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THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI – Silent Film Plays at Webster University December 4th

THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI (1916) Screens Sunday December 4th at 7:30pm at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood).

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of two of Lois Weber’s most important films, Milestone Films has released restored versions of SHOES and THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI. Working with the Netherland’s EYE Filmmuseum, the Library of Congress, archivist Lori Raskin and composers Donald Sosin and John Sweeney, these films will both be screening at Webster University. The small but magnificent ensemble SHOES, with Weber’s star discovery Mary MacLaren was released the same year as her epic blockbuster THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI featuring the legendary dancer, Anna Pavlova. The two films show brilliantly the tremendous range Weber had as a film director.

“Lois Weber was the most successful of all the women directors in the first quarter of the 20th century and, at the time, was placed alongside the likes of D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille as the major innovative forces in filmmaking.”
— Cari Beauchamp,IndieWire

SHOES screens at Webster University December 11th

THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI takes place during the seventeenth century, where the Duke d’Arcos levies another onerous tax on the workers, who begin talk of a rebellion. Disguised as one of them, Alphonso (Douglas Gerrard), the duke’s son, goes among the common people to gauge their feelings and falls in love with Fenella (world-renown ballet dancer and choreographer Anna Pavlova), the dumb girl of Portici, a small Italian village. He visits her frequently, but then breaks her heart when he marries Elvira (Edna Maison), a woman from his own class. Meanwhile, the duke keeps levying taxes, and the people select Fenella’s brother Masaniello (Rupert Julian) as their leader and successfully storm the duke’s palace. The duke’s forces, led by Alphonso, stage a counter attack leading to tragedy.

Admission is:

$6 for the general public
$5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$4 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.

The Webster University Film Series site can be found HERE

http://www.webster.edu/film-series/

Tom Cruise in THE MUMMY – Watch the Teaser Trailer and Check Out the Poster

Today fans get their first look at Tom Cruise in Universal Pictures’ THE MUMMY!

Check out the new teaser trailer:

Tom Cruise headlines a spectacular, all-new cinematic version of the legend that has fascinated cultures all over the world since the dawn of civilization: The Mummy.

Thought safely entombed in a tomb deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient princess (Sofia Boutella of Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.

From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters.

Cruise is joined by a cast including Annabelle Wallis (upcoming King Arthur, television’s Peaky Blinders), Jake Johnson (Jurassic World), Courtney B. Vance (TV’s American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson) and Oscar® winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator).

This new THE MUMMY poster is amazing!

The creative team on this action-adventure event is led by director/producer Alex Kurtzman and producer Chris Morgan, who have been instrumental in growing some of the most successful franchises of the past several years—with Kurtzman writing or producing entries in the Transformers, Star Trek and Mission: Impossible series, and Morgan being the narrative engineer of the Fast & Furious saga as it has experienced explosive growth from its third chapter on. Sean Daniel, who produced the most recent Mummy trilogy, produces alongside Kurtzman and Morgan. www.themummy.com

The full length trailer debuts this Sunday!

KRUSH GROOVE Wednesday Night at Schlafly Bottleworks – Strange Brew!

KRUSH GROOVE screens Wednesday, December 7th at 8pm Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, MO 63143) as part of Webster University’s Award-Winning Strange Brew Film Series.

You never know what’s brewing at Webster University’s Strange Brew cult film series. It’s always the first Wednesday evening of every month, and they always come up with some cult classic to show while enjoying some good food and great suds. The fun happens at Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar in Maplewood (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, MO 63143).

I’ve never seen this month’s Strange Brew pick, KRUSH GROOVE, a movie based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings, but apparently it’s a must see for all Hip Hop historians.

KRUSH GROOVE (1985) is a movie about the struggles of early rap groups trying to make it big in the 80’s when rap was not a popular music genre. The story deals with a number of rap artists Run DMC, Kurtis Blow and the Fat boys in their efforts to make it big as hip hop stars. It deals with the good and bad of having a hit record on a small independent record label, competition between two brothers over the heart of a young female singer (Sheila E.), the consequences of borrowing money from a loan shark, the opportunity to sign with a major label and a talent contest looking for new hip hop talent. The contest includes an appearance from New Edition, an all too brief appearance from future superstars The Beastie Boys and an in-studio audition from LL Cool J.

