In this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants – and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs – Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world’s greatest sorcerer.
It’s up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus – or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue?
THE SMURFS 2 will be released in theaters nationwide on July 31, 2013.
Enter for your chance to attend the screening of THE SMURFS 2. And this isn’t just any screening…
This is for the special Blue Carpet Premiere on Sunday, July 28th at 1PM.
Families will receive 4 tickets and will be welcomed to participate in activities at the screening – a coloring page station & fake tattoo station will be available. The activities start at 12 Noon!
Answer the following questions:
What are the names of the white caps that the Smurfs wear?
What cartoonist created the original Smurfs comic series?
What date did the first Smurf appear in the Belgian comic series?
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. ENTER YOUR NAME AND ANSWER IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. WE WILL CONTACT YOU WITH FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU ARE A WINNER.
3. YOU MUST SUBMIT THE CORRECT ANSWER TO OUR TRIVIA QUESTION ABOVE TO WIN.
THE SMURFS 2 is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for Some Rude Humor and Action.
In 2010, RED successfully mixed a mostly unknown director, a modest budget, and a cast of actors who were—how to put this delicately—all “of a certain age,” to become a surprise hit (over $200 million worldwide). Well, the entire RED ( “Retired, Extremely Dangerous”) gang of Frank, Sarah, Victoria, Ivan, and Marvin are back with more fun amid the action and blazing gun battles.
Beginning some time after the first film, Frank (Bruce Willis) is eagerly planning all the home improvement projects he can work on now that he’s safe with Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker). Let loose in a hardware store, Frank is like a kid in a candy shop; unfortunately, his enthusiasm is not shared by Sarah, who loves Frank but wistfully wishes for more of the thrilling man of adventure she met in the first film. Enter Marvin, with his usual paranoid fears of being watched and targeted, and the story is off and running. RED 2 is essentially a replay of the first film (at least for its first half), with our heroes narrowly escaping a garden variety of assassins. However, RED 2 ups the action with global locales (including London, Paris, and Moscow) and several nice action set pieces. New director Dean Parisot (GALAXY QUEST) keeps the excitement and humor of the first film intact, as the team reunites with Victoria (Helen Mirren) and Russian agent Ivan (Brian Cox) to basically save the world. And a few new faces turn up to add to the amusement: Catherine Zeta-Jones is a Russian spy and ex-flame of Frank’s, which leads to some of the movie’s funniest moments, as Sarah tries to cope with the situation. Korean action star Byung Hun Lee (most familiar to American audiences in the G.I. JOE films) adds a revenge subplot along with several innovative fight sequences that recall a young Jackie Chan. And Sir Anthony Hopkins is on hand as an imprisoned cold war weapons expert. The story moves along crisply, with car chases, unarmed combat, and automatic weapons fire aplenty. And how many films can boast sequences with breakins of both the Kremlin and CIA Headquarters at Langley?
Willis is fine as the man of few words but strong emotions, as Frank’s first impulse is to protect those he cares about. Mirren and Cox continue to have lovely chemistry and are responsible for perhaps the film’s biggest laugh as they playfully flirt during a stakeout. And while Mirren, who practically stole the first film, seems to have less screen time here (though she’s hilarious in the Kremlin scene), the good news is that Parker steps up and takes a more active role in the goings on, with her brand of intelligent but goofy charm. Sarah has definitely tired of being a suburbanite and wants to live the life of danger and romance that she found herself thrust into in the first film. Malkovich’s Marvin seems to have the most realistic assessment of Sarah’s personality, and while Malkovich’s performance seems at times to be little more than mugging for the camera, a young actor just starting out could do worse than study the expressions that cross Marvin’s face in this movie.
