2012 marked a phenomenal year at the cinemas. ARGO, SKYFALL, LINCOLN, ZERO DARK THIRTY, DJANGO UNCHAINED, WRECK-IT RALPH, AMOUR, SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN. The list goes on and on. Every genre stepped up to the plate to whet theater audiences’ appetite. Check out our “2012 Best of” list HERE.
As we wade through the 2013 awards season celebrating the best films, you can’t have the greats without the clunkers. After much thought, the Geeks came together and decided to have one last look at 2012 with our list of the 10 Worst Films. Our list kicks off with the “dishonorable mention” – PROJECT X.
Found footage: it’s not just for cheap horror flicks anymore! This celebration of binge drinking and property damage is supposedly all shot by a member of the film’s junior “wolfpack”. When his parents leave him home alone for his 21st birthday (they’re off on an anniversary/second honeymoon trip..the dopes!), Thomas decides to throw a party with the help of his incredibly obnoxious pal Costa (I guess Jonah Hill is past these roles). Revelers dive into the pool from the roof of the house (what could go wrong?). A crazed pot dealer torches the neighbors with a flame-thrower (harmless hijinks!). There’s even an Archie comics romantic subplot tossed in (will Thomas/Arch go with the snobby, raven-haired bombshell Alexis/Veronica or go with the sweet blonde next door Kirby/Betty?). When Dad returns, he grounds his son, but then gives him a proud wink (“Didn’t know you had it in you!”). RISKY BUSINESS covered some similar territory (can it really be 30 years old?!) is CITIZEN KANE compared to this course, crude ode to irresponsibility.
10. RED DAWN
In many ways, this is actually a perfect remake. The original film is unpleasant but delightfully goofy and improbable, and this one is, while not as unpleasant, even more goofy and improbable. It begins by setting up Kim Jong-Un as a scary threat, and only escalates in silliness from there.
9. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING
Cliche, agonizing, and just plain painful… That sums up WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING. Elizabeth Banks and Anna Kendrick couldn’t even save this dull sitcom of a film. There is no real character development, and with so many characters and stories going on the whole thing is just one big mess!
8.ONE FOR THE MONEY
Katherine Heigl was featured as Stephanie Plum in this anything but hilarious film that was supposedly for the whole family. Based on Janet Evanovich’s best seller about an incredibly average yet heroic woman who finds a new start in the bail bond business. Fans of the books were looking forward to this movie and with some great source material, it makes you wonder how it could’ve been messed up so badly. Across the board this movie failed.
7. DARK SHADOWS
DARK SHADOWS was a film many greatly anticipated, hoped would be a perfect vehicle to welcome Tim Burton back into the fold of filmmaker’s appreciated by the more critical audience, but ultimately fell flat. Burton’s take on the classic TV saga failed to truly capture the darkness, the morbid and the drama. Burton’s attempts at humor were only occasionally successful, but more often fell on a silent crowd and the ending was, well… to put it simply, straight out of left field, pointless and, in general, somewhat of an ill-concocted cop out for mere shock value.
6. FOR A GOOD TIME CALL
The “sex comedy” FOR A GOOD TIME CALL was neither sexy nor funny but did prove the adage that sex is funny when it’s taken seriously, but boring when it’s treated as funny. It obviously targeted the Sex and the City/BRIDESMAIDS demographic but the writing was lazy and the jokes simply weren’t funny. Any movie whose idea of a hilarious gag is to name a phone sex business 1-800-MMM-HMMM is the sort of film so eager to depict people in cutesy-naughty situations that it never bothers to figure out what they’re doing there in the first place. FOR A GOOD TIME CALL had the cruddy over-bright lighting, the stop-and-go pace, and the patchwork structure of bad TV. The lifeless charades presided over by the two lead actresses was just embarrassing as they bickered and shouted their lines like Lucy and Ethel. Lauren Anne Miller was cute but bland while Ari Graynor gave a performance tone-deaf abrasive, channeling Bette Midler at her loudest. For a good time…….choose a different movie if this one’s tempting you at Red Box.
