Top 10 Ben Collins Films
10. Julie
9. Care of Death
8. Burnt Dreams
7. Shouts from the Well
6. Stray Dogs
5. Black Dublin
4. The Creature
3. Siren
2. The Creature: The Beginning
1. The Mutation
Friday, April 23, 2021
Top 10 Ben Collins Films
Top 10 Ben Collins Films
10. Julie
9. Care of Death
8. Burnt Dreams
7. Shouts from the Well
6. Stray Dogs
5. Black Dublin
4. The Creature
3. Siren
2. The Creature: The Beginning
1. The Mutation
Now Showing: Rainbow Six
Genre: Action
Director: Peter Berg
Writer: Mark Newton
Based on the novel by Tom Clancy
Cast: Tom Hardy, Jay Hernandez, Tim Roth, Julian Morris, Melissa Benoist, Scott Speedman, Miraj Grbic, Jeffrey Donovan, Stephan James, Adam Beach
Plot: John Clark (Tom Hardy) is sitting in the back of a commercial airliner bound for England. He is trying to get a little sleep. Next to him are Domingo Chavez (Jay Hernandez) and Alistair Stanley (Julian Morris). Shortly a group of terrorists attempts to hijack the plane. Clark, annoyed at having been awoken by the commotion, turns to Chavez and Stanley. With a slight nod, the three men rise from their seats and quickly dispatch the would-be terrorists with expert military skill. When the plane lands in England, the three men quietly leave the plane while the authorities enter the plane to bring the hijackers into custody.
Clark, Chavez and Stanley arrive in the small English cathedral city of Hereford where they are led into a sub-terrainian command center called RAINBOW. They are greeted by CIA officer Robert Ritter (Jeffrey Donovan), who explains that they have been brought there to head up a new team, RAINBOW, that is known to less than 100 people, blacker than black ops. He announces that Clark has been selected to lead the team. Clark isn't thrilled with the idea of being in charge, comparing it to having to wear a suit and tie. As they tour the high-tech facilities, the team's fourth member arrives, former Green Beret sniper Sam Johnston (Stephan James). As they are all getting acquainted, a call comes in about a hostage situation in Bern, Switzerland. Clark suggests they use it as a test run. They are flown to the site by the team's pilot, Bear Malloy (Adam Beach), who was hand-selected by Clark from his time in the Navy.
At the hostage site, a bank headquarters, the RAINBOW team quickly access the situation. Clark, Stanley and Chavez all take different entry points into the bank building while Johnston climbs up to the top of a neighboring building to find a vantage point. The three inside, are able to create a diversion, which gives Johnston a clear shot on one of the terrorists - right between the eyes. The other three then are able to quickly take out the rest of the terrorists before they can start executing the hostages. After a successful mission, the RAINBOW team quietly gets back onto the plane and fly back to Hereford. On the flight, Stanley comments that the recent uptick in seemingly random terrorist activity is suspicious.
Meanwhile in San Francisco, Horizon Corporation CEO John Brightling (Tim Roth) is meeting with Dimitriy Popov (Miraj Grbic). John explains that they have concocted two separate vaccines for the Shiva Virus, created by the company as a modified version of the Ebola Virus. One vaccine will actually spread the virus, while one will actually be effective. The discuss their plan of placing the virus in the air conditioning system at the site of a NATO summit in the United States, spreading the cirus across the world through the delegates and officials attending the conference when they return home. Once the virus has spread, the Horizon Corporation, of course, will offer a vaccine, which will further spread the virus, killing everyone except the select few who receive the actual vaccine. After living in a sealed off compound in Oregon, the survivors will then be able to rebuild the world in an environmentally friendly fashion.
Following his meeting with John Brightling, Dimitriy Popov contracts members of the neo-Nazi militia group April 30 to ambush the headquarters of RAINBOW in Hereford. When April 30 attacks, the base is mostly empty aside from Chavez and Clark trying to figure out who could be behind the rash of recent attacks. When the security system alerts them of a breach, Clark and Chavez manage to jam the April 30 communications, and proceed to stealthily kill the militia members one by one, aside from the member who appears to be their leader. Clark interrogates the leader until he finally reveals that they were hired by Popov to conduct the attack on RAINBOW. Popov overhears this through his radio. He immediately goes to the airport and catches a flight to the United States.
