“Criminal
Activities” opens this November 25 January 20 from OctoArts Films International.
Click here for the movie’s trailer:.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Pioneer Films: NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN EXTREME ACTION STUNTS IN “POINT BREAK” – DECEMBER 3 IN CINEMAS
Inspired by the classic 1991 hit movie of the same title then starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, 2015’s “Point Break” pushes the boundaries in the action genre with its most daring athleticism ever done in a motion picture.
Directed by Ericson Core who also worked on highly successful action thrilling films such as “The Fast and the Furious,” “Invincible” and “Payback,” this year’s “Point Break” stars Luke Bracey who stars as young FBI agent Johnny Utah who infiltrates a cunning team of thrill-seeking elite athletes – led by the charismatic Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez). The athletes are suspected of carrying out a spate of crimes in extremely unusual ways. Deep undercover, and with his life in imminent danger, Utah strives to prove they are the architects of this string of inconceivable crimes.
“Point Break” also stars Édgar Ramírez (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “Carlos the Jackal”) as Bodhi, along with Teresa Palmer (“Warm Bodies”), Delroy Lindo (“Sahara,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds”), and Ray Winstone (“Noah,” “The Departed”).
Director Core brings forth a unique first-of-its-kind thrilling edge in “Point Break” with its action adventure feats that are performed by elite athletes representing the world’s best in class in big-wave surfing, wingsuit flying, sheer-face snowboarding, free rock climbing, and high-speed motorcycling. Joining the actors in the movie are renowned extreme athletes performing stunts in the film include surfers Laird Hamilton, Sebastian Zietz, Makua Rothman, Billy Kemper, Brian Keaulana, Ahanu Tson-dru, Ian Walsh, Laurie Towner, Dylan Longbottom, Albee Layer, Bruce Irons, Tikanui Smith and Tuhiti Humani; snowboarders Xavier De Le Rue, Louis Vito, Christian Haller, Lucas DeBari and Ralph Backstrom; skateboarders Bob Burnquist and Eric Koston; motorcyclists Riley Harper and Oakley Lehman; wingsuit stunt pilots Jon Devore, Julian Boulle, Noah Bahnson, Jhonathan Florez and Mike Swanson, and consultant Jeb Corliss; and free climber Chris Sharma, among others.
Extreme action explodes when “Point Break” opens in cinemas nationwide December 3, Thursday from Pioneer Films.
Check out the film’s trailer here: http://pelikulangayon.blogspot.com/2015/11/Pioneer-Films-point-break-youtube.html
Directed by Ericson Core who also worked on highly successful action thrilling films such as “The Fast and the Furious,” “Invincible” and “Payback,” this year’s “Point Break” stars Luke Bracey who stars as young FBI agent Johnny Utah who infiltrates a cunning team of thrill-seeking elite athletes – led by the charismatic Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez). The athletes are suspected of carrying out a spate of crimes in extremely unusual ways. Deep undercover, and with his life in imminent danger, Utah strives to prove they are the architects of this string of inconceivable crimes.
“Point Break” also stars Édgar Ramírez (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “Carlos the Jackal”) as Bodhi, along with Teresa Palmer (“Warm Bodies”), Delroy Lindo (“Sahara,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds”), and Ray Winstone (“Noah,” “The Departed”).
Director Core brings forth a unique first-of-its-kind thrilling edge in “Point Break” with its action adventure feats that are performed by elite athletes representing the world’s best in class in big-wave surfing, wingsuit flying, sheer-face snowboarding, free rock climbing, and high-speed motorcycling. Joining the actors in the movie are renowned extreme athletes performing stunts in the film include surfers Laird Hamilton, Sebastian Zietz, Makua Rothman, Billy Kemper, Brian Keaulana, Ahanu Tson-dru, Ian Walsh, Laurie Towner, Dylan Longbottom, Albee Layer, Bruce Irons, Tikanui Smith and Tuhiti Humani; snowboarders Xavier De Le Rue, Louis Vito, Christian Haller, Lucas DeBari and Ralph Backstrom; skateboarders Bob Burnquist and Eric Koston; motorcyclists Riley Harper and Oakley Lehman; wingsuit stunt pilots Jon Devore, Julian Boulle, Noah Bahnson, Jhonathan Florez and Mike Swanson, and consultant Jeb Corliss; and free climber Chris Sharma, among others.
Extreme action explodes when “Point Break” opens in cinemas nationwide December 3, Thursday from Pioneer Films.
Check out the film’s trailer here: http://pelikulangayon.blogspot.com/2015/11/Pioneer-Films-point-break-youtube.html
POINT BREAK trailer (2015) on Youtube.
Extreme action explodes when “Point Break” opens in cinemas nationwide December 3, Thursday
from Pioneer Films.
OctoArts Films International: YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED AGAINST MOBSTERS IN “CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES” [R16]
Four young men is pitted against a mob boss and a string of syndicates when one of them gets hitched with money trouble involving a ruthless mobster who wants his money back immediately in the witty heist thriller “Criminal Activities.”
John Travolta stars along with Dan Stevens, Michael Pitt, Christopher Abbott, Rob Brown and Edi Gathegi. Directed by Academy Award nominee actor Jackie Earle Haley known for his roles in “Watchmen,” “Breaking Away” and “Little Children,” “Criminal Activities” is his directorial debut from a script by Robert Lowell.
Haley’s directorial debut was inspired way back during “The Bad News Bears” when he had always wanted to direct, from then, he has paid attention to each and every detail of the movie set he’s in. “I think I knew camera geography by the time I was 12 or 13. I remember when I was 11, and my parents were completely aware of this, and they bought me a Super 8 MM, that’s film, not video, camera along with a little plastic editor and projector. And this was back when you had to like, you know, film was on a reel, and you had to splice it with scissors, and you had to glue the stuff together,” Haley admits.
Fast forward to recent years, Wayne Rice, a very prolific producer whose lineup of films also include “Valentine’s Day” and “New Year’s Eve” offered Haley his directorial debut gig after reading the script of “Criminal Activities.” Being a first-time director, Haley admits that it was an odd experience at first. “ But I think when you combine that experience with the knowledge of the fact that I’ve acted in so many movies, and have attacked so many scenes as an actor with other actors, with a director, that I think those two skills dovetailed together so that it really just felt like I’d done this before. I think the real trick in directing is really casting the right people to begin with. Because if you get the right people, who understand their character, understand the story, and they’re good at what they do – it wasn’t hard to keep them on track with the story because they were all just so good. It’s a matter of letting them go, letting them do their thing, guiding them where you want to push them a little bit in a direction. When you get the right cast, magic just happens, and you do several takes, and you’ve got several choices, so when you get into the editing room, you’re really able to craft some really good shit, because everybody dished it up for you on the day.”
“Criminal Activities” opens thisNovember 25 January 20 from OctoArts Films International. Click here for the movie’s trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf2aD9It3BM
John Travolta stars along with Dan Stevens, Michael Pitt, Christopher Abbott, Rob Brown and Edi Gathegi. Directed by Academy Award nominee actor Jackie Earle Haley known for his roles in “Watchmen,” “Breaking Away” and “Little Children,” “Criminal Activities” is his directorial debut from a script by Robert Lowell.
