Review: "Celeste and Jesse Forever" for Reals

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 19 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
MPAA – R for language, sexual content and drug use
DIRECTOR: Lee Toland Krieger
WRITERS: Rashida Jones and Will McCormack
PRODUCERS: Lee Nelson, Jennifer Todd, and Suzanne Todd
CINEMATOGRAPHER: David Lanzenberg
EDITOR: Yana Gorskaya
COMPOSERS: Zach Cowie and Sunny Levine (for Biggest Crush)
Black Reel Award nominee

ROMANCE/COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen, Emma Roberts, Chris Messina, Rich Sommer, Rebecca Dayan, Will McCormack, Rafi Gavron, Chris Pine, and Elijah Wood

Celeste & Jesse Forever is a 2012 comedy-drama and romance film, starring Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg. Jones co-wrote the screenplay with Will McCormack, who also has a small acting role in the film. Jones and Samberg play a divorcing couple trying to maintain friendship while both pursuing relationships with other people.

Celeste Martin (Rashida Jones) and Jesse Abrams (Andy Samberg) were best friends and high school sweethearts. Now, they are a married couple, separated and headed for divorce. They remain best friends, but their new status irritates their friends, especially Tucker (Eric Christian Olsen) and Beth (Ari Graynor), who think that Celeste and Jesse are being weird. When Jesse gets some shocking news from a former acquaintance, Celeste starts having serious doubts about what her relationship with Jesse should be.

Celeste & Jesse Forever is more a romantic drama than it is a romantic comedy. It is also a straight character drama, as introspective as it is surprisingly funny. Celeste & Jesse Forever is one of the best (if not the best) romance films of 2012, and it has a number of high qualities. The performances are good, and the directing is lively and captures the film’s off-beat sensibilities. The cinematography seems vaguely futuristic, and the soundtrack is filled with songs that are either perfect for the moment or are delightful in the way that they are inappropriate for a scene.

The film’s strength is its screenplay. Rashida Jones and Will McCormack earned a 2013 Independent Spirit Award nomination for “Best First Screenplay” and a best screenplay nomination from the 2013 Black Reel Awards. Jones and McCormack tread on familiar ground with this story, but twist and contort it in interesting ways. Every time I thought that this movie was looking too much like a cookie-cutter romance, the story struck an odd note or peculiar pose.

And Rashida Jones flows through this film with her lovely performance. If you write an interesting part for yourself, the smart thing to do is turn in a performance that captures what is different and exciting about your screenplay, and Jones does just that. Andy Samberg is good, but this story does not require him to be adventurous as an actor. There are also a number of good supporting performances. Will McCormack is funny as the odd weed dealer, Skillz, and Emma Roberts is a delightful scene-stealer as pop music princess, Riley Banks.

Celeste & Jesse Forever is always turning on the charm, but this movie works because it manages both to feel real and to be uncommon and distinctive. It’s sweet and melancholy and pungent and joyous.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2013 Black Reel Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Actress” (Rashida Jones) and “Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted” (Rashida Jones and Will McCormack)

Friday, March 08, 2013

"Star Trek Into Darkness" Plot Revealed?

The plot for the upcoming "Star Trek Into Darkness" has been kept secret.  Monday night, Paramount Pictures snuck a plot synopsis for the sequel to its 2009 hit, Star Trek, onto its media site.  It is only four paragraphs long and it is still vague, but it's better than nothing.  Actor Benedict Cumberbatch signed on to play a villain, but there have been no details on his character.  For your reading enjoyment:

In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes "Star Trek Into Darkness."

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

That's it.  "Star Trek Into Darkness" stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, John Cho and Benedict Cumberbatch and is due in theaters on May 17, 2013.

William Joyce Talks "Rise of the Guardians"

Academy Award® Winner William Joyce Shares His Story on DreamWorks Animation’s “Rise of the Guardians” 3D Animated Film

The Guardians -- Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Sandman and Jack Frost Emerge from Print onto the Big Screen in Theatres Across the Globe

SHREVEPORT, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On the opening day of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: DWA) much-anticipated “Rise of the Guardians”, William Joyce, an Academy Award®-winning filmmaker and #1 New York Times best-selling author, today shared why he chose DreamWorks Animation to bring his characters to life, what inspired him to write the epic adventure and his role with the film overall.