Clark asks Ritter to look into Popov. Ritter tells Clark that Popov was seen boarding a plane to the United States - Baltimore to be exact. Clark immediately knows the next target and convenes the entire RAINBOW team. On the flight across the Atlantic, Clark tells the team about the NATO summit about to happen in Baltimore. He also expresses concern due to his wife living in the city. Meanwhile, Bill Henriksen (Scott Speedman), an FBI agent, finds out about the inquiring into Popov. He contacts Brightling to give him a heads up that every agency is on the look out for Popov now. Brightling worries that Popov being captured could be the end of his "Project". Brightling asks Henriksen to use any resources at his disposal to try to locate Popov before RAINBOW does.
As soon as they land in Baltimore, Clark tells the team to get set up over at the summit. He then rushes to Baltimore General Hospital to find his wife Sandy (Melissa Benoist). She's surprised to see him since he had told her to expect him to be gone longer. She can tell by the look in his eyes that it isn't a social visit. He urges her to quickly and quietly get out of town and head to her parents' cabin in West Virginia. She asks what the threat is, and he admits that he doesn't know yet but that he doesn't want her to have to find out the hard way.
Clark then rushes back over to the NATO Summit where Chavez and Stanley are briefing all of the event's security workers on Popov. As people start arriving, one of the security workers says he sees Popov. The RAINBOW team converge and capture Popov, who reveals the entire plan to them as he feels he has nothing left to lose. John Brightling watches the news as they announce the capture of an attempted terrorist at the NATO Summit. He quickly takes his private jet to his compound in Oregon.
John
Clark orders an airstrike to demolish Brightling's Oregon compound. A
fighter jet flies to the compound from a nearby base and drops its
entire payload on the compound, leaving nothing but rubble behind. As
the team celebrates their victory, Robert Ritter commends Clark and the
RAINBOW team on a job well done. Clark just wants to relax at home with
Sandy, but she insists that he invite his team over for dinner - it's
the least she can do for them saving the world. The RAINBOW team all
convene at Clark's house in the Baltimore suburbs for drinks and dinner,
all surprised by Clark's seemingly normal home life.
Thursday, April 22, 2021
Release: Police Story: Case Closed
Genre: Action
Director: Olivier Megaton
Writer: Meirad Tako
Producer: Patrick Hughes
Cast: Jamie Dornan, Michelle Monaghan, Sigourney Weaver, Jackie Chan, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Irons, James Ransone, Armand Assante
Budget: $72,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $70,092,182
Foreign Box Office: $132,695,659
Total Profit: $23,163,909
Reaction: The box office figures of the Police Story continues to improve with each film as the franchise has slowly but surely built up a reliable fan base. Writer Meirad Tako has indicated that this film will most likely be the last of the series.
"Fan know what to expect now from writer Meirad Tako's Police Story series. I think the first film was a bit jarring for some, but now by this third entry things have developed into a nice groove with its characters and action." - Clark Davis, JoBlo.com
"Jackie Chan was sorely missed in this one. Spoiler alert: he's barely in it at all, and his credits appearance feels like a bit of a slap in the face of the audience if there isn't a fourth film." - Sean Williamson, Toronto Star
"Eight seasons ago, I would not have believed you if you told me Jamie Dornan would develop into an action star - but sure enough, between the Police Story series and X-Men, it has happened. This third Police Story entry has the best action in the franchise, which should please fans of the genre." - Michael Carthage, Associated Press
Interview: Meirad Tako
In this edition of Interview, Last Resort Films president Phil Dolan sits down for an interview writer Meirad Tako (The Journey, Attraction/Deception) to discuss the latest Police Story film and more....
