Disney announces the release of MALEFICENT: The Official Multi-Touch Book, based on Disney’s highly anticipated film “Maleficent,” in theaters May 30, 2014. The book, offered for free exclusively through iBooks, explores both the legacy of Disney’s classic animated film, “Sleeping Beauty”—which first introduced the iconic villainess Maleficent—and the making of the all-new live-action film, “Maleficent,” starring Angelina Jolie. Features of the book include an interactive timeline of the origins of the timeless “Sleeping Beauty” tale, with rare content from the Disney archives; rich and explorable environments, filled with fantastic creatures from the world of “Maleficent”—waiting to be discovered at your fingertips; interviews with Angelina Jolie and the cast and crew responsible for bringing the reimagined story to the big screen; an afterword by director Robert Stromberg, two-time Academy Award®–winner for production design on “Alice in Wonderland” and “Avatar”; exclusive behind-the-scenes photo galleries and video featurettes; never-before-seen concept art, storyboards and sketches from pre-production; fun facts from the set; and profiles of the characters from the film—all created by Apple’s digital book creation app, iBooks Author.
The “Maleficent” book is available for free, exclusively on iBooks at: http://di.sn/hf7
“Maleficent” explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty” and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.
The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.
“Maleficent” is produced by Joe Roth and directed by Robert Stromberg, with Angelina Jolie, Michael Vieira, Don Hahn, Palak Patel, Matt Smith and Sarah Bradshaw serving as executive producers. Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay. “Maleficent” opens in U.S. theaters on May 30, 2014.
Over three years ago, rumors began circulating of a new version of Disney’s 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty,” to be directed by Tim Burton and starring Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. And while Burton’s director spot never came to fruition, “Maleficent” was officially announced in early 2012 with Jolie as the title character. While the casting choice seemed perfect, the idea of the movie was met with skepticism. Just what type of direction was this movie going to take? Would it simply be a live-action retelling of the original from Maleficent’s point of view? Or would it expand upon the story in the way that “Alice In Wonderland” did? After many months of shooting, news broke that Disney had hired director John Lee Hancock (“Saving Mr. Banks”) to oversee a series of reshoots. This was not a good sign, and fans grew even more worrisome. According to producer Joe Roth, the opening of the film required some reworking. In his exact words, “The movie is gorgeous to look at, and the last 75 minutes are really entertaining. The issue is the opening, which is being re-shot over eight days.” Make sure to remember this quote.
After some publicity shots that only hinted at Jolie’s look, audiences were finally given their first teaser trailer towards the end of 2013. It showed dazzling, dark visuals and was capped off with Maleficent’s signature evil laugh. “This shows some promise,” I thought to myself. A few months later during the Academy Awards®, Disney released a bold new teaser featuring Lana Del Rey’s haunting rendition of “Once Upon A Dream.” Wow, I was floored. This type of marketing was very uncharacteristically Disney. The footage displayed Maleficent on the battlefield, facing off against the royal troops with her army of nightmarish creatures from beyond the woods. My hopes were much higher than I anticipated. It looked as though a similar approach to “Snow White And The Huntsman” was being taken, going for a much more scary and adult tone. After seeing the extended (and immersive) first look for the film at Disney California Adventure, I was sold.
I wish at this point that I could say the film lived up to my expectations. But unfortunately that is not true. In fact, it fell so far below what I was expecting that I am still a bit dumbfounded. As a lifelong Disney fan, this film seemed like a no-brainer. The original “Sleeping Beauty” had all of the necessary components laid out. The villain, the hero, and the helpless victim caught in the middle. All it needed was a little backstory and explanation as to why Maleficent became so evil. The film does this, but unfortunately it leads the rest of the plot into directions I would not have expected. And not in a good way.
“Maleficent” stars Academy Award® winner Angelina Jolie as the title character. The film co-stars Elle Fanning (“Super 8”) as Princess Aurora; Sharlto Copley (“District 9”) as King Stefan; Sam Riley as Diaval; Imelda Staunton (“Harry Potter” series) as Knotgrass; Juno Temple as Thistlewit; Lesley Manville as Flittle; and Brenton Thwaites as Phillip. The film was directed by two-time Academy Award® winner Robert Stromberg (Best Art Direction on “Avatar” and “Alice In Wonderland.”)
