We Are Movie Geeks

Alfonso Cuaron’s GRAVITY Crosses $100 Million Milestone In IMAX 3D Theatres Worldwide

IMAX and Warner Bros. Pictures have announced that GRAVITY has passed the $100 million global box office benchmark in 639 IMAX 3D theatres worldwide since its initial release Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013.

As of Feb. 5, 2014, the film had reached $48.6 million in 330 IMAX 3D theatres domestically and $51.5 million from 309 theatres internationally. GRAVITY represents the third IMAX Hollywood film to cross the $100-million threshold, following AVATAR in 2010 and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES in 2012.

GRAVITY continues to pull moviegoers in to IMAX theatres, with a Jan. 31, 2014, re-release into 330 IMAX 3D locations in North America and other international territories.

The film will be released on Blu-ray February 25, but see it on the big screen and in IMAX 3D!

Filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron’s internationally lauded drama, which stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, has been a hit with audiences and critics alike, closing in on the $700 million mark at the global box office, while receiving 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Sandra Bullock) and Best Score (Steven Price).

Demand for the film – which was also nominated for four Golden Globes, with Cuaron winning Best Director – has been particularly high in IMAX 3D.

Opening Oct. 4, Gravity was the highest-grossing IMAX release of 2013, both domestically and globally.

Academy Award winners Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side) and George Clooney (Syriana) star in GRAVITY, a heart-pounding drama that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. The film was directed by Oscar nominee Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men).

GRAVITY was written by Alfonso Cuaron & Jonás Cuaron, and produced by Alfonso Cuaron and David Heyman (the Harry Potter films). Chris deFaria, Nikki Penny and Stephen Jones served as executive producers. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.

gravitymovie.com

Hold On Tight – The Hardcore SABOTAGE Red Band Trailer Debuts

“Clean up aisle 3.”

Prepare for big guys and tough gals, big guns, and big explosions in the new action packed, NSFW red band trailer for SABOTAGE.

See Arnold Schwarzenegger as he leads his all star DEA task force on a fight for their lives. When the team successfully executes a high-stakes raid on a cartel safe house, they think their work is done – until, one-by-one, the team members mysteriously start to be eliminated. As the body count rises, everyone is a suspect.

From the writer of Training Day and the director of End of Watch, SABOTAGE also stars Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway and Mireille Enos.

(via IGN)

Hot damn, this is gonna be one wild ride! Look at Olivia Williams and Mireille Enos kicking ass. Good for writer Skip Woods and director David Ayer (END OF WATCH – 2012) for giving these actresses such strong roles in the film.

SABOTAGE hits theaters everywhere March 28th.

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THE MONUMENTS MEN – The Review

Once again World War II provides Hollywood with another tale of bravery and sacrifice that was somewhat overlooked in the shadow of the great battles (like D-Day) and the dropping of the atomic bomb. A couple of years ago the story of the Tuskegee airmen got the full blockbuster treatment with RED TAILS. There have also been many stories concerning the efforts to save the lives of those targeted for extinction by Nazi Germany such as last year’s THE BOOK THIEF. Now George Clooney brings us the true tale of the special forces group charged with rescuing…art. Yes, paintings and sculptures, not people. Seems that Hitler went on quite the art-acquiring binge. Many felt that this pursuit to protect these piece was frivolous. But these curators and historians believed that these works were the culture if not the soul of their native lands. That’s why they proudly dubbed themselves THE MONUMENTS MEN.

As the film opens we see a group of priests taking down and wrapping up several painting in an effort to transport them away from the approaching Axis troops. Meanwhile in Paris, museum curator Claire Simone (Cate Blanchett) begrudgingly catalogs art treasures for the occupying German officers. But someone in the states is aware of these events. Frank Stokes (Clooney) conducts a slide show for President Roosevelt detailing Hitler’s plans to steal (or destroy) art from all its occupied countries. Stokes suggest forming a team to track down and return these pieces is approved by FDR and quickly the art historian contacts and enlists other like-minded scholars and curators (Bill Murray, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Jean Dujardin). After a brief stint of basic training the men split up in order to pursue leads as to the storage places of the stolen art with James Granger (Damon) sent to Paris where he enlists a distrusting Simone (she’s jailed as a collaborator after the Nazis flee the city) for help. As the war begins to wind down the team re-assembles when a memo from Hitler is leaked. In the event of his death, capture, or surrender, all the art is to be destroyed. The Monuments Men race against the clock (and another allied country that wants the pieces for themselves) to save and return Europe’s greatest cultural treasures.