While the film as a whole is a worthy and entertaining followup, it does miss the heart of the first movie’s Morgan Freeman character, especially in continuing its themes of the necessity and even superiority of old ways vs. the new guard. Like the first film, RED 2 veers back and forth between comedy and sentimentality, but without the soul of a Freeman character at its center, the more serious scenes seem a bit out of place. For a while, it seemed that the Hopkins role might fill that void, however (for reasons explained in the film) this never materializes. Also, the relationship between Frank and Lee’s character is resolved too quickly and easily after the buildup it receives. And the movie is begging for a showdown between Frank and the lead assassin on their trail (played by Neal McDonough, channeling his JUSTIFIED mob enforcer here), but this ends as the punchline of a mean joke.
But, these small nitpicks aside, if you enjoyed the first RED, then you won’t be disappointed in this funny and crowd-pleasing sequel.
MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is based on South African President Nelson Mandela’s autobiography of the same name, which chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country’s once segregated society.
Idris Elba (PROMETHEUS) stars as Nelson Mandela, Naomie Harris (SKYFALL) stars as Winnie Mandela, with Justin Chadwick (THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL) directing.
The Weinstein Company will release the film in theaters November 29th. Expect to see Elba’s and Harris’ names when the nominations are announced for the Golden Globes – and I suspect the Oscars.
Before they reached the peak of their notoriety with their investigation into the Amityville Horror, world renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren tackled a house full of spooks in Harrisville, Rhode Island. SAW (the first one) and INSIDIOUS director James Wan plays the haunted house game once again to tell this story with the New Line Cinema production THE CONJURING. The ghost hunting couple (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) was called to help Carolyn and Roger Perron (Lily Taylor and Ron Livingston) and their brood of five daughters who were being terrorized by a dark presence in their secluded farmhouse in 1971. Forced to confront a powerful and increasingly dangerous demonic entity, the Warrens found themselves caught up in what they called the most horrifying case of their lives.
Unlike most modern horror movies, THE CONJURING relies more on mood and suspense than effects or gore (I have no idea why it’s rated R – no one even smokes!). Much of the plot turns in THE CONJURING are straight out of the “how to make a haunted house film” manual, especially the subsection dealing with demonic possession. We get sleepwalking children, cold drafts, odd smells (“like rotting meat!” – that can’t be good!), the family dog who won’t go inside, unexplained bruises that appear on the Carolyn’s body – even the creepiest of creepy dolls. I don’t think there’s one original concept in THE CONJURING but it works just the same. Wan has come up with a marvelously spooky ghost story that may possibly scare the wits out women and children and offend those parents who believe that kids should be protected from their own, sometimes savage imaginations. It’s a simple exercise in scares that gets under your skin. It’s also a meticulous re-creation of the early ‘70’s, an era that Hollywood almost always gets wrong.
Wan shows a real mastery of pacing and tension with THE CONJURING. There are several scenes involving a mirror placed in a music box. You know something’s going to pop up in that mirror that shouldn’t be there. You’ve seen it before, but Wan makes it work each time. The film isn’t edited for the MTV generation – no quick-cut madness here! It’s all about a steady use of creepy production design, and effective use of sound and darkness. It’s how a horror flick should be shot! Lily Taylor is outstanding as Carolyn, particularly in the second half of the film when the demons begins to exact their physical toll. Wilson (reteaming with his INSIDIOUS director) lends an authoritative presence as Ed while Farmiga is terrific as Lorraine, the one with the real psychic abilities who sees the dangers before anyone. THE CONJURING is like a thoroughly enjoyable nightmare, one that you know that you can always wake up from, and one in which, at the end, no one has permanently been damaged. It’s good scary fun.
Well, there’s a bit more to the title than that. According to the opening animation sequence this is called CRYSTAL FAIRY & THE MAGIC CACTUS & 2012, whew! Pretty complicated for what is really a fairly simple story. It’s a road trip picture with an American really out of his depth. Oh, and he’s on a quest as was Martin Sheen in THE WAY. But in this flick Michael Cera is not seeking spiritual enlightenment. Nor does he want to visit any famous sites or landmarks. He’s taking this trip so that, well, he can trip out. He’s got it all plotted out, but it looks like the title character is just gonna’ mess up everything.
