Paramount Pictures has released a lovely new poster for their upcoming film, THE LITTLE PRINCE.
Based on “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the movie is from Mark Osborne, director of KUNG FU PANDA.
Before seeing the film, watch director Stanley Donen’s 1974 musical version starring Richard Kiley as The Pilot, Steven Warner as The Little Prince, Bob Fosse as The Snake and Gene Wilder as The Fox.
The voice cast of the latest adaptation features Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Ricky Gervais, Bud Cort, Marion Cotillard, Benicio del Toro, James Franco, Paul Giamatti, with Mackenzie Foy and Albert Brooks.
THE LITTLE PRINCE opens in theaters March 18, 2016.
Just as the film bludgeoned me almost immediately over the head with its insipid nature, I’m going to just jump right into the plot of SEVENTH SON, or at least what I can make of it. It’s hard to decipher exactly what Jeff Bridges is saying under his accent that sounds like a cross between Gandalf and Bane from THE DARK KNIGHT RISES but I’ll do my best. A young Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges) locks up a powerful witch that goes by the name Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore) in a cave atop a mountain as the film begins. She remains restrained until a “Blood Moon” rises – something that happens once every century – which then causes her to transform into a dragon and escape her slumber. In those years that have passed, Gregory has continued to become a powerful “spook” (think wizard/witch-slayer). Malkin’s return though results in the death of his most recent squire and her quest for vengeance begins. Enter farm boy Luke Skywalker who wants to learn the ways of the… sorry, I mean Tom Ward (Ben Barnes). Gregory comes to the boy because he’s the seventh son of the seventh son who was born on the seventh month and who worked at a 7-Eleven on 7th Street. From there the two set off to track Malkin, her witchy sister, and her sister’s witchy daughter who also happens to have eyes for Luke Skywal… Tom. But don’t worry, not all witches are evil as we learn. So there may be hope for the young lovers after all (cue eye roll). There’s also a powerful amulet that Tom has that the witches need to become more powerful, magical creatures, and armies of soldiers willing to do Malkin’s bidding which include Djimon Hounsou as a character who throws chains, because this former Oscar nominee has nothing better to do these days but play small bit parts in films like this and last year’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Master Gregory and Tom must work together to stop this ancient evil before the next “Blood Moon” sets and Malkin becomes more powerful. Because you know… transforming into a dragon wasn’t enough or anything.
Given the fact that Steven Knight wrote and directed one of my favorite films of last year, LOCKE, I went into SEVENTH SON with cautiously optimistic expectations. The fact that he served as a co-writer on a film with dragons and other mythological creatures, I expected a somewhat intelligent adventure flick or at the very least a fun no-brainer throwback to the days where Ray Harryhausen used movie magic to drop fantastical creatures into the world of courageous heroes. Sadly, SEVENTH SON is far (very far, indeed) from capturing the heroic excitement associated with those films. In fact it doesn’t even come closer to recent and much more successful attempts such as SOLOMON KANE and WRATH OF THE TITANS (that latter of which is more of a guilty pleasure for me). SEVENTH SON is nothing but hallow, visual clutter that is cobbled together to form something that struggles to appeal to the D&D or THE LORD OF THE RINGS crowd; both of which are smarter than this nonsense. It’s no wonder that this painful mess has been delayed until now. This SON was supposed to have arrived last summer, but for some reason it was delayed until this February – not a good sign given that the first two months of the year are typically viewed as dumping grounds for studios.
SEVENTH SON is horribly bland. Actors shuffle about in a dazed fashion serving only as a means to explain the plot, all the while poor CGI effects pop in and out of frame in an attempt to hold the audience’s attention. Trust me… you are going to need more than a cheap Guillermo Del Toro creature knock-off to keep you from checking your watch during the film. Witches, dragons, and “bogarts” (not exactly sure the name because Bridges, again, is mainly indecipherable throughout most of the film) fly across the screen in a blurry manner due to the sloppy 3-D post-conversion. Thankfully the real life sets add some much needed punch and artistry. Several scenes are filled with imaginative and detailed sets that evoke the medieval fantasy environments that Joseph Delaney’s novel must have conveyed to young readers. But what is the audience supposed to feel when you have actors standing around these sets hopelessly spouting lines just to collect a paycheck?
