Stan today announced that Catherine will continue her reign when the second season of Emmy Award-nominated comedy drama The Great debuts 20 November, the same day as the US and only on Stan.
The comedy drama, led by Elle Fanning (Super 8) and Nicholas Hoult (Stan’s True History of the Kelly Gang), will return for another 10-episode run after it’s first smash-hit season, joined by acclaimed actress Gillian Anderson.
In season two of The Great, Catherine finally takes the Russian throne for her own — but if she thought coup-ing her husband was difficult, it’s nothing compared to the realities of ‘liberating’ a country that doesn’t want to be. She’ll battle her court, her team, even her own mother (played by guest star Gillian Anderson) in a bid to bring the enlightenment to Russia. Meanwhile she’ll also battle her heart as Peter slowly transitions from much-hated husband, to prisoner? Ally? Lover? Ultimately Catherine will learn that to change a country, you must let it change you, that there is a fine line between idealism and delusion, and that becoming ‘Great’, will ask more of her than she could have imagined.
The series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi and Australian Belinda Bromilow.
The Great is created, written and executive produced by Australian Oscar®-nominated writer Tony McNamara and executive produced by Marian Macgowan, Mark Winemaker, Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Echo Lake’s Brittany KahanWard,Doug Mankoff and Andrew Spaulding, Thruline’s Josh Kesselman and Ron West, and Matt Shakman. The project is produced by Civic Center Media in association with MRC Television.
The Great Season 2 premieres 20 November, same day as the US and only on Stan.
Every episode of The Great Season 1 is now streaming.
House of Gucci is inspired by the shocking true story of the family empire behind the Italian fashion house of Gucci. Spanning three decades of love, betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately murder, we see what a name means, what it’s worth, and how far a family will go for control.
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Screenplay by: Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna
Story by: Becky Johnston
Based on the book “The House Of Gucci” by Sara Gay Forden
Produced by: Ridley Scott, p.g.a., Giannina Scott, p.g.a., Kevin J. Walsh, p.g.a., Mark Huffam, p.g.a.
Executive Producers: Aidan Elliott, Marco Valerio Pugini, Megan Ellison, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth.
Cast: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Jack Huston, with Salma Hayek and Al Pacino
Summary: Dream Alliance is an unlikely race horse bred by small-town Welsh bartender Jan Vokes. With no experience, Jan convinces her neighbors to chip in their meager earnings to help raise Dream in the hopes he can compete with the racing elites.
Year: 2020
Cinema Release Dates: 10th June 2021 (Australia), 4th June 2021 (UK), 21st May 2021 (USA)
VOD Release Dates: TBA
Country: UK
Director: Euros Lyn
Screenwriter: Neil McKay
Cast: Asheq Akhtar (Peter), Clare Balding (Clare Balding OBE), Lynda Baron (Elsie), Di Botcher (Nerys), Ellis Cochlin (Mary), Toni Collette (Jan Vokes), Alan David (Bert), Peter Davison (Lord Avery), Brian Doherty (Gordon), Darren Evans (Goose), Nicholas Farrell (Philip Hobbs), Caryn Glyn (Dylan), Gerald Royston Horler (Alan The Milk), Rhys Horler (Lee The Twin), Aneirin Hughes (Ron), Max Hutchinson (James Lingsford), Katherine Jenkins (Katherine Jenkins OBE), Rehka John-Cheriyan (Davina), Karl Johnson (Kerby), Alex Jordan (Johnson White), Damian Lewis (Howard Davies), Pino Maiello (Sheikh Omari), Anthong O’Donnell (Maldwyn), Joanna Page (Angela Davies), Raj Paul (David Patel), Sian Phillips (Maureen), Steffan Rhodri (Gerwyn), Owen Teale (Brian Vokes), Katrina Ward (Glenda), Benji Wild (Rob Rossi), Rhys ap William (Kev/Racing Commentator)
Summary: The true story of Irish outlaw Daniel Morgan, who is wanted, dead or alive, in Australia during the 1850s.
