Oscar-winning actress Kim Basinger (“L.A. Confidential”) stars in Warner Bros. Pictures' new comedy “Grudge Match” as Sally Rose, whose history with retired heavyweight boxers Razor (Sylvester Stallone) and Kid (Robert De Niro) changed all of their lives.
In “Grudge Match,” Billy “The Kid” McDonnen and Henry “Razor” Sharp are two local Pittsburgh fighters whose fierce rivalry put them in the national spotlight. Each had scored a victory against the other during their heyday, but in 1983, on the eve of their decisive third match, Razor suddenly announced his retirement, refusing to explain why but effectively delivering a knock-out punch to both their careers. Thirty years later, a boxing promoter, seeing big dollar signs, makes them an offer they can’t refuse: to re-enter the ring and settle the score once and for all. Once the love of Razor’s life, Sally re-enters the scene when news of the rematch breaks. Interestingly, Stallone knew Basinger from a gym where they both worked with the same trainer. Stallone says the two had been looking for a project to do together and suggested her to director Peter Segal and the producers, who agreed. “She was perfect for the role,” says producer Bill Gerber. “It was one of those things where we cast her, but hadn’t really seen her together with Stallone. One day we were doing some camera tests and both Kim and Sly were there, so we decided to get them together and see…And when they walked in and everybody was standing there, it was wow! They looked like a fantastic couple.” Segal admits when he met Basinger to discuss her role in “Grudge Match,” it was the fulfillment of a long-held crush. “She is still so absolutely stunning,” he says, “and she was so great because she wanted to come and play in the sandbox. She hadn’t done a comedy in a long time and she wanted to let her hair down.” Basinger seemed to enjoy the spontaneity and fun Segal encouraged. He relates, “She said, ‘It’s wonderful for me when people just tell me what they want. Tell me what you want and I’ll do it.’ So as soon as I knew that, we had a ball. Because we could just play, we could try things, throwing jokes at her, taking things away, giving her other things. Whatever it was, she was a great sport.” When asked how was that working with Stallone and De Niro, Basinger says, “It was quite a ride because they work very differently. And they’re both hilarious. So I had a really great experience with them. It was great. Stallone’s a jokester. Di Niro’s quiet and sneaky. [laughs] So just different layers.” On a more serious note, Basinger shares what she took away from the experience working with her costars. “You learn from every experience, and you take a lot from that. No one knows everything and it’s always a new camera and a new day. The first day of shooting is always the first day of school. So you’re a little nervous. If I wasn’t nervous I would quit. That’s the excitement of it. But, yeah, to work with all these people, you always learn from everyone, and you take it.” Kim Basinger starred opposite Robert Redford in Barry Levinson’s “The Natural,” receiving a Golden Globe nomination for her supporting role, and has appeared in more than 40 feature films, earning an Academy Award® in 1998 for her role in the critically acclaimed film “L.A. Confidential.” Based on the James Ellroy classic crime novel of the same title, the film, directed by Curtis Hanson, earned nine Academy Award® nominations. Basinger also received a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award® (SAG), as well as a BAFTA Award nomination. Basinger will next appear in “The Third Person,” written and directed by Paul Haggis and co-starring Liam Neeson and Maria Bello, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year. In 2014, she will star in “Unborn,” in which she plays the role of a successful career woman who cannot have children. Produced by Lars Von Trier and written and directed by Anders Morgenthaler, the film also stars Peter Stormare, Jordan Prentice and German actors Sebastian Schipper and Sophie Rois. Opening across the Philippines in Jan. 15, 2014, “Grudge Match” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed a teaser poster and four retro-themed character one-sheets for director Peter Segal's new comedy “Grudge Match,” starring Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger and Alan Arkin.