Jeff Bridges may seem like he’s trying his damned best to formulate something that resembles an old “spook” as they say in the film, but his incredible failure is greater than others due to the caliber of acting we’ve seen from him before. I was practically speechless at the sight of his performance and the levels of Nicolas Cage stupidity on display here. He gives “The Cage” a challenge for the most quote-worthy dumb phrases in a film between this and THE WICKER MAN remake. I can see the YouTube compilations now chockfull of zingers like, “You are now living in a world where dreams and nightmares exist.”
Aside from the work from some well meaning artists laboring over the costumes, makeup, and sets, there is nothing redeeming about SEVENTH SON. Spending anymore time examining the film or its many, many problems seems like more effort than the writers, actors, and the director gave the film. Studios like Legendary seem desperate to find a hot new franchise as Hollywood is all but enamored with the idea of building “universes,” especially with the demise of HARRY POTTER and THE HUNGER GAMES coming to an end. There’s evidence at times of the producers grasping at the thought of a greater franchise, but most everyone involved act as if they know that that isn’t going to come to pass. So too does the audience. We’re going to be waiting long after the unforeseen “Blood Moon” for a follow-up to this fantastical failure.
WAMG has your passes to see Universal Pictures’ SEVENTH SON early!
In a time of enchantments when legends and magic collide, the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order (Oscar winner Jeff Bridges) travels to find a prophesized hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son (Ben Barnes). Torn from his quiet life as a farmhand, the unlikely young hero embarks on a daring adventure with his battle-hardened mentor to vanquish a dark queen (Julianne Moore) and the army of supernatural assassins she has dispatched against their kingdom.
Academy Award nominee SERGEI BODROV (Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan, Nomad: The Warrior) directs SEVENTH SON from a screenplay by CHARLES LEAVITT (upcoming In the Heart of the Sea, upcoming Warcraft) and STEVEN KNIGHT (The Hundred-Foot Journey, Closed Circuit) and a screen story by MATT GREENBERG (Reign of Fire).
Joining director Bodrov behind the screen is a stellar crew led by cinematographer NEWTON THOMAS SIGEL (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Drive), three-time Oscar-winning production designer DANTE FERRETTI (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Hugo), editor PAUL RUBELL (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Thor), costume designer JACQUELINE WEST (Argo, upcoming The Gambler), composer MARCO BELTRAMI (World War Z, 3:10 to Yuma) and two-time Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor JOHN DYKSTRA (Django Unchained, X-Men: First Class).
SEVENTH SON opens in theaters on February 6.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of SEVENTH SON on February 4th at 7PM in the St. Louis area. We will contact the winners by email.
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
Answer the following:
The film is based on what book series?
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. No purchase necessary.
SEVENTH SON has beenrated PG-13 for intense fantasy violence and action throughout, frightening images and brief strong language.
Legendary and Universal Pictures have released the spellbinding new trailer for the upcoming film SEVENTH SON.
Starring Oscar winner Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes & Julianne Moore, the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order travels to find a prophesized hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son.
In a time of enchantments when legends and magic collide, the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order (Oscar® winner Jeff Bridges) travels to find a prophesized hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son (Ben Barnes). Torn from his quiet life as a farmhand, the unlikely young hero embarks on a daring adventure with his battle-hardened mentor to vanquish a dark queen (Julianne Moore) and the army of supernatural assassins she has dispatched against their kingdom.
The movie also features Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Olivia Williams, Antje Traue and Djimon Hounsou.
Sergei Bodrov directed SEVENTH SON from a screenplay by Charles Leavitt and Steve Knight and a screen story by Matt Greenberg, based on the book series “The Last Apprentice” by Joseph Delaney. The film will be released in 3D on February 6, 2015.
The all new film THE GIVER, based on the young adult novel of the same name, hit theaters today. In celebration of the film WAMG sat down with Jeff Bridges, Katie Holmes, Brenton Thwaites, Odeya Rush, Cameron Monaghan, Phillip Noyce, Lois Lowry, Robert B. Weide, Michael Mitnick and Nikki Silver along with other members of the press at the LA press day. Check some of the highlights out below!
