For one night only, two of the world’s most celebrated songwriters and composers will take to the stage for “Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken: The Disney Songbook.” The concert will take place at the D23 Expo 2013 at the Anaheim Convention Center in the D23 Expo Arena on Saturday, August 10.
Together Sherman and Menken have won a combined 10 Academy Awards for their work with Disney, and have composed music and songs for more than three dozen Disney feature films, over two dozen Disney Park attractions and half a dozen Disney musicals on Broadway.
“I can’t express how excited I am that my esteemed friend Alan Menken and I will be sharing the same bill for the very first time,” said Sherman. “Alan is an incredible talent, and I know we’re both thrilled to be performing for Disney’s most ardent fans—they’re the best and I can’t wait to be a part of what promises to be a very special night for all of us.”
“Richard Sherman and I share so many things; our cherished association with The Walt Disney Company, the blessing of having the opportunity to share our musical talents with “children of all ages” and a genuine mutual admiration—but one thing we’ve never gotten to share is a concert stage,” said Menken. “This summer at the D23 Expo 2013, we will do just that. And I can’t think of anyone I’d prefer to share that stage with. Richard, along with his brother Robert, wrote songs that filled my formative years with joy and fantasy. And, all these years later, I can say with complete honesty that there is no one I’ve met in our business who is more warm and generous than my friend and fellow songwriter, Richard Sherman.”
Admission to the concert will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is included in the price of a ticket to the D23 Expo. In addition to the 4,000-seat D23 Expo Arena, the concert will be simulcast into a 2,000-seat overflow theater inside the Convention Center.
Richard M. Sherman and his brother Robert B. Sherman composed some of the most beloved songs in the Disney canon. The Disney Legends won two Oscars® for their work on Mary Poppins, and during their decades–long association with Disney they wrote more than 200 songs for 27 films and two dozen television productions. They made unforgettable contributions to such Disney films as The Parent Trap, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and the entire Winnie the Pooh series, as well as the family classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They also penned beloved songs for Disney Parks including the theme songs for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, it’s a small world, and Carousel of Progress. Richard wrote the song “Make Way for Tomorrow Today” for the blockbuster film Iron Man 2, and is working on a new stage musical based on Walt Disney’s 1967 animated film classic The Jungle Book, premiering this June at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.
With eight Academy Awards, Alan Menken has received more Oscars than any living person. He has written songs and scores for some of the world’s most beloved films: Tangled (Oscar nominee), Enchanted (three Oscar nominations) The Little Mermaid (two Oscar wins), Beauty and the Beast (two Oscar wins), Aladdin (two Oscar wins), Pocahontas (two Oscar wins), Hercules (Oscar nominee), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Oscar nominee), Little Shop of Horrors (Oscar nominee), Home on the Range and Newsies. His song “Star Spangled Man,” was the patriotic anthem of the 2011 hit film Captain America: The First Avenger.
Menken’s Broadway successes include his 2012 Tony Award® for Newsies, plus The Little Mermaid (Tony Award nominee), Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors, and Sister Act (Tony Award nominee). His other stage productions include King David, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and his latest stage production Aladdin: The New Musical, opening next year. At Disney Parks, Menken added an exclusive ballad (“To Be Free”) to his song score for Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure and penned “Compass of Your Heart,” the catchy theme song for the attraction Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage at Tokyo DisneySea
Tickets for the D23 Expo are available at a discounted price for a limited time. Though June 15, tickets are $52 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $45 for a one-day adult admission and $37 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available for both D23 Members and the general public, and D23 Members can save as much as $144 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate before June 15. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for members and general admission, visit D23Expo.com.
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
California’s Great America will honor America’s service men and women Memorial Day Weekend with free park admission on May 25, 26 and 27 for all current and retired military personnel. In addition, attending family members are eligible for $19.99 tickets (up to 6 family members) and all members of a military member’s party can join in a picnic meal for just $7 (Noon-3 PM in Picnic Pavilion).
An all-new fireworks spectacular, set to patriotic music, will decorate the sky above California’s Great America at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 26, celebrating those who have sacrificed so much.
