Review: 'Black Sea' starring Jude Law and Scoot McNairy

They say in space no one can hear you scream, but the same can be said of the inky ocean depths. The best submarine movies tap into the visceral tension and paranoia of being trapped in a metal tube hundreds of feet underwater, but despite a number of classics such as Das Boot, Crimson Tide, and Run Silent Run Deep the genre is pretty much a dying breed drowning in homage. While Kevin MacDonald's Black Sea doesn't go far enough in trying to break the mold, it's a lean, mean old school sub thriller that could bring these movies back to the surface.

MacDonald has had a rough go of it since the acclaim he earned with The Last King of Scotland, and much like it Black Sea explores social ills under cover of a genre flick. Jude Law, who seems to have fully embraced the aging ruffian look (remember when he used to be a pretty boy?), takes on the role of Robinson, a submariner who just got laid off by his company and given a rather pathetic settlement. Drowning his sorrows in a British pub with other laid-off losers, each looking at a pathetic life of embarrassing fast food jobs, Robinson decides it's time to fight back. Fight back against what? The crippling effect of crony capitalism on the working class, that's what. Why should these fat cats get richer while he and others like him get kicked in the teeth? What were all those years of work, blood, and sweat really worth? There's a confrontational spirit to Dennis Kelly's screenplay that is immediately engaging, and Law seems to tap into that energy early on despite a wobbly Scottish accent.

Hearing from a friend about the possible discovery of a sunken Nazi sub full of gold in the Black Sea, Robinson decides it's time for the big payoff. With funding from a mysterious American backer, he buys a crusty old Russian sub and hires an even crustier crew of mates. Half the team is made up of angry old Russians, necessary to pilot the sub, while most of the others are comprised of volatile Brits and Aussies. There's Robinson's best friend Blackie (Konstantin Khabenskiy); Irish Navy pal, Reynolds (the great Michael Smiley); a handful of angry Russians with invaluable technical skills; and to give the film a touch of heart there's Tobin (Bobby Schofield), an 18-year-old rookie who is about to become a father. Between the Russians and the Brits the ethnic tensions are already at a fever pitch, and the spark to set them off is the psychotic Australian diver, Fraser (Ben Mendelsohn), who always seems to be on edge. There's also a shifty money guy (Scoot McNairy) sent to safeguard the investment.

The ship goes off without a hitch, but from there it's an all-too-quick descent into madness. Within minutes problems arise when Robinson explains that each crewmember is to receive an equal share of the loot, which drives Fraser dangerously over the edge. The simmering tensions are never given enough time to properly reach a boiling point, and most of the men are sketched out in the briefest of strokes. Even for Robinson, all we really know about him is learned from occasional flashbacks to a happy past (Jodie Whittaker plays his wife in these scenes but never utters a word), but that's it. The rest of the crew fare even worse and it's hard to gauge their personalities when allegiances begin shifting.

But there's also something pleasing in watching a bunch of roughnecks play out their personal vendettas in such a confined space. The Russians are superstitious (they think Tobin is a virgin, which is bad luck apparently) and stick to themselves, which drives Fraser even crazier until something terrible happens. Everything stems from the paranoia found in men on the verge of untold wealth; if all shares are equal then the shares get better when people die. The level of obsession driving these men, and the tensions that arise, don't stray far from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, only presented in a more workmanlike fashion. That extends to MacDonald's functional direction which keeps the pace moving and the anxiety building, although the visual effects are less than impressive. A brief walk across the sea floor is poorly lit and confusingly shot, but choreographing action has never been strength for MacDonald. At two hours in length audiences may start to feel enclosed in by the rusty metal surroundings in Black Sea and wish it would stop and come up for air. MacDonald has assembled a great collection of veteran character actors and watching them muscle in on one another is what the film does best, although it's Mendelsohn's mercurial performance that stands out from the rest. When it comes to playing the resident hot-head few can do it better.

