Month: January 2019

First Look Photo Of Johnny Depp As War Photographer W. Eugene Smith From MINAMATA

Principal Photography has begun on Minamata, directed by filmmaker, writer, and acclaimed artist Andrew Levitas and starring three-time Academy Award® nominee and Golden Globe winner Johnny Depp as celebrated war photographer W. Eugene Smith.

Bill Nighy (The Kindness of Strangers, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest) has joined the cast of MINAMATA which will co-star Minami (Vision), acclaimed actor Hiroyuki Sanada (Avengers: Endgame, Westworld, Mr. Holmes, The Twilight Samurai), Tadanobu Asano (Silence, The Outsider, Thor, Midway), Ryo Kase (Letters from Iwo Jima, Restless, Silence, Like Someone in Love), and Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill: Vol 1 and 2, Midway). The famed Yôko Narahashi (Earthquake Bird, Unbroken) is the casting director on the film which is currently underway in locations in Japan, Serbia, and Montenegro.

Developed by Depp’s production entity Infinitum Nihil, Depp will also produce along with Infinitum Nihil’s Sam Sarkar, Levitas under his Metalwork Pictures banner and Academy Award® nominee Gabrielle Tana (The White Crow, Philomena). Jason Forman, Stephen Deuters, Peter Watson, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Gabrielle Stewart, Stephen Spence, Peter Touche, Norman Merry and Peter Hampden will executive produce. Heads of department include César Award nominated cinematographer Benoit Delhomme (At Eternity’s Gate, The Theory of Everything, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas), production designer Tom Foden (Mirror Mirror, The Village, One Hour Photo) and line and executive producer Kevan Van Thompson (JoJo Rabbit).

Minamata is based on the book by Aileen Mioko Smith and W. Eugene Smith and adapted by David K. Kessler (A Hard Day’s Day). The redemptive thriller, a real-life David versus Goliath story, pitts Smith against a powerful corporation responsible for poisoning the people of Minamata – Japan in 1971. Minamata is an extremely moving story of how one man’s powerful photograph impacted the world to take action.

With the glory days of World War II far behind him Smith (Depp) has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But an old friend and a commission from “Life Magazine” editor (Nighy) convinces him to journey back to Japan to expose a big story: the devastating annihilation of a coastal community, victims of corporate greed and complicit local police and government. Armed with only his trusted camera, Smith must gain the trust of this struggling community and find the images that will bring the story to the World.

The victims’ case against the corporation responsible for this environmental disaster represents one of the biggest payouts of all time, with present day sufferers of Minamata disease still in court today seeking compensation. Production has spent time in Minamata meeting some of the victims and their families and the film is being made with their support.

Director Andrew Levitas said of the film, “I am thrilled to be working with such a talented and dedicated team on the story behind one of the most devastating and relatively unknown catastrophes of the past 100 years. Told through the eyes of the extraordinary W. Eugene Smith, widely regarded as one of the most passionate, ground-breaking and uncompromising photojournalists of the 20th century. In his bid to bring the world’s attention to atrocities including the bloodiest conflict in human history, World War II and the horrors of Minamata he put his own life at risk to bring the truth out in his work and capture some of the most poignant images ever taken. Every one of the cast and crew is determined to make the people of Minamata’s voices heard as we begin shooting this film.”

HanWay Films are handling international sales and distribution on Minamata, which will continue in Berlin during EFM next week. The HanWay slate also includes Lone Scherfig’s The Kindness of Strangers, starring Zoe Kazan, Tahar Rahim, Andrea Riseborough, Caleb Landry Jones, Jay Baruchel and Bill Nighy which will open the festival.

Minamata is an Ingenious Media and Rogue Black presentation of a Metalwork Pictures production in association with Infinitum Nihil, WindHorse Entertainment, Magnolia Mae Films, Hanway Films, Headgear Films, Metrol Technology and Lipsync Productions.

CAA Media Finance will handle US rights. Depp, Levitas are represented by CAA along with Sanada who is also represented by Lighthouse Entertainment and Nighy is represented by CAA and Markham Froggatt Irwin.

THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD – Review

A restored and colorized image showing a moment from Peter Jackson’s acclaimed WWI documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

When director Peter Jackson, the director and visual effects wizard behind the LORD OF THE RINGS series, was asked by the folks at the British Imperial War Museum if he could do something with old archival footage of World War I to mark the 100th anniversary of the war’s end, Jackson was unsure what he could do. Everyone was familiar with the grainy, sepia toned images of what was then called “the Great War” so what could he add. But he told the historical foundation he would try to come up with something. Boy, did he!

That “something” was the documentary THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD, an eye-popping, brilliant cinematic exploration of ordinary British soldiers’ experience of the war, which Jackson created through a magical transformation of old faded, scratchy black and white images into glorious 3D color images with sound. The images that bring back to vivid life the British soldiers pictured in these mix of home movies and newsreel footage. The transformation is so remarkable that the documentary has become a huge popular hit in Britain, and plans are developing to bring it across the pond to us.

You really want to see this remarkable documentary in 3D and on a big screen, as that is part of the “wow” in seeing Peter Jackson’s brilliant magic with this old archival footage. I took a couple of friends to a preview of the film, friends who were not sure they were interested in seeing a film about WWI. Both came away impressed and big fans.

Part of the reason is that Peter Jackson tells this story as “one non-historian to another.” There are no dates, no list of battles, no experts talking. Instead the film focuses entirely on the experience of ordinary British soldiers. The only voices we hear are theirs, from recordings made around the 1960s, so that the voices, of men in their 50s and 60s, still sound strong.

The film is both technically impressive and emotionally moving. Jackson points out that while we are used to seeing silent black and white images of the war, these young men did not live in a silent black and white world. THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD goes far beyond colorized black and white film. Jackson lets the audience see enough of the un-restored film footage that when he makes the switch, to full-color, sharp, 3D sound film, there are gasps. Jackson used his considerable technical resources, the ones used to create the “Lord of the Rings” movies, to update the old film footage. He corrects the exposure of too-light or too-dark film stock, cleans up and restored scratched images to create sharp, clear images. He also found the right running speed for the film, which was variable in that early time of hand-cranked cameras. That step eliminates the too-fast or too-slow movement one often sees in old silent footage, so that the movements become natural and realistic like modern film. He colorized the footage, but went to extreme steps in doing so, matching the color of actual uniforms and even the tones of local foliage. Then, he further transformed the film to 3D and added dialog. Yes, the soldiers speak, thanks to lip-readers and actors reading the transcribed text in the correct regional accents.

We see the world of these ordinary young Brits from shortly before the war begins until shortly after. One of the most striking details is how young they were, as many of the speakers enlisted underage, even as young as sixteen. We hear them joke and kid around as they describe training and how they kept themselves amused in long days in the trenches. But the film does not shy away from the brutality of war, with emotional descriptions of lost comrades and stark footage of war’s carnage.

THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD was shown last month at special Fathom Events screenings around the country. In addition to this astounding film, there was the added bonus of a short “making-of” documentary, which Jackson reveals his production tricks and all the other amazing historical touches he added to make these long-gone soldiers spring back to life in the muddy trenches of France and Belgium. Unfortunately, this new theatrical run does not include the excellent “making of” feature, but you are going to want to seek it out after you see this amazing film, because you will wonder how Jackson did that. However, don’t wait for a DVD or online release to see this film. This is the kind of 3D film that demands a big screen, as well as being one of the best uses of 3D seen in years.

Even if you don’t think you are a WWI buff, this remarkable film is an experience you do not want to miss. THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD opens Friday, Feb. 1, at Marcus’ Ronnies, Des Peres, and Chesterfield Galaxy, AMC’s Chesterfield and Creve Coeur, Regal’s Gravois Bluffs, and B&B’s Wildwood and Wentzville Tower.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

 

DIRTY DANCING Heating Up Movie Theaters This Valentine’s Day

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the timeless, music-filled love story “Dirty Dancing”will be back in movie theaters nationwide. For two days only, on February 10 and February 13, Baby and Johnny will return and give movie lovers (or any kind of lovers) the chance to experience this perennially popular audience favorite on the big screen. Set in the summer of 1963 and featuring a soundtrack filled with songs that helped define the 1980s, “Dirty Dancing” is filled with both romance and nostalgia.