As the film opens, we’re in modern-day Chile. American Jaimie (Cera) is meeting up with his Chilean pal, Champa (Juan Andres Silva) at a loud party where the drugs and booze are flowing. Early the next morning, the two, along with Champa’s brothers Lel and Pilo (played by Juan’s real-life brothers Jose Miguel and Agustin Silva) will pile into a van and drive off to San Pedro. There they’ll obtain a local cactus, that when boiled becomes a powerful hallucinogen. The plan is to drive to a nearby beach, cook the plant, drink its broth, and trip out under the stars while lying on the sand. Jaimie spies an earthy hippie chick doing an odd dance to the party tunes and decides to rescue her from possible embarrassment. Turns out that she’s an American too, and she goes by the name of Crystal Fairy (Gaby Hoffman). He invites her on the road trip and gives her his cell number. Early the next morning, a very hungover Jaimie is surprised when Crystal calls him and wants to be picked up along the way. Much to the chagrin of his brothers and Jaimie, Champa insists they honor the invitation. Will she complicate their excursion and chemical experimentation?
After his hysterical cameo role in this Summer’s THIS IS THE END, Cera continues to dismantle his nice, nerdy shy guy image from previous films SUPERBAD and JUNO (and of course the TV cult hit “Arrested Development”). Jamie is the ultimate “ugly American” abroad. He’s over-indulgent, ignorant, pushy, and intolerant of the natives and their customs. If he does have a problem with someone then he’s sure that a bit of dinero will solve anything. His single-minded pursuit of a cactus is crazy obsession at its most dogged. Plus he has no patience for the free-spirited Crystal. No, he doesn’t want her magic rocks dropped into his beer glass! Hoffman makes Crystal more than a spacey stereotype with an open attitude about her feelings (and body). Her mystical mumbo-jumbo masks a damaged soul. At times the young men want to protect her while she often exerts a motherly influence over them. The Silva brothers are natural actors who have a great rapport with the American stars.
Perhaps this is from the guidance of the film’s director, brother Sebastian Silva. The film may be too leisurely paced with the travelers make many, many stops along the way to the beach. Silva doesn’t resort to many typical camera tricks for the drug trip, although there is liberal use of slow motion and audio distortion. The choice of music, including a 60’s film theme from Henry Mancini, doesn’t always work. It’s a lovely travelogue of Chile, but its lack of dramatic momentum may have viewers checking the time. If you’re a Cera fan, then CRYSTAL FAIRY may be a journey worth taking, but it’s doubtful that many movie goers would ever want to make a return trip.
2 Out of 5
CRYSTAL FAIRY screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre
Actress Britt Robertson (Under the Dome, Delivery Man) has been cast in a lead role in Disney’s TOMORROWLAND.
In the film, a high school girl with an unconventional understanding of technology is launched on a journey to reclaim her future.
The film, in theaters December 12, 2014, is being directed by Brad Bird, produced by Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, and written by Damon Lindelof, Brad Bird and Jeff Jenson.
Robertson joins a cast that already includes George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy and Thomas Robinson.
Here’s a new film that offers another take on the tension-filled grown daughter/mother dynamic that’s been explored in films like TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and ONE TRUE THING. Often the adult daughter is treated like a child by the up-tight stern mother, while in other films the daughter is exasperated by the immature-behaving mother, as seen recently in PEACE, LOVE, AND MISUNDERSTANDING. This new flick, GIRL MOST LIKELY, has a bit of both, leaning toward comedy since said girl is the star of 2011’s Summer smash BRIDESMAIDS, SNL vet Kristen Wiig. Happily this film gives us an opportunity to also relish the comedy stylings of one of our best dramatic actresses, Annette Benning, as the wacky, flighty momma. And the flick is variation of the rags to riches then back to rags tale. But the main focus is the homestead, and as the old jokes says, “You can’t pick your family!”.