“Rise of the Guardians,” which features the voices of Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law Isla Fisher and Hugh Jackman, tells the story of a group of heroes – Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, and Jack Frost – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.

Joyce began his relationship with DreamWorks Animation several years ago after receiving a tremendous amount of interest from Hollywood studios to adapt his books into a feature film. His choice was easy. The author and the studio shared the same vision: neither wanted a traditional adaptation of the book into a movie form. Rather, they wanted to create a unique story featuring the same characters, but set 200 years after the version of events laid out in Joyce’s best-selling Simon & Schuster Guardians of Childhood book series.

“I wanted to set up the world in the books and then show how they deal with their lives in the movie when their ancient enemy returns in Rise of the Guardians,” said William Joyce, creator of The Guardians series and an executive producer of the film. “I didn’t want to be stuck trying to be true to something we’d already done. No studio in town wanted to do both the books and movies this way. DreamWorks Animation was the only studio who liked the idea of them being separate. They liked the idea that the audience would have a surprise narrative they would be experiencing for the first time. Director Peter Ramsey shared my vision and helped transform the Guardians from books to the big screen.”

“Bill Joyce is a master storyteller and the mythology that he created in his book series has inspired our creative team at DreamWorks Animation,” said Bill Damaschke, chief creative officer at DreamWorks Animation. “There is perhaps no more collaborative medium than the art of animation and we are thrilled to have had the unique opportunity to work closely with Bill Joyce to bring the individual stories of the Guardians together for the first time on the big screen.”

Joyce plans to write 13 books in his series, including picture books and novels that tell the story of these classic childhood heroes. The movie is really just one moment in a much larger narrative that Joyce is shaping. William Joyce’s daughter Mary Katherine inspired him to do the series when she asked if Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny knew each other. This question sparked his creativity which became the common thread of the book series and central theme behind the animated film. He hopes these stories will speak to children of all ages who are trying to make sense of the characters.

Joyce added, “My vision is to explain the mythology for these classic characters in picture, film and story form. This movie is just the beginning.”


About Dreamworks Animation
DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series and live entertainment properties, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE® Magazine for four consecutive years. In 2012, DreamWorks Animation ranks #14 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation's feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 24 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. The Company's theatrical releases for the current year are Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted on June 8, 2012 and Rise of the Guardians on November 21, 2012.

About William Joyce
William Joyce has achieved world-wide recognition as an author, illustrator and pioneer in the digital and animation industry. In February 2012, he won an Academy Award for “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” an animated short film about the curative powers of story. Working with his team at Moonbot Studios, Joyce also created two best-selling, interactive iOS Apps, “Morris Lessmore” and “The Numberlys.” In past two years, he has also written seven hard copy Simon & Schuster children’s books including “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” “The Man in the Moon,” “The Guardians of Childhood,” “The Sandman: Story of Sanderson Mansnoozie, "Toothania: Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies," “Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King,” “E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth’s Core!” Named by Newsweek magazine as “One of the 100 people to watch in the new millennium”, Joyce has been heavily involved in the world of digital animation from its full-scale inception at Pixar Animation. His projects have been produced by nearly every major film studio including Disney, 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation. His feature films and television shows include the films Robots and Meet the Robinsons and the television series Rolie Polie Olie for which he won three Emmy Awards.

Joyce was an executive producer of the animated feature, “Rise of the Guardians,” for DreamWorks. Additionally, he is the writer, producer, and production designer on the Fox Studios feature film, Epic, based on his book The Leaf Men. Epic is scheduled for a summer 2013 release. The combined box office total of the films he has originated or been an integral part of is close to a billion dollars. All five of his feature films have earned over $100 million worldwide. Both of his television series achieved worldwide status, the rarest and most difficulty level of achievement in broadcast television.