5. ALEX CROSS
A scowl and a black trench coat do not an action hero make. Tyler Perry looks less foolish in a dress than he did in the action scenes of ALEX CROSS. Without the pendulous bosom, glossy fright wig, and sass, Perry was adrift. He’s a big guy at 6’4″ but he has that big black Baby Huey face that he used in ALEX CROSS to sneer and growl and squint like he was trying so hard to shed Medea’s skin right before our eyes and reveal his inner Bruce Willis. There were so many close-ups of him failing to emote, such as the scene where he cradled his dying wife and couldn’t muster more than an unconvincing pout, that you just felt bad that he was so out of his league. Some of the action scenes were in slo-mo to disguise the fact Perry is more convincing swinging a purse than throwing a punch. ALEX CROSS was rated PG-13 so Mr. Perry’s fan base could take the whole family to see a movie that opened with a serial killer tying a negligee-clad beauty to a bed and torturing her to death by slicing her fingers off one by one. ALEX CROSS was almost, but not quite, fun-bad enough to recommend.
4. TIM AND ERIC’S BILLION DOLLAR MOVIE
Not since Tom Green has a supposed funnyman (or in this case, funnymen) been so self-indulgently persistent in testing a moviegoer’s patience. TIM AND ERIC’S BILLION DOLLAR MOVIE, which made last year’s BUCKY LARSON BORN TO BE A STAR look like Oscar bait, was made as terrible as possible by the hapless direction and writing of stars Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the “talent” behind the cable show Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Perhaps their kind comedy works better in short sketches but their feature was one of the most annoying and uncomfortable films I’d seen in a long time. All the intended-to-be-funny moments just came off as desperate attempts by the pair to shock the crowd with gags about pedophilia, being covered in various fluids, and getting their genitals pierced. There was a lengthy sequence involving four prepubescent boys squirting diarrhea onto Wareheim in a bathtub, a scene that initially elicited groans from the audience that soon dissolve into bored silence, but to dismiss this movie for being ‘offensive’ would be to offer it high praise. Pudgy, pasty and homely, Neidecker and Wareheim had a distinctly repellent anti-charisma that sucked any joy out of the room the moment they appeared on-screen and I hope to never lay eyes on either of them again.
3. PIRANHA 3DD
This sequel to Alexandre Aja’s gruesomely fun Piranha remake showed a lot of early promise. The trailer looked fun. But then The Weinstein Company opted to release the film in only a handful of theaters while simultaneously playing it on VOD platforms. And it quickly became apparent why. This film was a disaster. The Piranhas get loose into the water supply and soon make their way into a waterpark where they go on a feeding frenzy. Director John Gulager bungles everything that worked in the first film–the humor falls flat, and even David Hasselhoff comes off looking bad as he plays….David Hasselhoff. Not even 3D boobies could redeem this mess.
2. MIRROR, MIRROR
Mirror, Mirror on the wall… Who went too campy and lost them all? The audience that is. Tarsem Singh failed miserably at attempting to blend the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale with modern humor. What’s left is a kid-friendly, strange mess of a film. Julia Roberts was great as usual, but even she couldn’t make up for her co-star Lily Collins bad acting. I’d rather eat a poisoned apple then ever watch this again!
1. THAT’S MY BOY
Don’t confuse this with the vastly superior 1951 film starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (yeah, I said superior!). I had found Adam Sandler amusing in Judd Apatow’s FUNNY PEOPLE years ago, but this wasn’t truly a Sandler flick. THAT’S MY BOY is the full deal, from Happy Madison Films which has often aimed for family friendly fare like JACK AND JILL. With BOY they’re going after the R-rated raunchy Apatow audience, and they miserably fail (or should I use the current phrase ‘epic fail’?). The film begins with a celebration of statutory rape! A teacher seduces a student half her age! How wonderful and hilarious!. Said student grows up to be Sandler complete with shaggy black wig, grating Baaa-stin accent, and chronic alcoholism. As he drives, he guzzles from a (label to the camera) Budweiser “tall-boy” (and they were angry about having their products shown in FLIGHT?). Oh, that rascal, that scamp! The result of the illegal tryst in the opening scenes is Andy Samberg. Let’s hope the SNL video short star escapes before being trapped in the Sandler posse (it may be too late for Kevin James..he’s assimilated). Gags (in the truest sense of the word) involving obese strippers, octogenarian sex, masturbation, and incest top off 2012’s most vile, unpleasant two hours (?!!) at the multiplex! Time to hit the showers!
