The global celebration of Disney+ Day will return on Thursday, September 8, 2022, leading into D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa in Anaheim, CA.
In celebration, the streaming service will host special experiences for fans and subscribers, and will premiere new content from its marquee brands, including the return of the beloved Disney franchise in the all-new live action “Pinocchio” on Disney+ Day, September 8.
Here’s your first look at the teaser trailer and poster for the film, starring Tom Hanks, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Cynthia Erivo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, Lorraine Bracco and Luke Evans.
In addition to “Pinocchio,” Disney+ will announce more Disney+ Day premieres from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic in the coming months.
Academy Award® winner Robert Zemeckis directs this live action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood carver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”; Academy Award® nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is “Honest” John; Academy Award® nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman. Also in the cast are Kyanne Lamaya as Fabiana (and her marionette Sabina), Giuseppe Battiston as Señor Stromboli and Lewin Lloyd as Lampwick.
Robert Zemeckis, Derek Hogue, Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz are the film’s producers, with Jackie Levine, Jack Rapke, Alexandra Derbyshire and Jeremy Johns the executive producers.
A scene from season one of the Swedish rescue/medical drama series “First Responders.” Courtesy of MHz Choice
The first season of the subtitled Swedish TV series “First Responders” introduces us to a surprisingly diverse group of doctors, EMTs, firemen and police in a small, idyllic town, with a full array of professional and personal challenges to face. The setting is lovely, as we meet them during their summer off-season, in a village that apparently thrives on winter sports tourism. So this should be a less-pressured time for the crew. Not exactly the way it works out. Bad for them. Good for viewers.
Each episode presents a few crises calling for some combination of dramatic rescues, medical intervention and/or crime solving. Everyone in the ensemble cast gets his/her turns in the spotlight. Since they are mostly young and attractive (could it be any other way?), there is a fair share of romantic activity, as well, with some story lines unfolding throughout the season. Besides the main theme of their duties, a separate plot thread involves luring a big investor for economic growth that may, or may not, be good for the community.
Compared to our domestic network counterparts, like “911” and “911: Lone Star,” these events play out with relatively little splash. Background music highlighting major scenes is largely absent from “First Responders,” which keeps the focus more on the visuals, and lets viewers feel the urgency of their efforts without that audio prompt. Other than a couple of shockingly gruesome displays of medical yuckiness in Episode 3, the romantic encounters and assorted injuries are shown without much graphic detail. Or levity.
Viewer’s enjoyment of these 10 hour-long episodes will depend on the extent to which they bond with the characters. Everyone is presented in relatable human scale. No super-jocks or mega-villains, and nobody cast strictly for eye candy. The season ends with a few open questions, but without any cliffhangers that leave viewers in the lurch if Season Two never materializes. Overall, the series seemed engaging, though not riveting.
“First Responders: Season One,” mostly in Swedish with English subtitles, is streaming on MHz Choice starting Tuesday, May 31.
The Action-Packed Martial Arts Drama IP MAN: THE AWAKENINGDebuts Exclusively on the Streaming Service Hi-YAH! May 20Before Hitting Digital, Blu-ray & DVD June 21st.
Read the review from Mark Glass HERE. Glass says, “Miu Tse should be a rising star with a bright future.”
Check out the trailer:
While visiting Hong Kong, a young Master Ip intervenes in a kidnapping attempt, unintentionally igniting a turf war with a ruthless human trafficking ring in action-packed martial arts drama IP MAN: THE AWAKENING,debuted May 20 exclusively on the martial arts streaming service Hi-YAH! before hitting Digital, Blu-ray and DVDJune 21 from Well Go USA Entertainment. When the ruthless gang kidnaps one of Ip Man’s close friends, he is forced to face the group’s brutal boxing champion head-on. Co-directed by Li Xi Jie and Zhang Zhu Lin, IP MAN: THE AWAKENING stars the rising wing chun martial arts master Miu Tse (aka Miao Xie, My Father is a Hero) assuming the legendary title role alongside cast members including Chen Guan Ying, Zhao Yu Xuan, and Hao Yan Fei. The bonus features include an all-new English dub.
While visiting Hong Kong, a young Master Ip intervenes in a kidnapping attempt, unintentionally igniting a turf war with a ruthless human trafficking ring. In retaliation, the gang kidnaps one of Ip Man’s close friends, leaving him with no choice but to challenge the group’s notoriously brutal boxing champion head-on.
IP MAN: THE AWAKENING has a runtime of approximately 80 minutes and is not rated.
Haley Lu Richardson (left) and Owen Teague in MONTANA STORY. Credit: Bleecker Street
A prodigal returns in MONTANA STORY but this drama is one that skips the more familiar approach to explore a more interesting road less traveled. Long estranged siblings reunite against the dramatic backdrop of the windswept Montana landscape, when a young woman unexpectedly returns to the ranch home she left seven years earlier, to visit her dying, comatose father, to the surprise of her younger brother who remained and is struggling to handle their father’s final affairs. In the contemporary Western drama MONTANA STORY, Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague play the sister and brother, who work through their feelings about their difficult father and their own past history, as they deal with the financially grim situation their dying parent leaves behind. Richardson and Teague create a realistic relationship between the siblings, which draws us in and elevates the story above the melodrama and mawkishness it could have fallen into.
Shot on location in Montana’s Paradise Valley, MONTANA STORY evokes thoughts of classic Westerns, while offering a fully contemporary, thoughtful, and satisfying family drama set in a magnificent, iconic American landscape.
MONTANA STORY is co-directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel and written by them and David Spreter. While the pacing is deliberately slow, the realistic brother-sister connection between Richardson and Teague, along with some spot-on casting choices and and fine performances all around, draw us deeply into the lives of these people. allowing us to look far below the surface appearance of both people and circumstance.
Cal (Owen Teague) has a lot on his young shoulders as he struggles alone to wrap of the affairs of his comatose father (Rob Story), who is now dying. The young man returned to the sprawling ranch where he grew up to handle this task despite his fraught relationship with his hard-as-nails father, once a prosperous attorney whose clients included a big strip mining company that he helped evade government regulation. Since the stroke rendered him comatose, his father’s care has used up his fortune, the estate is in bankruptcy and the ranch soon to be sold. Although the cost of the live-in hospice nurse, a Kenyan immigrant nicknamed Ace (Gilbert Owuor), is covered, Cal struggles to pay his father’s long-time housekeeper Valentina (Kimberly Guerrero) and faces hard choices about the fate of his now-elderly childhood horse, a black stallion named Mr. T.