A Facebook invite can be found HERE

16mm NIGHT at The Way Out Club Dec 6th – Johnny Socko, Brady Bunch, Beverly Hillbillies & JOE KIDD

Join us for some old-school 16mm Movie Madness! – It’s our monthly 16MM NIGHT at The Way Out Club (2525 Jefferson Avenue in St. Louis)! Join Tom Stockman and Roger from “Roger’s Reels’ for complete films projected on 16mm film. The show is Tuesday December 6th and starts at 8pm. Admission is FREE though we will be setting out a jar to take donations for the National Children’s Cancer Society.

First up we have three 30-minute classic TV episodes:

THE BRADY BUNCH – “Kitty Karry-All is Missing” The kids are torn over whom to believe when Cindy’s favorite doll, Kitty Carry-All, disappears, and she says that Bobby took it.

THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES – “Granny Learns to Dive” Granny’s driving and Ellie’s cooking makes a policeman and a cab driver think that the Clampett Mansion is a mental institution.

JOHNNY SOCKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT “Opticon Must Die” A young boy aids in the fight against a mechanized terrorist organization as the sole controller of a prototype giant robot.In this classic episode, they battle a giant flying eyeball.

Then we have a complete feature. It’s Clint Eastwood in JOE KIDD (1972)

Clint Eastwood plays the title role in JOE KIDD as a former bounty hunter and tracker hired by big rancher Robert Duvall to bring in John Saxon, a local hero among the Mexican population in this southwestern-based film. JOE KIDD is one of the most entertaining westerns Eastwood ever did, with fist fights, shootouts, snappy dialog., and that unforgettable climax with Clint driving that locomotive through the saloon. It’s written by Elmore Leonard, and the director is John Sturges, who made THE GREAT ESCAPE and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. A western classic.

There will be movie trivia with prizes and of course The Way Out Club will have a full bar and Way Out Pizzas for sale. Don’t miss it!

A Facebook invite for this event can be found HERE

Disney’s THE BFG on Digital HD, Blu-ray and Disney Movies Anywhere November 29

STEVEN SPIELBERG’S IMAGINATION AND DISNEY MAGIC COME TOGETHER TO BRING ROALD DAHL’S BELOVED CLASSIC TO LIFE

THE BFG comes to Digital HD, Blu-ray™ and Disney Movies Anywhere Nov. 29

This month, the world celebrates the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Roald Dahl, beloved children’s author of family favorites like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “Matilda” and Dahl’s personal favorite, “The BFG,” as well as World Dream Day, an annual event honoring “the dreamer, visionary and innovator in all of us.” It seems a fitting time to announce the in-home release of “The BFG,” Disney’s fantasy adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, on Nov. 29 on Digital HD, Blu-ray™, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand.

As dreamers around the globe gear up for Sunday’s World Dream Day, an annual holiday honoring “the dreamer, visionary and innovator in all of us,” it seems a fitting time to announce the in-home release of “The BFG,” Disney’s fantasy adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and featuring a dream-collecting Big Friendly Giant. This heartwarming tale for the whole family arrives home for the holidays on Nov. 29 on Digital HD, Blu-ray™, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand.

“The BFG” unites the talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – to bring to life the classic tale of a courageous little girl named Sophie (newcomer Ruby Barnhill) and a gentle and charming Big Friendly Giant (Oscar®-winner Mark Rylance) who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. Spielberg employs a new, hybrid style of filmmaking blending live-action and performance-capture techniques, resulting in genuine, heartfelt performances and super-photorealistic animation.

Here’s a fun new clip from THE BFG:

Families and fans will be swept away by this spectacular adventure and delight in extensive bonus features, including a behind-the-scenes look at the making of “The BFG” hosted by Ruby Barnhill and featuring Steven Spielberg; a charming, all-new short; a fun and whimsical tutorial on the Big Friendly Giant’s unique language of Gobblefunk; a touching tribute to screenwriter Melissa Mathison (“E.T. the Extraterrestrial,” “The Black Stallion”); and more.