2012 was full of memorable movie moments. Moments that moved us, made us think, inspired laughter & tears and moments that surprised. When was the last time Christopher Walken really moved you? When has a Bond film looked so amazing? Were you also concerned when you heard about the casting of Anne Hathaway in both the new Batman movie and LES MISÉRABLES, one of the most beloved musicals of all time? And when was the last time you knew the outcome of a fact-based film but were on the edge of your seat during the climactic scene nonetheless? And what movie moments charmed you the most from 2012 and which ones will you remember for years to come?
In a countdown to 2013, here are some of my memorable moments and I believe at least a couple of yours:
Jack Black’s Music Man bit in BERNIE.
Tommy Lee Jones’ words on the Senate floor in LINCOLN.
Two stellar supporting turns from an actor that I don’t like: Matthew McConaughey (BERNIE/MAGIC MIKE).
Christopher Walken’s understated and touching performance in SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s dinner scene monologue in DJANGO UNCHAINED.
Roger Deakins’ cinematography in SKYFALL.
Anne Hathaway exceeding (low) expectations as Catwoman/Fantine (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES/LES MISÉRABLES).
Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper’s attic scene in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.
The re-enactment & last 20 mins. of ARGO.
The re-enactment & last 45 mins. of ZERO DARK THIRTY.
The return of Sam Jones as Flash Gordon in TED.
Norman getting ready for school in PARANORMAN.
Undeniable chemistry between cinematic pairings of Andrew Garfield/Emma Stone (THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN), Daniel Craig/Judi Dench (SKYFALL), Jennifer Lawrence/Bradley Cooper (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) and Jamie Foxx/Christoph Waltz (DJANGO UNCHAINED).
Ang Lee’s masterful use of a cgi tiger in LIFE OF PI.
And I will always remember that Hushpuppy lived with her father in the Bathtub.
THEATRICAL TRAILER: the official theatrical piece, usually cut from the first (very long) cut of the picture or sometimes (if there is no first cut yet) from dailies (all the shot footage, including all the different takes and angles), maximum length of a trailer is two and a half minutes.
TEASER TRAILER: A first, short theatrical preview piece (usually not longer than a minute and a half), cut from a few selected takes and scenes while the picture is still being shot.
For those of you who think it’s okay to show up to a film after the coming attractions – move along. No self-respecting movie geek would dare miss the previews. And don’t get us started on the individuals who arrive during the trailer you’ve been dying to see only to move through your line of sight during the all-important money shot.
In most cases, trailers are the first thing the casual moviegoer sees of an upcoming release – be it next month or next year. But sometimes that’s all it takes to plant the enthusiastic seed of “I have to see that!” There’s no denying it. Trailers are visual forces of nature. They are emotional magnets. They are harbingers of things to come and herald what might be.
While not all of them turned out to be everyone’s cup of tea, the unsung heroes in the editing room behind these previews are what had us going to the theaters in 2012 in record numbers. Along with the official synopsis of each movie, below is a compilation of some of the best trailers from this past year. So get your drink & munchies, have the volume up & the lights down low and find your favorite seat – the coming attractions are about to start.
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, a six-year-old girl exists on the brink of orphanhood. Buoyed by her childish optimism and extraordinary imagination, she believes that the natural world is in balance with the universe until a fierce storm changes her reality. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive unstoppable catastrophes of epic proportions. “Welcome to the Bathtub!”
THE RAID: REDEMPTION
Deep in the heart of Jakarta’s slums lies an impenetrable safe house for the world’s most dangerous killers and gangsters. Until now, the rundown apartment block has been considered untouchable. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness and silence, an elite swat team is tasked with raiding the safe house in order to take down the notorious drug lord that runs it. But when a chance encounter with a spotter blows their cover and news of their assault reaches the drug lord, they find themselves stranded on the 6th floor with no way out. The unit must fight their way through the city’s worst to survive their mission
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.
MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS
When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgard and Samuel L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel Avengers Assemble” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
We were doing fine until Alec Baldwin, along with his Russian accent, proclaimed “it is our job to protect the children of the world – for as long as they believe in us, we will guard them with our lives.” Waterworks were pouring out. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.
LES MISÉRABLES
Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year. Helmed by The King’s Speech’s Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. Les Misérables, the show of shows, was reborn as the cinematic musical experience of a lifetime.
CLOUD ATLAS
CLOUD ATLAS explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future. A lofty, gorgeous, trailer that boldly tugged at the heart-strings.
