Tag: Olympics

THE FIRE INSIDE – Review

Well, it seems as though we’ve arrived at another end-of-the-year inspirational true-life sports story award contender. Last year it was THE BOYS IN THE BOAT and THE IRON CLAW. And both of them have an Olympic connection to this new film (the latter just touched on the gold in its first act). But that’s where the comparisons end as this story happened less than twenty years ago. Oh, and the “biggie”, is that this film concerns a young (mostly high school-age) African-American woman. Now her coach plays a big role here, though it is in support of her journey. But the biggest difference is that that journey doesn’t end with the medal ceremony, all wrapped up nicely with the star-spangled ribbon. No, she forges ahead due to her courage, skills, and determination fueled by THE FIRE WITHIN.

The film begins with a flashback to a few years after the start of the 21st century. A pre-teen girl dashes through the snowy, mean streets of Flint, Michigan until she reaches her destination, the boys’ athletic club. Former pro-fighter Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) is teaching the fundamentals of boxing to a group of rowdy young men. He sees the quiet young girl, who has shown up before and tried to step into the ring. Jason implores her to leave to no avail. Okay, maybe a little time lying on the canvas will send her home. The boys are hesitant until Jason convinces one named Lil’ Zay to spar with her. And to Jason’s shock, she lands a few solid hits. Later that night he drops her off at home where she’s the main caregiver to her little brother and sister while Mom parties, and Papa’s in prison. The years pass and Jason continues to coach her as Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny) gains a fierce reputation and a nickname, “T-Rex”. Oh, and a secret boyfriend, now teenage Zay (Idrissa Sanogo). She confides in him, telling of being touched by one of her many “uncles”. Things explode when she returns home while Mom is entertaining. A “playa” gets aggressive and she decks him prompting Mom to send her out into the streets. Luckily Jason finds her and gets his wife Mickey (De’ Adre Aziza) to set her up in one of their old empty bedrooms (the kids have long flown from the next). Jason spends every minute he’s not installing cable lines to train her for a local competition, which leads to an Olympic tryout. Soon Claressa is off to compete in China without him as he’s not officially sanctioned. After she barely makes the “cut”, working with a new coach, Jason gets the funds to join her at the 2012 London Olympics as a sideline “supporter”. The real trials and struggles for Clarissa begin after the torch is snuffed and she must try and help her family when the limelight fades.

The film’s success really relies on the shoulders of the lead actress. Happily, the very talented Ms. Destiny is more than up to the task. Yes, she has sass and ferocity to spare, but she also has the talent to make Claressa a fully rounded human being rather than a symbol on a pedestal. She defies the groomers, bristling at the ‘suggestions to tone down her interview replies (“It’s true, I like to knock people out”) and their pleas to “glam’ herself up (she’s stunned to see another boxer doing a fighting stance while looking like she’s “made up” for a fashion magazine cover). But we also see her vulnerable side as she tells Zay of her painful abuse trauma past and later as she tries to ease her inner pain by bonding with her surrogate family. It’s truly a star-making turn, enhanced by pairing her with a stage and screen vet, Henry. As Jason, he’s the warm, caring fatherly figure that Claressa so needs, though he’s no cuddly pushover. He knows when she’s “playing’ and doesn’t hesitate to call her out. Henry shows us that he’s got a deep respect and love for his protege, while also trying to temper his frustrations with her stubborn spirit (perhaps he sees a lot of his own qualities in her). Plus we get the impression that he also believes this is a shot at glory, as we see him wistfully looking at a grainy VHS tape of his past bouts. This truly dynamic duo elevates the film above and beyond the standard “fight picture”.

Of course their work would mean little without the expert guidance of Rachel Morrison, in (and this is surprising) her feature film directing debut (after several TV dramas). She captures the grimy dangerous and desperate vibe of Flint (not much has changed in the 35 years since ROGER AND ME) especially the dire home life of the Shields household (filthy dishes and an always empty fridge). Morrison switches from the urban drama to the shiny glitz of Olympic competition, putting us right alongside the fighters as their sweat splashes against the lens. As I mentioned earlier, while other sports flicks would finish with the big bout, Morrison is back on those Michigan streets to show us that happy endings require continued passion, Credit must also go to the script by Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins providing some thought-provoking commentary on the battle against sexism (the female athletes get a third of the “stipend” that the males get) in the world of amateur and pro sports. My only complaint is that the final minutes feel a tad truncated as the pre-end title info cards must do a lot of “heavy lifting’ to round out the second shot of glory for Claressa, and her most recent endeavors. But the tale presented here is most engaging. avoiding many cliches of the genre but still delivering an inspiring denouncement. Perhaps for others seeking a near unattainable goal it will light THE FIRE INSIDE.