Haley’s directorial debut was inspired way back during “The Bad News Bears” when he had always wanted to direct, from then, he has paid attention to each and every detail of the movie set he’s in. “I think I knew camera geography by the time I was 12 or 13. I remember when I was 11, and my parents were completely aware of this, and they bought me a Super 8 MM, that’s film, not video, camera along with a little plastic editor and projector. And this was back when you had to like, you know, film was on a reel, and you had to splice it with scissors, and you had to glue the stuff together,” Haley admits.
Fast forward to recent years, Wayne Rice, a very prolific producer whose lineup of films also include “Valentine’s Day” and “New Year’s Eve” offered Haley his directorial debut gig after reading the script of “Criminal Activities.” Being a first-time director, Haley admits that it was an odd experience at first. “ But I think when you combine that experience with the knowledge of the fact that I’ve acted in so many movies, and have attacked so many scenes as an actor with other actors, with a director, that I think those two skills dovetailed together so that it really just felt like I’d done this before. I think the real trick in directing is really casting the right people to begin with. Because if you get the right people, who understand their character, understand the story, and they’re good at what they do – it wasn’t hard to keep them on track with the story because they were all just so good. It’s a matter of letting them go, letting them do their thing, guiding them where you want to push them a little bit in a direction. When you get the right cast, magic just happens, and you do several takes, and you’ve got several choices, so when you get into the editing room, you’re really able to craft some really good shit, because everybody dished it up for you on the day.”
“Criminal Activities” opens this
Pioneer Films: JOSH HUTCHERSON’S CLOSING MOMENTS IN THE FINAL CHAPTER OF “THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2”
The final chapter of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” brings the film’s expansive cast together one last time, with a team headed by Jennifer Lawrence and including Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Mahershala Ali and Natalie Dormer. The lineup for Mockingjay – Part 2 also includes Wes Chatham (Castor), Elden Henson (Pollux), Patina Miller (Commander Baylor), Evan Ross (Messalla), , Gwendoline Christie (Commander Lyme), and Stef Dawson (Annie Cresta).
In “Mockingjay – Part 2,” Peeta Mellark – the former victor who was to marry Katniss in a Capitol spectacle – is still in a haunting, dangerous fugue state after being brainwashed by President Snow during his captivity. Though his body has been freed, his mind struggles against nightmarish, instilled thoughts to kill Katniss, the very same person he once most trusted in the world.
Hutcherson sums up where the film finds Peeta: “Peeta’s going through a kind of rehabilitation process, trying to get back to his old self. He’s being held in District 13, but he’s still violently psychotic and his recovery is clearly going to be a very long, hard road. He has moments of clarity but he kind of goes in and out. With all these memories that were implanted in his mind by the Capitol, he has to constantly try to decipher what is real and what has been fed to him – and he has to rely on his peers to help him find that truth.”
For Hutcherson, the film required a 180 from how he normally approaches the character. “Peeta’s always been known as being the down-to-earth, grounded, honest guy. But now he’s out of his mind, I had to turn that inside out,” he says. “It shows a lot about the real feelings that Katniss has for Peeta that she still fights for him and believes in him even in this state.”
When Peeta is sent by President Coin to join Squad 451 – consisting of Katniss, Gale, Finnick, Boggs, Cressida, Messalla, Castor and Pollux – it endangers everyone, but helps Katniss break through to him. “Really, he should not be in this environment,” Hutcherson admits. “It has tons of triggers that could cause him to explode and, and lose control again, which actually happens multiple times.”
Throughout, Peeta’s true feelings for Katniss keep surfacing in ways that keep him bonded to her at an unspoken level. For Hutcherson finding those breakthrough moments with Jennifer Lawrence after the three previous films came organically. “Jennifer has this quiet strength about her,” he says. “A lot of people might have tried to play up the rebellious side of Katniss, but Jennifer saw from the start that’s not who Katniss is. Jen has played Katniss’ reluctance and groundedness so well, it always feels very real to me. It’s one of the reasons why I think Peeta connects with her and why so many people have connected with The Hunger Games.”
As for how Peeta has evolved since he first left to represent District 12 in The Hunger Games, Hutcherson concludes, “Peeta always had a very realistic view of what was happening around him. He’s more haunted now from having experienced The Hunger Games first-hand, and from witnessing the destruction that Snow’s dictatorship can cause. But deep within, his mentality has always been you have to not let yourself be a piece in the game; you have to try to be yourself even as you fight to survive. That’s still what he would say to this day.”
Like Jennifer Lawrence, Hutcherson says he will miss his character, but he will take a lot from the long and rich experience of playing Peeta. “I definitely will take away great friendships and memories from The Hunger Games,” he says. “I also hope I take away some of Peeta’s values. When you do a project like this, people can get certain ideas about who you should be – and Peeta is a reminder that it’s best to kind of break those expectations and simply be true to yourself.”
Hutcherson sums up where the film finds Peeta: “Peeta’s going through a kind of rehabilitation process, trying to get back to his old self. He’s being held in District 13, but he’s still violently psychotic and his recovery is clearly going to be a very long, hard road. He has moments of clarity but he kind of goes in and out. With all these memories that were implanted in his mind by the Capitol, he has to constantly try to decipher what is real and what has been fed to him – and he has to rely on his peers to help him find that truth.”
For Hutcherson, the film required a 180 from how he normally approaches the character. “Peeta’s always been known as being the down-to-earth, grounded, honest guy. But now he’s out of his mind, I had to turn that inside out,” he says. “It shows a lot about the real feelings that Katniss has for Peeta that she still fights for him and believes in him even in this state.”
When Peeta is sent by President Coin to join Squad 451 – consisting of Katniss, Gale, Finnick, Boggs, Cressida, Messalla, Castor and Pollux – it endangers everyone, but helps Katniss break through to him. “Really, he should not be in this environment,” Hutcherson admits. “It has tons of triggers that could cause him to explode and, and lose control again, which actually happens multiple times.”
Throughout, Peeta’s true feelings for Katniss keep surfacing in ways that keep him bonded to her at an unspoken level. For Hutcherson finding those breakthrough moments with Jennifer Lawrence after the three previous films came organically. “Jennifer has this quiet strength about her,” he says. “A lot of people might have tried to play up the rebellious side of Katniss, but Jennifer saw from the start that’s not who Katniss is. Jen has played Katniss’ reluctance and groundedness so well, it always feels very real to me. It’s one of the reasons why I think Peeta connects with her and why so many people have connected with The Hunger Games.”
As for how Peeta has evolved since he first left to represent District 12 in The Hunger Games, Hutcherson concludes, “Peeta always had a very realistic view of what was happening around him. He’s more haunted now from having experienced The Hunger Games first-hand, and from witnessing the destruction that Snow’s dictatorship can cause. But deep within, his mentality has always been you have to not let yourself be a piece in the game; you have to try to be yourself even as you fight to survive. That’s still what he would say to this day.”
Like Jennifer Lawrence, Hutcherson says he will miss his character, but he will take a lot from the long and rich experience of playing Peeta. “I definitely will take away great friendships and memories from The Hunger Games,” he says. “I also hope I take away some of Peeta’s values. When you do a project like this, people can get certain ideas about who you should be – and Peeta is a reminder that it’s best to kind of break those expectations and simply be true to yourself.”