While Black Sea makes for a solid popcorn thriller about tough men driven by greed, that it explores larger societal issues is a powerful torpedo in its arsenal.

 Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Jude Law Dives for Nazi Gold in First Trailer for 'Black Sea'

With The Last King of Scotland director Kevin MacDonald behind it, there was some hope that his deep sea film Black Sea would make a run on the festival circuit this season in anticipation of an awards run. That didn't happen, and it may be for the better that the film will make its debut next year because clearly the Run Silent, Run Deep-style film is clearly designed to be an action flick first rather than some sort of prestige picture.

Jude Law stars as a submarine captain who gathers up a ragtag crew and heads to the Black Sea in search of Hitler's gold. Of course, nothing goes the way it should and he faces a potential mutiny from his crew, whose loyalties are most definitely in question. You can sense a little bit of Das Boot and Treasure of the Sierrea Madre in this first trailer, a mix of claustrophobic hysteria and high adventure. This could be a lot of fun, but definitely not an awards grabber, hence the January 23rd 2015 release date.



Black Sea - Trailer [VO] by Filmosphere

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Anthony Mackie and Scoot McNairy Join 'Our Brand is Crisis'

It can be time consuming getting involved in the superhero universes of Marvel and DC, but Anthony Mackie and Scoot McNairy have found a way to work in other projects, too. Mackie, who was last seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, has a role in John Hillcoat's Triple Nine and Jonathan Levine's untitled Christmas comedy with Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. McNairy, who has a mystery role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, recently starred in Frank and leads AMC series Halt and Catch Fire. Now both actors have found time to join Sandra Bullock in George Clooney's political dramedy, Our Brand is Crisis.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov are producing the film with David Gordon Green at the helm of the narrative feature based on Rachel Boynton's documentary about the role American political consultants played in the 2002 Bolivian presidential election. They join Sandra Bullock in the Peter Straughan-penned film, while Billy Bob Thornton's is also in talks for a role.

Mackie is expected to return as Falcon in Avengers: Age of Ultron, while McNairy will be seen in Gone Girl opposite Ben Affleck.

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Another Rumor on Scoot McNairy's Role in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'

Set photos can be very misleading, which is why I very rarely post them on the site. Well, that and most of them are pretty damn dull. But occasionally one pops up that stirs some interest, like the recent snaps of Scoot McNairy on the set of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice where he was sporting some green legwear that looked like digital placeholders. The obvious guess was that this meant he could be playing the Flash and the gear was for super speed, but now a new rumor has surfaced which may be more plausible.

A website I'm not familiar with known as The Devils Eyes says McNairy is actually playing Jimmy Olsen, Clark Kent's pal at The Daily Planet. But this wouldn't be the Olsen we're familiar with, as this one would have had his legs injured in Superman's fight against Zod and now walks around using prosthetic limbs. It makes sense, and would serve as a constant reminder to Superman of the ramifications of his powers if left unchecked. The character has been around since the 1940 Superman radio show, and has been portrayed on big and small screens multiple times. Sam Huntington played Jimmy Olsen in Superman Returns, and Shawn Ashmore played him on Smallville.

As much as I would like to see McNairy as Flash, this idea makes more sense and is cool in its own right. Just file this one away until somebody actually confirms something about this movie. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25th 2016.

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Have Scoot McNairy's Socks Revealed his 'Batman v Superman' Role?

With so many rumors going around about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, one mystery that has remained unanswered is Scoot McNairy's role in the film. The Argo actor joined early this summer and the immediate thought was that he could possibly be suiting up as the Flash because the first idea whenever someone joins a superhero film is they're playing an established character. In this case, though, recent evidence suggests the Flash rumors may have been true.