Clooney proves to be a terrific leader behind the camera as well as in front playing the leader, or if you will, the Lee Marvin guiding the not-so DIRTY DOZEN (or for you comic book geeks, Sgt. Fury to these middle-aged high-cultured commandos). He keeps his cool inspiring his team while knowing that their task is daunting. This doesn’t prevent him from being moved by the beauty of the rescued items or from turning up the heat on a captured officer in one of the film’s best scenes. Damon is full of enthusiasm as he treks through France, mangling their language in his wake (in a funny reoccurring bit, the natives sternly suggest they speak English). And once again, the actor has a charming rapport with his leading lady, the formidable Blanchett. She brings a quiet strength to Simone, who must appear meek before her country’s invaders while keeping hidden records that would certainly put her in a hangman’s noose. After the liberation she is convinced that this American will also whisk away France’s treasures until trust is slowly established and her heart finally begins to soften. Several of the actors are paired up for different missions for great effect. The best team may be Murray and Balaban. Murray turns down the snarky attitude, but still enjoys needling the diminutive Balaban like an older brother. Balaban’s character actually seems to relish the chance to get out of stuffy theatres, and fervently hopes he’ll get to take a shot at ole’ Adolph. But for all the barbs, these en have a real affection for each other as is shown in a touching scene at Christmas-time when Murray gets a special gift from the states. The other team is the jovial Goodman and the gregarious Dujardin. The husky Goodman makes for an unusual sight at basic training (“You they weren’t shooting blanks?!”), but gets right in the thick of action with the charming Frenchman (imagine Chevalier at the frontlines). This film proves that their great chemistry in THE ARTIST was no fluke. Bonneville brings a more serious edge as the teammate who flies solo, perhaps trying to redeem himself from a disgraceful episode from his own combat past. We never find out the details, but his sadness speaks volumes.

The film does invoke memories of the classic “men on a mission” films made during Hollywood’s Golden Age. The real well-known people involved (generals, presidents, even Hitler) are shown in long shots, from behind or in the shadows (ala’ FDR in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY) and composer Alexandre Desplat gives the action a rousing march of a theme (reminding one of Alan Silvestri’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER work). MEN’s main problems are the film’s pace which lags a bit until the “Nero memo” appears (and the other Allied force leaps into the fray) and a major debate that’s never really fully resolved about whether art rescue should cost a lives. Audiences used to the raucous irreverence of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS may be put off the sincere tone of MEN. And the Damon/ Blanchett subplot has a weak conclusion. But there’s good uses of European locales and Clooney knows when to crank up the suspense (there’s danger lurking down every road and these “mature” soldiers may not be prepared). Be warned that they go through countless cartons of cigarettes, but it’s historically correct for the pre-warning-label time period. This flick isn’t quite up to DIRTY DOZEN or THE GREAT ESCAPE World War II thrills, but this cast seems to be having a great time (and often it’s infectious), so if you’re in the mood for taking a trip through an almost unknown area of the “big one” then you hop in the jeep (mind the wrapped paintings) and ride along with THE MONUMENTS MEN.

4 Out of 5

THE LEGO MOVIE – The Review

Everyone’s favorite interlocking plastic building toy has finally been transformed into a big 3D animated feature—and the result is a popcorn-devouring, nostalgia-sparking crowd-pleaser that should be a mega-hit for Warner Bros. THE LEGO MOVIE centers on Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt), a nice but undistinguished construction worker/LEGO figure who’s happy following instruction manuals for his job and spending his off hours buying comically expensive coffee, watching his favorite TV show ‘Where’s My Pants’, and singing along to “Everything Is Awesome”, the oddly catchy tune that keeps his fellow citizens of Bricksburg in line. The city is run by the tyrannical President Business (Will Ferrell), who wants to freeze the Lego universe by releasing the ‘Kraggel’ (a tube of superglue).When Emmet stumbles across a plastic block known as the ‘Piece of Resistance’, he’s designated as ‘The Special’ – the one chosen to reunite the great Master Builders and remove President Business from power (the plot sounds more complicated than it is). Joining Emmet on his adventure is the brassy girl-power vixen Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), her boyfriend Batman (a side-splitting Will Arnett), the cloying Unikitty (a kitten with a horn voiced by Alison Brie) and Vitruvius, a blind, all-knowing guru (Morgan Freeman). Their trek takes them to the best-selling Lego lands of the wild West, ‘middle Zealand’, Cloud Cuckoo Land and the high seas, teaming up with decked-out super-pirate Metal Beard (Nick Offerman), Abe Lincoln (Will Forte), Superman (Channing Tatum), the Green Lantern (Jonah Hill), Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Wiliams), and just about every other character that Lego has licensed over the years.

