Sci-Fi Short Film: CONTROLLER

“Love is to be experienced, not controlled” – Ralph Ellison III

the controller 00A girl with Jean Grey (Phoenix) type powers is trapped and she uses her powers to control her boyfriend in helping her escape.

the controller 01

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Viral Video Friday: Daria The Movie

dariaWhy is this not a movie?  College Humor has been cranking out lots of funny stuff and this Doria Movie Trailer with Aubrey Plaza had me laughing hard.

College Humor.com.

Fan Film: The Last of Us

thelastofusApparently our Ramen host “the Eddie” is correct.  “The Last of Us” is not just a video game but a film too, well, a fan film made by fans.

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Pacific Rim – The Official Movie Novelization by Alex Irvine

pacific rimGundam (insert Jaegers) vs Godzilla (insert Kajijus)

It’s already July and the summer multiplexes are heating up with Hollywood blockbusters with big explosions and incredible special effects.  This is director Guillermo del Toro’s tour-de-force special effects extravaganza summer flick.

When two tectonic plates collide in the Pacific Ocean, it creates The Breach, a dimensional portal is opened where mysterious monsters known as Kajiu attack the earth.  The world unites together and put their technology and knowledge together to create gigantic robots called Jaegers.  We fast forward to the year 2020, seven years into the Kaiju war, brothers Raleigh and Yancy Becket as kids dreamed of piloting these gigantic robots and battling monsters.  Hotshot pilot Raleigh and his brother Yancy are veteran operators now with 4 Kaiju kills under their belt.  During a Kaiju mission in the Alaskan region, the battle goes awfully wrong.

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Peter Cushing: A Life in Film by David Miller

peter cushingFor us Americans we remember actor Peter Cushing from Star Wars as the villian Grand Moff Tarkin.  If you’re a fan of horror classics from the 1950s-1960s, the studio Hammer Films released many fright films that Mr Cushing starred in.  He was well known for playing Baron Frankenstein and Doctor Van Helsing.

Author David Miller delves into the life and times of the actor in Peter Cushing:  A Life in Film.  The 192-page book is not just a Wikipedia of his films, TV appearances, and stage work, but is truly a no holds-barred look into the journey of Peter Cushing’s up and down life in front of the camera and off.  Life changed after his wife Violet Helene Beck passed away in 1971, as Peter contemplated suicide many times and mentions when someone who is very close to you dies it is never the same again.   The book also includes many B&W and color photos from his iconic films, movie posters and chronology of his appearances on film, TV and plays.

Peter Cushing:  A Life in Film is an in-depth comprehensive chronicling of Peter’s career as an actor and a look into his private life.  And when you’re done reading the book, you young kids and film buffs should try to watch many of his classic Hammer Films.

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Hardback:  Peter Cushing – A Life in Film

Author:  David Miller

Publisher:  Titan Books

MSRP:  $24.95USD

Available:  Now

Despicable Me 2 Talking Minions

minions

I really enjoyed watching the first Despicable Me animated film and now Despicable Me 2 is out.  Thinkway Toys has produced some cute and cool talking Minion toys with each of the 3 Minions – Stuart, Dave and Tim (8″ – 10″ tall) featuring unique features like over 25-50 plus lines and SFX from the movie, arm articulation, and facial movements.

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Indigo Mood – A film about life in motion even when there is tragedy.

Mood Indigo 01Michel Gondry’s latest film Indigo Mood is a romantic fantasy love story that takes place in the contemporary 1950s with a bit of Salvador Dali’s melting of time dilemma surrounding the protagonist character played by Audrey Tatou. If one’s life is slipping away, the only answer is the mystical aura of life itself! With hints of everyday artistic gadgetry to everyday defying signs of gravity in the film– how can we not find a way to make this relationship work?

Here are 5 stated details about the film that I have come across the web.

1. It’s a love fable in a dream.

2. It’s the next “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind“, a past film of Michel Gondry’s

3. There’s some Duke Ellington jazz

4. Contemporary Paris of the 1950s with a Retro vibe

5. This film was impossible to do until Michel Gondry came along.

The film is based on a 1947 French novel called L’écume des jours by Boris Vian. Yes,  a fantasy love story written over 60 years ago.Indigo Mood MONTAGE - Retrenders

The film has been released in France. A US release should be within this year.