“Our military families do so much for us and this is just a small acknowledgement for their contributions,” said California’s Great America Vice President and General Manager Raul Rehnborg. “We hope everyone takes the time to honor and remember current, retired and deceased military service men and women this weekend.”
California’s Great America will open May 25, 26 and 27 at 10 a.m. with a color guard flag presentation and the singing of America’s national anthem.
Free and $19.99 tickets may be purchased at the front gate on May 25, 26 and 27 by displaying the proper military credentials. The picnic meal will include a hot dog, garden salad, potato salad, fountain beverages and ice cream novelties.
Beginning Saturday, May 25, California’s Great America and Boomerang Bay will be open daily through Labor Day.
A new vision for the future comes to life today as Microsoft Corp. unveils Xbox One , the all-in-one gaming and entertainment system created for today and the next generation. At Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash., the company showcased how Xbox One puts you at the center of all your games, TV, movies, music, sports and Skype.
“Xbox One is designed to deliver a whole new generation of blockbuster games, television and entertainment in a powerful, all-in-one device,” said Don Mattrick, president, Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Our unique, modern architecture brings simplicity to the living room and, for the first time ever, the ability to instantly switch across your games and entertainment.”
Introducing Xbox One
With Xbox One, games push the boundaries of realism, and TV obeys your commands.[1] Say “Xbox On” to launch your personalized Xbox One Home screen, discover what is popular on TV or see friends’ latest gaming achievements all using the most natural interface — your voice. The more you interact with Xbox One, the more it gets to know you and learns what you like. Some of the breakthrough Xbox One features that put you at the center of your living room entertainment include the following:
• TV on Xbox One.[1] Navigate and watch live TV from your cable, telco or satellite set-top box through your Xbox One. Microsoft is committed to bringing live TV through various solutions to all the markets where Xbox One will be available.[3]
• Home. Turn on your entertainment system with two powerful words, “Xbox On,” and a custom-tailored Home dashboard welcomes you with your favorite games, TV and entertainment.
• Snap. Do two things at once on the biggest screen in your home. Use Snap to jump into a multiplayer battle while watching your favorite movie, talk with friends on Skype while watching live TV, or track your fantasy team on TV as you watch the big game and more.
• Skype for Xbox One. Specially designed for Xbox One, talk with friends on your TV in stunning HD, or for the first time ever, hold group Skype calls on your TV.
• Trending.[1] Stay on top of what is hot on TV by discovering the entertainment that is popular among your friends, and see what is trending within the Xbox community.
• OneGuide.[1], [2] Find your favorite entertainment easily, searching by network, name or time, all with the sound of your voice and presented in a tailored program guide.
To create the most advanced Xbox system ever designed for games, TV and entertainment, Microsoft created a state-of-the-art gaming operating system and fused it with an equally amazing entertainment platform, so you will not have to switch inputs to watch TV or play a game. An eight-core, x86 processor and more than 5 billion transistors helps make lag and load times a thing of the past, so you can instantly jump between a game and your entertainment at lightning speed or run a host of apps right alongside your game with no loss in performance.Introducing Xbox One titles and exclusives
Gaming on Xbox One immerses gamers in cinematic worlds that look like real life, with characters that feel more human than ever before. AAA blockbuster titles unveiled for Xbox One include the following:
• “Forza Motorsport 5” from Turn 10 Studios is the latest edition of the highest-rated racing franchise of the past 10 years.[3] Built from the ground up to take advantage of Xbox One and the infinite power of the cloud, no game better delivers the sensation of being behind the wheel. “Forza Motorsport 5” sets a new bar for racing games and will be available exclusively for Xbox One at launch.
• “Call of Duty: Ghosts” is the next generation of “Call of Duty” and a stunning leap forward for the franchise. It delivers an all-new world, an all-new cast of characters and an all-new story, built on a new, next-generation engine. The next-generation technical innovations built to support the incredible gameplay advancements make this the most beautiful and immersive “Call of Duty” experience yet. Activision and Microsoft also announced the renewal of their close partnership that will see both the return of the “Call of Duty® Championship,” presented by Xbox, as well as all-new downloadable content debuting first and exclusively on the Xbox platform.