PD: Your Police Story series has grown a steady fanbase from the first two films. What are your expectations for the third entry?
MT: To be honest, I did not expect it at all. But I'm pretty grateful for its success. My expectation is that this third installment will fulfill the audience "Why the hell did this happen" that might surface from the first movie, and profit wise, I expect this third movie will definitely beat the first movie and a little bit higher from the second movie.
PD: Is this the finale of your Police Story series, or do you have more stories to tell in the Police Story universe?
MT: This IS the final Jamie Dornan-led, Police Story, but I do have some idea in mind for another story in the same Universe. But I still need to rethink about it, since the new idea might not have any Jackie Chan in it (which will be sacrilegious).
PD: Including your LRF NOW Original Films, you have now written over 25 films for LRF (Police Story: Case Closed is #26). What are some of your favorites of your own work?
MT: Wow, it has been that many? Well ... Not as many as other writer but still dang!. It's hard to choose, but definitely, I love What I Need To Do Is Survive and Real Is Better. 1965 also my favourite because of the sheer backstory of writing it. Hotel California on the other hand was never my first choice, because before the release of the film i was so hesitant to put it in the GRA race. But still, again, I'm grateful for its success.
PD: What's next for you?
MT: What's next for me? Hmm... I have some highly awaited movie in the future, for example, The Cry Of The Night Lady which will be release this season, then i have ... My passion project which is The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spider From Mars. And last but not least, my most original idea, if I say so myself, to date that is also enrich by the idea of Chad Taylor. I think i will leave the title for another time!
Thank you for having me today!
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Now Showing: Police Story: Case Closed
Genre: Action
Director: Olivier Megaton
Writer: Meirad Tako
Producer: Patrick Hughes
Cast: Jamie Dornan, Michelle Monaghan, Sigourney Weaver, Jackie Chan, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Irons, James Ransone, Armand Assante
Plot: A Man is watching how the war on the front line goes with his binocular, it is General Daniel Todd (Samuel L. Jackson) his face is dead serious, in his head he is praying that this endless conflict will be over soon. He orders his division to march forward he knows It will be a suicide mission but at least it will break the enemy line. And he’s right, hundreds of the first division he sent was dead just like that, but he’s second division was ready and successfully push the rest of the enemy and it was a victory for them that day, his men congratulate him for that.
It was a rainy night; an old man walks slowly in a dark alley. This old man walks with his two other bodyguard cornering a young man. He is sweating and in great fear, the old man shows him a picture of someone he clearly knows who, “You kill this bitch, I know you know her. Her debt to me is kind of big you know” he said while taking out another picture showing a young woman and 2 kids is tied and knocked. “but if you decided to have some morality in this world, William (James Ransone). You can expect these people dead” he said while laughing and throw the picture to William and left him. William pick it up, the picture is wet, the smile in the picture is haunting but he has no choice.
In the same night and in the same pouring rain, William walks slowly towards a house, the light is still up and when he’s in front of the door he can hear some “Happy Birthday” song from inside. His heart is beating fast, his hand which is holding a gun is shaking wild, he even needs his other hand to hold and calm it down. With some deep breath he knocks. A woman opened the door, she kind of shock. She hugged him, asking where her little brother been gone for all these years. He’s soaked wet but we can still see from the side of his eyes that he is crying, she asked him what’s going on and why is he silence, a young girl about 12-year-old came out and asked her mom who is the stranger in their door. “It’s your uncle William” she said. She invites him to get inside but he still in silence, he slowly takes out gun that he hid on his back. The woman notices that and shout to her daughter to run. “I’m so sorry for this”. The film turned black with a gun shot.