While I wouldn’t quite say everything is awesome about THE LEGO MOVIE, it is wildly creative and often hilarious. While the animation is made to appear like stop-motion, the makers of THE LEGO MOVE had a unique challenge on their hands; Lego figures don’t move much. They’re not jointed, their hands are scoops, and they’re facial expressions don’t change. Their heads and torsos swivel and that’s about it. The great thing about THE LEGO MOVIE is that it not only strictly adheres to the inherent physical limitation of these toys but lets those limitations work logically and in its favor (okay, it cheats a little with the faces). This is true not only with the characters but with their surroundings as well. When there’s an explosion (and there are lots) even the flames are made of small plastic blocks and a wavy ocean is represented with millions of tiny, translucent blue Lego pieces. See it in 3D !

The action is whiz-bang dense, the references and jokes fly by, sometimes too quickly (repeat viewings will be essential) and there were times when I wished it would all slow down, and surprisingly, my wish came true. In a development that I think they’re trying to keep secret, the movie, after 80 minutes of hyperactive Transformers-style action, comes to a halt, steps back and reveals the human, live-action world in which all the previous action has been located. It’s live-action Will Ferrell’s basement Lego collection, where he and his son bond over the toys the boy has been playing with against his dad’s wishes. It’s a bold twist that emphasizes that this movie is a huge commercial for a toy but it’s a sentimental and rewarding gimmick nonetheless. My favorite scene, and the only quiet one in the film, is when Will Ferrell is super-gluing Lego pieces while Emmet is shaking his little body, trying to discreetly work his way off the table. Subversive and fun, THE LEGO MOVIE is far better than a toy tie-in movie has any right to be. Now when are they going to make a Strange Change Machine movie?!?

4 of 5 Stars

THE PAST – The Review

More prevalent now, than perhaps anytime in history, is the combined or “blended family” when a single parent with kids weds or begins a household with another parent with kids. It’s been the staple of gentle comedy like “The Brady Bunch” TV series and feature films and both versions of YOURS, MINE, AND OURS. The biggest conflicts in those earlier shows usually involved sharing bathrooms and noisy dinners. But those families’ heads were nearly always widows and widowers without ex-spouses showing up to further complicate matters. These more untidy splits are often the source of drama instead of mirth in many serious examinations of this type of family structure. And this isn’t something native to the USA. Overseas these new families must more often deal with different languages and cultures. Writer/director Asghar Farhadi follows up his Oscar-winning family drama A SEPARATION with this new tale of family clashes and deceit whose characters must deal with their actions in THE PAST.

THE PAST begins in the present day at a very busy Paris airport. Marie (Berenice Bejo) is picking up her husband Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa). It’s after they head to the parking lot that we find out that this is not a typical domestic scene. The two have not seen each other for several years when he had flown back to his native Iran during a time of inner turmoil. Ahmad has finally returned (Marie reminds him that he’s backed out of several trips at the last-minute) in order to finalize their divorce so that she may wed her new beau (and father of her upcoming baby) Samir (Tahar Rahim). Since she had not reserved him a hotel for fear of him canceling again, Marie drives them back to the house they once shared, a place she now shares with Samir. There Ahmad meets the spirited six year-old son of Samir, Fouad and is reunited with his stepdaughter, nine year-old Lea (Marie has two daughters from her husband prior to Ahmad). Later Lea’s high school aged older sister Lucie (Pauline Burlet) finally gets home (she’s been staying out all hours). Lucie reconnects with Ahmad and confesses her intense dislike of Samir. She pleads with Ahmad to help her move away from her mother and her new man. Lucie also gives him the lowdown on Samir. Turns out that his wife, Fouad’s mother, has been in coma and lies in a hospital after a botched suicide attempt. Was this prompted by learning of an affair between Marie and Samir? If that’s true, how did she find out? This tangled web of misunderstandings and lies will turn Ahmad’s brief visit to sign some legal papers into a tortured return that may tear apart this new family before they can start anew.