When his slightly older sister Erin (Haley Lu Richardson), who vanished without a trace seven years earlier, pulls up to the ranch house, announcing her intention of seeing her father one more time, Cal is thunderstruck. Erin had fled the ranch as a teen, after a horrendous beating by her father, and had evaded all of Cal’s efforts to find her. To see her now leaves Cal momentarily speechless, then begins peppering her with questions as she, clearly emotional and indecisive, races about the property dodging those questions.
Clearly the siblings were close when they were young but their personalities are nearly polar opposites. Erin is a fireball of emotion, who walks on to the property ready to walk right back off, a temperament more like their father. Cal, by contrast, is a calm peace-maker by nature, accustomed soothing hot tempers and smoothing ruffled feathers, although he still says what needs to be said. A civil engineer in training, easy-going Cal is all about practical decision-making, although he is by no means cold or unfeeling in those decisions – just, well, practical. He has been doing his best making these tough decisions for his father and the ranch on his own, but when Erin recoils at one decision, he does not argue, although he does point out the absurdity of her impulsive, if kindly-meant decision.
That decision concerns Cal’s old horse, Mr T. When Cal recognizes he has no way to care for his beloved old horse, he makes the tough but practical decision to call a vet to put him down. On learning this, Erin storms off, but quickly returns, announcing her intention to take the elderly horse with her back to upstate New York, where she will then “figure it out.” Typical for Cal, he does not challenge her emotion-driven decision but instead lists reasons why it would work.
The fate of the old horse and Erin’s impractical plan become a running thread through the movie. While other films would pump up the drama, MONTANA STORY allows everything to unfold naturally, giving the actors space to explore their characters and the situation. This natural approach may be slow but it is surprisingly effective, drawing us into the characters lives more deeply than a showier approach would.
The brother and sister, who are actually half-siblings, have a fraught history with their father but also with each other. The family history comes out in conversations, but less often conversations between brother and sister, than between Cal and the other characters in the story. Meanwhile, the one character at the center of all this history, their comatose father, is silent but a looming presence nonetheless.
Much of the story takes place in the past but there are no flashback scenes. Instead, directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel made the more challenging, but effective, decision to convey this information through various conversations and through simple scenes, like a truck breaking down on a road, which feels like a much more natural way to learn that backstory and keeps us very much in the present.
The dramatic family story at the film’s center, as the long-separated siblings settle their issues with each other and their harsh father, are lightened by touches of mild humor, interestingly frequently added by supporting non-white characters. Their father’s Kenyan-born hospice nurse, in a wonderful performance by Gilbert Owuor, gently and politely corrects some of Cal’s assumptions about him, and later, while showing Cal how to massage his father’s motionless limbs, wisely talks to him about how they still can have a “conversation” through touch. When Erin sets out to buy a truck and horse trailer to drive the old horse back east with her, she finds one being offered by a man named Mukki (a charming, scene-stealing Eugene Brave Rock). Mukki is bemused by her plan to drive the old horse cross-country from Montana to what he calls the “Big Apple,” although it is really rural upstate New York. When Erin asks if he thinks she’s crazy, Mukki replies no, he has done much crazier things for an animal, and then relates his family history as transplanted Mohicans. It is a brief scene but one of the film’s best – touching, surprising, and gently comic, and offering a little insight into differing perspectives.
Both Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague turn in impressive performances, exploring their characters and their situations with remarkable nuance and strength. Richardson has the more fiery role, and complex, even competing, emotions play across her face is several scenes. As she spends time with her estranged brother, we feel her fall back into a reflexive closeness, something that feels so natural, it seems as if the two actors really are siblings, a rare feat. Teague plays Cal perfectly, as calm and competent but with an underlying uncertainty that comes with being a very young man, just finding his place in the world. It is a sensation aided by Teague’s own slim, angular appearance. These are characters that feel real, you quickly are comfortable with, and that you want to spend time around.
The plot is less the point than the way the story explores people and relationships, all done is a fully realistic, engrossing and human way. The characters, and the actors’ delightful, grounded performances are is the real appeal of MONTANA STORY, along with the strong sense of place that it conveys. The landscape is ever-present, enhanced by stunning photography by cinematographer Giles Nuttgens, who has also worked with British director Michael Winterbottom and shot the Texas-set, critically-acclaimed HELL OR HIGH WATER. The vistas of the Big Sky Country are always there, as is the constant wind, but they feel lived-in. Against that backdrop, the film explores issues important to the region, like the environment costs of mining, indirectly as the siblings visit the massive pit mine their father defended from regulation, a place that Erin compares to Dante’s Circles of Hell.
MONTANA STORY is a deceptively simple drama that is really all about its real world characters, and the actors fine work, a family drama heightened by the iconic Montana landscape. The film is not without its flaws and it is not for audiences expecting non-stop action, but it exceeds the expectations of the story line and delivers a thoughtful character-driven drama that leaves one with the satisfying feeling of time well spent.
Christopher Lee, born on this day in 1922, had an amazing career of fantastic performances and remains the greatest villain actor in film history. He was the last classic horror star and WAMG thanks him for all the monster memories.
Christopher Lee was married to his wife Birgit (Gitte) for 54 years.
Here, according to Movie Geeks Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Sam Moffitt, and myself, are Christopher Lee’s ten best roles.
