'Gran Turismo' barely outraces 'Barbie' in N.America theaters

LOS ANGELES - Sony's sports action film "Gran Turismo" didn't exactly roar to the front of the North American box office, but did make it there on a slow late-August weekend, beating a still-turbo-powered "Barbie."

Based on a popular video game, "Gran Turismo" took in an estimated $17.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

"This is a lukewarm opening for an action film based on a video game," particularly compared to previous game-based films like "Warcraft" ($439 million in worldwide ticket sales) and "Rampage" ($428 million), analyst David A. Gross said.

The movie stars David Harbour and Orlando Bloom in a story about a racing academy that recruits skilled video gamers to train them as real race-car drivers.

Warner Bros.' "Barbie," meantime, has remained a steady seat-filler, with its $17.1 million take in its sixth week out propelling it to a $594 million domestic total.

The Greta Gerwig film recently overtook "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($574 million) as the year's domestic box office champ. Add to that the $745 million "Barbie" has earned overseas.

Analysts said Sony's accounting of ticket sales for "Gran Turismo" was a bit wonky (including millions in pre-sales) and predicted "Barbie" might, in the final tally, be the weekend's Number One -- as she is Ken's.

Last weekend's leader, superhero flick "Blue Beetle" from DC Studios and Warner Bros., dipped to third, at $12.8 million, a nearly 50 percent drop from the previous weekend. Xolo Mariduena, as the Beetle, became the first live-action Latino protagonist.

In fourth was Universal's "Oppenheimer," earning an estimated $9 million. The atom bomb origin story has now surpassed $300 million in domestic earnings, with an additional $477 million overseas.

And in fifth place was Paramount's animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," the latest chapter in the heroes-in-a-half-shell saga, at $6.1 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Meg 2: The Trench" ($5.1 million)

"Strays" ($4.7 million)

"Retribution" ($3.5 million)

"The Hill" ($2.5 million)

"Haunted Mansion" ($2.1 million)

Agence France-Presse

'Super Mario' is year's first film to pass $1 billion globally

LOS ANGELES - "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" easily held its first-place position on North American movie screens this weekend while its accumulated global total pushed past the $1 billion mark, analysts said Sunday.

The video game-based film earned an estimated $40 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period in the United States and Canada for a domestic total so far of $490 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

With overseas earnings now at $532 million, its accumulated global total has hit $1.02 billion.

That makes "Super Mario" -- a joint project of Universal, Nintendo and Illumination studios -- the year's first film to pass the billion-dollar mark and only the 10th animation ever to do so, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Second place, for the second straight weekend, went to bloody horror film "Evil Dead Rise" from Warner Bros., at $12.2 million. Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland play sisters battling a demonic crew known as the Deadites.

In third was "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," a new comedy-drama from Gracie Films and Lionsgate Films, at $6.8 million. Analyst David A. Gross called that only "a fair opening" for a coming-of-age film, while adding that "reviews and audience scores are sensational."

Based on the beloved Judy Blume novel of the same name, it stars Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon, a sixth-grader navigating the challenges of that awkward age. Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates also star.

Still strong in its sixth weekend out, Lionsgate's neo-noir "John Wick: Chapter 4" placed fourth at $5 million. Keanu Reeves plays the titular hitman.

And showing the enduring lure of the "Star Wars" franchise, Disney's re-release of "Return of the Jedi" placed fifth, taking in $4.8 million.

The film starring icons Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher marks its 40th anniversary in late May. It sold more than 80 million tickets in its initial run.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" ($4.1 million)

"Air" ($4 million)

"Ponniyin Selvan: II" ($3.7 million)

"The Covenant" ($3.6 million)

"Sisu" ($3.3 million)

Agence France-Presse

Better with age? Cruise’s latest ‘Impossible’ tops box office

LOS ANGELES, United States – Improbable? Maybe, but “Mission Impossible – Fallout,” the sixth and latest stunt-filled edition of the Tom Cruise action franchise has topped the weekend box office in North America, outperforming the five earlier “Impossibles.”

The Paramount/Skydance production took in an estimated $61.5 million for the three-day weekend, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations, more than quadrupling the $15 million earned by second-place “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.”

“Impossible” has 56-year-old Cruise, who famously still does his own cliff-hanging, car-rolling stunts, ordered to track down some missing plutonium and find a terror-minded villain. Critics seem to like the film despite its evident weaknesses: Though “often ridiculous,” the Washington Post wrote, the film “works amazingly well.”


Universal’s “Mamma Mia” clung to the second spot for a second straight weekend, though its take was nearly 60 percent below its opening. With a star-studded cast including Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan, the film uses plentiful flashbacks to fill in the story of Streep’s carefree character on the only Greek island with a built-in ABBA soundtrack.

In third was Sony’s “The Equalizer 2,” with Denzel Washington again playing a former black-ops agent — and now low-profile Lyft driver — drawn into action to avenge a friend’s death. It took in $14 million.

Fourth spot went to another Sony film, “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation,” at $12.3 million. The animated comedy, whose voice cast includes Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez, follows Count Dracula and his family as they get away from their hotel for their own vacation.