3 out of 4

THE FIRE INSIDE opens in theatres everywhere on Christmas day, 2024

THE BOYS IN THE BOAT – Review

BITB_15372_R (l-r.) Thomas Elms stars as Chuck Day, Tom Varey as Johnny White, Bruce Herbelin-Earle as Shorty Hunt, Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, Luke Slattery as Bobby Moch and Wil Coban as Jim McMillin in director George Clooney’s THE BOYS IN THE BOAT An Amazon MGM Studios film Photo credit: Laurie Sparham © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

As promised the onslaught of 2023 sports films marches, or in this case paddles, on. Hot on the heels of last week’s historical sports drama, comes this one based on a popular book from a few years ago. It’s not about wrestling, like Friday’s flick, but it is set in the past, though nearly fifty years before the Von Erichs. But there is an Olympic connection. This one concerns a larger team of young men defying the odds and overcoming hardship to go for the gold, rather than fame and fortune. Yes, the idea of “team” as in teamwork is essential to them as this particular sport depends on all those involved acting and reacting “in sync”. Otherwise, it’s a splash into the murky depths (or a nasty collision) for THE BOYS IN THE BOAT.


Actually, this film begins in the 1980s with a brief prologue of a grandpa’ advising his grandson on the nuances of canoeing. Cue the “fade out/dissolve” to the 1930s at the heart of the depression. In a junkyard next to a makeshift camp (perhaps they were still “Hoovervilles”), eighteen-year-old Joe Rantz (Callum Turner). studies for his college courses by lantern light in the back of a beat-up old jalopy which is now his home since he lost his mother after his father ran off. He’s doing well at the University of Washington, getting good grades, making friends, and even attracting the attention of a cute co-ed named Joyce (Hadley Robinson). Joe is somehow adept at hiding his homelessness until the college bills catch up to him. Due to the Great Depression, jobs are truly scarce. Then a buddy informs him that he can defray some costs by being part of the rowing team. At the tryouts, Joe and the other freshman are put through “the paces” by tough veteran head coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton). Joe barely makes the team as Coach Al pairs the “junior squad” with a somewhat rebellious coxswain. Though Al is an inspiration, Joe forms a close bond with elderly boatbuilder George Pocock (Peter Guinness), more of a father/son relationship rather than a student/mentor. Slowly Joe and the team ‘click, and Al shocks the school by sending them to the big meets instead of the senior team. Despite their inexperience, they have a shot at competing in the Summer Olympics in Germany. But after barely scraping together enough money for the trek, will they take home the gold and glory when one of the team is stricken by an unexpected illness?


As the affable, stoic everyman at the center of the story, Turner gives real dignity and strength to the hardworking Rantz, making his intimacy with his mentor and girlfriend into powerful scenes in which he exhibits his vulnerability and inner heartbreak (the little boy inside still yearns for his folks). Edgerton is every inch the tough taskmaster as Coach Al, who is careful not to overpraise “his boys” but expresses his doubts and hopes in private with his assistant Tom Bolles (the engaging James Wolk) and his gorgeous wife Hazel (played with sexy humor by Courtney Henggeler). As Joe’s gal Joyce, Robinson is an energetic flirt as she tries to “wake him up” to notice her charms, then slowly becomes the rock of support he needs when the past catches up to him. But the film’s warm beating heart might be Guinness as the wise nurturing woodworker who gently passes on his knowledge and his way of living to the somewhat aimless young Rantz, acting much like a carpentry Yoda or Mr. Miyagi.