The actress most familiar to audiences may be Bejo from her Oscar nominated role in THE ARTIST. Here she’s given an even greater opportunity to showcase her considerable dramatic skills. Maria is quite a complex character. She tries to act civil and friendly to Ahmad, but it soon becomes clear that his leaving still affects her like an old wound. There’s also a vagueness to her as she wishes for her ex to sign those divorce papers and be left unaware of the particulars of her new life. The most impressive scenes are those in which she must confront her eldest daughter. Tensions are usually high during the teen years, but these heated arguments and accusations unleash an almost uncontrollable fury in Marie. With this film Bejo proves to be a formidable actress beyond her dazzling beauty. Luckily her partner in those scenes, Burlet as Lucie, is able to match Bejo’s intensity. She too nurses the wounds from Ahmad’s exit and resents this new man in her mother’s life. Lucie tries to mask her sorrow with rebellious behavior (satying out all night), but we can still see a glimpse of that lonely child. Mosaffa as Ahmad also tries to hide his guilt at leaving, especially with Lucie who thinks of him as her only father figure. He knows that he must earn his way back into the family in order to try to repair the many broken lives on a collision course. It was just supposed to be a quick trip, but this legal obligation turns into a rescue mission. Rahim as Samir is also torn between his obligations to his comatose wife and desire to begin anew with Marie, complicated by his very sad, angry, confused young son. Kudos also to Sabrina Ouazani as the shy, conflicted illegal immigrant worker who witnessed the suicide attempt by Samir’s wife.

Farhadi directs this cast with great skill, but the film is ultimately sabotaged by his own overly melodramatic script. In the film’s second half, Mosaffa and Rahim almost become Iranian Hardy Boys, digging up clues and interviewing suspects, in order to find out the truth behind the botched suicide. Quickly this intimate family drama turns into an Agatha Christie-inspired daytime TV serial (or “soap opera”) with one startling revelation dropping every few minutes (almost timed for commercial breaks). Happily the melodramatic turns don’t detract from the stellar performances (especially the wondrous Bejo) or the enchanting Parisian locations. THE PAST is an engrossing look at modern blended families that often works despite some treks into florid melodrama.

3.5 Out 5

THE PAST opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

Disney’s PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE Gets A New “Courage” Trailer

Flying into theaters on July 18, here’s the new trailer for Disney’s PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE – a new comedy-adventure about second chances, featuring a dynamic crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfire.

When world famous air racer Dusty (voice of Dane Cook) learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting.

Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous team, including spirited super scooper Dipper (voice of Julie Bowen), heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.

Disney’s PLANES opened Aug. 9, 2013, and has grossed more than $200 million worldwide, with some global markets still to open.

Directed by Bobs Gannaway (“Secret of the Wings”), PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE hits theaters in 3D this summer.

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New Christian Kane Featurette From 50 TO 1

In this new featurette, actor Christian Kane talks about his character (Mark Allen) in the upcoming 50 TO 1. Based on Mine That Bird, the underdog racehorse that won the 2009 Kentucky Derby, the film opens in theaters March 21, 2014.

Two songs from Kane’s The House Rules (2010) album – “Something’s Gotta’ Give” and “Whiskey in Mind” – are featured in the 50 TO 1 soundtrack.

The cast and filmmakers of 50 TO 1 will hit the road rock-star style on a cross-country tour beginning March 17 to promote the major motion picture’s release.

Cast members set for the tour are Skeet Ulrich, Christian Kane, Todd Lowe and Hugo Perez.Also on tour will be filmmakers Jim Wilson and Faith Conroy. As a very special treat – the real Mine That Bird will make special appearances along the way.

Email your request to:
50to1themovietour@gmail.com

Include in the subject line:
50 to 1 Movie Tour – First and Last Name, Town, State & Zip Code.

Here’s another look at the trailer released in December.

50 TO 1 is about a misfit group of New Mexico cowboys who find themselves on the journey of a lifetime when their crooked-footed racehorse qualifies for the Kentucky Derby. The cowboys face a series of mishaps on their way to Churchill Downs, becoming the ultimate underdogs in a final showdown with the world’s racing elite.