While I typically like to cover the positives before the negatives in my other reviews, I feel it is only appropriate to do the opposite here.
WHAT DID NOT WORK: Where do I begin? While some of the most basic plot points of “Sleeping Beauty” are barely intact, it seems as though someone felt it was necessary to rewrite everything that connected these points together. To me, this does not lend to a successful reimagining of a classic fairytale. While 2012’s “Snow White And The Huntsmen” was far from perfect, it kept the overall story arc in place. The Evil Queen was portrayed as really evil. And the result of the film was basically the same. But with “Maleficent,” a dramatic shift in character development and story outcome was created at liberty for no reason at all other than to make the movie different from its predecessor. This was completely unnecessary for this film to be successful. In fact by doing so, I feel it is going to turn audiences off. It also negates all of the marketing that has been done for the film, which appeared to do Maleficent some justice in making her truly wicked. With the initial backstory presented, the film could have easily progressed along the same lines as the original story with a stronger focus on Maleficent’s hatred, leading to what could have been an incredible climax to the film. Because while people root for the hero, sometimes we actually root for the villain. And Maleficent’s level of evil, if presented with just cause, is one that audiences could get behind.
It only became more and more apparent as the film went on that everything I expected and hoped to see was not going to happen. This incredible battle between Maleficent and the royal army that was shown in the trailers, which I fully expected to be at the end of the film, was in fact part of the backstory shown at the very beginning. After the christening of baby Aurora and Maleficent lays the curse in place, her character gradually changes from that of antagonist to protagonist, as she eventually has a catharsis. All of the negativity and hatred is funneled to King Stefan instead, as he focuses his entire life on killing Maleficent and stopping the curse from coming true. Portrayed very poorly by the overrated Sharlto Copley, Stefan is one of the most confusing characters in the entire film. A once poor and innocent boy now turned malicious and focused on power, his development makes no sense. The only purpose is to give Maleficent a reason for which to display her powers and seek retribution.
Speaking of powers, since the film has an entire land full of magical creatures where Maleficent grew up, we are forced to suffer with three utterly useless fairies: Knotgrass, Thistlewit and Flittle. Unlike “Sleeping Beauty’s” Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, the obnoxious substitute characters we are introduced to have no impact on the story whatsoever. In fact, for the 16 years in which they were supposed to be looking after Aurora to protect her, they are barely ever seen. What were they doing all this time that Aurora was running off into the Moors? It is a rhetorical question, but one that needs asking. Did they serve any real purpose in this story? No. And the same can be said for Prince Phillip, who is practically non-existent from the film. Yes, you read that correctly. The hero from the original story is basically an afterthought in “Maleficent.”
WHAT “SORT OF” WORKED: Angelina Jolie was perfect as Maleficent, but it is unfortunate that she had to play her in these circumstances. I wanted to see her character lose it. Her laugh and devilish grin were spot on. The over the shoulder looks she gave displayed power and confidence. I was eagerly anticipating her transformation into the dragon for a final showdown. Yet slowly, her thirst for retribution fades and the calmly sinister Maleficent that we grew up knowing in “Sleeping Beauty” turns out to be wasted in favor of forgiveness. Elle Fanning was acceptable as Aurora (and age appropriate), but barely utilized in the film. She was not given much to work with.