Year: 1976
Cinema Release Dates: 9th July 1976 (Australia), 22nd September 1976 (USA)
VOD Release Dates: TBA
Country: Australia
Director: Philippe Mora
Screenwriter: Philippe Mora
Cast: Gregory Apps (Arthur), Don Barkham (Morrow), Graeme Blundell (Italian Jack), Wallas Eaton (Macpherson), David Gulpilil (Billy), John Hargreaves (Baylis), Martin Harris (Wendlan), Dennis Hopper (Daniel Morgan), Bill Hunter (Sergeant Smith), Michael Pate (Superintendent Winch), Robin Ramsay (Roget), Jack Thompson (Detective Manwaring), Frank Thring (Superintendent Cobham)
Running Time: 102 mins
Classification: MA15+ (Australia), 15 (UK), R (USA)
Summary: The true story of one young white Southerner in the Summer of 1961, caught in a place and time where he had to choose which side he was on.
Year: 2020
Cinema Release Dates: 6th May 2021 (Australia), 5th February 2021 (USA)
VOD Release Dates: 5th February 2021 (UK)
Country: USA
Director: Barry Alexander Brown
Screenwriter: Barry Alexander Brown, Bob Zellner (book), Constance Curry (book)
Cast: Jake Abel (Doc), Shamier Anderson (Reggie), Nicole Ansari-Cox (Professor Kleiner), Cedric The Entertainer (Reverand Abnerathy), Dexter Darden (John Lewis), Lex Scott Davis (Joanne), Brian Dennehy (J.O. Zellner), Will Deusner (Skeeter), Onye Eme-Akwari (Chuck McDew), Chaka Forman (Jim Forman), Bram Fuller (Willy B. Painter), Brendan Fuller (Officer Fuller), Cian Genaro (John Hill), Thom Gossom Jnr. (Herbert Lee), Sienna Guillory (Jessica Mitford), Lucy Hale (Carol Ann), Malcolm X. Hayden (William Barbee), Bryan Herlong (James Zellner), Charlie Hill (4 Year-Old Bob Zellner), Stan Houston (E.H. Hurst), Evan Huang (Young Derek), Kuntrell Jackson (Leon), Jim Klock (Younger), Matt William Knowles (Jim Zwerg), Sharonne Lainer (Rosa Parks), Tom Lawson Jnr. (Aubrey Williams), Ludi Lin (Derek Ang), Mike Manning (Townsend Ellis), Michael Aaron Milligan (Jack), Will Mossek (Young Bob Zellner), Brad Napp (Floyd Mann), Julia Ormond (Virginia Durr), Laurissa Romain (Brenda/SNCC Singer), Will Runels (James Zellner in Russia), Michael Sirow (Jay-Jay), Angela Soule (Ruby Zellner), Jonathan Sterritt (Buster), Lyda Styslinger (Susan Wilbur), Greg Thornton (Clifford Durr), Joey Thurmond (Coach Raines), Lucas Till (Bob Zellner)
Running Time: 105 mins
Classification: M (Australia), 15 (UK), PG-13 (USA)
OUR SON OF THE SOUTH REVIEWS
David Griffiths’ Son Of The South Review:
There is a power in cinema that sometimes even shocks me now despite the many thousands of films I have seen over the years. It shouldn’t surprise me though, cinema has been educating me and shocking my view of the world for a good many years now.
I was a pretty naive teenager when it came to world events. To be honest if a news story wasn’t about the footy scores on the weekend or what film James Cameron or Steven Spielberg was about to release then the chances were I wouldn’t have watched it. That view of the world changed for me at High School with a certain history teacher who decided the best way to teach his students about some of the world’s most horrific events was through cinema.
I still remember the day that he showed us Mississippi Burning. I remember seeing the cover and thinking “oh cool he is going to show us a Gene Hackman movie”, then I remember the film starting and me sitting in absolute shock and awe as I got my first piece of education on racism in the USA.
That same power and lesson resonates with director Barry Alexander Brown’s (Last Looks) new film Son Of The South. To be honest despite the fact that I am much more educated on American history these days I had never ever heard of Bob Zellner and his courageous story.
