Michael Shannon Movies
Distinguished character actor Michael Shannon essayed a diverse series of characterizations onscreen, beginning just after the start of the new millennium. A veteran member of Chicago's experimental Red Orchid theatrical troupe, Shannon specialized in small, multidimensional portrayals that added to the overall effectiveness of each project -- per his contributions to Vanilla Sky (2001), 8 Mile (2002), and Bad Boys II (2003). Whenever necessary, Shannon imperceptibly blended into the material at hand. He played a therapist in Nicole Kassell's psychodrama The Woodsman (2004), yet by virtue of his emotional intensity and eccentric look, Shannon evinced an ability to dominate with his onscreen presence, as well. Nowhere was this tendency more evident than in William Friedkin's psychological thriller Bug (2006). As adapted by Tracy Letts from his own stage play, the film concerns a shabby and skanky drifter (Shannon, reprising his role from the play) with a serious complex of delusional schizophrenia, who believes that bugs are crawling beneath his skin and enters a terrifying pas de deux with a young waitress (Ashley Judd). Shannon followed it up with a memorable contribution to Oliver Stone's World Trade Center -- as a military man desperate to help in any way possible during the 9/11 tragedy -- and Sidney Lumet's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007), a crime thriller about two brothers who team up to rob a jewelry store. Shannon grabbed his first taste of stardom with his breakout role as a mentally disturbed man in Sam Mendes' adaptation of Revolutionary Road. His truthful, menacing character cut through the main characters' self-deception, and Shannon's off-kilter delivery won him glowing notices from critics, as well as a nomination for Best Supporting Actor from the Academy. He worked steadily after that success appearing in The Greatest, Jonah Hex, and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. In 2010 he had a pair of critical successes that included his work as a repressed federal agent on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, and his portrayal of the eccentric rock entrepreneur Kim Fowler in The Runaways. In 2011 he again earned raves for his work a schizophrenic in Take Shelter. His intensity got him cast relatively often as bad guys, something he put to great effect in the 2012 action film Premium Rush and in the criminal biopic The Iceman. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi- 2013
- PG13
- Add Man of Steel to Queue
Superman flies back onto the big screen in this Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures production directed by Zack Snyder (Watchmen), produced by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), and featuring a screenplay by David Goyer (Blade, The Dark Knight). Born on the alien planet of Krypton, Kal-El is sent by his parents to live on planet Earth, where he is given the name Clark by kindly farmer Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) and his wife, Martha (Diane Lane), who raise him as if he were their own son. As a young boy,Clark displays incredible superpowers that instill him with a profound sense of personal responsibility. Later, the amiable Clark (Henry Cavill) becomes a reporter for the Metropolis newspaper "The Daily Planet," and strikes up a friendship with crackerjack journalist Lois Lane (Amy Adams). But when his new world is attacked by a force that humans are powerless to defend themselves against, Clark assumes the identity of Superman and fights to protect the entire human race. Academy Award-nominated actor Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road, Boardwalk Empire) co-stars as General Zod and Laurence Fishburne steps into the role of "Daily Planet" editor-in-chief Perry White. Russell Crowe and Christopher Meloni co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, (more)
James Franco writes, directs, produces, and stars in this biopic based on the life of celebrated American poet Hart Crane, and based on the book by author Paul Mariani. A man who used the English language like an artist uses a brush, Crane traveled the world in search of inspiration. But his passion burned too bright, setting the stage for a tragedy that would rob the poetry world of a vital and brilliant voice. Michael Shannon and Stacey Miller co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Franco, Michael Shannon, (more)
A former biker and drug dealer single-handedly takes on the nefarious Lord's Resistance Army in a noble bid to save young Sudanese refugees from a life of violence and suffering. Inspired by actual events, Marc Forster's Machine Gun Preacher stars Gerard Butler as Sam Childers, a tough-as-nails biker whose heart shatters upon witnessing the harrowing plight of children in Sudan. Determined that no child shall be enslaved by the brutal Lord's Resistance Army, Childers turns to God for inspiration, and establishes an orphanage for wounded kids and child soldiers. When the Lord's Resistance Army refuses to stand down, Childers organizes a militia to protect the children. In helping to give the orphans of war-torn Sudan a better future, the former outlaw begins to find new meaning in his own life as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan, (more)