In fifth was a new release, Warner Bros.’ family-friendly “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies,” at $10.5 million, which Variety called slightly disappointing given the film’s 90 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The first feature film based on a popular animated series, “Titans” has a voice cast including Kristen Bell, Will Arnett and Greg Cipes. /cbb

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Ant-Man and the Wasp” ($8.4 million)

“Incredibles 2” ($7.2 million)

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” ($6.8 million)

“Skyscraper” ($5.4 million)

“The First Purge” ($2.2 million)

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Oprah a ‘Wonder’ fan

In a series of Instagram videos, Oprah Winfrey showed her love for the “Wonder Woman” movie earlier this week.
In one post, she was shown putting a Wonder Woman statuette on top of a cake that she ordered for a party at her place. In another, she wore a tiara and bracelets inspired by the film.

The former talk show host also showed off newly arrived items like popcorn buckets and cups before crossing together her bracelets, just like actress Gal Gadot in the hit movie.

“I’m so excited, ’cause it’s Wonder Woman Day in my house—I’m having a party for 28 10-year-olds,” she said, gushing.

On Twitter, she shared a photo of her and her dog Sadie, both of them wearing matching Wonder Woman tiaras.—OLIVER PULUMBARIT

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Less epic but more meaningful ‘Guardians’ sequel

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” often feels like a forced and self-conscious sequel, but it makes you care deeper about characters we barely knew before. And while it has less unpredictable conflicts, the collective drama is amped-up and more permeating, overpowering even the grand combat sequences set in mesmerizing dreamscapes.

The Marvel Studios film doesn’t scrimp on special effects—there’s a tremendous amount of detail, as well as painstaking digital artistry in almost every scene. But, the heroic space misfits’ dynamic improves. Their metamorphoses, while contrived, have satisfactory results.

Director James Gunn’s second sci-fi-action flick zeroes in on the bonds of its members and successfully tests them further, their personalities aptly becoming more complex:

The half-Earthling, retro music-loving Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) meets a humanlike alien, Ego (Kurt Russell), who claims to be his biological father.

More is revealed about warrior Gamora’s (Zoe Saldana) feud with her murderous sister, Nebula (Karen Gillen); the witty brute, Drax (Dave Bautista), is now comfortable, and the nimble CGI-powered creatures, Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel), both provide cartoony cuteness and attitude—seamlessly blending in with the comic-book chaos and carnage.

It’s a simpler offering, despite the stunning imagery—one would expect a senses-shattering epic, after the space adventurers’ debut in 2014. Not that there aren’t threats in “Vol. 2” on a galactic scale, but problems are far too easily resolved, and the sense of danger isn’t entirely there.

Star-Lord’s estranged ally, the antihero Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker), however, becomes a fully developed character. He was underused before like Nebula, but they both shine here.

As for Ego, it was mentioned in the first film that Star-Lord’s dad was something of a jerk—so his presence is suspicious from the get-go. The revelations don’t disappoint, but they’re perfunctory.

In the bigger scheme

of things, the now-popular Guardians will figure prominently, according to reports, in the third “Avengers” film in 2018. This sequel also helps expand the cosmic lore of the live-action universe, introducing figures and ideas from the comics anew.

Speaking of expansion, there are five extra scenes at the end, but only one is of real consequence, and that arc will undoubtedly be picked up in the eventual crossover with the Avengers.

The film has pleasantly surprising cameos by popular actors, although they don’t feel as significant as they should’ve been. It often appears like “Vol. 2” has a need to show off and is painfully aware of its previous success.

Despite that, it deserves to be seen on the big screen—the imaginative, painterly visuals are truly glorious. Moreover, the character-driven sequel connects effectively with human drama, despite its strange and otherworldly conceits.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

‘Angry Birds’ tops North American box office

LOS ANGELES, United States — “The Angry Birds Movie” hopped to the top of the North American box office over the weekend, booting “Captain America” to second place, according to preliminary industry estimates Sunday.

The 3D animated take on the popular video game features a trio of flightless birds — Red, Chuck and Bomb — who take out their anger on an invasion of purple pigs.

The Sony production pulled in an estimated $39 million its first weekend in North American theaters, topping last week’s box office leader, “Captain America: Civil War,” according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

That action-packed blockbuster and its cast of Marvel superheroes raked in another $33.1 million over the weekend for a cumulative total of $347.4 million after just three weeks in theaters.

Third place went to new-on-the-block “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” a comedy starring Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne and Zac Efron that scored $21.8 million its first weekend out.

A sequel to 2014 hit “Neighbors,” it flips that movie’s premise by having unruly sorority sisters — instead of frat brothers — turn the lives of their happily married neighbors upside down.

“The Nice Guys,” a detective mystery starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, came in fourth on its debut weekend with a box office take of $11.3 million.

Gosling and Crowe play a private eye and a hired enforcer on the hunt for a missing woman.

“The Jungle Book,” a remake of the Disney animated classic, slipped to fifth place its fifth week in theaters, taking in $11 million for a cumulative total of $327.5 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

— “Money Monster” ($7 million)

— “The Darkness” ($2.4 million)

— “Zootopia” ($1.7 million)

— “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” ($1.2 million)

— “Mother’s Day” ($1.1 million)

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Dakota Johnson, curious and looking for love in ‘How To Be Single’

She has become one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars after landing the coveted role of Anastasia Steele in the box office record-smashing “Fifty Shades of Grey” for which she received a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination.

Now, Dakota Johnson headlines New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “How to Be Single,” based on the book by Liz Tucillo (TV’s “Sex & the City”). Also starring Rebel Wilson and Leslie Mann, the film follows a host of singles at various stages of—and with varying opinions on—the single state.

Returning to her comedy roots, Johnson deftly handles her character, Alice’s fumbling attempts to meet men upon finding herself newly single, especially when paired with Rebel Wilson’s extreme party girl, Robin, the perfect tour guide through the world of free drinks, hook-ups and text message protocol.

