Tagged: 20th Century Fox

REVIEW: The Way Way Back

The Way Way BackIn my other life, I teach 9th grade and the theme for the year is Coming of Age. It has become a major inspiration for movies, television, songs, and tons of books for the last century or two. As a result, it takes a lot to gain attention and have something fresh to say. The Way Way Back odes that by examining three different stages of coming of age, each a type you’ve seen before, but melded nicely into a satisfying blend.

The movie, out now from 20th Century Home Entertainment, tells the story of Duncan (Liam James), who is forced to accompany his divorced Mom (Toni Collette) on a summer away with her boyfriend, the quietly cruel and controlling Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter Steph (Zoe Levin). He’d rather be with dad, who is busy settling into a San Diego life with his new girlfriend. Instead, he’s plunged into a community with long-term ties so h feels even more of an outsider and unwanted member.

From his point of view, the pot smoking, alcoholic-fueled adults are little better than the swarm of teenaged girls who have their own clique and social conventions that keeps him at arm’s length.

Instead, there appear to be only two people willing to tolerate his brooding adolescent self: the cute girl next door Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) and Owen (Sam Rockwell), owner of the island’s superfluous water park. Owen refuses to grow up, shirking his responsibilities in order to coax Duncan out of his angst shell. There are few adults who act responsibly in this tale although Owen is fortunate to have one of them (Maya Rudolph), who has patiently invested in him, much as he invests in Duncan.

The remainder of those over 30 are a sorry lot with smarmy Trent badly concealing his ongoing affair with Kip’s (Rob Corddry) wife Joan (Amanda Peet). Boozy Betty (Alison Janney) is as cluelessly nasty to her own son Peter (River Alexander) as Trent is Duncan, emphasizing he is far from unique.

Co-writers and co-directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash bring a lot of heart to the story, even if the performances are too broad at times so become distracting. Additionally, the large cast is underserved with sketchy characterization, each playing a type rather than a person. Still, this is an entertaining exploit worth a look.

The high definition transfer is absolutely fine and the Blu-ray comes with a mere handful of features including three deleted scenes (3:02) and a perfunctory Behind the Scenes with the Hilarious Cast and Filmmakers (31:19).

Enter to Win Bones Season 8 on Blu-ray

BonesBRWe’re three weeks into the new season of Fox’s Bones but Bones Season Eight  is coming to home video on Tuesday, with all-new content! Thanks to our friends at 20th Century Home Entertainment we have a copy to give away.

Finally cleared of wrongdoing, Bones (Emily Deschanel)reunites with Booth (David Boreanaz) and the squints.  Although the team solves some of their most challenging cases yet, madman Christopher Pelant continues his murderous rampage – inching closer to Bones and Booth daily.  From solving the mystery of a roller derby darling’s demise to uncovering a previously unrecognized 9/11 hero to stopping a pandemic, Bones and the team make one remarkable discovery after another.  Meanwhile, as if the challenges Booth faces with parenthood and his unique relationship with Bones aren’t enough, his mother shows up after a 24-year absence, and there is shocking news about some of his colleagues. Relive all 26 killer episodes!

 

Special Features

  • Commentary on “The Future in the Past”
  • Deleted Scene from “The Patriot in Purgatory”
  • Deleted Scene from “The Survivor in the Soap”
  • Deleted Scene from “The Party in the Pants”
  • Dying to Know: Bones Answers Your Questions!
  • Bare Bones: Total Fandom-onium
  • Gag Reel

For a chance to win your copy of the Blu-ray just answer the question below:

What kind of rampage does Christopher Pelant go on in Bones?

A. Burger

B. Murder

C. Verbal

D. TV Binge Watching    

Submit your answer by 11:59 p.m., Thursday October 10. The decision of the ComicMix will be final. The contest is open only to US and Canadian readers.

REVIEW: Cleopatra

CleopatraThere is a sumptuousness and exotic look and feel to the Ancient Egyptian culture that I have always been drawn to. The clothing, décor, architecture – it has always been utterly fascinating and their monarchies and dynasties are as rich as any in Europe. One of the best biographies I read in the last few years was Stacy Schiff’s Cleopatra, which mined all known existing records about the Queen and attempts to weave together the most likely version of her storied life and death.

On the other hand, the 1963 spectacle of the same name merely adapted Plutarch’s version of events. Today, Cleopatra has become shorthand for a bloated misfire of a film and is always cited as the one that nearly caused 20th Century-Fox to crumble. The studio survived and has had the last laugh, making a fortune off the film ever since. Out now is the overdue Blu-ray edition and they have lavished much attention on the production so it’s the best version you will find for home viewing.

