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Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
After Sinners, I've Seen All Four Major Dual Performance Movies So Far In 2025, And There's A Clear Best And A Clear Worst
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains some spoilers for Sinners. If you have not yet seen the film, A) what are you waiting for?!, and B) proceed at your own risk. In the early decades of cinema, having a single actor play two different characters performing together in a single scene was a magical feat that blew the minds of audiences… but on a technical level, it has become pretty basic in modern Hollywood. Between visual effects, advanced editing procedures, and cameras that can be programmed to repeat precise movements in multiple takes, contemporary filmmaking has taken the shine off that particular apple. What can still make dual performances stand out, however, is the caliber of the actor pulling double duty – and we've seen a fascinating array of them in the first four months of 2025 alone between Christian Convery and Theo James in Osgood Perkins' The Monkey, Robert Pattinson in Bong Joon Ho's Mickey 17, Robert De Niro in Barry Levinson's Alto Knights, and Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler's Sinners. It's been a bit odd to see all of these movies released in close proximity to one another, and each employs the cinematic trick differently, but along the titles, there is a standout that executes it best and a standout that executes it worst. Dual Performances Of 2025! The Monkey Review: Gory, Wild Madness Unlike Any Other Stephen King Movie--The Alto Knights Review: I Never Imagined A Robert De Niro-Led Gangster Movie Could Be This Epically Bad--Mickey 17 Review: Bong Joon Ho's Parasite Follow-Up Is Goofy And Smart But Also Flawed--Sinners Review: I Don't Know If I Love It More As A Crime Movie Or A Horror Movie. That's Awesome As far as capturing a dual performance is concerned, Ryan Coogler flexes his filmmaking skills early in Sinners, with the very first scene between Michael B. Jordan's twin brothers Smoke and Stack featuring a moment where one lights the other's cigarette. There isn't a drop of artifice to it (certainly no faint line down the middle of the screen that the characters never cross), and the work has you see the two men independently, wearing stylish, color-accented suits and waiting for the opportunity to close the real estate deal that is the first step towards achieving their dream. Our eyes tell us that we are watching two brothers, but it's truly Jordan's performance that maintains the illusion throughout the horror/crime epic. A lot of movies that utilize a dual performance in their storytelling use it as an opportunity to showcase a star's range. The same actor plays two characters who look alike but otherwise have wildly divergent personalities – and it's often the case that they will be protagonist and antagonist (The Monkey presents a textbook example of this, with the shy, introverted Hal presented in contrast to the bullying, aggressive Bill). This is a significant part of what makes Michael B. Jordan's work in Sinners stand apart, however. They aren't a study of opposites; it's a masterpiece of realistic subtlety. Let's quickly examine who Smoke and Stack are. Elijah and Elias Moore are twin brothers who grew up together in the Mississippi Delta and are forever bonded from the trauma of their abusive father. They found freedom from that horror together, and when they matured, they chose to move to Chicago together to find their fortune. Their lives are intertwined from birth, and through their shared experiences, they developed shared goals. This is not a story for twins who mature in extreme contrast. But it's not as though Michael B. Jordan is playing two incarnations of the same character. If I can loosely play on the significance of music in Sinners, they are variations on a theme. Every person is wired differently, looks at the world through different eyes, and has experiences that impact their filters and behavior. In a dependent relationship, one's shortcomings can be compensated for by the other's skill. The blue and red accents of the costuming by Ruth E. Carter give away how Smoke and Stack fit this reality. We see this best expressed in their romantic relationships: the former having his history with his estranged wife, Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), the tragic loss of their child permitting Jordan to add extra layers of emotional depth; and the latter carrying on a fiery affair with the once-spurned Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), which ultimately leads to his monstrous transformation. Sinners presents an atypical version of the dual performance, and while I love what Christian Convery and Theo James do in The Monkey and how Robert Pattinson plays the various clones Mickey 17, Michael B. Jordan pulls off something special. And all of them are leagues better than what was attempted by all of the legendary talent behind the gangster film Alto Knights. To be blunt, there is no real reason why Robert De Niro plays both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese in Alto Nights, and that does nothing to help the performance's standing in this conversation. Unlike with The Monkey or Mickey 17 or Sinners, the characters are neither twins nor clones, and the real people on whom they are based have some shared features but are hardly identical. The filmmakers could have easily paired De Niro with another renowned actor from the gangster movie genre to amplify marketability, but they went with De Niro in a dual role as a hook. Or to use a more loaded, (very) purposefully negative term, a gimmick. Without a natural justification for the double duty part, there is an onus put on the characterization and performance to make it make sense, and that test is failed. The personalities come down to 'equanimity' versus 'anger management issues,' and neither possesses any particular charisma or dynamism to remind audiences of what made De Niro a legend in the genre. This particularly becomes clear in scenes where Frank and Vito sit down in scenes together, which never feel like anything more than a cinematic trick with the actor in costume and makeup talking to himself. It's been strange to see high-profile dual performances at a rate of one per month in 2025 so far, but it has successfully showcased fascinating utility for storytelling and has exemplified the best and worst way to do things. I'm not sure how many more of these movies we'll get in the rest of the year 2025, but I'll certainly be hopeful that they will all be more Sinners than Alto Knights.
