Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stanger Tides

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed tale of truth, betrayal, youth and demise. When Jack crosses paths with a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa, and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

Opens May 20, 2011.

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Tron Legacy

“TRON: Legacy” is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Oscar®- and Golden Globe®-winner Jeff Bridges), a man once known as the world’s leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn’s Arcade—a signal that could only come from his father—he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe—a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape. Presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and scored by Grammy® Award-winning electronic music duo Daft Punk, “TRON: Legacy” hits U.S. theaters on Dec. 17, 2010, in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D.

Opens December 17, 2010.

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Return to the magic and wonder of C.S. Lewis’ beloved world – via the fantastic Narnian ship, the Dawn Treader. In this new installment of the blockbuster “The Chronicles of Narnia” motion picture franchise, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace, their royal friend King Caspian and a warrior mouse named Reepicheep find themselves swallowed into a painting and onto the Dawn Treader.

Their mission – on which lays the fate of Narnia itself – takes the courageous voyagers to mysterious islands and a river that turns to gold, to fateful confrontations with magical creatures and sinister enemies, and to a reunion with their friend and protector the “Great Lion” Aslan.

Opens December 10th, 2010

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Chronicles Of Narnia 3 Trailer 2

Tangled

Walt Disney Pictures presents TANGLED, one of the most hilarious, hair-raising tales ever told. When the kingdom’s most wanted – and most charming – bandit Flynn Rider (voice of ZACHARY LEVI) hides out in a mysterious tower, he has taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of MANDY MOORE), a beautiful and feisty tower-bound teen with 70 feet of magical,golden hair.

Flynn’s curious captor, who’s looking for her ticket out of the tower where she’s been locked away for years, strikes a deal with the handsome thief and the unlikely duo sets off on an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse, an over-protective chameleon and a gruff gang of pub thugs. In theaters this holiday season in Disney Digital 3-D, TANGLED is a story of adventure, heart, humor and hair – lots of hair.

Opens November 24th.

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Megamind

Megamind is the most brilliant super-villain the world has ever known…and the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way – Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as “Metro Man,” until the day Megamind actually defeats him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, the fate of Metro City is threatened when a new villain arrives and chaos runs rampant, leaving everyone to wonder: Can the world’s biggest “mind” actually be the one to save the day?

On November 5th, the superhero movie will never be the same!

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Statement from Warner Bros. regarding “Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows – Part 1″

For Immediate Release

Statement from Warner Bros. regarding “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1:”

Warner Bros Pictures has made the decision to release “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” in 2D, in both conventional and IMAX theaters, as we will not have a completed 3D version of the film within our release date window. Despite everyone’s best efforts, we were unable to convert the film in its entirety and meet the highest standards of quality. We do not want to disappoint fans who have long-anticipated the conclusion of this extraordinary journey, and to that end, we are releasing our film day-and-date on November 19, 2010 as planned. We, in alignment with our filmmakers, believe this is the best course to take in order to ensure that our audiences enjoy the consummate “Harry Potter” experience.

Producer David Heyman said, “For 10 years, we have worked alongside Alan Horn and the studio, whose priority has always been to preserve the integrity of Jo Rowling’s books as we have adapted them to the screen, and this decision reflects that commitment.”

Director David Yates continued, “This decision, which we completely support, underscores the fact that Warner Bros. has always put quality first.”

As scheduled, on July 15, 2011, we will deliver to conventional and IMAX theaters our final installment of the film franchise, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” in both 2D and 3D formats.

Despicable Me

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences and flowering rose bushes sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden deep beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by an army of mischievous little minions, we discover Gru (Steve Carell) planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!) in Universal’s new 3-D CGI feature, Despicable Me.

Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. That is, until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad.

One of the world’s greatest super-villains has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes.

Opens July 9th.

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The Last Airbender

Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to restore balance to their war-torn world.

Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film “The Last Airbender” is the opening chapter in Aang’s struggle to survive.

Opens July 2nd.

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Clash of the Titans (2010)

In “Clash of the Titans,” the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

“Clash of the Titans” is being directed by Louis Leterrier (“The Incredible Hulk”). Leading the international cast is Australian actor Sam Worthington (“Terminator Salvation,” the upcoming “Avatar”) as Perseus, the mortal son of Zeus, king of the gods. Academy Award® nominee Liam Neeson (“Taken,” “Schindler’s List”) takes on the role of the mighty Zeus, and Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes (the “Harry Potter” films, “The English Patient”) plays the role of Hades, god of the underworld, who feeds on human fear. Rounding out the cast is Gemma Arterton (“Quantum of Solace”) as Io, Perseus’ mysterious spiritual guide throughout his journey; Mads Mikkelsen (“Casino Royale”) as Draco, who takes up his sword to join Perseus’ quest; Jason Flemyng (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) as Acrisius, a one-time king turned hideous beast; and Alexa Davalos (“Defiance”) as Andromeda, a princess doomed to lose her life if Perseus does not succeed.

Opens in 3-D and 2-D April 2nd.

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How To Train Your Dragon

From the studio that brought you “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda” comes “How to Train Your Dragon.” Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn’t exactly fit in with his tribe’s longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup’s world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges he and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.

Opens March 26th.

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Review – Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Could you think of a more perfect paring than director Tim Burton and Lewis Carroll’s classic heroine Alice? Disney has brought them together in easily the most-anticipated film of the spring, Alice in Wonderland which opens on Friday March 5th with an impressive cast and in glorious 3-D. Well hurry up, you’re already late for a very important date.

Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) finds herself in an unenviable situation. Bright and imaginative she’s bristling under the pressure of family obligations and expectation for her future. At a key moment during her surprise engagement party, Alice spies a curious and somewhat familiar sight of a white rabbit in a waistcoat. She delays her fate to pursue the rabbit. Her quest leads her to a sizable rabbit hole and you know what happens when a girl named Alice explores a rabbit hole – she falls in. We’ve seen this before, haven’t we?