A weary war veteran grows increasingly isolated after returning from her tour of duty, waging a valiant fight to stay connected to the people she loves in the town where she grew up in this earnest drama starring Linda Cardellini and Michael Shannon. Kelli (Cardellini) has just returned home from serving her country, and all she wants is to experience life the way it was before the war. But as her friends seek solace in the minutia of small town life and her children vie for her undivided attention, a chasm begins to open up between Kelli and her loving husband Mike (Shannon), who can't relate to her experiences on the battlefield. Now, as Kelli becomes a stranger to the very people she grew up with, her life begins to take a series of unexpected turns that leave her struggling to forge a new path into the future. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, (more)
13 Tzameti (2005) writer/director Géla Babluani gives his critically lauded thriller an English-language makeover in this remake featuring Mickey Rourke and Jason Statham. Handyman Vince Ferro (Sam Riley) is in a serious financial bind, and he decides to steal a mysterious envelope containing a lucrative job offer. Posing as the client he stole it from, Vince quickly finds himself participating in a bizarre game of Russian roulette in which degenerate gamblers wager on life and death. The rules are simple: Each participant loads a single bullet into a revolver, spins the chamber, and points it at another man's head. When the light bulb in the center of the room turns on, each contestant pulls the trigger. The players who survive live to play another round as the stakes get progressively higher. Should anyone attempt to escape, they're shot on sight. With a little luck, perhaps Vince can live through the game and collect a big-enough payout to solve all of his problems. Ray Winstone, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Michael Shannon, and Alexander Skarsgard co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sam Riley, Mickey Rourke, (more)
An Ohio family man experiences a series of disturbing visions that gradually begin to weigh on his marriage and community when he begins obsessively constructing a heavily fortified storm shelter. Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) has a good life. He lives in a beautiful house with his loving wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain), and their deaf six-year-old daughter, Hannah (Tova Stewart), but begins to sense that something ominous is on the horizon when the dark clouds of swelling storms begin invading his dreams. Taciturn, Curtis refuses to discuss the dreams with anyone, but feels compelled to dig out a massive storm shelter with the help of a good friend (Shea Whigham). Meanwhile, as Samantha grows increasingly concerned with Curtis' erratic behavior, the local rumor mill begins to churn. Are Curtis' dreams a prophetic omen of things to come, or is he perhaps headed down the same dark road as his mother, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when she was approximately the same age that he is now? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, (more)
1970s-era DC antihero Jonah Hex makes his way to the big screen as co-screenwriters Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank, Gamer) team to follow the disfigured gunslinger and part-time bounty hunter on his biggest adventure yet. Supernatural elements combine with Western aesthetics to take viewers on a wild and bloody ride, with Josh Brolin leading the way as Hex and John Malkovich stepping into the villainous role of Turnbull. Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who) directs. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, (more)
The story of the groundbreaking '70s female rock group the Runaways is recounted in this River Road Entertainment production focusing on the duo of guitarist/vocalist Joan Jett (portrayed by Twilight's Kristen Stewart) and lead vocalist/keyboardist Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) as they navigate a rocky road of touring and record label woes under the malevolent eye of abusive manager Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) during their teen years. Acclaimed video artist Floria Sigismondi directs from her own script, with Scout Taylor-Compton co-starring as guitarist Lita Ford. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, (more)
- 2010
Political boss Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi) runs Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition in this drama inspired by Nelson Johnson's non-fiction book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City. ~ Joe Friedrich, Rovi
- 2009
- R
- Add Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans to Queue Add Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans to top of Queue