Zellner, played here by Lucas Till (X-Men: First Class), was a young white Southerner college student who in 1961 decided to write a college paper about the Civil Rights Movement. The response to his paper though was the threat of expulsion and much to the shock of has Klansman Grandfather he soon has to make a decision about what side of the Civil Rights Movement he wants to be on.
For Zellner these events change his whole life’s focus and purpose. He suddenly goes from the dream life that he and his girlfriend, Carol Ann (Lucy Hale – Truth Or Dare), have picked out for themselves to suddenly having meetings with the likes of Rosa Parks (Sharonne Lanier – Summer Of ’67) and soon he realises that if he wants to really change the way the community around him thinks then he may have to start making some sacrifices of his own.
I found that there is a true power with this film, in fact in a lot of ways this film had more of an impact on me than films like Judas And The Black Messiah. It has that power due to a great script, also written by Brown, that allows the film to preach without having a sermon. The key to films like this working is to let actions speak louder than words and Brown allows that to happen here with truly memorable scenes of black rights activists being confronted and beating for simply riding a bus into town.
Brown also stretches that mantra to the performances of his cast and there are often times in this film when a look by Lucas Till as his character sees the behaviour of those around him says more than a page of dialogue could. There are so many moments and scenes in this film that will stay with me for years that the only thing I can say is that this is one of the most important films that you are likely to see this year.
With this film Barry Alexander Brown also announces himself as a director who is ready to have a big impact on Hollywood. Brown already has two Oscar nominations to his name – one for his editing work on BlacKkKlansman and a second for his docco The War At Home – and to be honest he should have a third just for this film. As a director and screenwriter he is obvious storyteller who has a knack of telling that story on screen in a way that only a select few filmmakers can, I honestly can’t wait to see what film he tackles next.Son Of The South is one of the surprise films of 2021. It has an engaging and powerful story enhanced by a director who is at the top of his game and a young actor, Till, who produces one of the best performances of his career to date.
Dave Mclean is known as the man behind bands such as Placebo and Iron Maiden but now he has written and directed a film about how he got his start in the music industry.
Schemers is out now on VOD and this week Mclean spoke to Dave Griffiths about the film.
Summary: James Bowen reflects on a time when he thought Bob The Cat was going to be taken away from him at Christmas time.
Year: 2020
Cinema Release Dates: 3rd December 2020 (Australia), 24th December 2020 (Thailand)
VOD Release Dates: 6th November 2020 (UK)
Country: UK
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Screenwriter: Garry Jenkins
Cast: Aretha Ayeh (Officer Jarvis), Jamie Bacon (Chugger), Daisy Badger (Becky The Vet), Sheena Bhattessa (Jane), Bob The Cat (self), Tony Cook (Finn), Louisa Corr (Maisie), Ella Jarvis (Lili), Celyn Jones (Mick), Ciaron Kelly (Pete), Lydia Larson (Ella, Exchange Teller), Pepter Lunkuse (Ruth), Gerard Miller (Ian), Tim Plester (Leon), Stephen McCole (Mark), Stefan Race (Ben), Poppy Roe (Denise), Phaldut Sharma (Moody), Kristina Tonteri-Young (Bea), Luke Treadaway (James Bowen), Nina Wadia (Anika), Jacqueline Wilson (self), Anna Wilson-Jones (Arabella), Joanne Zorian (Irene)
Running Time: 92 mins
Classification: PG (Australia), G (Thailand) 12A (UK)
OUR A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM BOB REVIEWS
David Griffiths’ A Christmas Gift From Bob Review:
I will always be the first to admit that I am a sucker for Christmas movies. I blame it on the fact that Christmas movies were part of the reason why I became a cinephile in the first place. One of my first memories of the cinema was going with my parents to what is now the Cameo Cinemas to see a rare Aussie Christmas gem called Bushfire Christmas. I can also vividly remember falling in love with Dudley Moore’s Santa Clause: The Movie the first time I watched it and then being overjoyed when I ripped open my presents on Christmas morning to find the movie’s companion book among my swag from Santa… yes at that moment I learnt that Santa is a cinema fan as well.