• “FIFA 14,” “Madden NFL 25,” “NBA LIVE 14,” and “EA SPORTS UFC” from EA SPORTS will change the way consumers experience and play sports games. Driven by the new EA SPORTS Ignite engine, these new EA SPORTS games will deliver massive innovations in human intelligence, true player motion and living worlds. Adding to its commitment to Xbox One, EA SPORTS also announced the promise of exclusive content to be revealed in the coming months.
• “Quantum Break” from Remedy Entertainment is a revolutionary entertainment experience from the creators of “Max Payne” and “Alan Wake” that blurs the line between gaming and TV by integrating drama and gameplay into one seamless, uniquely immersive experience. How you play the game impacts the show, and the show informs how you play the game.
In addition to the amazing lineup of games coming to Xbox One, Microsoft unveiled exclusive content partnerships with some of the top names in TV, sports and entertainment.
• “Halo” television series. Award-winning filmmaker, director and producer, Steven Spielberg will executive-produce an original “Halo” live-action television series with exclusive interactive Xbox One content, created in partnership with 343 Industries and Xbox Entertainment Studios.
• National Football League (NFL).[1] A multiyear, landmark partnership will deliver the ultimate interactive NFL television experiences for the next-generation Xbox One and leverage Microsoft devices and services to evolve both in-game and on the sideline. The NFL on Xbox will redefine broadcast experiences through innovations around Skype, Xbox SmartGlass and player-worn technology; add an all-new fantasy football solution for the biggest screen in the house; and create a personalized NFL destination only available on Xbox One.
Introducing a new generation of Xbox Live
Xbox One is built to amplify an all-new generation of Xbox Live that is more powerful, more personal and more intelligent. Unleashing the virtually unlimited power of the cloud makes everything more convenient and accessible, from allowing games to be installed in segments so that gameplay can start quickly to updates downloading in the background. Save and store your personalized profile, games and entertainment in the cloud to access them anytime, from any Xbox One console.[4] In addition, existing Xbox Live Gold Membership for Xbox 360 will seamlessly carry over to Xbox One.[5] Xbox Live takes you deeper into the games you love with all-new features.
• Smart Match. A new Smart Match matchmaking system virtually eliminates waiting in lobbies by estimating wait times and finding people you want to play with while you are enjoying other activities — reputation fundamentally matters and helps find best matches.
• Game DVR. A dedicated Game DVR captures and accesses your magic moments, all saved to the cloud. Along with sharing tools, you will have the most amazing bragging rights with Xbox Live.
• Living Games.[6] Dynamic, living worlds evolve and improve the more you play, and advanced artificial intelligence can learn to play like you, so friends can play against your shadow.
• Expanded achievements. A new and expanded achievements system captures video of your epic moments, continues to grow a game’s achievements over time and rewards you in new ways, and your Gamerscore carries over from Xbox 360.
• Xbox SmartGlass.[6] Xbox SmartGlass is natively part of the Xbox One platform, built in from the beginning with the ability to quickly render content directly onto your device, and now more devices can connect at one time for multiplayer and shared entertainment.
Introducing the Xbox One look and feel
New Xbox One hardware is sleek and modern and complements any décor. The console is shaped in the 16:9 aspect ratio and employs a horizontal orientation optimized for its high-speed Blu-ray™ disc player. It is molded in a deep and rich liquid black color and includes a distinctive beveled edge.
The completely redesigned, revolutionary 1080p Kinect is more precise, more responsive and more intuitive. Its unparalleled vision, motion and voice technology let you reach into games and entertainment like never before by dramatically expanding its field of view and fidelity. It works in nearly any lighting condition, recognizes precise motion control from a slight wrist rotation, and distinguishes your voice even in a noisy room using advanced noise isolation.
The class-leading Xbox controller is refreshed with more than 40 technical and design innovations. Updated directional pad, thumb stick and ergonomic fit immerse all gamers in ways that are uniquely Xbox, and precision and control have been dramatically increased with all new vibrating impulse triggers.[6] The Xbox One Wireless Controller is designed to work in concert with the new Kinect, allowing the two to be paired automatically to create seamless player syncing.
