Shawn Levy, director of Real Steel, now out on home video, is one of the most commercially successful film directors of the past decade. To date, his films have grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide. His youthfully enthusiastic approach to filmmaking is evident in the storylines and characters he creates and reflects his joyful intensity for each project at hand.
In 2010, Levy released Date Night, a film he directed and produced. Levy’s production shingle 21 Laps also produced the hit comedy What Happens in Vegas, which went on to earn over $200 million worldwide.
Levy both produced and directed the blockbuster Night at the Museum franchise. To date, the global success of this franchise has netted more than $1 billion in worldwide box office.
Previously, Levy directed the 2006 comedy The Pink Panther. Levy also directed the smash hit Cheaper By the Dozen, which went on to gross more than $200 million worldwide.
In addition to his directing slate, Levy is producing the feature-film comedy Neighborhood Watch,”and his production company 21 Laps/Adelstein is producing the ABC sitcom Last Days of Man.
Levy graduated at the age of 20 from the Drama Department of Yale University. He later studied film in the Masters Film Production Program at USC, where he produced and directed the short film Broken Record. This film won the Gold Plaque at the Chicago Film Festival and was selected to screen at the Directors Guild of America. (more…)
Real Steel is an interesting blend of the underdog sports movie and science fiction, and from the first frame, you know exactly what will happen by the time the end credits roll. There’s nothing wrong with that since we knew exactly what was coming in Rocky or Remember the Titans and both were strong, entertaining films. The challenge for the director and cast is to make arriving at the inevitable conclusion as entertaining as possible and in this case, the film exceeded expectations.
Coming out tomorrow for home video from Touchstone Home Entertainment, the Shawn Levy-directed film looks terrific and has rock solid sound so you hear the gears grinding and Danny Elfman’s score soar with fidelity.
The story is set in 2027, a time when human boxers have been replaced by oversized robotic creations that are basically Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots controlled by a video game interface. Atop the heap is the most advanced bit of Artificial Intelligence in the hulking Zeus, built and controlled by the film’s sort of bad guys, the too cool to be true Tak Mashido (Karl Yune) and Farra Lemcova (Olga Fonda). Way down the food chain is former boxer and failed robot boxing controller Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman). He owes money, his life sucks, and he’s so focused on finding the next fight to earn some cash that he is merely existing, not living. That changes when his old flame Caroline dies and he’s summoned to court to sign away all parental rights to his son Max (Dakota Goyo), a smart and smart-mouthed 11 year old. In need of a cash infusion, Charlie agrees to take Max for the summer so his Aunt and her husband can take an unencumbered Italian vacation in exchange for $100,000.
Disney’s Anne Frank is an animated film released by Disney in the spring of 1989. It is very, very loosely based on The Diary of Anne Frank, but takes a lot of liberties with the source material, adding a talking animal sidekick, a Nazi necromancer Femme Fatale, and a Happily Ever After ending.
Despite Disney’s assurances that they understood the sensitivity of the source material, it was critically panned for its handling of the Holocaust, particularly the ending, where Anne liberates Auschwitz. It was a Box Office Bomb and was largely buried by Disney. Since Vindicated by Video.
C’mon– you know Disney would do a live action version if they could cast Lea Michele in the lead.
How many times have you thought that, or dreamt it, or talked about it? I think everybody does. It’s in our natures, y’know?
“If I knew then what I know now…”
What would you do?
I wouldn’t be a nurse.
I’d go to film school. UCLA or NYU. I’d aim to be a film editor.
I love movies. So, in keeping with Mike Gold and John Ostrander’s columns about the movies, I thought I would list some of my favorite movies and why I love them. In no particular order. Because every time I pick one as my “all-time fave,” I remember another and hastily move that one to the top spot.
Casablanca: Two men. The woman they both love. And Nazis. Who doesn’t love this move? Humphrey Bogart. Ingrid Bergman. Claude Raines. Sydney Greenstreet. Paul Henreid. Peter Lorre. Conrad Veidt. And Dooley Wilson. Who doesn’t love this movie?
Strasser: What is your nationality?
Rick: I’m a drunkard.
Who doesn’t love this movie?
