PARAMOUNT PICTURES, NEW REGENCY AND PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE BALE, CARELL, GOSLING AND PITT COMING ABOARD “THE BIG SHORT” FROM DIRECTOR ADAM MCKAY
PRODUCTION HAS BEGUN IN NEW ORLEANS
HOLLYWOOD, CA – Paramount Pictures, New Regency and Plan B Entertainment today announced casting for “THE BIG SHORT,” with Christian Bale (“AMERICAN HUSTLE,” “THE DARK KNIGHT” trilogy), Steve Carell (“FOXCATCHER”), Ryan Gosling (“DRIVE,” “CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE”) and Brad Pitt (“FURY,” “WORLD WAR Z”) coming aboard the project for director Adam McKay (the “ANCHORMAN” films, “THE OTHER GUYS”). The film also stars Melissa Leo (“THE FIGHTER,” “FROZEN RIVER”) and Marisa Tomei (“CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE,” “THE WRESTLER”).
The film’s screenplay is written by McKay, from a script by Charles Randolph (“LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS”), based on Michael Lewis’ bestselling non-fiction book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine.
“THE BIG SHORT” is the remarkable true story of the genius contrarian investors who, recognizing just how insane the housing bubble had become, figured out how to “short” the market prior to the financial collapse of 2008.
Rounding out the cast is Tracy Letts (“Homeland,” “ELVIS & NIXON”), Hamish Linklater (“The Newsroom,” “42”), John Magaro (“UNBROKEN,” “NOT FADE AWAY”), Byron Mann (“THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS,” “RISE OF THE LEGEND”), Rafe Spall (“LIFE OF PI,” “PROMETHEUS”), Jeremy Strong (“SELMA,” “ZERO DARK THIRTY”) and Finn Wittrock (“UNBROKEN,” “American Horror Story”).
The movie will be produced by Academy Award®-winners Pitt, Dede Gardner (“SELMA,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”) and Jeremy Kleiner (“SELMA,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”) via their Plan B Entertainment banner.
Production has begun in New Orleans.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), 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 Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About New Regency
Founded in 1991 by renowned producer Arnon Milchan, New Regency is actively engaged in entertaining the world. The company has produced some of the most successful and critically-acclaimed films of all time with over 125 films and more than 50 television series in the company’s vast library, including 2014 Academy Award®-winning Best Picture, “12 Years A Slave.” New Regency is also dedicated to continuing to foster its unparalleled filmmaker relationships and today boasts partnerships with most acclaimed and sought-after creative forces in the industry.
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Showing posts with label Christian Bale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian Bale. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Warner Bros.' New "Jungle Book" Movie Begins Filming
Filming is Underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ New Adventure, Based on the Classic The Jungle Book
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ new big-screen, 3D adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s beloved classic The Jungle Book, marking the feature film directorial debut of Andy Serkis. Blending live action and performance capture, the film features an impressive roster of stars, including Oscar winners Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett and Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch.
The story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli, raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan. But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
The actors performing the roles of the story’s central animal characters are: Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game,” “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”) as the tiger, Shere Khan; Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine,” “Cinderella”) as Kaa, the snake; Christian Bale (“The Fighter,” the “Dark Knight” Trilogy) as the panther, Bagheera; Andy Serkis (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy) as Baloo, the bear; Peter Mullan (“Hercules,” “War Horse”) as the leader of the wolf pack, Akela; Tom Hollander (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, “Pride & Prejudice”) as the scavenging hyena, Tabaqui; Naomie Harris (“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” “Skyfall”) as Nisha, the female wolf, who adopts the baby Mowgli as one of her cubs; Eddie Marsan (“Snow White and the Huntsman,” “Sherlock Holmes”) as Nisha’s mate, Vihaan; and Jack Reynor (“Transformers: Age of Extinction”) as Mowgli’s Brother Wolf. On the human side, young actor Rohan Chand (“The Hundred-Foot Journey,” “Lone Survivor”) will play the boy raised by wolves, Mowgli.
The film is being produced by Steve Kloves, who wrote seven of the blockbuster “Harry Potter” films, and Jonathan Cavendish (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”), with Nikki Penny (“Gravity”) serving as executive producer. The screenplay is by Callie Kloves, based on the stories by Kipling.
Among those collaborating with Serkis behind the scenes are production designer Gary Freeman (“Cinderella”), Oscar-winning editor Mark Sanger (“Gravity”) and Oscar-winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”).
The film is slated for release on October 6, 2017.
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BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ new big-screen, 3D adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s beloved classic The Jungle Book, marking the feature film directorial debut of Andy Serkis. Blending live action and performance capture, the film features an impressive roster of stars, including Oscar winners Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett and Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch.
The story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli, raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan. But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
The actors performing the roles of the story’s central animal characters are: Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game,” “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”) as the tiger, Shere Khan; Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine,” “Cinderella”) as Kaa, the snake; Christian Bale (“The Fighter,” the “Dark Knight” Trilogy) as the panther, Bagheera; Andy Serkis (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy) as Baloo, the bear; Peter Mullan (“Hercules,” “War Horse”) as the leader of the wolf pack, Akela; Tom Hollander (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, “Pride & Prejudice”) as the scavenging hyena, Tabaqui; Naomie Harris (“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” “Skyfall”) as Nisha, the female wolf, who adopts the baby Mowgli as one of her cubs; Eddie Marsan (“Snow White and the Huntsman,” “Sherlock Holmes”) as Nisha’s mate, Vihaan; and Jack Reynor (“Transformers: Age of Extinction”) as Mowgli’s Brother Wolf. On the human side, young actor Rohan Chand (“The Hundred-Foot Journey,” “Lone Survivor”) will play the boy raised by wolves, Mowgli.
The film is being produced by Steve Kloves, who wrote seven of the blockbuster “Harry Potter” films, and Jonathan Cavendish (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”), with Nikki Penny (“Gravity”) serving as executive producer. The screenplay is by Callie Kloves, based on the stories by Kipling.
Among those collaborating with Serkis behind the scenes are production designer Gary Freeman (“Cinderella”), Oscar-winning editor Mark Sanger (“Gravity”) and Oscar-winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”).
The film is slated for release on October 6, 2017.
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Saturday, November 8, 2014
Negromancer News Bit and Bites for November 1 to November 8, 2014 - Update #20
NEWS:
From YahooTV: Update on another "Walking Dead" lawsuit. Screen Rant has articles about Frank Darabont's firing From the show and his lawsuit.
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From YahooMovies: Ernie Hudson on his bittersweet memories of the original Ghostbusters.
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From DemocracyNow: More on CITIZENFOUR.
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From VanityFair: How Laura Poitras shot her buzzed-about doc, CITIZENFOUR, on the down low.
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From YahooMovies: Channing Tatum apparently in Quentin Tarantino's next film, "The Hateful Eight."
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From YahooMovies: "Toy Story 4" announced for June 6, 2017, directed by the incomparable John Lasseter.
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From YahooMovies: Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg team for "The Six Billion Dollar Man," an update of the cult TV show, "The Six Million Dollar Man." The movie may skew closer to the 1972 novel, Cyborg, which inspired "The Six Million Dollar Man."
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From YahooCelebrity: Keira Knightley poses topless in a protest.
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From THR: Christian Bale is reportedly out of director Danny Boyle's Steve Jops biopic.
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From TheWrap: When the final numbers came in, Ouija won the October 31 to November 2, 2014 box office with a tally of $10.7 million. Nightcrawler finished second with $10.4 million.
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From YahooCelebrity: Angie Harmon and her husband, former NFL player, Jason Sehorn, are separating.
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From THR: According to early estimates, the films, Ouija and Nightcrawler, have tied for the top spot at the October 31st to November 2nd, 2014 weekend box office, each with an estimated $10.9 million.
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From YahooMovies: The late Paul Walker is featured prominently in the new Furious 7 trailer.
COMICS: Movies and News:
From TheWrap: Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad.
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From CinemaBlend: "Ant-Man" is important to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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From CinemaBlend: Could the classic graphic novel, Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa, be the source material for 2016's Doctor Strange film?
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From CinemaBlend: Some of "Ant-Man" could take place in the past.
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From YahooGames: Marvel has released a teaser for "X-Men '92." Does that mean the FOX Saturday morning "X-Men" animated television series is returning? Unlikely. More likely, this means that there will be a comic book based on the TV series which debuted in 1992.
STAR WARS:
From YahooMovies: Star Wars Episode 7 has a name, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
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From the Examiner: "Star Wars Episode 7" recently had a wrap party and R2-D2 was there looking battered.
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From YahooCelebrity: There was a "wrap" (the end of "principal photography") party for Star Wars Episode 7.
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From CinemaBlend: What did the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode 7 get as a parting gift?
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From NPR: An interview and feature on Episode 7 actor, Adam Driver.
REVIEWS:
From TheVillageVoice: Stephanie Zacharek on Interstellar.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Benedict Cumberbatch Among Cast added to "Jungle Book: Origins"
Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale Head the Ensemble of Warner Bros. Pictures’ 3D Adventure “Jungle Book: Origins”
Young actor Rohan Chand to star as Mowgli in the cast, also including Peter Mullan, Tom Hollander, Naomie Harris, Eddie Marsan, and Andy Serkis
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures has assembled an impressive roster of stars for “Jungle Book: Origins,” its new big-screen, 3D adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic The Jungle Book, marking the feature film directorial debut of Andy Serkis. The action adventure, which will blend motion capture and live action, will be released on October 21, 2016. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The actors performing the roles of the story’s central animal characters are: Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”) as the fearsome tiger, Shere Khan; Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”) as the sinister snake, Kaa; Oscar winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter,” the “Dark Knight” Trilogy) as the cunning panther, Bagheera; Andy Serkis (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) as the wise bear, Baloo; Peter Mullan (“Hercules”) as the leader of the wolf pack, Akela; Tom Hollander as the scavenging hyena, Tabaqui; Naomie Harris (“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”) as Nisha, the female wolf, who adopts the baby Mowgli as one of her cubs; Eddie Marsan (“Ray Donovan”) as Nisha’s mate, Vihaan; and Jack Reynor (“Transformers: Age of Extinction”) as Mowgli’s Brother Wolf. On the human side, young actor Rohan Chand (“The Hundred-Foot Journey,” “Bad Words”) will play the boy raised by wolves, Mowgli.
The film is being produced by Steve Kloves, who wrote seven of the blockbuster “Harry Potter” films. Jonathan Cavendish (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” performance capture producer “Godzilla”) is also serving as a producer. The screenplay is by Kloves’ daughter, Callie Kloves, based on the stories by Kipling.
The story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli, raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan. But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
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Young actor Rohan Chand to star as Mowgli in the cast, also including Peter Mullan, Tom Hollander, Naomie Harris, Eddie Marsan, and Andy Serkis
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures has assembled an impressive roster of stars for “Jungle Book: Origins,” its new big-screen, 3D adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic The Jungle Book, marking the feature film directorial debut of Andy Serkis. The action adventure, which will blend motion capture and live action, will be released on October 21, 2016. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The actors performing the roles of the story’s central animal characters are: Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”) as the fearsome tiger, Shere Khan; Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”) as the sinister snake, Kaa; Oscar winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter,” the “Dark Knight” Trilogy) as the cunning panther, Bagheera; Andy Serkis (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) as the wise bear, Baloo; Peter Mullan (“Hercules”) as the leader of the wolf pack, Akela; Tom Hollander as the scavenging hyena, Tabaqui; Naomie Harris (“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”) as Nisha, the female wolf, who adopts the baby Mowgli as one of her cubs; Eddie Marsan (“Ray Donovan”) as Nisha’s mate, Vihaan; and Jack Reynor (“Transformers: Age of Extinction”) as Mowgli’s Brother Wolf. On the human side, young actor Rohan Chand (“The Hundred-Foot Journey,” “Bad Words”) will play the boy raised by wolves, Mowgli.
The film is being produced by Steve Kloves, who wrote seven of the blockbuster “Harry Potter” films. Jonathan Cavendish (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” performance capture producer “Godzilla”) is also serving as a producer. The screenplay is by Kloves’ daughter, Callie Kloves, based on the stories by Kipling.