The haunting story of THEGIVER centers on Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a young man who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Yet as he begins to spend time with TheGiver (Jeff Bridges), who is the sole keeper of all the community’s memories, Jonas quickly begins to discover the dark and deadly truths of his community’s secret past. With this newfound power of knowledge, he realizes that the stakes are higher than imagined – a matter of life and death for himself and those he loves most. At extreme odds, Jonas knows that he must escape their world to protect them all – a challenge that no one has ever succeeded at before. THEGIVER is based on Lois Lowry’s beloved young adult novel of the same name, which was the winner the 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Jeff, is it true that you originally wanted to make this film with your father?
Jeff Bridges : I originally wanted to direct my father, Lloyd Bridges in the film and I wanted to make a movie that my kids could see. They were all young kids at the time. And I was looking at a catalogue of children’s books and came across this wonderful cover of this grizzled old guy. And I thought, “Oh this is great.” I read it and I was knocked out on kid book level but also as an adult. I thought, “Oh this is a movie I’d love to see.” It turns, out, that Lois took that photograph of the guy on the cover.
Who was the guy?
Lois Lowry : He was a Swedish painter named Carl Gustaf Nelson and at the time I was a photo journalist.
Jeff, how does it feel to have been working on this project long enough to play The Giver?
Jeff Bridges : I finally qualified as the grizzled guy. It was funny. It felt just wonderful. So much of the success of film depends on the cast – not only the cast of actors but who is going to be the director, who is going to be the cinematographer and all of those slots were just filled in such a beautiful way. The movie kind transcended my expectations for it.
For the actors, what attracted you to this role? And was it intimidating working with actors like Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep?
Brenton Thwaites : Jeff was great to work with. I had a dream of a time. When you get this gift, this opportunity, you kind of have to pinch yourself in the morning before you go to work and it was like that everyday. It was great. And to work with a fellow Aussie was pretty cool too!
Katie Holmes : I was very excited to be a part of this film. The book is so beloved and to be a part of this project with Jeff and Meryl Streep and all of these amazing actors was pure delight. And to work with Phillip was wonderful. It was interesting to play this character because this world – there is no emotion, there is no pain. And so for an actor, you’re always trying to emote but you can’t so it was interesting. And playing Brenton’s mom and having him have these experiences that were so foreign to my character, and also being the guardian of the rules of this world was really interesting and quite a challenge. But mostly it was just an honor to be a part of something that I think is a very valuable piece of work.
Odeya Rush : It’s such an honor to work with these great actors. Really when you meet them, they are very relaxed and warm and make you feel very comfortable because it can be really intimidating. And we had this kind of warm environment on set too. My character takes such a journey too. I’m not completely The Giver in Jonas; I’m not fully feeling things and I’m not getting memories. But still I start off really naive and happy and thinking that I’m in a good place and once I stop taking my injections, it’s kind of a state of confusion and I don’t really understand what I’m feeling. They are trying to explain it to me and towards the end it kind of goes to anger because I realize the cruelty behind this community. I think that arc was very interesting and it’s such a great story. So I’m really fortunate.
Cameron Monaghan : Well I mean when I got the audition for this movie, they said that this is a book that is taught in all these schools produced by the Weinstein Company with this great director and these fantastic actors. So kicking and screaming I was dragged over to go act in a Meryl Streep movie I guess. Obviously having the chance to work with Jeff, with Katie, and to be able to tell this really amazing story – I read the book when I was auditioning and it’s a very beautiful story about humanity and what it means to be human and loved and all these great things. It was just something I wanted to be a part of.
One of the ideas in the film is that people in positions of power can be wrong sometimes – including your parents. As a parent of a small child, how do you navigate that in terms of how much do you encourage children of that age to question authority?
Katie Holmes : Well, I think that one of the draws of doing this project was this book. And the reason why I think it’s so beloved by so many and why schools have it on their reading list is because of these powerful themes. Having children really decide for themselves what they think is important and that free choice. So I’m very happy to be a part of the film adaptation of this.
Katie, what was it like for you to play this tough mother – so into maintaining the law that it was kind of at the expense of your own child? You’re kind of like the fun killer of the family: “No you can’t take this baby home. You can’t have emotions!”