The film’s real coxswain. and head coach is director/co-producer George Clooney who captures the bleak look of a downtrodden 1930s America intercut with old-style mahognay-tinged academia. He’s most adept at telling the story with few cinematic flourishes, giving it the feel of a film from that era. But that’s part of the film’s problem as this true tale feels as though it’s been presented so many times and teeters on “inspirational sports film” cliches. There are the underdogs from RUDY, along with its “last chance at glory” coach from HOOSIERS, mixed with training montages right from CHARIOTS OF FIRE. It doesn’t help that the “big show’ at the 1936 Olympics seems tacked on scenes from 2016’s RACE with a fleeting cameo from Jesse Owens and flimsy Fuhrer imitator. Yes, since it’s based on a true story (and a best seller) we know the outcome, but even if it was fiction there are few surprises and little suspense (no virus is going to topple this team). Oh, the team members aren’t defined characters other than Joe and a shy guy who is a musical wiz. This all resembles a fairly glorified basic cable movie ( or a “special event” broadcast network “sweeps” flick). The look of the Northwest of 85 years ago feels authentic but it is not enough to send THE BOYS IN THE BOAT over the cinematic finish line.

2 Out of 4

THE BOYS IN THE BOAT opens in theatres everywhere on Christmas Day 2023

EDDIE THE EAGLE – The Review

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Last week I said we’d be back at the Olympics, and indeed this week’s new release puts us back in the cheering section as another young man hopes to make his dreams of gold come true. While RACE focused on American track legend, Jesse Owens, this time out we’re looking back on a British athlete, not from the Summer games but the Winter spectacle. Oh, and it’s during a less controversial era. Owens was pressured not to attend those 1936 games that were often used as a propaganda tool by Hitler. In 1988 no such pressures were brought to bear on this new film’s title hero. And while Owens also had to break past racial barriers, Michael Edwards (his birth name) faced a rigid class system and beurocrats determined to keep him out of competition. But in this “feel good” flick Michael’s determination earns him the nickname EDDIE THE EAGLE.

While growing up in Cheltenham, England during the 1970’s, the scrawny and bespectacled ‘Eddie’ Edwards had but one goal: to compete in the Olympics. His attempts at different sports (pole vaulting, high jump, etc.) usually ended with a trip to the family doctor and another pair of broken eye glasses (collected in his “medal storage” tin box). But his Mum (Jo Hartley) encouraged his dreams while Dad (Tim McInnererny) grumbled. Entering his teen years, Eddie (Taron Egerton) decided that the Winter games would be his best bet. After his tenure with the downhill skiing time proved a bust (the awkward Eddie could never really fit in), he was ready to join pop in his home remodeling business as a plasterer. But then he was enthralled by a televised ski jump competition. And it turns out that England hasn’t a ski jump champion. Eddie gets a great deal of resistance from the Olympic committee, but after he’s given a (nearly impossible) list of requirements he boards a bus to a middle European ski resort in order to train. Veteran jumpers from other countries mock him, but Eddie gets right back up after every crash and stumble. This attracts the attention of the resort maintenance man Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman). Many years ago, Peary’s try at the gold was ended by his hard-partying lifestyle, which also began a long estrangement with his coach, the iconic Warren Sharp (Christopher Walken). Peary warns Eddie that he’ll break his neck, but the young man needs a coach and pleads with the boozing, burnt-out skier. Seeing a glint of his former self and hoping for a sense of redemption, Peary agrees. Soon the duo are headed all across the land, entering different meets and competitions, in order to fulfill the committee’s list and earn a slot at the upcoming 1988 Calgary Winer Olympic Games.

Egerton shows great versatility in his first starring role since his big screen breakthrough in last year’s hit, KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE. In that flick, he was quite believable as a reluctant action hero, but he’s even better as the child-like innocent (just watch him blush at the advances of the sultry chalet manager) wannabe’ Olympian. His skills help veer the family scenes with the excellent Hartley and McInnerny away from saccharine towards naturally warm and endearing. Eddie’s social awkwardness can often be painful to watch, but this makes him more of an inspiring underdog. Egerton conveys that stubborn determination while also showing us the doubt and fear thorough the glasses and goggles. He knows that every jump could be his last, but  forges ahead despite his initial hesitations (nearly getting him disqualified at one meet). This is a performance that carries us past any sports movie clichés and establishes Egerton as a star on the rise. Happily he has great rapport with his on- screen coach as Jackman looks to be enjoying a break from superheroics playing the grizzled mentor. His jaded wisecracks and barbs attempt to temper Eddie’s often reckless enthusiasm, but soon we see Jackman slowly regain the gleam in his eyes as the light from Eddie’s pure heart pushes away Peary’s dark demeanor. The two are a terrific team and Walken’s subtle cameo role (with a great reunion with his lost student) makes them a pretty great trio.