The story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli, raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan. But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
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Sunday, March 30, 2014
Oscar Nominee Review: "American Hustle"
American Hustle (2013)
Running time: 138 minutes (2 hours, 18 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence
DIRECTOR: David O. Russell
WRITERS: David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer
PRODUCERS: Megan Ellison, Jonathan Gordon, Charles Roven, and Richard Suckle
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Linus Sandgren (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Alan Baumgarten, Jay Cassidy, and Crispin Struthers
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA/COMEDY/HISTORICAL
Starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Shea Whigham, Louis C.K., Paul Herman, Jack Huston, Alessandro Nivola, and Michael Peña with Robert De Niro (no screen credit)
American Hustle is a 2013 historical comedic drama from director David O. Russell. The film focuses on a con man and his seductive partner, both forced to work for an eccentric FBI agent, who forces them to help expose political corruption.
Like Russell’s previous film, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle has two distinctions. It received Oscar nominations in the “Big Five” categories: best picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay (original or adapted – original in this case). American Hustle also received Oscar nominations in all four acting categories, and before Silver Linings Playbook, no film had received nominations in all four acting categories since 1981. And like Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle is a damn good movie. It is an outstanding American film about the American hustle to get what you want, by hook or by crook, the way Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas was and still is a great film about America.
American Hustle opens in 1978 and introduces Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), a successful conman. While attending a friend’s party, Irving meets Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), a woman whose beauty and intelligence attracts him, and he falls hard for her. Surprisingly, Sydney is excited about becoming Irving’s partner in his con jobs, and she takes on the identity of Lady Edith Greensly to assist Irving in tricking prospective marks/victims in their schemes.
They eventually attract the unwanted attention of a wild and odd FBI agent, Richard “Richie” DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Richie forces Irving and Sydney into helping him in a sting operation to expose corruption among several members of Congress in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Irving does not trust Richie, especially because the G-Man flirts with Sydney. Irving’s young wife, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), isn’t too crazy about any of what they are doing and plots to play a part in a dangerous game of backstabbers, crooked politicians, and mobsters.
American Hustle is a fictional version of the Abscam (or ABSCAM) scandal of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Abscam was a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sting operation in which the Bureau was aided by a convicted con-man in videotaping politicians. These politicians were offered bribes by a fake Middle Eastern sheik in return for various political favors, which some accepted. The investigation ultimately led to several people being convicted, including members of Congress and elected officials in both New Jersey and Philadelphia.
And you don’t need to know that to enjoy American Hustle. I barely remember Abscam, and I probably wouldn’t, if not for the name (a codename which combined the words “Arab” and “scam”). It is no scam that co-writer and director David O. Russell has once again delivered a film with an ensemble cast that is just plain good. I won’t go into the details, except to say that the five main stars: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Jennifer Lawrence are every bit as good as you have probably heard and certainly deserve the awards, nominations, and accolades they received. It’s true. Jennifer Lawrence is not a fluke; she’s the real deal.
Audiences that like good acting and like to see superb actors come together to love and hate, to support and challenge, and plays scenes together will want to hustle up a way to see American Hustle – immediately. Spoiler alert: Robert De Niro makes a cameo in American Hustle as the mobster, Victor Tellegio, but he does not receive a screen credit. Of course, De Niro is good. He exudes such murderous intentions as Tellegio that I almost ran away from my television set the first time he appeared on screen.
As I also said of Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle is a great movie, and I want to see it again.
9 of 10
A+
NOTES:
2013 Academy Awards, USA: 10 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison, and Jonathan Gordon), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Christian Bale), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Amy Adams), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Bradley Cooper), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Jennifer Lawrence), “Best Achievement in Costume Design” (Michael Wilkinson), “Best Achievement in Directing” (David O. Russell), “Best Achievement in Film Editing” (Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers, and Alan Baumgarten), “Best Achievement in Production Design” (Judy Becker-production design and Heather Loeffler-set decoration)” and “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell)
2013 BAFTA Awards: 3 wins: “Best Original Screenplay” (Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell), “Best Supporting Actress” (Jennifer Lawrence), and “Best Make Up/Hair” (Evelyne Noraz and Lori McCoy-Bell); 7 nominations: “Best Film” (Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison and Jonathan Gordon), “Best Leading Actor” (Christian Bale), “Best Leading Actress” (Amy Adams), “Best Supporting Actor” (Bradley Cooper), “Best Production Design” (Judy Becker and Heather Loeffler), “Best Costume Design” (Michael Wilkinson), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (David O. Russell)
2013 Golden Globes, USA: 3 wins: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Amy Adams), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Jennifer Lawrence); 4 nominations: “Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Christian Bale), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Bradley Cooper), and “Best Director - Motion Picture” (David O. Russell), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell)
Sunday, March 30, 2014
The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Matthew McConaughey Wins 2014 "Best Actor" Oscar
Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club” WINNER
Nominees:
Christian Bale in “American Hustle”
Bruce Dern in “Nebraska”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Chiwetel Ejiofor in “12 Years a Slave”
Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club” WINNER
Nominees:
Christian Bale in “American Hustle”
Bruce Dern in “Nebraska”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Chiwetel Ejiofor in “12 Years a Slave”
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Review: "Equilibrium" Borrows from Dystopian Classics (Happy B'day, Christian Bale)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 165 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux
Equilibrium (2002)
Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Kurt Wimmer
PRODUCERS: Jan de Bont and Lucas Foster
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dion Beebe
EDITORS: Tom Rolf and William Yeh
COMPOSER: Klaus Badelt
SCI-FI/ACTION/DRAMA with elements of mystery and thriller
Starring: Christian Bale, Taye Diggs, Emily Watson, Sean Bean, Sean Pertwee, William Fichtner, Angus Macfadyen, Dominic Purcell, Matthew Harbour, and Emily Siewert
The subject of this movie review is Equilibrium, a 2002 dystopian science fiction film and action movie from writer-director Kurt Wimmer. Starring Christian Bale and Taye Diggs, the film is set in a fascist future where all forms of feeling are illegal, and the story focuses on a law enforcement officer who rises to overthrow the system.
In a dystopian future, the totalitarian regime of the city-state, Libria, has eliminated war by suppressing emotions. The rulers believe that ultimately emotions cause humans to kill one another. The cost of ridding the world of violent emotions, however, is the loss of love and kindness. Books, art, music, or any kind of creativity that might arouse the emotions are also strictly forbidden, and such material is contraband to be destroyed on sight. Feeling is a crime, and those who insist on feeling are called sense offenders. Sense offenses are punishable by death, and the government requires its citizens to inject themselves with a drug called prozium, which keeps their emotions in check.
Of course such a government would face rebellion, and it does from the regions outside the city known as the Nethers. To fight sense offenders in the city and in the Nethers, the government created an elite unit made of a special kind of police officer/warrior known as the Grammaton Cleric. Stronger, inhumanely agile, and quicksilver fast, clerics use a form of fighting known as “the Gun-Katas,” which mixes martial arts and firearms handling that makes it possible for one cleric to kill a room full of armed men in the span of several seconds.
The best of these warriors is John Preston (Christian Bale), who destroys sense offenders with ease (and perhaps relish, if he could feel emotions). However, when Preston misses a dose of Prozium, he begins to have feelings again, and he experiences a pang of conscience when he must kill in the Nethers. Suddenly being capable of feeling, he finds himself drawn to a sense offender scheduled for execution, Mary O’Brien (Emily Watson). There is, however, danger in Preston’s feelings. His new partner, Brandt (Taye Diggs, who gives a nice sheen to Brandt’s bold and ruthless ambition), is, like Preston, intuitive – able to sense when someone is have feelings and emotions, and Brandt is determined to make a name for himself – even if it means bringing Preston down.
Some might mistake writer/director Kurt Wimmer’s 2000 film, Equilibrium, for a clone of The Matrix (1999). The fancy, martial arts fighting (Gun-Kata, a style developed by Wimmer and the film’s choreographer, Jim Vickers) certainly encourages that belief, but unlike The Matrix, wire work martial arts (or wire-fu) – using wires to lift the actors high off the ground – wasn’t used here.
Equilibrium actually borrows from or resembles (in part or whole) such classic science fiction novels dealing with dark futures as Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, George Orwell’s 1984, and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and even a bit of William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson’s Logan’s Run. In the case of Equilibrium, the filmmakers make the right choice of focusing on crime (feeling) and punishment (death) rather than on the practicality of these future laws against emotion and feeling. In that way, the plot is free to unfold as a narrative about the struggle for freedom in a futuristic setting. In terms of entertainment, that’s better than an examination of the hard science of using drugs to suppress emotions or even telling the story from a sociological point of view.
Christian Bale is expert at playing the tightly coiled male or the stoic warrior. However, he’s also quite artful at slowly revealing his emotional side in ways that endear him to the viewer. Watching his government-issued impassive and detached façade crumble to reveal a fully functional human is a joy. Bale may not be the leading man, but he is a leading man. Good performances from Taye Diggs, Emily Watson, and Sean Bean add credibility to Equilibrium’s concept. Still, it would have been nice to see more character in the supporting characters.
7 of 10
B+
Friday, August 4, 2006
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2014
The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
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Monday, November 4, 2013
Review: "Reign of Fire" is a Hot Popcorn Thriller (Happy B'day, Matthew McConaughey)
Reign of Fire (2002)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense action violence
DIRECTOR: Rob Bowman
WRITERS: Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka, and Matt Greenberg from a story by Gregg Chabot and Kevin Peterka
PRODUCERS: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Lili Fini Zanuck, and Richard D. Zanuck
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Adrian Biddle (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Declan McGrath and Thom Noble
COMPOSERS: Ed Shearmur and Brad Wagner
SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/THRILLER
Starring: Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, Izabella Scorupco, Gerard Butler, Scott James Moutter, Ben Thorton, and Alice Krige
The subject of this movie review is Reign of Fire, a 2002 post-apocalyptic, science fiction and fantasy-action film from director Rob Bowman. The film takes place in a time after fire-breathing dragons emerged from beneath Earth’s surface and began setting fire to everything, on their way to establishing their dominance over the planet.
Director Rob Bowman’s Reign of Fire is a beautiful, amped-up B-movie with the gloss and sheen of serious A-list action movie. Bowman is known for his work on the television series, “The X-Files”.
Set a few decades into the 21st Century, it’s the tale of band of humans led by two rivals Quinn Abercromby (the sexy Christian Bale) and Denton Van Zan (the sexy Matthew McConaughey) who fight a brood of dragons that have destroyed civilization and hunt what’s left of mankind. After the dragons deliver to huge setbacks to the humans, Quinn, Abercrombie, and the beautiful Alex (Izabella Scorupco), the action movie girl de rigueur, travel to London for a last stand against the mightiest of the dragons.
Bowman, who directed many episodes of “The X-Files” television series, as well as the feature film based upon the series, is very good at putting his cast and crew through the paces to create this fantastic and fun film. It doesn’t have to make much sense (and it doesn’t) to be entertaining, but Bowman takes the B-movie to new cinematic heights. Yes, I will wonder why everyone is filthy and grimy in this burnt-out world while Alex manages to look freshly washed every scene – a little thing compared to some others. However, I enjoyed Reign of Fire’s intense portrayal of humans barely holding on, yet fighting for their lives in this post-apocalyptic thriller. If you like fantasy and action, I’m sure you’ll have a good time with this tasty popcorn thriller.
7 of 10
B+
Updated: Monday, November 04, 2013
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Review: "3:10 to Yuma" Remake a Superb Modern Western
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Running time: 122 minutes (2 hours, 2 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence and some language
DIRECTOR: James Mangold
WRITERS: Halsted Welles and Michael Brandt & Derek Haas (based on the short story by Elmore Leonard)
PRODUCERS: Cathy Konrad
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Phedon Papamichael (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Michael McCusker
COMPOSER: Marco Beltrami
Academy Award nominee
WESTERN/ACTION/THRILLER
Starring: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Logan Lerman, Dallas Roberts, Ben Foster, Peter Fonda, Vinessa Shaw, Alan Tudyk, Luce Rains, Gretchen Mol, and Ben Petry
Director James Mangold’s rousing, edgy Western, 3:10 to Yuma, is a remake of a 1957 film of the same name that starred Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. Mangold (Walk the Line) isn’t robbing the grave of Hollywood classics; instead, he has fashioned the Western as a modern, suspense-thriller that is as close to an old-fashioned horse opera as a modern film can be. Both the first film and Mangold’s remake are based on the short story, “Three-Ten to Yuma,” written by Elmore Leonard and first published in the March 1953 issue of Dime Western Magazine.
Rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) struggles to support his ranch and family during a long drought. Desperate for money, Evans agrees to transport the captured outlaw, Ben Wade (Russell Crowe), from nearby Bisbee to Contention, the closest town with a rail station. There, they’ll wait for the 3:10 train to Yuma, where Wade will be imprisoned while awaiting trial for his numerous crimes, mostly murder and robbery. Holed up in a Contention hotel, Wade attempts psychological havoc on Evans, offering Evans much more money in exchange for his freedom than he would get for holding Wade captive. Meanwhile, Wade’s henchmen, led by the vicious Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), storm into town offering money to any man who will shoot Wade’s captors. Complicating matters, Dan’s son, William (Logan Lerman), has stubbornly joined his father on this deadly mission.
Mangold’s sturdy remake isn’t an exercise in pointless violence, although the film is indeed violent, and while it is more graphically violent than Westerns from the 30’s to the 60’s, this modern version of 3:10 to Yuma heals the wounded heart of the Western genre which has, with a few exceptions, been in steep decline on the big screen. This is a grand character study, and acting its chief strength, relying on the considerable talents of Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.
The good guy/bad guy relationship between Crowe’s Ben Wade and Bale’s Dan Evans has to be played just right in order to work, or the relationship will seem like a tired old storytelling cliché. The characters that Bale usually play seem like the everyman as quiet man. Evans isn’t a hero or even a brave man, as we usually think of bravery, and his son William reminds him every chance he gets, by words, with a stare, or in his sullen expression. Evans, however, is determined this one time – in dealing with Ben Wade – to be heroic.
On the other hand, Russell Crowe’s Ben Wade is the devil – pure and simple. Supernaturally wily, he seems faster, stronger, smarter, and more vicious than any other human he encounters. He has given in to his pure instincts and wants – like an animal, but much more dangerous because he is ultimately a human without the checks and balances of ethics and morals.
The viewer wouldn’t be overdoing it by seeing Evans as the Christ-like sacrifice and Wade his devilish tempter. The good/bad dynamic, however, is a staple of the Western, and 3:10 to Yuma is rife with the genre standards. That is how this extremely well-acted and superbly-directed film honors the American Western, and 3:10 to Yuma honors this venerable genre with gusto.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
2008 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score (Marco Beltrami) and “Best Achievement in Sound” (Paul Massey, David Gaimmarco, and Jim Stuebe)
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Review: "The Dark Knight Rises," But the Movie is Bloated
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Running time: 164 minutes (2 hours, 44 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
WRITERS: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan; from a story by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (based upon the characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger)
PRODUCERS: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, and Emma Thomas
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Wally Pfister (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Lee Smith
COMPOSER: Hans Zimmer
SUPERHERO/ACTION/DRAMA
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Matthew Modine, Cillian Murphy, Ben Mendelsohn, Burn Gorman, Tom Conti, and Liam Neeson
The subject of this movie review is The Dark Knight Rises, a film directed by Christopher Nolan. It is a sequel to The Dark Knight and is also the third film in Nolan’s “The Dark Knight trilogy,” which began with 2005’s Batman Begins. The Dark Knight Rises is a highly-anticipated film, and I have been anxious to see it for some time.
Now, that I’ve seen The Dark Knight Rises, I must admit that I did not like it. In fact, not long into the movie, I was bored with it and, three times I considered walking out of the theatre. The Dark Knight Rises has some interesting ideas, characters, and subplots, but they don’t really come together to form a complete movies. The story elements feel like they are building up to something big; the film is like a constant upsurge of anticipation that never delivers. Too often, scenes ultimately deliver an anti-climax.
The Dark Knight Rises opens eight years after the events that closed The Dark Knight, which saw Batman (Christian Bale) vanishing into the night after he made it seem as if he (Batman) had killed District Attorney Harvey Dent. By assuming the blame for Dent’s demise, Batman sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman) both hoped was the greater good. In a sense, that worked. As the film begins, organized crime in Gotham City is dead.
Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has given up being Batman and lives in seclusion, but his meeting with Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), a cunning cat burglar gets him interested in what is currently happening in the city. Meanwhile, a masked terrorist called Bane (Tom Hardy) has come to Gotham to tear the city down in the name of revolution. Bane’s acts of destruction and terror drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile, but Batman may be no match for Bane
Although the film runs at nearly 2¾ hours, The Dark Knight Rises did not seem too long to me. It did seem bloated. The film does have some good action set pieces, but they combine to form a movie that is too damned loud and obnoxious. Talk about full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Speaking of loud: Hans Zimmer’s score is comically overdone, even farcical. Every time something momentous is about to be said or done, Zimmer unleashes ear-drum pounding brass and Ragnorok synth. The music makes the movie seem either pretentious or a joke.
The new characters are interesting, but they’re equally pompous and hollow. Anne Hathaway has a great moment as Selina Kyle when the character first meets Bruce Wayne that is deliciously cool. After that, the character comes across as tacked-on. Nolan is too coy about her; is she villainess or anti-hero? Please, make up your mind, Mr. Director. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s John Blake is a good character lost in the excesses of this movie. Tom Hardy’s Bane is scary, but his frightfulness is mitigated by this story’s murky intentions. Utterly underutilized are two supporting characters: Bruce Wayne’s business rival, John Daggett (Ben Mendelsohn), and his assistant, Stryver (Burn Gorman). The actors give this film’s best performances, and the characters are this movie’s dynamic duo. I was sad when they “left” the story.
All of The Dark Knight Rises’ characters, settings, sub-plots, and action don’t lead from point A to point B – beginning, middle, and end. They come together as one huge rambling wreck that eventually crashes, which we can call the end of the movie. The story is a good idea, but the screenplay is overkill. This is Christopher Nolan’s worst major film to date. If I did not know better, I would think that Joel Schumacher had directed The Dark Knight Rises, but this movie’s self-importance reminds me that this is a Chris Nolan flick.
4 of 10
C
Saturday, July 21, 2012
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Friday, July 20, 2012
About this Movie: The Dark Knight Rises
In Association with Legendary Pictures
A Syncopy Films Production
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
WRITERS: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan; from a story by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (based upon the characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger)
PRODUCERS: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, and Emma Thomas
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Wally Pfister (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Lee Smith
COMPOSER: Hans Zimmer
OPENING DATE: Friday, July 20, 2012
RUN TIME: 164 minutes
RATING: MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language
Starring: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman
Synopsis:
Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "The Dark Knight Rises" is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.
It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.
Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. "The Dark Knight Rises" also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.
Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox.
The screenplay is written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on "Batman Begins" and the record-breaking blockbuster "The Dark Knight." The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The film is based upon characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
Behind the scenes, "The Dark Knight Rises" reunites the director with several of his longtime collaborators, all of whom worked together on "The Dark Knight." The creative team includes director of photography Wally Pfister, who won an Oscar® for his work on Nolan's "Inception"; production designers Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh; editor Lee Smith; and Oscar®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming ("Topsy-Turvy"). In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould, who both won Oscars® for the effects in "Inception," supervised the visual and special effects, respectively. The music is composed by Oscar® winner Hans Zimmer ("The Lion King").
In helming the film, Christopher Nolan utilized IMAX® cameras even more extensively than he did on "The Dark Knight," which had marked the first time ever that a major feature film was even partially shot with the large-format cameras.
"The Dark Knight Rises" will be presented on 70-millimeter film in 102 IMAX 15/70mm locations worldwide. Christopher Nolan stated, "Having shot almost half the picture with large-format IMAX film cameras, it is very important to me that we show 'The Dark Knight Rises' in the IMAX film format wherever possible. Audiences everywhere should be assured that every presentation of the film will be of the highest standard—having benefited from the clarity and depth IMAX cameras offer. However, these 102 screens will showcase the original IMAX film photography in its optimum form, and I hope anyone who has an opportunity to experience the film in these theatres will seek it out."
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight Rises." Opening in theatres and IMAX, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/
Review: "The Dark Knight" Rose Above All Other Batman Movies
The Dark Knight (2008)
Running time: 152 minutes (2 hours, 32 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
WRITERS: Jonathan Noland and Christopher Nolan; from a story by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (based upon the characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger)
PRODUCERS: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, and Emma Thomas
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Wally Pfister (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Lee Smith
Academy Award winner
SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION and CRIME/DRAMA/THRILLER
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Monique Gabriela Curren, Nestor Carbonell, Eric Roberts, Colin McFarlane, Joshua Harto, and Michael Jai White
Director Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, the sequel to his 2005 film, Batman Begins, is indeed as good as practically everyone who has seen it says. The Dark Knight is both loud and complex, sometimes as scary as it is over the top, but the heart of the movie isn’t loud explosions and violent confrontations. For all the attention paid to this film’s villain, The Joker as portrayed by the late Heath Ledger, Nolan uses The Dark Knight to examine the heart, soul, and guts (constitution) of a hero, in particularly both the character Batman and his alter ego Bruce Wayne.
The steadfast Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the heroic District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) join Batman’s (Christian Bale) plot to destroy organized crime in Gotham City for good. The three are highly effective, as they track Gotham organized crime’s cash, the hundreds of millions of dollars that criminals hide in Gotham banks. They’ll follow the money even when it means Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and his partner Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) must undertake a secret mission to Hong Kong.
However, their success is short lived, when The Joker (Heath Ledger), a rising criminal mastermind, inserts himself into the situation. The Joker practically bullies Gotham’s crime lords into hiring him to kill Batman. The Joker’s antics throw Gotham into anarchy, and his acts of terrorism force the Dark Knight and everyone one around him ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante.
So many things stand out as being exceptional about The Dark Knight. The story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, who wrote Batman Begins together, is quite fine, but the script by Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan is the cream on top. For one thing, it takes four of Batman Begins’ excellent supporting characters, Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred (Michael Caine), and Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, but previously played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins). Not only does the script emphasize their connections to Batman, but all four of the characters also genuinely contribute to the action, ideas, and philosophies of the larger narrative. When four fine actors (with Caine and Freeman being Oscar-winning legends) get this kind of character writing, they can work wonder – as they do here.
As for the much-talked about performance of the late Heath Ledger as The Joker, it is the real deal. Topping Jack Nicholson’s turn as the clown prince of crime in the 1989 Batman seemed impossible, but Ledger simply took the character someplace even darker. Ledger’s Joker isn’t just a criminal; he’s an anarchist, a terrorist, and a madman. He eschews society’s morals, rules, and excepted standards of behavior. To hell with society; he just wants to see the world burn. That kind of personality and behavior will always be the makings for a memorable villain, but Ledger takes that material and turns it into a Joker the he sears into the audience’s memory.
For all the fireworks of Heath Ledger’s performance, The Dark Knight is, in the hands of Chris Nolan and actor Christian Bale as Batman, about Batman’s battle for his own soul. Together, Nolan and Bale test the limits of endurance of a superhero. Batman’s bravery isn’t in question, but his honesty, integrity, morals, and honor are. Will he go to the “dark side,” so to speak, and thusly, himself become a villain in order to fight villains (Joker and his crime lord cohorts)? Is he a warrior sworn to uphold values of courage and honor or is he just like weaker mortals – people who are all too ready to drop their civilized ways and become monsters the moment something really terrifies them?
Like Batman’s conundrum, The Dark Knight is ominously complicated, but it is so damn entertaining and intelligent and thought provoking and better than most summer blockbusters and superhero movies could hope to be. The Dark Knight is by no means perfect; sometimes, it goes over the top trying to make its points. Sometimes, it’s way too loud and maybe just a bit too pretentious and heavy with its own self-importance. But it’s still so damn good.