10. FRANKENSTEIN
It’s only fitting that THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, the film that truly began England’s Hammer Studios’ theatrical run of full color gothic horror epics, should team (well, they’re both in the 1948 HAMLET, but have no scenes together) their greatest stars, Peter Cushing as Baron Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as his monster (or, as he’s referred to in the credits,”the Creature”). This was the first big screen incarnation of the monster after Universal’s 30’s and 40’s classics with Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, and, of course, Boris Karloff. Because the Jack Pierce make-up is owned by that studio, Hammer’s make-up man Phil Leakey had to create an original look for Mr. Lee. When the camera zoomed in for the big unveiling (or unwrapping, as he was covered with bandages from head to toe) audiences gasped in terror at his gruesome visage. He truly looked like something from the grave with stringy mop-like black hair (Hmm, maybe it inspired those Liverpool lads), glazed-over white right eye, and flayed, scarred flesh (it’s mentioned that birds had gotten to the body before it went to the lab). Victor has given him the brain of a brilliant medical mentor, but later damage to it had left the creature a murderous near mute. After he’s outfitted with a jet black coat and pants, the monster is left chained in a locked room next to the lab, all alone until Victor needs the creature to eliminate a problem: the Baron’s chambermaid mistress (played by Valerie Gaunt, who would be cast as Lee’s vampire bride in HORROR OF DRACULA a year later). This version of the doctor’s experiment is truly pathetic and nearly elicits the same sympathy as Karloff until we see its brutality in an attack on a blind man in the forest (no soup and cigars this time!). This viciousness is rewarded with a bullet to the eye (a shocking bit of gore for the time), then it’s back to the slab where he’s made to look more revolting and wretched! When Hammer continued the series they decided to concentrate on Victor (perhaps the true monster), but none of the succeeding patchwork people had the impact of the marvelous Mr. Lee.
9. RASPUTIN
RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK (1966) is one strange film and has one of the best villains Lee ever got to play, in a resume teeming with evil and scurrilous bastards. The movie exists because Hammer films had access to footage shot for ANASTASIA, a 1956 film about the phony daughter of Nicholas and Alexandra, the last Czar of Russia. The footage was in Cinemascope which resulted in Hammer shooting Rasputin in that process which was already outmoded and replaced by Panavision. We meet Rasputin in a monastery, follow him all over Russia as he eats, drinks and fornicates way too much, causing carnage and havoc everywhere he goes. Eventually, if you know your history, he ends up way too close to the Czar and his family. Claiming to be a healer Rasputin almost gains control of Russia. Interestingly this movie actually shows him healing people “with these two hands” as Lee ominously proclaims. In Lee’s talents Rasputin becomes an elemental force of nature, he roars through the movie, frightening women and children and causing all manner of scandals and bullying anybody who gets in his way. It is one of the best performances Lee gave at Hammer which was not in any way supernatural. Even that could be argued, Rasputin seems to have hypnotic as well as healing powers. In one of the most prolonged murder scenes committed to film, (historically accurate by the way) Rasputin is poisoned, shot, stabbed, strangled, stabbed again, beaten senseless, thrown out a window and drowned in an icy river! And the movie hints that he might still be alive! Unlike Dracula there was no sequel to Rasputin. And this is one son of a bitch that we are glad to see the last of, Rasputin is the embodiment of pure evil, no redeeming qualities what so ever.
8. ROCHEFORT
THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1973) and THE FOUR MUSKETEERS (1974) are easily the best version of Dumas’ classic adventure novel. An ensemble film, where every one of the actors, and the director, are at the very top of their form and obviously having a blast. Any film that would include Michael York, Faye Dunaway, Oliver Reed, Christopher Lee, Charlton Heston and many others as well as Spike Milligan and Raquel Welch has some kind of record for great casting! In what has to be an in joke Spike Milligan and Raquel Welch are a married couple! Michael York’s D’artagnan changes that. In a great cast and a wonderful story Lee brings a great deal to the main villain, Rochefort, described as Cardinal Richelieu’s living sword blade. Lee looks absolutely killer with his eye patch,(“You Sir! Without the eye!” yells young D’artaganan at one point) long hair and scarlet uniform, worn by all the Cardinal’s guards, the main group out to thwart the Musketeer’s who are sworn to protect the King, a complete idiot (not far from the truth, most crowned heads of Europe in those days were, but that is another story.) It is Lee and M’Lady DeWinter (Faye Dunaway) who cause all the action to proceed, at the instigation of Cardinal Richelieu, involving missing diamonds belonging to the Queen. In any adventure story it is the villain who makes things happen and Rochefort, in Lee’s capable hands is quite a piece of work. Lee has fenced his whole life and in an interview with Filmfax said that all the swords and knives in the film were absolutely real and sharp. Lee and all the other actors were wounded at some point. In an effort to make the sword fighting look real they made every effort to do some damage and very often did! The sword fighting in these films is some of the best ever captured on camera. Without a word of dialog indicating Rochefort’s feelings Lee lets us know, with facial expressions and body language that Rochefort is one world weary and bone tired son of a bitch. In one key scene with Heston Lee lets us know that Rochefort is sick and tired of the Cardinal’s nefarious machinations. Damn I like that phrase! I’ll write it again, Rochefort is sick and tired of the Cardinal’s nefarious machinations! But he has pledged his talents to supporting the Cardinal and not the King and has to play out his hand to the bitter end. It’s his job after all! You get the notion, especially in the second film, that poor old Rochefort might like to put the swords away and have a drink with the Musketeers, join them in some wenching and hell raising, give a little fatherly advice to D’Artaganan, and relax a little. In the climactic showdown we are seriously sorry to see Rochefort get his payback. In the Three and Four Musketeers Lee gives us something more interesting and complex than a tragic hero, a tragic villain.
7. KHARIS THE MUMMY
In 1959, Hammer Films completed remaking the Universal monster “big three” of Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and this last, the Mummy. Amazingly, Christopher Lee played the monster in all three—the first (and possibly only) person to perform this feat. Made at the height of the studio’s popularity, THE MUMMY is one of the best films Hammer ever produced. Co-starring Peter Cushing and the beautiful Yvonne Furneaux as the Ananka lookalike Isobel, and directed by Hammer’s ace Terence Fisher, THE MUMMY is dominated by Lee’s towering performance of vengeance unleashed. Wearing heavy bandages, driving his large body forward with choppy but powerful steps, Lee uses his physical presence to convey the menace of the monster. With only his eyes visible through the makeup, Lee also expresses an intensity that other movie mummys have lacked. And notice how his eyes change to a softer appearance when he sees Furneaux’s Isobel/ Ananka character. And if this wasn’t enough to cement this classic portrayal, we are treated to a long flashback sequence of Lee as the Egyptian priest Kharis conducting the burial ritual of Ananka in his most hypnotic tones. Lee himself had mixed feelings about THE MUMMY; on one hand, he admired the handsome production values and regarded it as one of his favorite Hammer films. However, the shoot proved to be a grueling physical challenge for the actor, and he suffered several injuries during production. For example, Lee had to not only maneuver through a muddy bog in full makeup, but do it carrying Furneaux. He later claimed that he pulled every muscle in his back during this scene. But, like all exceptional actors, Lee made the pain work for him through his performance, and the result is a memorable portrait that rivals the best films in the canon of the Egyptian undead myth.