Actor Dexter Fletcher treads a cinematic tightrope in this, his third feature directing gig. In a tale full of eccentric antics, he never lets the finished film become annoyingly cute or unbearably cloying. Eddie’s a nice guy alright, but in his sports mania he can become a bit of a pill. And beside the perils of the actual jump, he also must survive the crushing embrace of the media, as reporters feast on the “eagle’ phenomenon. Though screenwriters Sean Macauley and Simon Kelton rely on composite and completely fictional supporting characters (there’s no Peary?!), they make the story more than merely a checklist of accomplishments. And the subtle score from Matthew Margeson never hammers the film’s emotional beats, unlike most swelling, uplifting tunes from typical sports flicks. Kudos to the art direction for getting the 70’s and 80’s looks just right ,from the fashions to gadgets (lots of VHS tapes for Eddie to study). Through free of the historical drama that dominates RACE, this inspirational heart-tugger will still resonate with anyone who’s had to prove themselves after getting doors slammed on their dreams. Families of film (and sports) fans will have a fun flight with EDDIE THE EAGLE.

4 Out of 5

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RACE (2016) – The Review

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Hollywood knows that one genre is almost certain to get the audience’s blood pumping and pulse racing: the sports story. CREED certainly proved that a few months ago (you’d think audiences were watching a real live boxing match, judging from the all the cheering at the multiplex). Couple that on-screen excitement with a dramatic true story, and you’ve hopefully got a critical and box office hit. And while professional sports may be tainted and tarnished thanks to bad behavior and big bucks, the amateur athletes still have a purity and nobility about them. There have been plenty of college (WE ARE MARSHALL), high school (HOOSIERS), and even grade school (THE BAD NEWS BEARS) team tales, but for individual triumphs, the four-year spectacle, the Olympics, abound in stories of glory and drama. Well 2016 just so happens to be an olympic year, so the studios are launching the first of several such true tales of courage today. Next week I’ll be back with a charming, funny film fable from the 1988 Winter games, and in March we’ll get a raunchy fictional comedy set in that competitive backdrop. But for now, we travel all the way back to 1936, eighty years,for a film whose title has a double meaning: RACE.

The focus of RACE is the incredible story of that track and field wonder, African-American icon Jesse Owens (Stephan James). We meet him as he prepares to enroll at Ohio State University. Jesse packs his suitcase, dresses in his best (and only) suit, and says his goodbye to his family in their crowded rundown apartment in the slums of Cleveland. Ohio. And he also bids adieu to his longtime gal, beautician Ruth (Shanice Banton) and their two-year old (out-of-wedlock) daughter Gloria. Arriving on campus, he heads to the office of track and field coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis) to become part of the college team. Despite their awkward first meeting, Snyder is impressed by Owens’s school records and helps him land a part-time job as he trains him for the upcoming Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor (all while dealing with the rampant racism in the sports department). When Jesse breaks three world records(within an hour), his dreams of Olympic gold begin. Meanwhile in New York City, the United States Olympic Committee is engaged in a heated debate about the upcoming Summer games in Berlin, Germany. Jeremiah Mahoney (William Hurt) is horrified at the actions of Chancellor Adolf Hitler and believes the US should boycott the games, while Avery Brundage (Jeremy Irons) believes that the Olympics should put politics aside. It is decided that Avery will travel to Berlin and check out the atmosphere there. Meanwhile Jesse begins a fling with a nightclub regular, Quincella (Chantel Riley), that threatens to end his relationship to Ruth and derail his sports career. Luckily he gets his priorities straight while German officials assure Avery that all will be in order (this after he observes their brutal treatment of the Jewish community), and is introduced to the film maker that will chronicle the games, Leni Riefenstahl (Carice van Houten) for the feature film OLYMPIA. But will the local organizers keep their promises of “fair play” when Jesse and the rest of the American team arrive in Berlin?