Starring Elizabeth Taylor, she was in her thirties and at her optimal beauty, making her the ideal lead for the movie. Her stardom was such that the studio was willing to plunk a cool million for her services, setting a new record for actors. They budgeted $2 million for the film but the costly production swelled to a then-record $44 million (over $325 million today) until the next $44-million record film budget, which was, of course, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

The film was a labor of love for Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who codirected, cowrote, and coproduced the film. While it made headlines for Taylor’s salary and affair with costar Richard Burton, it also brought home four Oscar Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Effects, Special Visual Effects so it couldn’t have been all bad. And it’s not.

1963_cleo_rex_harrisonWe start in 48 B.C. and end with her death in 30 B.C. and during that time Cleopatra VII rose to rule then oversaw her country’s absorption into the Roman Empire, loving Julius Caesar while using that relationship to protect her people. Gaius Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) chases Pompey to lush Egypt, just in time for a civil conflict as Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII (Richard O’Sullivan) has sent his sister Cleopatra out of the capital city of Alexandria. Caesar and Cleopatra meet, scheme together, and in the process, fall in love, changing the fate of two governments.

They produce just one son, Caesarion, a living symbol of the two countries’ enduring unity but he is so besotted with the Queen, he neglects his duties back home long enough to stir talk of rebellion. In time, he goes home and soon after she comes to visit, he is named dictator for life and subsequently assassinated. Mark Anthony (Richard Burton), the new ruler, eventually follows Cleopatra back to Egypt where they start their own torrid affair, allowing Caesar’s nephew Octavian (Roddy McDowall) to plot his own overthrow.

Taylor 2 Cleopatra

This is a long film, with a lot of lingering views of temples, pyramids, courts, and costumes. Taylor had a record-setting 62 costume changes in this production and we must pause to notice every bangle. The pacing, thanks to two editors, is a little uneven and 20th balked at the length, trimming after its premiere and destroying much of the cut footage. What we get is the 151 minute New York premiere edition, complete with Overture, Entr’acte and Exit Music.

Thankfully, the restoration is brilliant and gorgeous to watch. The colors are vibrant and the action a pleasure to watch. Similarly, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is a match so you can hear the sand crushed beneath the sandals.

Given the film’s running time, it is split over two discs but comes with a ton of extras starting with an examination of  Cleopatra’s Missing Footage (9:00), wherein film historian Brad Geagley and 20th Century Fox film archivist Schawn Belston take you through the history.

In Fox Legacy with Tom Rothman, the studio CEO reviews the tortured production, trying to separate truth from myth (30). Cleopatra Through the Ages: A Cultural History offers us Professor and Chair of Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara Stuart Tyson Smith as he talks about the historic personage (8:00).

The Cleopatra Papers: A Private Correspondence lets us glimpse at the work retinaed by publicists Jack Brodsky, based in Rome, and Nathan Weiss, in New York until they swapped places. were the publicists for 20th Century Fox during the epic production of Cleopatra. One was stationed in Rome, the other in New York – then they switched places.

cleopatra-1963-300x199You also get the 2001 Commentary track with  Chris Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz, costar Martin Landau and publicist Jack Brodsky.

The second disc offers up Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood, a two-hour film about the making of Cleopatra, which explains that the blockbuster was competing with television, keeping the studios relevant to audiences. As narrated by the great Robert Culp, this makes compelling viewing.

The Fourth Star of Cleopatra is a ten minute short showing some behind the scenes footage of the massive set constructions.

Hard to believe they still had Fox Movietone News in the 1960s, but the disc has footage from the  New York and Hollywood Premieres. (7:00 min).  Finally, all three movie trailers are included.

20th Century Fox Releases Digitally Life of Pi Ahead of Oscars

Life of PiLOS ANGELES (February 19, 2012) ­ Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment today announced the availability of Oscar® Winning Director Ang Lee’s cinematic masterpiece Life of Pi on DIGITAL HD five days before the 85th Academy Awards. Nominated for 11 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, the inspirational epic journey can be enjoyed on connected HDTVs in your home, or on your tablet or smartphone on the go.

“Today, digital platforms offer us greater flexibility to innovate our consumer offerings,” said Mary Daily, President of Worldwide Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. “Revisiting the magical world that Ang Lee has created with Life of Pi on Digital HD gives audiences the choice to enjoy this beautiful masterpiece on the device of their choice.”

Life of Pi on Digital HD is available at digital stores including Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Google Play, iTunes, Kindle Fire, NOOK Video, PlayStation, VUDU, Xbox Video and YouTube for under $15, arriving four weeks before Blu-ray, DVD and video-on-demand (VOD). LIFE OF PI is also playing in theaters nationwide, experience it in stunning 3D.

