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Features Live Action Movies

Project Hail Mary

Directors – Phil Lord, Christopher Miller – 2026 – US – Cert. 12a – 156m

*****

Hail Mary, Full of Grace. A school teacher is sent to a star 12 light years from Earth to determine why it is surviving the emergent life form killing all other stars, including our sun – out in UK cinemas on Friday, March 20th

“What is 2 + 2?” Rudely awakened from cryogenic sleep by the ship’s computer (voice: Priya Kansara from Polite Society, Nida Manzoor, 2023), Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling from Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve, 2017; La La Land, Damien Chazelle, 2016; Drive, Nicholas Winding Refn, 2011) comes under a barrage of questions designed to check his medical status. While he is perfectly healthy, his fellow crew members – the captain (Milana Vayntrub) and the pilot (Ken Leung from Joker: Folie à Deux, Todd Phillips, 2024; Lost, TV series, 2008-10; Rush Hour, Brett Ratner, 1998) – have died in their sleep chambers. Who is he, how did he get here? Memories come flooding back, building a picture of his past and revealing the answers, even as he goes about his mission.

Back on earth, Grace was a middle school teacher.… Read the rest

Categories
Features Live Action Movies

The Fall Guy
(2024)

Director – David Leitch – 2024 – US – Cert. 12a – 126m

*1/2

A stuntman, who retired from the movies are sustaining an injury on set, is hired to trace the vanished star of the movie being directed by his former camera operator and girlfriend – out in UK cinemas on Thursday, May 2nd

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a stunt double for big star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who allegedly does his own stunts. Retakes are common – for instance, if Colt is showing too much face, and it can be seen in the take that it’s him, not the star. Colt is fine with that – it’s just part of the business.

Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) is Tom’s regular producer and has managed his career so that his many bad habits never appear on the screen or where they can be seen by the public. He is currently the world’s most bankable action star.

Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) is a camera assistant. Colt and Jody are a couple, although they try not to make it obvious on the set.

Colt’s work requires all sorts of safety protocols be followed. On one occasion, someone behind the scenes messes up, and Colt falls from a great height and breaks his back. … Read the rest