Travis Simpkins: Sharon Stone

Showing posts with label Sharon Stone. Show all posts

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Basic Instinct 2 (2006): Sharon Stone

Directed by Michael Caton-Jones, Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction (2006) is a sequel to the smash erotic Neo-Noir 1992 hit, Basic Instinct. The story, which has Sharon Stone reprising her character as Catherine Tramell in a sex-crazed and murderous London romp, went through many difficult changes and developments over the years before finally coming to fruition. The film is more tame than it's 1992 predecessor. Sharon Stone, who was 48 at the time of filming, still looks ravishingly good. The supporting cast is good as well, including David Morrissey, David Thewlis, Flora Montgomery and Charlotte Rampling.

Basic Instinct 2. 2006: Sharon Stone

"Basic Instinct 2"- movie trailer

Basic Instinct (1992): Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone

Although infamous for it's explicit scenes, Basic Instinct (1992) has other powerful aspects that carry the film far above and beyond the hype. Directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, the film has many ties to film noir, the most obvious being the flawed detective and the seductive femme fatale. It is a memorable film and still seems current 20 years later.

A retired Rock and Roll star is found murdered, stabbed with an ice pick during sex. Detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) and his partner are on the case. The Rocker's girlfriend is the natural suspect, having been the last one seen with him. Following the address, Nick finds Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a wealthy heiress and author...

Basic Instinct. 1992: Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone

Tramell's last novel being about a retired Rock and Roll star being murdered with an ice pick in bed further implicates her, but also creates an alibi. Confusion as to whether or not she committed the crime ensues...

Basic Instinct. 1992: Sharon Stone

Meanwhile she is writing a new book about a detective and begins playing mind games with Nick...

Basic Instinct. 1992: Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone

Basic Instinct. 1992: Sharon Stone

Forced to play along and concede to her seductions and advances, Nick engages in a wild affair with Catherine, despite the fact that people around him are turning up dead...

Basic Instinct. 1992: Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone

Catherine challenges him emotionally, physically and professionally... Is Catherine a murderer? Or just a sex-crazed woman out to mess with men's heads?

Basic Instinct. 1992: Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone

Basic Instinct. 1992: Sharon Stone

Basic Instinct. 1992: Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone

Friday, December 28, 2018

Catwoman (2004): Halle Berry

After winning the Best Actress Academy Award for her amazing performance in Monster's Ball (2001), Halle Berry pretty much had her pick of roles. In what some consider a disastrous career move, she chose Catwoman (2004), a poorly received movie based on the DC Comics character. The film is often listed amongst the "worst movies ever made", but that isn't an entirely fair judgment. Catwoman is not nearly as bad a film as it is made out to be. It has some interesting story elements, particularly the anti-aging beauty company parts, likely inspired by Roger Corman's 1953 B Movie, The Wasp Woman. All in all, the major failures of Catwoman are two in number: 1) Bad casting. Halle Berry is a good actress, but her personality was not even remotely suited to the role. 2) Overuse of bad CGI effects. They should've kept it simple, but couldn't resist using computer generated effects (poorly), giving some scenes the unpolished look of a video game. .

Patience Phillips (Halle Berry) is a graphic designer at a cosmetics company...

Catwoman: Halle Berry

When she learns the secret behind the company's new anti-aging cream (that it is hazardous, addictive and potentially fatal), her boss, the company's co-owner and spokesmodel (Sharon Stone), has her killed. Some friendly felines, and one Egyptian cat in particular, breathe new life into Patience's body...

Catwoman: Halle Berry

She is born again as Catwoman...

Catwoman: Halle Berry

She stops burglars... and seeks revenge...

Catwoman: Halle Berry

Catwoman: Sharon Stone and Halle Berry

Catwoman: Halle Berry

Catwoman: Sharon Stone and Halle Berry

Catwoman: Halle Berry

Catwoman: Sharon Stone

Catwoman: Halle Berry

all this culminating with a showdown with her nemesis, the woman who killed her...

Catwoman: Sharon Stone and Halle Berry

Catwoman: Halle Berry

Sunday, September 2, 2018

Stardust Memories (1980): Woody Allen, Charlotte Rampling and Sharon Stone

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Stardust Memories (1980) is amongst the few films that Allen himself considers to be his best work. With intermixed drama and comedy, the plot concerns a filmmaker who reminisces about past romances while attending a retrospective of his own work. Many elements of the film mirror Woody Allen's own feelings at the time, as his career progressed. The black and white cinematography is beautiful and the cast is great, including Woody Allen, Charlotte Rampling, Tony Roberts, Jessica Harper, Marie-Christine Barrault and Sharon Stone in a brief early role (as a smiling girl on a train).