The film is back to General Daniel Todd on a plane to be back on the U.S soil. He has some weird feeling when he looks at his family photo, he cannot understand what is the feeling. From his side, his friend asked who it is and Daniel told him that she is his wife and explain before he asked that he was so focus on his military career and is late to find a significant other and ended up married a 27-year-old girl when he was 45. Now he’d decided to retire from the army live, he wants to be at home for his wife and daughter. Fast forward, he is just coming out of the cab and shocked fell to his knees when he sees his house is circled by police line. And the rest of his decision is history. Now, he sits in silence, handcuffed. In front of him, Special Agent Christopher Wayne (Jamie Dornan) sit. He is reading Daniel’s report. Daniel crack some joke to cool down the situation, it was actually funny but Christopher just doesn’t buy it. Christopher opens up the conversation with “Why?”, he likes to interrogate straight to the point. Daniel jokingly said that he was just messing around and testing his then new shotgun and when the situation gets complicated, he flees, Christopher doesn’t buy and asking why once again but still ended up answered by a joke. The interrogation keeps going until they fly above the Pacific Ocean when Daniel’s joke gets darker and darker.
Somewhere.
A door was open with Felix (Max Irons) mediating inside the room, he slowly opens his eyes and ask “what”? and the voice from the door tells him that the target is on the location. Felix just calmly told them to get ready. Back to the plane, Christopher is sitting on the chair, he gets overly irritated by Daniel’s answer and just walk out, he takes out a pen and having a flashback, in the last day meeting the commissioner Chan Ka-Kui (Jackie Chan), he gave Christopher a pen and show him a button on the pen and told Christopher that it will save him on the ocean, Christopher just accept it without thinking anything. Back to the plane, Christopher was ‘woken up’ by one of his team that rush opened the door and told him that there is a plane that comes towards them in a high speed, Christopher got up and rush to the radar to see how fast. It was so fast and he gather his men, he gave them order to defend some location on the plane and they immediately get into the position. Christopher is watching the plane, it was a fighter jet and see a man on top of it standing with help of some cable, it is Felix and in no time the jet shoot a small missile to the body of the plane and make a big hole, Felix shoot a wire gun to the plane and fly to the plane. Christopher’s men seem so surprised by the attack and leave their position to surround Felix and rush to attack Felix, they are well trained for a short combat but not as well trained as Felix. With his unique ninja-like fighting style, he utilizes his katana and environment for the better and take down most of Christopher’s men in a couple of minutes, the rest who still standing slowly back off and shoot their machine gun. From his suit, Felix took out a shield that protect him from the bullets, he slowly walks away and expose his enemy to the hole in the plane where Felix’s plane shot them with its machine gun killing them all. Felix proceed to the part of the plane where Daniel is kept, he can see Christopher is fighting with him trying to handcuffed him, Felix take part and kick Christopher across the room. Daniel told him why he did it, because of mere revenge, he just felt his service wasn’t appreciated after the blood he poured for the country, it cannot even solve the murder of his family, their army veteran, what is the point of all things he had done for the country? Nothing. They walk out from the scene leaving Christopher, he got up and went to the pilot room, when he reaches it, he can see the pilot was shot by the jet as he walks in to the cockpit, and now the plane is free falling, he quickly push an S.O.S button from the cockpit. He had no choice rather than take the parachute and jump of to the cold ocean water below him and now he is also free falling at least he’s with a parachute. He takes out the parachute for a while it was okay before when it’s near the water and a wind blows him all over the place that he had to take it off. Now he is on the ocean alone, waiting for help, he remembered the pen and push the button, it shoots out a rubber boat. He shakes his head thinking Ka-Kui just foreshadow he’ll fall from a plane to an ocean.
Somewhere, Daniel walk in a room and meet Damian Frasher (Armand Assante) who is sitting in front of him while smoking a cigar, Damian welcomes him to his private island, he jokes about feeling like a godfather in his own mansion alone. Daniel chuckle and immediately went serious and talk about his agreement with Felix if he helps them to rob the biggest bank, he’ll help him get the killer of his wife. Damian smiles and blow his smoke to the air, he told Daniel that he will help him, catching a person is an easy think for him, they have an agreement and they shake hands. A few moments before, In the FBI HQ, Special Agent-In-Charge Barbara Smith (Sigourney Weaver) held a meeting discussing about Christopher’s Case and thinking if it will be utterly useless to be continue as it just a single person but Special Agent Scarlet Fisher (Michelle Monaghan) respectfully interrupt her boss’s talk and told her that Daniel maybe have a link to Damian Frasher, S.A.C Barbara asked what’s her reason, and she showed her a somefile that she has been doing for some time. S.A.C Barbara is known as a cold handed leader and not bothered with an idea to sacrifice her man or just leave them if they are seen as not valuable, but it seems that Christopher’s can be continued. An alarm goes off and she calls her subordinates and asked what happened, they told her they receive an S.O.S alarm from Christopher’s Plane and she immediately order a rescue mission.