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part -2” opens November 18 in cinemas from Pioneer Films.
Now Showing: Point Break from Pioneer Films [PG]
Extreme action
explodes when “Point Break” opens in cinemas nationwide December 3, Thursday
from Pioneer Films.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Pioneer Films: JENNIFER LAWRENCE HEADS FULL SCALE WAR AND ACTION, DONS KATNISS FOR THE LAST TIME IN “THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 2”
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” brings the global motion picture phenomenon to its thrilling and emotionally powerful last chapter as the stakes for Katniss Everdeen escalate from surviving the most deadly games ever devised to setting the course of the future.
Now, in the final chapter of The Hunger Games, with all the Districts united against the Capitol for the first time, tomorrow itself is on the line. For Katniss to truly be herself, she realizes she must now fully take on the indomitable Mockingjay spirit in a last stand to set things right.
Says director Francis Lawrence: “In this film, Katniss takes the action back into her own hands and goes after Snow personally. The movie really opens up as we go deep into the streets of the Capitol, coming full circle from Katniss’s journey there in the first film. There’s more action, more scope, more emotion and most of all, this film brings the story to its moving conclusion.”
“This is the chapter when Katniss really starts to believe in the impact that she can have,” Lawrence comments. “She’s always been so reluctant and has always found herself in situations where all she can do is try to survive, but now she’s turning the tables. I was excited for her to finally take her place as a leader. At the end of Mockingjay – Part 1, she was kind of numb, and genuinely unsure if she wanted to go on. In Mockingjay – Part 2 she starts seeing the bigger picture. She’s looking beyond her own personal losses and gains to focus on making a better future.”
Now, Katniss’s concerns are being channeled directly into action – taking the character for the first time into all-out combat beyond the controlled confines of an arena. Raising the stakes, Katniss’s little sister Prim, long her motivation to fight against the Capitol, is now a medic in the battle zone.
“The action scenes in Mockingjay – Part 2 are incredible,” Jennifer says. “Some of it was difficult – shooting in wet tunnels, in and out of the water and doing fight choreography with 20 pounds of waterlogged gear – but it was totally worth it because it is going to look fantastically real for audiences.”
It all brings Katniss to the denouement of her world-changing tale. Concluding the series is bittersweet for Jennifer Lawrence, but she is intrigued to leave Katniss at the most promising juncture of her life. “She’s started to see the beauty in humanity in this film,” Jennifer observes. “In the beginning she had a short view of the way things are because of her upbringing. She did not have much hope then, and she felt alone for a lot of her life. During everything that has happened – in the Games, in District 13, in the Capitol at the end of this story – she found herself more and more connected to people.”
Jennifer has tremendous gratitude for being granted the chance to embody Katniss. “I have loved being a part of a film that sparks some really cool conversations,” she concludes. “It’s been an incredible chapter in my life, and the way the films have resonated with people has been amazing.”
One last time, join the revolution this November 18 when “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” invades cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.
Now, in the final chapter of The Hunger Games, with all the Districts united against the Capitol for the first time, tomorrow itself is on the line. For Katniss to truly be herself, she realizes she must now fully take on the indomitable Mockingjay spirit in a last stand to set things right.
Says director Francis Lawrence: “In this film, Katniss takes the action back into her own hands and goes after Snow personally. The movie really opens up as we go deep into the streets of the Capitol, coming full circle from Katniss’s journey there in the first film. There’s more action, more scope, more emotion and most of all, this film brings the story to its moving conclusion.”
“This is the chapter when Katniss really starts to believe in the impact that she can have,” Lawrence comments. “She’s always been so reluctant and has always found herself in situations where all she can do is try to survive, but now she’s turning the tables. I was excited for her to finally take her place as a leader. At the end of Mockingjay – Part 1, she was kind of numb, and genuinely unsure if she wanted to go on. In Mockingjay – Part 2 she starts seeing the bigger picture. She’s looking beyond her own personal losses and gains to focus on making a better future.”
Now, Katniss’s concerns are being channeled directly into action – taking the character for the first time into all-out combat beyond the controlled confines of an arena. Raising the stakes, Katniss’s little sister Prim, long her motivation to fight against the Capitol, is now a medic in the battle zone.
“The action scenes in Mockingjay – Part 2 are incredible,” Jennifer says. “Some of it was difficult – shooting in wet tunnels, in and out of the water and doing fight choreography with 20 pounds of waterlogged gear – but it was totally worth it because it is going to look fantastically real for audiences.”
It all brings Katniss to the denouement of her world-changing tale. Concluding the series is bittersweet for Jennifer Lawrence, but she is intrigued to leave Katniss at the most promising juncture of her life. “She’s started to see the beauty in humanity in this film,” Jennifer observes. “In the beginning she had a short view of the way things are because of her upbringing. She did not have much hope then, and she felt alone for a lot of her life. During everything that has happened – in the Games, in District 13, in the Capitol at the end of this story – she found herself more and more connected to people.”
Jennifer has tremendous gratitude for being granted the chance to embody Katniss. “I have loved being a part of a film that sparks some really cool conversations,” she concludes. “It’s been an incredible chapter in my life, and the way the films have resonated with people has been amazing.”
One last time, join the revolution this November 18 when “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” invades cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.
20th Century Fox: JAMES MCAVOY REVERSES DEATH, CHALLENGES DESTINY IN “VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN”
James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe star in VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, a dynamic and thrilling twist on a legendary tale. Radical scientist Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) and his equally brilliant protégé Igor Strausman (Radcliffe) share a noble vision of aiding humanity through their groundbreaking research into immortality. But Victor’s experiments go too far, and his obsession has horrifying consequences. Only Igor can bring his friend back from the brink of madness and save him from his monstrous creation.
The production made creative use of the storms for one of the film’s iconic scenes, the creation of the monster, and for its most impressive set: the interior of the castle and laboratory, where Victor brings his “experiment” to life.
While inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel and the countless interpretations of that story, screenwriter Max Landis’ “regeneration” focuses on Victor and his best friend and assistant Igor. In fact, it’s the first story to be told largely from Igor’s perspective.
Fun and dangerous, yes, but he’s also, brilliant, obsessed – and a sociopath. As Victor walks a fine light between lightness and darkness, and between life and death, only Igor can keep him from a descent into madness from which there’ll be no return. “Victor Frankenstein” is also, notes James McAvoy, a love letter to the myriad films featuring those characters and themes. “This film has many of the familiar elements you expect to see in a Frankenstein movie, but adds unexpected dimensions of character, relationships and entertainment.”
“Victor and Igor are at the forefront of scientific and medical research,” notes McAvoy. “But just because they can cheat death, should they do it? “I think Victor’s intentions are good,” he continues. “He’s looking to improve the human condition, which is very fragile. Victor is trying to make it more robust and, ideally, eliminate death, which has been a human obsession for ages.”
To McAvoy, a character with such world-changing ambitions would not be a lab rat holding course at a chalkboard. He’d be nothing less than a force of nature. “Victor just doesn’t stop moving. He’s a creator of machines, as well as of a man, plus a skilled engineer and an accomplished surgeon.”
