#Derek Kolstad | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

reppyy · 10 months

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knightgazes · 1 year

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"There's no rhyme or reason to this life."

JOHN WICK (2014) dir. Chad Stahelski

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vintagewarhol · 7 months

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#john wick chapter 4 #movies #chad stahelski #shay hatten #michael finch #derek kolstad #keanu reeves #laurence fishburne #george georgiou #illustration #vintage art #alternative movie posters

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adamwatchesmovies · 2 months

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John Wick (2014)

John Wick takes a familiar story and makes it its own. The film refines the revenge genre to its bare essentials and then fills the room that's been freed with its own mythology. With wicked gunplay and stunts, it’s hard to tell if the people who made it knew they were starting a new franchise or if it was the critical and commercial success it gathered that made this more than a one-and-done.

Ex-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is mourning his wife, who just died. He’s got nothing left to lose, except for his car and her last gift: a puppy. When some thugs who have no business messing with him do so, they unleash a world of pain on themselves, their subordinates and anyone associated with them.

We’ve seen countless paths of revenge that begin with a home invasion that leaves the (usually, but not always) male protagonist mourning the loss of their spouse and/or family. Writing the future victims’ dialogue must be extra challenging because you want to convey that they’re special without investing too much time in their scenes - the sooner they’re dead, the sooner the story can begin. Intentionally or not, this can make the spouses/family feel like they're merely props to advance the story. Writer Derek Kolstad takes this idea to such a minimalistic extreme I’m not even sure if it can be called problematic anymore. Helen (Bridget Moynahan) is already dead when the movie begins. What sets John on his rampage is the puppy she’s given him. When Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) kills it, he transforms into the most shootable face on earth.

Once the bullets start flying, it’s a delectable buffet of violence. It isn’t merely that John Wick kills all of the goons in his path, it’s that he does with ruthless efficiency. There are no quips or jokes. The odds are massively stacked against him but he keeps going, always making the kills clean and efficient. Someone will get a bullet in the chest, and another in the head to make sure they’re dead. Every move feels calculated, optimized. You can tell he’s been through this carousel before and it doesn’t take him long to get back into the swing of things.

There’s plenty of talk between the Russian mobsters about the fact that John is “Baba Yaga” and “The man you send in to kill the boogeyman” but the film excels at showing rather than telling. A perfect example is a scene in which John and one of his assailants are fighting. Briefly, they’re separated by a thin wall. Realizing who’s on the other side, the Russian turns around and fires at shoulder level. Meanwhile, John ducks and shoots up at a 45 degree angle.

Numerous or not, the men employed by Iosef’s father, Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nywvist), would need to have an exceptionally good day to stand a chance against John. More likely to take him down are the myriad of other assassins we meet during the film - all members of an elaborate secret organization living among us. There’s a lot more going on here than a violent fantasy. John Wick is set in a world of rules and side-branches. There are cleaning services to dispose of bodies, special currency, elaborate communication systems, safe havens, special medical services and more. The taste this movie gives you makes you eager for more.

The only significant criticism I have is directed towards the dialogue, which can occasionally make the film feel a little more self-important than it actually is. No matter. Director Chad Stahelski has made a stylish action film with its own identity. It’s fast-pasted. The action scenes are memorable. So are the characters. Keanu Reeves is excellent in the role. In fact, he was made for it (or it for him, whichever). You can tell he’s doing most if not all of the stunts, which allows you to feel the impact of every bullet and beating. You're excited to see more once John Wick is done. (December 3, 2021)

#John Wick #movies #films #movie reviews #film reviews #Chad Stahelski #Derek Kolstad #Keanu Reeves #Michael Nyqvist #Alfie Allen #Adrianne Palicki #Bridget Moynahan #Dean Winters #ian McShane #John Leguizamo #Willem Dafoe #2014 movies #2014 films

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schlock-luster-video · 4 months

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On December 4, 2014, John Wick debuted in Albania.

#john wick #john wick chapter 1 #chad stahelski #derek kolstad #keanu reeves #revenge thriller #action thriller #action movies #fan art #movie art #art #drawing #movie history

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thebuhonerodazorrow · 1 year

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John Wick #3

Dynamite

#John Wick #Dynamite #Dynamite comics #comics #comic books #comics cover #cover comics #action #sci-fi #Derek Kolstad #Tom Napolitano #David Curiel #Deny Cowen #Giovanni Valleta #Greg Pak

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keanuquotes · 2 years

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#keanu reeves #john wick #derek kolstad

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thewtcho · 2 years

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Nobody Producer Says Sequel Is Happening

The producers behind Univeral’s Nobody have teased a potential sequel for months. Now, David Leitch ensures Nobody 2 will happen as fast as Hollywood allows. The Deadpool 2 helmer revealed the news while on the press tour for his upcoming Bullet Train feature, saying the script is currently in development. “Oh, I think everyone’s really excited about it,” the filmmaker said in a chat with…

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#Bob Odenkirk #David Leitch #Derek Kolstad #Happening #Nobody #producer #Sequel

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cinemgc · 2 months

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Nobody (2021, US)