50 TO 1 is from the Oscar-winning producer of DANCES WITH WOLVES, Jim Wilson, who serves as this film’s director, producer, and co-writer. Faith Conroy co-wrote the script with Wilson.

Skeet Ulrich (Jericho, “SCREAM,” “AS GOOD AS IT GETS”), Christian Kane (Leverage), William Devane (24, “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES”), Todd Lowe (True Blood, Gilmore Girls) and newcomer Madelyn Deutch star in the film alongside real-life jockey Calvin Borel, who plays himself in the picture.

Visit the film’s official website for more on the movie:

http://www.50to1themovie.com/
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https://twitter.com/50to1themovie

THE OUTSIDER – The Review

Action movies typically fall within a finite number of formulas. For this reason, the success of an action movie generally relies a great deal on how well the filmmaker adapts to creating an original story within that formula. Acting is rarely a significant factor in an action film because, well, most viewers are not expecting an action film to win any major awards of a thespian nature.

To put it simply, action films rely greatly on the filmmaker accomplishing two very specific criteria. The first are riveting, exciting action sequences that are masterfully choreographed and meet the bare minimal qualifications for us to willingly suspend our disbelief. The second would be a storyline that is engaging and as unpredictable as possible. This second criteria is so very often the most difficult to achieve and this film just sort of glides along, content to earn that low-to-mid C grade, not ambitious enough to secure the solid B, but with just enough self-respect to avoid slipping into a D grade.

THE OUTSIDER is as original and engaging an action film as its title. Simple, unassuming and vague. Director Brian A. Miller serves up his fourth action offering as director, starring Craig Fairbrass as Lex Walker, an aging but formidable British military contractor currently on mission in the Middle East. When Lex finds out his daughter Samantha (Melissa Ordway) is dead, he throws away his lucrative career as a private soldier and heads to Los Angeles to retrieve his daughter’s body.

Jason Patric plays Detective Klein, the cop working the case, but when Lex arrives stateside, he discovers the body is not his daughter’s and immediately embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery and find his daughter. Lex’s first stop is Most Industries to visit Samantha’s former employer, Schuuster, played by veteran James Caan. It doesn’t take long before Lex is ruffling feathers and finds himself up against nameless security guards and henchmen, busting heads and cracking bones… all in the name of finding his daughter at any cost.

Miller manages to capture an essence of the 90s era action genre. THE OUTSIDER looks and feels like so many of the action films I remember from the late 80s and early 90s, but is missing something. Those films had a certain level of machismo, an element of masculine flamboyance to their central character that says “Hey, I may be a cocky badass, but I’m getting the job done, saving the day and/or the girl.” Fairbrass certainly portrays a confidence in technique. No one is questioning his ability to perform these simulated fight sequences, but there’s no flair. As an action hero, Fairbrass has far less visual appeal than Lorenzo Lamas and slightly more emotional investment than Steven Seagal. In comparison, Jason Patric fairs better in both camps as the detective, but with far, far less screen time.

Eventually, Shannon Elizabeth enters the story and offers up some B-level eye candy as Margo, an added asset to Lex’s mission to help Samantha take down the ruthless criminal businessman Schuuster. Coincidentally, its James Caan and his experience in portraying textured, three-dimensional villains and anti-heroes that outshines the rest of the film. While having a very limited amount of screen time, Caan manages to lift us out of an otherwise lackluster, uncommitted movie-watching experience for a much needed adrenaline boost. Hell. At one point, the now 73-year old James Caan actually gets his fists bloody and beats down one of his own goons! Tell me that doesn’t get your testosterone pumping!

When it’s all said and done, THE OUTSIDER is not a bad film, but its also not a good film. The movie coasts along, riding that mediocre money train that doesn’t turn heads but accumulates enough interest that it most likely will do well enough by investors’ standards. I’m not opposed to this philosophy and methodology of filmmaking. After all, today more than ever, filmmakers of all persuasions have the ability to make the films they want to make and even make a living out of it, but when it comes to what I prefer to see, what I go out of my way to find… THE OUTSIDE resides well outside of my standards for creativity and entertainment. If you enjoy generic, formulaic popcorn movies with minimal personality, you may just enjoy this film.