9 of 10
A+
Sunday, August 03, 2008
NOTES:
2009 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Heath Ledger – Posthumously won with the award accepted by his father, mother and sister) and “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Richard King); 6 nominations: “Best Achievement in Art Direction” (Nathan Crowley-art director and Peter Lando-set decorator), “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Wally Pfister), “Best Achievement in Film Editing” (Lee Smith), “Best Achievement in Makeup” (John Caglione Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan), “Best Achievement in Sound Mixing” (Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo, Ed Novick), “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Timothy Webber and Paul J. Franklin)
2009 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Supporting Actor” (Heath Ledger –Posthumously); 8 nominations: “Best Cinematography” (Wally Pfister), “Best Costume Design” (Lindy Hemming), “Best Editing” (Lee Smith), “Best Make Up & Hair” (Peter Robb-King), “Best Music” (Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard), “Best Production Design” (Nathan Crowley and Peter Lando), “Best Sound” (Lora Hirschberg, Richard King, Ed Novick, and Gary Rizzo), “Best Special Visual Effects” (Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul J. Franklin, and Tim Webber)
2009 Golden Globes, USA: 1 win: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Heath Ledger – Awarded posthumously with the award accepted by Christopher Nolan on Heath Ledger's behalf)
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
About "The Dark Knight Rises" - The Cast
About the Cast if The Dark Knight Rises
CHRISTIAN BALE (Bruce Wayne/Batman) was born in Wales and grew up in England and the USA. He made his film debut in Steven Spielberg's World War II epic "Empire of the Sun."
His film work to date also includes "Henry V," "The Portrait of a Lady," "The Secret Agent," "Metroland," "Velvet Goldmine," "All the Little Animals," "American Psycho," "Laurel Canyon," "The Machinist," "Batman Begins," "The New World," "The Prestige," "Harsh Times," "Rescue Dawn," "3:10 to Yuma," "I'm Not There," "The Dark Knight," "Public Enemies," "The Fighter," and "The Flowers of War."
Audiences will next see him in Terrence Malick's "Knight of Cups," and he recently completed filming "Out of the Furnace."
MICHAEL CAINE (Alfred), a two-time Academy Award® winner, has appeared in more than 100 films in a career spanning over half a century. He first played the role of Bruce Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred, in the 2005 hit, "Batman Begins," which also marked his first collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. He returned to the part in the 2008 blockbuster "The Dark Knight." "The Dark Knight Rises" marks Caine's fifth collaboration with Nolan. He has also acted under Nolan's direction in "The Prestige," for which he won a London Film Critics' Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, and 2010's most talked-about film, "Inception."
Caine's upcoming films include Louis Leterrier's thriller "Now You See Me," with Morgan Freeman, and "Mr. Morgan's Last Love," based on the novel La Douceur Assassine by Françoise Dorner, in which he plays the title role under the direction of Sandra Nettelbeck.
Caine won his first Oscar®, for Best Supporting Actor, for his work in Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters," for which he also received Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations. He took home his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar® for his role in Lasse Hallström's "The Cider House Rules," also winning a Screen Actors Guild Award® and earning Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations.
He has garnered four more Oscar® nominations for Best Actor, the first coming in 1966 for the title role in "Alfie," for which he also received a Golden Globe nomination and a New York Film Critics Award. He earned his second Oscar® nod, in addition to a Golden Globe nomination and an Evening Standard Award, for the part of Milo Tindle in 1972's "Sleuth," opposite Laurence Olivier. His role in "Educating Rita" brought him his third Oscar® nomination, as well as Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards. He gained his latest Oscar®, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for his work in 2002's "The Quiet American," for which he also won a London Film Critics' Circle Award. In addition, Caine won Golden Globe and London Film Critics' Circle Awards and received a BAFTA Award nomination, all for Best Supporting Actor, for "Little Voice."
Caine was born Maurice Micklewhite in South London in 1933 and developed an interest in acting at an early age. Upon his discharge from the Queen's Royal Regiment and Royal Fusiliers in 1953, he began pursuing his career. Taking his stage name from the title "The Caine Mutiny," he toured Britain in a variety of plays and began appearing in British films and television shows.
In 1964, Caine landed his first major film role as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead in "Zulu." The following year, he starred in the hit thriller "The Ipcress File," earning his first of 37 BAFTA Award nominations for his portrayal of secret agent Harry Palmer. However, it was his Oscar®-nominated performance in the seminal '60s film "Alfie" that catapulted Caine to international stardom. He went on to star in eleven more films during the late '60s, including "The Ipcress File" sequels, "Funeral in Berlin" and "Billion Dollar Brain"; "Gambit," earning a Golden Globe nomination; "Hurry Sundown"; "Woman Times Seven"; "Deadfall"; "The Magus"; "The Italian Job"; and "Battle of Britain."
Over the next two decades, Caine had diverse roles in more than 40 films, including Robert Aldrich's "Too Late the Hero"; "X, Y and Zee," opposite Elizabeth Taylor; John Huston's "The Man Who Would Be King"; "Harry and Walter Go to New York"; Richard Attenborough's "A Bridge Too Far"; the Neil Simon comedy "California Suite"; Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill"; John Huston's "Victory"; Sidney Lumet's "Deathtrap"; Stanley Donen's "Blame It on Rio"; John Frankenheimer's "The Holcroft Covenant"; Neil Jordan's "Mona Lisa"; and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," for which he received a Golden Globe nomination.
Continuing to work almost non-stop, Caine has since starred in such films as "Blood and Wine," "Quills," "Miss Congeniality," "Austin Powers in Goldmember," "The Weather Man," "Children of Men," and "Harry Brown," in the title role. His most recent films include "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," and he also lent his voice to the animated features "Cars 2" and "Gnomeo & Juliet."
Apart from his work onscreen, Caine wrote an autobiography entitled What's It All About?, as well as Acting on Film, a book based on a series of lectures he gave on BBC Television. His latest memoir, The Elephant to Hollywood, was published in 2010 by Henry Holt and Co. in the United States.
In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours, Caine was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.). Eight years later, he received his knighthood.
GARY OLDMAN (Commissioner Gordon) has been a legendary presence on the screen for more than 25 years and is known to millions worldwide for his embodiment of some of cinema's most iconic characters. In addition to Commissioner Jim Gordon, he has portrayed such wide-ranging and unforgettable roles as Harry Potter's beloved godfather, Sirius Black; Dracula; Beethoven; Lee Harvey Oswald; Sid Vicious; and John le Carré's ultimate spy, George Smiley, in an Oscar®-nominated performance.
Oldman is one of the highest-grossing actors at the global box office, having appeared in a number of the most successful films of all time, including the top-grossing Harry Potter franchise. He originated the part of Sirius Black in 2004's "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and reprised his role in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," and the record breaking finale, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2."
He first played Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan's 2005 hit "Batman Begins." Oldman returned to the role of Batman's crime-fighting ally in 2008's billion dollar blockbuster "The Dark Knight."
In 2011, Oldman portrayed master spy George Smiley in the film version of John le Carré's "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy." In addition to an Oscar® nomination, Oldman's performance was recognized with a BAFTA Award nomination, a British Independent Film Award nomination, and an Empire Award, all for Best Actor.
He has repeatedly been honored for his work on the screen, including the 2011 Empire Icon Award, bestowed for a lifetime of outstanding achievements; the Gotham Awards' Career Tribute Award; and the International Star of the Year Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival.
Oldman began his acting career on the stage in 1979, and for the next few years he worked exclusively in the theatre. From 1985 through 1989, he performed at London's Royal Court. His earliest onscreen work includes the BBC films "Meantime," for director Mike Leigh, and "The Firm," directed by the late Alan Clarke.
He followed with such features as "Sid & Nancy"; "Prick Up Your Ears," directed by Stephen Frears; Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead"; "State of Grace"; "JFK," for director Oliver Stone; and the title role in "Bram Stoker's Dracula," directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Among Oldman's many other credits are "True Romance," directed by Tony Scott; "Romeo is Bleeding"; the Luc Besson-directed films "The Professional" and "The Fifth Element"; "Immortal Beloved"; "Murder in the First"; "The Scarlett Letter," directed by Roland Joffé; "Lost in Space"; Wolfgang Petersen's "Air Force One," as the terrorist who hijacked the plane of the President, played by Harrison Ford; and "The Book of Eli."
In 1995, with manager/producing partner Douglas Urbanski, he formed a production company, which subsequently produced the highly acclaimed "Nil by Mouth," marking Oldman's directing and writing debut. The film was selected to open the main competition for the 1997 50th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, where Kathy Burke won Best Actress and Oldman was nominated for a Palme d'Or. Among the film's other honors, Oldman won the prestigious Channel 4 Director's Prize at the Edinburgh Film Festival; an Empire Award; a BAFTA Award, shared with Urbanski, for Best Film; and a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay.
In 2000, Oldman starred in the political drama "The Contender," which he and Urbanski also produced. The film, which also starred Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges, Christian Slater and Sam Elliott, received a number of award recognitions, including two Oscar® nominations.
ANNE HATHAWAY (Selina Kyle) was honored with an Academy Award® nomination for Best Actress for her performance in Jonathan Demme's critically acclaimed drama "Rachel Getting Married." For her work in the film, Hathaway also earned Golden Globe, Independent Spirit Award and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® nominations, and also won the National Board of Review, Chicago Film Critics Association, and Critics' Choice Awards for Best Actress. She more recently received another Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, for her role in Edward Zwick's "Love and Other Drugs," opposite Jake Gyllenhaal.
Later this year, Hathaway stars as Fantine in Tom Hooper's much-anticipated feature film adaptation of the beloved musical "Les Misérables," opening in December.
Hathaway made an auspicious feature film debut with a starring role in Garry Marshall's 2001 hit comedy "The Princess Diaries," and reprised her role in "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement." Her early film credits also include Douglas McGrath's screen rendition of Charles Dickens' "Nicholas Nickleby" and the title role in "Ella Enchanted."
In 2005, Hathaway co-starred with Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in Ang Lee's groundbreaking drama "Brokeback Mountain," and was nominated with her castmates for a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. The following year, she received widespread acclaim for her performance in the smash hit "The Devil Wears Prada," opposite Meryl Streep.
Hathaway has also starred in such diverse films as Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland"; "Valentine's Day," which reunited her with Garry Marshall; Gary Winick's "Bride Wars"; Rodrigo Garcia's "Passengers"; Peter Segal's "Get Smart"; the Jane Austen biopic "Becoming Jane"; "Havoc"; and "The Other Side of Heaven." In addition, she lent her voice to the animated hit features "Rio" and "Hoodwinked!," and, in 2010, won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for the role of Princess Penelope on an episode of "The Simpsons."
Hathaway's theatre credits include Shakespeare in the Park's 2009 production of "Twelfth Night"; Lincoln Center's Encores! presentation of "Carnival," for which she won a 2002 Clarence Derwent Award; Andrew Lloyd Webber's workshop of "Woman in White"; and "Forever Your Child." She also participated in the 2005 celebration gala for Stephen Sondheim's 75th birthday.
In January 2005, Hathaway traveled to Cambodia on behalf of the documentary "A Moment in the World," organized by Angelina Jolie. The project placed approximately 25 participants in various locations on a specific day, each instructed to videotape their surroundings at the same specific moment in time.
Born in New York, Hathaway studied acting at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and at the award-winning Barrow Group in New York City, where she was the first and only teen ever admitted to their intensive acting program. In 2005, she was honored for her achievements by the Barrow Group. She also studied in the musical theatre program with the Collaborative Arts Project, CAP 21, affiliated with NYU. An accomplished dancer, she studied at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Additionally, she performed in two concerts at Carnegie Hall as a member of the All-Eastern US High School Honors Chorus. She began her professional career on television on the series "Get Real."
TOM HARDY (Bane) is currently in production on George Miller's new post-apocalyptic actioner, in which he takes on the role of Mad Max, opposite Charlize Theron. He will next be seen in the crime drama "Lawless," which premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.
Hardy previously collaborated with director Christopher Nolan in the thought-provoking 2010 thriller "Inception," alongside an international cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio. He recently also starred in the boxing drama "Warrior," with Nick Nolte and Joel Edgerton, and the thriller "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," with Gary Oldman.
Hailing from Great Britain, Hardy began his screen career when he was plucked straight from London's Drama Centre for a role in HBO's award-winning World War II miniseries "Band of Brothers," executive produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. He made his feature film debut in Ridley Scott's war drama "Black Hawk Down," followed by the sci-fi adventure "Star Trek: Nemesis."
In 2008, Hardy delivered a powerhouse performance in the title role of the drama "Bronson," for which he won a British Independent Film Award, and earned nominations for a London Film Critics' Circle Award and an Evening Standard Film Award, all in the category of Best Actor.