WHAT WORKED: Despite the film’s overwhelming issues, it excelled on the technical front. The visual effects and sound were impressive, and the art direction and costume design were strong. I also enjoyed the score by eight-time Oscar® nominee James Newton Howard, whose work is consistently good.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Every opportunity to make “Maleficent” a modern and ultimately badass retelling was missed. The films suffers from an identity crisis, bouncing back and forth between whether it wants to be scary or wants to be family-friendly. Ultimately, the result is disappointing. I wanted this film to be good, and I expected so much more. But I cannot deny how let-down I felt after leaving. Remember the quote from producer Joe Roth at the beginning? “The last 75 minutes are really entertaining.” This film is only 97 minutes long, so that last part he referred to was basically the entire film. And in fact, he had it backwards. The film peaks 30 minutes in and then it is all downhill from there. While I understand Disney’s attempts to change the perspective for a new experience, that does not warrant completely rewriting the story in the process and labeling it as the “true version”. It would be as if we saw “The Lion King” from Scar’s perspective, learned why his character hated Mufasa through childhood backstory, then watched as Scar killed Mufasa and happily adopted Simba as his own son. I mean seriously…would that type of drastic shift in plot be something audiences would want to see? I do not think so
Earlier this year, Marvel announced they were developing five new TV series, four shows and a miniseries, at Netflix, all which would take place in the ever growing Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first series would be based around the Marvel Comics character DareDevil, who audiences last saw on screen in the 2003 film starring Ben Affleck. Now, Marvel is looking to bring the character back, in their way, in a thirteen episode first season, and it looks like their hunt for their new Matt Murdock has ended.
Latino Review was the first to break the news that Boardwalk Empire and Stardust star Charlie Cox has landed the coveted role of Matt Murdock in the new TV series. Variety has since confirmed the scoop. It’s great to see the series has finally grabbed its lead, as the show is set to start shooting in New York City in July.
Update: Marvel has officially announced Cox has gotten the role. Here’s their full press release:
Marvel is proud to announce that acclaimed actor Charlie Cox has joined “Marvel’s Daredevil,” an all-new 13-episode series premiering on Netflix in 2015. Best known for his acclaimed work in “Boardwalk Empire” and “Stardust,” Cox will play Matt Murdock, the lead role in this all-new Marvel Television series. Blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, Matt Murdock fights against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the super hero Daredevil in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.
Marvel’s first original series on Netflix is Executive Produced by series Showrunner Steven S. DeKnight (“Spartacus,” “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer,” “Angel”) and Drew Goddard (“Cabin in the Woods,” “Lost,” “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer,” in addition to writing the first two episodes of “Marvel’s Daredevil), along with Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Smallville,” “Heroes”).
“Marvel’s Daredevil” is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios.
For more information on “Marvel’s Daredevil,” and the other exciting new Marvel Television series coming to Netflix, stay tuned to Marvel.com.
Cox is certainly an interesting choice for the role, but it’s a good fit. He’s an incredibly talented actor, and it’ll be interesting to see what he brings to the role. Matt Murdock is a very interesting character to tackle, not only with his dark side, but for any actor, getting the chance to play a blind character will certainly be a challenge. DareDevil was actually my gateway in the Marvel universe, so he holds a very special place in my heart, and I can’t wait to see Cox in the role.
While not much more about the series is known at this time, it’s good to see the series coming together. The show is set to debut sometime next year on Neflix. This series will then be followed by TV series for Luke Cage, Jessica Jones and Iron Fist leading to the massive crossover miniseries, The Defenders. I can only hope that these series give us a chance to see some of Marvel’s darker characters, such as The Punisher and Moonknight, a chance to shine in the MCU. This is certainly an exciting time to be a comic book fan, and especially a Marvel fan, as the universe continues to grow on screen.
Are you excited about Cox taking on the role of Matt Murdock? Sound off in the usual place .
Over the weekend, a bit of news shook the internet in a way most of us couldn’t comprehend. After eight years of working on Marvel Studio’s adaptation of Ant-Man, Edgar Wright exited the project. The unfortunate news was announced in a press release from Marvel:
Marvel and Edgar Wright jointly announced today that the studio and director have parted ways on ANT-MAN due to differences in their vision of the film. The decision to move on is amicable and does not impact the release date on July 17, 2015. A new director will be announced shortly.”
While details around the situation are murky at best right now, rumors suggest that a delay in the production, and a possible clashing of heads may have forced Wright to leave the project. Unfortunately, we’ll probably never know the full story, but the news of Wright leaving the film is certainly devastating. While casual moviegoers may not know the director’s name, he’s gained a huge following over the last decade with his style and particular brand of filmmaking, with his work on his films in the Cornetto Trilogy of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End, and the adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World getting critical acclaim, but never quite finding commercial success.