Xbox One will launch in markets around the world later this year. Visit the new Xbox Wire blog at http://news.xbox.com for in-depth features on the new system, including photos and videos from the unveiling event and new and rotating content from Xbox. More details about Xbox One and blockbuster games will be explored at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June.
Normally one reads a review of a DVD of a television series that they may have already seen in order to read about the fantastic extras and bonus features. Well, unfortunately this DVD does not have many extras or any at all for that matter. This complete first season does however contain one Hell of a show that I know went under the radar for a lot of TV watchers including myself.
The series starts off playing out much like a movie and traps you in with these characters. You quickly learn about Dr. Daniel Pierce, Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), who is quite the eccentric Cubs loving professor. I read before the plotline, but I didn’t realize by eccentric that they actually meant a schizophrenic.
This is actually an exciting twist to your average everyday cop drama that has taken over most primetime network television. Perception is actually quite refreshing and feels clever and new. It continues to compel you to keep watching as the beginning always foreshadows what is about to come and ends with a moralistic monologue that will definitely leave you thinking.
Even with this fresh take on a classic serialized television, the story and loosely related buddy cop premise does feel a bit recycled. In fact, Elementary has a similar premise. That’s the story of Sherlock Holmes and both shows follow suit of an eccentric man that becomes a consultant for the FBI to help solve challenging cases. Of course there has to be an attractive sidekick. Each have that agent that is a “nonbeliever” of the main characters ways feeling they are crazy.
Dr. Pierce helps FBI Agent Kate Moretti, Rachel Leigh Cook, as he was her professor in college. Leaving a lasting impression of his brilliance, she know sees the value he can be helping her murder mysteries. Every episode stays quick and fast pace throughout the entire episode. There hasn’t been a dull moment and as each episode ends, I just want to turn on the next.
Now sure there is definitely some outlandish storylines and cheesiness that is just so farfetched that the show screams a reminder that you are watching an incredibly fictionalized drama, but is sure is entertaining. The show remains well produced, well written, witty and smart from episode to episode with each one having that same energetic race to solve the case through Dr. Pierces unconventional ways.
By no means is a show that will ever be talked about by everyone, but there is definitely potential for the continuing story between the two leads and his interesting invisible lady friend that they keep eluding toward what we are already thinking anyway. If they can keep the story strong and stories clever without getting too outlandish, this could be a sleeper show that survives 6+ seasons. I guess it will depend most on the success of the summers run of season 2.
Perception, which is produced by ABC Studios and airs on TNT, was created by executive producer Ken Biller (Star Trek: Voyager, Smallville) and co-executive producer Mike Sussman (Star Trek: Enterprise), with McCormack serving as producer. Alan Poul (Six Feet Under) directed and served as executive producer for the pilot.
It goes without saying that this film, at least in this iteration, wouldn’t exist if not for the success of Twilight. The teen angst-filled supernatural forbidden love story genre is all the rage right now, and the studios are jumping all over that bandwagon. Having said that, the filmmakers of Beautiful Creatures have managed to craft this Twilight rip-off that not only proves better than Twilight, but ends up a thoroughly entertaining, if not altogether cheesy, piece of entertainment in its own right.
The story of Beautiful Creatures revolves around the concept of Casters, or as you and I know them, witches. While the backstory of the film is pretty convoluted, the primary story revolving around our lead, Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert), is relatively straightforward. Through a great deal of exposition, we learn that on Lena’s approaching 16th birthday birthday, she has the potential to instantly transform into a Dark or Light Caster, good or evil. This won’t be determined just by her true nature, but elements of her bloodline as well. Due to various plot mechanics, it is revealed that her transition could signify a mortal apocalypse, with Casters dominating the Earth. Unfortunately, shock of all shocks, she falls in love just before this pivotal moment, a forbidden love that could push her over the edge into the darkness.
While I found the film to be a great deal of fun throughout, there are two elements that elevate the material beyond the norm. The first of these is the location. Set in South Carolina, there is a sort of gothic lushness to the proceedings that is unusual in a film such as this. It’s all very backwoods but gorgeous, and I found it to be a beautiful location for the film. Beyond the visuals, this setting enabled the screenwriters to populate the film with several memorable characters embracing the worst characteristics of the South.