It is because of my love for Christmas movies that I am always willing to over-look the cheesiness and over the top sentiments that seem to come with every holiday movie when I sit down to watch them. Yes there are some people out there who will roll their eyes even at the thought of sitting down to watch A Christmas Gift From Bob but for me it put me holiday bliss.
A sequel to the popular A Street Cat Called Bob this film picks up as the success of James Bowen’s (Luke Treadaway – Attack The Block) novel is beginning to sweep around the world. After attending a publisher’s party where he feels very uncomfortable he leaves only to find a young homeless busker being bullied by a Council Official named Leon (Tim Plester – Game Of Thrones).
While sitting down and providing a meal for the young busker James recounts a Christmas story of when he and the famous Bob found themselves under threat from Leon and the kinder Ruth (Pepter Lunkuse – Father Brown) who threatened to separate the pair because they had to investigate whether or not Bob was being looked after correctly by James.
Now I will be the first to admit that the storyline here is pretty thin, but on the flip side I also have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Sure the suspense is pretty much wiped from the film because you see James and Bob together at the start of the film before they recount the tale and yes some of the main characters are just token clichés, but I still firmly believe that every cat lover out there will sit down and thoroughly enjoy this film.
It is also worth noting that this sequel is not as alternative in style as the first film was. In the hands of director Charles Martin Smith (Dolphin Tale) the film becomes a complete family fluff piece… but seriously isn’t that what we all look for in a Christmas movie anyway? Surprisingly the film does break out of its bubble of fluffiness from time to time as it just causally reminds its audience at how some homeless people do become targets for figures of authority when they are doing nothing but trying to survive.
Of course the highlight of this film is Bob The Cat who steals the limelight in every scene he is in, but he is well supported by Treadaway who works remarkably well with the fluffy script and brings some oomph to his role. While at times he is not given much to work with in the way of dialogue he counteracts that with some brilliant facial expressions that certainly gives the audience a strong feeling of how James is feeling at that very time.A Christmas Gift From Bob is a film for anyone that loves animal or Christmas films.
Hey, if you love both you are going to be in your absolute element so enjoy!!!
Dave’s rating Out Of 5
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Summary: A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution.
Year: 2020
Australian Cinema Release Date: 5th March 2020
Thailand Cinema Release Date: TBA
Australian DVD Release Date: TBA
Country: United States
Director: Todd Haynes
Screenwriter: Mario Correa, Matthew Michael Carnahan, Nathaniel Rich (newspaper article)
Cast: Jim Azeelvandre (Jim Tennant), Bucky Bailey (himself), Aidan Brogan (Teddy Bilott (aged 12-14)), Jacob Bukowski (Tony Bilott (aged 4)), Graham Caldwell (Teddy Bilott (aged 3-5)), Bill Camp (Wilbur Tennant), Bruce Cromer (Kim Burke), Kevin Crowley (Larry Winter), Denise Dal Vara (Sandra Tennant), Marcia Dangerfield (Grammer), Bella Falcone (Crystal Tennant (aged 11-13)), Mikel Furlow (Silas Pfeiffer (aged 5)), Brian Gallagher (David), Victor Garber (Phil Donnelly), Jeffrey Grover (Edward Wallace), Richard Hagerman (Joe Kiger), William Jackson Harper (James Ross), Beau Hartwig (Tony Bilott (aged 10-11)), Anne Hathaway (Sarah Bilage Bilott), Scarlett Hicks (Amy Tennant (aged 10-12)), Louise Krause (Carla Pfeiffer), Elizabeth Marvel (Dr. Karen Frank), Mary Mengelkoch (Dr. Mary-Sue Kimball), Sydney Miles (Laura Doggett), Barry Mullholland (Charles Holliday), John Newberg (Dr. Gillespie), Bill Pullman (Harry Dietzler), Tim Robbins (Tom Terp), Mark Ruffalo (Rob Bilott), Mike Seely (Dr.Brooks), Nathan Slaughter (Teddy Bilott (aged 7-10)), Keating P. Sharp (Charlie Bilott (aged 11-12)), Abi Van Andel (Kathleen Welch), Mare Winningham (Darlene Kiger)
Running Time: 126 mins
Classification: M (Australia)
OUR DARK WATERS REVIEWS & RATINGS:
Dave Griffiths’ Dark Waters Review
Few films will have the impact on their audience that Dark Waters does. I’d be lying if I said the film didn’t get to me – actually I kind of felt physically ill as the credits rolled. That is in no way a reflection of the quality of the film, my feeling came solely from what the movie had just educated me about. See Dark Waters tells us about something that affects our everyday life but something perhaps most of us don’t even know about. To be brutally honest Dark Waters is perhaps one of the most important films that you should see this year… no make that this is a film you MUST see.