Renault: And what in heaven’s name brought you to Casablanca?
Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Renault: Waters? What waters? We’re in the desert.
Rick: I was misinformed.
Who doesn’t love this movie?
The Searchers: In the post-Civil War West, two men relentlessly follow the trail of the Indian who killed their family and took the youngest daughter in the post-Civil War West. One wants to save her. One wants to kill her.
“That’ll be the day.”
As John Ostrander said, John Wayne’s greatest role. Also starring Jeffrey Hunter and Natalie Wood. And directed by John Ford.
Bridge On The River Kwai: “Be happy in your work.” In the hell of a Japanese prisoner of war camp in World War II Burma, a British colonel’s ego and pride blind him to his collaboration with the enemy as he leads his regiment in building a bridge that will stand for the ages. Sir Alec Guinness. Sessue Hayakawa. William Holden. Jack Hawkins. Directed by David Lean.
“Madness. Madness.”
The Best Years of Our Lives: Three World War II veterans and their families adjust to life after the war ends. Fredric March. Myrna Loy. Dana Andrews. Virginia Mayo. Teresa Wright. And Harold Russell, who lost both his hands, which were replaced by hooks. Directed by William Wyler. As significant today as when it first premiered in 1946.
Ben-Hur: The proud scion of an aristocratic Jewish family. The ambitious Roman who was once his best friend. Set against the background of the Roman Occupation of Judea during the time of Christ, it’s a story of love and hate, sin and redemption, blame and forgiveness. Charlton Heston. Stephen Boyd. Jack Hawkins. Haya Hayareet. Sam Jaffee. Finlay Currie.
Quintas Arrius: “Your eyes are full of hate, forty-one. That’s good. Hate keeps a man alive. It gives him strength.”
There’s also The Godfather I and II. Gandhi. Saving Private Ryan. Waterloo Bridge. Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. Forbidden Planet. You’ve Got Mail. Alien and Aliens. The Day The Earth Stood Still (the original, not that travesty with Keanu Reeves). Lost Horizon. Bringing Up Baby. Mr. Lucky. The Lion In Winter. Basically, anything with Katherine Hepburn and/or Cary Grant. And more.
Movies based on comics? Spider-Man 1 and 2. Superman 1 and 2. Iron Man. Captain America. Thor. The Road To Perdition. Ghost World.
Watchmen? Not so much.
I’m sure I’m missing quite a lot, but what the hell…
Following the overwhelming success of the second Robert Downey Jr. film blockbuster, Airship 27 Productions is pleased to present a brand new mystery suspense novel starring the Great Detective; Sherlock Holmes – The Baron’s Revenge by Gary Lovisi.
In 1902 Sir James Damery enlisted the aid of Sherlock Holmes to prevent the daughter of an old friend from marrying a womanizing Austrian named Adelbert Gruner who was suspected of murdering his first wife. Dr.Watson chronicled the case as “The Adventure of the Illustrious Client.” By its conclusion, Gruner was exposed to the young lady when Holmes came into possession of an album listing his many amorous conquests. Then a former prostitute mistress took her own revenge by throwing acid in his face and permanently disfiguring him.
Holmes believed the matter concluded. He is proven wrong when a hideous murder occurs rife with evidence indicating the Baron has returned. Soon the Great Detective will learn he has been targeted for revenge in a cruel and sadistic fashion. Not only does the Baron wish his death but he is obsessed with causing Holmes emotional suffering. He desires nothing less than the complete and utter destruction of the Great Detective in body and soul.
Now Gary Lovisi spins a fast paced tale of horror and intrigue that is both suspenseful and poignant, all the while remaining true to Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories. “The Baron’s Revenge” is a thrilling sequel to a classic Holmes adventure fans will soon be applauding.
“We are thrilled to have this as both our first release of the new year and also as our first solo effort as a publisher,” Editor In Chief Ron Fortier reported. “As of Jan. 1st, 2012 Airship 27 Productions titles will be available at the site listed below.”
Airship 27 Productions – Pulps For A New Generation!
Here you will find two links. One to our PDF digital store were all our titles are on sale for only $3 as downloads. Please consider registering an account which will put you on our Newsletter mailing list.
