“The King’s Speech” won the audience award (Cadillac People’s Choice Award) at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by British film and television director, Tom Hooper, the movie stars Colin Firth as Britain’s reluctant King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as speech therapist Lionel Logue. In the film, Logue helps King George (the father of Queen Elizabeth II) in his struggle to overcome a stammer in his speech.
CADILLAC PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
"The King's Speech" (directed by Tom Hooper)
Runner-up: "The First Grader" (directed by Justin Chadwick)
CADILLAC PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FOR DOCUMENTARY
"Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie" (directed by Sturla Gunnarsson)
Runner-up: "Nostalgia For The Light" (directed by Patricio Guzmán)
CADILLAC PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FOR MIDNIGHT MADNESS
"Stake Land" (directed by Jim Mickle)
Runner-up: "Fubar II" (directed by Michael Dowse)
CITY OF TORONTO AND ASTRAL MEDIA’S THE MOVIE NETWORK AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM
"Incendies" (directed by Denis Villeneuve)
SKYY VODKA AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FIRST FEATURE FILM
"The High Cost of Living" (directed by Deborah Chow)
PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRITICS (FIPRESCI PRIZE) FOR SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS SECTION
"L'Amour Fou" (directed by Pierre Thoretton)
PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRITICS" (FIPRESCI PRIZE) FOR DISCOVERY SECTION
"Beautiful Boy" (directed by Shawn Ku)
AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM
"Les fleurs de l'âge" (Little Flowers)" (directed by Vincent Biron)
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Toy Story 3 Arrives on DVD November 2nd
THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ANIMATED RELEASE OF ALL TIME COMES HOME!
THE BIGGEST TOY STORY YET JUST GOT BIGGER WITH BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK OFFERING THREE WAYS TO ENJOY!
DISNEY●PIXAR’S Toy Story 3
Buzz and Woody - Coming To Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD - November 2, 2010
BURBANK, Calif., September 2010 – They’re back! Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios present the critically-acclaimed, global box office smash Toy Story 3, an exciting, heart-warming story filled with humor, adventure and surprises, that reunites America’s favorite animated toys, Buzz and Woody, and introduces a whole new set of favorites to audiences around the globe. The world’s #1 animated film in box office history and The Walt Disney Company’s second biggest film of all time, Toy Story 3 will be released on Blu-ray and DVD November 2 by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
Families won’t want to miss adding the Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2 Disc Blu-ray or the DVD edition of Toy Story 3 to their home movie collections. Fans of all ages who have come to love and cherish these unique characters, can explore them in a whole new way as the Disney●Pixar team provides a more in-depth look into Pixar Animation Studios and the creation of its characters with hours of exclusive bonus features on the Blu-ray Disc version of the film including filmmaker commentary with Director Lee Unkrich and Producer Darla K. Anderson, amusing views of life at Pixar, analysis of favorite scenes, the Toy Story Trivia Dash game, and much, much more!
Toy Story 3 marks Pixar veteran Lee Unkrich’s feature directorial debut and the return of Pixar’s favorite composer Randy Newman, with the addition of Academy Award®-winner Michael Arndt’s (Little Miss Sunshine) compelling original screenplay. Tom Hanks (Angels & Demons), Tim Allen (The Santa Clause), Joan Cusack (Confessions of a Shopaholic), John Ratzenberger (Up) and Don Rickles (Toy Story 2) reprise their roles as the voices of the iconic characters Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Hamm and Mr. Potato Head, respectively, and are joined by new characters voiced by Michael Keaton (Herbie Fully Loaded) as Barbie's romantic foil Ken, Timothy Dalton (Hot Fuzz) as the thespian hedgehog Mr. Pricklepants, and Ned Beatty (Rudy) as the cuddly Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear, among many others, as the toys face a new adventure as Andy prepares to go off to college.
Suggested retail prices for Toy Story 3 are $45.99 (US)/$52.99 (Canada) for the 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy), $39.99 (US)/$47.99 (Canada) for the 2-Disc Blu-ray, and $29.99 (US)/$35.99 (Canada) for the Single Disc DVD.