“Every time Daniel and I had a scene together, we’d ask each other, ‘How physical and dangerous-looking can we make this? Come on, man!,’” says McAvoy. “We are similar in energy levels and physical ability, so we just kind of went at each other, 12 hours each day. Adds Radcliffe: “James is a bold actor and really hits the ground running in an exciting way. That enabled us to make some interesting choices together.”
McAvoy relates that, “Whenever somebody asked me what I was doing at the moment (during production of “Victor Frankenstein”), I would say, I’m playing Frankenstein, and they’d reply, ‘You’re a little short to be playing the monster.’ And I’d correct them and say, ‘No, no, it’s the doctor.’ So, yeah, we’re giving the name back to Dr. Vic.”
A pivotal moment for both Victor and Igor is an early scene where Victor straightens Igor’s hunchback, which McGuigan says is “a metaphor for the entire movie.” Having rescued Igor from a London circus, Victor takes him to his flat and within minutes throws Igor against the wall and produces a massive syringe with which he performs a lightning-fast medical procedure on his new “patient.” Moments later, Igor’s hunchback is corrected. “If you think you knew Victor, the first few minutes of the film will prove you don’t,” says McGuigan. “He’s dangerous and fun to watch.”
“Victor Frankenstein” arrives in theatres this November 25 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
The production made creative use of the storms for one of the film’s iconic scenes, the creation of the monster, and for its most impressive set: the interior of the castle and laboratory, where Victor brings his “experiment” to life.
While inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel and the countless interpretations of that story, screenwriter Max Landis’ “regeneration” focuses on Victor and his best friend and assistant Igor. In fact, it’s the first story to be told largely from Igor’s perspective.
Fun and dangerous, yes, but he’s also, brilliant, obsessed – and a sociopath. As Victor walks a fine light between lightness and darkness, and between life and death, only Igor can keep him from a descent into madness from which there’ll be no return. “Victor Frankenstein” is also, notes James McAvoy, a love letter to the myriad films featuring those characters and themes. “This film has many of the familiar elements you expect to see in a Frankenstein movie, but adds unexpected dimensions of character, relationships and entertainment.”
“Victor and Igor are at the forefront of scientific and medical research,” notes McAvoy. “But just because they can cheat death, should they do it? “I think Victor’s intentions are good,” he continues. “He’s looking to improve the human condition, which is very fragile. Victor is trying to make it more robust and, ideally, eliminate death, which has been a human obsession for ages.”
To McAvoy, a character with such world-changing ambitions would not be a lab rat holding course at a chalkboard. He’d be nothing less than a force of nature. “Victor just doesn’t stop moving. He’s a creator of machines, as well as of a man, plus a skilled engineer and an accomplished surgeon.”
“Every time Daniel and I had a scene together, we’d ask each other, ‘How physical and dangerous-looking can we make this? Come on, man!,’” says McAvoy. “We are similar in energy levels and physical ability, so we just kind of went at each other, 12 hours each day. Adds Radcliffe: “James is a bold actor and really hits the ground running in an exciting way. That enabled us to make some interesting choices together.”
McAvoy relates that, “Whenever somebody asked me what I was doing at the moment (during production of “Victor Frankenstein”), I would say, I’m playing Frankenstein, and they’d reply, ‘You’re a little short to be playing the monster.’ And I’d correct them and say, ‘No, no, it’s the doctor.’ So, yeah, we’re giving the name back to Dr. Vic.”
A pivotal moment for both Victor and Igor is an early scene where Victor straightens Igor’s hunchback, which McGuigan says is “a metaphor for the entire movie.” Having rescued Igor from a London circus, Victor takes him to his flat and within minutes throws Igor against the wall and produces a massive syringe with which he performs a lightning-fast medical procedure on his new “patient.” Moments later, Igor’s hunchback is corrected. “If you think you knew Victor, the first few minutes of the film will prove you don’t,” says McGuigan. “He’s dangerous and fun to watch.”
“Victor Frankenstein” arrives in theatres this November 25 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Pioneer Films : BUS 657 Youtube Trailer
Directed by Scott Mann, “Bus 657” is a star-studded non-stop thrilling action movie that will open this November 11 from Pioneer Films.
Click for trailer: https://youtu.be/qX_Dc5zlcNI
SNOOPY CHRISTMAS VILLAGE AT SM FAIRVIEW WARMLY USHERS HOLIDAY SEASON
Snoopy and Charlie Brown welcomed mall patrons at SM Fairview last November 8 when the Snoopy Christmas Village officially opened leading to the holiday celebrations.
In display are familiar and endearing places that harks back to the series of comic strips and television series where Snoopy and Charlie Brown along with friends hang out together to make fond and fun memories.
Gracing the occasion too are celebrity couple Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati with their son Zion. In attendance too is Baste, the very adorable young talent discovered by the phenomenal noontime show Eat Bulaga.
The SM Foundation and its charitable works opened the Snoopy Christmas Village to encourage children to dream big especially this holiday season just like Snoopy and Charlie Brown! Additionally, the Snoopy Christmas Village will serve as a venue to promote goodwill in this season of giving by voluntarily donating gifts to those who need it most.
In display are familiar and endearing places that harks back to the series of comic strips and television series where Snoopy and Charlie Brown along with friends hang out together to make fond and fun memories.
Gracing the occasion too are celebrity couple Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati with their son Zion. In attendance too is Baste, the very adorable young talent discovered by the phenomenal noontime show Eat Bulaga.
Now Showing: BUS 657 from Pioneer Films [R13]
FILIPINO-AMERICAN DAVE BAUTISTA STARS WITH ROBERT DE NIRO IN “BUS 657”
Filipino-American Dave Bautista, a mixed martial arts and wrestler turned actor who has starred in record-breaking films such as “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Riddick” and the upcoming Bond movie “Spectre” stars in another high-octane, high-speed chase action movie “Bus 657” (also known as “Heist”) along with an impressive cast headed by Robert De Niro, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Morris Chestnut, Kate Bosworth and Gina Carano.
Bautista, also a world wrestling champion is known to do his action scenes without doubles as he had done in “Spectre,” and had quite doubled the effort in his chase and fight scenes in “Bus 657,” where he takes on the role of a casino worker turned robber who took on a highly-dangerous heist job against their employer. The movie’s non-stop action speeds up when Vaughn (Morgan) a father who is in desperate need of money to save his daughter’s life was rejected by his mob boss Pope (De Niro) and turns to his psychotic co-worker Cox (Bautista) to rob the casino where they work. Although Vaughn, Cox, and an accomplice, Dante (Stephen Sepher), carefully plan out each minute of the late-night heist, Cox blows the timing, setting off alarms and a shootout with Dog and casino security.
When Vaughn, Cox and a seriously wounded Dante narrowly escape with $3 million in laundered cash only to find their getaway car is gone, the trio runs through the night and boards Bus 657. A police officer (Gina Carano) on patrol, having heard gunshots and sensing something wrong on the bus, signals for it to pull over. Cox panics, starts shooting out the bus window at the officer, and orders the driver (D.B. Sweeney) to keep moving and head for the interstate.
Now trapped on the speeding bus with only hours left until the hospital’s payment deadline, Vaughn begins to fear all of this was for nothing – he’ll never get off the bus and make it in time. As Bus 657 races west on Interstate 10, with swarms of police, helicopters, and news crews following their every move, the desperate father and determined ex-con-turned-Baccarat dealer knows he has one chance, and no choice, but to play the hand he was dealt.