Man of Steel novel by Greg Cox

man of steel

Growing up I love the original Superman I, II and III (we’ll just say IV – The Quest for Peace never took place, like X-Men 3:  The Last Stand – let us erase the memory of bad superhero flicks) with Christopher Reeves.  Warner Bros. put out some amazing trailers for the Man of Steel and I couldn’t wait for the anticipated spectacular in 3D IMAX.  It should be good since it’s produced by Christopher Nolan who brought us 3 terrific Dark Knight films, Zach Snyder of 300 & Watchmen fame and screenplay from David S. Goyer (Blade films & The Dark Knight trilogy).  I’ll say this is good film that was inspiring to be great, let’s just say it’s better than Superman Returns and as friend mentioned it was like watching a Dragon Ball Z movie.  I’ve watched the movie, now I read the book “Man of Steel” by New York Times bestselling author Greg Cox, who should be familiar to DC fans as he wrote the novelizations of Infinite Crisis, 52, Countdown and Final Crisis.

 

[Spoilers Ahead!!!]

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The Art of the Film – World War Z

world war z art bookThis past weekend I was able to hit the multiplex and catch Brad Pitt facing off zombies in World War Z, based on the best selling novel by Max Brooks.  I’m not a huge fan of zombies or gory violent flicks and I heard of all the production troubles in the film that Pitt endured with the studio and director, but all in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this PG-13 fright-fest.  The first half of the movie was a relentless assault of fast-moving zombies taking over cities and the supporting cast was terrific in the film.  The movie-goers were rocking and cheering and a couple of girls were yelling “Go Brad!”  It’s a high brow Resident Evil zombie movie that makes you think.

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Wreck-It Ralph Deleted Scene: Extreme Easy Living

wreckit ralph

If you haven’t seen Wreck-It Ralph – you need to see it.  Buy the DVD, the Bluray or stream it.  Here’s a deleted scene exclusive from Total Film – Wreck-It Ralph in Extreme Easy Living.

It’s All Good!

Pacific Rim Robots

pacific rimKeep a look out for Variety magazine’s July 2013 issue.

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Pictogram Movie Posters

pictogram poster headlineWith the summer movie season underway, let us enjoy some simple, yet cool movie posters by artist Viktor Hertz.

pictogram poster 00

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The Art of Epic

The Art of EPIC

If you not familiar with animation house Blue Sky Studios they are the team that brought you Ice Age and Rio, and this summer movie season they have teamed up with 20th Century Fox Animation for Epic.  Based on William Joyce’s book “The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs”, Epic features an inspiring witty heroine in Mary Katherine and her eccentric father Professor Bomba in researching the “Leafmen” who protect the forest from the forces of evil.  Mary finds herself transported into this magical world by touching glowing leaves and thus, her adventure begins.

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Classic Martial Arts Film Posters

kungfu film posters 00

Like the Wu-Tang Clan, as a kid growing up I saw many kung fu flicks with gravity defying kicks, flying swords and super speed punches.  And if you are in the LA area, The Academy of Motion Picture & Sciences is showcasing classic martial arts film posters from Bruce Lee to Kill Bill.  This huge 800 film poster collection & related materials was donated by producer & screenwriter Stephen Chin in 2011 to the Academy.  This exhibit will run through August 25, 2013 and it’s FREE.

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New Captain Harlock Animation from TOEI

Captain Harlock is back from TOEI Animation and will be released this Autumn 2013.  The animation will be directed by Shin Aramaki.  Here’s the teaser trailer:

Digital Clapperboard: MovieSlate

movieslate

Whoever work on a short or film project knows having a slateboard can be expensive and a hassle.  As a P.A., I hated always looking for a Eraseable Magic Marker or chalk depending on the slateboard being use.  Well, now – you can just download MovieSlate an app from the Apple Appstore by PureBlend Software and magically have a digital slateboard for your iPad, iPhone or iTouch.  The latest version of MovieSlate was just updated a few weeks ago.

MSRP:  $24.99USD

Buy it @ Apple – MovieSlate.

For more product information, go to:  PureBlend Software – MovieSlate.

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Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection – Bluray

alfredhitchcockcollection

Looking for something to add to your movie library?  You might want to pick this limited edition Bluray release – the Alfred Hitchcock:  The Masterpiece Collection.  The collection collects 15 iconic films from Hitichcock:  Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Marnie, Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt, Rope, The Trouble with Harry, Torn Curtain, Topaz, Frenzy, and Family Plot.  The set also includes various special features and a book.

MSRP:  $144.00USD

Buy it @ Amazon.com – Alfred Hitchcock:  The Masterpiece Collection – Bluray.