6. COUNT DOOKU
No one really likes the three Star Wars prequels. They were sort of popular when new and it was okay to like them then, but they’ve aged so horribly that geekdom is investing their hopes in Disney to get it right next time. Light sabers are cool. Yoda is cool. Chewbacca is cool.But everyone can agree that the coolest thing about STAR WARS EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002), and STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005) was the casting of Christopher Lee as Count Dooku, a Jedi Master who fell to the dark side of the Force and became a Dark Lord of the Sith, known as Darth Tyranus. It has been said that George Lucas is not a great director of actors, yet that couldn’t slow down Lee,the only actor in the series to exude real menace. Whenever he was on screen, those movies came alive. He made audiences cheer when he and Yoda squared off for their big battle and when he gleefully escaped from the Jedi Master on an intergalactic jet ski. As for the overblown trilogy as a whole, it was all too clearly a product of George Lucas’s production giant Industrial Light and Magic. No magic, little light, but an awful lot of industry.
5. LORD SUMMERISLE
“Come. It is time to keep your appointment with the Wicker Man”. Christopher Lee, who agreed to appear in THE WICKER MAN (1973) for free has claimed it was the greatest film he was ever part of. For good reasons, as this is one of the most unusual and original cinematic masterpieces ever brought to screen and an absolute must-see for everybody interested in movies. The unique greatness of THE WICKER MAN combines elements from a variety of genres; Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Fantasy, Drama, and even Musical, but it cannot really be limited to one particular genre. Scottish police sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) is called by an anonymous letter to investigate the disappearance of a young girl on the remote Scottish island Summerisle. Upon his arrival, nobody seems to have ever heard of the girl. The deeply religious Sergeant Howie, however, is shocked to find out that the residents of the island, above all the sophisticated but mysterious Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), are practicing pagan customs and free sexuality as they await their next human sacrifice…… The final moments of THE WICKER MAN must rank amongst the finest ever committed to film. As Christopher Lee leads the crazed inhabitants of Summerisle in a chorus of ‘Summer Is A Comin’ In,’ Edward Woodward’s cries of anguish and frantic prayers are intermingled with the death throes of the sacrificed animals. The moment when Woodward first casts eyes on the giant Wicker Man of the title never fails to send a chill down the spine.
4. FU MANCHU
The character of Fu Manchu was first created by British author Sax Rohmer in 1912. Boris Karloff played the Chinese villain in 1932’s MASK OF FU MANCHU but after the 1940 serial Drums of Fu Manchu, film adaptations ceased. In 1965 movie producer Harry Alan Towers saw the novels as well- known enough to provide name recognition and signed Christopher Lee to the title role with a six-film deal. Despite being a 6’5” Brit, the actor seemed somehow perfectly suited to the role of the evil Chinaman (Karloff was English as well, though 6 inches shorter than Lee) and the make-up man simply taped up his eyelids for that slanty Asian look. The first film, FACE OF FU MANCHU (1965) directed by Hammer vet Don Sharp was a lively mix of Sherlock Holmes and James Bond concerning the kidnapping of a German scientist who Fu Manchu forces to develop a super weapon. FACE underperformed financially so the next two installments, BRIDES OF FU MANCHU (1966) and VENGEANCE OF FU MANCHU (1967) were filmed with considerably lower budgets, though Towers did take the crew to Hong Kong for some location flavor. In 1968 Towers met Spanish cult director Jess Franco and hired him to film the fourth entry BLOOD OF FU MANCHU (1968) in Brazil, which marked the beginning of the series’ decline. By the next year, Franco and Towers were working on elaborate erotica and sleazy women-in-prison films, and the Fu Manchu series was a dead weight. The final film in the series, CASTLE OF FU MANCHU (1969), was a dismal affair, bringing the series to a premature halt.
3. SARUMAN
When casting was announced for the first LORD OF THE RINGS film, Christopher Lee fans were both excited and a little apprehensive. The character of Saruman, like many a character in Tolkien’s books, is referred to often, but has very few “active” storylines. RINGS director Peter Jackson recognized that one of the weakest parts of the RINGS saga was its lack of a strong visual villain. Sure, Sauron is the Big Bad that pervades every page of the books and every scene of the films, but audiences also need something or someone to focus on as the personification of that evil. Fortunately for both readers and cinephiles alike, Jackson knew how to make use of Lee’s commanding screen persona. With his steely gaze and resonant voice, Lee imbues Saruman with all the self-righteous ego and persuasive yet treacherous charm that is only hinted at in the books. With a more expanded and enhanced role, Lee also has at least one pivotal sequence in each of the three RINGS films. In FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, the wizard’s duel between Saruman and Gandalf is a key reveal as to who is the embodiment of the evil Sauron. The sequence also emphasizes the sheer physical presence Lee has, which is sometimes overlooked when compared to his magnificent vocal delivery. In TWO TOWERS, Saruman’s storyline adheres fairly closely to the book, as Lee organizes and directs the war machine he has helped create as Sauron’s advocate. And in RETURN OF THE KING, although some fans disliked the new resolution for Saruman that Jackson’s team came up with–which differs quite a bit from the book– Jackson probably made the correct decision, as the book’s ending does seem to drag on unnecessarily. Unfortunately, Saruman’s ending was cut from the initial release print of RETURN OF THE KING, but is available on the Extended Edition DVD/Blu-Ray release. It is difficult to understand Jackson’s reasons for leaving out this sequence, because it is quite spectacular—even by RINGS standards—and gives closure to Lee’s perfect depiction of corrupted power.
