Film Guide

Games of Thrones character Ygritte is featured in this awesome illustration, “You know nothing, Jon Snow” by CGHUB artist jigokuen.

It’s not everyday you get to see something new from director Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming sci-fi film Elysium, but today the Internets have provided two new photos! The shots feature Matt Damon whose bionic parts are being tinkered with and Alice Braga in what looks to be a pretty serious situation.

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Tom Cruise has traditionally been a bit hit and miss when it comes to films, but I am looking forward to seeing how well Joseph Kosinki’s Oblivion plays out. These just released pictures from Oblivion, only makes the waiting that much harder.

Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy-winning director Rich Moore take audiences on a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping journey in Wreck-It Ralph.

Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) is tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the “good guy” star of their game who always gets to save the day. But after decades spent doing the same thing and seeing all the glory go to Felix, Ralph decides he’s tired of playing the role of a bad guy. He takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a game-hopping journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.

With the movie about to be released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital, we chat with  Jack McBrayer – who provides the voice of Fix-It Felix, Jr. in the movie – to find out more…
How did you get involved with Wreck-It Ralph?
The producers of the movie had a script that they wanted to present to Disney, so they decided to have a table read to hear how everything was going to sound. I was on the roster of people to read the script at the table read, and it was so much fun. From there, it just grew and grew. Once I realized that I was going to be able to play the role of Felix, I was very excited.
What do you like about Felix?
Fortunately, or unfortunately, we have a lot in common. Felix is a do-gooder and he is very eager to please. He loves to be good at his job and he loves to be appreciated for it. I think there’s a lot of Jack McBrayer in that.
What do you think of the look of Felix?
I was very pleased with the look of the character. They could have gone in many different directions, but I was very okay with what they chose. I think they definitely captured my bangs, my goofy grin and my strong jaw-line!
Did Felix always look like this?
He has definitely evolved, to some extent. They would videotape us when we recorded our lines, so I think they used those videos as inspiration for how Felix would look. I think they also used the videos as inspiration for how he moves and his facial expressions.

How would you describe your experience in the sound booth?
It was super fun in the sound booth. A lot of it is just you and a microphone in there, along with the director – but my favorite sessions were when we were able to join up with some of the other cast members. I had a couple of sessions with Jane Lynch where we got to act together in the same room, as well as a couple of sessions with John C. Reilly. For me, those sessions were especially fun because you got to play off each other’s energy. I think it really elevates your performance and your excitement when you’re working alongside the other actors.
How much time was there for improvisation in the sound booth?
They were very generous to allow us to improvise in the sound booth, but I have to be honest; the writing was so solid in the first place that improvisation wasn’t needed. I loved playing around with Jane [Lynch] and John [C. Reilly], but it felt more like banter with an old friend. If any of the improvisations made it into the movie, that was a real treat – but it didn’t hurt my feelings if they didn’t because I was very confident in the script.
Wreck-It Ralph is set within the colorful world of video games. What do video games mean to you?
Video games definitely hold a place in my childhood memories. When I was very young, I had an Atari 2600 system, which is pretty old school. We had Pac-Man, we had Frogger, we had Pitfall and we had BurgerTime. I loved it.
What about arcades?
Arcades specifically hold a place in my heart because we always got to go to the arcade on report card day. There was an arcade called the Super Scooper and they would give you three tokens for every A and two tokens for every B on your report card. That was always a very special treat and it was definitely an incentive to do well in school.
What were you like in school?
I was a very good student. I was very well behaved.  Read the rest of this entry »

From Disney and creative genius Tim Burton (Alice In Wonderland, The Nightmare Before Christmas) comes the hilarious and offbeat Frankenweenie, a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog.

After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life – with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation – but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town learn that getting a new ‘leash on life’ can be monstrous.

Boasting an electrifying variety of bonus materials on Blu-ray and DVD, the stop-motion animated masterpiece is filled with quirky characters and unexpected twists. The madcap movie features an all-star cast including the voices of Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell and Winona Ryder.

We catch up with the film’s director, Tim Burton, to find out more…

How would you describe the story of Frankenweenie?
To me, it’s a simple, classic story about a boy and his dog. It’s a simple wishful story based on real emotion, with a Frankenstein-style twist. It’s about special memories, special times and special people. It’s about kids, it’s about school and it’s about Burbank, which is where I grew up.

Did you base the teachers in the movie on any of your old teachers at school?
I think Frankenweenie uses a combination of a few old teachers of mine that were both slightly scary and abstract, as well as inspiring at the same time. There are always a few teachers in your life where you think, ‘Wow, who’s that? What’s that all about?’ They certainly have a lot of impact on you.

Frankenweenie is about a boy named Victor who uses the power of science to bring his dog back to life. Did you have a special dog in your life as a kid?
I had a dog that was named Pepe when I was a kid. He was a mutt and he had a disease that meant he wasn’t supposed to live very long, but he lived longer than expected. He was a great dog.

What do you like about pets?
When you’re young, a pet is the first pure relationship that you have. If you’re lucky enough to have a pet that you love, it connects right to your heart. I was lucky enough to have a special pet that I had that kind of relationship with: Pepe.

Do you like the unconditional love of dogs?
I do. Dogs are great. You walk outside and you realize you’ve forgotten your keys, so you head back inside two seconds later and it’s like you’ve been gone for three years. You go out again, come back three seconds later and – oh my God – it’s been another three years! People don’t do that. People don’t react that way. Dogs do. Read the rest of this entry »

India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) was not prepared to lose her father and best friend Richard (Dermot Mulroney) in a tragic auto accident. The solitude of her woodsy family estate, the peace of her tranquil town, and the unspoken somberness of her home life are suddenly upended by not only this mysterious accident, but by the sudden arrival of her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), whom she never knew existed. When Charlie moves in with her and her emotionally unstable mother Evie (Nicole Kidman), India thinks the void left by her father’s death is finally being filled by his closet bloodline. Soon after his arrival, India comes to suspect that this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives. Yet instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless young woman becomes increasingly infatuated with him. Read the rest of this entry »

With the DVD coming out in less than a week, Timur Bekmambetov and Jim Lemley discuss the action packed Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter.

Was it a challenge to find the right actor to star as Abraham Lincoln? What brought you to find Benjamin Walker, who really gives a memorable performance in the film?

JIM LEMLEY: I want to give a shout out to Mindy Marin who was the casting director. When we started the movie, the whole thing hinged on successfully casting that role. Right off the bat she said, “You need to go see this guy in New York called Ben Walker. He’s actually playing another American president, Andrew Jackson.” Couldn’t be more different than Abraham Lincoln. So we saw him in that play. Timur and I just looked at each other and said, “He’d be great.” We had him come to California where Greg Cannom was, who has won three Oscars for creating makeup, most notably Benjamin Button. He dressed Ben up, created Abraham Lincoln and had Timur direct him delivering the Gettysburg Address. Read the rest of this entry »

The acclaimed new film from the producers of the award winning Incendies, Monsieur Lazhar is a profoundly moving story about a group of young schoolchildren coming to terms with the adult world well before their time, and the inspirational educator who transforms their lives. Read the rest of this entry »