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Directed by Emile Ardolino, written byEleanor Bergstein,and starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in their most iconic movie roles, “Dirty Dancing” was a worldwide box-office sensation when it was released in 1987, grossing more than $213 million worldwide and capturing the hearts of audiences everywhere. “Dirty Dancing” also took home the Best Original Song Oscar®for the rousing love song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”

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WHO:

Fathom Events and Lionsgate
American actors Patrick Swayze (1952 - 2009) and Jennifer Grey star in the film 'Dirty Dancing', 1987. (Photo by /Getty Images)

WHEN:

  • Sunday, February 10, 2019 – 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. (local time)
  • Wednesday, February 13, 2019 – 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. (local time)

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WHERE:

Tickets for “Dirty Dancing”can be purchased at www.FathomEvents.comor participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in hundreds of select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

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Bogey and Bacall in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT Screening February 5th at Webster University


“You know you don’t have to act with me, Steve. You don’t have to say anything, and you don’t have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and… blow!”

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Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT screens at Webster University Tuesday February 5th. The screening will be at 7:30 at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The film will be  introduced by Cliff Froelich, Executive Director of Cinema St. Louis and Adjunct Professor of Film Studies at Webster University.A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE. This is the first of four Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall collaborations that will be screening at Webster in February. The others are: THE BIG SLEEP Feb 12th, DARK PASSAGE Feb 19th, and KEY LARGO Feb 26th. Look for more coverage of this great Bogey and Bacall film series here at We Are Movie Geeks in the coming weeks.

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If Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall  occupy the same screen, you can safely expect fireworks! TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) was Bacall’s debut performance, the movie that introduced both audiences and Bogart {he would marry her the following year} to one of cinema’s most iconic beauties and to her erotically husky voice. TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT is an interesting mixture of war-time adventure and hard-boiled film-noir, set on the island of Martinique under the Vichy regime, and Bogart’s Harry “Steve” Morgan is forced to navigate swathes of low-lifes and immoral authority figures.

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Howard Hawks, one of Hollywood’s more versatile directors, was a considerable fan of author Ernest Hemingway, but didn’t think all too highly of his 1937 effort, “To Have and Have Not.” Taking it upon himself to improve the story, Hawks set his writers upon Hemingway’s “bunch of junk,” and created what is considered by some to be one of his best films. With its abundance of pistol-clad gangsters and Bogart’s legendary noble tough-guy, comparisons with other pulp film-noirs {such as THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)’ and Hawks’ own THE BIG SLEEP} are perfectly justified, as are the noticeable parallels with Michael Curtiz’S CASABLANCA (1942),’ with Its intriguing war-time tale of romance and loyalty, in addition to a suitably ambiguous ending that emphasizes the sheer uncertainty of warfare. A hilarious Walter Brennan provides the comedic relief as Eddie, a well-meaning but hopelessly addicted alcoholic who likes to ask people such inane queries as “was you ever bit by a dead bee?” Marcel Dalio, in a role that would ideally have suited Peter Lorre, is also good as Frenchy, the sincere owner of the local hotel with sympathies for the French Resistance.

Admission is:

$7 for the general public
$6 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$5 for Webster University staff and faculty

Free for Webster students with proper I.D.

Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.

For Its 80th Anniversary, GONE WITH THE WIND Returns to Theaters February 28th and March 3rd

Before its release, it was one of the most anticipated movies ever made, and ever since its release it has been the most popular movie ever made, with an inflation-adjusted domestic gross of more than $1.8 billion. Now, to mark the 80th anniversary of “Gone With the Wind,” Warner Bros. and Fathom Events are bringing the cinematic epic back to movie theaters across the U.S. for two days only: Thursday, February 28, and Sunday, March 3.