2. SCARAMANGA
In 1974, the James Bond movie series was a dozen years old. For Roger Moore’s second outing as 007, the producers wanted to find a foe that could be his very equal. While recent tiles were comic riffs on well-known adages (YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, LIVE AND LET DIE, etc.) the new film’s title, like two of the early classics (DR. NO and GOLDFINGER) refers to the villain, the master assassin Francisco Scaramanga, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN. While Bond kills for Queen and country, Scaramanga’s does it for the cash (“a million a shot” as the opening song says). Sure he’s got a load of henchmen on his gorgeous island hideaway, but no need for any muscled leg-breakers like Oddjob and Jaws. Mr. S is deadly enough (although his manservant Nick Nack played Herve Villachaize, yep it’s TV’s Tatoo, helps and sometimes taunts his boss). As the 1970’s began Lee was expanding beyond the horror genre and appearing in bigger budgeted studio fare such as JULIUS CAESAR, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, and THE THREE MUSKETEERS. This film was a wonderful showcase for his talents and introduced him to an even larger audience (hey, we monster fans already knew he was wonderful!). For the film’s pre-title sequence we see his physical side as he turns the tables on a ruthless American gangster (the great Marc Lawrence). Later the romantic Mr. Lee appears as he beds (but no biting!) the alluring Maud Adams (back to that song, “Love is required, whenever he’s hired…”). In the final showdown Moore faces his greatest (up to that point) screen battle as the two engage in a deadly duel to the death. It’s was a wonder that producers Saltzman and Broccoli waited so long to cast him (Lee is the step-cousin of Bond creator Ian Fleming!), but Christopher Lee elevates this, the ninth 007 epic, with his cultured deep baritone and imposing presence, and makes this high-priced hired gun one of the most memorable adversaries in the fifty-plus years of the greatest film franchise ever.
1. DRACULA
Christopher Lee, with is deep, commanding voice and six-foot, five-inch frame was the perfect choice for the role of Dracula. His Count is an imposing presence, stately and cool, with the gentlemanly manner that belies a lurking, evil presence. He is able to imbue his character with both erotic charm and animalistic fury at the same time and was much more terrifying than Bela Lugosi’s romantic seducer. After the international box-office success of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Hammer Studios decided to reunite its two key actors from that film, Peter Cushing and Lee. Hammer turned to another Universal Studios staple, Dracula which by then Universal Studios had little use for, last using him for a role in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. While only fitfully faithful to Stoker’s novel, Hammer Studios first version of Dracula, known in the U.S. as HORROR OF DRACULA (1958), remains the epitome of the English gothic horror film, complete with lavishly dressed sets, a vivid use of color, art and production design that effectively used Technicolor’s oversaturated color scheme, fluid, but never obtrusive camerawork, and compelling characters. Ironically enough, Lee is only on the screen a total of seven minutes in HORROR OF DRACULA yet his frightening presence is felt through the film. It would be seven more years before Lee would reprise the role for DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, but his screen time in the series for Hammer never got any longer. Playing the role of Count Dracula for the second time, Christopher Lee was superbly menacing even though he does not utter a single word. The resurrection sequence in DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, in which Dracula’s creepy manservant slashes one of the guests at Dracula’s castle and uses his blood to revive the long-dead Count still retains its shock value. DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE (1968) saw Oscar winning cinematographer Freddie Francis taking over the directorial reins from Terence Fisher and put an unusually strong emphasis on religion. Christopher Lee delivered another memorable performance as the man in the red-lined black cape. In TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970), the Count is revived by a Devil worshiper and three middle-aged men making a thrill-seeking pact. Chris Lee’s screen time is again brief, and he’s not given much to do except be the orchestrator for revenge as he makes the children of the businessmen kill their parents for him. SCARS OF DRACULA (1970) focused more on the actions of Dracula himself and affords Christopher Lee more screen time than in any other Hammer Dracula film. It was filmed on a lower budget, and while this shows, it does not prevent this from being one of the most memorable and unfairly derided of the long-running vampire series. DRACULA, A.D. 1972 (1972) found the Count in (then) modern day. Hippy kids “out for kicks” dabble in the Black Mass summon the great Count back to swinging London. The swinging ‘70s scene was dated when the film was released but its aged well and marked the return of Peter Cushing to the series. SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA (1973), the final installment of the Hammer Dracula saga, is different because it uses Lee’s scant appearances to its advantage, keeping Dracula aloof and mysterious, concerning itself with the disease of vampirism, which is compared to a plague. Because of its science fiction overtones, SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA felt more like an installment of The Avengers than a typical Hammer film. Lee played Dracula several times outside of Hammer studios. In COUNT DRACULA (1970) Lee looked just like the description of the Count in Bram Stoker’s novel and even he considered it his most accurate performance as the Count. He’s given more of a human side that is missing in the Hammer films, and delivers a good deal of dialog. COUNT DRACULA benefited from superior atmosphere and direction by Spanish cult figure Jess Franco and a deranged Klaus Kinski as the insane Renfield! Lee cameoed as the Count in the Peter Sellers comedy THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (1969) and the Jerry Lewis directed ONE MORE TIME (1970) starring Sammy Davis Jr. Lee played Dracula for the last time in DRACULA AND SON (1976) a comedic take on the legend shot in France and Yugoslavia in French which ended up having Lee’s distinctive voice dubbed by another actor for the English-language dub. Christopher Lee has played many roles in his career but it will Dracula for which he will always be best remembered.
Much of this article was originally posted in 2008
(L to R) Bill Koenig (Daren Kagasoff), Carol Mohring (Nick Hargrove), Marty Goode (Joe Jonas), Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors), Bo Lavery (Spencer Neville), Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) and Dick Cevoli (Thomas Sadoski) in Columbia Pictures’ DEVOTION.
Devotion, an aerial war epic based on the bestselling book by Adam Makos of the same name, tells the harrowing true story of two elite US Navy fighter pilots during the Korean War. Their heroic sacrifices would ultimately make them the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen.
Starring Jonathan Majors, Joe Jonas And Glen Powell, watch the trailer now.
Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) and Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) in Columbia Pictures’ DEVOTION.Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) in Columbia Pictures’ DEVOTION.
“I Ain’t Worried” by GRAMMY® nominated band OneRepublic followed. Produced by Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, Simon Oscroft and Tyler Spry, OneRepublic will perform “I Ain’t Worried” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:35/10:35c), tonight May 27th.