Abel Ferrara's cult crime drama Bad Lieutenant is given a sister film with this Werner Herzog-helmed production that takes its inspiration from the original, but focuses on new characters and plotlines. Nicolas Cage steps into Harvey Keitel's mold of a corrupt and drug-addled police officer, with the scummy setting moving from New York City to New Orleans. Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, and Xzibit co-star in the Nu Image/Millennium Films picture. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, (more)
- 2009
- R
- Add My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done to Queue Add My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done to top of Queue
The first collaboration between legendary filmmakers David Lynch and Werner Herzog, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done is loosely based on the true story of a San Diego man whose mystifying experiences lead him to commit a shocking act of matricide. Michael Shannon, Chloë Sevigny, and Willem Dafoe headline this psychological thriller written and directed by Herzog, produced by Lynch, and featuring Grace Zabriskie, Udo Kier, and Brad Dourif. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Shannon, Chloë Sevigny, (more)
Tragedy opens the wounds a family has long struggled to ignore in this powerful emotional drama. Bennett Brewer (Aaron Johnson) was a bright, handsome, and talented young man who was suddenly killed in an auto accident late one night while driving home with Rose (Carey Mulligan), a girl who had been a close friend for years but had only recently become romantically involved with him. Bennett's death devastates his family: his mother, Grace (Susan Sarandon), is overcome with grief and can't stop wondering what his final minutes must have been like; father Allen (Pierce Brosnan) is forced to turn away from his mistress (Jennifer Ehle) and try to comfort a woman he's no longer certain he loves; and brother Ryan (Johnny Simmons) mourns Bennett while becoming painfully aware that he will never live up to his late brother's example in the eyes of his parents. As grief slowly brings the family's emotional troubles to the surface, two unwelcome characters come into the picture -- Rose, who has discovered she's pregnant with Bennett's child, and the truck driver (Michael Shannon) who unwittingly took Bennett's life. The first feature film from writer and director Shana Feste, The Greatest received its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, (more)
Titanic shipmates Kathy Bates, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kate Winslet step onboard for director Sam Mendes' tale of suburban malaise in 1950s-era Connecticut. Adapted from the classic 1961 novel by author Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road tells the tale of a young Connecticut couple whose once-idealistic relationship steadily deteriorates into a ceaseless cycle of petty jealousy and bickering as they strive to retain their independence in the conformity-obsessed world of picket fences and perfectly manicured lawns. Ever since they first met, Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) saw themselves as special and different. They strive to form their relationship around higher ideals, though upon moving into their new home on Revolutionary Road, the defiant couple pledges never to be confined by the social conventions of the era. As time passes, however, Frank and April gradually become the very thing that they both feared most -- a typical suburban family complete with abandoned dreams and faded hopes. Frank loses his nerve after taking a comfortable job with a reliable salary, and April morphs into an unsatisfied homemaker desperate for passion and excitement. But April's independent spirit hasn't been suffocated just yet, and when she hatches a plan to head for Paris, her need to escape at all costs stands in direct contrast to Frank's desire to hold on to what they already have. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, (more)
A sardonic, gin-soaked detective contends with an odd cast of characters while tailing a mysterious, middle-aged man traveling with a Mexican boy from Chicago to Los Angeles in writer/director Noah Buschel's twisting neo-noir mystery. John Rosow is a Chicago gumshoe whose skill for cracking a case often comes with a price; he has a penchant for getting in over his head, but he never loses his cool. Contacted by influential lawyer Drexler Hewitt and asked to shadow a man who is currently en route to Los Angeles with a young boy, Rosow collects his cash and instructions from Hewitt's gruff assistant, Miss Charley, and sets out on his latest assignment. Upon arriving in Santa Monica, however, Rosow is caught off guard when he learns that his objective has been updated. He is now to bring the man back to New York. For his efforts, Rosow will receive the tidy sum of half a million dollars. Later, as Rosow attempts to track down his target, a Segway-riding LAPD officer and a cab driver with extensive knowledge of the Catholic saints offer some helpful clues to the man's whereabouts as meddling FBI agents close in and a sensual femme fatale follows his every move. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Shannon, Frank Wood, (more)