Katie Holmes : [Laughs]. I really enjoyed playing this character. You know I think that for me what I loved about this character is she is trying so hard to maintain this order. This is what she knows. Jonas is going through something that she doesn’t know and it’s very threatening and it fills her with a great deal of conflict. So I think it’s always interesting to play people that have a lot going on.
Brenton, what was were some of of your first experiences on the set? And how did you get the baby to cry?
Brenton Thwaites : I think as soon as the baby saw Phillip’s face it just started crying. So did I [Laughs]! The honest truth is, as the start of the film when I first met these two kids – James and Alex, they would put the babies in my arms and they would being crying instantly. So it began, put the baby in my arms if you want to get it to cry. But over the months, you develop a really strong bong with these kids. So in a way, it was hard to see them go. it was hard to let go.
First experiences on set? I guess every movie has it’s uniqueness. That’s the wonderful thing about being an actor; every job is kind of a different thing. Every movie is it’s own wild beast and you have to roll with it. I think that’s one of the things that I learned – especially with Jeff who I did most of my scenes with – was you just have to role with it and do the best you can. And try and enjoy it along the way.
Jeff, when young actors work with you, do they ask you for advice? And do you offer it?
Jeff Bridges : We just jam you know? It’s a musical expression but it also works for movies too. Brenton plays guitar. We did a lot of jamming. But having fun – my add Lloyd Bridges taught me all the basics of acting. The main thing I learned from my dad was really just in observing how he worked and the joy that he had in doing what he loved doing. I got to work with him twice as an adult and for both those movies, whenever my dad came on the set, that joyful vibe came with him. It’s contagious and it runs through the whole company. Everybody goes, “Yeah. This is kind of fun. This is kind of advanced pretend.” So we had little games we used to do and play.
Did you play ‘pass the pig’ on the set?
Jeff Bridges : We did. Brenton and I had a game that we used to play that was kind of fun. We had all those books and we would arbitrarily pick out a book and open it to a page and run our finger down the page, find a sentence, and that would be our call on for the day – whatever that said. It would often be pretty mystical and perceptive and would be our guide for the day. Real books.
Am I the only one that doesn’t know what ‘pass the pig’ is?
Jeff Bridges : It’s kind of like craps for kids. You roll these little plastic pigs. It’s a great game actually.
And apparently this has been a tradition of yours on all the movie sets…
Jeff Bridges : That’s right. The guys that make those pigs; they gave me a golden set of them.
Nikki Silver : We filmed in South Africa and it was a really magical set. Cameron, Brenton, they all play guitar. And Taylor came and Taylor played guitar and Odeya would sing and Michael (Mitnick. Screenwriter) would play piano. We were in a really interesting part of the world doing something really special so it was a pretty amazing time.
I heard that you actually shot a version of this film with your dad as The Giver?
Jeff Bridges : That’s true.
Any way that could be on the DVD?
Jeff Bridges : Beau’s son, Casey Bridges was our DP on that session at our parent’s house. We read the whole book. Bud Cort was the narrator. It was like 18 years ago. Bud read all the narration in the book. Dylan who now works for Universal as a publicist plays Jonas. Casey tells me he’s got it so hopefully it will be something on the DVD.
Jeff, do you want to keep up with the acting or would you eventually like to retire and go fish or something?
Jeff Bridges : Yeah those are two streams that you articulated exactly. I’m 64 now so I’m moving along pretty good. I’ve only got a few – there’s a limited time. I got a lot to do! I got a lot of ideas, a lot of things I want to realize. And that creates a certain amount of pressure. It’s like Walt Disney – Jiminy Cricket – you’ve got a good angel. I remember Goofy or Pluto – these are both actually angels. One guy is saying, “You got to get to work. You’ve got a lot of stuff to do.” And the other guy is saying to me, “Come on Jeff. Just relax. Do you want your whole life to be a giant homework assignment?” So it’s balancing those two things. It drives my wife crazy. But this is a one of a kind experience for me. I’ve never had that kind of passion or intention for a project – holding it for 18 years so It’s very gratifying to see it come to fruition.
Jeff, working with Taylor Swift, what kind of actress is she?