Also available on November 2 is an exciting Ultimate Toy Box 3-Movie Collection that contains all three TOY STORY releases on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital copy. Priced at $100.00 (US)/$115 (Canada), this release contains:
· Toy Story – 1 Disc DVD; 1 Disc Blu-ray; 1 Disc Digital Copy
· Toy Story 2 – 1 Disc DVD; 1 Disc Blu-ray; 1 Disc Digital Copy
· Toy Story 3 – 1 Disc DVD; 2 Disc Blu-ray; 1 Disc Digital Copy
TOY STORY 3 - Bonus Features:
DVD:
· Day & Night – The innovative and entertaining short from the imagination of Pixar artist and Director Teddy Newton.
· Toys! – A closer look at all of Toy Story 3’s beloved toys from updating the classic characters to the creation of the Sunnyside Daycare and Bonnie’s Room toys.
· Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science of Adventure – Produced in conjunction with NASA, this hybrid animation documentary of Buzz’s visit to the International Space Station focuses on research in zero gravity and Buzz’s triumphant return to Earth.
· Paths to Pixar: Editorial – Pixar editors, past and future share anecdotes about their careers.
· The Gang’s All Here – A touching look at the returning voice talent for Toy Story 3 and an introduction to the voices of the new characters.
· A Toy’s Eye View: Creating A Whole New Land – A sneak peek at the new Toy Story-themed playland at Hong Kong Disneyland.
· Studio Stories – A series of amusing animated anecdotes about life at Pixar.
“Where’s Gordon?” – An animator finds a hidden room at Pixar.
“Cereal Bar” – The majestic and expansive Pixar cereal bar is explored.
“Clean Start” – The Toy Story 3 animators shave their heads to mark the start of the film.
BLU-RAY COMBO PACK: Everything on the DVD plus…
· Toy Story Trivia Dash – This cool game challenges you to sprint to the finish with Woody, Buzz, Jessie and Rex as you quickly answer questions about all three Toy Story movies.
· Cine-Explore – Commentary by Director Lee Unkrich and Producer Darla K. Anderson.
· Beyond the Toybox: An Alternative Commentary Track Featuring Leads from Story, Tech, Art and Animation – Commentary by Story Supervisor Jason Katz, Supervising Technical Director Guido Quaroni, Production Designer Bob Pauley and Supervising Animators Bobby Podesta and Michael Venturini.
· Beginnings: Setting A Story In Motion – Screenwriter Michael Arndt analyzes successful opening scenes from Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
· Bonnie’s Playtime: A Story Roundtable – A roundtable discussion with Director Lee Unkrich and the story artists who brought the “Bonnie’s Playtime” scene to life.
· Roundin’ Up A Western Opening – The development of the movie’s exciting opening scene.
· Life Of A Shot – Toy Story 3 artists and technicians describe their contributions to a few of the shots in the film’s “Western Opening.”
· Goodbye Andy – An exploration of character design, acting and animation in the scene “Andy’s Goodbye.”
· Accidental Toymakers – By creating the Toy Story characters, the Pixar filmmakers found themselves in the unlikely role of toy designers. Meet the toy company that took a chance on manufacturing the now iconic toys and learn of their incredible success that began with a modest number of Woody and Buzz Lightyear toys 15 years ago.
· Making of Day & Night – The story behind the unique 2D/3D blended short.
About the Film:
Toy Story 3 welcomes Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the whole gang back as Andy prepares to depart for college and his loyal toys find themselves in… day care! These untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice, so it’s all for one and one for all as plans for the great escape get underway. More than a few new faces—some plastic, some plush—join the adventure, including iconic swinging bachelor and Barbie’s counterpart Ken (voice of Michael Keaton), a thespian hedgehog named Mr. Pricklepants (voice of Timothy Dalton) and a pink, strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (voice of Ned Beatty). Directed by Lee Unkrich (co-director of Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo), produced by Pixar veteran Darla K. Anderson (Cars, Monsters, Inc.) and written by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine), Toy Story 3 is a comical new adventure!
About Disney Combo Packs:
To provide consumers with unprecedented quality, value and portability of their favorite Disney classics, in 2008 WDSHE pioneered the Combo Pack – a Blu-ray Disc plus a DVD and in some cases a Digital Copy of the movie in a single package. Current 2010 Disney titles available as Combo Packs include Alice in Wonderland, Ponyo, Toy Story, Toy Story 2 and Princess and the Frog.
About The Walt Disney Studios:
For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (DIS: NYSE) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under four banners: Walt Disney Pictures, which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, Disneynature, Touchstone Pictures and Marvel. Through the Home Entertainment division, innovative distribution methods provide access to creative content across multiple platforms. Original music and motion picture soundtracks are produced under Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, while Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Broadway theatrical productions, Disney on Ice and Disney LIVE!. For more information, please visit http://www.disney.com/.