Just out of college, Alice is worried she’s missing out—on what, she’s not quite sure, but taking a “break” from longtime boyfriend Josh in order to make sure he’s the one is the right thing to do…isn’t it?

“How to Be Single” takes us along with Alice as she ventures into a new job, a new city—New York—a newly unattached life, and all that goes along with it. Johnson says, “I loved how believable the story was—we’ve all been that person who is stumbling through, trying to figure things out.”

Screenwriter Dana Fox, who worked with Johnson previously, was happy to see the actress go back to a comedic role after several more dramatic parts. “Dakota is just naturally talented, especially when it comes to comedy, both physical and verbal,” she states. “As a writer, it’s such a pleasure for me to work with her again, because nothing comes out feeling ‘written.’”

When we first meet her character, Johnson observes, “She is sort of this doe-eyed, curious young woman starting college. She meets a boy right away and is quickly in a comfortable and nurturing relationship.”

Fast forward four years. “Like so many of us, Alice has always depended on someone, whether it’s her parents, her sister or her boyfriend. Suddenly, she has this profound moment of realization and forces herself into what she thinks is an awakening, but which is really just a break up,” the actress acknowledges. “But taking a break turns into a total explosion of life as she knows it, and now she has to figure out how to handle it.”

After persuading her very serious boyfriend she needs to experiment with being on her own, Alice heads to Manhattan to start a new job as a paralegal. “Right away, she falls into the hands of Robin, who’s kind of insane,” Johnson laughs. “Alice has been sheltered and established a lot of boundaries for herself; Robin has zero boundaries and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of her, so long as she’s having fun.”

The role of Alice required a convincing amount of girl-next-door naiveté in order for moviegoers to slip into her shoes, or at least remember a time when they did. Director Christian Ditter found Johnson to be “absolutely gorgeous but at the same time completely relatable. She’s talented and gives a very authentic performance, which makes it easy for the audience to see themselves in her place. She grounds the story for all the other characters, who are much more outrageous.”

“How to Be Single” is opening across the Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 11.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

‘Spotlight’ bags SAG top prize

LOS ANGELES—“Spotlight,” a drama about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, landed the top prize on Saturday at the 22nd Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards that also saw black actors score major wins.

The SAG Awards, seen as a bellwether of the all-important Academy Awards, were being closely watched as they were taking place amid a controversy over the lack of diversity in this year’s list of Oscar nominees.

“Spotlight” took the prize for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, the SAG equivalent of an Oscar.

It bested “Beasts of No Nation,” a drama about a child soldier; “The Big Short,” about the subprime mortgage crisis; “Straight Outta Compton,” a biopic about the NWA rap group; and “Trumbo,” about the life of acclaimed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who was the target of a witch-hunt during the McCarthy era.

In the acting honors, Leonardo DiCaprio won the best actor award for his portrayal of fur trapper Hugh Glass in the revenge thriller “The Revenant.”

DiCaprio, 41, an Oscar favorite for the gritty survival story, beat competition from Bryan Cranston (“Trumbo”), Johnny Depp (“Black Mass”), Michael Fassbender (“Steve Jobs”) and Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl”).

In the best actress category, Brie Larson won for “Room,” in which she plays a kidnapped young woman living in captivity with her son.

But perhaps most notable at the star-studded ceremony were the number of black actors honored as Hollywood reels from a fierce backlash over the lack of diversity in the Oscar nominations.

Idris Elba scooped two awards, one for best supporting actor for Netflix’s “Beasts of No Nation,” and one for best actor in a TV series for his role as a detective in the British crime drama “Luther.”

‘Diverse TV’

“Welcome to diverse TV,” joked Elba, who was passed over for an Oscar nomination, as he presented an award during the ceremony at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium.

Uzo Aduba took home the award for outstanding actress in a comedy series for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in Netflix’s prison comedy-drama “Orange is the New Black.” The TV series also won for the second consecutive year for best comedy ensemble.

“Look at this stage, this is what we talk about when we talk about diversity—different race, color, creed, sexual orientation,” actress Laura Prepon, who plays Alex Vause in the series, told the audience, referring to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.

Viola Davis won best actress for legal drama series “How to Get Away With Murder,” while Queen Latifah won for outstanding actress in a television movie or miniseries for her role in HBO’s “Bessie,” a biopic of the blues singer Bessie Smith.



‘Society of trending topics’

“We’ve become a society of trending topics,” Davis told reporters backstage after her win, addressing the diversity controversy.

“Diversity is not a trending topic…. Regardless of what’s going on at the Academy (of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences), we will always find a way to be excellent,” she added.

A number of actors, including Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, have said they will not attend the Oscars ceremony on Feb. 28 over the diversity issue.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which picks the Oscar winners, has responded to the criticism by vowing to make major changes to promote diversity. AFP

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Chris Pine rising star in Hollywood’s ‘The Finest Hours’

LOS ANGELES, United States—Pale blue eyes. Leading-man looks. Chris Pine is one of Hollywood’s rising stars and for good reason.

The “Star Trek” and “Horrible Bosses 2″ actor sat down with AFP ahead of the US release of his latest film, “The Finest Hours,” to talk about everything from his most recent role to being the son of Hollywood actors.

The movie, which hits theaters Friday, recounts the true story of a 1952 rescue mission to save a ship caught in a hellish storm off the coast of Massachusetts.