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Recipient of 10 Academy Awards™ (eight competitive Oscars™ and two honorary awards), “Gone With the Wind” remains an epic undertaking – not to mention an epic drama. Its production is legendary, including a nationwide “search for Scarlett” and the eventual casting of one of Hollywood’s most well-known screen couples: Vivien Leighas headstrong Scarlett O’Hara and Clark Gableas dashing Rhett Butler. Its original $3.9 million budget made it the second most-expensive movie up to that point – and 80 years after its release, “Gone With the Wind”remains one of the most iconic of all productions from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

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WHO:

Fathom Events and Warner Bros.

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WHEN:

Thursday, February 28, 2019 – 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. (local time)

Sunday, March 3, 2019 – 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. (local time)

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WHERE:

Tickets for “Gone With the Wind”can be purchased at www.FathomEvents.comor participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in hundreds of select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Joseph H. Lewis’ SO DARK THE NIGHT (1946) Available on Blu-ray From Arrow Academy February 19th


Director Joseph H. Lewis’ SO DARK THE NIGHT (1946) will be available on Blu-ray From Arrow Academy February 19th


Like his contemporaries Howard Hawks and Billy Wilder, Joseph H. Lewis (Gun Crazy) dabbled in many genres, but excelled in the film noir tradition. A Hitchcockian tale of mystery and intrigue, So Dark the Night was one of his finest pictures.


Inspector Cassin, a renowned Paris detective, departs to the country for a much-needed break. There he falls in love with the innkeeper s daughter, Nanette, who is already betrothed to a local farmer. On the evening of their engagement party, Nanette and the farmer both disappear. Cassin takes up the case immediately to discover what happened to them and who is responsible.


As with his celebrated noir masterpieces My Name Is Julia Ross and The Big Combo, Lewis elevates the twisty, pulpy material with some of the finest noir touches the genre has to offer, beautifully shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer Burnett Guffey (Bonnie and Clyde).


SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:

  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
  • Original uncompressed mono PCM audio
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
  • Audio Commentary by critics Glenn Kenny and Farran Smith Nehme
  • So Dark… Joseph H. Lewis at Columbia – Critic Imogen Sara Smith provides the background and an analysis of the film
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tonci Zonjic
  • FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic David Cairns

 

See BLACK PANTHER For FREE At AMC Theatres To celebrate Black History Month, February 1-7

© 2018 Marvel Studios

Disney announced today that Academy Award®-nominated and SAG® winner “Black Panther” will return to the big screen to celebrate Black History Month for a one-week engagement, February 1-7, at 250 participating AMC Theatres locations. To ensure that the movie is accessible to all, tickets are free for everyone, and there will be two showings per day at each participating theater.

The Walt Disney Company will also give a $1.5 million grant to support UNCF (United Negro College Fund) in furthering its mission to help minority students access and move to and through college. For nearly 75 years, UNCF has been providing scholarships to students in need, and this grant is part of The Walt Disney Company’s longstanding commitment to diverse communities and to expanding the pipeline of talent.

“‘Black Panther’ is groundbreaking for many reasons, including the rich diversity of voices behind its success,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.  “The story also showcases the power of knowledge to change the world for the better, and the importance of ensuring everyone has access to it.  We’re proud to provide thousands of free screenings of ‘Black Panther’ in hopes it will continue to inspire audiences, and to support UNCF with a $1.5 million grant to make the dream of higher education a reality for more students.”

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness.

“We know that providing aspiring young minority talent with scholarships and professional development opportunities is vital to making their dreams a reality,” said UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael Lomax. “UNCF is grateful for The Walt Disney Company’s enduring commitment to expanding these types of opportunities, and we’re excited to continue to do so through our Walt Disney Company/UNCF Corporate Scholars Program. I recall the excitement we all had when ‘Black Panther’ was first released and it’s fantastic that Disney is bringing the record-breaking movie back to the big screen so that we can relive that excitement. Wakanda Forever!”