MEN IN BLACK 3
Agent Jay traveled back in time to 1969, where he teams up with a younger version of Agent Kay to stop an evil alien from destroying the future. The time-traveling, third installment of the Men in Black franchise reunited Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The trailer was jam-packed with car chases and monocycle pursuits, as the famous, black-suited duo employed a brand-new collection of galactic gadgets to fight off retro aliens. Proves a successful and fun 3rd chapter to a franchise can be accomplished.
THE MASTER
Paul Thomas Anderson’s sixth feature film, THE MASTER, unfolds a vibrantly human story inside this atmosphere of spiritual yearning on the cusp of 1950. The film follows the shifting fortunes of Freddie, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, a volatile former Naval seaman unable to settle down into everyday life, and the unpredictable journey he takes when he stumbles upon a fledgling movement known as The Cause. Coming to The Cause as an itinerant and outsider, Freddie will ultimately become a surrogate heir to its flamboyant leader: Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Lancaster Dodd. And yet, even as The Cause probes the mastery of human emotions, the camaraderie between Freddie and Dodd will mount into a fierce and intimate struggle of wills. The first feature film shot using 65mm film stock in several decades, THE MASTER is brought to life by a devoted cast and crew who have crafted a visually alluring and emotionally provocative portrait of three people pursuing a vision of betterment.
PROMETHEUS
Director Ridley Scott takes fans on a gripping sci-fi adventure that “kicks ass so hard and often that it’s impossible not to be thrilled by it.” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone).Archeologist couple Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) discover a star map that they interpret as an invitation from humanity’s forerunners, the “Engineers.” Determined to find out more about them, the couple boards the scientific vessel Prometheus, created and funded by Peter Weyland (Pearce), CEO of Weyland Corporation. Lead by mission director Meredith Vickers (Theron) and monitored by Weyland’s android David (Fassbender), the team of explorers find a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth and embark on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe where they fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
A LOOPER GLOSSARY
Looper: A low level assassin who works for a mob in the future, killing targets they send back and disposing of the bodies.
Gat Man: A higher level gangster, the Gat men work locally with more typical thug responsibilities. They tend to look down on Loopers as a lot of untrained dandies.
Blunderbuss: A short stout hand cannon used by Loopers. Powerful but with a wide spread – impossible to hit anything more than 10 yards away, impossible to miss anything closer.
Gat: Generic term for a gun, but colloquial name for the Gat Men’s high caliber revolver. Powerful, accurate and reliable.
TK: Short for “telekinetic.” By 2040 a very low grade telekenetic power has developed in about 15% of the general population. Far from being a superpower, it’s weak and short range, and mostly used for bar tricks.
Closing Your Loop: A stipulation in every Looper’s contract that he may some day be required to kill his future self, thus closing his contract, getting a huge pay-off and erasing any trace of the very illegal arrangement with his future employer.
THE EXPENDABLES 2
The Expendables are back and this time it’s personal… Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) — with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard — are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time - five tons of weapons-grade plutonium, far more than enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that’s nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother. That is done the Expendables way..
THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS
Quentin Tarantino presents THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS, an action-adventure inspired by kung-fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth. Making his debut as a big-screen director, co-writer and leading man, RZA – alongside an exciting international cast led by Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu – tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold. Blending astonishing martial-arts sequences from some of the masters of this world with the signature vision he brings as the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan and as one of hip-hop’s most dominant figures of the past two decades, RZA embarks upon his most ambitious, stylized and thrilling project to date.
Joining Crowe, RZA and Liu in the cast are Rick Yune, Jamie Chung, Cung Le, Dave Bautista, Byron Mann, Daniel Wu and Pam Grier.
THE GREY
Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List, Taken, Taken 2) stars as the unlikely hero Ottway in this undeniably suspenseful and powerful survival adventure. After their plane crashes into the remote Alaskan wilderness, a roughneck group of oil drillers are forced to find a way back to civilization. As Ottway leads the injured survivors through the brutal snow and ice, they are relentlessly tracked by a vicious pack of rogue wolves that will do anything to defend their territory. Adrenaline-fueled, action-packed and loaded with some of the most intense and brutally realistic attack scenes ever filmed, The Grey is being hailed as “a thriller you can sink your teeth into!” (The Washington Post)
SKYFALL
Stunts always play a large role in Bond films and SKYFALL is no exception. Director Sam Mendes, Second Unit Director Alexander Witt and Stunt Coordinator Gary Powell worked closely together to create a physical and believable journey for Bond. It was important for both Mendes and Powell to approach the film from a more realistic point of view. The action started on the pages. “Writing action sequences is one of the great challenges and the great joys of being a screenwriter,” says screenwriter John Logan. “The challenge as a writer on Skyfall was to find ways to make the action as ‘Bondian’ as possible – which to me means it’s tough, it’s real and it’s heightened.”