Forbes
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Rental Price Drops For Horror Hit ‘The Monkey' On Digital Streaming
Partial poster of "The Monkey." The Monkey — a hit horror thriller based on Stephen King's short story from Longlegs director Osgood Perkins — is now available to rent for much less on digital streaming. Rated R, The Monkey opened in theaters on Feb. 21. The official logline for The Monkey reads, 'When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.' Written and directed by Perkins, The Monkey stars Theo James (Netflix's The Gentlemen) as twin brothers Hal and Bill, while Tatiana Maslany (She-Hulk, Orphan Black) plays the twins' mother, Lois, in flashback scenes. The Monkey also stars Christian Convery as the young versions of Hal and Bill, Colin O'Brien as Bill's estranged teen son, Petey, and Elijah Wood as Ted, who is married to Hal's ex-wife, In addition to directing the film and adapting King's book for the film's screenplay, Perkins also plays a supporting role in The Monkey as Hall and Bill's uncle, Chip. The Monkey was released on digital streaming via premium video on demand on April 4 for a purchase price of $24.99 and $19.99 for a 48-hour rental period. On Tuesday, however, the PVOD rental price dropped to $9.99 for a 48-hour period and $19.99 for purchase. The film is available on PVOD on such digital platforms as AppleTV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video and Spectrum. Filmmaker Osgood Perkins is the son of late Psycho movie icon Anthony Perkins and late actress Berry Berenson, whose credits include Cat People. Before his career as a filmmaker, Osgood Perkins' first credit in the movie business came as an actor as he starred as the young version of his father's legendary character, Norman Bates, in the 1983 horror thriller Psycho II. While Perkins has since acted in a variety of different film genres — his credits include the role of Dorky David in the 2001 comedy classic Legally Blonde — he hasn't strayed too far from his horror film roots, which includes a role in director Jordan Peele's horror thriller Nope in 2022. Prior to directing Longlegs and The Monkey, Perkins directed the horror films The Blackcoat's Daughter starring Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton in 2015, 2016's I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House starring Boynton, and 2020's Gretel and Hansel starring Sophia Lillis. Like Longlegs — which stars Maika Monroe as an intuitive FBI agent tracking down a devil-worshipping serial killer (Nicolas Cage) — The Monkey was a big hit in theaters and with critics. During its theatrical run, The Monkey earned $39.7 million domestically and nearly $24 million internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $63.7 million against an $11 million production budget before prints and advertising costs, per The Numbers. The film also received a 'fresh' rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics, who collectively gave the horror comedy a 78% 'fresh' rating based on 272 reviews. Audiences, however, gave The Monkey a 52% 'rotten' score on RT's Popcornmeter based on 1,000-plus verified user ratings. The Monkey is available for a reduced rental price on PVOD of $9.99 and a purchase price of $19.99 on Tuesday.