As Owens, Stephan James projects strength and determination helping us comprehend the real man’s incredible achievements. Through his eyes and body language we see how this gifted man had to temper himself while navigating through a society that embraced his accomplishments while denigrating him for his color. Even as he takes a walk on the wild side with his “jazz baby” temptress, James still goes us a hero that we can applaud (the dalliance makes him more human) despite his foibles. Sudeikis breaks free of his motor-mouthed, wise guy comic persona as Coach Snyder. He’s a man of deep regret (we learn during a terrific monologue) who vows to guide Owens to fulfill the promise that Snyder himself squandered. All the while he becomes a surrogate father to Owens, one who bristles and barks back at the ignorant while Owens must remain silent. Irons as Brundage is all businessman as the sight of Nazi brutality disgusts him. His admiration for the Olympic ideals too often blinds him to the injustices behind the scenes. Ultimately, he submits too easily. Hurt shines in a role that is basically a cameo (despite the billing in the ads), his Mahoney knows that Hitler only wishes to use the games to glorify and promote his own agenda. Ms. van Houten, like James, is determined not to let her hard work and talents be exploited. Though Goebbels and his goons try to thwart her, Leni wants to tell the whole story with no filters.

Director Stephens Hopkins does a good job at keeping the story coherent while maintaining a steady pace. Unfortunately the script from Anna Waterhouse and Joe Shrapnel attempts to tell too many tales at once, any of which could have been made into separate movies. There’s the whole debate within the committee, the wheeling and dealing between Germany and Brundage, and certainly the making of OLYMPIA could make for interesting films. The constant interruptions detract from the Owens story. It doesn’t help that we only meet him after his teenage years, which doesn’t tell us just how his running and jumping prowess began (plus there’s the whole romance with Ruth plus their then scandalous behavior) . And aside from a brief mid credit scene, we don’t see Owens’s life after the gold medals (we know he’s part of a great joke in BLAZING SADDLES, but …). The 1930’s are expertly recreated with vintage fashions and autos, while CGI convincingly places us next to Jesse inside that massive studium with thousands looking down. Plus those track performances (especially the long jump) are inspiring in their visual power. Fewer subplot negotiations and more athletics would have made RACE as light on its feet as the miraculous Mr. Owens himself.

3 Out of 5

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THE OTHER DREAM TEAM – The Review

Could there be a new trend in the field of feature-length documentaries? After last year’s Oscar winner UNDEFEATED and the surprise box office success of this year’s SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN, are we seeing a spate of  “feel-good” doc? They’ve had an unfair rep as dour and somber for quite some time now. Many film goers avoid them completely, feeling that they’re the movie equivalent of a dull lecture or homework (“shudder”)! But THE OTHER DREAM TEAM is a truly uplifting movie. And to quote one of the film’s subjects, “What a long, strange, trip it’s been”.

This is primarily the story of the 1992 Lithuanian basketball team whose tale really begins in 1940. That’s when the USSR, in order to battle the Axis menace, took over the country of Lithuania. During those many dark days of occupation Lithuanians sought relief by indulging in their favorite national sport of basketball. Make-shift hoops and goal post sprung up everywhere. Many gifted athletes emerged and were major players in the Soviet Olympic teams. The NBA in the United States attempted to draft several other them, but the Soviets would not allow them to leave Lithuania. After Russia pulled out of the 1984 Olympics, many thought their gold medal dreams were dashed. Then came the triumph of the 1988 games with four Lithuanians in the starting five. Shortly thereafter came the fall of the USSR and the liberation of their homeland. They would compete in the 1992 Olympics for Lithuania at last. Wonderful, except for the lack of funds for the team’s expenses. Who could could step in and help?  Their unlikely benefactors were Jerry Garcia and his band. The Dead even provided special tye-dyed uniforms. The Lithuanians would be able to compete, but how would they fare against the juggernaut known as the USA “Dream Team” (consisting of superstars like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley)?

Director Marius A. Markevicius keep things moving along at a fairly brisk pace in telling the early history of the sport in Lithuania. Newsreel footage is intercut with animation and movie clips that highlight Russian stereotypes (Ivan Drago, Boris Badenov,etc.). We get to see the old team passing on their skills to a younger generation. And of course there are TV reports on the battle to oust USSR troops (heart-wrenching scenes of carnage and chaos). Most of the film has the standard talking head interviews with those 1993 players along with US sport stars such as Bill Walton and Chris Mullin, NBA commissioner David Stern, Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart, and sportscaster Jim Lampley. This can put a bit of a drag on the film’s momentum, but the euphoria of the final moments will leave you ecstatic. THE OTHER DREAM TEAM is not just for basketball fans. This tale of a country finally gaining its independence is a story to inspire everyone, Seems a win is even sweeter when you’re playing for your homeland.