The character posters individually feature Stallone's Henry "Razor" Sharp, De Niro's Billy "Kid" McDonnen, Hart's The Promoter and Arkin's The Trainer. In the film, Billy “Kid” McDonnen and Henry "Razor" Sharp are two local Pittsburgh fighters whose fierce rivalry put them in the national spotlight. Each had scored a victory against the other during their heyday, but in 1983, on the eve of their decisive third match, Razor suddenly announced his retirement, refusing to explain why but effectively delivering a knock-out punch to both their careers. Thirty years later, boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Hart), seeing big dollar signs, makes them an offer they can't refuse: to re-enter the ring and settle the score once and for all. But they may not have to wait that long: on their first encounter in decades, their long-festering feud erupts into an unintentionally hilarious melee that instantly goes viral. The sudden social media frenzy transforms their local grudge match into a must-see HBO event. Now, if they can just survive the training, they may actually live to fight again. Opening across the Philippines in January 2014, “Grudge Match” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Check out the synopsis for the upcoming release from Captive Cinema entitled "THE FAMILY" starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer. It's pretty hilarious.
Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer return to their Mafia roots in the dark comedy, The Family, When a notorious mafia family crosses the mob by committing the ultimate crime of snitching, they are put into the Government Witness Protection Program and shipped off to Normandy, France. Although they pretend to want to change their lives, old habits die hard, and they soon resort back to their old criminal ways of doing business and settling scores. Academy Award winner Robert De Niro (The Godfather Part II, Raging Bull) is the dad. Michelle Pfeiffer (Married to the Mob, Scarface) is the Mom. Dianna Argon (Glee) is their daughter and John D’Leo (The Wrestler) their son. Tommy Lee Jones plays a CIA agent that does his best to keep the family from tipping off their whereabouts with their bad behavior. Directed Luc Besson (Taken, Transporter).
“The Family ” released and distributed by Captive Cinema.
Here's my take on the film KILLING SEASON starring Robert De Niro and John Travolta distributed locally by Captive Cinema.
If you're cup of tea in terms of movie involves seeing iconic Hollywood stars beat the hell out of each other in a deadly cat-and-mouse game then "Killing Season" will definitely be your movie for the weekend. To sum it all up John Travolta wants to kill Robert De Niro and it just so happens that De Niro's a recluse living in the mountains trying to forget all the atrocities he's done in the past including what he did to Travolta. What happens in between, well that's something you have to see for yourself. GOOD
- De Niro doesn't have to act to make you pay attention. I was really hoping that he'd go "are you talking to me?" while brandishing his carbon-fiber bow. Too bad that didn't happen. Still it's nice to see De Niro taking on a more physical role despite his age. Massive props. - The plot is likeable for the Pinoy moviegoing crowd. It's something that you'd really enjoy if you're sick and tired of huge explosions and giant robots and superheroes. - Personally, I like the whole flawed/ damaged goods protagonist regardless of how cheesy it's been handled. It might not be Metal Gear Solid/ Hideo Kojima level in terms of depth and inner turmoil but it definitely brings the emotions. Give the material to a good actor and let the script come to life. Plus again, I can't stress enough that these are the sort of heroes you get to cheer on when you play games like the MGS series.
- Bows and Arrows are fucking cool. I love that arrows are making a comeback in movies, TV and even video games. It's quickly removing the stigma that arrows are only used by bishounen type guys like Legolas. - Milo Ventimiglia's appearance here sends you back to the time when HEROES was still cool and not a complete headache to watch.
- That ending. Sends me back to the ending of Alan Moore's classic BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE between a severely beaten Joker and a very angry Batman. - John Travolta and the injuries his character sustains throughout the movie. Not that I hate... OK I hate Travolta. BAD - Man those torture scenes. Not for the squeamish. - De Niro's take/homage to Rambo was kinda off. - John Travolta. John Travolta. John Travolta. - John Travolta and his accent. - John Travolta and his faux Abraham Lincoln look. The dead POTUS must be turning over his grave.
- John Travolta cosplaying as Arrow. (just kidding) VERDICT Overall, there's a distinct campiness in the film mixed with grit, blood and gore for better effect. From my POV, it felt like the movie's director Mark Steven Johnson wanted to do something but failed to reach all the high notes which backfired. Still as it is, the finished product is to say the least, interesting. Special thanks to Captive Cinema for the invitation. KILLING SEASON NOW SHOWING!
