Displaying items by tag: Chad Michael Murray

THE MERRY GENTLEMEN

US, 2024, 87 minutes, Colour.

Britt Robertson, Chad Michael Murray, Marla Sokolof, Marc Anthony Samuel, Colt Prattes, Hector David Jr, Maxwell Caulfield, Michael Gross, Beth Broderick.

Directed by Peter Sullivan.

Another Christmas film, the putting on a show, the show must go on.

However, the show the goes on is a male dancing revue in a small American town (God bless you, Merry Gentleman!). And, for Christmas reassurance, while the innuendo is obviously there as well as the shirtless male dancers, this is very much a PG version of Magic Mike or the Chippendales.

The initial focus is on Ashley (Britt Robertson) very happy in fulfilling her childhood dreams as part of the chorus as the Jingle Belles on Broadway. She slips, is to be replaced, returns home to her parents and their small club which used to be famous in the past but is r now in trouble,unning at a loss.

The situations are obviously contrived but audiences will probably go along with all of this. She encounters Luke, Chad Michael Murray, big and strong, doing repairs, their sparking badly off each other (initially, of course). And then there is the businesswoman who threatens them with closure until they pay $30,000. Ashley’s sister, Marie (Marla Sokolof who co-wrote the screenplay), a restaurant, her partner – and, eventually, another worker and a local taxi driver will join the troupe.

A few hiccups in the preparation but the men respond extraordinarily quickly to the choreography, the gyrations, the removal of shirts (and nothing more than shirts).

Needless to say but saying it, Ashley and Luke hit it off, the act is a success, there is a moment of injury but the local old man, played by Maxwell Caulfield (remembering Grease 2) who sits at the club doing crosswords, is able to join in and the show goes on, more and more customers, more and more income, the financial adviser joining in the exuberance, money paid.

But there is one hitch, the phone call for Ashley to come back to Broadway because the ingenue cannot deal with the pressure, Ashley’s packing to go, her father urging her on, her life’s ambitions, Luke and the others upset, his being unable to perform well – the plane delayed, Ashley returning and… We know the rest.

A CINDERELLA STORY

US, 2004, 95 minutes, Colour.

Hillary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Dan Byrd, Regina King, Lin Shaye, Mary Pat Gleason, Paul Rodriguez, Whip Hubley, Kevin Kilner, Simon Halberg.

Directed by Mark Rosman.

The Cinderella fairytale is about young adults, popular, well-known, so why not a transferr to the US, 21^st-century, families, schools, dances, Prom King’s and Queens?

This is also a star vehicle for Hillary Duff who had made an impression in the Lizzie Maguire Film, later to be a successful television series, her music videos, Disney appearances, further films… She won awards in 2004 (but also was awarded the Razzie acting).

2004 was actually the year of the release of the very successful Mean Girls. Here is another variation on the theme. Plenty of mean girls in this high school and quite a number of arrogant Jocks.

The film opens in fairytale land but it is the story that Sam is being read by her father (Whip Hubley). He encounters Fiona who has two daughters and marries her. But, an earthquake, Sam’s father dead, then being dominated as we expect, by her wicked stepmother and her obnoxious daughters. Part of the enjoyment of the film is the fact that the stepmother is being played by Jennifer Coolidge who had already established something of a reputation as Stifler’s Mom in the American Pie films. (20 years later she was still making an impression especially in the television series The White Lotus.) Jennifer Coolidge is able to play obnoxious characters and send herself up, plenty of opportunity to be the wicked stepmother.

Sam’s father left a diner which Fiona now manages where with Sam works. On the lookout for the fairy godmother, she is played by Regina King (later to win an Oscar for If Beale Street Could Talk). And there are some veterans like Paul Rodriguez and Mary Pat Gleason also on the staff there.

And Prince Charming? The local football star, Austin, played by Chad Michael Murray, being pressurised by his ambitious father for him to stay as a football star and work for his company.

Social media, Sam and Austin communicate anonymously through a chat room – which leads them to the dance, the possible revelation of identities, a lost mobile phone instead of a shoe, Austin seeking Cinderella, and the humiliation of her being exposed through the evil Mac nations of her stepsisters.

But, romance will out, Fiona concealing Sam’s entry to Princeton, but the true will found in the old fairy tale book and comeuppance for Fiona and her daughters.

Lots of references to contemporary culture, the Fast and the Furious…  enjoyable supporting eccentricity from Dan Byrd as Sam’s close friend and a young Simon Helberg as a very odd space preoccupied student.

1. The popularity of the Cinderella story, transferred to the American high school, 21^st-century?
2. The popularity Hillary Duff, Lizzie McGuire on screen and television?
3. The opening, the suggestions of the fairytale, the book, the transition to the US, the American town, the family, happy father and daughter, the earthquake, his death, the marriage to Fiona, her two daughters? Her inheriting everything? The later discovering of the wheel in the fairytale book? And her comeuppance?
4. Fiona, vanity, the daughters, Sam, growing up in servitude to Fiona and the sisters, their demands, Fiona and her vanity, the salmon diet, the girls in the pool, their behaviour? Time passing?
5. Sam, her age, at school, her friendship with Carter, his eccentricities, Shelby and the mean girls, Austen and his friends on the jocks? Their behaviour? Sam working at the diner, Rhonda and her friendship and support? The other members of the staff? The customers? Shelby and Austin and the rest is customers, their behaviour?
6. Sam, online, texting, the anonymity, the sharing of ideas and ideals?
7. Austin, his demanding father, expectations, football, Austen wanting his life? The domination of his father, at work?
8. The invitation to the dance, the preparations, stepdaughters preparing, Fiona making Sam work? Rhonda, like a fairy godmother, the dress, the mask, Carter as Zorro, at the dance, the infatuation? Her going to the spot at 11 o’clock? The eccentric student and his space preoccupation? Austin, the conversation, the walk, not revealing, the time, dropping the phone, the drive with Carter, Fiona and the daughters, the chase, the erratic driving? Sam behind the counter?
9. Austin, the notices, the search for Cinderella? Shelby, her attitude towards Austin, drinking, the episode with Carter, the next day…? Sam at school, Austen not recognising her?
10. His coming into the diner, Sam not telling him, Fiona intervening?
11. The sisters, spying on the computer, telling the disc jockey, the news around the school? The football match, her going with Carter? Her leaving? The football match, important for Austen, his father’s pressure, his leaving and following Sam? Everybody mocking her at the match?
12. The meeting, the reconciliation? The future? His father coming around?
13. Fiona concealing the letter of acceptance to Princeton? Dominating Sam? The discovery of the will, everybody walking out on Fiona? She and the daughters having to work?
14. 21^st-century happy ever after?