As explained by Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich), this is one of those overly religious towns, as demonstrated through their propensity for banning classic works of literature in the name of protecting the students. The juxtaposition between the judgmental condemnation of the holier-than-thou residents and the presumed evil of the Casters created an interesting dynamic and a heightened sense of tension throughout.
Of course, none of this would work if the performances weren’t up to the task, and there is some great work here. I mentioned before that there are two elements of the film that stood out for me, and the performances are the second. There isn’t a wasted role in the film, and everybody fully commits to their character. While nobody involved could be accused of subtlety, almost every performance elevates the material through sheer conviction. Particular standouts include Jeremy Irons, chewing the scenery with the best of them in his role of Lena’s uncle, Macon Ravenwood, Emmy Rossum as Lena’s cousin Ridley (who is already a Dark Caster), and especially Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lincoln, the overly righteous pillar of the community with a secret. Her performance is so over-the-top that it borders on camp, and I couldn’t imagine the role being interpreted any other way .
As with any love story, the film hinges on the chemistry between the two leads. Englert and Ehrenreich have a natural connection between them that makes their character’s relationship completely believable. On paper, the love story came on a little quick and could have used a bit more setup leading into it. However, these two work so well together, I was able to buy into the romance of the situation and accept that their love was that strong, that quick. Unlike in Twilight (last reference, I promise) where Bella and Edward seem off puttingly uncomfortable around each other, these two seem made for each other.
It’s a shame that the Blu-Ray extras aren’t more substantial. Rather than providing any insight into the film itself, almost all of the features are clip packages recapping certain thematic elements of the film the viewer just watched. There’s interesting little pieces here and there, such as a quick look at some of the effects work, but it’s almost all generic filler that does nothing to enhance the experience. Also included are some deleted scenes and theatrical trailers.
Not all of the special effects are great, and the story is highly derivative. However, their are some terrific set pieces (one involving a spinning dining room table comes to mind), some fun Civil War flashbacks and a lot of creativity overall. Unfortunately, the film didn’t do that well at the box-office, and that really is a shame. The film deserved more, and I definitely recommend at least a rental. This is a film made for teenage girls, and yet, as a man in his thirties, I am not ashamed to say that I enjoyed myself.
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
WARNER BROS. PICTURES AND LEGENDARY PICTURES PACIFIC RIM
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on July 12
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)
Director: Guillermo del Toro Writers: Screenplay by Travis Beacham and Guillermo del Toro
Story by Travis Beacham Producers: Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Guillermo del Toro, Mary Parent Executive Producers: Callum Greene
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Robert Kazinsky,
Max Martini, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Brad William Henke, Diego Klattenhoff
Just announced, on August 6, Disney will release The Sword In The Stone, Robin Hood and Oliver and Company on Blu-Ray Combo Packs! See info for each film below.
Disney proudly presents the 50th anniversary edition of a spellbinding and beloved animated classic. Conjure up magical family fun with the humor, adventure and Academy Award®-nominated music (Best Score – Adaptation or Treatment, 1963) of The Sword In The Stone – now on Blu-ray Combo Pack for the first time ever!
Take an amazing journey with a young orphan named “Wart” and the extraordinary wizard Merlin. According to legend, only someone with the purest character and inner strength can pull the enchanted sword from the stone and claim the throne of England. Armed with newfound confidence and the power of friendship, Wart discovers his destiny and learns the best magic is the kind you find inside yourself!
Voice Cast includes: Sebastian Cabot (The Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) as Sir Ector, Karl Swenson (The Birds, Judgment at Nuremberg) as Merlin, Rickie Sorensen (Tarzan and the Trappers, Tarzan’s Fight for Life) as Wart, Junius Matthews (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too) as Archimedes, Martha Wentworth (101 Dalmatians, The Stranger) as Madam Mim, Norman Alden (The Transformers: The Movie, Back to the Future) as Sir Kay, and Alan Napier (Marnie, Batman) as Sir Pellinor
To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Disney proudly presents the unforgettable animated classic Robin Hood on Blu-ray for the first time ever. Experience all the fun, thrills and celebrated music (Academy Award® Nominated Music for Best Original Song “Love” in 1973) of this legendary adventure with perfect picture and sound!