But Wright’s love and admiration for the character and his world basically willed the film into existence, and his sudden departure from the project certainly is unsettling. Ant-Man is quite the gamble of a film as it is, and having a director behind the project who genuinely loves the material would really help sell it. His presence on the film will certainly be missed, and I for one am quite sad to see him go.
But now the search is on for a new director, and Marvel apparently has their eyes on a few already, so it’ll only be a matter of time before a replacement is announced. For now, Ant-Man is currently slated to be the first film in Marvel’s Phase III, following The Avengers: Age of Ultron, and is slated for a release date of July 15, 2015.
Well, this is certainly disappointing. Last week, we reported that Alfonso Cuaron was in negotiations with Warner Bros. Pictures to direct Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first film in a new trilogy set in the Harry Potter universe. Unfortunately though, sometimes things just aren’t meant to be, and according to Cuaron, he won’t be directing the much anticpated film.
Cuaron addressed the rumor with Spanish news agency named EFE, which Digital Spy reported. Cuaron had this to say:
[Directing Prisoner of Azkaban] was a very beautiful experience for me. I have a lot of love for that universe and I tremendously admire JK Rowling, but today, for the present, projects based around lots of visual effects don’t attract me. I’m coming out of a five-year process of doing visual effects and now I sort of want to clean my palate of that a little bit.
It’s definitely understandable why Cuaron may be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the way heavy effects work his last few films has had, and it’s hard to blame him from wanting to take a step back from it. Which makes the new rumor that he’s currently circling the prequel to the Stanley Kubrick film, The Shining, all the more interesting. The film, currently titled The Overlook Hotel, is currently being worked on at Warner Bros., and it’s just the kind of film that Cuaron may want to tackle. It wouldn’t necessarily be effects heavy, and could easily be looked at as a way for him to clean his palate, and doing something new.
For now though, the hunt is still on for a director for Fantastic Beasts, which is scheduled for release November 18, 2016. Except news soon, as the film will need to be ramping up its production sooner rather than later.
Are you sad to see Cuaron passing on the film? Do you have an interest in him directing The Overlook Hotel? Sound off in the usual place below.
For the first time since Training Day, director Antoine Fuqua, and Denzel Washington, have reunited for a new take on the 1980’s TV series, The Equalizer. The new film stars Washington, taking over the role of Robert McCall, who was originally played by famed British actor Edward Woodward, as he takes on the Russian mob in an attempt to save the life of a teenage girl, played by Chloe Grace Moretz.
The trailer is tense, grim, and violent, showing the inner workings of the way McCall thinks and pieces things together. It’s a subtle but well crafted trailer, it certainly makes me excited to see how the film turns out. Washington looks like he’s already going to absolutely own the role, and I’m getting a bit of a Man on Fire vibe, which is great to me, because I think that’s one of Washington’s most underrated films, as well as performances.
The Equalizer also stars Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, and Martin Csokas, and will released on September 26, 2014.
In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a former black ops commando who has faked his death to live a quiet life in Boston. When he comes out of his self-imposed retirement to rescue a young girl, Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), he finds himself face to face with ultra-violent Russian gangsters. As he serves vengeance against those who brutalize the helpless, McCall’s desire for justice is reawakened. If someone has a problem, the odds are stacked against them, and they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.
With all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Big Hero 6” is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action, “Big Hero 6” is directed by Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”), and produced by Roy Conli (“Tangled”). The film hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014. The film hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014. For more information, check out www.Disney.com/BigHero6, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/DisneyBigHero6, and follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DisneyAnimation.
Director Gareth Edwards, coming hot off his rebooted take on Godzilla, which was a critical and commercial success, has just booked his next gig, and it’s a big one. Edwards has just been handed the keys to the first Star Wars spin-off film, which is currently untitled, but is due out on December 16, 2016. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news, which the Official Star Wars website quickly confirmed, with this to say:
In addition to the episodes of a new Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney have begun development on multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga. Gareth Edwards will direct the first stand-alone film, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. The film is due out December 16, 2016.