Reminiscent of action thrillers such as the Keanu Reeves starrer “Speed” and great heist movies such as “Ocean’s 11,” “Bus 657” also brings back Robert De Niro in a mob boss role at the heels of his iconic portrayals from classic “Casino” and “The Godfather” movies. Taking on the role of menacing, ruthless kingpin in “Bus 657,” De Niro’s role as Pope isn’t one to let things slide when his two employees try to rob his casino and will take everything from them to get even. With its ticking clock, high-octane action, and high-stakes-heist-gone-wrong, Bus 657 had enough characters, events, and surprises to make for a thrilling, pop-crunching roller-coaster ride of a movie.
Directed by Scott Mann, “Bus 657” is a star-studded non-stop thrilling action movie that will open this November 11 from Pioneer Films.
Click for trailer: https://youtu.be/qX_Dc5zlcNI
Bautista, also a world wrestling champion is known to do his action scenes without doubles as he had done in “Spectre,” and had quite doubled the effort in his chase and fight scenes in “Bus 657,” where he takes on the role of a casino worker turned robber who took on a highly-dangerous heist job against their employer. The movie’s non-stop action speeds up when Vaughn (Morgan) a father who is in desperate need of money to save his daughter’s life was rejected by his mob boss Pope (De Niro) and turns to his psychotic co-worker Cox (Bautista) to rob the casino where they work. Although Vaughn, Cox, and an accomplice, Dante (Stephen Sepher), carefully plan out each minute of the late-night heist, Cox blows the timing, setting off alarms and a shootout with Dog and casino security.
When Vaughn, Cox and a seriously wounded Dante narrowly escape with $3 million in laundered cash only to find their getaway car is gone, the trio runs through the night and boards Bus 657. A police officer (Gina Carano) on patrol, having heard gunshots and sensing something wrong on the bus, signals for it to pull over. Cox panics, starts shooting out the bus window at the officer, and orders the driver (D.B. Sweeney) to keep moving and head for the interstate.
Now trapped on the speeding bus with only hours left until the hospital’s payment deadline, Vaughn begins to fear all of this was for nothing – he’ll never get off the bus and make it in time. As Bus 657 races west on Interstate 10, with swarms of police, helicopters, and news crews following their every move, the desperate father and determined ex-con-turned-Baccarat dealer knows he has one chance, and no choice, but to play the hand he was dealt.
Reminiscent of action thrillers such as the Keanu Reeves starrer “Speed” and great heist movies such as “Ocean’s 11,” “Bus 657” also brings back Robert De Niro in a mob boss role at the heels of his iconic portrayals from classic “Casino” and “The Godfather” movies. Taking on the role of menacing, ruthless kingpin in “Bus 657,” De Niro’s role as Pope isn’t one to let things slide when his two employees try to rob his casino and will take everything from them to get even. With its ticking clock, high-octane action, and high-stakes-heist-gone-wrong, Bus 657 had enough characters, events, and surprises to make for a thrilling, pop-crunching roller-coaster ride of a movie.
Click for trailer: https://youtu.be/qX_Dc5zlcNI
Friday, November 6, 2015
MEET NEW & RETURNING HERD IN THE LATEST “ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE” MOVIE
From Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox - “Ice Age: Collision Course,” the fifth big screen installment of the colossal blockbuster cartoon franchise “Ice Age” that will take over theatres July 2016, announces the return of its previous cast and introduces new members as a cosmic Scratastrophe looms and endangers their world.
In the new film, the beloved herd from the Ice Age movies — including woolly mammoths Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah), saber-toothed tigers Diego (Denis Leary) and Shira (Jennifer Lopez), and lovable sloth Sid (John Leguizamo) — have to leave their homes to save themselves when cosmic events threaten their world. And one of the places they wander into is an exotic, fantastical locale where one of the new characters known as Shangri Llama (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) is the spiritual leader of sorts.
Ferguson, the Modern Family TV star describes his extremely colorful yoga-loving character as “Me being someone who can barely look at my toes without feeling an incredible stretch, I envy him for his limber nature.”
Joining Ferguson in the “Ice Age: Collision Course” world who will also lend voices to new characters are Adam DeVine, Nick Offerman, Max Greenfield, Stephanie Beatriz, Melissa Rauch, Carlos Ponce, Michael Strahan, pop star Jessie J and popular scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who plays Neil deBuck Weasel.
In the new film, the beloved herd from the Ice Age movies — including woolly mammoths Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah), saber-toothed tigers Diego (Denis Leary) and Shira (Jennifer Lopez), and lovable sloth Sid (John Leguizamo) — have to leave their homes to save themselves when cosmic events threaten their world. And one of the places they wander into is an exotic, fantastical locale where one of the new characters known as Shangri Llama (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) is the spiritual leader of sorts.
Ferguson, the Modern Family TV star describes his extremely colorful yoga-loving character as “Me being someone who can barely look at my toes without feeling an incredible stretch, I envy him for his limber nature.”
Joining Ferguson in the “Ice Age: Collision Course” world who will also lend voices to new characters are Adam DeVine, Nick Offerman, Max Greenfield, Stephanie Beatriz, Melissa Rauch, Carlos Ponce, Michael Strahan, pop star Jessie J and popular scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who plays Neil deBuck Weasel.
In a rollout of Tweets from the cast, leading everyone to follow #CollisionCourse, Jennifer Lopez tweeted away “Shira is back with a purr-fect cast!” while John Leguizamo posted his character’s photo too with a suave message “Sloth your roll.” Moreso, youthful Keke Palmer just like her character Peaches tweeted “Ice, Ice Baby” and Max Greenfield known for his recurring television roles in Veronica Mars, Ugly Betty and Modern Men joins the Ice Age family who belongs to the dino bird family. Music phenomenon Jessie J, whose songs such as “Flashlight” and “Price Tag” that topped the charts plays Brooke, from the family of sloths for which she excitedly twitted “You 'Herd' it here first! I'm in #IceAge! Follow #CollisionCourse.”
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Axinite Digicinema: “THE DRESSMAKER” CELEBRATES HERITAGE AS FEATURED 1951’S SINGER SEWING MACHINE BECOMES INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING NEW FASHION TO LIFE
Kate Winslet’s latest runway romp of a movie, “The Dressmaker” takes us back to an era where fashion took a wild turn from the old to the contemporary. When new designers such as Balenciaga and Dior came to revolutionize and free the body from the trappings of fashion’s yesteryears.
In “The Dressmaker,” Kate Winslet dons the character of Tilly Dunnage, a woman who returns to her town for her ailing mother and right the wrong that separated them twenty years ago. Their years apart gave way to Tilly’s nascent talent in dressmaking, which she learned from her mother, Molly (Judy Davis) at a very young age.
Tilly arrives to her hometown alone and armed with a luggage and a Singer sewing machine, she begins to make space for her belongings and reconcile with her mother, ultimately, stitching the events from the townsfolk responsible on accusing her of murder at a very young age. In Dungatar where “The Dressmaker” is set during 1951, everybody knows everybody and they all have a secret. Cabin-crazed, bitter, grasping and small-minded, the town folk maintain a precarious equilibrium as they know that their secrets are not safe.