On television, Hardy received a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in the HBO movie "Stuart: A Life Backwards." He also portrayed Heathcliff in the 2009 ITV production of "Wuthering Heights." His work on the small screen also includes the telefilms "Oliver Twist," "A for Andromeda," "Sweeney Todd," "Gideon's Daughter," and "Colditz," as well as the BBC miniseries "The Virgin Queen."
Hardy has also starred in numerous plays in London's West End, including "Blood" and "In Arabia We'd All Be Kings," winning the Outstanding Newcomer Award at the 2003 Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his work in both productions. For the latter play, he was also nominated for a 2004 Olivier Award. In 2005, Hardy starred in the London premiere of Brett C. Leonard's "Roger and Vanessa." His later stage work includes Rufus Norris' adaptation of "Festen," at the Almeida; "The Modernists," at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre; "The Man of Mode," for the National Theatre; and the 2010 world premiere of Leonard's "The Long Red Road," directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman at Chicago's Goodman Theatre.
MARION COTILLARD (Miranda Tate) won a Best Actress Academy Award® for her performance in "La Vie en Rose," making her the first actress to earn an Oscar® for a performance in the French language. For her captivating portrayal of legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf in that film, Cotillard also won a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe and a César Award, and received Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® and Critics' Choice Award nominations.
"The Dark Knight Rises" marks the second collaboration for Cotillard and Christopher Nolan. She previously worked under Nolan's direction in the 2010 hit thriller "Inception," opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.
This fall, Cotillard will be seen in Guillaume Canet's comedy/drama "Little White Lies;" and the drama "Rust & Bone," which screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Recently, Cotillard completed production on the as-yet-untitled drama, directed by James Gray and also starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner; as well as the crime drama "Blood Ties," which reunited her with director Guillaume Canet.
Cotillard first gained attention for her work in the successful French "Taxi" film series, written by Luc Besson, for which she received a César Award nomination. She was introduced to American moviegoers with her role in Tim Burton's 2003 fantasy drama "Big Fish," and also starred that year in Yann Samuell's "Love Me If You Dare." Cotillard won her first César Award, for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "A Very Long Engagement." She went on to star in a number of French films, as well as Ridley Scott's "A Good Year."
In 2009, Cotillard starred in Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" and Rob Marshall's screen adaptation of the hit musical "Nine." For her role in the latter, she received Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award nominations, in addition to sharing in a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. Her additional film credits include Steven Soderbergh's thriller "Contagion," as well as Woody Allen's acclaimed romantic comedy "Midnight in Paris," for which she shared in a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast with Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates, and Rachel McAdams.
In 2010, Cotillard was named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, for her contribution to the enrichment of French culture. Born in Paris, she studied drama at Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique in Orléans.
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT (John Blake) is one of today's busiest actors and has also been showcasing his talents behind the camera. Following "The Dark Knight Rises," he stars in three more films due out this year: the thriller "Premium Rush," for writer/director David Koepp; Rian Johnson's sci-fi thriller "Looper," which he stars in with Emily Blunt and Bruce Willis and also executive produced; and the Steven Spielberg-directed biopic "Lincoln," playing Robert Todd Lincoln. In addition, Gordon-Levitt is currently making his feature film directorial debut on the comedy "Don Jon's Addiction," which he also wrote and stars in with Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore.
Gordon-Levitt recently earned his second Golden Globe nomination in the category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for his performance in the comedy/drama "50/50," in which he starred with Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick and Bryce Dallas Howard. He previously garnered Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award nominations for his work in the award-winning sleeper hit "(500) Days of Summer," opposite Zooey Deschanel.
In 2010, Gordon-Levitt starred in Christopher Nolan's hit thriller "Inception," joining an international all-star cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy. He also played the title role in the independent drama "Hesher," which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
His broad range of film credits also include the global action hit "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," for director Stephen Sommers; Spike Lee's World War II drama "Miracle at St. Anna"; Kimberly Peirce's controversial drama "Stop-Loss"; and the crime drama "The Lookout," which marked Scott Frank's directorial debut. In addition, Gordon-Levitt has received widespread praise for his performances in such independent features as John Madden's "Killshot"; Lee Daniels' "Shadowboxer"; Rian Johnson's award-winning debut film, "Brick"; "Mysterious Skin," for writer/director Gregg Araki; and "Manic," with Don Cheadle.
Early in his career, Gordon-Levitt won a Young Artist Award for his first major role, in Robert Redford's drama "A River Runs Through It." He went on to co-star in "Angels in the Outfield," "The Juror," "Halloween H20" and "10 Things I Hate About You."
Gordon-Levitt is also well known to television audiences for his starring role on NBC's award-winning comedy series "3rd Rock from the Sun." During his six seasons on the show, he won two YoungStar Awards and also shared in three Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series Cast. Following the series, Gordon-Levitt took a short break from acting to attend Columbia University.
Gordon-Levitt founded and directs an open collaborative production company called hitRECord.org comprised of an online community of thousands of artists from all over the world. Through the site, more than 40,000 participants have had the opportunity to team together to create short films, music, art or stories. The company has presented evenings of short film and live entertainment at the Sundance and South by Southwest Film Festivals; toured some of the country's top colleges; published Tiny Book of Tiny Stories (released by Harper Collins in December 2011); and last fall released a DVD/book/CD called RECollection Volume 1.
A budding writer/director in the more traditional sense, as well, Gordon-Levitt adapted the Elmore Leonard story "Sparks" into a 24-minute short film. Marking his directorial debut, the short screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
MORGAN FREEMAN (Lucius Fox) won an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby," for which he also won a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® and received a Golden Globe nomination. In 2009, he reunited with Eastwood to star in the director's true-life drama "Invictus," on which Freeman also served as an executive producer under his Revelations Entertainment banner. For his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the film, Freeman garnered Oscar®, Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award nominations, and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor.
Freeman has been honored with three additional Oscar® nominations, the first for his chilling performance in the 1987 drama "Street Smart," which also brought him Los Angeles Film Critics, New York Film Critics, and National Society of Film Critics Awards, and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor, as well as his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He earned his second Oscar® nomination and won Golden Globe and National Board of Review Awards for Best Actor for the 1989 film "Driving Miss Daisy," in which he recreated his award-winning off-Broadway role. He gained his third Oscar® nod, as well as Golden Globe and SAG Award® nominations, for his performance in Frank Darabont's 1994 drama "The Shawshank Redemption." Among his many other accolades, Freeman was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2008, and, in 2011, was honored with the 39th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards.
In "The Dark Knight Rises," Freeman reprises the role he played in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." Freeman has several films upcoming, including the thriller "Now You See Me," under the direction of Louis Leterrier, and the science fiction actioner "Oblivion," in which he stars with Tom Cruise.
Freeman's long list of film credits also includes "Dolphin Tale"; "RED"; Rob Reiner's "The Bucket List," opposite Jack Nicholson; Robert Benton's "Feast of Love"; Ben Affleck's "Gone Baby Gone"; Lasse Hallström's "An Unfinished Life"; the Jet Li actioner "Unleashed"; the comedy "Bruce Almighty" and its sequel, "Evan Almighty"; "The Sum of All Fears"; "Along Came a Spider"; "Nurse Betty"; "Deep Impact"; Steven Spielberg's "Amistad"; "Kiss the Girls"; David Fincher's "Se7en"; "Glory"; "Lean on Me"; "Harry & Son," directed by and starring Paul Newman; and "Brubaker." He also lent his distinctive voice to such projects as Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" and the Oscar®-winning documentary "March of the Penguins."
In 1993, Freeman made his directorial debut on "Bopha!" and soon after formed Revelations Entertainment. Other Revelations productions include "Levity," "Under Suspicion," "Mutiny," "Along Came a Spider," "Feast of Love," "10 Items or Less" and "Maiden Heist."
The Memphis-born actor began his career on the stages of New York in the early 1960s, following a stint as a mechanic in the Air Force. A decade later, he became a nationally known television personality when he created the popular character Easy Reader on the acclaimed children's show "The Electric Company."
Throughout the 1970s, he continued his work on stage, winning Drama Desk and Clarence Derwent Awards and receiving a Tony Award nomination for his performance in "The Mighty Gents" in 1978. In 1980, he won two Obie Awards, for his portrayal of Shakespearean anti-hero Coriolanus at the New York Shakespeare Festival and for his work in "Mother Courage and Her Children." Freeman won another Obie in 1984 for his performance as The Messenger in the acclaimed Brooklyn Academy of Music production of Lee Breuer's "The Gospel at Colonus" and, in 1985, won the Drama-Logue Award for the same role. In 1987, Freeman created the role of Hoke Coleburn in Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Driving Miss Daisy," which brought him his fourth Obie Award. In 1990, Freeman starred as Petruchio in the New York Shakespeare Festival's "The Taming of the Shrew," opposite Tracey Ullman. Returning to the Broadway stage in 2008, Freeman starred with Frances McDormand and Peter Gallagher in Clifford Odett's drama "The Country Girl," directed by Mike Nichols.
CHRISTIAN BALE (Bruce Wayne/Batman) was born in Wales and grew up in England and the USA. He made his film debut in Steven Spielberg's World War II epic "Empire of the Sun."
His film work to date also includes "Henry V," "The Portrait of a Lady," "The Secret Agent," "Metroland," "Velvet Goldmine," "All the Little Animals," "American Psycho," "Laurel Canyon," "The Machinist," "Batman Begins," "The New World," "The Prestige," "Harsh Times," "Rescue Dawn," "3:10 to Yuma," "I'm Not There," "The Dark Knight," "Public Enemies," "The Fighter," and "The Flowers of War."
Audiences will next see him in Terrence Malick's "Knight of Cups," and he recently completed filming "Out of the Furnace."
MICHAEL CAINE (Alfred), a two-time Academy Award® winner, has appeared in more than 100 films in a career spanning over half a century. He first played the role of Bruce Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred, in the 2005 hit, "Batman Begins," which also marked his first collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. He returned to the part in the 2008 blockbuster "The Dark Knight." "The Dark Knight Rises" marks Caine's fifth collaboration with Nolan. He has also acted under Nolan's direction in "The Prestige," for which he won a London Film Critics' Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, and 2010's most talked-about film, "Inception."
Caine's upcoming films include Louis Leterrier's thriller "Now You See Me," with Morgan Freeman, and "Mr. Morgan's Last Love," based on the novel La Douceur Assassine by Françoise Dorner, in which he plays the title role under the direction of Sandra Nettelbeck.
Caine won his first Oscar®, for Best Supporting Actor, for his work in Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters," for which he also received Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations. He took home his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar® for his role in Lasse Hallström's "The Cider House Rules," also winning a Screen Actors Guild Award® and earning Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations.
He has garnered four more Oscar® nominations for Best Actor, the first coming in 1966 for the title role in "Alfie," for which he also received a Golden Globe nomination and a New York Film Critics Award. He earned his second Oscar® nod, in addition to a Golden Globe nomination and an Evening Standard Award, for the part of Milo Tindle in 1972's "Sleuth," opposite Laurence Olivier. His role in "Educating Rita" brought him his third Oscar® nomination, as well as Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards. He gained his latest Oscar®, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for his work in 2002's "The Quiet American," for which he also won a London Film Critics' Circle Award. In addition, Caine won Golden Globe and London Film Critics' Circle Awards and received a BAFTA Award nomination, all for Best Supporting Actor, for "Little Voice."
Caine was born Maurice Micklewhite in South London in 1933 and developed an interest in acting at an early age. Upon his discharge from the Queen's Royal Regiment and Royal Fusiliers in 1953, he began pursuing his career. Taking his stage name from the title "The Caine Mutiny," he toured Britain in a variety of plays and began appearing in British films and television shows.
In 1964, Caine landed his first major film role as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead in "Zulu." The following year, he starred in the hit thriller "The Ipcress File," earning his first of 37 BAFTA Award nominations for his portrayal of secret agent Harry Palmer. However, it was his Oscar®-nominated performance in the seminal '60s film "Alfie" that catapulted Caine to international stardom. He went on to star in eleven more films during the late '60s, including "The Ipcress File" sequels, "Funeral in Berlin" and "Billion Dollar Brain"; "Gambit," earning a Golden Globe nomination; "Hurry Sundown"; "Woman Times Seven"; "Deadfall"; "The Magus"; "The Italian Job"; and "Battle of Britain."