The 35-year-old Californian plays heroic Coast Guard captain Bernie Webber, who leads the rescue operation, and is cast alongside actor Casey Affleck in the film by Craig Gillespie.

So who was Bernie Webber?

“He’s an atypical hero,” Pine told AFP. The type you wouldn’t “expect to step up and do heroic things.”

“He was indeed a quiet man who spoke about the facts, God and his faith, which gave me an idea of who he was,” Pine said after listening to Webber’s interviews.

“He’s a complete ‘beta’—not ‘alpha male.’ That’s what attracted me to the character. I had a great empathy for Bernie and wanted him to succeed,” he said.

Who are your personal heroes?

“My parents certainly, but I think that in today’s age we need more people like Malala (Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize winning Pakistani education campaigner). She’s a warrior,” Pine said.

“To be able to experience what she did and not meet it with anger… and use that and expand it in people’s lives to open new doors for women across the world, (and to be) that young and have that old of a soul, is just mind-blowing,” he said.

What about growing up Hollywood?

Pine, who is the child of actors Robert Pine and Gwynne Gilford, said “I never got any specific advice from my parents,” but added that he “always credits them for being supportive and having an open ear.”

“I wanted to play baseball growing up but was not good enough to do that,” Pine said.

Thoughts about social media
Social media “can be a wonderful way to disseminate information,” Pine told AFP, but he also called it “self-promoting.”

And he would rather have something of a barrier with the public than use it to connect with fans.

“I might be too sensitive of a creature,” he said.

“I don’t want to hear what people think of me, I don’t want to hear if they don’t like my hair cut, I just don’t want to hear it.”

On writing as therapy

The enthusiasm Pine lacks for social media he makes up for with his embrace of creative outlets.

“I love music and I love singing… and I love writing about a lot of things that are happening and popping,” Pine said.

“I’ve been trying to have writing be a part of my life,” he added, explaining that he doesn’t keep a journal but does jot down song lyrics, ideas and daily events. Plus he likes to draw.

“You break down some barriers of creativity when you access this part of you,” he said.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Premiere of ‘The Force Awakens’ takes over Hollywood

LOS ANGELES — Stormtroopers marched down “The Force Awakens” red carpet Monday, heralding the return of “Star Wars” after a decade-long absence from the big screen.

A giant opaque tent shrouded the red carpet — lined with Stormtrooper mannequins and neon lights that resembled giant lightsabers — and workers put the finishing touches on the setup hours before the film’s first showings to a select group of Hollywood elite.

Before some of the film’s human stars arrived, the droid BB-8 rolled by the cameras. The soccerball-esque droid has been a popular fixture in trailers for the seventh “Star Wars” film.

Disney took over a half-mile section of Hollywood Boulevard for the premiere for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” complete with fan bleachers and spotlights everywhere. The film will screen at three theaters, allowing more than 5,000 invited guests the chance to see the characters Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Han Solo reunite for the first time on the big screen since 1983’s “Return of the Jedi.”

Security around the site was high, with metal detectors screening pedestrians and police dogs checking the area.

For those without tickets to the premiere, the most they could see was the outside of the tent.

“We’re really disappointed because we are big Star Wars fans, and we were hoping to at least see a little of the celebrities,” said Natalie Arnet, a tourist from Paris.

“I understand the need for security,” Arnet said. “We’ll happily go through the checkpoints to cross the street.”

But for a lifelong “Star Wars” fan, it was tough being that close to the premiere and not getting a better look. “I wanted to see the old cast members because I grew up with these films,” she said.

In bleachers set up on the boulevard, some fans dressed as X-Wing pilots while others held up helmets resembling those worn by bounty hunters in the film.

Access to journalists covering the premiere restricted until just before the event began. Once they were allowed in the giant, four-block tent, they were treated to displays of some of the film’s newest characters, including the evil Captain Phasma and BB-8 droid.

Many of Hollywod’s top stars will join hundreds of costumed fans at what could be the largest Hollywood premiere ever. One of the participating theaters — the iconic TCL Chinese — hosted the premiere of the original “Star Wars” in 1977.

Los Angeles Police say extra vehicle patrols and more officers on foot are being assigned to the area.

Monday’s premiere is the culmination of years of planning, filming and marketing “Star Wars” for a new generation.

Although “The Force Awakens” reunites the cast of the original trilogy for the first time since “Return of the Jedi,” the new film is expected to introduce a new crop of characters who can sustain the franchise for years to come.

“The Force Awakens” opens to the public Friday and some expect the film to break box office records, as it has already with presale tickets.

The last live-action “Star Wars” film was 2005’s “Revenge of the Sith,” which capped a prequel trilogy focusing on the story of how Skywalker’s father became villain Darth Vader.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Pacquiao as ‘Kid Kulafu’

Who can blame the sports media if none of them is too excited over the prospects of another Manny Pacquiao bio flick?

Personally, I’ve seen a couple of these films—one produced by an American, the  other produced locally. None of these movies on Pacquiao’s life turned out to be a box-office hit. Whoever invested in these two films must have lost money.

When I was asked for a critique by the producers, I said the ordinary moviegoer and Pacquiao fan might actually enjoy the   movie, directed by Paul Soriano, because it  would remind them of the Pambansang Kamao’s moments of greatness.

* * *

Last Monday, during the press conference for “Kid Kulafu,” Soriano said, as if in answer to a question I wanted to ask, “What makes the film different from the others is that the boxing icon will be shown in a different light.

“This is the untold story of our People’s Champ, way before the fame, fortune, championships. It goes way before the time he started to wear boxing gloves,” Soriano added.