New "Rise of the Guardians" Poster Revealed

Here is a new poster from DreamWorks Animation's latest 3D computer-animated flick, Rise of the Guardians (to be distributed by Paramount Pictures).  Due November 21, 2012, the film stars the voice acting talents of Chris Pine, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, and Dakota Goyo.

"Jack Ryan" Begins with Kenneth Branagh as Director

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCE THE START OF PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON “JACK RYAN,” FROM DIRECTOR KENNETH BRANAGH

IN THEATERS CHRISTMAS DAY 2013

Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc., and Skydance Productions announced today that principal photography has begun on “JACK RYAN,” from Academy Award®-nominated director Kenneth Branagh, starring Chris Pine, Academy Award®-nominated Keira Knightley and Academy Award®-winner Kevin Costner. The film is shooting in New York, Moscow and London and is slated for release on December 25, 2013.

Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp (“ANGELS AND DEMONS,” “WAR OF THE WORLDS”), follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura (the “TRANSFORMERS” franchise, “RED”) will produce through his Di Bonaventura Pictures banner, along with Mace Neufeld (“THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER,” “PATRIOT GAMES”) and David Barron (the “HARRY POTTER” franchise). David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake of Skydance Productions (“MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL,” “TRUE GRIT”) will executive produce along with Tommy Harper (“MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL”).

“JACK RYAN” stars Pine (“STAR TREK,” “RISE OF THE GUARDIANS”) as the title character; Knightley (“ANNA KARENINA,” the “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN” franchise) as his fiancé Cathy Muller; Costner (“HATFIELDS & MCCOYS,” “DANCES WITH WOLVES”) as Ryan’s CIA handler Harper; and Peter Andersson (“THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO” trilogy) as security agent Dmitri Lemkov. Branagh, in addition to directing the film, will take on the role of Russian oligarch Viktor Cherevin.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Skydance Productions
Skydance Productions creates and produces elevated event-level commercial entertainment. In its strategic partnership with Paramount Pictures, the David Ellison-led company co-finances and produces several films per year with the studio. The first film to be co-produced under the partnership was the Coen Brothers’ “True Grit,” which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards© and has earned $250 million worldwide. Most recently, Skydance productions released the Paramount feature “Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol,” starring Tom Cruise, which has made more than $694 million worldwide and growing. Upcoming films include “Jack Reacher,” based on the best-selling novels by Lee Child, directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise, set for release on December 21, 2012; “The Guilt Trip,” starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen, slated for release on December 25, 2012; “G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation,” starring Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson, set for release on March 29, 2013; “World War Z,” directed by Marc Forster and starring Brad Pitt, set for release on June 21, 2013; “Star Trek Into Darkness,” starring Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine; and “Jack Ryan,” based on the Tom Clancy character and starring Chris Pine, directed by Kenneth Branagh and produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Mace Neufeld, set for release on December 25, 2013. Additionally, Skydance is producing, along with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, “Without Remorse,” written by Shawn Ryan.

"Rise of the Guardians" to Be Honored at 2012 Hollywood Film Awards

Hollywood Film Awards to Honor DreamWorks Animation's "Rise of the Guardians" with the 2012 "Hollywood Animation Award"   The 16th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, presented by The Los Angeles Times, have announced that DreamWorks Animation's "Rise of the Guardians" will receive this year's "Hollywood Animation Award" at the festival's gala ceremony on October 22, 2012, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.   Directed by Peter Ramsey and written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire ("Rabbit Hole"), "Rise of the Guardians" is based on the highly acclaimed series of children's books by William Joyce. Joyce, who won an Oscar® last year for his animated short "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," was named by Newsweek as "one of the top 100 people to watch in the new millennium. "Rise of the Guardians" stars the voice talents of Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude Law. Produced by Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, Michael Siegel, and William Joyce, the DreamWorks Animation feature film will be released by Paramount Pictures on November 21st.
The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Awards. "It is a great pleasure to recognize "Rise of the Guardians" as the recipient of our animation award. This piece of Avant-garde animation style surely will be another classic for generations to come."