Over the next two decades, Caine had diverse roles in more than 40 films, including Robert Aldrich's "Too Late the Hero"; "X, Y and Zee," opposite Elizabeth Taylor; John Huston's "The Man Who Would Be King"; "Harry and Walter Go to New York"; Richard Attenborough's "A Bridge Too Far"; the Neil Simon comedy "California Suite"; Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill"; John Huston's "Victory"; Sidney Lumet's "Deathtrap"; Stanley Donen's "Blame It on Rio"; John Frankenheimer's "The Holcroft Covenant"; Neil Jordan's "Mona Lisa"; and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," for which he received a Golden Globe nomination.
Continuing to work almost non-stop, Caine has since starred in such films as "Blood and Wine," "Quills," "Miss Congeniality," "Austin Powers in Goldmember," "The Weather Man," "Children of Men," and "Harry Brown," in the title role. His most recent films include "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," and he also lent his voice to the animated features "Cars 2" and "Gnomeo & Juliet."
Apart from his work onscreen, Caine wrote an autobiography entitled What's It All About?, as well as Acting on Film, a book based on a series of lectures he gave on BBC Television. His latest memoir, The Elephant to Hollywood, was published in 2010 by Henry Holt and Co. in the United States.
In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours, Caine was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.). Eight years later, he received his knighthood.
GARY OLDMAN (Commissioner Gordon) has been a legendary presence on the screen for more than 25 years and is known to millions worldwide for his embodiment of some of cinema's most iconic characters. In addition to Commissioner Jim Gordon, he has portrayed such wide-ranging and unforgettable roles as Harry Potter's beloved godfather, Sirius Black; Dracula; Beethoven; Lee Harvey Oswald; Sid Vicious; and John le Carré's ultimate spy, George Smiley, in an Oscar®-nominated performance.
Oldman is one of the highest-grossing actors at the global box office, having appeared in a number of the most successful films of all time, including the top-grossing Harry Potter franchise. He originated the part of Sirius Black in 2004's "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and reprised his role in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," and the record breaking finale, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2."
He first played Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan's 2005 hit "Batman Begins." Oldman returned to the role of Batman's crime-fighting ally in 2008's billion dollar blockbuster "The Dark Knight."
In 2011, Oldman portrayed master spy George Smiley in the film version of John le Carré's "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy." In addition to an Oscar® nomination, Oldman's performance was recognized with a BAFTA Award nomination, a British Independent Film Award nomination, and an Empire Award, all for Best Actor.
He has repeatedly been honored for his work on the screen, including the 2011 Empire Icon Award, bestowed for a lifetime of outstanding achievements; the Gotham Awards' Career Tribute Award; and the International Star of the Year Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival.
Oldman began his acting career on the stage in 1979, and for the next few years he worked exclusively in the theatre. From 1985 through 1989, he performed at London's Royal Court. His earliest onscreen work includes the BBC films "Meantime," for director Mike Leigh, and "The Firm," directed by the late Alan Clarke.
He followed with such features as "Sid & Nancy"; "Prick Up Your Ears," directed by Stephen Frears; Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead"; "State of Grace"; "JFK," for director Oliver Stone; and the title role in "Bram Stoker's Dracula," directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Among Oldman's many other credits are "True Romance," directed by Tony Scott; "Romeo is Bleeding"; the Luc Besson-directed films "The Professional" and "The Fifth Element"; "Immortal Beloved"; "Murder in the First"; "The Scarlett Letter," directed by Roland Joffé; "Lost in Space"; Wolfgang Petersen's "Air Force One," as the terrorist who hijacked the plane of the President, played by Harrison Ford; and "The Book of Eli."
In 1995, with manager/producing partner Douglas Urbanski, he formed a production company, which subsequently produced the highly acclaimed "Nil by Mouth," marking Oldman's directing and writing debut. The film was selected to open the main competition for the 1997 50th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, where Kathy Burke won Best Actress and Oldman was nominated for a Palme d'Or. Among the film's other honors, Oldman won the prestigious Channel 4 Director's Prize at the Edinburgh Film Festival; an Empire Award; a BAFTA Award, shared with Urbanski, for Best Film; and a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay.
In 2000, Oldman starred in the political drama "The Contender," which he and Urbanski also produced. The film, which also starred Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges, Christian Slater and Sam Elliott, received a number of award recognitions, including two Oscar® nominations.
ANNE HATHAWAY (Selina Kyle) was honored with an Academy Award® nomination for Best Actress for her performance in Jonathan Demme's critically acclaimed drama "Rachel Getting Married." For her work in the film, Hathaway also earned Golden Globe, Independent Spirit Award and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® nominations, and also won the National Board of Review, Chicago Film Critics Association, and Critics' Choice Awards for Best Actress. She more recently received another Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, for her role in Edward Zwick's "Love and Other Drugs," opposite Jake Gyllenhaal.
Later this year, Hathaway stars as Fantine in Tom Hooper's much-anticipated feature film adaptation of the beloved musical "Les Misérables," opening in December.
Hathaway made an auspicious feature film debut with a starring role in Garry Marshall's 2001 hit comedy "The Princess Diaries," and reprised her role in "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement." Her early film credits also include Douglas McGrath's screen rendition of Charles Dickens' "Nicholas Nickleby" and the title role in "Ella Enchanted."
In 2005, Hathaway co-starred with Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in Ang Lee's groundbreaking drama "Brokeback Mountain," and was nominated with her castmates for a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. The following year, she received widespread acclaim for her performance in the smash hit "The Devil Wears Prada," opposite Meryl Streep.
Hathaway has also starred in such diverse films as Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland"; "Valentine's Day," which reunited her with Garry Marshall; Gary Winick's "Bride Wars"; Rodrigo Garcia's "Passengers"; Peter Segal's "Get Smart"; the Jane Austen biopic "Becoming Jane"; "Havoc"; and "The Other Side of Heaven." In addition, she lent her voice to the animated hit features "Rio" and "Hoodwinked!," and, in 2010, won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for the role of Princess Penelope on an episode of "The Simpsons."
Hathaway's theatre credits include Shakespeare in the Park's 2009 production of "Twelfth Night"; Lincoln Center's Encores! presentation of "Carnival," for which she won a 2002 Clarence Derwent Award; Andrew Lloyd Webber's workshop of "Woman in White"; and "Forever Your Child." She also participated in the 2005 celebration gala for Stephen Sondheim's 75th birthday.
In January 2005, Hathaway traveled to Cambodia on behalf of the documentary "A Moment in the World," organized by Angelina Jolie. The project placed approximately 25 participants in various locations on a specific day, each instructed to videotape their surroundings at the same specific moment in time.
Born in New York, Hathaway studied acting at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and at the award-winning Barrow Group in New York City, where she was the first and only teen ever admitted to their intensive acting program. In 2005, she was honored for her achievements by the Barrow Group. She also studied in the musical theatre program with the Collaborative Arts Project, CAP 21, affiliated with NYU. An accomplished dancer, she studied at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Additionally, she performed in two concerts at Carnegie Hall as a member of the All-Eastern US High School Honors Chorus. She began her professional career on television on the series "Get Real."
TOM HARDY (Bane) is currently in production on George Miller's new post-apocalyptic actioner, in which he takes on the role of Mad Max, opposite Charlize Theron. He will next be seen in the crime drama "Lawless," which premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.
Hardy previously collaborated with director Christopher Nolan in the thought-provoking 2010 thriller "Inception," alongside an international cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio. He recently also starred in the boxing drama "Warrior," with Nick Nolte and Joel Edgerton, and the thriller "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," with Gary Oldman.
Hailing from Great Britain, Hardy began his screen career when he was plucked straight from London's Drama Centre for a role in HBO's award-winning World War II miniseries "Band of Brothers," executive produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. He made his feature film debut in Ridley Scott's war drama "Black Hawk Down," followed by the sci-fi adventure "Star Trek: Nemesis."
In 2008, Hardy delivered a powerhouse performance in the title role of the drama "Bronson," for which he won a British Independent Film Award, and earned nominations for a London Film Critics' Circle Award and an Evening Standard Film Award, all in the category of Best Actor.
On television, Hardy received a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in the HBO movie "Stuart: A Life Backwards." He also portrayed Heathcliff in the 2009 ITV production of "Wuthering Heights." His work on the small screen also includes the telefilms "Oliver Twist," "A for Andromeda," "Sweeney Todd," "Gideon's Daughter," and "Colditz," as well as the BBC miniseries "The Virgin Queen."
Hardy has also starred in numerous plays in London's West End, including "Blood" and "In Arabia We'd All Be Kings," winning the Outstanding Newcomer Award at the 2003 Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his work in both productions. For the latter play, he was also nominated for a 2004 Olivier Award. In 2005, Hardy starred in the London premiere of Brett C. Leonard's "Roger and Vanessa." His later stage work includes Rufus Norris' adaptation of "Festen," at the Almeida; "The Modernists," at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre; "The Man of Mode," for the National Theatre; and the 2010 world premiere of Leonard's "The Long Red Road," directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman at Chicago's Goodman Theatre.
MARION COTILLARD (Miranda Tate) won a Best Actress Academy Award® for her performance in "La Vie en Rose," making her the first actress to earn an Oscar® for a performance in the French language. For her captivating portrayal of legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf in that film, Cotillard also won a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe and a César Award, and received Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® and Critics' Choice Award nominations.
"The Dark Knight Rises" marks the second collaboration for Cotillard and Christopher Nolan. She previously worked under Nolan's direction in the 2010 hit thriller "Inception," opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.
This fall, Cotillard will be seen in Guillaume Canet's comedy/drama "Little White Lies;" and the drama "Rust & Bone," which screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Recently, Cotillard completed production on the as-yet-untitled drama, directed by James Gray and also starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner; as well as the crime drama "Blood Ties," which reunited her with director Guillaume Canet.
Cotillard first gained attention for her work in the successful French "Taxi" film series, written by Luc Besson, for which she received a César Award nomination. She was introduced to American moviegoers with her role in Tim Burton's 2003 fantasy drama "Big Fish," and also starred that year in Yann Samuell's "Love Me If You Dare." Cotillard won her first César Award, for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "A Very Long Engagement." She went on to star in a number of French films, as well as Ridley Scott's "A Good Year."
In 2009, Cotillard starred in Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" and Rob Marshall's screen adaptation of the hit musical "Nine." For her role in the latter, she received Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award nominations, in addition to sharing in a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. Her additional film credits include Steven Soderbergh's thriller "Contagion," as well as Woody Allen's acclaimed romantic comedy "Midnight in Paris," for which she shared in a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast with Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates, and Rachel McAdams.
In 2010, Cotillard was named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, for her contribution to the enrichment of French culture. Born in Paris, she studied drama at Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique in Orléans.
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT (John Blake) is one of today's busiest actors and has also been showcasing his talents behind the camera. Following "The Dark Knight Rises," he stars in three more films due out this year: the thriller "Premium Rush," for writer/director David Koepp; Rian Johnson's sci-fi thriller "Looper," which he stars in with Emily Blunt and Bruce Willis and also executive produced; and the Steven Spielberg-directed biopic "Lincoln," playing Robert Todd Lincoln. In addition, Gordon-Levitt is currently making his feature film directorial debut on the comedy "Don Jon's Addiction," which he also wrote and stars in with Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore.
Gordon-Levitt recently earned his second Golden Globe nomination in the category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for his performance in the comedy/drama "50/50," in which he starred with Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick and Bryce Dallas Howard. He previously garnered Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award nominations for his work in the award-winning sleeper hit "(500) Days of Summer," opposite Zooey Deschanel.
In 2010, Gordon-Levitt starred in Christopher Nolan's hit thriller "Inception," joining an international all-star cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy. He also played the title role in the independent drama "Hesher," which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
His broad range of film credits also include the global action hit "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," for director Stephen Sommers; Spike Lee's World War II drama "Miracle at St. Anna"; Kimberly Peirce's controversial drama "Stop-Loss"; and the crime drama "The Lookout," which marked Scott Frank's directorial debut. In addition, Gordon-Levitt has received widespread praise for his performances in such independent features as John Madden's "Killshot"; Lee Daniels' "Shadowboxer"; Rian Johnson's award-winning debut film, "Brick"; "Mysterious Skin," for writer/director Gregg Araki; and "Manic," with Don Cheadle.