“Black Panther,” the global cultural phenomenon that shattered box office records and finished first at the North American box office in 2018, picked up seven Oscar® nominations, including Best Picture, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Original Music Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing.  On Sunday, it was announced that “Black Panther” won the SAG® (Screen Actors Guild) Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Award.

“Almost a year ago, movie-lovers were transported to Wakanda, and the guest response to ‘Black Panther’ was unlike anything our industry has seen before,” said Adam Aron, CEO and President of AMC. “AMC is excited this best-picture nominated film is once again accessible on the big screen at AMC. We are also pleased to play a constructive role in Disney’s generous support of Black History Month.”

For free tickets to the “Black Panther” showings and a list of AMC participating theaters go to: weticketit.com/blackpanther

Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

“Black Panther” stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, with Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis. The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay. “Black Panther” first released in U.S. theaters on February 16, 2018.

20th Century Fox Offers FREE Screenings Of ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL On Thursday, January 31 At 7PM

Producer James Cameron and Director Robert Rodriguez on the set of ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL. Photo Credit: Rico Torres.

Twentieth Century Fox is inviting fans across the country to be the very first to experience the highly-anticipated action-adventure epic ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL from producers James Cameron and Jon Landau (AVATAR) and director Robert Rodriguez on Thursday, January 31 at 7PM EST/PST/C.  The film opens nationwide on February 14.

The screenings will take place in Dolby Cinema in 3D at AMC, IMAX 3D and other select 3D premium large format theatres. In addition to the film, fans at selected theaters will get to see a conversation with the filmmakers and cast including James Cameron, Jon Landau, director Robert Rodriguez and cast members Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connell, and Keean Johnson and a special inside look at the making of the film.

Said Cameron, “People may have heard of Alita, but don’t know who she is.  Why is she called the Battle Angel?  What is her world like?  Well, I think you’ve simply got to see it to believe it.  And the best way to see it is in a cinema, and in gorgeous 3D, the way Robert Rodriguez shot it.   So we’ve decided to do some special free screenings, for fans around the country, to introduce our Alita to the world.  When you see how big a heart she has, and what she stands for, and how she kicks major butt —  you’re going to fall in love with her, the way I did.”

Fans can RSVP to the free screenings via  ExperienceAlita.com and submit questions for the filmmakers and cast on James Cameron’s newly launched official Instagram @JamesCameronOfficial and Facebook @OfficialJamesCameron pages in the comments section using the hashtag #ExperienceAlita.

Cameron (AVATAR) and Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY), comes ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, an epic adventure of hope and empowerment. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo (Keean Johnson) offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after Alita that she discovers a clue to her past – she has unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family and the world she’s grown to love. @AlitaMovie #Alita

Visit the Official Site Here: http://AlitaBattleAngel.com

TOY STORY 4’s Bo Beep Gets Her Own Poster!

Bo Peep is back! This long-lost friend of Woody, Buzz and the gang always shared a special connection with Woody, but they have not seen each other in years, and Bo has become chipped and faded over time. Bo’s strength and sarcasm always belied her delicate porcelain exterior, and it turns out she’s an adventure-seeking free spirit who feels right at home on the road. When she and Woody are reunited under unlikely circumstances, they realize they’ve grown worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy.

“Bo’s taken control of her own destiny,” said “Toy Story 4” director Josh Cooley. “While Woody was watching Andy grow up, Bo gathered dust until she took it upon herself to head out into the world. And when Woody shows up, they can’t believe that they’ve found each other again.”

Annie Potts returns as the voice of Bo Peep. “She is modern, independent, capable and confident,” said Potts of her character. “Bo is written and conceived to be inspiring as she has weathered life’s ups and downs with grace. I aspire to that.”

Access the video here: https://www.facebook.com/10498014129/posts/10156463897209130/

Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world, and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. So when Bonnie’s beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky (voice of Tony Hale), declares himself as “trash” and not a toy, Woody takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family’s road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (voice of Annie Potts). After years of being on her own, Bo’s adventurous spirit and life on the road belie her delicate porcelain exterior. As Woody and Bo realize they’re worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy, they soon come to find that’s the least of their worries.