- 2007
- R
- Add Before the Devil Knows You're Dead to Queue Add Before the Devil Knows You're Dead to top of Queue
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, and Marisa Tomei star in director Sidney Lumet's thriller concerning two brothers who hatch a plan to rob their parent's jewelry store. When the job goes awry, the entire family is set on a collision course with tragedy. Andy (Hoffman) is an overextended broker in desperate need of some cash. His brother, Hank (Hawke), isn't much better off, so when Andy hatches a plan to rob their parent's modest jewelry store, it seems like a foolproof way to make a quick buck. But Andy's trophy wife, Gina (Tomei), is secretly sleeping with libidinous younger brother Hank, and when the robbery proves a complete disaster it isn't long before loyalties start to shift. Now Andy and Hank's father, Charles (Finney), is determined to make the unidentified robbers pay for their crime. What's a father to do when he discovers that the ones he loves have become his worst enemies? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, (more)
Two families linked by the same father explode into a violent rivalry in this independent Southern gothic drama, the first feature from director Jeff Nichols. Cleaman Hayes lived and died in Little Rock, AR, where he had seven sons by two different women. After wedding Nicole (Natalie Canerday), Cleaman sired three sons, and his lack of concern for their future was reflected in the fact he barely gave them names -- they were dubbed Son (Michael Shannon), Kid (Barlow Jacobs) and Boy (Douglas Ligon). One day, Cleaman abandoned his wife and sons, and left them to survive in deep poverty that has trapped them to this day. Eventually Cleaman cleaned up his act, launched a successful business, married again, and raised four more sons -- Cleaman Jr. (Michael Abbott, Jr.), Mark (Travis Smith), Stephen (Lynsee Provence) and John (David Rhodes), all of whom were given the love and attention Cleaman denied his first three children. When Cleaman dies, all seven sons attend the funeral, and Son, overcome by bitterness, spits on his father's coffin and tells everyone how much he hated the man. Short tempered Mark answers Son with his fists, and a free-for-all breaks out between the two Hayes families. The anger and rivalry doesn't end at the end of the day, and soon a war has broken out between the clans, with no small amount of blood shed on either side. Shotgun Stories received its North American premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Shannon, Douglas Ligon, (more)
- 2007
Writer-director Adam Rapp's gritty urban romance Blackbird unfolds in mid-1990s Manhattan. The picture dramatizes the ill-fated courtship between two melancholic heroin addicts - Gulf War veteran Bayliss (Paul Sparks) and ex-stripper Froggy (Gillian Jacobs) - as they fall in love and battle magnetizing addictions. The possibility of redemption waxes strong from time to time, with hope for some semblance of a "normal life" lingering quietly in the background, but Bayliss and Froggy never quite seem to find the strength and control to pull everything together. And in the end, they join one another on a downward spiral that leads inexorably toward mutual self-destruction. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Sparks, Gillian Jacobs, (more)
A professional poker player whose astounding luck at the table fails to translate into his lonesome love life attempts to win the World Series of Poker while simultaneously earning the affections of a beautiful Las Vegas singer in a high-stakes emotional drama from L.A. Confidential director Curtis Hanson and Munich screenwriter Eric Roth. When his personal problems threaten to distract him from what could be his biggest win ever, seasoned poker pro Huck Cheever (Eric Bana) finds comfort in the company of singer Billie Offer (Drew Barrymore). Upon preparing for the biggest card game in the country, however, Huck soon realizes that his problems have only just begun when he finds that his opponent at the table will be none other than his estranged father, L.C. (Robert Duvall), a poker legend whose mythical reputation makes him a more than worthy opponent for his troubled son. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, (more)