With a combination of classics from the original film, new music, and score, the album reflects Top Gun’s past, present, and future all at once. It boasts instantly recognizable cuts such as the theme song “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins, while Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller recorded a show-stopping live rendition of “Great Balls of Fire” showcased in the film and included on the record.
Plus, it features original score tracks by the movie’s composers—Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer and Academy® Award winner Lady Gaga and multiple Academy® Award winner Hans Zimmer.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer added, “This album continues the musical legacy that the original Top Gun ignited back in 1986. We are so thrilled to have Lady Gaga and OneRepublic lend their artistry towards putting a modern spin on the already iconic and beloved soundtrack.”
Making waves already, “Hold My Hand” was written for the motion picture and is featured throughout the film. The motion picture version of “Hold My Hand” features additional production and score by Lorne Balfe and Academy Award-winner Hans Zimmer. It also marks Gaga’s return to writing and producing original music for film, after the success of 2018’s A Star is Born soundtrack that earned Gaga an Academy Award, four GRAMMYs®, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and Critics’ Choice Award.
Paramount Pictures’ Top Gun: Maverick visits Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) after more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators. Maverick is where he belongs –pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.” Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
On Thursday at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, Lucasfilm showcased upcoming and new content, and had several surprises in store for the attendees, including exciting first looks at new Disney+ series “Andor” and “Willow,” an unexpected sneak peek at the third season of “The Mandalorian,” the announcement of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” a new series exclusively for Disney+, starring Jude Law, an early photo from the newest “Indiana Jones” film, and much more.
Star Harrison Ford and filmmakers James Mangold, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall of the upcoming fifth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise were on hand to wish five-time Academy Award-winning composer John Williams a happy 90th birthday today at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: Harrison Ford of the upcoming fifth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise honors composer John Williams on his 90th birthday at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
“John, that music follows me everywhere I go… and I’m happy about it.” – Harrison Ford #StarWarsCelebration
They delighted the enthusiastic fans with an early photo from the film which opens in theaters on June 30, 2023. As on all four previous “Indiana Jones” films, Williams is composing the score for the new film.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: (L-R) Harrison Ford and James Mangold attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration for the fifth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: (L-R) Frank Marshall, Harrison Ford and Ron Howard attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Harrison Ford returns to the role of the legendary hero archaeologist for this fifth installment of the iconic franchise. Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Mads Mikkelsen (“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Shaunette Renee Wilson (“Black Panther”), Thomas Kretschmann (“Das Boot”) and Toby Jones (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”). Directed by James Mangold (“Ford v Ferrari,”), Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel serve as producers, with Steven Spielberg as executive producer.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: John Williams performs at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: John Williams performs at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
After a dramatic entry to the tune of “Duel of the Fates,” stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen were joined by executive producer Kathleen Kennedy, director Deborah Chow and cast members Moses Ingram and Rupert Friend. Following a lively discussion about the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series, there was a surprise announcement that there would be a red-carpet premiere of the first two episodes later tonight… and the whole audience was invited.
To the delight of the audience, at the end of Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase, the iconic composer John Williams led the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in the Obi-Wan Theme—played live for the first time ever.
“Obi-Wan Kenobi” begins 10 years after the dramatic events of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.
“Obi-Wan Kenobi” stars Ewan McGregor, reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master, and also marks the return of Hayden Christensen in the role of Darth Vader. Joining the cast are Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie. “Obi-Wan Kenobi” is directed by Deborah Chow and executive-produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Deborah Chow, Ewan McGregor and Joby Harold.
“Obi-Wan Kenobi” begins streaming exclusively on Disney+ tomorrow, May 27.
On hand to talk about “Andor,” an upcoming new series for Disney+, were star Diego Luna, who returns to the role of Cassian Andor, creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy, executive producer Sanne Wohlenberg and Genevieve O’Reilly who portrays Mon Mothma once again. To the delight of the fans, Luna unveiled the new poster and showed the teaser trailer for the series.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: (L-R) Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, Genevieve O’Reilly, Sanne Wohlenberg, Tony Gilroy, Diego Luna and Yvette Nicole Brown attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration for “Andor” in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. The new original series from Lucasfilm launches exclusively on Disney+ August 31. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
The “Andor” series will explore an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue. Cassian Andor embarks on a path that will turn him into the rebel hero who will challenge the evil Galactic Empire.
Diego Luna returns as Cassian Andor and is joined by cast members Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough and Kyle Soller. The executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Sanne Wohlenberg, Diego Luna and Michelle Rejwan. Tony Gilroy is the creator and showrunner.
“Andor” launches exclusively on Disney+ August 31, with the first two episodes.
Executive producers Jonathan Kasdan and Ron Howard came on stage to talk about “Willow,” an all-new live-action fantasy adventure series from Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment based on the classic 1988 feature film. In a fun moment, Warwick Davis who played Willow in the feature film and is coming back for the series, surprised everyone on stage. He was joined by some of the other cast members, including Joanne Whalley, who is returning to her role of Sorsha, Ellie Bamber, Ruby Cruz and Erin Kellyman. The audience got a first look at “Willow” when the teaser trailer was revealed.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: (L-R) Ron Howard, Jon Kasdan, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis and Yvette Nicole Brown attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration for “Willow” in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. An all-new action-adventure fantasy series based on the classic 1988 film. “Willow” will premiere November 30, 2002, exclusively on Disney+. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
An epic period fantasy series with a modern sensibility set in an enchanted land of breathtaking beauty “Willow” features a diverse international cast with Jonathan Kasdan, Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan serving as executive producers. The story began with an aspiring magician from a Nelwyn village and an infant girl destined to unite the realms, who together helped destroy an evil queen and banish the forces of darkness. Now, in a magical world where brownies, sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, the adventure continues, as an unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.
“Willow” premieres November 30, exclusively on Disney+.
Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni took the stage to roars from the excited crowd. They announced that they had just come from the set of “Ahsoka,” which is in production now. Filoni confirmed that he is directing some episodes of the series, and then they shared a video greeting from Rosario Dawson, who is playing the title character, Ahsoka.
