Wednesday, May 7, 2014

WORLD WAR Z - A

I am by no means an expert on zombie movies but World War Z (2013) is a strong apocalyptic horror film that packs a realistic punch.  Starring Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos and Daniella Kertesz, the film was directed by Marc Forster who has some very impressive credits: Monster’s Ball (2001, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry); Finding Neverland (2004, starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman); The Kite Runner (2007, starring Khalid Abdalla, Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada and Atossa Leoni) andQuantum of Solace (2008, starring Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko).  He also directed Machine Gun Preacher (2011, starring Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon), which I have not seen but is on my list to see soon.  Mr. Butler and Mr. Pitt are equally easy on the eyes in my book but just because they are does not mean I will recommend everything they touch…I’m just sayin’!

World War Z is one of those movies with so many writing credits that it is impossible to give credit where it is due except to say it is based upon the book “World War Z:  An Oral History of the Zombie War” by Max Brooks.  If you want to know more then please visit the awesome website www.imdb.com and look up the movie to find the full cast and crew credits.

The producers’ credits are also lengthy and include Mr. Pitt but it’s difficult to say how much beyond its being initially feasible by virtue of his name being attached is given over to a producer’s other expertise; however, it is important to note that several very solid films have his producer credit on them:  The Departed (2006, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Jack Nicholson and winner in four of five Oscar categories); Running with Scissors (2006, starring Joseph Cross, Annette Benning [in her Golden Globe nominated performance], Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes and Evan Rachel Wood among others); The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009, starring Robin Wright, Alan Arkin and Mike Binder); Eat Pray Love (2010, starring Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, Richard Jenkins and Viola Davis); Moneyball (2011, starring Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jonah Hill and nominated in six Oscar categories) ; The Tree of Life (2011, starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain and nominated in three Oscar categories) and 12 Years A Slave (2014, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael K. Williams, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o in her Best Supporting Actress Oscar performance and winner of Best Picture and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay Oscars amongst nominations in nine categories total).

Other worthy films in which Mr. Pitt has appeared (if not already mentioned): Thelma and Louise (1991, starring Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis and Harvey Keitel); A River Runs Through It(1992, starring Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt and Tom Skerritt); Interview with the Vampire (1994, starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Antonio Banderas); Se7en(1995, starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey); Twelve Monkeys (1995, starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt); Seven Years in Tibet(1997, starring Brad Pitt, David Thewlis and JD Wong); Fight Club (1999, starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter); Ocean’s Eleven(2001, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, amongst others);Ocean’s Twelve (2004, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, amongst others); Ocean’s Thirteen(2007, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, amongst others);The Curious Case of Benjamin Button(2008, starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton) and Inglourious Basterds (2009, starring Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger and Eli Roth).

Other Pitt films may or may not be to your liking but they are not strong enough for me to recommend.  I have not seen Sleepers (1996, starring Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Jason Patric, Dustin Hoffman and Brad Pitt amongst others) but it is on my list to see soon. Mireille Enos has been in several TV series; however, her most picture before World War Z was in Gangster Squad(2013, starring Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone). Daneilla Kertesz also comes from a TV background but World War Z appears to have been her first film.

Running Time:  116 Minutes

According to www.imdb.com World War Z 2 is to be released in 2015.

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