The stakes are raised when Councillor Evan Pettyman (Shane Bourne), who virulently hates Tilly and Molly, employs the buttoned-up Una Pleasance (Sacha Horler), a rival dressmaker from Melbourne, to compete with Tilly and bring her down.
In a no-holds-barred showdown between Tilly’s and Una’s creations, it becomes clear that the transformation of the residents of Dungatar has only exaggerated their many flaws, and revealed just how ugly and black their hearts are. Their obsession with Tilly’s couture designs will be their ultimate unravelling, and Tilly’s final triumph.
Fashion in “The Dressmaker” is about disguise. Tilly Dunnage takes advantage of the women in the town and appeals to their sense of competition and vanity. The women of Dungatar haven’t looked or felt good for a very long time, so it’s a way of luring people and giving them a false sense of hope. Tilly simply gives them enough rope – or ribbon – to hang themselves with. She lets them “bring themselves unstitched”, as Rosalie puns.
Hugo Weaving, who plays Sergeant Farrat, an eager recipient of Tilly’s skills says: “The tone of it’s the difficult thing with this film. Everything needed to be grounded in a reality and a truth but at the same time there’s a heightened reality to it, so it’s slightly surreal. The characters are both drawn from life, very specific types, but a lot of them are larger than life and the costumes need to somehow reflect that.”
Kate Winslet says: “Tilly has trained as a couture dressmaker in France with Balenciaga and Dior and Madame Vionnet. The Dungatarians don’t really understand quite how magical and beautiful her creations truly are, they think it’s ‘dress up’. It’s kind of a gift that she’s giving them, as well as carrying out little bits of revenge along the way. They go from looking pale and a bit tea stained to looking like they’re all walking down a red carpet. It’s really quite striking.”
The featured Singer Sewing Machine 160 used in “The Dressmaker” is a model made during 1951 for the company’s 100th anniversary special edition. Singer sewing machine started in 1851, and will be celebrating its 165th birthday next year (2016). In the Philippines, Singer is proudly exclusively distributed by Monteverde Sewing Machine, Inc. (website: www.singerphilippines.com)
In “The Dressmaker,” Kate Winslet dons the character of Tilly Dunnage, a woman who returns to her town for her ailing mother and right the wrong that separated them twenty years ago. Their years apart gave way to Tilly’s nascent talent in dressmaking, which she learned from her mother, Molly (Judy Davis) at a very young age.
Tilly arrives to her hometown alone and armed with a luggage and a Singer sewing machine, she begins to make space for her belongings and reconcile with her mother, ultimately, stitching the events from the townsfolk responsible on accusing her of murder at a very young age. In Dungatar where “The Dressmaker” is set during 1951, everybody knows everybody and they all have a secret. Cabin-crazed, bitter, grasping and small-minded, the town folk maintain a precarious equilibrium as they know that their secrets are not safe.
The stakes are raised when Councillor Evan Pettyman (Shane Bourne), who virulently hates Tilly and Molly, employs the buttoned-up Una Pleasance (Sacha Horler), a rival dressmaker from Melbourne, to compete with Tilly and bring her down.
In a no-holds-barred showdown between Tilly’s and Una’s creations, it becomes clear that the transformation of the residents of Dungatar has only exaggerated their many flaws, and revealed just how ugly and black their hearts are. Their obsession with Tilly’s couture designs will be their ultimate unravelling, and Tilly’s final triumph.
Fashion in “The Dressmaker” is about disguise. Tilly Dunnage takes advantage of the women in the town and appeals to their sense of competition and vanity. The women of Dungatar haven’t looked or felt good for a very long time, so it’s a way of luring people and giving them a false sense of hope. Tilly simply gives them enough rope – or ribbon – to hang themselves with. She lets them “bring themselves unstitched”, as Rosalie puns.
Hugo Weaving, who plays Sergeant Farrat, an eager recipient of Tilly’s skills says: “The tone of it’s the difficult thing with this film. Everything needed to be grounded in a reality and a truth but at the same time there’s a heightened reality to it, so it’s slightly surreal. The characters are both drawn from life, very specific types, but a lot of them are larger than life and the costumes need to somehow reflect that.”
Kate Winslet says: “Tilly has trained as a couture dressmaker in France with Balenciaga and Dior and Madame Vionnet. The Dungatarians don’t really understand quite how magical and beautiful her creations truly are, they think it’s ‘dress up’. It’s kind of a gift that she’s giving them, as well as carrying out little bits of revenge along the way. They go from looking pale and a bit tea stained to looking like they’re all walking down a red carpet. It’s really quite striking.”
The featured Singer Sewing Machine 160 used in “The Dressmaker” is a model made during 1951 for the company’s 100th anniversary special edition. Singer sewing machine started in 1851, and will be celebrating its 165th birthday next year (2016). In the Philippines, Singer is proudly exclusively distributed by Monteverde Sewing Machine, Inc. (website: www.singerphilippines.com)
“The Dressmaker” is now showing (opend November 4) in theatres from Axinite Digicinema.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
“THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2” DIRECTOR FRANCIS LAWRENCE BRINGS THE FRANCHISE INTO ITS MOST COMPELLING AND MOVING CONCLUSION
The blockbuster “Hunger Games” franchise has taken audiences by storm around the world, grossing more than $2.3 billion at the global box office. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” now brings the franchise to its powerful final chapter in which Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future.
With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong and features an acclaimed cast including Academy Award®-winner Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Academy Award®-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland reprising their original roles from The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The impressive lineup is joined by “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” co-stars Academy Award®-winner Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” picks up with Katniss back in the bunkers of District 13, still unable to emotionally reach a brainwashed Peeta as she watches the nation of Panem sliding into full-scale apocalyptic war. Though Katniss has warily accepted her role as the Mockingjay symbol of the rebellion, she can see that it is going take more than symbolism to turn the tide against the Capitol. Truly on fire now, she resolves to take action. Joining with Gale, an unpredictable Peeta, Finnick and the so-called “Squad 451,” she sets out for the once-glittering Capitol – transformed into a city of mayhem under attack by both rebels and peacekeepers – with a covert mission to assassinate President Snow. Snow still believes he’s playing an obsessive game to outwit and destroy Katniss, but Katniss is no longer anyone’s pawn, and to her, this is no contest. It is a battle for everything she has come to believe in and the people she loves. It is a battle for the final hope of a life of peace.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” builds on the momentum of each previous chapter in the blockbuster series to reach a fever pitch of both emotion and action, bringing Katniss full circle from the dismayed girl caught in a dystopian nightmare to leading the charge to remake her nation.
Now, in the final chapter of The Hunger Games, with all the Districts united against the Capitol for the first time, tomorrow itself is on the line. For Katniss to truly be herself, she realizes she must now fully take on the indomitable Mockingjay spirit in a last stand to set things right. Says director Francis Lawrence: “In this film, Katniss takes the action back into her own hands and goes after Snow personally. The movie really opens up as we go deep into the streets of the Capitol, coming full circle from Katniss’s journey there in the first film. There’s more action, more scope, more emotion and most of all, this film brings the story to its moving conclusion.”
Join the revolution this November 18 when The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” invades cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.