Spielberg’s directorial debut with The Walt Disney Studios was a labor of love, as he’s been a fan of Dahl’s for years. In fact, he read “The BFG” to his own children when they were younger. According to Spielberg, “It’s a story about friendship; it’s a story about loyalty and protecting your friends; and it’s a story that shows that even a little girl can help a big giant solve his biggest problems.” “The BFG” is a Golden Phizzwizard* come true for Spielberg, Dahl fans and audiences around the world.

Bonus features include**:

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL HD:

Bringing “The BFG” to Life – Ruby Barnhill (Sophie) hosts a phizz-whizzing journey through the making of “The BFG.” This behind-the-scenes documentary details the film’s progression through interviews with Roald Dahl’s daughter Lucy Dahl, screenwriter Melissa Mathison, executive producers Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Kristie Macosko Krieger, and numerous members of the talented cast and crew.
The Big Friendly Giant and Me – Sophie wasn’t the first “bean” in Giant Country—many illustrations were created as if drawn by a little boy who was there long before Sophie. This charming, in-world short will bring the drawings to life with animation and narration, recounting the friendship and the dreams shared between the boy and the Big Friendly Giant.
Gobblefunk: The Wonderful Words of The BFG – A whoopsey-splunkers tutorial on the meaning of the gloriumptious gobblefunk in “The BFG.”
Giants 101 – Jemaine Clement (Fleshlumpeater) and Bill Hader (Bloodbottler) introduce us to the loathsome giants in “The BFG,” along with movement choreographer/motion capture performer Terry Notary, who collaborated with the actors and Director Steven Spielberg prior to filming to develop their movements and character traits.
Melissa Mathison: A Tribute – An homage to Melissa Mathison, the extraordinary, Oscar®-nominated screenwriter of “The BFG” and “E.T.,” whose talent and heart were as immense as the giants in “The BFG.”

DIGITAL/VOD:

John Williams: Scoring A Dream – A journey through the film’s concept art and memorable moments, interwoven with the sights and sounds of legendary composer John William’s scoring session.

DVD:

Gobblefunk: The Wonderful Words of The BFG and Melissa Mathison: A Tribute

Enter the SING “Real Talent, From Real Life” Contest

Attention movie fans with vocal talent, energy, passion and charisma! You can team up with YouTube creator Mike Tompkins for the “Real Talent, From Real Life” contest in support of Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures’ SING. Contestants can record themselves singing, clapping or dancing to at least 30 seconds of the event film’s original song “Faith,” from the legendary Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande. From submissions, Mike Tompkins will create an edited video of “Faith” that will play on the YouTube homepage. Throughout their daylong journey, three lucky winners will get to interface with some of today’s hottest YouTube influencers, as well as hear from top professionals behind the scenes (Universal Music execs, YouTube creative + music teams, YouTube + Google product specialists, and more) on how to create a successful channel on the platform. What an exciting opportunity!

Go to www.RealTalentFromRealLife.com for more details!

Illumination has captivated audiences all over the world with the beloved hits Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, now the second-highest-grossing animated movie in history. Following the release of this summer’s comedy blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets, Illumination presents Sing this holiday season.

With its highly relatable characters, heart and humor, the first collaboration between writer/director Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri marks the sixth fully animated feature from the studio.

The event film stars Academy Award^® winners Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, alongside Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly.

Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal—some might even say delusional—optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.

Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.

Featuring more than 65 hit songs, Sing is produced by Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy. Together, they have produced all of Illumination’s films since the studio’s inception. Released by Universal Pictures, Sing arrives in theaters on December 21, 2016. www.singmovie.com

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Tickets On Sale Now!

Advance tickets are on sale now for Lucasfilm’s highly anticipated standalone Star Wars adventure ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY. Tickets are available wherever tickets are sold.

To celebrate “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” several theater chains and ticket sellers are offering special promotions. Detailed information available here: http://www.starwars.com/news/rogue-one-a-star-wars-story-tickets-on-sale-worldwide

Additionally, to kick off ticket sales, a new TV spot is now available, featuring the chilling sounds of an iconic villain:

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY follows a group of unlikely heroes in a time of conflict who band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, and the screenplay is by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opens in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016 in 3D, Real D 3D and IMAX 3D.