Life in the Big Apple is wonderful for Imogene (Wiig). She writes for a major magazine and shares a lush apartment with her successful dream man Peter. They spend their evenings flitting from one big social event to the next. And Peter’s going to pop the question any minute. It’s a world away from her New Jersey roots. Then everything goes right down the tubes. On the cab ride home from one of those big parties, Peter tells her that he’s moving out. They’re done. The big break-up sends Imogene into a tailspin of despair. After being fired from her job, she stages a desperate scene that she hopes will cause Peter to come running back to her. Instead she ends up in the custody of her estranged mother Zelda (Benning) who drives her back to her childhood home just outside Atlantic City. Imogene loves seeing her socially awkward, crab-loving inventor brother Ralph (Christopher Fitzgerald), but is leery of the guy her widowed mother has shacked-up with, “the Bousche” (Matt Dillon) who claims to be a secret agent. And worst of all Mom has rented out her old bedroom to a casino entertainer, Lee (Darren Criss). Happily some news about her deceased father sparks a ray of hope about returning to NYC and getting her old life back. Can Imogene escape this house of misfits and head back to the posh Park Avenue set?
The fact that we’re rooting for Imogene is a testament to the likeability and acting skills (both comedic and dramatic) of Ms.Wiig. This displaced snob can veer into shallow and bitter territory, but Wiig gives us a woman who had to have the rug pulled out from under her in order to get back in touch with her compassionate side. This comes into play during her many scenes with Fitzgerald as the shy, man-child whose determination and drive often over ride his common sense. You understand why his big sister will protect him at all costs (even getting a glitter treatment to scope out the gal who’s captured his heart) and do all she can to literally pull him out of his shell.. Wiig is an even greater comic teaming with Benning. Her Zelda is a flamboyant “cougar”-type who is enjoying the sensual passions of her latter days. She too can be frustrating, but will do anything for the kids even when they don’t appreciate her. Besides those siblings, she really lives for the casinos and her little “Boussche”. Dillon’s very funny in dishing out wisdom to Wiig as his eyes dash about while he mind whips up another outrageous story from his past. Criss show us that he’ll have a nice cinematic career past his “Glee” TV days as he stands up to Wiig and eventually charms her (helped by his sweet moves on stage in a boy band tribute). Kudos also to June Diane Raphael as one of Imogene’s self-absorbed big city ex-pals and to the always entertaining Bob Balaban as a mysterious man from the past.
Unfortunately despite the best efforts of this talented cast, the story never really springs to life. True, there are several great gags in Michelle Morgan’s screenplay, but the story seems to wander from one set piece to the next. Some scenes just seem to drift away while others kind of fizzle or land flatly. Directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini made one of the greatest comic book-based films ever with AMERICAN SPLENDOR, but can’t find the right tone between slapstick comedy and heart-rendering tragedy. They must revert to a booze-fueled montage in order to jump-start the film’s romance (THE HEAT was able to make this cliché work). There are a couple of surprises in the conclusion of the paternal quest. And a big suspenseful stand-off in the last act attempts to jolt the audience back to life, although this doesn’t distract us from an all too tidy, wrapped-up-with-a-bow final moments. This is a lightly amusing family reconciliation story that just can’t seem to find its rhythm. If we’re lucky Wiig and Benning will team up again for something much better in the very near future.
A SENTINEL MARK 1 ANNIVERSARY DISPLAY has made it’s way to Comic-Con, just outside of the Hard Rock Hotel. Bolivar Trask’s crowning achievement will remain outside for visitors to enjoy.
Make sure you tag your SENTINEL MARK 1 photos #DOFP and #XMEN
A flyer was also released which reads:
“For 50 years, we have been advancing the cause of humanity. Help us celebrate five decades of safety and security by visiting Trask-Industries.com for a special reveal.”
In Gabriella Cowperthwaite’s stunning documentary, BLACKFISH, we get a glimpse into the devastatingly sad life of Tilikum, a killer whale that has spent the majority of his life in captivity at Sea World in Orlando, Florida, where tragically, he was responsible for the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that before Dawn, at another sea park, Tilikum was responsible for the deaths of two other people – unbeknownst to the trainers that were in the pool with Tilikum on a daily basis in Orlando. BLACKFISH sets out not only to uncover why this happened in the first place, but also to shine a long overdue light on the injustice of keeping killer whales, or Orcas, in captivity.