Directed by Josh Cooley (“Riley’s First Date?”), and produced by Jonas Rivera (“Inside Out,” “Up”) and Mark Nielsen (associate producer “Inside Out”), Disney·Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” ventures to U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019.

Did you know:

  • “Toy Story,” originally released on Nov. 22, 1995, was the first fully computer animated feature film and the highest grossing movie of the year. It was nominated for three Oscars® and two Golden Globes®. 
  • “Toy Story 2” is the first film ever to be entirely created, mastered and exhibited digitally. It was also the first animated sequel to gross more than its original, breaking opening weekend box office records in the U.S., UK and Japan, becoming the highest grossing animated release of 1999. It won the Golden Globe for best motion picture – comedy or musical. It won a Grammy® for best song written for a motion picture, television or other visual media (Randy Newman, “When She Loved Me”).
  • Released in 2010, “Toy Story 3” won Oscars® for best animated feature film and best achievement in music written for motion pictures, original song (Randy Newman/“We Belong Together”). The film also won a Golden Globe® and BAFTA for best animated film. It was the second Pixar film to be nominated for the best picture Oscar. It’s also Pixar’s second highest-grossing film of all time behind “Incredibles 2.” 
  • The 2015 short “Riley’s First Date?” was helmed by director Josh Cooley and produced by Mark Nielsen.
©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

DECONSTRUCTING THE BEATLES: MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR Screening at The Tivoli January 29th


DECONSTRUCTING THE BEATLES: MAGICAL MYSTERY  will be screening at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater ( 6350 Delmar in The Loop) one-time only, Tuesday, January 29th at 7pm. Ticket information can be found HERE.  DECONSTRUCTING THE BEATLES: MAGICAL MYSTERY explores the music written for the Magical Mystery Tour TV show, as well as the additional songs that appeared on the 1967 LP.


In 1967, The Beatles embarked on an ambitious project, writing and directing a one-hour film, Magical Mystery Tour.  The music written for the film is some of The Beatles’ psychedelic best. In Deconstructing The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour, Mr. Freiman delves into the creative process behind “The Fool On The Hill,” “Blue Jay Way,” “I Am The Walrus,” and other selections from Magical Mystery Tour.  Scott will also “deconstruct” other songs from the Magical Mystery Tour album, including “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Penny Lane,” and “All You Need Is Love.”


The Beatles only starred in four films together (not counting the animated YELLOW SUBMARINE which they didn’t even voice) yet two of them have been virtually impossible to see in any home viewing format for decades. A HARD DAY’S NIGHT and HELP were both acclaimed successes with long histories of VHS and DVD releases but LET IT BE, a 1970 documentary showing how the Beatles rehearsed in preparation for a new live tour, despite winning an Oscar for Original Song Score, has never been seen since its original theatrical release. LET IT BE captured the Fab Four as they were in the process of breaking up, bickering and acting chilly to each other in a most un-Beatle-like fashion. The other “lost” Beatles film is the 1967 MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, a 53-minute psychedelic road trip first broadcast on the BBC.


Critics at the time found MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR neither magical or mysterious and it was roundly trashed as a bizarre, scriptless mess (that the BBC first aired it in black and white by mistake probably didn’t help). But watching MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR today shows that it has aged well as a weird testament to the absolute charm of the Beatles, since even amidst all the sloppiness, cheesiness and sheer ineptitude, much of their anarchic spirit and sense of fun still manages to come through. Mainly, this happens in some of the musical sequences, especially “I Am the Walrus”(the only footage of Lennon performing this tune) or “Blue Jay Way”, which serve as fairly decent and imaginative precursors to the music video format which wouldn’t explode for another 15 years. Time has been good to MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR and 45 years later the film that has aged into a fascinating relic way ahead of its time. Don’t miss the chance to see DECONSTRUCTING THE BEATLES: MAGICAL MYSTERY   on the big screen.