Join Robin Hood, his trusted companion Little John and his hilarious band of Merry Men as they outfox greedy Prince John to save the good people of Nottingham. Dashing from one daring deed to the next, Robin won’t rest until he wins the hand of Maid Marian and restores King Richard to the throne. One of Disney’s most beloved movies is even better on Blu-ray Combo Pack!
Voice Cast includes: Brian Bedford (Nixon, Grand Prix) as Robin Hood; Phil Harris (Aristocats, The Jungle Book) as Little John; Andy Devine (Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) as Friar Tuck; Monica Evans (The Odd Couple, Aristocats) as Maid Marian; Terry Thomas (It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, The Abominable Dr. Phibes) as Sir Hiss and Roger Miller (Into the Wild, Broke Back Mountain) as Allan-a-Dale
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of a Disney classic with the stunning Blu-ray debut of Oliver And Company, featuring perfect picture and sound. Relive this charming animated adventure, packed with excitement, fun and unforgettable songs by Billy Joel, Bette Midler and Huey Lewis.
In the heart of New York City, Oliver, a mischievous orphaned kitten, is befriended by Dodger, a carefree pooch and his ragtag family of misfit mutts. Life gets even better for Oliver when he is adopted by a lonely little girl named Jenny. But when tough guy Sykes and his Doberman sidekicks try to keep Jenny and Oliver apart, the spirited kitten and his newfound friends discover the meaning of courage and find a home where they truly belong.
Voice Cast includes: Joey Lawrence (Summer Rental, Urban Legends: Final Cut) as Oliver, Billy Joel (Hangover Part II, 13 Going on 30) as Dodger, Cheech Marin (The Lion King, Grindhouse) as Tito, Richard Mulligan (Little Big Man, Trail of the Pink Panther) as Einstein, Roscoe Lee Browne (Treasure Planet, Babe) as Francis, Dom DeLuise (All Dogs Go to Heaven, History of the World: Part I) as Fagin, Natalie Gregory (Alice in Wonderland, Wait Until Spring) as Jenny, Bette Midler (Fantasia/2000, Beaches) as Georgette
A star studded dramedy indie that has already hit Video-On-Demand and digital copy that will be opening in LA May 17th and other select cities May 24th. If you haven’t heard of this film, I definitely recommend checking out the trailer.
Julianne Moore, Nathan Lane, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear and Lily Collins star in this official selection of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. The English Teacher revolves around Linda Sinclair (Julianne Moore), a lonely home body of a teacher who has been looking for someone to fulfill her life only to find it in the most unconventional way. Linda runs into former student Jason Sherwood (Michael Angarano) who has returned to Kingston, Penn. after failing to make a name for himself as a writer on Broadway.
After Linda reads his unproduced play, she decides that she can bring it to fruition at Kingston High School with the help of past Broadway hopeful school drama teacher Carl Kapinas (Nathan Lane). Who better? It is Jason’s painful past that has Linda falling into lust for her former student that gets herself into trouble with the students, the school, and jeopardizes the integrity of the play. Everything becomes a disaster when she begins to blame Jason’s father Dr. Tom Sherwood (Greg Kinnear) for influencing Jason’s loss of passion for writing and pushing him to go to law school. Linda has to be careful though to not get herself mixed with a false reality.
Okay, the plot may actually not seem that exciting nor comical, but first time feature film director Craig Zisk (director of over 50 series including The Big C, Nurse Jackie, Entourage, The Office, Alias, Smash, Parks and Recreation, Shameless and Nip/Tuck along with executive producer of many others) does a profound job creating a very comical yet powerful go-home-happy film. Nonetheless it’s Julianne Moore’s phenomenal performance that really makes this film something special.
Linda is an average English teacher that doesn’t tend to wear a lot of makeup and wears overly large glasses (a bit much perhaps, but fits her) who is a bit socially awkward, but isn’t afraid of men. She goes on many dates, however all the men are “losers” one way or another. Director Zisk actually does a clever thing by “writing” her thoughts of the guys on the screen in a red handwritten font to look like she is grading each man. Most of these men are cameos in a quick montage of dates so the audience gets a quick glimpse into what her life out of the school is like.