Early in his career, Gordon-Levitt won a Young Artist Award for his first major role, in Robert Redford's drama "A River Runs Through It." He went on to co-star in "Angels in the Outfield," "The Juror," "Halloween H20" and "10 Things I Hate About You."
Gordon-Levitt is also well known to television audiences for his starring role on NBC's award-winning comedy series "3rd Rock from the Sun." During his six seasons on the show, he won two YoungStar Awards and also shared in three Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series Cast. Following the series, Gordon-Levitt took a short break from acting to attend Columbia University.
Gordon-Levitt founded and directs an open collaborative production company called hitRECord.org comprised of an online community of thousands of artists from all over the world. Through the site, more than 40,000 participants have had the opportunity to team together to create short films, music, art or stories. The company has presented evenings of short film and live entertainment at the Sundance and South by Southwest Film Festivals; toured some of the country's top colleges; published Tiny Book of Tiny Stories (released by Harper Collins in December 2011); and last fall released a DVD/book/CD called RECollection Volume 1.
A budding writer/director in the more traditional sense, as well, Gordon-Levitt adapted the Elmore Leonard story "Sparks" into a 24-minute short film. Marking his directorial debut, the short screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
MORGAN FREEMAN (Lucius Fox) won an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby," for which he also won a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® and received a Golden Globe nomination. In 2009, he reunited with Eastwood to star in the director's true-life drama "Invictus," on which Freeman also served as an executive producer under his Revelations Entertainment banner. For his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the film, Freeman garnered Oscar®, Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award nominations, and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor.
Freeman has been honored with three additional Oscar® nominations, the first for his chilling performance in the 1987 drama "Street Smart," which also brought him Los Angeles Film Critics, New York Film Critics, and National Society of Film Critics Awards, and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor, as well as his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He earned his second Oscar® nomination and won Golden Globe and National Board of Review Awards for Best Actor for the 1989 film "Driving Miss Daisy," in which he recreated his award-winning off-Broadway role. He gained his third Oscar® nod, as well as Golden Globe and SAG Award® nominations, for his performance in Frank Darabont's 1994 drama "The Shawshank Redemption." Among his many other accolades, Freeman was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2008, and, in 2011, was honored with the 39th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards.
In "The Dark Knight Rises," Freeman reprises the role he played in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." Freeman has several films upcoming, including the thriller "Now You See Me," under the direction of Louis Leterrier, and the science fiction actioner "Oblivion," in which he stars with Tom Cruise.
Freeman's long list of film credits also includes "Dolphin Tale"; "RED"; Rob Reiner's "The Bucket List," opposite Jack Nicholson; Robert Benton's "Feast of Love"; Ben Affleck's "Gone Baby Gone"; Lasse Hallström's "An Unfinished Life"; the Jet Li actioner "Unleashed"; the comedy "Bruce Almighty" and its sequel, "Evan Almighty"; "The Sum of All Fears"; "Along Came a Spider"; "Nurse Betty"; "Deep Impact"; Steven Spielberg's "Amistad"; "Kiss the Girls"; David Fincher's "Se7en"; "Glory"; "Lean on Me"; "Harry & Son," directed by and starring Paul Newman; and "Brubaker." He also lent his distinctive voice to such projects as Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" and the Oscar®-winning documentary "March of the Penguins."
In 1993, Freeman made his directorial debut on "Bopha!" and soon after formed Revelations Entertainment. Other Revelations productions include "Levity," "Under Suspicion," "Mutiny," "Along Came a Spider," "Feast of Love," "10 Items or Less" and "Maiden Heist."
The Memphis-born actor began his career on the stages of New York in the early 1960s, following a stint as a mechanic in the Air Force. A decade later, he became a nationally known television personality when he created the popular character Easy Reader on the acclaimed children's show "The Electric Company."
Throughout the 1970s, he continued his work on stage, winning Drama Desk and Clarence Derwent Awards and receiving a Tony Award nomination for his performance in "The Mighty Gents" in 1978. In 1980, he won two Obie Awards, for his portrayal of Shakespearean anti-hero Coriolanus at the New York Shakespeare Festival and for his work in "Mother Courage and Her Children." Freeman won another Obie in 1984 for his performance as The Messenger in the acclaimed Brooklyn Academy of Music production of Lee Breuer's "The Gospel at Colonus" and, in 1985, won the Drama-Logue Award for the same role. In 1987, Freeman created the role of Hoke Coleburn in Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Driving Miss Daisy," which brought him his fourth Obie Award. In 1990, Freeman starred as Petruchio in the New York Shakespeare Festival's "The Taming of the Shrew," opposite Tracey Ullman. Returning to the Broadway stage in 2008, Freeman starred with Frances McDormand and Peter Gallagher in Clifford Odett's drama "The Country Girl," directed by Mike Nichols.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Batman Vehicles Tour the U.S. Before "The Dark Knight Rises"
The Tumbler and the Bat-Pod Are Rolling from Coast-to-Coast
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fans who have been eagerly awaiting the July 20 release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” will have an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod, which are rolling out on a coast-to-coast tour, sponsored by Mountain Dew and IMAX®.
Both the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod have served as high-powered modes of transportation for Batman in Christopher Nolan’s earlier blockbusters—with the Tumbler first appearing in “Batman Begins,” and the Bat-Pod being introduced in “The Dark Knight.” They will both be featured in different ways in the hugely anticipated finale to the director’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Leading up to the opening of the film, the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod will be making their way across North America, appearing in the following cities and towns*:
Bentonville, Arkansas May 12
Tulsa, Oklahoma May 15
Overland Park, Kansas May 19
Kansas City, Missouri May 21
Chicago, Illinois May 25
Washington, DC May 27
Baltimore, Maryland May 28
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 30
Buffalo, New York June 1
Toronto, Canada June 7
Montreal, Canada June 10
Purchase, New York June 12
Columbus, Ohio June 13
Lansing, Michigan June 15
Detroit, Michigan June 16
Brooklyn, Michigan June 17
Indianapolis, Indiana June 19
Nashville, Tennessee June 21
Knoxville, Tennessee June 22
Atlanta, Georgia June 23
Dallas, Texas June 25
San Antonio, Texas June 27
El Paso, Texas June 29
Albuquerque, New Mexico July 1
Phoenix, Arizona July 2
Los Angeles, California July 7
*Please note that dates and locations are subject to change, and more may be added.
More information on the tour can be found at:
http://www.tumblertour.com/
www.facebook.com/tumblertour
@tumblertour
About “The Dark Knight Rises”:
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight Rises.” The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Morgan Freeman.
Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven are the producers, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers, and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.
http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fans who have been eagerly awaiting the July 20 release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” will have an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod, which are rolling out on a coast-to-coast tour, sponsored by Mountain Dew and IMAX®.
Both the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod have served as high-powered modes of transportation for Batman in Christopher Nolan’s earlier blockbusters—with the Tumbler first appearing in “Batman Begins,” and the Bat-Pod being introduced in “The Dark Knight.” They will both be featured in different ways in the hugely anticipated finale to the director’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Leading up to the opening of the film, the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod will be making their way across North America, appearing in the following cities and towns*:
Bentonville, Arkansas May 12
Tulsa, Oklahoma May 15
Overland Park, Kansas May 19
Kansas City, Missouri May 21
Chicago, Illinois May 25
Washington, DC May 27
Baltimore, Maryland May 28
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 30
Buffalo, New York June 1
Toronto, Canada June 7
Montreal, Canada June 10
Purchase, New York June 12
Columbus, Ohio June 13
Lansing, Michigan June 15
Detroit, Michigan June 16
Brooklyn, Michigan June 17
Indianapolis, Indiana June 19
Nashville, Tennessee June 21
Knoxville, Tennessee June 22
Atlanta, Georgia June 23
Dallas, Texas June 25
San Antonio, Texas June 27
El Paso, Texas June 29
Albuquerque, New Mexico July 1
Phoenix, Arizona July 2
Los Angeles, California July 7
*Please note that dates and locations are subject to change, and more may be added.
More information on the tour can be found at:
http://www.tumblertour.com/
www.facebook.com/tumblertour
@tumblertour
About “The Dark Knight Rises”:
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight Rises.” The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Morgan Freeman.
Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven are the producers, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers, and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.
http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
"The Dark Knight Rises" Trailer Hotter Than Cayenne
Trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” Shatters Record with More Than 12.5 Million Downloads on iTunes in First Day
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The new trailer for Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” smashed the record for most combined downloads through the iTunes Movie Trailers site (www.itunes.com/trailers) and the iTunes Trailers iOS app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The trailer went online at 10:00 Monday morning, December 19, and was viewed more than 12.5 million times in its first 24 hours, breaking the previous record by well over two million. The trailer can be viewed in HD at http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/thedarkknightrises/.
Opening on July 20, 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises” is the much-anticipated epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The film’s international all-star cast is led by Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Reprising their roles from both “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” Oscar® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) plays Lucius Fox.
The film is directed by Nolan from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull are the executive producers, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman created by Bob Kane.
A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures, “The Dark Knight Rises” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The new trailer for Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” smashed the record for most combined downloads through the iTunes Movie Trailers site (www.itunes.com/trailers) and the iTunes Trailers iOS app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The trailer went online at 10:00 Monday morning, December 19, and was viewed more than 12.5 million times in its first 24 hours, breaking the previous record by well over two million. The trailer can be viewed in HD at http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/thedarkknightrises/.
Opening on July 20, 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises” is the much-anticipated epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The film’s international all-star cast is led by Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Reprising their roles from both “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” Oscar® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) plays Lucius Fox.
The film is directed by Nolan from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull are the executive producers, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman created by Bob Kane.
A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures, “The Dark Knight Rises” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Monday, December 5, 2011
First Six Minutes of "The Dark Knight Rises" Released December 16th
Opening Sequence of “The Dark Knight Rises” Will Be Unwrapped Just in Time for the Holidays
The film’s prologue will be released exclusively in select IMAX® 70mm film theatres.
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises”—the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy—is one of the most anticipated films of 2012, but moviegoers won’t have to wait until next year to see the six-minute opening sequence of the film. The film’s prologue will be unveiled exclusively in select 70mm IMAX® theatres worldwide. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Prologue will be released in North America on December 16, and in the UK on December 21, 2011. Additional international dates vary by territory and will be announced soon.
In making the 2008 blockbuster “The Dark Knight,” Nolan was the first to use IMAX® cameras in a major motion picture release, and, as now, audiences were given an advance look at that film’s prologue months prior to the Summer 2008 opening. Nolan employed the extremely high-resolution cameras even more extensively on “The Dark Knight Rises”—including the film’s prologue—to achieve unprecedented crispness and clarity and a truly immersive experience for the moviegoers.
Christopher Nolan stated, “Our experience on ‘The Dark Knight’ shooting and projecting IMAX 15 perf 65mm/70mm film was inspiring. The immersive quality of the image goes beyond any other filmmaking tool available, and in revisiting Gotham, we were determined to shoot even more of the movie in this unique format. Giving the fans an early look at an IMAX sequence is a great way to draw attention to what I believe will be an incredible way to experience our story when it comes out next summer.”