Jeff Bridges : Taylor gosh. She was so remarkable. She flew in. I think her first day of work was right on the heels of arriving in Cape Town and certainly exhausted. I had experienced that myself. But she was such a pro and so up for being involved and playing. I hope she continues the acting because I think she’s very talented in addition to being a great songwriter and performer. She was just wonderful. And I believe she was Harvey’s [Weinstein]’s idea. He said, “You’re being taught piano. Who would be really great for that part?” Taylor came to his mind and I’m so glad she stepped on board. She had read the book I believe and was a big fan of that. She’s terrific.
Once again let’s spin the dial on the multiplex time machine and return to another dismal possible future (it’s not a better world usually, is it?). So, is the planet a desolate, scorched hellscape much like in THE ROVER or the upcoming MAD MAX: FURY ROAD? Well, not really. Is it a harshly divided class system pitting the have against the have-nots as in THE HUNGER GAMES or SNOWPIERCER? Nope, not at all. This film harkens back to the cold, antiseptic futures of THINGS TO COME, LOGAN’S RUN, and even SLEEPER. But like the aforementioned games series and the recent DIVERGENT, this film features a teenage hero (male this time) and is based on a series of young adult novels, one that’s twenty years-old (predating those two). And while those other YA-based flicks feature physical challenges and violent competitions, this story is more about emotions and memories. It’s time to jump forward for director Phillip (SALT) Noyce’s take on novelist Lois Lowry’s THE GIVER.
The main focus of the film is teenager Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) who lives in a chosen family unit with Father (Alexander Skarsgard), Mother (Katie Holmes) and little sister Lilly (Emma Tremblay). As the prologue informs us, after an incident referred to as the ruins, society has reformed on the top of a mountain mesa, high above the clouds, so the weather is always warm and pleasant. The dwellings all look the same (kind of like white plastic toy cubes) and everyone dresses the same. Floating drones and in home monitors make sure all is peaceful and that everyone takes their mood-dampening medications every day. Jonas and his friends Asher (Cameron Monaghan) and Fiona (Odeya Rush) are all near 18 years-old and are eager for the big ceremony when the elders who run the society tell them what jobs they have assigned to them. On the big day, a hologram of the Chief Elder (Meryl Streep), announces jobs for everyone but Jonas. Finally the Elder reveals that because he possesses the four “qualities”, Jonas will train to become a retainer of memory, and have all the knowledge of mankind’s past. Jonas will be a receiver. The next day he goes to a home on the edge of the mesa that houses a huge library. There he meets the man who will give all the memories to him, who dubs himself The Giver (Jeff Bridges). Soon Jonas experiences all the pain and joy denied him by the Elders and realizes the society is built on lies. Hearing that the baby Gabriel (who has been staying at his home) has been deemed imperfect, Jonas takes the infant and races against the clock to escape the mountain, evade extermination, and restore humanity to society.
Thwaites, previously seen as Prince Phillip a few months back in MALEFICENT, makes for an engaging everyman hero. He conveys the sense of astonishment while getting memories and sensations (cold, snow, fear), the first stirrings of love, and outrage when he sees the truth about his homeland. He’s a reluctant, but soon determined young man of action. Bridges can still amuse and surprise as the tired portal who wants to be the spark that blows up the happy facade of this new world. I know he’s playing older than his actual age, but he continues with the mushy vocal delivery he used in TRUE GRIT and RIPD (perhaps it’s some of Rooster’s leftover “Chaw”). The Giver’s hunched walk stems from the pressure of bowing to the status quo for far too long. The status is best represented by Streep as the haughty head elder (perhaps channeling a bit of her IRON LADY Oscar-winning role). With her long, straight “hippie” hair, she doles out lots of motherly passive aggression. No need to raise her voice, her look contains enough of a threat. Holmes is the enforcer of the family group, who’s quick to admonish and correct any slight. This tough mother will turn on those kids with no hesitation. Skarsgard is more of the dad that just wants to go with the flow, which makes his duties at the nurturing center even more disturbing. Unlike his “mate”, he may feel some actual affection for the “kids”. Rush is a luminous, lovely romantic interest for Thwaites. She’s reminiscent of a young Mina Kunis (hey, the original just turned 31!). Be warned however, that teen pop sensation Taylor Swift really has a brief cameo. Even with her blonde locks covered by a brown wig, she makes for a dazzling screen presence.
