Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father in law Phil (Chris Cooper) to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis’ letters catch the attention of customer service rep Karen (Naomi Watts) and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.
Film | Everest | Trailer
If this movie doesn't scream intense I don't know what does!
Inspired by the incredible events surrounding an attempt to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest documents the awe-inspiring journey of two different expeditions challenged beyond their limits by one of the fiercest snowstorms ever encountered by mankind. Their mettle tested by the harshest elements found on the planet, the climbers will face nearly impossible obstacles as a lifelong obsession becomes a breathtaking struggle for survival. The epic adventure stars Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Everest is directed by Baltasar Kormákur (2 Guns, Contraband) and produced by Working Title Films’ Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, Cross Creek Pictures’ Brian Oliver and Tyler Thompson, as well as Nicky Kentish Barnes and Kormákur.
Universal Pictures and Cross Creek Pictures’ presentation of Everest—in association with Walden Media—is adapted for the screen by William Nicholson (Gladiator) and Oscar® winner Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire).
The film was shot on location in Nepal on the foothills of Everest, the Italian Alps and at Cinecittà Studios in Rome and Pinewood Studios in the U.K. Universal will distribute Everest worldwide.
The Creepy Crawlers of LA: Review of NIGHTCRAWLER
By Ian Beavers
I’m not gonna lie. I have no idea what to write here. Not without giving away the majority of Nightcrawler’s plot points, anyway.
See, I am a believer in film’s ability to effect us, the audience, in deep, emotional, and visceral ways. Think about the first time you watched the first five minutes of Pixar’s Up, or the first scene in Inglorious Basterds. We’re left in deep puddles made of tears, or on the edge of our seats, hearts racing. While not every movie out there touches us in these ways, we don’t know what to expect each time we go into a movie theater to see a new release. And those surprising times when a movie does manage to reach us in those intangible but somehow very specific ways… It’s usually a delight.
But in the case of Nightcrawler, much is asked of the viewer up front and over the course of the story… to the point where even labeling Jake Gyllenhaal’s character an “anti-hero” seems generous. He plays a slimy, skeezeball of a human being, which in turn makes it difficult for the viewer to truly root for him. Put that in contrast to an absolutely fascinating story that is able to tap into those visceral feelings I mentioned before… and and you’re left feeling conflicted through the entirety of the film.
Personally, I kept waiting for a turn… For something to happen that might push Gyllenhaal’s character into a more traditional story mold. Through the whole movie I waited to see something that I was used to seeing in every other movie out there, and it simply never came. Was this the intention of the filmmakers? Most likely… Almost assuredly! And as a result, I was left in an uncomfortable place, watching this person that I loathed make his way through a genuinely compelling story. My heart was seething and racing simultaneously a number of times over the course of the film… And quite frankly, that is not a combination of emotions that I am used to having while visiting my local movie theater.
I would be remiss at this point to neglect mentioning Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance. It’s an absolute tour-de-force… He completely embodies Louis Bloom as the story carries him through the streets of Los Angeles in search of footage for the next big “breaking news” story. Personally, I maintain that you should never be able to look at a character in a film and see the actor standing there instead… And the ability for an actor to surpass his or her own personal identity to present the audience with a complete version of the character they are playing is what separates truly great actors from the just-good ones. I’ll admit, I’ve never included Gyllenhaal in the former category, but after watching Nightcrawler, I would be perfectly happy doing so. I wasn’t able to see him at all behind Louis Bloom’s sunken-in, manic eyes.
So sure, the writing can be spotty, and the tone is a bit off-key at times… but the film still manages to be a fascinating watch, and doesn’t pull any punches as a result. And since it ultimately presents itself as a character piece rather than a story piece… The issues with writing and tone can be forgiven. If you’re a fan of watching movies that completely subvert your movie-watching expectations, Nightcrawler is a must-see.