Directed by Todd Haynes (I’m Not There) the film tells the true story of lawyer, Rob Bilott (Mark Ruffalo – The Avengers). Bilott worked for a law firm who represented chemical companies but has his entire world turned upside down when a farmer named Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp – Joker) walks into his office carrying a box of video tapes he says will support his claim that one of America’s biggest chemical companies, DuPont, is poisoning his farm.
While at first reluctant to take on the case Bilott decides he will after going to visit the farm and talking to his own Grandmother about what has happened. Despite his own wife (Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables) and his boss (Tim Robbins – The Shawshank Redemption) thinking that the case may have ramifications for him Bilott continues on believing that his friendship with DuPont’s lawyer, Phil Donnelly (Victor Garber – Alias) will ensure a smooth case that will lead with a payment to the Tennant family. However as Bilott begins to investigate the case DuPont start to act more aggressively towards him and it soon becomes clear that the case is much bigger than anyone could ever have predicted it would.
Dark Waters is the kind of movie that could have become a sticky trap for director Todd Haynes as a filmmaker. While being a very important whistleblower movie exposing a truth that the world needs to know about for the most part this film is a courtroom drama. At times it is not even that – as there are times when this is a movie literally about a man going through box after box of paper in a bid to try and find what he needs before he can even go to court. How Haynes makes that watchable is the feat of a very great filmmaker indeed. There are even times in this movie where he has to deliver an information dump – and he even makes that something gripping to watch.
Haynes finds suspense in things where there shouldn’t be suspense. The fact that he is able to get the audience on the edge of their seat simply because a character is walking to their car after a mundane meeting is some pretty damn fine filmmaking. Even the scenes of Ruffalo unpacking boxes becomes moments of true intrigue as the audience keeps watching wondering when or if he will ever find that elusive piece of the pie that he needs.
The fact though that this is a movie that impacts us all is something though that not even a filmmaker can manufacture. We’ve all used Teflon with our cooking, hell I can even remember my mother being proud of the fact that she owned pots and pans with Teflon in them. And that is what makes this film some spine-chilling – it is a movie that involves all of us and luckily Haynes is the filmmaker who has decided to tell the world the truth about what exactly happened here… a brave move indeed.
Some people may criticise the film for the fact that some actors and actresses get under used, but I did not see that as an issue at all. Yes, Anne Hathaway does not appear in many scenes early on in the film but that seems to add power to the scenes that she does appear in later in the film. Her scene with Tim Robbins where she scolds him for the way that she has been treating her on-screen husband, his employee, is one of the most powerful scenes in the entire movie and you can easily why the casting team wanted an A-Grade actress in the role.
Then of course there is Mark Ruffalo. Of course now for a generation of film-goers he will be known as The Hulk, but it is films like Dark Waters that reminds us what a great character he is. Going into this film I was a little worried that perhaps I would feel like I was simply watching Mark Ruffalo, but just like he did in the under-rated Infinitely Polar Bear Ruffalo totally absorbs his character and puts in a stunning performance that is worthy of a few award wins along the way.
There is no doubt that Dark Waters is a gripping film made even better by a filmmaker who found the perfect way to bring an important yet potentially dull storyline to the cinema in a creative and entertaining way. Haynes brings in moments of true suspense and mixes them with moments of true genius as he finds an interesting way to even get scientific information across to his audience. There are moments when Dark Waters hits its audience like a sledgehammer right between the eyes and in the end it becomes one of the must see films of 2020.
Kyle McGrath’s Dark Waters Review
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