Humphrey Bogart in WE’RE NO ANGELS Saturday Morning at The Hi-Pointe

WE’RE NO ANGELS (1955) plays on the big screen at St. Louis’ fabulous Hi-Pointe Theater this weekend as part of their Classic Film Series. It’s Saturday, December 3rd at 10:30am at the Hi-Pointe located at 1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63117. Admission is only $5. Other Christmas films in December are IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE at 10:30am 12/10 and WHITE CHRISTMAS at 10:30am 12/17 and DIE HARD at midnight 12/23.

“We came here to rob them and that’s what we’re gonna do – beat their heads in, gouge their eyes out, slash their throats. Soon as we wash the dishes.”

Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray are the motley trio of convicts who escape from Devil’s Island prison just before Christmas in the festive 1955 comedy WE’RE NO ANGELS. They look for places to steal from and stumble across a store run by kindly but bumbling Felix Ducotel (Leo G Carroll) and persuade him to employ them to fix his roof. From the aerial view, they observe his wife (Joan Bennett) and love-lorn daughter (Gloria Talbott) and it isn’t long before they descend to lend the family their unique help!

Basil Rathbone appears as Felix’s scrooge cousin – there are some great exchanges between him and Bogart. Bogart gives a wonderful dead-pan performance, ably supported by a youthful Ustinov and Ray, and you end up rooting for them as they do their best to solve the family’s problems! Although the action largely takes place on Christmas Eve, the comic moments ensure things don’t get too sentimental – this is an enjoyable, feel-good movie and a great, outside-the-box choice for The Hi-pointe to show as part of their Christmas month of classic films!

The Hi-Pointe’s site can be found HERE

http://hi-pointetheatre.com/

Watch The Trailer For Martin Scorsese’s SILENCE

“I pray but I’m lost, am I just praying to silence?”

Watch the new trailer for Martin Scorsese’s SILENCE starring Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, and Liam Neeson. The film opens in cinemas on December 23rd.

Martin Scorsese’s SILENCE tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) who face the ultimate test of faith when they travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) – at a time when Christianity was outlawed and their presence forbidden.

The celebrated director’s 28-year journey to bring Shusaku Endo’s 1966 acclaimed novel to life will be in theaters this Christmas.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silencemovie

Website: http://www.silencemovie.com/

Leslie Mann And Robert De Niro Star In First Trailer For THE COMEDIAN

An aging comic icon, JACKIE BURKE (Robert De Niro) has seen better days. Despite his efforts to reinvent himself and his comic genius, the audience only wants to know him as the former television character he once played. Already a strain on his younger brother (Danny DeVito) and his wife (Patti LuPone), Jackie is forced to serve out a sentence doing community service for accosting an audience member. While there, he meets HARMONY (Leslie Mann), the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul (Harvey Keitel), and the two find inspiration in one another resulting in surprising consequences. Through the alchemy of their unlikely friendship, Harmony and Jackie overcome their own emotional damage and emerge as better people.

Jackie Burke, embodied by De Niro in THE COMEDIAN, has been struggling for years to get back to the place he most wants to be—at the mic in a club where the comedy is cutting edge and the audience is hip and appreciative. Like its central character, THE COMEDIAN is a triumph of tenacity. Back in 2009, the original concept sprang from conversations and ideas shared by De Niro and his friend and colleague ART LINSON, screenwriter and producer of THE COMEDIAN. Today, director Taylor Hackford’s new drama about comedy illuminates Jackie’s journey.

De Niro, legendary for immersing himself in his characters and their environments, transformed himself into a veteran stand-up performer through intensive and physical training, coaching and practice. With characteristic understatement, De Niro says simply, “Actors aren’t comics. It’s a very different way of performing. Working with comics was very helpful—getting the timing and movement right, the mic handling, working on delivery.”

Hackford elaborates: “We’ve never seen Robert De Niro like this before. From the very first club scene, if the audience doesn’t believe that he’s a comedian, there’s no movie.”

THE COMEDIAN will have a one week qualifying run in LA/NY theaters beginning Dec 2nd. Opens in NY/LA January 13th.

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