Christopher was chilling on his cozy rubber boat, it has been a day and a half, but he still chilling like nothing is happening, but a helicopter’s sound make him scream for help and a ladder fell down in front of him from helicopter above, he can see Scarlets’ mocking smile and he climbed. He thanked her for the help and for convincing Barbara to save him but she ignored him entirely. Somewhere, William is chained up in a cell, his face is full of bruise, someone is entering the cell, it is Damian. Damian looks at him and tell him that Daniel is here, Wiliam looks surprise but it disappear in despair. Damian just laugh. Daniel is in front of the biggest bank in the U.S, he is with a couple of other men, and it runs wild, the plan was perfect and the bank was not expected it, it was already been sabotaged from inside so the call for help was delayed for a full 2 hours.
Christopher was at home when he got call about the robbery and who the suspect is, he quickly change and chase Daniel, when he arrived, the bank is full locked down and surrounded by the police force, he can see some police had been shot down and drag out of the scene. He receive some message from his phone, it was from Scarlet, she shows him a secret pessage for him to enter and she is waiting. Not long waiting they are on the way to break in. the came up in the toilet from the underground passage, the building is empty and are focused on the main hall where the hostage are held, they can take down some of the robber. While sneaking, Christopher ask what happened, Scarlet told him that Daniel is more likely being tricked to help Damian Frasher, - the biggest mafia in the U.S – to rob in change of Daniel’s wife killer which also was ordered by Damian for some reason, Christopher was just nodding, their sneaky sneak was ended when they were found out by a group of men and starts a shoots out. Hearing the shoots out, some of Daniel men try to investigate leaving Daniel alone in the main hall way and leave him no choice but to retreat cause when the guard in the main hall is loosen the police force rush in. Back to Chris and Scarlet it looks like their chemistry with each other help them to navigate the situation and beat most of Daniel’s men before the police force came and giving them a back up. Daniel had escaped from some other way that was discovered after he went away.
In the island, Damian was furious and throw Daniel to the cell with William, when he sees William’s face he quickly beat William up, but stopped half way when William told him, he’s been tricked, William told him what happened that day and why it happened. Daniel fell on his knees and cry for a while before he wipe all of it, he made an idea. He made some noise in the cell until one of the guard came in, Daniel take down the guard in ease, he release William and tried to escape, on the way they released other many people that was held in their cell and continue their escape but failed cause they were blocked by Felix who had been waiting for them. They tried to fight him, but they can’t land a single hit on Felix. Without noticing, someone else is watching them and then move away.
In the HQ, Scarlet got a call from her informant and immediately held a meeting and explain the situation, the island now is in chaos and now is the right time to strike. Barbara seems to thinking about it, everyone in the room is sweating and anxious about her decision. A couple of minutes later she approved and everyone gets ready. Now 5 FBI helicopter is heading towards the island, the island has missile but because of the uproar the island was pretty much untouchable but now they can break into it. The FBI force came down even Barbara herself ambush the mansion.