Based on the acclaimed best-selling novel from Yann Martel that has been published in 40 languages, and brought to life by visionary Academy Award winning director Ang Lee, this magical adventure of hope, wonder, survival, and the power of the human spirit has been celebrated by critics all over the world. A “magnificent and moving” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) motion picture event that has been hailed as “a masterpiece” (Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times), taking in over $500 million in worldwide box office.  LIFE OF PI follows Pi Patel, a young man on a fateful voyage who, after a spectacular disaster, is marooned on a lifeboat with the only other survivor, a fearsome 450 lb Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. Hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery Pi and his majestic companion make an amazing and unexpected connection.

Sunday Cinema: Joe Carnahan’s ‘Daredevil’ sizzle reel

Daredevil as he appears in Marvel: Ultimate Al...

Joe Carnahan, director of The Grey, The A-Team, Smoking Aces, and Narc, had been approached by 20th Century Fox to do a reboot of Daredevil, the blind Marvel Comics character who uses his heightened other senses to battle criminals, previously brought to life in a film starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Colin Farrell, and Jon Favreau.

20th Century Fox has to get a new Daredevil project underway by October in order to keep the rights, otherwise they revert back to Marvel Studios. Right now, it looks like Carnahan’s version is dead, but he released two “sizzle piece” videos that cut together footage from the 2003 film with comics images from Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli’s “Daredevil: Born Again” and scenes and audio from various crime dramas– I spotted Taxi Driver, The Untouchables, Serpico, The Warriors, and Enter The Dragon— to create a feel straight out of 1970s exploitation films. I kept expecting to see Richard Roundtree walking around that version of Hell’s Kitchen.

Take a look:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92cVd9HalHs[/youtube]

via ‘Daredevil’ reboot goes ‘up in smoke’ | Inside Movies | EW.com.

MIKE GOLD: Disney Does Marvel

As is well-known, the Walt Disney Company purchased Marvel Comics a little over two years ago. Marvel joined the Muppets, Pixar, ABC and ESPN as tentacles of that great evil media empire that has done so much to homogenize the American culture. After all the jokes died down, some people wondered why the Mouse wanted the House that Jack Built in the first place.

Disney is a movie company, and Marvel’s shiniest family jewels – Spider-Man and The X-Men – were in the hands of competing studios (Columbia Pictures and 20th Century Fox, respectively) and aren’t likely to revert any time soon. The sundry Avengers characters were in the hands of Paramount Pictures, although Disney was able to purchase a nice reversion deal here. But, still, the motion picture revenue picture was severely compromised by the Spidey and X deals, and made all the more expensive by the Paramount buy-back. So, the question “why” certainly is valid.

Nobody that big buys a publishing venture – certainly not a comic book publishing venture – for the profits it will generate on its own. The phrase “fart in a blizzard” comes to mind. Merchandising and licensing revenues can be fairly attractive and Disney/Marvel/Muppets are a good fit. But… still… why?

I think we’re beginning to see the real reason. Disney owns ABC, which includes ABC Family, the Disney Channel, Disney XD (which already carries many of the Marvel animated shows), Playhouse Disney, Disney Cinemagic, Hungama, Jetix, Radio Disney, SoapNet, WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham, and KFSN-TV Fresno, and as the various ESPN channels – possibly excluding “El Ocho.” Plus all kinda stuff overseas.

One can argue that teevee in general doesn’t have much of a future, and I might agree. But teevee programming has one hell of a great future no matter what platform we’ll be enjoying in the future: cable, satellite, computers, tablets, integrated teevee/computer systems, visors, brain implants, whatever. And that’s where the Mighty Marvel Money Machine will become the Mouse’s cash cow, true believer.

Disney already has The Hulk, Cloak and Dagger and Alias in development. Of course “Alias” has to be renamed – it’s working under the title “a.k.a. Jessica Jones” right now, and the show includes both Luke Cage and Carol Danvers. Mockingbird is also in development as a Miley Cyrus style kids show, possibly as fodder for the ABC Family network.

Step back a pace and take a look at what’s going on here.

Most of these shows are built around female superheroes. As headliners, such characters are anathema to motion picture studios. But Disney is betting heavy, heavy bucks that the distaff side will draw a sufficient audience to warrant the investment.

That’s pretty cool – and very risky. Women heroes haven’t fared much better on the small screen: Nikita was renewed by the skin of her teeth, The Bionic Woman revival flamed out, as did Charlie’s Angels redux. David E. Kelley’s Wonder Woman didn’t make it past the pilot stage. Yet Disney is developing no less than three Marvel shows built around women.

So no matter what I might feel about Disney’s predatory influence on our culture, they are showing a great deal of courage here – courage they developed by purchasing Marvel.

Interesting.

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

Joe Kubert’s Pulpy Poster For Lucasfilm’s Red Tails

Red Tails Poster Art: Joe Kubert

At this weekend’s New York Comic Con Lucasfilm debuted am exclusive poster for its upcoming Red Tails movie created by legendary comic book artist Joe Kubert. The movie, directed by Anthony Hemingway from a script by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder, the film is inspired by the World War II exploits of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American combat aerial unit in the U.S. armed forces. Executive produced by George Lucas, Red Tails stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Bryan Cranston and Nate Parker.