“Ahsoka” will follow the former Jedi knight as she investigates an emerging threat to the vulnerable New Republic. The new series is slated for 2023 and will be excusive to Disney+.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement from Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, the duo surprised the audience with the announcement of a new series for Disney+ that they are executive producing called “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.”
Favreau and Filoni went on to introduce creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, who are joining them as fellow executive producers on the series. “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” set in the New Republic era, is about a group of kids lost in the Star Wars galaxy trying to find their way home.
Watts and Ford had the pleasure of announcing that Jude Law would be starring in the series, set to launch on Disney+ in 2023.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Star Wars; Lucasfilm Ltd; Disney+; Season 1; title treatment; logo;
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, an Original series starring Jude Law, from executive producers Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, is streaming in 2023 only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/cEP3uXO4Aw
A lively discussion about Season 3 of “The Mandalorian” ensued, then Favreau and Filoni brought out Katee Sackhoff, who plays Bo-Katan, and treated fans to a surprise sneak peek at Season 3 – created just for the fans in attendance. And as an extra special “thank you” for the fans, Jon Favreau announced The Mandalorian Experience, an exhibit of props and costumes that will be on display for the duration of Star Wars Celebration.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: Katee Sackhoff attends the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
The Mandalorian and Grogu are reunited and continue their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire. Season 3 of “The Mandalorian” is set to launch exclusively on Disney+ in February 2023, and is executive produced by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: (L-R) Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
During Star Wars Celebration, Favreau said, “I was just happy to make Star Wars and its started out as a small project, Disney Plus hadn’t even started yet and now Baby Yoda is everywhere. People really connected with the story, especially when we were all locked in our homes.”
Filoni said of the surprises in the previous season, “we came up with code names and didn’t tell anyone on set what was going on. Rosario didn’t even know she was on-set with Luke. We didn’t even have Skywalker drawn into the concept art and we would cut something else in during the dailies.”
From the triumphant return of legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett to the live-action debut of fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano, the second season of “The Mandalorian” was a fun, surprising, emotional thrill-ride which kept fans excited to see how each new weekly chapter unfolded. Disney+ brought viewers behind the scenes of the groundbreaking season in the hour-long “Making of Season Two” special.
In the installment of “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian,” filmmakers and cast provided unprecedented access to the storytelling decisions and innovations that went into the second season of the Emmy Award-winning series.
Featuring immersive on-set footage that places viewers right in the middle of the filmmaking process, and rare insights from the cast and crew, the documentary explored the production of all 8 episodes in season two – from early concept art through the groundbreaking technology introduced in the series.
This holiday weekend’s big (and I mean big) release could set some records at the box office, while already setting one big milestone. It’s a sequel (not a reboot as many websites say) that has had the longest “gestating” time between its original flick. While most “franchise tentpoles” have usually two or three years between entries, here we have a whopping 36 years since the same actor, playing the same character, took to the skies. I’d venture to say that most of this weekend’s audiences weren’t alive when the first one was blasting through the multiplexes (often in malls back in the day). Oh, and that’s not counting its many pandemic delays and rescheduled openings in the last two years. Yes, 80s film fans have had a long wait to return to the “danger zone” in TOP GUN: MAVERICK. So buckle in…
Oh, this flick does begin with that familiar pop tune as the paramount mountain (and a military prologue “card”) fades away to reveal…Navy flier Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) enjoying some breakfast in an airplane hangar (I’m guessing this is his home). Soon he’s on the road to a nearby testing station. But there’s a “hitch” in his plans. His old pal “Hondo” (Bashir Salahuddin) tells him that one of the Navy “bigwigs” is on his way to shut down the tests on the new fighter jet. Well, he can’t ground him if he’s up in the clouds, so Maverick hurriedly prepares for the big test flight. And that “big gun”, Radm Cain (Ed Harris) arrives at the gate just as the jet leaves the runway. Of course, Pete pushes the craft too hard and is brought into Cain’s office, for at least a dressing down or perhaps he’ll get “the boot”. But to nearly everyone’s surprise, Cain informs Pete that an old friend “in high places” has ordered that he return to his old San Diego training center to instruct a group of new fighters prepping for a dangerous mission. When Pete arrives he is greeted by his hard-nosed superior Adm ‘Cyclone’ Simpson (Jon Hamm) who outlines the big mission (destroying the new Uranium processing plant of a “rogue nation”) and pretty much rattles off the “riot act”. Later Pete heads off to a familiar nearby “watering hole” and is surprised to see that it’s now run by an old “flame”, Penny (Jennifer Connelly). He also observes the fliers he will train including one that he’s got a big connection with, Lt. “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller) whose father Goose was Pete’s best pal prior to his death in a mission together. Can the two put their past aside in order to complete “the job” as the deadline rapidly approaches? And can Pete pass along his skills to insure their safe return?
Cruise slips back into the role that catapulted him into big screen superstardom as though he’s slipping on a (slightly worn) bomber jacket (and a pair of sharp Aviators). Though he’s been defying gravity (and time) for the last couple of decades in the MI series, he hasn’t really connected in most other efforts, leaving his fans to dream of him soaring into the stratosphere once more. Well, wishes are now granted as he brings the same stern intensity paired with an affable charm, but now with a touch of patriarchal pride as he takes these jet-crazy kids under his still-muscular wings. But we see the regret etched into his face, as this ‘ace’ ponders the “flight path not taken”. Connelly’s Penny is part of that, as she fights that ole’ attraction while trying to assert her independence, even while hiding the rekindled “flame” from her wise-beyond-her-years teen daughter. What a pleasure to see Connelly’s intelligence, and dazzling smile almost as bright as Tom’s) back on the big screen. The other part of Pete’s not-so-golden past is represented by Teller as Rooster, who struggles to put aside his anger with Maverick while striving to be his own man and fly out of his pop’s long impressive shadow. Teller conveys Rooster’s sadness and his furious anger over Pete’s attempt to “protect him”. Hamm is a terrific sparring partner for Cruise as the CO that will try and tame “the Maverick” ( and we suspect how that’ll go). The splaying the young pilots are quite endearing especially Monica Barbaro as the main female flyer, the “Phoenix”, her skilled by somewhat “dweeby” partner “Bob” (“Just Bob”) played by Lewis Pullman (Bill’s son) and the charming bad boy “Hangman” given a rascally smirk by Glen Powell (and full of surprises). Speaking of, the most pleasant one (and I’m not spoiling things) is the return of Val Kilmer as ‘Iceman’, Pete’s rival from the first flick, who’s now a retired admiral. The brief reunion of the two is the real heart of this story (which may inspire an allergy outbreak of sniffles through the theatre).