A set photo uncovered by Batman News shows McNairy on set, sporting normal civilian gear until you look down at his legs. There you can see his pants have been cut short and underneath are the bright green fabric typically used as digital markers for future CGI enhancement. Why would McNairy need that unless his legs were about to do something out of the ordinary, like move at super speed?  It's possible they could be mechanical appendages but that seems unlikely compared to the alternative, which is that McNairy could actually be playing Flash.

For what it's worth, Badass Digest "confirms" that Flash does appear in the film but backs off on saying it will definitely be McNairy. They also say Green Lantern won't be showing up until Justice League, which seems like an odd way to introduce such a major character. Then again with Warner Bros. announcing a ton of release dates for future DC Comics movies all of that could change. A Green Lantern/Flash crossover film has been mentioned as a possibility for 2017 although that has not been verified by the studio.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25th 2016.

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Review: 'Frank' Starring Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal

NOTE: This is an edited reprint of my review from the Sundance Film Festival.

The thin line between creative genius and insanity is walked with humor and poignancy in Frank, a quirky tribute to those bands that live on the musical margins where practically nobody can find them. When those bands dare to compromise and make their way into the mainstream, what gets lost in the pursuit of acceptance? The most unlikely music biopic you're ever likely to find, Frank asks that question and many more while honoring those who have journeyed to the "far corners" of artistic expression.

Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) is a bored office worker in a small, English town where nothing ever happens. He aspires to be a musician and songwriter, but can't find his own unique voice to express it, so he writes bland little songs about his bland little town, while also wishing he had some sort of troubled childhood to inspire him. He spends much of his time tweeting about nothing important to his handful of followers, and wishing something...anything...will turn things around for him. Practically on cue, he chances upon a man trying to drown himself in the ocean. Turns out he's the keyboardist for a band playing in town, the unpronounceable Soronprfbs, and Jon mentions off-hand that he has a few skills in that area. The band's goofy manager Don (Scoot McNairy) asks "You play C, F, and G?", and replying in the affirmative, suddenly Jon is a part of the strangest little family on the planet, but not everybody is happy to see him there.

Discovering that the band's leader, Frank (Michael Fassbender), wears a fake papier-mâché head all hours of the day is disconcerting at first, but Jon soon discovers that he's something of a musical savant. An aimless one whose style is too idiosyncratic for mass appeal, perhaps, but there is genius inside that giant dome of a head with the apple pie eyes and emotionless expression. Thinking they were getting away merely for a weekend, Jon instead sticks around at a cabin retreat for months while the band records their first album. Since they have no money, Jon gives up his nest egg to help them out, while also recording the sessions and posting them online to help generate buzz. His attempts to gain the group some fans draws the ire of Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the team's eternally negative Theremin player, whose focus is solely on maintaining the band's place on the fringes. Much of the film's humor comes from their exchanges as she systematically ostracizes him from the other band members, while Frank seems enamored at the idea of actually having fans. As their YouTube followers expand, Jon books them a potentially star-making spot at SXSW, which causes greater ideological clashes between authenticity and viability.

Unlike any film about musicians I have ever seen, it's not necessarily a downer like the Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, which was all about one man's inevitable failure. Nor is it necessarily a familiar tale of a group hitting their creative stride and finding legions of adoring fans. It's about how one goes about finding their own signature voice, and embracing one's unique qualities rather than pretending they don't exist. The Soronprfbs' problems, at least from a musical standpoint because they have plenty of personal ones, don't begin until Jon starts to compromise everything they stood for. They may be a chaotic mess of conflicting egos and personalities, but at least they are authentic.

At the same time, the film speaks to the issue of mental illness, with the child-like Frank at the center of it. A number of the group's members met in a mental ward, and we see the impact this life of a musician can have on an unstable mind. Fortunately, the film doesn't spend too much time trying to explain why Frank exists underneath that giant head. It's enough to assume that it's some sort of defensive measure or shell against the world. Writer Jon Ronson, who based the story on his own experiences with the real-life band led by Chris Sievey, chooses to honor their eccentricities, recognizing it's what makes Frank and Soronprfbs special.