Pioneer Films - WORLD’S BEST CHEFS AND MICHELIN AWARDEES IN BRADLEY COOPER’S FOODIE MOVIE “BURNT”
Chef Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) had it all – and lost it in “Burnt.” The former enfant terrible of the Paris restaurant scene had earned two Michelin stars and only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste. Michelin awards 0 to 3 stars to restaurants on the basis of the anonymous reviews. The reviewers concentrate on the quality, mastery of technique, personality and consistency of the food, in making the awards.
To land his own kitchen and that third elusive star though, Jones will need to leave his bad habits behind and get the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene (Sienna Miller). Directed by John Wells (known for his high-profile hit projects such as “ER” and “West Wing”) “Burnt,” is a remarkably funny and emotional story about the love of food, the love between two people, and the power of second chances.
Food has become a lifestyle obsession, rather than the fuel it was considered twenty years ago. Television schedules have every variation of cookery shows, the kitchen is the center of the home, farmers markets abound, cook books are the new coffee table tomes, and social media entices people to new pop up venues. Chefs are regarded as rock stars, and behave accordingly,
Director John Wells was attracted to Steven Knight's screenplay for “Burnt” partly because of this ever growing foodie culture, and partly because it was a special look into the unique world restaurateurs. Wells acknowledges that, currently, London is the world capital of fine dining. “London is where young chefs go to succeed, so it made sense that Adam goes to the place he can make the biggest impact to stage his comeback.” he says.
The involvement of renowned celebrity chefs and Michelin awardees was essential for the director and writer to place an audience in the middle of the action. “I couldn't have done it without chefs of that calibre, because I don't know what they do,” says Wells. “I came into this project thinking I can cook, but quickly realized I don't.”
World famous chef and restaurateur Mario Batali came on board with scribe Steven Knight in the very early stages of “Burnt’s” development. A winner of multiple James Beard awards, Batali owns restaurants in cities all over the globe, has penned numerous cookbooks and is a ubiquitous presence on the Food Network. His early days were spent training in London and Northern Italy, a background that would prove crucial to informing Knight’s script for the film.
British chef, restaurateur and TV star Gordon Ramsay also helped the filmmakers craft “Burnt” into an authentic depiction of the industry he knows so well. Ramsay, whose restaurants boast a collective 14 Michelin stars, trained Cooper alongside Claire Smythe, Executive Chef at his signature London location Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. Smythe is the first and only female chef in the UK to earn three Michelin stars.
Marcus Wareing, Michelin star chef and presenter of the top rated BBC TV Master Chef, was also approached by writer Knight. “I was intrigued to know that someone was writing a film about my world so I met Steven and we spent a lot of time talking. I told him lots of backstage stories from my own kitchen experience, and from others. It's a small world we work in, so we all know what happens in each other's kitchens.” Wareing's interest in food began when he worked for his father in his fresh fruit and vegetable business. “The respect that my father showed for basic ingredients set me on the path I've followed since the age of 15. Working 16 hours a day, it's been my whole life.”
Michelin stars are hugely important to a chef, awarded by a team of anonymous inspectors who scrutinize many aspects of the restaurants – the food, the presentation, the ambiance of the restaurant and the originality of the dishes. “They are the Oscars of our world.” says Marcus Wareing. “But, unlike Oscars, they can be taken away from us, so on a day to day basis we have everything to lose. It keeps us constantly striving, challenging yourself. At the same time, if you don't achieve stars, you must recognize what you have achieved. The kitchen is the engine room but the dish has to be incredible – Mother Nature at its best, delivered by man – perfection.”
To land his own kitchen and that third elusive star though, Jones will need to leave his bad habits behind and get the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene (Sienna Miller). Directed by John Wells (known for his high-profile hit projects such as “ER” and “West Wing”) “Burnt,” is a remarkably funny and emotional story about the love of food, the love between two people, and the power of second chances.
Food has become a lifestyle obsession, rather than the fuel it was considered twenty years ago. Television schedules have every variation of cookery shows, the kitchen is the center of the home, farmers markets abound, cook books are the new coffee table tomes, and social media entices people to new pop up venues. Chefs are regarded as rock stars, and behave accordingly,
Director John Wells was attracted to Steven Knight's screenplay for “Burnt” partly because of this ever growing foodie culture, and partly because it was a special look into the unique world restaurateurs. Wells acknowledges that, currently, London is the world capital of fine dining. “London is where young chefs go to succeed, so it made sense that Adam goes to the place he can make the biggest impact to stage his comeback.” he says.
The involvement of renowned celebrity chefs and Michelin awardees was essential for the director and writer to place an audience in the middle of the action. “I couldn't have done it without chefs of that calibre, because I don't know what they do,” says Wells. “I came into this project thinking I can cook, but quickly realized I don't.”
World famous chef and restaurateur Mario Batali came on board with scribe Steven Knight in the very early stages of “Burnt’s” development. A winner of multiple James Beard awards, Batali owns restaurants in cities all over the globe, has penned numerous cookbooks and is a ubiquitous presence on the Food Network. His early days were spent training in London and Northern Italy, a background that would prove crucial to informing Knight’s script for the film.
British chef, restaurateur and TV star Gordon Ramsay also helped the filmmakers craft “Burnt” into an authentic depiction of the industry he knows so well. Ramsay, whose restaurants boast a collective 14 Michelin stars, trained Cooper alongside Claire Smythe, Executive Chef at his signature London location Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. Smythe is the first and only female chef in the UK to earn three Michelin stars.
Marcus Wareing, Michelin star chef and presenter of the top rated BBC TV Master Chef, was also approached by writer Knight. “I was intrigued to know that someone was writing a film about my world so I met Steven and we spent a lot of time talking. I told him lots of backstage stories from my own kitchen experience, and from others. It's a small world we work in, so we all know what happens in each other's kitchens.” Wareing's interest in food began when he worked for his father in his fresh fruit and vegetable business. “The respect that my father showed for basic ingredients set me on the path I've followed since the age of 15. Working 16 hours a day, it's been my whole life.”
Michelin stars are hugely important to a chef, awarded by a team of anonymous inspectors who scrutinize many aspects of the restaurants – the food, the presentation, the ambiance of the restaurant and the originality of the dishes. “They are the Oscars of our world.” says Marcus Wareing. “But, unlike Oscars, they can be taken away from us, so on a day to day basis we have everything to lose. It keeps us constantly striving, challenging yourself. At the same time, if you don't achieve stars, you must recognize what you have achieved. The kitchen is the engine room but the dish has to be incredible – Mother Nature at its best, delivered by man – perfection.”
“Burnt” opens Today (November 4) in cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.
OctoArts Films International: JOHN TRAVOLTA’S RETURN TO BADDIE ROLE IN EDGE-OF-YOUR-SEAT THRILLER “CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES” [R16]
The worst in “Criminal Activities” is about to unfold in John Travolta’s latest action movie that marks his return to bad boy role when they reunite at a former classmate’s funeral. In “Criminal Activities,” when they reunited at an ex-classmate's funeral, one mentions to the others inside information on a stock that is a guaranteed lock to make them instant millionaires. Unfortunately, the deal goes south along with their investment. Things go from bad to worse: one of them borrowed his share of the money from a mobster.