The Art of a Video Store

levideo

Most of us have probably moved on from stepping into a video store to using Netflix by mail if not by digital cable at the push of a menu button, but the truth be told is that we lose a great deal of social interaction, adventure and discovery about films  first hand, because where else could you find unusual categories, collections, to even never before seen films that went nowhere but into a video store that exists for the interest of a cinephile, and of course operated by people who love the art of cinema and have made the video store their business to provide that missing, if not, hard to find film you’ve been searching for.

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Disney Animated Short Film – Paperman

To expand on Stephen’s viral video from yesterday, here’s the Full Animated Short titled Paperman. Set in the 1940’s, it’s about a missed connection and a young man’s attempt to get the attention of a young woman through the help of paper airplanes.  Directed by John Kahrs and Executive Produced by John Lasseter of Pixar fame, this six and a half minute film was first shown with the theatrical release of Wreck-It Ralph plus it has been nominated for Best Animated Short Film for this year’s Academy Awards. This group did a remarkable job blending 2D animation with CG and kudos to Disney for showing that they can still produce such a heartfelt animated short, for all the romantics out there, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Future Flicks: Pedro Almodóvar’s “I’m So Excited”

Is this a follow up to “Women on a Verge of a Nervous Breakdown?”Pedro Almodóvar & Blanca Suárez

Probably not, but Pedro Almodóvar is finishing up a new comedy with a twist! Whether it be dark, far-fetched, somewhat trivial, a situation that references Spanish culture, politics or everyday life, he just manages to bring out something fresh and creative in his films and in his actors. You don’t even have to understand the language, you just have to understand character: their layers of issues, their actions, and the circumstances that would inherently push them to react in a certain way in a given time, place and situation.

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Future Flicks: Guillermo del Toro’s PACIFIC RIM update!

I think Guillermo del Toro is about to crush the Transformers franchise with a single Pacific Rim blow!

Pacific Rim 2013 Poster

The fact is, Pacific Rim touches on all popular elements of a fantastic science fiction in the near future which includes sleek but robust militarized technology armor suits, giant manned battle robots as tanks and a fight for humanity in a war against gargantuan beasts unleashed from the sea as it appears from the trailer. And from the trailer, I would have to say Pacific Rim is much more layered than a Transformer flick and promises to give us the equivalent of what Star Wars gave to audiences in 1980s – a jaw dropping awe. Watch out George Lucas!

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Future Flicks: CLOUD ATLAS

Life, passion and humanity would be the key words that summarize Cloud Atlas. The film grows with possibilities as it interweaves the lives of its characters and is the most creatively made film this year!

In Cloud Atlas, we begin with a series of unfinished business:  a journal needs to reworked for clarity, there’s a quest for a masterpiece, an investigation to resolve, one must break their path for a better life, and lives must be saved, which sets up its characters to take action for an end, for clarity, for completion and for a better being.

The protagonists of Cloud Atlas pursue change as they pursue their lives, and we eventually see the connecting theme across time from the mid 1850s to the distant future as one larger than life story to resolve. The six protagonists’ physical looks and gender change as they live different lives, but are given a birth mark so we can identify them.

As complex and interconnected the film may be, the simple thing I love about Cloud Atlas is that it artfully tells us about our continuing existence through time. We are born, cultured with a life, and proven to learn through our existence. If given another opportunity to change for the better, we would.

In theaters this Friday, October 26th 2012

Directed by: Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, Xun Zhou, Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant

 

Halloween Horror: Silent Hill – Revelation 3D

Based on Konami’s survival-horror video game franchise, Silent Hill: Revelation 3D is the sequel to the 2006 original film.  This flick will be based on the Silent Hill 3 video game and it looks pretty scary.  On a side note, I still can’t play the original Silent Hill game with the lights off.

The film is set to be released in theatres on October 26, 2012.

Princess Bride Reunion

This past Tuesday, in New York, the cast of the much beloved Princess Bride reunited and celebrated its 25th anniversary.

As a kid growing up in the 80’s – the Princess Bride is one of my favorite films.  It has an all-star cast, a great storyline, and terribly funny one-liners.  My favorite line:  “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

For more info, go to:  Princess Bride Forever.com.

Iconic Movie Posters with a Cartoon Twist

Canadian illustrator Ïve Bastrash reimagined these iconic posters with his own fresh cartoon style and, in my opinion, some look better than the original. A movie lover and a video game artist, Ïve also designs playing cards featuring Jack Nicholson, Cher, and Sonny Bono as the Jack, Queen, and King cards of a poker deck respectively.

Here’s a few more of my favs:

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