• Dirección: Ilya Naishuller

• Guion: Derek Kolstad

• Cinematografía: Pawel Pogorzelski

• Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen

#Película #Acción #Nadie #Ilya Naishuller #Derek Kolstad #Pawel Pogorzelski #Bob Odenkirk #Connie Nielsen #Film #Nobody #Action Movie #Hutch Mansell #Becca Mansell #2021 #20s

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cinesludge · 4 months

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Movie #96 of 2023: John Wick: Chapter 4

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sslimbo · 5 months

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#John Wick 2 #John Wick: Chapter 2 #2017 #Chad Stahelski #Derek Kolstad #Keanu Reeves #I'll kill them #I'll kill them all

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reppyy · 10 months

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thenerdsofcolor · 7 months

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Director Albert Hughes Sets the High Table for 'The Continental'

Director Albert Hughes Sets the High Table for 'The Continental' #TheContinental @Peacock @JohnWickMovie

John Wick may be done for now. But his world lives on in the epic three-part mini-series event, The Continental, streaming only on Peacock starting September 22. The Continental comes to us from director Albert Hughes, who brought us such classics as Menace II Society and Dead Presidents. But now, Hughes takes on the world of assassins and hotel management. We had a chance to sit down with Hughes…

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cinemedios · 8 months

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'The Continental' | Tráiler oficial

Mira el primer tráiler oficial de 'The Continental', la miniserie spin off de 'John Wick'.

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#Chad Stahelski #David Leitch #Derek Kolstad #John Wick #Keanu Reeves #Mel Gibson #Paul Wernick #Rhett Reese #The Continental

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adamwatchesmovies · 10 days

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John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

How do you follow a film like John Wick? The 2014 ballet of violence was such a pleasant surprise because it took a plot that’s been done to death and revitalized it. That’s where John Wick: Chapter 2 finds its purpose: by expanding on the world at the characters within it to make what was familiar new.

Set about two weeks after the first film, everyone now knows that assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has come out of retirement. For crime boss Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio), this is the opportunity to collect a debt John owes him.

Like before, the stunt choreography is the reason to buy an admission ticket. By now we sort of know Wick’s preferred method of dispatching his enemies but it’s still plenty of fun to watch him efficiently and methodically take out anyone foolish enough to stand in his way. Director Chad Stahelski even throws in a couple of new tricks to make our jaws drop, like a scene in a bar that involves a pencil and not much else. There’s a particular death in that scene that’ll have you squirming, and you’ll love it.

If you think the only appeal is the violence, you're wrong. There are several points where the cinematography and staging are a wonder to behold. A climactic scene set in a hall of mirrors is a great example. Amazingly, cinematographer Dan Laustsen was able to shoot real people performing real stunts in this tiny enclosed space while keeping the cameras out of any reflections and making it look as good as it does. Oh, and shoot it in a way that’s easy to follow, which is the most impressive aspect.

So far, we’ve talked about what you’d expect from a John Wick film. What’s new? The side characters and large chunks of world-building. John is back in an environment he sought to escape. We caught a glimpse of it previously but now, writer Derek Kolstad gives us a good look. This world hiding in the shadows has its own politics, codes of conduct, currency, honor system and rules. Piecing how it all works is loads of fun because it makes so little sense it makes perfect sense. Countless assassins are hiding among us. The busker playing violin in the subway? They’re hiding a gun in their instrument and are ready to take someone out as soon as they get the call. Think that’s weird? Try wrapping your head around the secret society of killers disguised as vagrants! You have to believe these people spend most of their bullets taking each other out rather than high-ranking politicians who’ve made enemies, which actually makes the movie much more digestible than you’d expect. Like Sin City’s Marv said “I love hitmen. No matter what you do to them, you don't feel bad.” When these hired killers take each other out, they’re not people with jobs; they’re targets for John to take out. The secret society is so busy with itself that there's no room for police officers to respond or innocent civilians to get in the way/be taken hostage. Anyone and everyone has a gun hidden on their person. It’s so absurd it removes you from the weight of what all of these deaths would mean had this film been set in the real world.

John Wick: Chapter 2 (which is not going to be the last in the series) is not as surprising or fresh as the first but it makes up for it. Common, Ruby Rose, Laurence Fishburne and Claudia Gerini all play memorable characters with small but important roles. They join Lance Reddick, John Leguizamo and Ian McShane in the pool of actors who give the world a lot of personality. Once again, the fight scenes and gunplay are spectacular. It’s got more than a few brilliantly shot scenes, and its fast pace means the 122-minute running time flies by like nothing. If you liked the first, you'll want to see this one too. (March 26, 2022)

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kermodefan94-blog · 11 months

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John Wick: Chapter 4. Review.

Even as a big fan of this series. up to this point watching the newest and best entry thus far felt like. a major level up of everything this franchise does well and what has made it so desirable for imitation.

Full disclosure. This author is a confessed huge fan of the John Wick franchise. That said much as he would argue all the previous films are all great the two initial sequels are a little bit heavy only slightly obtuse lore of the assassins and Continental visitors coming after our monosyllabic antihero. Given the direction the franchise has been heading it was not surprising to hear on paper…

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#Bill Skarsgård #Chad Stahelski #Clancy Brown #Derek Kolstad #Donnie Yen #George Georgiou #Hiroyuki Sanada #Ian McShane #Keanu Reeves #Lance Reddick #Laurence Fishburne #Michael Finch #Rina Sawayama #Shay Hatten

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