Red Tails will be released January 20, 2012 by 20th Century Fox.

About Red Tails:
A crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.

The official movie trailer:

In theaters January 20, 2012

Marvel Wins Summary Judgments In Jack Kirby Estate Rights Lawsuits

Marvel Wins Summary Judgments In Jack Kirby Estate Rights Lawsuits

Photo of Jack Kirby at the San Diego Comic Con...

Jack Kirby. Image via Wikipedia

Deadline reports that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has delivered a summary judgment for Disney/Marvel and other studios Sony, Universal, 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures against the Jack Kirby Estate in the matter of notice of copyright termination.

The estate of Jack Kirby, co-creator of Captain America, Fantastic Four, X-Men, The Avengers, Iron Man, Hulk, Silver Surfer and Thor, sent notices terminating copyright to publishers Marvel and Disney, as well as film studios that have made movies and TV shows based on characters he created or co-created, including Sony, Universal, 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures.

The federal judge not only granted the studios’ motions for summary judgment but also denied the Kirby cross-motion for summary judgment.

The Kirby estate is represented by Marc Toberoff, who is also currently representing the Jerry Siegel estate against DC Comics in the copyright termination case regarding Superman and Smallville.

More information as we get it.

The Quotable Nicholas Cage

Season of The Witch follows a 14th century Crusader Behmen (Nicholas Cage) and his brother in arms Felson (Ron Perlman) leave the church crusaders and return to their homeland only to find it devastated by the Black Plague. After the Church finally catches up with them, they demand the two to transport an accused witch to a remote and sacred abbey. The accused witch is believed to be to root of the Plague.  They must struggle to survive and reach the abbey – where they discover there are much darker forces at hand and saving mankind might be harder than originally thought.

In celebration of Season of The Witch, which is out today on Blu-ray & DVD, 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment compiled some of their favorite “Cage sayings” both from his epic films and from “real life”.

Behmen (Season of The Witch):  “I pity any man whose last face they see is yours Felson.”

Johnny Blaze (Ghost Rider):  “He may have my soul, but he doesn’t have my spirit.”

Ben Sanderson (Leaving Las Vegas): “I came here to drink myself to death.”

Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (The Rock): “I love pressure. I eat it for breakfast.” (more…)

Review: ‘Dances With Wolves’

You never know when magic will happen. You tell a friend to go write a story. He goes and does his research, getting very excited by the prospects and writes. He reads to you the finished novel and it moves you in unexpected ways. Since you’re a film producer, you decide you want to adapt this to the screen. Somehow, you convince someone to publish the book while you go out and raise the $132 million you know in your heart it will take to make the film. Along the way, a third friend, equally moved by the book, convinces everyone that he not only wants to star in the film, but make his directorial debut. Everyone agrees and suddenly, you’re shooting in South Dakota. A year or so later, the movie tests through the roof. Audiences have responded with enthusiasm. Your peers honor you with twelve Academy Award nominations and you win seven. When you weren’t looking, you not only conjured up magic but you made an important film.

And that is what happened with [[[Dances With Wolves]]], the three-hour long story of John Jay Dunbar, a wounded Civil War veteran who asks for a remote assignment out in the frontier, noting he wants to see it before it’s all gone. While out in the wild, he slowly recognizes the beauty of America and the nobility of the Native Americans, many (including Wind in his Hair [Rodney A. Grant] and Kicking Bird [Graham Greene]) who cautiously befriends him. Dunbar also discovers a white woman, who was raised by the Lakota and renamed Stands with a Fist (Mary McDonnell). She serves as his guide to a world he falls in love with, making him unique among his fellow man.

Kevin Costner did a marvelous job taking his friend Michael Blake’s novel and turning it into a movie that reminded Americans of those who dwelt here first and still linger on their reservations. He let the story unfold slowly, with marvelous cinematography, making American the Beautiful once more. He filled the cast with many Native Americans, many who needed to relearn their native tongue. Coupled with John Barry’s stirring score, the movie transports you to another time and another way of life. When it was released 20 years ago, it also sparked a new dialogue over the plight of the Native Americans and just how cruel the settlers were. The Library of Congress thought it significant enough to add it in 2007 as one of the culturally significant films to be preserved.

In case you missed this excellent movie, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has released it as a 20th Anniversary two-disc Blu-ray event. The first disc is an extended version of the film, now running 3:54 and frankly the extra 55 minutes Costner tucked back in doesn’t necessarily make it a better story. Instead, we are treated to lots of extended views of the land and the people moving across the land. It’s all beautiful but doesn’t necessarily add to our enjoyment of the story.  The film is brilliantly transferred to high-definition with rich colors. The new DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is also most welcome.

(more…)