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, the film is much like the band itself; chaotic, unpredictable, and utterly lovable. The music is catchy if a little bit messy, but it's especially good when you consider every actor is performing it live. In his most complicated role yet, Fassbender shows his acting mettle in a role where his face is barely ever seen, and yet he's a commanding presence still. Gyllenhaal steals the show as the angry and mercurial Clara, while Gleeson continues to assert himself as a stable leading man presence.

While some will consider Frank a little too "out there", those who embrace its peculiarities will find it a rare gem of a film that defies expectations and celebrates inventiveness above all.

Frank opens in theaters on August 15th.

 Rating: 4 out of 5

 

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More Villains and One Antihero Rumored for 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'

Well now we've seen Ben Affleck's Batman and Henry Cavill's Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which hopefully means we'll be getting a look at Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman before too long. Those are three of the heroes set to appear in the film as it builds to a future Justice League movie, but right now the only confirmed villain is Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg. But now Latino Review has what they say is a scoop onmore bad guys the heroes will be facing, along with news on which villains won't be around.

You can probably cross off any chance of seeing the Joker in Batman v Superman, at least at this stage. There had been some rumors of Callan Mulvey taking on the role at the time he joined the cast since he's expected to play a villain. And that's probably a wise idea since many will forever associate the character with Heath Ledger and his defining performance. They also note that the Kryptonite-powered cyborg Metallo, who was originally pegged to be in Man of Steel, will not be making Superman's life miserable.

As for which villains may be showing up, they're mostly rivals of Batman rather than Supes. The first is the serial killer Victor Zsasz, who kills his victims with a blade and makes a mark on his own body to tally up his kills. He actually appeared briefly in Batman Begins as one of Falcone's hired goons.

Another Bat-villain is the assassin, David Cain, one of the world's top killers and a man who helped train a young Bruce Wayne. He's also been affiliated with the League of Assassins and is the father of Cassandra Cain who was briefly Batgirl. Cain has worked alongside Lex Luthor, as well, including one notable storyline in which he was hired by Luthor to frame Bruce Wayne for murder. Could we see some of that story bleed into the film, too? Latino Review says Cain will meet up with Luthor's bodyguard, Mercy Graves, to plot an assassination. Apparently, Graves is the role Tao Okamoto has signed on for.

And finally there's Luthor's mouthpiece, Morgan Edge, a slimy PR guy who spouts anti-Superman rhetoric for LexCorp. In the film, Edge and Luthor are said to share a past growing up as part of the most notorious gang in Hob's Bay. Lois Lane will have a verbal showdown with Edge on a talk show earlier on, which could be interesting to see if the role is played by Scoot McNairy as the site suggests.

Not really into either the villain or hero category is Amanda "The Wall" Waller, a character we saw portrayed quite well by Angela Bassett in Green Lantern. In the comics, Waller is the tough-as-nails government agent who created the Suicide Squad, a team made up of "reformed" villains. the film version would be slightly different although her mistrust of superheroes remains intact. Now she'd be a U.S. senator who comes up with some type of countermeasure designed to stop Superman.  There have been whispers of Waller appearing in Justice League before, and we're probably going to get a Suicide Squad film at some point so introducing her now would make a lot of sense. She's also a recurring character on Arrow, played by Cynthia Addai-Robinson.

Stay tuned for any confirmations from Warner Bros. if they come down, although probably not until Comic-Con.

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Scoot McNairy Takes Mystery Role in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'

What's the one word everyone keeps using to describe Scoot McNairy? Versatile. Ever since his breakout role in Gareth Edwards' indie Monsters, he's become a reliable presence, often an unknown presence, in movies like Argo, Killing Them Softly, Non-Stop, 12 Years A Slave, and currently David Michod's The Rover. And while he's technically part of the Marvel Universe after a small role in the One-Shot film, All Hail the King, McNairy is moving to DC for a part in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The news comes from Deadline who report McNairy has joined the film, which stars Henry Cavill returning as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman. His role is naturally being kept a secret which suggests it could be more than just a bit player. Does it mean he'll be donning a costume as a potential member of the Justice League? Gal Gadot is already on board as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa is rumored to be Aquaman, and Ray Fisher is supposedly playing Cyborg. That would leave the door open to McNairy possibly playing the Flash or Green Lantern, but that is all speculation right now.