The second link is to our Indy Planet pages, where you can purchase Print-On-Demand hard copies of our titles for $14.95 (plus shipping and handling). At present we have our latest titles available here and hope to have our entire catalogue added by the end of the year. Thanks for your continued support.
If you missed seeing the return of The Muppets in, well, The Muppets, then you get another chance when the movie is released on video this March.
Director James Bobin revealed all the Easter Egg inspirations found throughout the delightful film in an interview and it’s worth a look.
Here’s the press release:
BURBANK, Calif., January 20, 2012 –– One of the year’s best-loved family comedies and among the best reviewed films of 2011, Disney’s The Muppets, starring Jason Segel, Academy Award®-nominee Amy Adams, and favorite celebrity couple Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy — debuts March 20 on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand formats. A must-own movie the entire family can enjoy, Disney’s The Muppets in-home release includes the DVD and music soundtrack packaged together and also offered as the ultimate Muppets experience, a ‘Wocka-Wocka Value Pack,’ which contains the movie on Blu-ray high definition, DVD and Digital Copy (three discs), plus a download card which allows fans to own all the songs from the film’s hugely popular soundtrack.
Disney’s The Muppets Blu-ray Combo Pack, with its flawless picture and pitch perfect sound, comes with a fantastic slate of bonus content including the laugh out loud “The Longest Blooper Reel Ever Made (In Muppet History––We Think).” The exciting release also includes the hilarious featurette “A Little Screen Test on the Way to the Read Through,” which follows Jason Segel, Kermit, The Great Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and others as they get ready for the first day of production, and much more fun. (more…)
The best animated spinoff we‘ve seen in year, Puss in Boots, is coming to DVD on February 24. DreamWorks Animation will be releasing this as a double DVD and a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
According to the press release, “Puss in Boots continues the legacy of Shrek, the #1 animated franchise of all time, with the uproarious and irresitable origin story of the notorious fighter, lover and outlaw Puss in Boots. Filled with hilarious action and adventure, the true tail—er, tale—of how Puss became a hero long before he met Shrek delighted audiences of all ages with its non-stop laughs, daring deeds and original story. Boasting an all-star cast of voice talent including Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris, Puss in Boots is a must-own family film with serious cat-itude.”
The DVD, Double Pack DVD, 2-Disc Blu-ray & 3-Disc BD will offer the following contents:
• Widescreen Format
• English 5.1 Surround, English 2.0 Surround, French 5.1 Surround, Spanish 5.1 Surround& English Audio Description
• English, French & Spanish Subtitles
• Special Features: (Available on DVD, Double Pack DVD, 2-Disc Blu-ray & 3-Disc BD)
o Purr-fect Pairings: The Voices Behind The Legends
o Deleted Scenes: Humpty Plots With Jack & Jill, Humpty Repays His Accomplices & Puss In Boots Fights The Giant
o Puss in Boots: The Three Diablo’s
o The Cat’s Meow: Kitten to Cat, Glitter Box Dance Off!, Klepto Kitty, Kitty Keyboard, Fairytale Pop-Up, Kitty Strikes Again
HOLLYWOOD CA – Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) announced today that it will launch a monthly sweepstakes beginning in January 2012 in honor of the studio’s centennial celebration. Sponsored by Delta Vacations, the sweepstakes will give consumers the chance to win roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations for three nights in any of the 48 contiguous United States*.
Destinations may include cities inspired by some of Paramount’s classic films such as New York City where Francis Ford Coppola’s epic masterpiece The Godfather and the beloved classic Breakfast At Tiffany’s were filmed; Chicago, IL where Ferris Bueller had the best day off ever; San Antonio, TX, where the breathtaking drama Wings was filmed with a cast of thousands; or Hollywood, CA, setting and subject of Sunset Boulevard and home to countless film productions. Visitors to Paramount’s Facebook page can enter every month throughout the year.
Each month, PHMD will release a classic film from the studio’s renowned library for the first time ever on Blu-ray™ under a monthly theme that celebrates Paramount’s rich cinematic history. The year-long program will begin with “Best Picture Winners” in January, led by the winner of the very first Academy Award® for Best Picture, the 1927 World War I drama Wings, debuting on January 24th. February’s theme will be “Love Stories” appropriately headlined by the unforgettable 1970 classic Love Story, which will make its Blu-ray debut on February 7th.