“It is not about his career as a professional boxer, it is an in-depth look into his  early years, from his birth up to his teenage life.”

Portraying Pacquiao’s parents Dionisia  and Rosalio are Alessandra De Rossi and Alex Medina. In the trailer, Mommy D is the third wife of Rosalio. The two later separated, with Rosalio opting to live in  the mountains.

Mommy D never wanted his son to be a boxer. She wanted him to be a priest, would you believe?

She would give him a good whipping everytime she caught him roughing it up  with the other boys in the neighborhood.

“Viewers will discover in the film how hard life was for Manny as a kid in General Santos. They will get to know a young  boy who had nothing but attitude, passion and a strong fighting spirit to face   every challenge head  on,” said Soriano, who, incidentally, is set to marry actress Toni Gonzaga this year.

“You be the judge of the film,” said Soriano who worked on the film for three years.”

“Kid Kulafu,” starring Buboy Villar in the title role, will be shown in cinemas  starting April 15.

Pacquiao got this monicker as a young boy because he collected bottles of this  dark-colored, extremely bitter alcoholic drink also known as Sy Hoc Tong (syoktong, in local parlance) to sell.

Kulafu is also said to induce women’s monthly period.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Oscars fashion: White and silver, and lots of beads

HOLLYWOOD — Hollywood’s A-list actresses oozed old-school elegance in white and glittering silver on the Oscars red carpet Sunday, even as rain tumbled down on Tinseltown’s top fashion parade.

Beyond the icy color palette, another trend for the ladies was lots of pearls and beads. Many of the gowns seen on the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre were embellished to the max.

Luckily, organizers set up a canopy to protect the stars from the drizzle.

Julianne Moore, who won the best actress Oscar for playing a woman with early onset Alzheimer’s disease in “Still Alice,” wore a custom beaded white strapless Chanel gown with black accents, her red hair swept back in a bun.

“Karl Lagerfeld made this for me!” she exclaimed.

France’s Marion Cotillard, a previous Oscar winner and nominated again Sunday in the best actress category, also chose white — a sleeveless Dior polka dot gown with a geisha-style bustle.

“I dreamed of cinema glory, for sure… but I would have never thought I would be part of this American family of cinema,” Cotillard told E! television’s Ryan Seacrest.

Best supporting actress winner Patricia Arquette, who took home the trophy for her moving portrayal of a single mother raising two kids in “Boyhood,” arrived early with several members of her acting family in tow.

The 46-year-old blonde dazzled in a one-shoulder Rosetta Getty gown with a ruched white bodice and a form-fitting black skirt. A simple up-do gave her a bit of a Greek goddess look.

“It’s a beautiful story about human beings and kids growing up,” Arquette told CNN of “Boyhood,” which earned a total of six nominations, but only the one award.

Lupita Nyong’o — the best supporting actress Oscar winner last year for “12 Years a Slave” and a red carpet darling — wore a custom pearl-encrusted sleeveless Calvin Klein gown.

“The pressure’s off,” she said. “I can just dress up and enjoy the show.”

“Wild” nominee Laura Dern — who brought her actor father Bruce to the ceremony — glittered in a fierce silver-studded strapless Alberta Ferretti gown worthy of a warrior princess.

In a pale shade of silvery gray was best actress nominee Felicity Jones, who was resplendent in a hand-sewn, pearl-covered gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, her shoulders bare.

And Lady Gaga, who sang a powerful “Sound of Music” tribute medley during the show to mark its 50th anniversary, wore a space-age sparkling white and silver Azzedine Alaia gown with a full skirt — and bright red gloves that seemed better suited for washing dishes.

For fashion and jewelry designers, having an A-list star show up on the Oscars red carpet in one of their creations is essentially free advertising — thanks to the global coverage of the ceremony.

Bucking the pale color trend was British actress Rosamund Pike — a nominee for her startling turn in thriller “Gone Girl” — who looked sultry in a fire engine-red Givenchy gown with a high slit up the front.

And Scarlett Johansson rocked a curve-hugging Versace halter gown in emerald green.



For men, pops of color

For the men, there were lots of classic black tuxedos — best actor nominees Steve Carell and rival Michael Keaton, along with “Boyhood” star Ethan Hawke, a best supporting actor nominee, all kept it simple.

But a few used the red carpet to get noticed. Some mixed it up with color, while best supporting actor winner J.K. Simmons added a dapper black hat.

“Selma” star David Oyelowo, who many observers felt deserved a nomination for playing Martin Luther King, rocked a three-piece burgundy tux from Dolce & Gabbana.

Briton Eddie Redmayne, who as predicted took home the best actor prize for his moving, physical portrayal of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, sported a midnight blue Alexander McQueen tux with black accents.

“It’s raining, which feels beautifully British,” Redmayne told E! television.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

‘Interstellar’ demonstrates human ingenuity

Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” is big and complicated. It is ambitious and emotionally charged.

In this science-fiction film, Earth faces a huge food crisis and will soon be inhabitable for human beings. A group of space explorers takes on an important voyage in the universe to find a planet that could be a new home for humanity.

Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) pilot turned farmer, finds himself back in his old job through his 10-year-old daughter Murph’s (Mackenzie Foy) belief of “ghosts” trying to communicate with her. He then meets his previous boss, Professor Brand (Michael Caine), who tapped him to join the team in exploring space to save the human race.

Nasa believes that a wormhole found near Saturn is the way in transporting them to another galaxy and finding a new habitable planet. The exploration will follow three previous space trips that aimed to find sustainable planets.