Don't expect to get any official confirmations from Warner Bros. until Comic-Con next month. Directed by Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens May 6th 2016. McNairy can be seen on AMC's new period drama on the computer industry, Halt and Catch Fire.

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Flattered Grin: New Trailer and Poster for 'Frank' Starring Michael Fassbender

By now you're probably tired of hearing about how much I loved the movie Frank, but unfortunately you're going to have to deal with it awhile longer. The most unique film at Sundance and one that offers even more reasons to appreciate Michael Fassbender, it will undoubtedly end up on my "Best of the Year So Far" list in the coming days, and now there's another trailer to show why so many can't get this film out of their heads, pun intended.

Underneath that giant papier-mache head is Fassbender in the oddest role of his career as Frank, the leader of a goofball indie band of misfits that includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy, and Domhnall Gleeson. Gleeson, who just recently signed up for Star Wars: Episode VII, plays a wannabe musician who stumbles into a place in the group where he learns their issues run pretty deep. This trailer spoils one of the movie's best gags, the "expression" scene, but really there are so many little things that click it won't detract from your overall enjoyment. All that and the music is superb, performed live by the castmembers.

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, Frank opens August 15th.

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Two Clips from 'Frank' Plus Hear Michael Fassbender Sing 'I Love You All'

In case it hasn't been made obvious enough by my gushing review, I pretty much fell in love with the quirky musical comedy, Frank, while attending the Sundance Film Festival.  Starring Michael Fassbender in a role that requires him to wear a giant papier-mache head most of the time, the story is loosely based on the real life comedian/musician Chris Sievey aka Frank Sidebottom. VERY loosely based, I should add. It's a film I said explores the "thin line between creative genius and insanity", with some of that coming through in two newly-released clips.

While the cast of oddball band mates played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy, and Domhnall Gleeson give the film its heart, the music is just as strange and lovable. All of the vocals were performed live so when you hear Frank bust out the film's unforgettably bizarre signature track, '"I Love You All", it's really Fassbender's voice. It was largely because of this song that I braved the lines to catch Frank a second time, and while this isn't the version heard during the film's most crucial scene it's still pretty great. You can check out both clips and listen to Fassbender's "I Love You All" below.

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, Frank opens in theaters August 22nd.

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First Trailer for Offbeat Music Comedy 'Frank' Starring Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson

Been paying attention to this site over the last couple of months then you've probably seen some of my praise for Frank, the whimsical music comedy that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. It's also known as the film where Michael Fassbender stays underneath a giant fake head the entire time. With an offbeat flourish and a touch of real-life drama it explores issues of artistic expression and mental illness, and now the first trailer is here to offer a look at what I and many others have been raving about.

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson (What Richard Did) with a top-notch supporting cast of Scoot McNairy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Domhnall Gleeson, the film centers on a wannabe rocker (Gleeson) who joins a misfit indie led by the mysterious and clearly unhinged Frank (Fassbender). But Frank's mental illness fits his bandmates perfectly, and they form a tight-knit little band of outsiders trying to maintain their musical identity. It's a film I called "chaotic, unpredictable, and utterly lovable", and it already holds a dear place in my heart.

Frank will hit SXSW before opening in theaters May 9th.

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Review: 'Non-Stop' Starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore

Ever since Liam Neeson sorta ditched being a serious dramatic actor in favor of playing a grizzled old bad-ass in Taken, it's been hard not to begin every critique referencing the actioner. And for very good reason, as every film has Neeson sinking further into his tough guy persona in variations of the Taken model: "Taken with wolves" (The Grey), "Taken with amnesia"(Unknown), and now it's Taken on the friendly skies with Non-Stop, which reunites Neeson with Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra.

"Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride", one character says to Neeson's character fairly early on in the film, and it might as well be plastered on the posters, too. This is the sort of creaky action flick that practically begs the audience to ignore the many plot contrivances and sketchy genre tropes, and just have fun watching Neeson beat up bad guys at 30,000 feet. And that would be perfectly fine if Non-Stop lived up to its title with never-ending cheesy thrills, but there's not enough action to distract from a plot that never takes off.

Neeson plays federal air marshal Bill Marks, and when we first meet him he looks like he's been going to the same school as Denzel Washington's character in Flight. He's a chain-smoking drunkard who has just gulped down some liquid courage before waltzing past security to make his flight, where he'll presumably protect all of the passengers on board. In his undercover role he has brief, occasionally testy encounters with those on board, but since he stopped to help the angelic little girl flying alone we know he also has a heart of mush. Julianne Moore plays a chatty woman who maneuvers her way into a window seat next to him and proceeds to help calm his jittery nerves.

But jittery nerves are soon the least of his worries as he begins receiving ominous text messages on a secure network line. The anonymous sender threatens to kill someone on the plane every 20 minutes unless a massive sum of money is transferred into an account. As the bodies start piling up, everybody turns into a suspect, and anybody of vaguely foreign heritage or even the tiniest accent is a potential villain. It's probably a good idea to keep an eye on the talkative chick with the red hair. The red herrings are thrown out as haphazardly as the twists and turns, which never make a lick of sense.  There's some fun to be had with Neeson's increasingly frazzled performance as Marks goes from hero splashed all over the news as a terrorist, and of course his bosses don't believe a word he has to say in defense. Cue up the fighter plans hoping to prevent a potential 9/11 terrorist scenario!

And speaking of 9/11, the film makes an extremely ill-advised connection to the tragedy that can't be elaborated upon here for fear of spoiling key plot points. But suffice it to say it's an issue that is way too complex for a movie like this to handle and the half-baked way it's treated is rather insulting. What keeps the film marginally entertaining is the cast, who all seem to recognize exactly what kind of movie they're taking part in. Neeson is surrounded by a vibrant and very game supporting cast, led by Moore who seems to be relishing her role as Marks' mysteriously over-eager new friend. Nate Parker, Corey Stoll, Scoot McNairy, and Michelle Dockery play their parts as possible suspects nicely, but it's distracting to see Oscar-nominee Lupita Nyong'o here with barely a word to say.

Collet-Serra has a nice rapport going with Neeson, which may be why they've already got a third pairing on the way. The director makes good use of space, taking advantage of the claustrophobic atmosphere for the rare displays of violence. If Wesley Snipes taught us anything in Passenger 57 (besides always betting on black!), it's that fighting in an airplane aisle is a real pain, and it's even worse in the bathroom. He shows a real eye for choreography with some dazzling sequences that keep this mostly single-set film from becoming stagnant visually.  Inconsistent pacing becomes an issue, probably due to the army of screenwriters trying to wedge in as many clichés as possible. A film like Non-Stop was never going to be perfect, but it should stick the landing and be exciting in the process. Non-Stop hits turbulence early on and never truly levels out, making for one bumpy ride.

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See Michael Fassbender as Never Before in New 'Frank' Photos

If you checked out my reviews from Sundance or tuned in to the recap +Tim Gordon and I did a few days ago, then you know that Frank topped my list of favorites. I described it as "chaotic, unpredictable, and utterly lovable", and it was the only film of the entire festival that drew me in for a second viewing which is no easy feat out there in Park City. While there's no release date just yet, a handful of new images have been released for the film that is brave enough to hide Michael Fassbender's face under a giant papier mache head.