Said Bill Damaschke, Chief Creative Officer at DreamWorks Animation, "This award is a testament to the vision and dedication of our director Peter Ramsey and our producers Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein, who saw in William Joyce's beautifully written books a truly magical world that he was able to bring to life with the help of David Lindsay-Abaire's wonderful screenplay and, of course, the outstanding work by his entire filmmaking team. We could not be more proud of the movie, or this recognition, and we thank Carlos and the Hollywood Film Awards for this great honor."

Past recipients of the Hollywood Animation Award include "Cars," "Rango," "Ratatouille," "Toy Story 3," "UP," and "Wall-E."


ABOUT "RISE OF THE GUARDIANS"
"Rise of the Guardians" is an epic and magical adventure that tells the story of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost's legendary characters with previously unknown extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces to protect the hopes, beliefs, and imagination of children everywhere.

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 1.6 million and 2.7 million on Sunday, more than 16 million unique latimes.com visitors monthly and a combined print and online local weekly audience of 4.4 million. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for more than 130 years.

The Los Angeles Times Media Group (LATMG) businesses and affiliates include the Los Angeles Times, The Envelope, Times Community News and Hoy Los Angeles and reach approximately 5.2 million or 39% of all adults in the Southern California marketplace. LATMG also owns and operates California Community News, as well as Tribune Direct's west coast division and is part of Tribune Company, one of the country's leading media companies with businesses in publishing, the Internet and broadcasting. Additional information is available at http://latimes.com/aboutus.

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS
The Hollywood Film Awards were created to honor excellence in the art of filmmaking, both in front of and behind the camera, and launch the awards season. The criteria is: recipients are selected to be honored for their body of work and/or a film(s) that is to be released between January 1 and December 31 by an advisory team. In addition, for the recipients of our "film awards craft categories" (aside from evaluating their body of work), our Advisory team takes into consideration the recommendation of their guilds/societies. Last year alone, our recipients received 12 nominations and 5 Oscars. In the last 9 years, a total of 85 Oscar nominations and 32 Oscars were given to our honorees. The awards are bestowed at a GALA ceremony that takes place at the prestigious Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

The Hollywood Film Awards are presented in conjunction with Presenting Sponsor the Los Angeles Times, Premier sponsors ArcLight Cinemas and Hollywoodnews.com, exclusive Regional Print Media sponsor Los Angeles Confidential and trade Media sponsor the Hollywood Reporter. Special support is provided by American Cinema Editors - A.C.E., American Society of Cinematographers - A.S.C., The Art Directors Guild - A.D.G., Celebrity Services, The Casting Society of America - CSA, Costume Designers Guild - CDG, Columbia Pictures, Creative Artists Agency, DreamWorks SKG, Entertainment Tonight, Focus Features, Fox Seachlight, ICM, ILM, Motion Picture Editors Guild, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., Walt Disney/Pixar, The Weinstein Company, WME. The Beverly Hilton Hotel is the Official Host Hotel and Getty Image is the Official Photography Agency.

First Look: Chris Pine and Kevin Costner in "Jack Ryan"

Photo credit: David Lee

First look at Kevin Costner (far right) as a legendary CIA Field Agent with Chris Pine (center) in JACK RYAN, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions, currently shooting in downtown Manhattan. The Prequel will be out Christmas Day 2013.

(c) 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

First Look: Chris Pine as Jack Ryan in 2013's "Jack Ryan"

(Photo by David Lee of Chris Pine from the set of "Jack Ryan." (c) 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.)

Chris Pine plays young Jack Ryan, cruising the downtown streets of Manhattan for JACK RYAN, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions. The Prequel will be out Christmas Day 2013.

I did not know that Paramont had put into production another Jack Ryan movie.  The character, which was created by novelist Tom Clancy, has appeared in the films Hunt for Red October (played by Alec Baldwin), Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger (played by Harrison Ford), and Sum of All Fears (played by Ben Affleck).  Now, comes a prequel to all those stories with Chris Pine as a strapping young Ryan.