Scotsman
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Who Will Be The Next James Bond? Here are the 11 stars tipped for 007 as Theo James overtakes Henry Cavill as favourite
It has been over well three years since Daniel Craig's hung up his tux after starring in his final James Bond film, 'No Time To Die'. The stars in the running to be the next James Bond. | Getty Images Since then there has been feverish speculation over who will succeed him in one of the world's biggest film franchaises. A succession of big names have seemed to be in poll position to follow in the footsteps of Sean Connery , David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan. In 2024 it was reported that Kickass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson had accepted the job, but it seems that this may not have been entirely accurate. And there is now further doubt about the recruitment process after Barbara Broccoli and her half brother Michael G. Wilson, who have effectively previously handpicked the actors to play the character since the 1990s, signed over 'full creative control' to Amazon MGM Studios. That development has shaken up the odds, with these actors currently favourite to pull on 007's tuxedo in the next James Bond film. 1 . Theo James - 6/4 A relatively recent tip to play 007, Divergent series star Theo James' name hadn't been mentioned until a few months ago. Recently in cinemas with comedy horror 'The Monkey', he's now the 6/4 favourite for Bond. Critically acclaimed for his performance in the television series 'The White Lotus', he also recently played the lead role in Guy Ritchie's action comedy series 'The Gentlemen'. Looks pretty good in a tux. | Getty Images Photo Sales 2 . Henry Cavill - 4/1 'Superman' and 'The Witcher' star Henry Cavill had been favourite to be the next Bond when Daniel Craig hung up his tux but saw his odds slip in the following months and years. Now, he's back to being one of the most likley choices, with odds of 4/1. He's no stranger to playing iconic British characters - he portrays Sherlock Holmes in the Enola Holmes films. | Getty Images for CinemaCon Photo Sales 3 . Louis Partridge - 11/2 If the new Bond producers go down the route of following the adventures of a young 007 then English actor Louis Partridge is in poll position. His breakthrough came with the Netflix mystery film 'Enola Holmes' and its 2022 sequel. He also played punk icon Sid Vicious in miniseries 'Pistol' and recently starred in Alfonso Cuarón thriller series 'Disclaimer'. He's the 11/2 third favourite. | Getty Images for Netflix Photo Sales 4 . Jack Lowden - 7/1 Equally at home on the stage or on the screen, Scot Jack Lowden first found fame in 2016 BBC miniseries of 'War & Peace' and has since starred in the likes of 'Dunkirk' and 'Mary Queen of Scots'. He's reached his biggest audience to date starring opposite Gary Oldman in acclaimed spy drama 'Slow Horses'. He's priced at 7/1 joint third favourite to be the first Scottish James Bond since Sean Connery. | Getty Images Photo Sales
Al-Ahram Weekly
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Mickey 17 - Cinema - Al-Ahram Weekly
All films screened in commercial cinemas are changed on Wednesday. Generally, shows begin at 10:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm, 9:30pm and sometimes midnight, especially on week-ends. Special film seasons and screenings are held in cultural centres listed below commercial cinemas. This information is correct at the time of going to press, it remains wise, however, to check with venues for any short notice alteration. Americana Plaza Sixth of October, Sheikh Zayed next to Ceramica Cleopatra behind Hyper one. Tel: 010 2002 0033 *Absolution *The Amateur *Estensakh (Cloning) *A Minecraft Movie *The Monkey *Negoum Al-Sahel (North Coast Stars) *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man CINE COMFORT *Moon the Panda *Siko Siko *825 Forest Road IMAX *Sinners *Snow White MX4D *A Working Man City Centre Almaza Sheraton Al-Mattar, Cairo-Suez Road *Absolution *The Amateur *The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie *Estensakh (Cloning) *Mickey 17 *A Minecraft Movie *The Monkey *Negoum Al-Sahel (North Coast Stars) *Novocaine *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man Dandy Mall Beginning of Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road. Tel: 018 919 6438 *Absolution *Estensakh (Cloning) *Farr Bi Sabaa Terwah (A Rat with Seven Lives) *The Monkey *Moon the Panda *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man Downtown 8 Emadeddine St, Downtown. Tel: 02 