Brand’s daughter Amelia (Anne Hathaway) joins the exploration along with scientists Doyle (Wes Bentley) and Romilly (David Gyasi), and robots named Tars and Case. The mission is called Endurance.

Endurance requires years to be completed and would mean Cooper sacrificing a long time away from his family. There is also no assurance that he would be coming back to Earth after the project.

The primary plan of Endurance is to find a habitable planet, while Brand researches on how to mass-transfer humanity to a new home world.

But if the research is not completed in time, they have to save the human race by repopulating humanity through a bank of fertilized human embryos that they brought with the journey, leaving everyone on Earth dead.

Knowing the possible consequences of the expedition, Murph disapproves of her father’s decision. But Cooper promises to return no matter what happens.

“Interstellar” highlights the ingenuity of human beings. In the film, Cooper talks to Professor Brand saying that humans will always find a way to solve the problems of Earth.

But the film does not only center on scientific findings and space explorations. It also tells the stories of love and relationships. It shows how nothing less than an emergency of apocalyptic proportions takes its emotional toll on people.

As a sci-fi movie, “Interstellar’s” strongest suit of course is the visuals. The new planets created in the film are stunning and are beautifully shot by cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema.

Written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan, the narrative inclines to be too sentimental at times. It also tends to be messy and difficult to understand.

But Nolan is known for his complicated plots and tricky narratives. Some of Nolan’s cerebral and complex movies are award-winning films such as “Inception” and “Memento.”

McConaughey gives a very impressive performance. He knows how to handle his roles well, and he effortlessly shifts his emotions from being a stable pilot to a caring father.

His coactors did not disappoint. Jessica Chastain, who plays the older Murph, is subtle and beautiful. Caine and Hathaway also give outstanding performances.

“Interstellar” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is available in four formats: IMAX 70mm Film, 35mm Film, IMAX Digital and Digital 2D.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Toys talk to kids about Velvet Revolution

PRAGUE—The Velvet Revolution that kicked off in Prague 25 years ago Monday was a seminal event in the collapse of communism. Try explaining that to children who have only known democracy.

That’s the challenge tackled by two veterans of the uprising as the massive student protests faded ever further into the past. They wanted to capture the excitement of the rallies, the brutality of police beatings and the surreal repression of a nation that Vaclav Havel—later president—dubbed “Absurdistan.”

So renowned puppet designer Miroslav Trejtnar and filmmaker Tatana Markova teamed up to present the Velvet Revolution in a 30-minute movie that tells the story of more than a dozen children of the revolution—now parents—through the magic of animation.

“The parents are telling their children why they joined the demonstration, why they wanted a change,” Trejtnar said. “It’s about a turning point that they didn’t experience.”

“We used animation to present it in a form familiar to them,” said Markova, “so the story becomes lively for them.”

In the movie, the parents choose a toy—a small human figure or animal—and tell their own story by moving it on a big map of Prague. The toys are then animated to play out the drama of the events that toppled communism in Czechoslovakia.

On Nov. 17, 1989, fiery speeches at a university campus inspired thousands of students to march downtown toward Wenceslas Square. As darkness fell, police cracked down hard, beating demonstrators with truncheons and injuring hundreds in the melee. Unbowed, the students went on strike and the crowds mushroomed, something the authorities were soon unable to contain. On Dec. 29, Havel became the country’s first democratically elected president in a half-century.

“It’s really tough to explain to them the overall atmosphere—what we could do and what was banned, what could get us into trouble and how complicated everything was,” said Daniela Kramerova, who participates in the film with her daughter Mariana.

The film took about four years to make, and its creators raised the funds through a crowd-funding campaign.

Trejtnar said he hopes the movie will inspire children to take a larger interest in history. “If they don’t like something,” he said, “they should try to change it.”

One 12-year-old girl who learned the story of her parents through the movie organized a protest against billboards in her neighborhood.

“We didn’t encourage her to do it,” Trejtnar said. “She’s a clever girl.”

The film “What to Tell the Kids?” premieres on Monday. It will be screened in the open air on the same Prague street where police attacked the students 25 years ago.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Poster reveal of ‘The Maze Runner’

20th Century Fox reveals “The Maze Runner” poster exposing a world of thick walls where a group of teenage boys and a lone teenage girl find themselves trapped in a series of massive thick walls.



This year’s most anticipated sci-fi action thriller based on James Dashner’s bestselling novel for young adults, “The Maze Runner” stars a pool of young, energetic and talented actors headed by Dylan O’Brien along with other “runners” – Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie Sangster,  Will Pouter, Ki Hong Lee,  Aml Ameen, Alex Flores, Chris Sheffield, Dexter Darden, Jacob Latimore  and Blake Cooper, together, they will find out the chilling mystery behind the world of maze they’ve been locked in.



Directed by Wes Ball, “The Maze Runner” centers on these young adults locked in a maze known as The Glade where the only thing they can remember are their names when they wake up.  Struggling to escape from The Glade through a shifting series of dangerous massive walls, the ‘runners’ soon find out the chilling mystery behind the world of maze they’ve been locked in.



Coming very soon, “The Maze Runner” will open in Phil. Cinemas this September from 20th Century Fox.

source: movies.inquirer.net

Disaster Film’s Main Trailer, Poster Get ‘Into the Storm’

New Line Cinema has just released the main poster and trailer of its upcoming tornado disaster film “Into the Storm” starring Richard Armitage (Thorin in “The Hobbit” films). Watch the trailer here at Warner Philippines’ official youtube channel at http://youtu.be/vG4Ls0uxq3c.