Additional titles scheduled to debut on Blu-ray include Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller To Catch A Thief on March 6th; the seminal neo-noir classic Chinatown on April 3rd; the hilarious comedy Clueless on May 1st; John Wayne’s gritty western Hondo on June 5th; the daring, futuristic adventure Barbarella on July 3rd; and the all-star comedy-mystery Clue on August 7th.
I’ve said it before, and I can’t say it enough: John Ostrander is my oldest friend and a virtual brother. We grew up as Northsiders in Chicago, as Cubs fans and as comics fans, and we believe that politics is a more interesting version of cage wrestling. I’d take a bullet for the guy, I’d pull it out of my ample gut, put it on a chain and give it to him. I’d leave it to John to wash it off.
In this space last Sunday, John explained why he loves going to movie theaters. I agree with his points; I think I agree with each and every one of them. But we differ in the conclusion.
Movie theaters suck. They are stupidly expensive. They are a drive to a long parking lot. For the price of a mid-sized carton of popcorn at the multiplex, you can make enough of the stuff to feed most of East Asia. At least one asshole (someday me) is going to forget to turn his cell phone off. Other assholes are going to be texting like a crackhead chicken playing tic-tac-toe on a hotplate. Because they have to pay so much to get into the joint, half the audience thinks they can abandon the concepts of common decency and babble like a crackhead chicken playing tic-tac-toe on a hotplate.
By the way, that’s not necessarily the teenaged and young adult half of the audience. I’ve had to tell yentas old enough to be my grandmother to shut the hell up, even resorting to whispering to one “shut up and learn some fucking manners!”
Oh, yeah. Did I mention the commercials? Commercials?? Really? Commercials? That’s just an insult. I don’t care if it reduces the already outlandish ticket price. That’s like selling a bag of shit for only $12.00.
But it’s the other part of John’s argument that I wish to address.
Last year, our ancient 35” cathode ray tube died. Soul daughter Adriane and I immediately performed CPR, to no avail. After sitting in stunned silence for a while, I mentioned I had planned on this happening eventually. The very next morning – no time to sit shiva – we went out and bought a 55” LED HDTV, 240 mHz, with Wi-Fi. Later on we enhanced the sound system and still later found a Blu-Ray player in a box of Post Toasties. Combined, the whole operation cost less than the 35” CRT it replaced – and I’m not even talking constant dollars. For the price of two-dozen movie theater outings, we can conquer Hollywood.
Nonetheless, Adriane asked why I was insistent on getting a 55” screen. I said that when she’s 60, she’ll understand. I also warned her I’ll be moving the couch a couple inches closer to the screen each year.
It is not the same as seeing a movie in a real theater… but it’s damn close, particularly on Blu-Ray. If there’s somebody babbling at the screen, chances are it’s me and I am exceptionally entertaining. The popcorn is better and comparatively free of charge. If my cellphone rings, I turn it off. There’s no driving involved. I don’t even have to get dressed – sometimes.
And there are no commercials.
Different strokes for different folks, and I’m not knocking John’s choice. I’m sure the theaters in the Flint Michigan area are less expensive than they are in the New York metro area. Still, John and I grew up going to many (if not all) of the same, glorious movie palaces that were often better than the movies they showed. If I had a chance to do that again, I’d do it in a heartbeat. And I haven’t sworn off going to the movies, but these days it’s a rare event involving a large group of friends, an impulse choice, or a multiplex in the middle of nowhere but within a short drive of whatever motel I’m staying at off an Interstate.
JOYFUL NOISE is one of those little mid-winter films headed to a long life on DVD, bringing both Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah on screen together. We talk to the actresses about why they chose this film and what it meant to them. Plus TIN TIN wins a Globe and everybody is buzzing about a Green ArrowTV series.
Shawn Levy, director of Real Steel, now out on home video, is one of the most commercially successful film directors of the past decade. To date, his films have grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide. His youthfully enthusiastic approach to filmmaking is evident in the storylines and characters he creates and reflects his joyful intensity for each project at hand.