Gareth Edwards blazed into the filmmaking forefront with his acclaimed work on Monsters, a film he wrote, directed and served on as cinematographer and visual effects artist. The skill and vision readily apparent in Monsters earned him the high-profile spot directing this year’s smash hit Godzilla.
“Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life – join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited & honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm, said Edwards.
Gary Whittas screenwriting credits include 2010s The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington. He is also well known as a journalist and editor in the video game industry, as well as part of the BAFTA award-winning team on Telltale Games adaptation of The Walking Dead.
Whitta states, “From the moment I first saw the original movie as a wide-eyed kid, Star Wars has been the single most profound inspiration to my imagination and to my career as a writer. It is deeply special to me,so to be given the opportunity to contribute to its ongoing legacy, especially in collaboration with a film-maker as talented as Gareth,is literally a dream come true. I’m still pinching myself.”
It’s all very interesting, and I can’t wait to see what film it is that Edwards is set to direct. There’s a lot of rumors from a standalone films revolving around both Boba Fett and Han Solo, so maybe he’s landed one of those. It’s truly exciting times to be a Star Wars fan, and Edwards is immensely talented, so I’m glad to see he’s landed this gig. He went from being almost unknown to the keys to the biggest franchise of all time over one week, and he’s going to do excellent things with it.
Are you excited for Edwards getting a chance to play in the Star Wars universe? Let me know in the comments below!
Slated for release this fall, gamers will be invited to take part in a brand new true-to-property storyline crafted with the help of award-winning Marvel comic writer Brian Michael Bendis and featuring The Avengers Super Heroes Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, Hulk and Hawkeye.
Key highlights include:
Play Set: The Avengers Play Set is the first play set to be announced for Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes and features Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow, with Captain America, Hawkeye and Hulk sold separately. Players will take the role of earth’s mightiest heroes as they try to put an end to Loki’s cold-hearted plans to invade New York City. Along the way, they will learn that Loki isn’t working alone and that this is but the first step in a villainous plot that threatens the entire planet. The Avengers will need not only their strength and wits, but also the technology and insight of S.H.I.E.L.D. to have any chance of saving the world.
Toy Box: In the all-new Toy Box 2.0, players will be able to use Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow and all of The Avengers characters, plus hundreds of Marvel-themed items, locations, props and vehicles, to create new and exciting adventures in customized worlds.
The Avengers Play Set and new Toy Box mode will be included in the Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes Starter Pack. Additional Play Sets and characters will be announced in the coming months.
“So many battles waged over the years… and yet, none like this. Are we destined to destroy each other, or can we change each other and unite? Is the future truly set?”
It’s been a long, bumpy journey for the Marvel comic book series, X-Men, on the big screen. The series, now reaching its seventh installment, has been lauded, reviled, and and generally mixed, depending on the film in the series. But the love for the characters, and the brand name recognition, has kept it moving along over the last fourteen years. Now, with original director Bryan Singer back at the helm, the X-Men series is showing signs of life that it hasn’t in a long, long time. X-Men: Days of Future Past is part sequel, part prequel, part reboot, and all parts awesome, taking the series in a very interesting and new direction, and finally making good on the promise of how good the series could be after X-Men 2: X-Men United.
After many years fighting a war that has left the mutants all but extinct, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) comes up with a plan to send someone back in time, hoping to stop the events that would lead to the dystopian future they’re living in. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is the only person who can handle the pain that the time travel will cause, and voluntarily has himself sent back in time. Wolverine finds himself in 1973, in a time when the younger versions of Xavier (McAvoy) and Magneto (Fassbender) couldn’t be any different, or farther apart from each other. Tasked to bring them together, they must try and stop Mystique (Lawrence) from being the mutant who unknowingly sets off a chain of events that will lead to the destruction of not just mutant kind, but the world. As things begin to widely go out of control, the question of whether the future is predetermined becomes a very real concern, and the Wolverine must find a way to make things right, to save not just his future, but those he cares about in the past as well.