Taking over the directing reigns from the late Tony Scott is Joseph Kosinski (TRON: LEGACY), who finds the perfect balance between character interactions and edge-of-your-seat action sequences. It’s been reported that all the actors actually went up in the jets, with several actually working the controls, making for some breathtaking backdrops (no “green screen” or CGI, apart from some missiles), and letting us experience the grueling “G-force’ effects on the cast’s faces (we can really see them start to blackout). So, if you get the chance to watch this in Imax, well, go for it! And the story benefits from the sweet, yet mature courtship of Penny and Pete (there’s a hint of a spark between Phoenix and Rooster, too). And there’s a bit of “fan service” as one scene echoes the big “beefcake” beach sports from the original. Now some of it is more than a bit far-fetched as the big “mission” almost plays like a rehash of the “Death Star” trench run in another big movie series. Credulity is pushed further to the edge when the “dogfights” are grounded in the big climax. Plus the producers go out of their way to never identify the enemy as the pilots from the “rogue nation” are completely covered in black (naturally) when seen in their respective cockpits (which happen to have English labels). Oh, but why nitpick. This is that very rare sequel that easily surpassed the original (I barely made it through in one viewing in 86′), earning its advance “rep’ as a popcorn-fueled entertainment machine. As the song from the first flick crooned (wished they had a spot for it this time), TOP GUN: MAVERICK will “Take Your Breath Away”. Multiplex-mission accomplished!
3.5 out of 4
TOP GUN: MAVERICK is now playing in theatres everywhere
With Memorial Day looming, many moviegoers may not “feel the need, the need for speed” (though most will, I’d bet), Perhaps instead, they’ve got a “hunger, a hunger for…”well, I got nuthin”. Wait a minute, a nice grilled hamburger usually will stifle those cravings. Although, will they want to sink their teeth into an animated one? Much as the studios did with “The Simpsons”, “South Park”, and “Beavis and Butthead”, they’re raiding the tube for a brand new animated feature film. Now, this cartoon hasn’t been around nearly as long as the first one mentioned, but it’s been a staple of the Fox Network’s “Sunday Night Animation Domination” for the last eleven years. And now we’ll see if its many fans have a big box-office appetite for THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE. Order up…
Oddly, the story doesn’t really begin with the beloved Belcher family at the diner. Instead, we’re flashing back six years to a “dark and stormy” night at the scene of a crime, the boardwalk at the “Wonder Wharf” amusement park overlooking the ocean. Then we spring ahead to now (actually close to the upcoming three-day holiday). A lot is happening in and above the diner down the street from the big “WW” (you see there’s a family apartment space upstairs from the grill). The Bob behind Bob’s Burgers (voice of H. Jon Benjamin) is furiously whipping up a special breakfast burger to impress the loan officer at the nearby bank. He and his wife Linda (John Roberts) want to get an extension on the place’s business loan. Meanwhile, their three kids are hyped about their upcoming summer break from school. Tina (Dan Mintz) wants to start a summer romance with that special guy, Genne (Eugine Merman) wants to perform with his band on the Wharf’s outdoor stage, and Louise (Kristen Schaal) wants to impress the “mean girls’ with her maturity (“I’m no baby!”). The banker isn’t awed with Bob’s masterpiece meal, and tells him that the loan will “come due” within the next week. Bob is worried, but Linda reminds him of the big crowds streaming into Wonder Wharf over the weekend. Great, except…a water main breaks in front of their diner, leaving a huge sinkhole at its entrance. Oh, and the big hole reveals the result of that six-year-old crime. The kids decide to solve that crime, while the adults try to put their diner on wheels to get some of the Wharf’s crowds. Will their combined efforts somehow save the family business, or has Bob flipped his last meat patty?
And now dear reader, a confession (you can just the ‘size’ of it): I have never watched an episode of the “Bob’s Burgers” TV show. Zip. Nada. Not a one. Yes, I’ve watched “The Simpsons” since they were leading viewers out of and into commercial breaks on “The Tracy Ulman Show”. And I was a faithful fan of the much-missed “King of the Hill” and “Futurama”. But this Fox show just didn’t grab my interest. Perhaps it’s because of my problems with the character designs. I quickly got used to the “bug-eyed” (as Jennifer Tilly called them) creatures that populated Springfield, USA. The Belchers and their pals might be best described as “fish-eyed” with tiny orbs stuck on the sides of their cantaloupe-shaped heads. Although, I have great respect for many of the voice actors, H. Jon Benjamin mainly for the bungling lead of “Archer” on FX. And on a side note, I was puzzled as to the reason Kevin Kline lent his voice to the stuffy landlord of the Belchers. But I’ve digressed from a big point mentioned earlier. I don’t think a moviegoer should have to do “homework” prior to seeing a new film based on another “media source”. You shouldn’t need to read the novels or comics, see the stage play, or even see the previous film in a franchise to enjoy a new film. I adored the “South Park” feature without having seen a whole episode. And I was mildly entertained by the films based on “Downton Abbey” and “The X-Files”. I can’t say the same for this, as it is strictly for fans. I couldn’t get into the rapid-fire rhythm of the dialogue, plus the many female characters voiced by men were distracting. The animation “acting” was serviceable, as were the backgrounds’, but a CG-boosted last act chase seemed monotonous and a weak attempt to inject some movie-style action into a very ‘talky” tale. There are two or three musical numbers, but the tunes don’t resonate and the “in-unison” dance moves would’ve helped a stage version close quickly (I’m sure someone is planning a big splashy Broadway version). So, if you love the show, you’ll no doubt be floating above your seat, and I’m happy that your devotion is being rewarded. The rest of us will be tempted to check the time (don’t do it, ugh) as we wonder what the fuss is all about. So like most eateries, THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE is not for everyone’s tastes (my t-buds weren’t ready for it’s…seasonings). Check, please!
1.5 Out of 4
THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE is now playing in theatres everywhere