 Exploring with humor the thin line between creative genius and insanity, the Lenny Abrahamson-directed comedy stars Fassbender as Frank, the leader of an underground band known as Soronprfbs. Domhnall Gleeson is Jon, an aspiring musician with no life experience and questionable talent who becomes their new keyboardist (they have trouble keeping them sane) just in time to record a new album. But Jon's desire to reach a wider audience clashes with the group's decidedly un-mainstream sound, threatening to pull them apart. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Scoot McNairy co-star in two completely batty roles that make the masked Frank seem stable by comparison.

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Sundance Review: 'Frank' Starring Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson

The thin line between creative genius and insanity is walked with humor and poignancy in Frank, a quirky tribute to those bands that live on the musical margins where practically nobody can find them. When those bands dare to compromise and make their way into the mainstream, what gets lost in the pursuit of acceptance? The most unlikely music biopic you're ever likely to find, Frank asks that question and many more while honoring those who have journeyed to the "far corners" of artistic expression.

Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) is a bored office worker in a small, English town where nothing ever happens. He aspires to be a musician and songwriter, but can't find his own unique voice to express it, so he writes bland little songs about his bland little town, while also wishing he had some sort of troubled childhood to inspire him. He spends much of his time tweeting about nothing important to his handful of followers, and wishing something...anything...will turn things around for him. Practically on cue, he chances upon a man trying to drown himself in the ocean. Turns out he's the keyboardist for a band playing in town, the unpronounceable Soronprfbs, and Jon mentions off-hand that he has a few skills in that area. The band's goofy manager Don (Scoot McNairy) asks "You play C, F, and G?", and replying in the affirmative, suddenly Jon is a part of the strangest little family on the planet, but not everybody is happy to see him there.

Discovering that the band's leader, Frank (Michael Fassbender), wears a fake papier-mache head all hours of the day is disconcerting at first, but Jon soon discovers that he's something of a musical savant. An aimless one whose style is too idiosyncratic for mass appeal, perhaps, but there is genius inside that giant dome of a head with the apple pie eyes and emotionless expression. Thinking they were getting away merely for a weekend, Jon instead sticks around at a cabin retreat for months while the band records their first album. Since they have no money, Jon gives up his nest egg to help them out, while also recording the sessions and posting them online to help generate buzz. His attempts to gain the group some fans draws the ire of Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the team's eternally negative Theremin player, whose focus is solely on maintaining the band's place on the fringes. Much of the film's humor comes from their exchanges as she systematically ostracizes him from the other band members, while Frank seems enamored at the idea of actually having fans. As their Youtube followers expand, Jon books them a potentially star-making spot at SXSW, which causes greater ideological clashes between authenticity and viability.

Unlike any film about musicians I have ever seen, it's not necessarily a downer like the Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, which was all about one man's inevitable failure. Nor is it necessarily a familiar tale of a group hitting their creative stride and finding legions of adoring fans. It's about how one goes about finding their own signature voice, and embracing one's unique qualities rather than pretending they don't exist. The Soronprfbs' problems, at least from a musical standpoint because they have plenty of personal ones, don't begin until Jon starts to compromise everything they stood for. They may be a chaotic mess of conflicting egos and personalities, but at least they are authentic.

At the same time, the film speaks to the issue of mental illness, with the child-like Frank at the center of it. A number of the group's members met in a mental ward, and we see the impact this life of a musician can have on an unstable mind. Fortunately, the film doesn't spend too much time trying to explain why Frank exists underneath that giant head. It's enough to assume that it's some sort of defensive measure or shell against the world. Writer Jon Ronson, who based the story on his own experiences with the real-life band led by Chris Sievey, chooses to honor their eccentricities, recognizing it's what makes Frank and Soronprfbs special.