In the film, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes in the span of a single day. The entire town is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous townspeople, “Into the Storm” throws you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature at her most extreme.

Steven Quale (“Final Destination 5”) directed the film from a screenplay by John Swetnam.

Joining Richard Armitage in the cast are Sarah Wayne Callies (TV’s “The Walking Dead”), Matt Walsh (“Ted”), Alycia Debnam-Carey (“Where the Devil Hides”), Arlen Escarpeta (“Final Destination 5”), Nathan Kress (TV’s “iCarly”), Jon Reep (“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”) and Jeremy Sumpter (“Soul Surfer,” TV’s “Friday Night Lights”).

source: movies.inquirer.net

New Line Cinema has just released the main poster and trailer of its upcoming tornado disaster film “Into the Storm” starring Richard Armitage (Thorin in “The Hobbit” films). Watch the trailer here at Warner Philippines’ official youtube channel at http://youtu.be/vG4Ls0uxq3c. - See more at: http://movies.inquirer.net/14776/disaster-films-main-trailer-poster-get-into-the-storm#sthash.MCpIqtUw.dpuf

‘Interstellar’ unwraps teaser poster!

Warner Bros.’ “Interstellar” from Christopher Nolan (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight Rises”) has just released its official teaser poster art with the intriguing tagline, “Mankind Was Born on Earth. It Was Never Meant to Die Here.”

“Interstellar” brings to the screen a script based on the combination of an original idea by Christopher Nolan and an existing script by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. The new script chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

The film features a prestigious cast that includes Matthew McConaughey (“Magic Mike”), Academy Award® winner Anne Hathaway (“Les Miserables,” “The Dark Knight Rises”), Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”), Bill Irwin (“Rachel Getting Married”), Academy Award® nominee John Lithgow (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”), Academy Award® nominee Casey Affleck (“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”), David Gyasi (“Cloud Atlas”), Wes Bentley (“The Hunger Games”), Mackenzie Foy (“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Parts 1 and 2”), Timothée Chalamet (TV’s “Homeland”), Topher Grace (“Spider-Man 3”), David Oyelowo (“Jack Reacher”), Academy Award® winner Ellen Burstyn (“The Exorcist”), and Academy Award® winner Michael Caine (“The Dark Knight” Trilogy).

Opening across the Philippines on Nov. 6, 2014 in theaters and IMAX®, “Interstellar” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

source: movies.inquirer.net

Chris Evans soars in ‘Captain America’ sequel

Chris Evans says that his laid-back personality is more similar to Johnny Storm of “The Fantastic Four” than Steve Rogers of “Captain America” and “The Avengers.” But, effectively mining the differences of those characters is key to his extraordinary success in Marvel’s immensely profitable superhero franchises.

In Anthony and Joe Russo’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Evans proves once more that it’s hip to be square—and cool to stand by your principles, regardless of what other people think.

True, there’s a lot of moral ambivalence going on in the second installment of “Captain America”—from the imposing “is he or isn’t he?” appeal of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the sizzling  fabulosity of the Black Widow aka Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), to the Cold War-channeling subtle menace of Robert Redford as senior S.H.I.E.L.D. official Alexander Pierce.

But, Rogers’ steadfast determination to do the right thing stands as the perfect foil for the other characters’ “ambiguity”—and gives the film more narrative traction than expected.

Best friend

For Steve, there’s much to worry about two years after the events in “The Avengers.” He catches Natasha extracting data from a S.H.I.E.L.D. vessel being held hostage by Algerian pirates.

When one of his superhero friends “dies” at the hands of the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), who turns out to be Bucky Barnes (his best friend from the 1940s who was presumed dead during World War II), he teams up with the Black Widow and his new ally, Sam Wilson aka The Falcon (Anthony Mackie)—an ex-paratrooper trained by the military on aerial combat using a specially designed wing pack—to weed out the heel masquerading as a hero in the World Security Council.

Captain America uncovers Operation Insight, which intends to launch three high-tech Helicarriers linked to spy satellites, originally designed to eliminate threats to national security.

The unknown enemy wants to “establish a new world order that aims to ‘sacrifice’ 20 million people to save the rest of earth’s seven billion inhabitants!” —Things aren’t always what they appear to be!

The film entertains as much as it engages: As a popcorn flick, it operates on multiple levels: Notice how sparks fly between Steve and Natasha as they banter about the blind dates she intends to arrange for the dashing, never-been-kissed superhero. Or the inventive ways Cap utilizes his indestructible shield to slow down his pursuers. Also thrilling to watch are the fight-and-flight scenes of The Falcon as he zips through the breathtaking skyline of the US capital.

Another reason to watch the movie is the consistently picky Robert Redford, whose participation is one of “Captain America’s” casting coups! The legendary actor says that he chose to do the project because his grandchildren are fans of Marvel films, and wanted to see him in one!

More reason to grin

Comic-book geeks are given more reason to grin from ear to ear in one of the movie’s two-epilogue narrative stingers, as the franchise introduces superhero twins—a lovely witch with telekinetic powers and a time-jumping speedster—as prisoners of terrorist group Hydra’s top honcho.

We usually scoff at films that breach the two-hour mark—but, with “The Winter Soldier,” you’ll hardly notice its two and a half hours pass you by, because the actioner paces its satisfying twists and thrills with razor-sharp, lull-free precision and unforced humor, as its beleaguered superhero struggles to put up a good fight against his unknown evil nemeses!