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid Movie is Surprisingly Strong
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some rude humor and language
DIRECTOR: Thor Freudenthal
WRITERS: Jackie Filgo, Jeff Filgo, Gabe Sachs, and Jeff Judah (based upon the book by Jeff Kinney)
PRODUCERS: Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Jack Green (director of photography)
EDITOR: Wendy Greene Bricmont
COMEDY/ANIMATION/FAMILY
Starring: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, Devon Bostick, Chloe Grace Moretz, Karan Brar, Grayson Russell, Laine MacNeil, Alfred E. Humphreys, and Connor and Owen Fielding
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a film based on the first book in a bestselling, illustrated children’s book series of the same name by Jeff Kinney. The film follows the trials and tribulations of a wise-cracking, pre-teen as he lives through his first year in middle school.
Even as he enters, Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) thinks middle school is the dumbest idea ever invented, but he is confident that he will easily become the school’s most popular kid. Greg is worried that his chubby friend, Rowley Jefferson (Robert Capron), will not fit in, so he goes about trying to rid Rowley of anything that makes him look like a little kid, and therefore makes Greg look bad by association. Each of Greg’s attempts at becoming a “class favorite” fails or backfires, but when Greg lets Rowley take the blame for one of his own mistakes, Greg may not only lose his best friend, but he may also become the least popular kid in school. Luckily, Greg is getting it all down on paper in his diary, filling it with thoughts, opinions, stories and cartoon doodles – the Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a lively movie – mixing social and family comedy (albeit from a kid’s perspective) with animated segments designed to mimic the stick figure art of the original books. Children will adore this bright and funny movie, but adults will also delight in this surprisingly momentous story, with its keen observations on human nature. Life lessons and redemption abound, but the movie never seems preachy.
The main reason this movie works is the performances, especially the young cast, and Zachary Gordon as Greg Heffley is by far the best. Gordon gives a performance that is surprisingly professional. Gordon doesn’t pretend to be a character like so many child actors, but actually becomes Greg Heffley, making the character seem like a real kid. Working within the parameters of the nimble filmmaking of director Thor Freudenthal, Gordon drives this movie, making Diary of Wimpy Kid not at all wimpy.
7 of 10
A-
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Second Season of "Castle" Arrives on DVD
CASTLE: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
Available on DVD September 21, 2010
“The show has drama, suspense, and a smokin’ hot lead character.” – Cosmopolitan, February 2010
BURBANK, CA, July 2010 – The critically-acclaimed complete second season release of ABC’s smart, witty dramedy Castle showcases the unique partnership between “ruggedly handsome” crime novelist, Richard Castle (Nathan Fillian) and hard-nosed NYPD detective, Kate Beckett (Stana Katic)-- in a fantastic five-disc DVD set -- available on DVD September 21, 2010 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
ABC’s Castle: The Complete Second Season invites viewers to dive into their real world crimes, and relive all the compelling second season cases in a great set that includes all 24 second season episodes; cool never-before-seen bonus features; on-set bloopers and behind-the-scenes access features that allow fansto go inside one of the network’s critically acclaimed and most exciting series!
Castle and Beckett’s unconventional partnership and banter creates humorous situations and romantic tension unlike anything on TV. During this past season, Castle and Beckett’s relationship has grown stronger as they’ve dodged bullets, captured killers, and solved countless murder cases in their unorthodox partnership. But by the Season Two finale, Beckett’s new relationship with a robbery detective has pushed Castle away, forcing them both to confront their feelings for one another. When Castle leaves to finish writing his second Nikki Heat novel, Naked Heat, Beckett has to watch him walk away, unable to express her true feelings and unsure whether he will return to the precinct.
Castle: The Complete Second Season also stars Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, with Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers.
Bonus Features:
• On Set With Seamus & Jon — Go Behind The Scenes With Cast’s Resident Comedians, Seamus Dever And Jon Huertas, As They Reveal Secrets Of The Set
• On Location With Nathan — Nathan Fillion Introduces Us To Some Of His Favorite Crew Members And Demonstrates Some Interesting Tricks Of The Trade
• Manhattan‘s Most Unusual Murders — Discover How The Production Team Stages Murders Using Research, Props And Special Effects With Inside Stories From The Producers, Actors And Set Designers
• Deleted Scenes
• Misdemeanors: Bloopers & Outtakes
Castle: The Complete Second Season is priced at $45.99 SRP (US) and $54.99 SRP (CAN).