As you can see in this trailer, no actor had more stunts than Craig. Javier Bardem describes watching Craig take on the role: “There is some physicality to the role that you have to be prepared to do, but of course mine compared to Daniel’s was nothing. And he does the action scenes so easily “From the outside, watching him, I was thinking, If I were you, I wouldn’t be doing that!” Bardem laughs. “I mean, I did a little bit, but nothing in comparison to with what Daniel did.”
HYDE PARK ON HUDSON
Not quite the lofty follow up to THE KING”S SPEECH as we had hoped, this preview had all the makings of finally giving Bill Murray that long-awaited Oscar. The end result was a stark look into the all-too-human side of one of history’s iconic leaders.
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA
“Hotel Transylvania is a story about a father and a daughter… it’s just that the father happens to be Dracula,” says Genndy Tartakovsky, director of the Sony Pictures Animation film, Hotel Transylvania. “Like all fathers, he’s an overprotective, psychotic, and endearing guy who’d do anything for his daughter, but unlike other fathers, he’s the Prince of Darkness.”
In Hotel Transylvania, it turns out that the world’s most famous monsters (including Dracula, Frankenstein, the Werewolf, the Invisible Man, and the Mummy) are just like regular people, with families and problems and a need to get away from it all – but unlike humans, they have to live in hiding from a world that thinks they’re, well, monsters. What better place to hide than Hotel Transylvania, which Dracula himself operates as a sanctuary from the rest of the world and has been human-free since 1898? But Dracula has issues of his own – his daughter, Mavis, is a teenager – in fact, she’s about to turn 118 – and as she becomes a woman, the vampire’s greatest fear is losing his relationship with her. Well, his two greatest fears are losing his relationship with his daughter and garlic, but that’s another story.
DJANGO UNCHAINED
We were ready to go on another wild and wily trek with Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece DJANGO UNCHAINED. The trailer had us hooked right from the start – almost made us forget Franco Nero in Corbucci’s DJANGO (1966). “I like evoking the Django title for what it means to Spaghetti Westerns and that mythology,” Tarantino says. “At the same time, there’s a 40-film series of nonrelated DJANGO rip-off sequels that are their own spot of Spaghetti Western history. I’m proud to say that we are a new edition to the unrelated DJANGO rip-off sequels.”
THE RAVEN
The macabre and lurid tales of Edgar Allan Poe are vividly brought to life – and death — in this stylish, gothic thriller starring John Cusack as the infamous author. Boy were they ever. When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe’s darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer’s mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe’s brutal stories a blood chilling reality. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe’s love (Alice Eve, She’s Out of My League) becomes the next target. Intrepid Pictures’ The Raven also stars Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster).
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
Boy we couldn’t wait to return to the Shire. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD
SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD stars Golden Globe Award winner Steve Carell and Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley. Set in a too-near future, the movie explores what people will do when humanity’s last days are at hand. As the respective journeys of Dodge (Carell) and Penny (Knightley) converge, the two spark to each other and their outlooks – if not the world’s – brighten. Director Lorene Scafaria had us in tears when the end finally came.
PARANORMAN
This is how you do a teaser! In August Laika, the makers of Coraline, brought us PARANORMAN, a stop motion, ghost-filled zombie comedy in 3D. The delightful movie starred the voices of Kodi Smit-McPhee, John Goodman, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Elaine Stritch, Leslie Mann, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Jeff Garlin. “You don’t become a hero by being normal.” Amen to that brother!
TED
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane (as well as this year’s Oscar host) brings his boundary-pushing brand of humor to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of TED. In the live action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish…and has refused to leave his side ever since. The trailer has us skeptical until we saw the hilarious final product!