3.5 Out of 5 stars

THE OTHER DREAM TEAM plays exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

Olympic Archer Khatuna Lorig Poses As “Katniss Everdeen” From THE HUNGER GAMES – On Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand, And Digital Download 8/18/12


Khatuna Lorig at the Hunger Games event on Tuesday June 26, 2012 in Hamilton Ohio. (Photo by Skip Peterson/Invision for Lionsgate/AP Images)

In anticipation of the release of THE HUNGER GAMES on Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand, and Digital Download on August 18, 2012 at 12:01 A.M. we present you with this awesome image of Olympic Archer Khatuna Lorig posing as “Katniss Everdeen.”

The Hunger Games global phenomenon has inspired a surging popularity in the sport of archery demonstrated even further by the success of the United States Archery Team at the Olympics, as well as the highly anticipated Blu-ray and DVD release of the film on August 18 from Lionsgate. Team USA member Khatuna Lorig was there at the beginning to teach actress Jennifer Lawrence how to shoot a bow and arrow in preparation for her iconic starring role. In this image, Olympian Khatuna Lorig poses as “Katniss Everdeen” in a replica jacket from the film, with a symbolic mockingjay pin, in celebration of The Hunger Games™ huge and lasting impact on the sport.

Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games juggernaut will arrive on home entertainment at 12:01 A.M. on Saturday, August 18, as the first film in Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games franchise, which has already grossed nearly $400 million at the North American box office and is approaching $650 million at the worldwide box office, debuts on 2-disc DVD (plus digital copy), 2-disc Blu-Ray (plus digital copy), VOD and digital download with three hours of previously unavailable bonus materials in the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate’s history.

The film, based on the New York Times best-selling novel from writer Suzanne Collins, achieved a remarkable four-week run as the #1 film at the North American theatrical box office where it has already grossed $392 million, ranking as the 14th highest-grossing film of all time.

The 2-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc DVD arrive loaded with over three hours of extensive bonus materials including the comprehensive eight-part documentary, “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games.” Other special features include a sit-down conversation with director Gary Ross as well as numerous featurettes that examine the global success of the books, the creation of the control room in the film and the filmmakers’ motivation behind creating new scenes that were not in the book plus much more. The Blu-ray Disc set contains an additional exclusive feature, “Preparing for the Games: A Director’s Process,” which looks at the progression of taking three key scenes from the book to the screen. The Hunger Games Blu-ray Disc and DVD is a must-have film that is hailed as “exciting and thought-provoking in a way few adventure dramas ever are” (New York Daily News). Fans can pre-order the Blu-ray Disc and DVD for $39.99 and $30.98, respectively.

“The motion picture event of the year is poised to become the home entertainment event of the year and, with a midnight launch and midnight retail events scheduled at stores around the country, we expect to replicate the same level of consumer excitement generated by the film’s theatrical debut,” said Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate Executive Vice President & General Manager, Home Entertainment.

Directed by Academy Award® nominee Gary Ross (Seabiscuit), The Hunger Games, starring Academy Award® nominee Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), features an ensemble cast that includes Golden Globe® winner Donald Sutherland (Citizen X), Academy Award® nominee Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson (The People vs. Larry Flynt), Lenny Kravitz (Precious) and Emmy® nominee Elizabeth Banks (TV’s “30 Rock”). The film also stars some of the industry’s brightest up and coming actors such as Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) and Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2).

The Hunger Games is the first in a trilogy of books published by Scholastic that has already become a literary phenomenon with over 36.5 million copies in circulation.  Set in the future, one male and one female from each of the twelve districts of the nation is forced to participate in the annual competition called The Hunger Games, which is broadcast live throughout the country for the entertainment of the Capitol’s wealthy residents. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) volunteers in her younger sister’s place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she’s pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives.  If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

BLU-RAY & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES*

  • “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games” – an eight-part documentary covering the “making of” the film in all aspects from the pre-production process all the way through the theatrical release and fan reactions
  • “Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenon” featurette
  •  “Letters from the Rose Garden” featurette – insights from Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as President Snow
  • “Controlling the Games” featurette – stories and concepts behind creating the control center
  • “A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell”
  • Propaganda Film (in its entirety)
  • Marketing Archive
  • “Preparing for The Games: A Director’s Process” (Blu-ray Exclusive)