"Rise of the Guardians" Character Poster: Jack Frost

This character is "Jack Frost" from the upcoming DreamWorks Animation feature, Rise of the Guardians (November 21, 2012).  He is apparently the protagonist and is voiced by Chris Pine of Star Trek and Unstoppable.

J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" Sequel Now in Production

J.J. ABRAMS BEGINS PRODUCTION ON THE NEXT “STAR TREK” MOVIE

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions Will Release the Anticipated Sequel on May 17, 2013

Paramount Pictures announced today that principal photography has commenced in Los Angeles, CA on the sequel to Star Trek from director J.J. Abrams. The film will be released on May 17, 2013 in 3D. The 2009 re-launch of the “Star Trek” franchise by Abrams was met with critical acclaim and a worldwide gross of over $385 million at the box office.

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions present a Bad Robot Production of a J.J. Abrams Film. Returning to their posts on the Enterprise are John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin. They are joined by new cast members Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve and Peter Weller.

Based upon “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry, the film is produced by J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The script was written by Alex Kurtzman & Robert Orci & Damon Lindelof.

Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers. The director of photography is Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC. The production designer is Scott Chambliss. The film is edited by Maryann Brandon, A.C.E. and Mary Jo Markey, A.C.E. The costume designer is Michael Kaplan. The music is by Michael Giacchino.


ABOUT Paramount PICTURES CORPORATION
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.

ABOUT SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS
Skydance Productions has a strategic partnership with Paramount Pictures which allows it to co-finance and produce several films per year with the studio. The first film to be co-produced under the partnership was the Coen Brothers’ “True Grit,” which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards© and has earned $250 million worldwide. Most recently, Skydance productions released the Paramount feature “Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol,” starring Tom Cruise, which has made over $460 million worldwide and growing. Upcoming films include “G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation,” starring Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson, set for release on June 29, 2012; “My Mother’s Curse,” starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen, slated for release on November 2, 2012; “World War Z,” directed by Marc Forster and starring Brad Pitt, Matthew Fox and David Morse, set for release on December 21, 2012; “One Shot,” based on the best-selling novels by Lee Child, directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise, currently in production; the Untitled Star Trek Sequel, starring Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine; and the Untitled Jack Ryan Project starring Chris Pine, to be directed by Jack Bender (“Lost”) and produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Mace Neufeld. Additionally, Skydance is producing, along with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, “Without Remorse,” written by Shawn Ryan.

ABOUT BAD ROBOT
Bad Robot was formed by filmmaker J.J. Abrams in 2001. The company has produced television series such as ALIAS, LOST, FRINGE, and PERSON OF INTEREST, and feature films such as CLOVERFIELD, STAR TREK, SUPER 8 and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL. Bad Robot is based in Los Angeles.

DreamWorks Animation Announces Voice Cast for "Rise of the Guardians"

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION NAMES ALL-STAR CAST FEATURING CHRIS PINE, ALEC BALDWIN, HUGH JACKMAN, ISLA FISHER AND JUDE LAW FOR RISE OF THE GUARDIANS ON NOVEMBER 21, 2012

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today named its all-star cast for Rise of the Guardians, featuring Chris Pine in the lead role of Jack Frost, together with Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude Law. The film, scheduled for release on November 21, 2012, is based on “The Guardians of Childhood,” a series of highly anticipated children’s books by William Joyce.

Rise of the Guardians is being directed by Peter Ramsey and co-directed by William Joyce, produced by Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein, written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro and Michael Siegel.

“It’s a thrill to be working with such an all-star team of actors and filmmakers on Rise of the Guardians,” commented Bill Damaschke, Chief Creative Officer at DreamWorks Animation. “When we bring Bill Joyce’s imaginative vision to the screen in 2012, audiences will experience an incredible story with a truly epic sense of adventure.”