Following is a list of the theatres in North America in which the Prologue of “The Dark Knight Rises” will be revealed on December 16th:
Market-Theatre, City
Austin, TX-IMAX Theater Austin, Austin
Boston, MA-Jordan's IMAX. Natick
Boston, MA-IMAX 3D Theatre in Reading, Reading
Calgary, AB-Scotiabank Theatre Chinook 16 + IMAX, Calgary
Chantilly, VA-Washington, DC-Udvar-Hazy Center IMAX, Chantilly
Chicago, IL-Navy Pier IMAX Theatre, Chicago
Des Moines, IA-SCI IMAX Dome Theater, Des Moines
Detroit, MI-Henry Ford IMAX, Dearborn
Edmonton, AB-Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton + IMAX, Edmonton
Harrisburg, PA-The Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts IMAX, Harrisburg
Houston, TX-Houston Marq*e Stadium 22 + IMAX, Houston
Indianapolis-White River IMAX, Indianapolis
Los Angeles, CA-Irvine Spectrum 20 + IMAX, Irvine
Los Angeles, CA-RAVE 18 + IMAX, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA-Ontario Palace Stadium 22 + IMAX, Ontario
Los Angeles, CA-Citywalk Stadium 19 with IMAX, Universal City
Madison, WI-Star 18 Fitchburg with IMAX, Fitchburg
Miami, FL-AutoNation IMAX, Fort Lauderdale
Minneapolis, MN-Great Clips IMAX, Apple Valley
Montreal, QC-Cinema Banque Scotia Montreal + IMAX, Montreal
Nashville,TN-Opry Mills Stadium 20 + IMAX, Nashville
New York, NY-Lincoln Square 13 with IMAX, New York
New York, NY-Palisades IMAX, West Nyack
Omaha, NE-Star Cinema 16 with IMAX, Council Bluffs
Orlando, FL-Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 + IMAX, Orlando
Ottawa, ON-Silvercity Gloucester + IMAX, Gloucester-Ottawa
Palm Springs (Los Angeles)-Desert IMAX Theatre, Cathedral City
Philadelphia, PA-IMAX & the Tropicana, Atlantic City
Philadelphia, PA-Tuttleman IMAX - Franklin Institute, Philadelphia
Phoenix, AZ-Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX, Tempe
Providence, RI-Providence Place 16 with IMAX, Providence
Quebec City, QC-IMAX Le Theatre At Quebec, Quebec City
Sacramento, CA-Esquire IMAX, Sacramento
San Antonio, TX-IMAX at RiverCenter, San Antonio
San Francisco, CA-Metreon 16 with IMAX & ETX, San Francisco
Seattle, WA-Boeing IMAX - Pacific Science Center, Seattle
Tampa, FL-Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Tampa
Toronto, ON-Coliseum 12 Mississauga + IMAX, Mississauga
Toronto, ON-Scotiabank Theatre Toronto + IMAX, Toronto
Toronto, ON-Colossus 18 Woodbridge + IMAX, Woodbridge-Vaughan
Vancouver, BC-Colossus Langley + IMAX, Langley
Vancouver, BC-Silvercity Riverport 18 + IMAX, Richmond
Below is a list of the theatres in the UK in which the Prologue of “The Dark Knight Rises” will be revealed on December 21st:
UK-BFI London, London
UK-National Media Museum IMAX Bradford, Bradford
UK-Glasgow Science Centre IMAX Cinema, Glasgow
UK-Odeon Manchester IMAX @ The Printworks, Manchester
Opening on July 20, 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises” features an international all-star cast, led by Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Reprising their roles from both “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” Oscar® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) plays Lucius Fox.
Nolan directed “The Dark Knight Rises” from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull are the executive producers, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman created by Bob Kane.
“The Dark Knight Rises” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The prologue has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for “some violence.” http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/
The film’s prologue will be released exclusively in select IMAX® 70mm film theatres.
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises”—the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy—is one of the most anticipated films of 2012, but moviegoers won’t have to wait until next year to see the six-minute opening sequence of the film. The film’s prologue will be unveiled exclusively in select 70mm IMAX® theatres worldwide. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Prologue will be released in North America on December 16, and in the UK on December 21, 2011. Additional international dates vary by territory and will be announced soon.
In making the 2008 blockbuster “The Dark Knight,” Nolan was the first to use IMAX® cameras in a major motion picture release, and, as now, audiences were given an advance look at that film’s prologue months prior to the Summer 2008 opening. Nolan employed the extremely high-resolution cameras even more extensively on “The Dark Knight Rises”—including the film’s prologue—to achieve unprecedented crispness and clarity and a truly immersive experience for the moviegoers.
Christopher Nolan stated, “Our experience on ‘The Dark Knight’ shooting and projecting IMAX 15 perf 65mm/70mm film was inspiring. The immersive quality of the image goes beyond any other filmmaking tool available, and in revisiting Gotham, we were determined to shoot even more of the movie in this unique format. Giving the fans an early look at an IMAX sequence is a great way to draw attention to what I believe will be an incredible way to experience our story when it comes out next summer.”
Following is a list of the theatres in North America in which the Prologue of “The Dark Knight Rises” will be revealed on December 16th:
Market-Theatre, City
Austin, TX-IMAX Theater Austin, Austin
Boston, MA-Jordan's IMAX. Natick
Boston, MA-IMAX 3D Theatre in Reading, Reading
Calgary, AB-Scotiabank Theatre Chinook 16 + IMAX, Calgary
Chantilly, VA-Washington, DC-Udvar-Hazy Center IMAX, Chantilly
Chicago, IL-Navy Pier IMAX Theatre, Chicago
Des Moines, IA-SCI IMAX Dome Theater, Des Moines
Detroit, MI-Henry Ford IMAX, Dearborn
Edmonton, AB-Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton + IMAX, Edmonton
Harrisburg, PA-The Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts IMAX, Harrisburg
Houston, TX-Houston Marq*e Stadium 22 + IMAX, Houston
Indianapolis-White River IMAX, Indianapolis
Los Angeles, CA-Irvine Spectrum 20 + IMAX, Irvine
Los Angeles, CA-RAVE 18 + IMAX, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA-Ontario Palace Stadium 22 + IMAX, Ontario
Los Angeles, CA-Citywalk Stadium 19 with IMAX, Universal City
Madison, WI-Star 18 Fitchburg with IMAX, Fitchburg
Miami, FL-AutoNation IMAX, Fort Lauderdale
Minneapolis, MN-Great Clips IMAX, Apple Valley
Montreal, QC-Cinema Banque Scotia Montreal + IMAX, Montreal
Nashville,TN-Opry Mills Stadium 20 + IMAX, Nashville
New York, NY-Lincoln Square 13 with IMAX, New York
New York, NY-Palisades IMAX, West Nyack
Omaha, NE-Star Cinema 16 with IMAX, Council Bluffs
Orlando, FL-Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 + IMAX, Orlando
Ottawa, ON-Silvercity Gloucester + IMAX, Gloucester-Ottawa
Palm Springs (Los Angeles)-Desert IMAX Theatre, Cathedral City
Philadelphia, PA-IMAX & the Tropicana, Atlantic City
Philadelphia, PA-Tuttleman IMAX - Franklin Institute, Philadelphia
Phoenix, AZ-Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX, Tempe
Providence, RI-Providence Place 16 with IMAX, Providence
Quebec City, QC-IMAX Le Theatre At Quebec, Quebec City
Sacramento, CA-Esquire IMAX, Sacramento
San Antonio, TX-IMAX at RiverCenter, San Antonio
San Francisco, CA-Metreon 16 with IMAX & ETX, San Francisco
Seattle, WA-Boeing IMAX - Pacific Science Center, Seattle
Tampa, FL-Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Tampa
Toronto, ON-Coliseum 12 Mississauga + IMAX, Mississauga
Toronto, ON-Scotiabank Theatre Toronto + IMAX, Toronto
Toronto, ON-Colossus 18 Woodbridge + IMAX, Woodbridge-Vaughan
Vancouver, BC-Colossus Langley + IMAX, Langley
Vancouver, BC-Silvercity Riverport 18 + IMAX, Richmond
Below is a list of the theatres in the UK in which the Prologue of “The Dark Knight Rises” will be revealed on December 21st:
UK-BFI London, London
UK-National Media Museum IMAX Bradford, Bradford
UK-Glasgow Science Centre IMAX Cinema, Glasgow
UK-Odeon Manchester IMAX @ The Printworks, Manchester
Opening on July 20, 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises” features an international all-star cast, led by Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Reprising their roles from both “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” Oscar® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) plays Lucius Fox.
Nolan directed “The Dark Knight Rises” from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull are the executive producers, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman created by Bob Kane.
“The Dark Knight Rises” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The prologue has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for “some violence.” http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/
Friday, May 27, 2011
Terrence Malick's "The New World" Poetic and Spiritual
The New World (2005)
Running time: 135 minutes (2 hour, 15 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some intense battle sequences
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Terrence Malick
PRODUCER: Sarah Green
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Emmanuel Lubezki
EDITORS: Richard Chew, A.C.E., Hank Corwin, A.C.E., Saar Klein, and Mark Yoshikawa
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA/HISTORICAL/ROMANCE
Starring: Colin Farrell, Q’orianka Kilcher, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale, August Schellenberg, Wes Studi, David Thewlis, Yorick van Wageningen, Raoul Trujillo, Michael Greyeyes, Kalani Queypo, Ben Mendelsohn, Noah Taylor, Ben Chaplin, John Savage, Janine Duvitski, Irene Bedard, Eddie Marsan, Roger Rees, Myrton Running Wolf, Jonathan Pryce, and Jesse Borrego
Director Terrence Malick’s (The Thin Red Line) shot over 1 million feet of film for his most recent movie, The New World. Originally released on Christmas Day 2005 with a run time of 150 minutes, Malick pulled the film and edited it down to 135 minutes for re-release. This is the definitive version – reportedly the version Malick prefers.
The story begins in North America in the early years of the 17th century. The continent is as it has been for the previous five thousand years – a vast land of seemingly endless primeval wilderness with the only inhabitants being an intricate network of tribal cultures (Native American who speak Algonquin). In April of 1607, three small seagoing vessels from England sail into this Eden. On board one of the ships is John Smith (Colin Farrell), a once-promising young officer and soldier of fortune, now chained below decks and destined to be hanged for insubordination. Captain Christopher Newport (Christopher Plummer), however, pardons Smith because he realizes that he will need every able-bodied man he has in this new world, and Smith, in particular.
Newport and his men have landed (in what is now Virginia) in the midst of a sophisticated Native American empire ruled by the powerful chieftain, Powhatan (August Schellenberg). While this is the new world to the Englishmen, North America is an ancient world to Powhatan, and he and his people are wary of the Englishmen, believing they intend to stay. The Englishmen struggle to survive in their new home, so John Smith seeks assistance from the local tribes. During this trip, he encounters a young native woman who at first seems like a woodland sprite or perhaps something not real. However, this willful and impetuous creature is real, and she is Powhatan’s daughter (Q’orianka Kilcher), known as Pocahontas (although she is never called that in the film). Smith and the young woman form a bond that transcends ordinary love, and it tests the strength of their bonds with their respective people. However, their love story would become one of the best-known American legends.
The New World is really two stories. One is a character driven narrative about the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas, and the other is an entirely visually conveyed story about North America as it was just as the English settlers were arriving. The former is internally driven. Smith and Pocahontas speak mostly in voiceovers, and the film leaves the audience to guess at what thoughts and images run through their minds as the two bond. It’s a poetic courtship based on shared feelings, in which the audience might understand the spiritual connection, but is often left yearning to share the obviously intense physical connection. Malick takes an odd approach to filming romance and love in this movie; it is impressionistic – at least from the point of the view of the audience. However, it can intrigue, can make the viewer interested in understanding why these two people from vastly different worlds are so in love with one another.
The latter tale is visually driven. Malick and his cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki (who earned an Oscar nod for his work), present the new world as an expansive verdant forest of fertile, intensely green plant life; wide-open, deep blue skies; and dreamlike waterways. Shot almost entirely with available (natural) light, the film has an ethereal quality like something trying and almost succeeding at being real, although it isn’t. Malick stages the battles between natives and newcomers with a sense of poetry that could pass for a kind of violent ballet or interpretive dance in the right light. In the end, Malick presents these confrontations as a sort of pastoral, historical recreation, and it has a natural feel to it – verisimilitude, perhaps.
The performances are excellent. Colin Farrell and Q’orianka Kilcher have magical screen chemistry, and Kilcher is quite a find, giving one of the best performances by an actress in 2005. Farrell takes his bad boy attitude and quality and transforms himself into a thoughtful man who has lived a life of adventure and enormous responsibility – a rebel who also understands consequence and responsibility. Christian Bale also makes a nice turn with a small role in the last third of the film. Malick, one of the few American directors not only totally dedicated to the idea that film is art, but also dedicated to making film that is actually high art, does make a few missteps (too many voiceovers, a few abrupt jumps in narrative, some dry spots, etc.). However, he brings his talented cast and crew together and creates in The New World an outstanding poetic, visual feast that speaks softly to our souls.
8 of 10
A
Friday, June 02, 2006
NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Emmanuel Lubezki)
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