The film has an interesting look to it, that may take some viewers some time to adjust to. Perhaps to show the effect of the daily, deadening meds everything is in black and white with gleaming silvers and grey tones. To show Jonas’s gift, we can see a bit of red in Fiona’s hair as he gazes at her. Later, after working with The Giver, color slowly begins to ease into the film. Of course, the memory transfers are bursts of brilliant color, as Jonas is thrust into jungle warfare and a sumptuous Central European wedding celebration. Director Noyce uses some of the “image beats” editing we saw in THE TREE OF LIFE and a few weeks ago with LUCY. He also captures the monotony of the community’s “sameness”. So what is this future fable warning us of? Fascism or socialism? The influence of mood-changing pharmaceuticals or is it about eugenics? Screenwriters Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide keep the story moving along so we don’t zero in on any one of Lowry’s themes for too long. At least these ideas are being brought up, which is more than most YA novel-based films even attempt. Still, those expecting the romance and action thrills from those other franchise flicks may be put off by the more cerebral tone. But fans of the original book should be pleased by the polished, imaginative production designs and attractive young leads, while older film-goers may enjoy the pairing of old pros Streep and Bridges. If this sounds interesting, then give THE GIVER a look.
See new footage from the highly anticipated film, THE GIVER, in OneRepublic’s “Ordinary Human” music video.
The haunting story of THE GIVER centers on Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a young man who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Yet as he begins to spend time with The Giver (Jeff Bridges), who is the sole keeper of all the community’s memories, Jonas quickly begins to discover the dark and deadly truths of his community’s secret past.
With this newfound power of knowledge, he realizes that the stakes are higher than imagined – a matter of life and death for himself and those he loves most. At extreme odds, Jonas knows that he must escape their world to protect them all – a challenge that no one has ever succeeded at before.
THE GIVER is based on Lois Lowry’s beloved young adult novel of the same name, which was the winner the 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Starring Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites, Alexander Skarsgard, Katie Holmes, Odeya Rush, Cameron Monaghan and Taylor Swift, THE GIVER opens in theaters on August 15.
The Weinstein Company today announced “The Giver Movie Premiere for Good” in partnership with CrowdRise and Eventbrite. The event gives movie fans an unparalleled opportunity to attend a major movie premiere with their favorite stars, by participating in an online fundraising campaign for the arts.
Beginning today through August 1 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, fans can sign up at www.crowdrise.com/thegiver4good to participate in The Giver Movie Premiere for Good on Eventbrite and then kick-off their fundraising efforts on CrowdRise to attend the premiere.
Leveraging Eventbrite’s online seating map, fundraisers can earn the ability to sit near select cast and crew of The Weinstein Company’s THE GIVER, including Jeff Bridges, Katie Holmes and Brenton Thwaites.
The Giver Movie Premiere for Good event is the inaugural campaign of a new collaboration between Eventbrite and CrowdRise, designed to provide nonprofits, companies and individuals everywhere the ability to merge charitable giving and live events. The 100 fans to raise the most money will attend the premiere in New York City. The more money a fan raises, the closer she or he will sit to the cast and crew. The top 10 fundraisers will get seats in an exclusive VIP section, tickets to the after party and a meet and greet with celebrities. Donors will also be entered to win cool prizes from event sponsors like Uber and from members of the cast. For example, anyone who makes a donation to any fundraiser’s page will have a chance to win a Taylor Swift guitar signed personally to the winner by Taylor.
Jeff Bridges, Katie Holmes and Brendan Thwaites will encourage fans to launch fundraisers and donate to the effort. “I’m excited to be a part of this campaign, and love the idea of turning a movie premiere into a vehicle for social impact,” said Bridges. “I look forward to seeing the people who raise the most at the premiere.”
“CrowdRise is a great organization that will give fans the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the cast at the premiere of ‘The Giver’ in New York like Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, Jeff Bridges, Taylor Swift, Alexander Skarsgard, Brenton Thwaites, Odeya Rush and Cameron Monaghan,” said Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company. “The evening will be like no other. I’m very grateful that the cast of the film and their fans are behind this unique opportunity to support the arts.”