THE OUTSIDER opens in theaters on Friday, February 7th, 2014

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Listen To Clips from Mark Mothersbaugh’s THE LEGO MOVIE Soundtrack; Includes The Snappy “Everything Is Awesome!”

No matter your age, get ready for one crazy, fun, exciting ride – THE LEGO MOVIE is coming to a theater near you this Friday.

Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “21 Jump Street”) the original 3D computer-animated story follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as The Special, the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

The film rolls out an arsenal of fantastical new vehicles, enabling Emmet and his friends to evade or face their enemies on the city streets, on the sea, under the sea, or in outer space. It also introduces a cast of brand new heroes and villains, who interact with a diverse group of existing LEGO minifigures drawn from years of history and pop culture.

All of this wonderfulness comes together under the fantastic score of composer Mark Mothersbaugh who produced the soundtrack to the film, including the critically lauded single “Everything Is AWESOME!!!” featuring pop culture mainstays Tegan and Sara and The Lonely Island.

Mothersbaugh has over 150 TV shows, film and video game scores under his belt, ranging from “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” to “Rushmore,” “Catfish” to “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”

Music fans of 80’s will also remember Mark and his iconic red energy dome hat and yellow haz-mat suit on stage, singing “Whip It” and “Working in the Coal Mine” as a founding member of the radical New Wave quartet Devo.

After THE LEGO MOVIE he also has several different projects in the works; there’s the prep for a long developed touring show at a half a dozen major museums across the country showcasing his art works, as well as the score for the much anticipated 22 JUMP STREET to be released in June.

Listen to some clips from the film’s soundtrack – arriving on February 11 through WaterTower Music. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon.

and my favorite…

THE LEGO MOVIE is the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO® adventure.

Chris Pratt is the voice of Emmet. Will Ferrell is the voice of President Business, aka Lord Business, an uptight CEO who has a hard time balancing world domination with micro-managing his own life, and Liam Neeson is the voice of Lord Business’s loyal henchman, Bad Cop/Good Cop, who will stop at nothing to catch Emmet.

Voicing the members of Emmet’s rebel crew on this heroic mission are Morgan Freeman as the ancient mystic Vitruvius; Elizabeth Banks as tough-as-nails Wyldstyle, who mistakes Emmet for the savior of the world and guides him on his quest; Will Arnett as the mysterious Batman, a LEGO minifigure with whom Wyldstyle shares a history; Nick Offerman as the craggy, swaggering pirate Metal Beard, obsessed with revenge on Lord Business; Alison Brie as the sweet and loveable Unikitty and Charlie Day as Benny, the 1980-something Spaceman.

See the movie in theaters Friday, February 7.

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WAMG At The VAMPIRE ACADEMY Red Carpet Premiere

On Tuesday, the vampires came out for the VAMPIRE ACADEMY premiere at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 in downtown Los Angeles. Members of the cast including Sarah Hyland, Zoey Deutch, Olga Kurylenko, Lucy Fry, Sami Gayle, Dominic Sherwood, Cameron Monaghan, Joely Richardson, Danila Kozlovsky, Ashley Charles, Ben Peel, director Mark Waters and writer Daniel Waters greeted fans before walking the red carpet in celebration of the films premiere. Lea Thompson (mother of Zoey Deutch), Madelyn Deutch, Bella Thorne, Debby Ryan and other guests also joined in the fun. Check it out below.

(All photos taken and are the property of Melissa Howland)

Based on author Richelle Mead’s worldwide bestselling series, VAMPIRE ACADEMY tells the legend of Rose Hathaway (Zoey Deutch) and Lissa Dragomir (Lucy Fry), two 17-year-old girls who attend a hidden boarding school for Moroi (mortal, peaceful Vampires) and Dhampirs (half-vampire/half-human guardians). Rose, a rebellious Guardian-in-training and her best friend, Lissa – a royal vampire Princess – have been on the run when they are captured and returned to St.Vladamirs Academy, the very place where they believe their lives may be in most jeopardy. Thrust back into the perils of Moroi Society and high school, Lissa struggles to reclaim her status while Rose trains with her mentor and love-interest, Dimitri (Danila Kozlovsky), to guarantee her place as Lissa’s guardian. Rose will sacrifice everything to protect Lissa from those who intend to exploit her from within the Academy walls and the Strigoi (immortal, evil vampires) who hunt her kind from outside its sanctuary.

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