Street Date: September 21, 2010
DVD
Suggested Retail Price: $45.99 US; $54.99 Canada
Feature Run Time: Approx. 1018 minutes (24 1-hour episodes)
Rating: US: TV-14 DLSV
Canada: PG Not Recommended for Young Children, Violence
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (1.78:1)
Languages: English; Spanish and French subtitles
Review: "Ninotchka" and Greta Garbo Are Eternally Beautiful (Happy B'day, Greta Garbo)
Ninotchka (1939) – Black & White
Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)
DIRECTOR: Ernst Lubitsch
WRITERS: Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, and Walter Reisch; from an original story by Melchior Lengyel
PRODUCER: Sidney Franklin (no screen credit) and Ernst Lubitsch
CINEMATOGRAPHER: William (H.) Daniels
EDITOR: Gene Ruggiero
Academy Award nominee
ROMANCE/COMEDY
Starring: Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Ina Claire, Sig Rumann, Felix Bressart, Alexander Granach, and Bela Lugosi
1939 was a banner year for movies, seeing the release of films such as Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Gone with the Wind, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, and Wuthering Heights, among many, many others. Another film stood out because of a catchy advertising campaign. When ads for the film, Ninotchka, proclaimed “Garbo Laughs!,” film fans knew they were in for a special treat as the legendary actress Greta Garbo starred in her first romantic comedy. The now-famous film slogan was actually created before the screenplay was written, and the film was built around it. Ninotchka, now considered by some to be a classic film about romance in Paris, went on to earn Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Actress, Original Story, and Screenplay.
Three Soviet envoys: Michael Simonavich Iranoff (Sig Rumann), Buljanoff (Felix Bressart), and Kopalski (Alexander Granach) arrive in Paris during springtime to sell some czarist jewels to earn enough money for their government to buy bread for the Russian populace, as the country’s own food production has come up too short to feed the Soviet masses. The trio, however, falls in love with their decadent new capitalist environment and spend their time being wined and dined. Nina Ivanovna Yakushova, known to her friends as Ninotchka (Greta Garbo) is the dour, severe Soviet official sent to straighten out the mess her three comrades have made. However, the special magic of Paris in the spring turns business to pleasure when she meets a suave Frenchman named Count Leon D’Algout (Melvyn Douglas). Leon is a friend of the Russian exile, Grand Duchess Swana (Ina Claire), who is the rightful owner of the czarist jewels in question, as she was a noblewoman before the Bolsheviks overthrew the Czarist Empire in Russia. Initially, Leon’s only thoughts are to reclaim the jewels for his friend and probable lover, the Grand Duchess, but he falls for Ninotchka, who resists at first, but soon succumbs to Leon’s charms. Will their budding romance survive a jealous Grand Duchess and Ninotchka’s Soviet bosses.
The film works on several levels, but its best charms come from Greta Garbo’s great comic performance as the title character and from the hilarious screenplay that wickedly pokes fun at the stuffy and dour Soviet regime of the times. Ms. Garbo is sly and droll as the no-nonsense and no-fun Ninotchka who first arrives in Paris. Her kabuki-like mask of seriousness brings the best out of Melvyn Douglas, and his performance as Leon, trying to woo Ninotchka, to make her laugh. As she finally gives in and laughs at Leon’s jokes, we can see Ms. Garbo’s mask begin to slowly break before she finally erupts in genuine laughter that really turns on this film’s magic.
The screenplay (co-written by the legendary Billy Wilder) is known for all it’s witty asides and sharp jabs at the Soviets, but the writers also take gentle swipes at the overly pampered and spoiled rich who live so lavishly that they don’t really appreciate or notice how well they have it. Directed with flair and finesse by Ernst Lubitsch (The Shop Around the Corner and To Be or Not to Be), a director known for his sophistication, Ninotchka is a film treasure and a great romance for moviegoers who love the enchanting best of that genre.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
1940: Academy Awards: 4 nominations: “Best Picture,” “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Greta Garbo), “Best Writing, Original Story” (Melchior Lengyel), and “Best Writing, Screenplay” (Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch, and Billy Wilder)
This film entered the National Film Registry, Library of Congress in 1990.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
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