The haunting story of THE GIVER centers on Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a young man who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Yet as he begins to spend time with The Giver (Jeff Bridges), who is the sole keeper of all the community’s memories, Jonas quickly begins to discover the dark and deadly truths of his community’s secret past. With this newfound power of knowledge, he realizes that the stakes are higher than imagined – a matter of life and death for himself and those he loves most. At extreme odds, Jonas knows that he must escape their world to protect them all – a challenge that no one has ever succeeded at before.
THE GIVER is based on Lois Lowry’s beloved young adult novel of the same name, which was the winner the 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Check out the official full length trailer for the highly anticipated film, THE GIVER. (via Yahoo Movies)
The haunting story of THE GIVER centers on Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a young man who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Yet as he begins to spend time with The Giver (Jeff Bridges), who is the sole keeper of all the community’s memories, Jonas quickly begins to discover the dark and deadly truths of his community’s secret past. With this newfound power of knowledge, he realizes that the stakes are higher than imagined – a matter of life and death for himself and those he loves most. At extreme odds, Jonas knows that he must escape their world to protect them all – a challenge that no one has ever succeeded at before.
THE GIVER is based on Lois Lowry’s beloved young adult novel of the same name, which was the winner the 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Starring Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, Alexander Skarsgard, Cameron Monaghan, Odeya Rush, and Taylor Swift, THE GIVER will be in theaters everywhere August 15th.
Be sure to check out The Giver Challenge, The Memory Deposit, and The Giver Experience – three fully immersive, interactive websites that are designed to reflect upon the themes present in the film and allow the user to experience THE GIVER themselves.
Get an up close look at the characters from the upcoming film THE GIVER with 8 brand new posters featuring Brenton Thwaites, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, Alexander Skarsgard, Taylor Swift, Cameron Monaghan, and Odeya Rush.
THE GIVER tells the story of Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Once given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory, Jonas begins to unveil the realities of the world he actually lives in.
Based on the beloved young adult novel by Lois Lowry, the film hits theaters everywhere August 15th
Be sure to check out The Giver Challenge, The Memory Deposit, and The Giver Experience – three fully immersive, interactive websites that are designed to reflect upon the themes present in the film and allow the user to experience THE GIVER themselves.
ABOUT THE GIVER CHALLENGE: http://thegiverchallenge.com/ The Community will offer weekly themes to run every two weeks — from April 28th to August 3rd — and are based on seven of the motifs from The Giver. A “theme” winner will be announced every other week via email, starting on May 12th. Theme winners will be rewarded with unique & exciting trips and a $1000 donation to their selected charities. Other exciting giveaways will be distributed throughout the challenge, including Schwinn bicycles and gift cards to Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. Players may also be selected for original/creative posts and have their creations featured as “Citizens of the Week.“
During the final two weeks (The Ceremony), the TOP 10 point earners (from April 14th – August 3rd) will be put to a vote for the Grand Prize Winner as “The Receiver.” The Grand Prize Winner will take home a $10,000 cash award AND win the honor of designating a $10,000 donation for the charity of his or her choice.
Each competition will include “training” or tasks for players to share their own memories, individuality, or promotional items of The Giver movie. Players can progress by completing their training — in accordance with the rules of the community — and earning points and badges. Leaderboards will be displayed to track progress and development throughout each competition and towards The Ceremony. Click here for the Official Rules.
Watch for emails on Mondays, containing announcements or instructions from the Council or The Giver.
ABOUT THE MEMORY DEPOSIT: http://thegivermemory.tumblr.com/ The Memory Deposit is a collective that details the entire human experience. From the small moments that help us understand the world, to the events that comprise our history, this deposit serves to inform, inspire, and remind us of what makes us human.
However, the insights found within these memories has no place in the world of The Giver. In a community founded on the principles of “sameness”, remembering what came before serves no greater purpose. In fact, it’s a departure from the perfection this society has worked so hard to sustain.
For a chance to be featured in the Memory Deposit, use the theme’s corresponding hashtag when posting images to tumblr.
ABOUT THE GIVER EXPERIENCE: https://thegiverfilm.com/ We put the user into the virtual seat of The Receiver by creating a first person, interactive piece that allows users to actually speak and interact with the character of The Giver, played by Jeff Bridges. Leveraging Google Chrome’s speech recognition tech, the system will track and moderate responses vocal responses. He will ask you questions, and if you respond correctly, he will share memory transfers with you.