* Subject to change

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Year of Production: 2012
Title Copyright: © 2012 Lionsgate Films Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Theatrical Release
Rating: PG-13 for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images- all involving teens
Genre: Action/Adventure
Blu-ray Closed Captioned: English SDH
DVD Closed Captioned: English
Subtitles: English and Spanish
Blu-ray Format: 1080P High Definition 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
DVD Format: 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
Feature Running Time: 142 minutes
Blu-ray Audio Status: English 7.1 DTS HD-MA, English 2.0 Dolby Digital Optimized for Late Night Listening and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
DVD Audio Status: English 5.1 Dolby Digital EX, English 2.0 Dolby Digital Optimized for Late Night Listening and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

To experience The Hunger Games online, please visit:
Official Website: http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/
Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/thehungergamesmovie
Official Twitter Page: @TheHungerGames  #HungerGamesDVD

SKYFALL Olympic TV Spot & James Bond 007 Escorts The Queen To The London 2012 Olympic Games

As thousands of people gathered in Stratford, east London, for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on Friday, The Queen made an unexpected entrance – with a little help from 007, in this James Bond film.

Golf clap to Danny Boyle on this priceless moment! Cheers to Her Majesty for playing right along as well. In June 2010, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games announced that Danny Boyle, Oscar winning British filmmaker and producer, would be the Artistic Director for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

For more about the making of this film, click HERE to read BBC’s coverage.

Wacth the SKYFALL Olympic Spot that was shown on American television on NBC.

In SKYFALL, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost. SKYFALL marks the return of Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007, as well as Judi Dench reprising her role as M. The film also stars franchise newcomers Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem and Naomie Harris. The character of Q will be making a welcome return to the Bond franchise and the role will be played by Ben Whishaw.

The film is directed by Sam Mendes from a screenplay written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and John Logan. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are producers. The long-awaited next chapter in the famed James Bond franchise will be released in IMAX theatres simultaneously with the film’s international release on Oct. 26, and its domestic release on Nov. 9, 2012. This is the first IMAX installment of the iconic Bond film franchise.

007 fans can learn more about SKYFALL at the James Bond franchise:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JamesBond007

Twitter:  @007  #Skyfall

Visit the official site:  http://www.007.com/ 

CHARIOTS OF FIRE Team GB Olympics Video – On Blu-ray July 10

With a little more than a month until the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics, kids re-enacted the famous scene from Chariots of Fire on West Sands Beach in St Andrews, Scotland earlier today. On July 13th, audiences across the UK will have the opportunity to enjoy the Great British movie classic, CHARIOTS OF FIRE on the big screen as Twentieth Century Fox, in association with The Sun and BT and with the support of the BFI, release the internationally acclaimed, multi Oscar®-winning Olympic drama in a stunning digitally restored version.

Listen as past athletes from Great Britain talk about their Olympic moments.

Yesterday Variety reported on the Games of the XXX Olympiad.

Filmmaker Danny Boyle has unveiled details of the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, which will see the Olympic Stadium transformed into an idealized version of the British countryside.

Boyle, artistic director for the curtain raiser, said the opening scene of the £27 million ($42 million) extravaganza will be called “Green and Pleasant” and would create “a picture of ourselves as a nation.” He said the three-hour show was inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” and would be about a land recovering from its industrial legacy.

An official part of the London 2012 Festival, CHARIOTS OF FIRE will help get this summer’s Olympic celebrations off to a flying start on July 10th, with the British Premiere for the film taking place simultaneously in London’s Leicester Square, at Edinburgh’s iconic Festival Theatre, and at selected locations across the country. The events will be attended by the film’s producer Lord Puttnam, Hugh Hudson, the director, members of the cast and a host of Britain’s greatest sportsmen and women.

Chariots of Fire tells the story of two very different men who compete as runners in the 1924 Paris Olympics: Eric Liddell is a devout Christian who believes that his athletic abilities are a gift from God, and that using that gift to its fullest extent – to win the gold medal – will be his way of repaying that gift.

Harold Abrahams is an English Jew, a student at Cambridge, who dreams of fame and of proving to his anti-Semitic fellow students, and to the world, that Jews are in no respect inferior.

Their motives are noble. Their commitment is total. Their integrity is unquestionable. They will both make personal sacrifices to achieve their goals. In the process, through all the obstacles and personal issues they conquer, they prove that striving for victory in their own terms is, perhaps, its own reward.