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Teen sci-fi franchise ‘Divergent’ debuts with $56M

NEW YORK — To go with “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games,” Lionsgate now has a trio of young-adult franchises with the box-office leading “Divergent.”

The teen science-fiction thriller starring Shailene Woodley debuted with $56 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. The opening, while less than some anticipated, launches Lionsgate’s third franchise built on young-adult best-sellers.

With an audience 59 percent female and half under the age of 25, “Divergent” lured young moviegoers with another film targeting teenage girls with dystopian drama and an upcoming star. “Divergent,” though, fell well short of its forerunners: “Twilight” opened with $69.6 million in 2008, and “The Hunger Games” began with $152.5 million in 2012.

Richie Fay, president of domestic distribution for Lionsgate, called it “a great beginning for another franchise for the company.” A sequel is already in the works.

“The key to the success of these franchises is finding the difference and marketing it,” said Fay. “It’s not easy. And I think we’re doing it better than anyone else right now, frankly.”

In the rush to adapt popular young-adult fiction, Lionsgate has succeeded where many others have floundered. “Divergent,” made with a budget of $85 million from Veronica Roth’s best-sellers, follows less stellar results from youth-focused films like “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones,” ”Vampire Academy” and “Beautiful Creatures.”

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak, calls the “Divergent” debut a “three-peat” for Lionsgate in a challenging genre that defies “cookie-cutter, assembly line” development.

“They make it look easy,” says Dergarabedian. “You’re chasing probably the most fickle audience in the world. They can change their minds on what’s cool in the blink of an eye.”

Disney’s Muppets sequel “Muppets Most Wanted,” with Ricky Gervais and Tina Fey, fared poorly, earning just $16.5 million over the weekend. “The Muppets,” opened notably better with $29.2 million in 2011, benefiting from the high-profile reboot starring and co-written by Jason Segal.

Dave Hollis, head of distribution for Disney, acknowledged the result was disappointing and somewhat “head-scratching” considering advance tracking had suggested “Muppets Most Wanted” would draw bigger crowds.

“There certainly was something in the last Muppets — not having anything available for fans for a while — that satisfied pent up demand that we didn’t have the benefit of this time around,” Hollis said.

The family film market was also more competitive than expected, as 20th Century Fox’s animated “Mr. Peabody and Sherman” has held up better than anticipated. In its third week of release, the film — tops at the box office last weekend — slid to third with $11.7 million.

Studios often seek out late March release dates for family-friendly movies to benefit from spring break vacations. So “Muppets Most Wanted,” made for $50 million, could still eke out more at the box office.

The surprise of the weekend was the strong performance of the independently released “God’s Not Dead,” made to appeal specifically to faith-based audiences. It came in fifth with $8.6 million, despite playing on just 780 screens.

The performance of “God’s Not Dead” further proves the strong faith-based market for movies, one historically underserved before the runaway success of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.”

Next week, Paramount Pictures’ “Noah,” directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Russell Crowe, will attempt to cross over to mainstream audiences with a Bible tale. Opening early in Mexico and South Korea, “Noah” got off to a strong start overseas, earning $14 million.

Expanding from 66 to 304 screens, Wes Anderson’s European caper “Grand Budapest Hotel” continued to pack theaters in limited release. It earned $6.5 million in its third week of release, with further expansion planned.

And though the crowd-funding of the big-screen edition of cult TV show “Veronica Mars” drew much publicity for its successful Kickstarter campaign, the movie has proved only of interest to devoted fans. On 347 screens, it made just $144,000 for Warner Bros., bringing its two-week total to $2.9 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak.

Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Divergent,” $56 million.

2. “Muppets Most Wanted,” $16.5 million ($1.5 million international).

3. “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” $11.7 million ($11.4 million international).

4. “300: Rise of an Empire,” $8.7 million ($21 million international).

5. “God’s Not Dead,” $8.6 million.

6. “Need for Speed,” $7.8 million ($29.2 million international).

7. “Grand Budapest Hotel,” $7 million ($9.6 million international).

8. “Non-Stop,” $6.3 million ($14 million international).

9. “The Lego Movie,” $4.1 million ($4.5 million international).

10. “The Single Mom’s Club,” $3.1 million.

Estimated weekend ticket sales Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the US and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. “Need for Speed,” $29.2 million.

2. “300: Rise of an Empire,” $21 million.

3. “Noah,” $14 million.

4. “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” $11.4 million.

5. “Rio 2,” $10.4 million.

6. “Non-Stop,” $10 million.

7. “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” $9.6 million.

8. “Frozen,” $9 million.

9. “Fighting,” $6.6 million.

10. “Black Coal, Thin Ice,” $6.5 million.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

New ‘Star Wars’ set 30 years after ‘Jedi’

LOS ANGELES — The new “Star Wars” sequel has an official timeline and one confirmed returning character: robot R2-D2.

Director J.J. Abrams will begin shooting in May on “Star Wars: Episode VII,” which is set three decades after 1983′s “Return of the Jedi,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said Tuesday.

Speaking at the company’s annual shareholder’s meeting in Portland, Oregon, Iger said the movie would feature “some very familiar faces along with a trio of new, young leads.” Abrams has a penchant for secrecy, and Iger said R2-D2 was the only “official cast member” he would announce.

“Episode VII” is set for release in December 2015.
Iger also said Pixar plans a third “Cars” animated movie and a sequel to 2004′s “The Incredibles.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net