More than a collection of the well-known childhood legends, Rise of the Guardians tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. This epic 3D adventure stars Chris Pine as Jack Frost, Alec Baldwin as North (Santa Claus), Hugh Jackman as Bunnymund (Easter Bunny), Isla Fisher as Tooth (Tooth Fairy) and Jude Law as Pitch (The Boogeyman).


About DreamWorks Animation SKG
DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for three consecutive years. In 2011, DreamWorks Animation ranks #10 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 21 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon.

Tony Scott's Skill Undeniable in "Unstoppable"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 92 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Unstoppable (2010)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of action and peril, and some language
DIRECTOR: Tony Scott
WRITER: Mark Bomback
PRODUCERS: Eric McLeod, Mimi Rogers, Tony Scott, Julie Yorn, and Alex Young
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Seresin
EDITOR: Robert Duffy and Chris Lebenzon
COMPOSER: Harry Gregson-Williams

ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, Kevin Corrigan, Kevin Chapman, Lew Temple, Elizabeth Mathis, Meagan Tandy, Jessy Schram, and David Warshofsky

Unstoppable, a new action thriller, is the fifth collaboration between Oscar-winning actor, Denzel Washington, and director Tony Scott, known for his stylish action movies and thrillers. The two have made some entertaining films (Crimson Tide, Man on Fire), but Unstoppable is truly a fine piece of work. It is a nail-biter, an edge-of-your seat thriller, and a heart-stopping movie that has many in the audience clapping, cheering, and laughing. Unstoppable is the great summer movie that somehow missed the summer.

The film focuses on Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington), a veteran locomotive engineer, and Will Colson (Chris Pine), a rookie train conductor. As the old guy being put out to pasture and the new guy who got in because of family connections, respectively, the two naturally find tension and conflict between them. That is put aside when a half-mile freight train ends up on the loose with no humans onboard to control it. The runaway train is headed for the Stanton Curve in Stanton, Pennsylvania, at 70 miles per hour, and it is carrying combustible liquids and toxic chemicals. Any train hitting the Stanton Curve at more than 15 miles per hour will derail to disaster. When all attempts fail to stop the locomotive, Barnes and Colson are the only people who can stop the train, but can they get to it in time?

I find it strange to write that Unstoppable is a Denzel Washington movie that is actually not quite a Denzel Washington movie. Of course, Washington is, as usual, good, and so is Chris Pine. The veteran Washington doesn’t steal thunder from his younger costar, as Pine’s Colson has plenty of opportunities to be heroic and shine. Both Barnes and Colson, however, are regular guys; they’re working stiffs. They are not necessarily hero types, although they do heroic things, and that serves this movie well, because, as I just said, this is not just a Denzel Washington movie. Unstoppable is a runaway-train-of-doom movie.

Director Tony Scott and screenwriter Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard) have transformed the locomotive into something as exciting and as mesmerizing as any Hollywood movie star. Scott not only makes the threat of annihilation by train seem real, but also the working class small towns threatened by the train and the gritty train yards where the mechanical beast originated.

This movie probably won’t win any Oscars, although composer Harry Gregson-Williams’ pounding, textured score (which at one pointed mimicked the sound of a panicked heartbeat) should get some consideration. With this film, Scott puts forth a directorial effort that doesn’t take second place to any of this year’s most popular action-oriented films like Alice in Wonderland and Inception. Bomback has fashioned a story that we need now – the tale of two men way over their heads and out of their league who put their lives on the line for people they don’t even know. Without a load of fancy CGI, Scott has reminded us that real world threats are every bit as scary as aliens and evil wizards.