Told mostly by interviews with former Sea World trainers and employees, and experts in the field of ocean mammal biology, the story starts back in the early 1970’s when Tilikum was captured in the open ocean as a baby and taken away from his mother. There is actual heart-wrenching footage (bring a tissue) of the capture of Tilikum and other babies who have been rounded up and separated from the adults in their pod. In one particularly difficult moment, one if the boat captains that Cowperthwaite actually tracked down and interviewed becomes emotional saying, “it was the worst thing I’ve ever done.”
This early psychological trauma is what Cowperthwaite and her experts hammer home as the main reason these animals are not meant to be in captivity. Science has proven that orcas are highly intelligent and emotional animals that feel loss and pain and anguish. Sea World has made a fortune promoting their breeding program with flashy commercials encouraging people to come meet “Baby Shamu” every time another killer whale is born at the park. What the public doesn’t see is the mother mourning and calling out in distress when the baby is eventually taken away to start training and many times transferred to another Sea World park, thus creating another psychologically damaged animal and perpetuating the cycle.
After being captured, Tilikum and other whales like him were destined for a life of misery in tanks that were too small and isolated, starting with cruel conditions at a foreign sea park where he would be confined in a dark tank that he couldn’t move around in, sometimes for 12-14 hours at a time. Once he was purchased by Sea World and moved to Orlando, life only got slightly better. The trainers genuinely cared about him and showed him affection, and of course he responded positively. But this would never erase the fact that killer whales are supposed to live in the ocean, staying with their mothers and family their whole lives. And by this time, the damage had been done. The former Sea World trainers that are interviewed provide perhaps the most undeniable honest testimony. It is the first time that the formerly impenetrable Sea World lie has been exposed. They state the facts that have long been dismissed by Sea World PR as rumors and exaggerations.
Year after year, tourists stream into Sea World to see the Shamu Show, convinced by slick marketing and plush toys that “Shamu” loves performing for the crowd and could not be happier in his fun home. This could not be further from the truth. Because most of the whales in the three Sea World parks (San Diego, Orlando and San Antonio) are only barely related (some not at all) they have no familial bonds. There is fighting and bullying that goes on, and BLACKFISH includes astonishing footage of injured whales bleeding in the pool in plain view of the packed stadium in which they perform.
What BLACKFISH urgently demonstrates is that this is not an issue that we, as a society, are looking back on as past mistakes and learning from. Sea World “The Corporation” has no interest in ending their killer whale shows because it brings in too much money. I don’t know anyone who would see this film and not wonder why this is still allowed to go on.
Sea World was contacted and asked to be a part of this film but they declined and now they are in serious damage control mode, going as far contacting media outlets, in a too-little-too-late attempt to discredit the film, Cowperthwaite and her experts. Fortunately, BLACKFISH doesn’t need defending. It more than speaks for itself.
Well hey there crazy kids! Melissa here with a first day Comic-Con report. It’s my first official Comic-Con, and I’m super stoked! Because the schedule is so crazy here, I’ll be giving you recaps every day, and following up with the juicy stories and crazy pics.
Last night was the preview night, followed by the HITFIX – THE TO DO LIST kick off party at Hotel Solamar. Cast members Aubrey Plaza, Rachel Bilson, Alia Shawkat, and Scott Porter were there to party it up… and dance to some pretty sweet tunes.
Todays schedule includes roundtables with the WORKAHOLICS (which isn’t a movie, but hey… it’s Comic-Con!), THE SIDEKICK Premiere starring Rob Benedict, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Livingston, Jordan Peele, and Martin Starr, EUROPA REPORT will be doing a panel, and one of the most talked about panels of the day is DEXTER.
Also, William Shatner joined Roseanne Barr and Wayne Knight for a “Comedy Legends of TV Land” panel earlier in the day.
Stay tuned as I bring you super fun updates and nerdy pictures as I enjoy my first Con, like these below!