As Days of Future Past begins, it’s clear that we’re returning to the roots of the series, with a voiceover from Charles Xavier, giving the film a feel of familiarity, as we’re dropped into a world that looks like nothing we’ve ever seen in the series before. Bryan Singer wants fans of the series to remember what it was that grabbed us from the first film on, and bring it back. His direction has sorely been missed, and having him return really gives the film the push it needs to make fans really embrace and love the series again. He understands this world better than anyone, and the way the characters tick, which is very apparent here. After he helped pen and bring to life X-Men: First Class, Singer finds himself bridging the old series and new series, while also trying to fix some of the problems that have long plagued the series since X-Men: The Last Stand, which is no easy task. Thankfully, it’s something Singer feels very strongly about, and you can tell he feels the need to make the series finally live up to what it promised so many years ago.
Screenwriter Simon Kinberg is up for the task as well, as his script and story is what makes the movie live and breath. He was one of the responsible parties for X-Men: The Last Stand, and you can tell he’s learned from his mistakes this time. The film doesn’t feel overstuffed and overbearing, with too many characters and too many plots. This film is much leaner, quicker, and more emotional than anything the series has had before. The film gives ample breathing room for the characters of Wolverine, Magneto, Xavier, and Mystique, who are really the four focal points throughout. Each is given plenty to do, and their stories all feel fleshed out, other than half baked and under utilized. Jackman once again gives a fantastic performance as Wolverine, and continues to show us why he’s so beloved as the character. But this time, he gets a little bit more of an emotional core, as he spends time trying to help the younger version of Charles get his life back on track. Jackman and McAvoy play off each other fantastically, really making the relationship between Xavier and Wolverine feel more poignant and real than ever before. McAvoy has really come into his own as Charles, really getting a chance to sink his teeth into, making the role his own, but also giving us a chance to see the beginnings of what what he would become, with a little bit of Patrick Stewart beginning to emerge in him. Of course, he and Michael Fassbender continue to have great chemistry together as well, with their storyline of their strained friendship over Mystique, really being the film’s emotional center. Fassbender, much like McAvoy, really owns the role of Erik, and makes it his own. You can see the beginnings of Sir Ian McKellen’s version inside, but this is a much younger, angrier, and more aggressive Magneto than we’ve ever seen, and Fassbender delivers in spades.
But it’s really Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique who really surprises in this film. Her performance is so different than the one she gave in First Class. This version of Mystique is much more inline with what we’ve seen with Rebecca Romijn’s in the films. There’s a real otherworldly feel to the way Lawrence plays her, and it can all be attributed to Singer’s direction. He really takes his time to let us get to know the characters, and give them room to breathe, so we can really take in the performances of the actors. But it’s just not the younger cast who shines, but the Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen as well. Seeing them return to the roles of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsheer once again is a real treat, and it feels like a day hasn’t passed since they played these characters. They completely embody their characters and their personalities, as well as their very tumultuous relationship. You can feel the pain and friction in their friendship, but you can tell they want nothing more than to fix what they inadvertently created, and they’ll do anything to protect each other after everything they’ve been through. There’s no way these two won’t be remembered in these roles, and it’s great they got to return once more.
The film also flows really well, for the most part. The film never feels too long, and with it clocking in at just under two hours and fifteen minutes, it has a lot of story to cover. Unfortunately, because of the runtime being that way, a few of the mutants seem to get a bit shafted. While Hoult really is good as Beast, he’s just not given enough to do or a story to really bring the character full circle like the others are. Likewise, Colossus, Ice Man, and Kitty all seem to be there more for plot convenience than as full fledged characters. Thankfully though, all the aforementioned characters do get something to do, and get some fun screen time to at least show off their powers in action, which is a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately though, Anna Paquin’s Rogue is missing from the proceedings, and her presence is very much missed. Time constraints had her role trimmed out, and it’s hard not to be a little bit annoyed by the fact she’s no where to be seen in the future battles. It’s really a minor gripe in the grand scheme of things, but it’s still one that really feels off as a whole. Thankfully, the action and story more than make up for her being missing in action, and Singer has really brought his game for the action scenes in the film. They’re fast, furious, and intense, and lead to one of the best third acts in a film in quite a while. He’s really learned to shoot action well over the last few years, and his growth as a filmmaker really shows, and it’s great to see him more experienced now, bringing what he’s learned to the series that he started so long ago, and giving it a new lease at life.