Felix is standing on top of Williams dead body, He sacrifice himself to hold into Felix so Daniel can go, with his sword on his back he sliced William’s body into 2 but let Daniel walk away. There was so much shoot out, the mansion is big and their main target is Damian and their second target is Daniel. Chris and Scarlet were separated by the other and were met by Felix that disarmed them pretty quick and leave them one melee. Felix can hold on them both at once, even though scarlet is a master in a martial art it is not enough, she was kicked pretty hard by him and sends her to the near wall. Felix and Christopher is pretty even but Chris can turned the table when he starts doing tricky move and tricked Felix, he was pushed back and starts using, his sword and give Christopher his other sword cause Felix feels it is unfair. Christopher accept the sword and continues their unique martial arts, the ninja-ish fighting style is epic and wild, they have some long minutes in their fights and left them with wound all over the place, they smile to each other cause they understand each other. And in the last swing to each other, Christopher stand last. He woke Scarlet up and help her to Damian’s room, but they were in shocked, they can see Daniel is hitting Damian’s head with big rock and it is destroyed and Daniel stand up and rise his hand and said “I Surrender white boy.” The fight lasted for 4 hours and it was a success, heavy casualties actually suffered by both side but win is a win. Finally Daniel is in prison for a lifetime, his last word to Chris was “That was fun.”
Post-Credits Scene: Christopher is in China, he’s attending Chan Ka-Kui’s retirement party, it was a modest yet fun party until the film black out when Chan Ka-Kui was shot by someone.
Resume: Jackie Chan
Season 4
Director: Jesse Bochco
Writer: Jack Ryder
Budget: $21,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $6,513,047
Foreign Box Office: $10,310,140
Total Profit: -$10,825,266
Jackie Chan's first film for the studio was the dramatic adventure film from writer Jack Ryder, playing a Chinese man encountered by a young woman who survived a plane crash. The film was not well received and was a dud at the box office.
Season 11
Director: Patrick Hughes
Writer: Meirad Tako
Budget: $50,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $41,997,304
Foreign Box Office: $101,389,328
Total Profit: $9,441,725
Next for Chan was his first LRF reprial of his original Police Story role. This film was very well liked by critics either, but made a profit thanks to very strong foreign box office receipts - enough to warrant a sequel, but more on that later.
Season 13
Director: James Wan
Writer: Giovanni Garcia
Budget: $55,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $67,388,012
Foreign Box Office: $155,400,560
Total Profit: $50,119,831
Chan then appeared in a supporting role as Roshi in the Dragon Ball reboot from director Jame Wan and writer Giovanni Garcia. The film received mixed reviews and was once again a big hit overseas.
Season 15
Director: Wilson Yip
Writer: Meirad Tako
Budget: $63,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $66,457,106
Foreign Box Office: $132,003,502
Total Profit: $31,113,000
Up next for Chan was a sequel to Police Story: The Return. This second entry received much better reviews than the first and grossed a good chunk more at the box office.
Up Next: Jackie Chan doesn't have any other projects set in stone following Police Story: Case Closed, but there have been some rumblings of a sequel to Dragon Ball which he could appear in.
Review:
- Highest Grossing Film: Dragon Ball: The Wrath of the Demon King ($222,788,572)
- Most Profitable Film: Dragon Ball: The Wrath of the Demon King ($50,119,831)
- Most Awarded Film: Dragon Ball: The Wrath of the Demon King (1 Nomination)
- Best Reviewed Film: Police Story: Extradition (Metascore: 60)
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Release: Shouts from the Well
Genre: Historical/Thriller/Mystery
Director: David Fincher
Writer: Ben Collins
Cast: Thomasin McKenzie, Kaitlyn Dever, Olivia DeJonge, Maude Apatow, Stefanie Scott, Kathryn Newton, Michael C. Hall, Mark Addy
Budget: $51,000,000
Domestic Fox Office: $26,489,031
Foreign Box Office: $40,672,239
Total Profit: -$30,709,110
Reaction: Well, so much for our early season success. After starting the season off with three profitable films, we now have our first bomb of the season.
"It may be disturbingly violent at points and the character of Catalina makes me wince every time I see her cry or scream in fear, but Shouts from the Wall is a thoroughly interesting mystery that does a great job bewitching viewers into the plight of the characters." - Mitchell Parker, New York Times
Rated R for strong graphic violence including scenes of torture and brief nudity
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