Director Oliver Stone once again offers a powerful and provocative story based on real-life events in this drama. Sargeant John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) and William J. Jimeno (Michael Pena) were two officers assigned to New York City's Port Authority who were working their beats on a quiet day in early fall when they received an emergency call. The day was September 11, 2001, and McLoughlin and Jimeno were among the policemen who attempted to evacuate the World Trade Center towers after they were struck by airliners piloted by terrorists. Both McLoughlin and Jimeno were inside the fifth building of the World Trade Center when the towers fell, and were two of the last people found alive amidst the wreckage. As McLoughlin and Jimeno struggled to hold on to their lives as rescuers sifted through the rubble, their spouses -- Donna McLoughlin (Maria Bello) and Allison Jimeno (Maggie Gyllenhaal) -- clung to the desperate hope that their husbands would survive and be found. As the McLoughlin and Jimeno families waited for word on the fate of the two men, they watched as a city and a nation came together with strength and compassion in the face of a tragedy. World Trade Center was based on the true story of John McLoughlin and William J. Jimeno, both of whom cooperated with producers in the making of this film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Michael Peña, (more)
Academy Award-winning Exorcist director William Friedkin scuttles deep into the darkest recesses of the traumatized human psyche with this tale of a lonely bartender haunted by the long-ago disappearance of her young son, and the paranoia that emerges when she enters into a tentative relationship with a deeply disturbed drifter. Adapted from the off-Broadway play by Tracy Letts, Bug centers on Agnes (Ashley Judd), who tends bar alongside pal R.C. (Lynn Collins), and has recently moved into a shoddy roadside motel in hopes of avoiding her menacing and recently paroled ex-husband, Jerry (Harry Connick Jr.). Upon making the acquaintance of subdued former soldier Peter (Michael Shannon, repeating his stage role), a veteran of the first Gulf War, Agnes finally senses that things are looking up. Quietly charming despite his melancholy aura, Peter soon reveals to Agnes that he contracted a "bug" while serving in the Middle East, and that it may have been deliberately administered as part of a secret military medical experiment. Convinced that the microscopic insects are quickly multiplying just under the surface of his skin and that they have now infected Agnes as well, Peter soon descends into a psychotic rage as he resorts to increasingly desperate measures to purge himself of the offending subdermal arthropods. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, (more)
Bob Odenkirk's jail comedy Let's Go to Prison!, stars Will Arnett as Nelson Biederman IV, the son of a judge who ends up being sentenced to serve time in Rossmore State Penitentiary. During one of his rare stints out of incarceration, career criminal John Lyshitski (Dax Shepard) learns of the conviction. John holds a grudge against Nelson's father and decides to get his revenge by going back to jail and making Nelson's stay there as horrible as possible. Chi McBride co-stars as a fellow inmate. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dax Shepard, Will Arnett, (more)
- 2006
A woman discovers she has miraculous powers that make her unhappy life all the more complicated in this independent satiric comedy. Gwen (Martha Plimpton) is a woman in her mid-thirties who has been in a deep funk ever since her marriage fell apart. With nowhere to go, Gwen is living with her sister, Queenie (Amy Ryan), and brother-in-law, Lars (Ewen Bremner), and Queenie tries to lift her sister's sagging spirits by setting her up on a blind date. The date doesn't go well, but when her would-be suitor is unable to get his car started, Gwen discovers to her surprise that she can repair the auto with her psychic powers. Word gets around about Gwen's unusual talent, and soon neighbors are lining up to let Gwen fix old appliances with her mind, while Lars makes a fast buck charging folks for the privilege. But when it's discovered Gwen's talents don't stop at repairing toasters, Queenie and Lars launch her on a career as a faith healer. Queenie soon installs herself as Gwen's public sidekick and mouthpiece, while they hire Laura (Annabella Sciorra) to manage Gwen's growing public profile. But Gwen is no happier as a famous psychic and faith healer that she was immediately after her divorce, and she increasingly seeks solace in alcohol. "Marvelous" was screened in competition at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martha Plimpton, Amy Ryan, (more)
- 2005
Following up an anonymous tip, Detective Benson (Mariska Hargitay) finds the remains of Jeffrey Ronson, a seven-year-old who vanished in 1980. Subsequent clues suggest that Jeffrey was raped and murdered by Lucas Biggs (John Savage), an ex-ballplayer currently awaiting execution for a string of similar crimes. Problem is, though Biggs has vivid memories of all his victims, he has absolutely no recollection of Jeffrey. As the case progresses, Benson and her boss Captain Cragen (Dann Florek) begin to suspect that the tip to Jeffrey's whereabouts was somehow planted by Biggs as a means of delaying execution--but then another murder neatly explodes this theory. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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