You can tell that she wants something a little more with her life and finds her opportunity with her former student. Nathan Lane’s character Kapinas (mistakenly referred to as Ka-Penis often in the film) is a true wishful thinker that is tired of doing the same school plays year after year. Jason’s play is his chance to do something creative and different. This is where Nathan gets to shine as that unsuccessful flamboyant former thespian that is itching to create something unique.
It is during rehearsals of the play when the chaos ensues and Moore’s character gets herself into sticky situations where she doesn’t always make the soundest decisions. The pace of the story is perfect and everything seems to flow well. You really start to feel for her character when she gets herself into trouble and, in most cases, I believe the audience will see they could make the same choices if they were in her shoes.
This movie has so many little areas and subplots that I cannot simple explain each direction the movie heads toward, but I can point out that every side story adds so much depth to what may have originally seemed like a standard story.
The English Teacher turns into a delightful dynamic movie that many will find themselves growing closer with the characters hoping for that perfect resolution even with no hope in sight. For once this is a romantic dramedy that doesn’t lose interest in the outcome of the conflicts and leaves the audience pondering what on Earth could be the best way to end this film. The movie finds a little twist in the tale leaving course of the direction it was headed and into one that may appear less possible, which in reality may be the one that is most realistic. I guess this depends in the world in which you live though.
I found myself deeply invested in Linda and wanting her to make right. By the end The English Teacher I actually felt quite satisfied with a giant grin on my face. It was one of those pleasantly surprising movies that I didn’t expect to be left with such a feeling of… happiness. Perhaps some of that came from it just being well made film.
One of the most schizophrenic films I’ve seen in a long time, 33 Postcards is not only a hackneyed melodrama, but an underdeveloped crime thriller as well. It was bad enough when I thought the film was an eye-rolling story about a young Chinese orphan, Mei Mei (or Little Sister), on a field-trip to Sydney, Australia, seeking out her sponsor, Dean Randall (Guy Pearce). She believes that he is a park ranger of some sort, and will rescue her from her life in China. At this point, the film was cheesy and overly sentimental, but I understood what they were going for. By the time she discovers that Dean is actually in prison for murder, and then gets caught up in Dean’s brothers car theft ring, the film just goes completely off the rails.
It’s truly surprising to see an accomplished actor such as Pearce in a role such as this, one in which he is visibly un-invested. He practically sleepwalks through the film, with no exploration of the light or darkness that must be within him. Zhu Lin, who plays Mei Mei, brings the only sign of life to the film with a performance that begs for a better movie. Her desperation throughout feels genuine, and I was able to slightly invest myself in her character through her performance.
With the exception of some beautiful scenic shots of Australia, there is no artistry to the film at all. The directing is pedestrian, providing the shots needed to tell the story and nothing more. The highest compliment I can pay to the production is that it is competent. There is no passion behind any of this, and there doesn’t appear to be any desire to escalate the material beyond the bare minimum.
As the story progresses and the stakes get higher, the film appears more and more desperate to entertain. There is nothing here we haven’t seen before, but the different pieces of the film all seem so isolated from each other, it’s like watching several movies edited together into one. There is a loose thread of a story connecting everything, but it becomes very difficult to form any sort of emotional investment when the story won’t stay focused on any one idea. Overall, 33 Postcards will leave no lasting impression and serve as simply a footnote on Guy Pearce’s filmography.
Watch this new video from Disney’s PLANES which features music by the film composer, Mark Mancina.
From above the world of “Cars” comes “Disney’s Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure featuring Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar. “Disney’s Planes” takes off in theaters on Aug. 9, 2013. For more information, check out Disney.com/Planes, like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyPlanes and follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DisneyPictures.
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...
For one night only, two of the world’s most celebrated songwriters and composers will take to the stage for “Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken: The Disney Songbook.” The concert will take place at the D23 Expo 2013 at the Anaheim Convention Center in the D23 Expo Arena on Saturday, August 10.