But Alice recognizes nothing familiar in these fantastic surroundings and its unusual inhabitants. She’s convinced she is in a dream, despite numerous attempts to awaken herself. And her dream quickly becomes a nightmare when The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) tells her she is destined to become the White Queen’s (Anne Hathaway) champion and to do battle with the dreaded Jabberwocky, ultimately bringing about the downfall of the horrible Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). It’s all too much for Alice. She must finally embrace her true self, face her fears and put the power of her imagination to the test.

There is a lot to like about this movie. Firstly, the visuals are sumptuous. If anyone could create the world of Underland it is Burton and his production design team. If the 3-D version is available in your area I highly recommend seeing it in this format. Secondly, the performances of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are great. Depp’s characterization of The Hatter is layered with sadness as well as madness. I have to add though that sometimes when he mumbles, especially in a Scottish brogue it’s next to impossible to understand him. And Helena gets to camp it up, just a little, as the irascible Red Queen. Additionally, the voice talents used for the animals is an array of Burton alums and great British talent, from Christopher Lee to Timothy Spall and Alan Rickman to Michael Sheen and Stephen Fry. I always enjoy trying to figure out who’s who.

Conversely, there are things that don’t work in this movie. The script relies too much on people having seen the 1951 Disney animated film or having read the books. Like Alice we stumble into Wonderland with no introductions to the characters, who then experience no real development other than what we already know about them. The story itself jumps from setpiece to setpiece with Alice riding some giant animal to get there. The end result is a bloodless and soulless film that looks very pretty but leaves you hollow. To me it was reminiscent of The Golden Compass (2007) in that respect. This leads me to suspect that there is a director’s cut out there in the world somewhere.

As I said, anticipation is pretty high for this film and it should have a decent opening weekend. But I fear the lack of heart to the story will make high box office in the weeks that follow an impossible task. That’s a disappointment when you consider it was the seemingly perfect combination of director and character. Sadly Alice has lost much of her “muchness”.

Review – Avatar

I sometimes wondered what my childhood fantasy world would look like if it ever came to life. Avatar has brought it out in full spectrum, from a jungle filled with giant fluorescent plant life to colorful flying dragonesque creatures. What would be the elfin fairytale beings are the giant, catlike, blue Na’vi, an indigenous race in this world called Pandora.

Jake Sully (Sam Worthington, Terminator: Salvation) plays a wheelchair bound vet brought on to take over his twin brother’s mission: to persuade the Na’vi to evacuate an area rich in a highly profitable mineral. He is initiated into driving his avatar, an alien-human hybrid, through virtual mind and body control. He clumsily stumbles into his virtual form and soon masters it to become one of the Na’vi tribe with the help of Neytiri (Zoe Saldana, Star Trek), daughter of the head honcho.

The stunning visual scenes during Jake’s metamorphosis into this new life is well worth the 3D experience, although it might be more of an impact if seen in an IMAX theater. As beautiful as it is, with the vibrant colors and fantasy environment, complete with six-legged horse and dog like creatures, it could’ve been written with better dialogue and drama. The 3D experience seemed to clash with 2-dimensional characters such as the over-the-top aggressive Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and corporate head puppet Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi). As an avatar driver herself, Dr. Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) heads the scientific team, and you’re not sure whether or not to sympathize with her cause until the team goes rogue.

The action sequences are epic, its storyline okay, yet Avatar’s overall message is earth-friendly or, in this case, Pandora-friendly. Save the plants, animals, and most of all, the trees – specifically, the largest one on the planet. The Na’vi are drawn to it for spiritual guidance and for its metaphysical properties. When the military finally exercises its power, Pandora’s box is opened and nature unleashes its subdued fury. It gets perplexing at this point since, with all that power, there isn’t an apocalyptic event but more of an organized skirmish.

In any case, this film is a visual feast for the eyes (with 3D glasses), and I will likely see it again. I imagine that awards are forthcoming for this film’s artistic cinematic achievements. Romance in a fantasy jungle as a slick blue cat, with Jake as the warrior who saves the day – even a bad script doesn’t overwhelm that completely. In fact, you may have an urge to grow your hair into a long braid and find a flying dragon to bond with afterwards – unless, of course, you’re sane.

Avatar

French poster

From the official site: AVATAR takes us to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on an epic adventure, ultimately fighting to save the alien world he has learned to call home. James Cameron, the Oscar-winning director of Titanic, first conceived the film 15 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not exist. Now, after 4 years of production, AVATAR, a live action film with a new generation of special effects, delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film, disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story.

We enter the alien world through the eyes of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a former Marine confined to a wheelchair. But despite his broken body, Jake is still a warrior at heart. He is recruited to travel light years to the human outpost on Pandora, where corporations are mining a rare mineral that is the key to the Earth’s energy problems. Because the atmosphere on Pandora is toxic, they have created the Avatar Program, in which human “drivers” have their consciousness linked to an avatar, a remotely controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air.  These avatars are genetically engineered hybrids of human DNA mixed with DNA from the natives of Pandora- the Na’vi.

Reborn in his avatar form, Jake can walk again. He is given a mission to infiltrate the Na’vi, who have become a major obstacle to mining the precious ore. But a beautiful Na’vi female, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), saves Jake’s life, and this changes everything. Jake is taken in by her clan, and learns to become one of them, which involves many tests and adventures. As Jake’s relationship with his reluctant teacher Neytiri deepens, he learns to respect the Na’vi way and finally takes his place among them. Soon he will face the ultimate test as he leads them in an epic battle that decide nothing less than the fate of an entire world.

Opens December 18th

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