? Nolan, younger, mischievous, sleepwalking, taking risks?
7. The dog, Nolan’s emotions, the confrontation with their mother, her hallucinations, slitting her throat, her death?
8. Nolan, questioning his mother, out on the road, the stranger, coming to the house, talking, the confrontation with Sam, Sam and the arrow? Nolan following him, the 911 call on the phone? The food in the haversack? Their eating it, Sam and his scepticism, eating it?
9. The little girl, real hallucination, recognising the torch? Her fear, running away? Grief at her father’s death?
10. Sam and his being possessed, his appearance, setting the house alight? Looking Nolan in the room, Nolan escaping on the roof?
11. The rescue, the helicopter, the real world, the vistas from the helicopter, mumble reappearing and threatening? The health, recovery, the future? Sam’s comment about his mother’s love?
12. Moments of horror but a film of menace, terror and our knees?