2579 8367 *Estensakh (Cloning) *Farr Bi Sabaa Terwah (A Rat with Seven Lives) *The Monkey *Negoum Al-Sahel (North Coast Stars) *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Siko Siko *A Working Man Madinaty Open Air Mall, Madinaty, New Cairo *Absolution *The Amateur *Estensakh (Cloning) *Farr Bi Sabaa Terwah (A Rat with Seven Lives) *A Minecraft Movie *The Monkey *Moon the Panda *Mufasa: The Lion King (3D) *Negoum Al-Sahel (North Coast Stars) *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Screamboat *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man *825 Forest Road VIP *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White Point 90 Point 90 Mall in front of AUC gate 5, New Cairo *The Amateur *A Minecraft Movie *The Monkey *Moon the Panda *Negoum Al-Sahel (North Coast Stars) *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man MX4D *A Minecraft Movie *Sinners Al-Rehab Mall 1, Al-Rehab City, New Cairo. Tel: 010 9493 9119 *Estensakh (Cloning) *Siko Siko *Until Dawn Stars City Stars Mall: Omar Ibn Al-Khattab St, Heliopolis. Tel: 02 2480 2013/4 *The Amateur *Estensakh (Cloning) *Mickey 17 *A Minecraft Movie *The Monkey *Moon the Panda *Negoum Al-Sahel (North Coast Stars) *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Screamboat *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man *825 Forest Road VIP *The Monkey *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man DELUXE *The Monkey *Negoum Al-Sahel (North Coast Stars) *Al-Safa Thanaweya Banat (Al-Safa High School for Girls) *Siko Siko *Sinners *Snow White *A Working Man DBOX *The Monkey *Sinners *Snow White Zamalek 13 Shagaret Al-Dorr St, Zamalek. Tel: 02 2735 0320 *The Accountant 2 *Siko Siko Zawya 15 Emadeddine St, Downtown. Tel: 010 1433 1779 *Mickey 17 *The Monkey *Siko Siko Cairo Cinema Days *From Ground Zero *Thank You for Banking with Us *Qarya Qorb Al-Gana (The Village Next to Paradise) CULTURAL CENTRES Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo 3 Al-Sheikh Al-Marsafi St, Zamalek. Tel: 02 2735 5423 28 April, 6pm: Permette? Alberto Sordi, a 2020 comedy production directed by Luca Manfredi, featuring Edoardo Pesce and Pia Lanciotti. * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 April, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Warfare Review: Alex Garland's War Drama Ratchets Up Tension
Alex Garland, the director behind Ex Machina (2014), Annihilation (2018), and Civil War (2024), is a master at ratcheting up tension, and his latest film, Warfare, shows off how talented he is as filmmaker even with a threadbare story Directed by Garland and co-writer Ray Mendoza, Warfare is set during the battle of Ramadi during the war in Iraq. D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Gandolfini, and others play a platoon of Navy SEALs who get pinned down in a house during a firefight. Warfare is not Garland's best film by a long stretch, but it does showcase his talents. Particularly, Garland is a master of tension. For a long time in the beginning of this movie, nothing substantive happens, and yet the film is mesmerizing. There are long shots of stillness as soldiers stare through a sniper rifle's sight, and it is transfixing to watch the level of concentration. The Monkey Review: Satisfying Bloody Comedic Horror Of course, eventually things go badly, and Garland's ability to shoot action scenes takes over. Unlike many modern films' action sequences, Garland gives the viewer enough clarity to understand the geography of the scene, but the feeling he renders is of total chaos. Particularly in the sound design, Warfare is able to render these soldiers' experiences, and it all combines to make Warfare an example of embedded filmmaking – a movie that feels like the audience is experiencing the events with the characters like an embedded journalist. Since it focuses on one isolated event, there is little character development. Warfare is similar to Black Hawk Down (2001) because we get to know the characters through one event in an isolated capacity. By the end, Warfare becomes unexpectedly nationalistic, as Garland, a Brit, thematically celebrates the heroism of these soldiers while also displaying the pointlessness of the war. The final shot, like the last moment of Civil War, is drenched in irony and leaves the audience reflecting on the film's meaning. Warfare is a tense, nerve-wracking experience, mostly due to how good Garland is at his craft. It is far from his best work, but he's such a good filmmaker that even his minor films feel significant. Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