Based on a true story, CHARIOTS OF FIRE was the winner of four Academy Awards®, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, in addition to receiving nominations for three more.

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CHARIOTS OF FIRE will be released on Blu-ray for the first time on July 10, 2012 from Warner Home Video (WHV). The title’s release will coincide with this year’s Summer Olympics in London which begins at the end of July.

The four-time Academy Award-winning film, named Best Picture in 1982, also won for Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score, and received three additional nominations. Ben Cross (“Star Trek”) and Ian Charleson (“Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes”) head a stellar cast, which also features British luminaries Ian Holm (“Lord of the Rings” series), John Gielgud (“Gandhi,” “Arthur”) and Lindsay Anderson (“O Lucky Man”), in this powerful and emotional true story of British sprinters Harold Abrahams (Cross) and Eric Liddell (Charleson). Eric, a devout Scottish missionary runs because he knows it must please God, while Harold, the son of a newly wealthy Jew runs to prove his place in Cambridge society. Ian Holm was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor in his role as Abrahams’ coach.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE will be offered in WHV’s premium Blu-ray book packaging ($35.99 SRP) with close to an hour of special features, and a Blu-ray book with rare insights into the film’s production and cast, including trivia and in-depth photos. In addition, there is a CD sampler featuring some of the most beloved songs from the film.

Special features in CHARIOTS OF FIRE include:

      • New Featurette: “Paris, 1924 – Birth of the Modern Olympic’s”
      • New Featurette: “David Puttnam, A Cinematic Champion”
      • New Featurette: “Hugh Hudson – Journey to the Gold”
      • “Wings on their Heels: The Making of Chariots of Fire”
      • “Chariots of Fire: A Reunion”
      • “Sprint Around the Quad”
      • “Famous Opening Shot”
      • Commentary by Director Hugh Hudson
      • Deleted Scenes
      • Screen Tests
      • CD Sampler
      o “Titles”
      o “Abraham’s Theme”
      o “Eric’s Theme”
      o “Jerusalem”

Special features are subject to change.

AFI chimes in on 2008’s “Moments of Significance”

In all of it’s list-making glory, the American Film Institute (AFI) released it’s picks for the Top Moments of 2008 on Sunday. Now, when it comes to movies, despite any reservations I may have, I accept the AFI having it’s face in the crowd and making it’s opinions heard. On the other hand, I wonder what kind of authority the AFI really expects to garnish by releasing a Top List that includes sports and politics… yeah, huh?

AFI’s “Moments of Significance” were chosen by a 13-person jury comprising scholars, film artists, critics and AFI trustees. Two juries, one for film and another for TV, deliberated for two days in Los Angeles.

The list includes the following moments deemed “Top of 2008 Moments of Significance” by the AFI. Some of these are so obvious that is begs the question of why they’d even bother…

  • Tina Fey’s portrayal of VP candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. [Funny, but whatever…]
  • The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. [Personally, I felt the “scandals” were the story here.]
  • The Presidential race between John McCain and Barack Obama. [duh…]
  • This one I simply have to quote, as it’s to difficult to explain:

The rapid changes in the TV distribution landscape were noted by AFI as being part of the “Age of Anxiety” for showbiz as traditional business models evolve. The org cited such examples as the growth of Internet website Hulu, DirecTV’s funding of a third season of NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” and the Peacock’s decision to move Jay Leno into a Monday-Friday primetime berth.

  • The success of Joss Whedon’s Internet project Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. [OK, cool!]
  • The downturn for indie filmmakers, as a result of a rise in studio specialty divisions such as Paramount Vantage, Warner Independent, New Line and Picturehouse. [Um, I’m not sure how an alleged stroke of bad luck for indie filmmakers is considered a good thing. Then again, we all know how the AFI is such a HUGE supporter of indie filmmakers, right? Besides, didn’t Paramount Vantage go under?]
  • Finally, and what I would call both the best pick and only relevant pick for the AFI, Danny Boyle is honored for his triumphant film Slumdog Millionaire.

The pic “stands as a monument to the possibilities of cross-cultural storytelling,” the American Film Institute said Sunday.

So, what do you think? Good list? Bad list? Irrelevant? What are your thoughts, both of the list itself and of the contents of the list? What would your list of the 2008 Top “Moments of Significance” include?

[source: Variety.com]