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, the film is much like the band itself; chaotic, unpredictable, and utterly lovable. The music is catchy if a little bit messy, but it's especially good when you consider every actor is performing it live. In his most complicated role yet, Fassbender shows his acting mettle in a role where his face is barely ever seen, and yet he's a commanding presence still. Gyllenhaal steals the show as the angry and mercurial Clara, while Gleeson continues to assert himself as a stable leading man presence.

While some will consider Frank a little too "out there", those who embrace its peculiarities will find it a rare gem of a film that defies expectations and celebrates inventiveness above all.

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First Clip from Marvel Short 'All Hail the King' with Ben Kingsley

Sick of all the Marvel news lately? Tired of hearing about who might be Ant-Man or who could be Doctor Strange? Well how a new clip from Marvel short film, All Hail the King, with Ben Kingsley reprising his role from Iron Man 3?

Iron Man 3 co-writer Drew Pearce penned and directed the One-Shot film, which we previously learned deals with Kingsley's character Trevor Slattery behind bars enjoying his newfound celebrity. The clip features Scoot McNairy as a journalist attempting to interview Slattery, and basically finding that his ego has grown by leaps and bounds.

All Hail the King will be part of the Thor: The Dark World DVD/Blu-Ray release on February 25th.

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First Look at Ben Kingsley in Marvel Short 'All Hail the King'

The curtain has now been lifted on Marvel's somewhat-secret Marvel One Shot, titled All Hail the King, and as many predicted it is indeed the film Ben Kingsley was hinting at before. Part of the Thor: The Dark World Blu-Ray, the story will mark the return of Kingsley's Mandarin character from Iron Man 3, which is sure to rekindle what has been a very divisive debate about his true nature. That nature is a major part of EW's plot description accompanying the first images, so if you have yet to see Iron Man 3, consider this a spoiler warning....

"Ben Kingsley’s dim-witted Mandarin impersonator from Iron Man 3, who has been locked away in a maximum security prison and is reveling in his newfound infamy. (It’s as close to fame as he’s ever gotten.)"

 The story has Kingsley's character, Trevor Slattery, sharing stories with a documentary filmmaker played by Scoot McNairy. So consider this McNairy's intro into the Marvel Universe, which is pretty awesome all by itself. Iron Man 3 co-writer Drew Pearce wrote and directed the short, which shows Slattery indulging in his newfound celebrity, even behind bars...

Pearce: "When we find Trevor at the beginning of this short, other than Tony [Stark], he’s the only one out of 'Iron Man 3' to get what he wanted. And even though he was arrested and beat up and had guns pointed at him, now he’s the celebrity that he always wanted to be and he loves it. He absolutely loves it. He is living a somewhat curtailed version of the celebrity life, but he’s also leading arguably a better life than he did when he was living with, like, four other actors at the age of 52 in some bedsit in the south of London. That’s the other fun thing about the starting point is that when we meet Trevor in the short, Trevor won. The Mandarin didn’t, but Trevor in his own way was victorious."

But Slattery's "victory" may come with a price, especially from a particular terrorist group that has been made to look quite foolish...

Pearce: "Imagine a real terrorist organization whose beliefs were long held and religious for thousands of years, and imagine a drunk, British actor coming along and essentially telling the world that he’s the face of your organization. I think they would be right to be quite angry."

Pearce won't go so far as to say the short is a set-up for Iron Man 4, but he does say it could tie-in to the larger Marvel cinematic universe. Look closely at the images and you'll see Slattery is holed up in Seagate Prison, which happens to be crucial to the origin of one Luke Cage....

Pearce: "I think short movies in general, whether they’re Marvel ones or not, you kind of want them to feel like they’re opening you up to a bigger world. Yeah, I definitely think there are – the non-spoiler way for me to say it — by the end of the short, there are definitely a lot of exciting other places that are brought up in it that could then go in the Marvel universe. You know, whether that’s an Iron Man movie or another one going into Phase Two or Three."

Thor: The Dark World hits store shelves on February 25th, but you can pre-order it now. 

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