Directed by Oscar-nominated actor Jackie Earle Haley with a solid cast that includes Michael Pitt, Rebecca Da Costa, Dan Stevens, Rob Brown, Christopher Abbott and Travis Aaron Wade, “Criminal Activities” is an unpredictable, mind-blowing action thriller that marks Haley’s directorial debut.
Asked in recent interviews on how he came to helm the movie, Haley shares that “It really came out of the blue. I got a call from the producer, who is married to my manager. He really felt like I could direct it. He sent me the script and said he would understand if I didn’t respond to it. So, I read it and loved it. I was super excited about it. I called him back within three hours and was like, “I’m in!” When Travolta agreed to come on board, we were off and running.”
Directed by Oscar-nominated actor Jackie Earle Haley with a solid cast that includes Michael Pitt, Rebecca Da Costa, Dan Stevens, Rob Brown, Christopher Abbott and Travis Aaron Wade, “Criminal Activities” is an unpredictable, mind-blowing action thriller that marks Haley’s directorial debut.
Asked in recent interviews on how he came to helm the movie, Haley shares that “It really came out of the blue. I got a call from the producer, who is married to my manager. He really felt like I could direct it. He sent me the script and said he would understand if I didn’t respond to it. So, I read it and loved it. I was super excited about it. I called him back within three hours and was like, “I’m in!” When Travolta agreed to come on board, we were off and running.”
“Criminal Activities” opens this November 25 January 20 from OctoArts Films International.
Poster is from www.imdb.com
20th Century Fox - GIVING DR. VIC HIS FRANKENSTEIN IN JAMES MCAVOY & DANIEL RADCLIFFE’S MONSTER OF A MOVIE N “VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN”
Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy star in “Victor Frankenstein,” a dynamic and thrilling twist on a legendary tale. Radical scientist Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) and his equally brilliant protégé Igor Strausman (Radcliffe) share a noble vision of aiding humanity through their groundbreaking research into immortality. But Victor’s experiments go too far, and his obsession has horrifying consequences. Only Igor can bring his friend back from the brink of madness and save him from his monstrous creation.
“Victor Frankenstein” is a “Frankenstein” movie unlike any other. While inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel and the countless interpretations of that story, screenwriter Max Landis’ “regeneration” focuses on the relationship between Victor and his best friend and assistant Igor. In fact, it’s the first story to be told largely from Igor’s perspective. “It’s a love story between these two mean, really,” notes director Paul McGuigan. “Victor and Igor need each other; in fact, Victor needs Igor probably more than Igor needs Victor in his life.”
Moreover, the film, though set in 1860, at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, has a contemporary sensibility. “I don’t think of it as a period film,” says Daniel Radcliffe, “but as being completely modern. Victor and Igor have cutting-edge ideas; they’re the tip of the spear. They view science as being more than just observational. They believe it could be creative and re-shape the world.
“I like the film’s irreverent tone and how it avoids being Victorian and ‘buttoned-up,’” Radcliffe continues. “Victor and Igor are forward thinking.” Adds McGuigan: “These two young men are changing the world.”
“Victor Frankenstein” is also, notes James McAvoy, a love letter to the myriad films featuring those characters and themes. “This film has many of the familiar elements you expect to see in a Frankenstein movie, but adds unexpected dimensions of character, relationships and entertainment.”
“Max Landis has done nothing less than capture the zeitgeist of all the Frankenstein movies he’s watched,” says McGuigan. “He’s cherry-picked ideas and created his own ‘monster,’ so to speak.”
McGuigan was especially drawn to Landis’ decision to tell the story through Igor’s eyes. That notion points to a key misperception about the character and his role in Frankenstein lore. Igor was not a character in Mary Shelley’s book, nor did he appear in most of the subsequent film interpretations. Actor Dwight Frye’s hunchbacked lab assistant in James Whale’s “Frankenstein” (1931) is the main source for the “Igor” of public imagination, though the character he played was actually named Fritz. Most moviegoers know the character through Marty Feldman’s performance in Mel Brooks’ beloved comedy “Young Frankenstein,” though Feldman’s character insists on being called “Eye-gore.”
A different kind of moniker mix-up accompanies Victor himself. Many people attribute that name to the monster, instead of its creator – the good doctor. “So we give the name ‘Frankenstein’ back to the scientist – to Victor Frankenstein,” says McGuigan.
McAvoy relates that, “Whenever somebody asked me what I was doing at the moment (during production of Victor Frankenstein), I would say, I’m playing Frankenstein, and they’d reply, ‘You’re a little short to be playing the monster.’ And I’d correct them and say, ‘No, no, it’s the doctor.’ So, yeah, we’re giving the name back to Dr. Vic.”
“Victor Frankenstein” is a “Frankenstein” movie unlike any other. While inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel and the countless interpretations of that story, screenwriter Max Landis’ “regeneration” focuses on the relationship between Victor and his best friend and assistant Igor. In fact, it’s the first story to be told largely from Igor’s perspective. “It’s a love story between these two mean, really,” notes director Paul McGuigan. “Victor and Igor need each other; in fact, Victor needs Igor probably more than Igor needs Victor in his life.”
Moreover, the film, though set in 1860, at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, has a contemporary sensibility. “I don’t think of it as a period film,” says Daniel Radcliffe, “but as being completely modern. Victor and Igor have cutting-edge ideas; they’re the tip of the spear. They view science as being more than just observational. They believe it could be creative and re-shape the world.
“I like the film’s irreverent tone and how it avoids being Victorian and ‘buttoned-up,’” Radcliffe continues. “Victor and Igor are forward thinking.” Adds McGuigan: “These two young men are changing the world.”
“Victor Frankenstein” is also, notes James McAvoy, a love letter to the myriad films featuring those characters and themes. “This film has many of the familiar elements you expect to see in a Frankenstein movie, but adds unexpected dimensions of character, relationships and entertainment.”
“Max Landis has done nothing less than capture the zeitgeist of all the Frankenstein movies he’s watched,” says McGuigan. “He’s cherry-picked ideas and created his own ‘monster,’ so to speak.”
McGuigan was especially drawn to Landis’ decision to tell the story through Igor’s eyes. That notion points to a key misperception about the character and his role in Frankenstein lore. Igor was not a character in Mary Shelley’s book, nor did he appear in most of the subsequent film interpretations. Actor Dwight Frye’s hunchbacked lab assistant in James Whale’s “Frankenstein” (1931) is the main source for the “Igor” of public imagination, though the character he played was actually named Fritz. Most moviegoers know the character through Marty Feldman’s performance in Mel Brooks’ beloved comedy “Young Frankenstein,” though Feldman’s character insists on being called “Eye-gore.”
A different kind of moniker mix-up accompanies Victor himself. Many people attribute that name to the monster, instead of its creator – the good doctor. “So we give the name ‘Frankenstein’ back to the scientist – to Victor Frankenstein,” says McGuigan.
McAvoy relates that, “Whenever somebody asked me what I was doing at the moment (during production of Victor Frankenstein), I would say, I’m playing Frankenstein, and they’d reply, ‘You’re a little short to be playing the monster.’ And I’d correct them and say, ‘No, no, it’s the doctor.’ So, yeah, we’re giving the name back to Dr. Vic.”
“Victor
Frankenstein” opens November 25 in cinemas nationwide from 20th
Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
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