SNIPER: ROGUE MISSION

US, 2022, 96 minutes, Colour.

Chad Michael Collins, Ryan Robbins, Sayaka Akimoto, Dennis Hayesbert, Brendan Sexton III, Josh Brenner, Jocelyn Hudon, Paul Essiembre, Erik Athavale.

Directed by Oliver Thompson.

The Sniper franchise began in the early 1990s, the lead being Tom Berenger. The film was popular but, in the 2000s, quite a number of sequels were made, Tom Berenger appearing in some of them, but the establishing of a character, his son, played by Chad Michael Collins, eventually reuniting and working with his father. This film is the 10^th in the series – and there was another to follow.

Chad Michael Collins is not exactly in the pattern of Tom Berenger, rather tall and thin, not quite the military type, but a top Sniper. His friend, Zero, played by Ryan Robbins, appeared in some previous films and continues into the next. And, throughout a number of the films, the CIA chief is played by veteran Dennis Hayesbert. The expert assassin from the previous Sniper film, Sayaka Akimoto is on side with the heroics in this film.

Reactions to this film have been mixed, some praising it as an effective action show, others comparing it quite unfavourably with the previous films. For the record, this reviewer found this episode entertaining in its action drama way.

The focus of the film is on an international human trafficking ring, recruiting in Europe, gathering the women in London, with the support of an American CIA official, transporting them to the United States in containers, setting up outlets for trafficking in the US.

On the one hand, Zero is suspicious of the American official and asks the hero, Beckett, for surveillance on him as he is supposed to arrest the woman who coordinates the trafficking in London. Allegedly, the woman commits suicide, but the official arranges for a false passport and have been transported back to the US in a container with the women.

On the other hand, there is a sequence where a gang, taking orders from the trafficking bosses, invade a caravan where the women are available for online sexual performances – a massacre, though one of the workers advises one woman to escape.

It all comes together when Beckett arrests the corrupt official who demands Beckett’s immediate standing down, challenging the authority of the CIA. Which means, of course, Zero and Beckett will take matters into their own hands, and the assistance of the girl who escapes, are pursued by members of the gang, especially a sniper.

The action keeps moving right throughout – and, there is something of a twist at the end. And audiences should look at the credits, especially at the end, preview of coming attractions and sequels.

1. The popularity of the Sniper franchise? Tom Berenger’s presence? The sequels, the revelation about his son? The son, his talent, Sniper?
2. This title, the mission, human trafficking, Europe, London, containers to the United States, exploitation? The CIA, corrupt officials, Beckett and Zero and the Rogue Mission? Success?
3. The London settings, the Embassy, surveillance, the apartments, the luxury home in the country? The contrast with the United States, the Port, the containers, the setting up of the women, online sexual displays? The raid and the massacre? The city, hotels and refuge, snipers, the shootouts in the street? The musical score?
4. The situation, Beckett and the surveillance, the corrupt official, the woman and her not being arrested, the pictures of her suicide in the bath, his arresting the official, reprimanded by the authorities, the challenge of the corrupt official, Beckett and handing in his badge? His friendship with Zero, Zero suspecting the corrupt official, Beckett returning to the US?
5. Beckett, his challenge to the corrupt official, the boss of the CIA, the challenge to the official, to pursue him, following him to his country house, the setup, the confrontation, his arrest?
6. The scene of the massacre, the squad coming in, the shooting of all the women, Mary Jane being warned by Simon, her escape? Dax as the boss, his rages, Rosie as the tough man, his brother, the sniper? The pursuit of Mary Jane? The sniper, failing to shoot her? The interrogation and the police and shot?
7. Mary Jane, the background story, the phone number for Simon? Beckett and Zero, shielding her, her suspicions, relying on Zero’s ex-wife, her reaction, her enthusiastic husband?
8. The finale in the town, Sniper on the roof, Beckett in the hotel room, the phone messages, Simon giving them the information, his death?
9. Memories of Yuki from the previous film, tracking her down, the diner, her escape, and intelligence Pete helping her, persuading her to collaborate, Pete and his breaking all the codes, Mary Jane with him?
10. Yuki, participation, protecting Mary Jane, the thug, the fight? The sniper, the shootings? Zero and his confrontation with the Dax, the fight in the elevator, Dax and his death? The sniper and his fears – taking the car, returning and embraced by his brother?
11. The information about the Port, the surveillance, the container, Yuki and the fights at the port, the coordinator and her false passport, escaping, on the road, being picked up, the irony of Mary Jane, killing her? Mary Jane then quietly returning to Intelligence Pete and his podcast puzzles?
12. The achievement, the CIA boss, everybody gathering – and getting ready for the next sequel?