X-Men: Days of Future Past is a film that really shows exactly what this series is capable of, and really what it should have been, over the last several years. Bryan Singer returning to the series seems to be just the shot of adrenaline that the series needed to fully get back on track, and he’s delivered a film that new fans and old fans will flock to. Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, some fantastic action, and a story that sets the film universe straight, this is a film that is going to leave audiences cheering. It’ll be very interesting seeing where the series goes from here, because Singer has left the series in a very strong place, and one that leaves you wondering exactly where we’ll be headed next. But wherever it is, lets just hope it’s as strong and fun as this film, because this is as fun as blockbuster cinema gets.
Today in a special video message from the set of Star Wars: Episode VII, director J.J. Abrams announced the creation of Star Wars: Force for Change, a brand new Star Wars initiative from Disney and Lucasfilm in collaboration with Bad Robot dedicated to finding creative solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. The first Star Wars: Force for Change campaign will raise funds and awareness for the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) Innovation Labs and its innovative programs that are benefiting the world’s most vulnerable children.
Disney has committed US $1 million to support the launch of Star Wars: Force for Change. Fans can now contribute directly at Omaze.com/StarWars for a chance to appear in Star Wars: Episode VII. For each $10 contribution made through the Omaze fundraising platform, eligible participants will be automatically entered for a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The campaign runs from 12:01am PST on May 21stth until 11:59pm PST July 18th.
The Star Wars: Force for Change Grand Prize includes:
– Airfare and accommodations to London for one winner and a guest
– Behind-the-scenes access on the closed set of Star Wars: Episode VII as VIP guests of J.J. Abrams
– Winner will have the opportunity to meet members of the cast
– Winner and their guest will then be transformed by makeup and costume teams into a Star Wars character and filmed for a scene in Star Wars: Episode VII
“The Star Wars fans are some of the most passionate and committed folks around the globe,” says director J.J. Abrams. “We’re thrilled to offer a chance to come behind the scenes as our VIP guests and be in Star Wars: Episode VII. We’re even more excited that by participating in this campaign, Star Wars fans will be helping children around the world through our collaboration with UNICEF Innovation Labs and projects.”
Star Wars continues to inspire generations of dreamers and doers to use their creativity to accomplish great things. Star Wars and Lucasfilm were built on the belief that in uniting creativity with innovation, you can make the impossible possible.
“The Star Wars films were made through George Lucas’s adventurous combination of technology and creativity,” says Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “We wanted to honor and carry on that positive spirit as we start production on Episode VII and use Star Wars to make a difference in the world. Star Wars: Force for Change will help us do that, letting us give back to the fans who keep Star Wars alive, and raising much-needed funds for programs like UNICEF’s Innovation Labs.”
Disney/Pixar’s RADIATOR SPRINGS 500 1/2 Premieres on Disney Movies Anywhere
Race into summer with the Disney Movies Anywhere premiere of Radiator Springs 500 ½. The all-new Disney•Pixar short is available for free, and is an exciting first installment in the “Tales from Radiator Springs” series. Just download Disney Movies Anywhere app for iPhone or iPad to watch Radiator Springs 500 ½ now!
Featuring Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen and directed by Rob Gibbs (“Mater’s Tall Tales”), Radiator Springs 500 1/2 tells the story of a “leisurely drive” planned in honor of Radiator Springs’ town founder, Stanley, which turns precarious as Baja pros descend on the town and challenge Lightning McQueen to an off-road race. Meanwhile, the townsfolk, led by a Stanley-costumed Mater, enjoy the planned “leisurely drive” to retrace Stanley’s original frontier route. Thinking they’re on the same course, a wrong turn sends McQueen and the Baja pros on a treacherously wild bid for survival. The misunderstanding leaves the racing professionals in awe of the “legend” of Stanley: the Original Off-Road Racer
At this year's Annecy’s International Animation Film Festival, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios offered a series of surprises that thrilled festival goers.
Jared Bush, Walt Disney...