Tony Scott has crafted a superb film. It’s one of those good movies we’re always demanding. Unstoppable, don’t stop yourself from seeing it.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Review: Cool "STAR TREK" Reboot is All About Breathless Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2009) by Leroy Douresseaux

Star Trek (2009)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content
DIRECTOR: J.J. Abrams
WRITERS: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (based upon the television “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry)
PRODUCERS: J.J. Abrams and Daniel Lindelof
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dan Mindel (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey
Academy Award winner

SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER with elements of drama and comedy

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoë Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, and Tyler Perry

The new film, Star Trek, may be the 11th film in the movie franchise launched from the much-beloved 1960s television series, but it’s not just some sequel. Under the guiding hand of director J.J. Abrams and writers, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, this stunningly clever and wildly imaginative reboot is a fresh take on a venerable science fiction classic.

This sexy and new Star Trek is not a replacement for anything that has come before it. This is more than a facelift, tummy tuck, breast enhancement, etc. meant to make an old lady (or man) look as shiny and as new as all the other new fangled sci-fi franchises with whom Star Trek now shares the pop cultural landscape. This Star Trek is something new made from familiar ingredients, and it’s a damn good movie to boot!

Star Trek 2009 takes the audience back to the early days when future Captain James T. Kirk was a hot-rodding, delinquent. Actor Chris Pine plays Kirk with all of a young actor’s bravado, presenting Kirk as a tow-headed, rebel without a cause, but smarter than his actions indicate. Although the pre-captain Kirk acts like a loser, Pine’s performance makes sure that the audience marks Kirk as exceptional, even among the big brains at Starfleet Academy.

There’s no fun in having a cocksure Kirk without a Spock. In the hands of actor Zachary Quinto, Spock – all shiny bangs and elfin ears – is the control freak as proper gentleman, but beware the volcanic temper and impulsive streak that bubbles underneath. Not only is Spock smarter than everyone else (and lets them know it), he ain’t afraid to get his swerve on with the ladies!

Refusing to merely slink in the background as eye candy is this enchanting new Uhura, whom the gorgeous Zoë Saldana plays as super smart, super sexy, and super don’t-put-up-with-bullshit. This lovely lady ain’t too grand to show her soft and caring side with the man in her life, but she’ll go toe-to-toe with impulsive Starfleet officers. In this era of Oprah Winfrey, Condoleeza Rice, Beyoncé Knowles, and Michelle Obama, it’s great to see such a strong, complicated woman of color like Saldana’s Uhura in pop culture, especially science fiction.

Star Trek’s plot revolves around a time-traveling, revenge-seeking, shaven-headed Romulan named Nero. Played with a kind of wrathful quietude by the exquisite Eric Bana, Nero is a Star Trek villain worthy of Khan and the Borg Queen. Piloting a giant, squid-octopus-like, planetoid drill, Nero is the Everyman turned murderous thug, and every time Nero unleashes his killing machine, this movie exudes the kind of special effects grandeur previous Star Treks never had. On the maiden voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise (all shiny and Macintosh-ed), this new, but elite crew must rescue its Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) from Nero’s clutches and stop the Romulan from destroying Earth. Oh, and the original Spock (Leonard Nimoy) plays an integral part in the story.

Everything about this new Star Trek is bright, sparkly, and cutting edge; it’s as if the film is constantly generating new visual effects every few seconds just to dazzle your eyes and blow your mind. The battle scenes remind me of the ones on the Sci-Fi Channel’s recent Battlestar Galactica series (itself a re-imagination of an old sci-fi franchise). Sometimes, this film even feels a little like a Star Wars movie (of which J.J. Abrams is fan). Even Simon Pegg’s hyperkinetic take on chief engineer Scotty is a joy to behold. Yes, this new Star Trek delivers the good. It’s not like most popcorn movies – practically gone from your mind within a few hours of leaving the theatre. Watching this Star Trek left me with good feelings, and it made me believe that Star Trek is once again ready to keep going boldly into the future.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, May 18, 2009

NOTES:
2010 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Oscar Best Achievement in Makeup” (Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, and Joel Harlow); 3 nominations: “Best Achievement in Sound” (Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson, and Peter J. Devlin), “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Mark P. Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin), and “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, and Burt Dalton)

2010 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Sound” (Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Mark P. Stoeckinger, and Ben Burtt) and “Best Special Visual Effects” (Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, and Burt Dalton)

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