HITCHCOCK
HITCHCOCK is a love story about one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century, Alfred (Anthony Hopkins) Hitchcock and his wife and partner Alma Reville (Helen Mirren). The film takes place during the making of Hitchcock’s seminal movie PSYCHO. The trailer had us fascinated and left us wanting to see more once the film finally arrived in November.
MOONRISE KINGDOM
In a return to the world of Wes Anderson, MOONRISE KINGDOM was thought by some to be one of the best films this year. Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, MOONRISE KINGDOM tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore — and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle. Bruce Willis plays the local sheriff. Edward Norton is a Khaki Scout troop leader. Bill Murray and Frances McDormand portray the young girl’s parents. The cast also includes Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, and Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the boy and girl.
MAGIC MIKE
A dramatic comedy set in the world of male strippers, “Magic Mike” is directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh (“Traffic”) and stars Channing Tatum in the title role. The film follows Mike as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Alex Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money. Also starring Matthew McConaughey, Matt Bomer, Joe Mangianello, Olivia Munn, Riley Keough, Cody Horn and Adam Rodriguez.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER
Not to be confused with the Spielberg-ized version of the 16th President, filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (Director of Wanted) brought audiences this edgy thriller about the untold story that shaped our nation. Abraham Lincoln, history’s greatest hunter of the undead, must risk the presidency, his family and his life to protect America from bloodthirsty vampires. Thrust into an epic fight against the ruthless killers, Lincoln must rely on those around him. But it’s unclear who he can trust in this intense and violent thriller that’s ablaze with plot twists, blood-pumping action and spectacular special effects!
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PT. 2
Okay so maybe it wasn’t anything you’d ever venture out to see – even on a dare – but you knew we had to show the trailer for the final TWILIGHT movie. The conclusion to the series, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN — PART 2, illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions of teenage girls – and sometimes their Moms.
KILLING THEM SOFTLY
This wicked trailer was one of the best of 2012. Three dumb guys who think they’re smart rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Brad Pitt plays the enforcer hired to track them down and restore order. KILLING THEM SOFTLY also features Richard Jenkins (THE VISITOR), James Gandolfini (“The Sopranos”), Ray Liotta (NARC), Scoot McNairy (MONSTERS), Ben Mendelsohn (ANIMAL KINGDOM), and Vincent Curatola (“The Sopranos”). Max Casella, Trevor Long, Slaine and Sam Shepard also make appearances.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
The Amazing Spider-Man focused on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story and starred Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.
THE SAPPHIRES
Inspired by a true story, THE SAPPHIRES follows four vivacious, young and talented Australian Aboriginal girls from a remote mission as they learn about love, friendship and war when their all girl group The Sapphires entertains the U.S. troops in Vietnam in 1968. Cynthia (Tapsell), Gail (Mailman), Julie (Mauboy) and Kay (Sebbens) are discovered by Dave (O’Dowd), a good-humored talent scout with a kind heart, very little rhythm but a great knowledge of soul music. As their manager, Dave books the sisters their first true gig giving them their first taste of stardom, and travels them to Vietnam to sing for the American troops. The film was shown at the St. Louis International Film Festival in November and was met by a cheering audience as the credits rolled. See this charming film!
MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED
Finally we leave you with Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe. Over the summer this fearless foursome were fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins were all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey took them through Europe where they found the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvented – Madagascar style.
IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that The Dark Knight Rises has passed the $100 million global box office mark in 557 IMAX® theatres worldwide after its 7th week of release. As of Sept. 3, 2012, the film reached a total of $65.1 million from 332 IMAX screens domestically and $37.3 million from 225 IMAX screens internationally. These figures include box office receipts from China, which began playing the film on Aug. 27 in 75 IMAX theatres. The Dark Knight Rises represents the second IMAX DMR® film to cross this milestone, after Avatar.
The Dark Knight Rises: The IMAX Experience is still playing in IMAX theatres worldwide. For theatre locations and showtimes visit www.imax.com/theatres.
While making the 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan was the first filmmaker to use IMAXcameras in a major motion picture release. Nolan employed the extremely high-resolution cameras even more extensively on The Dark Knight Rises: The IMAX Experience—including the film’s prologue — incorporating a record of more than an hour of footage filmed with IMAX cameras. These specific sequences, which expand to fill the entire screen exclusively in IMAX, deliver unprecedented crispness and clarity and a truly immersive experience for moviegoers.
Sequences filmed in 35mm have been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
About The Dark Knight Rises
It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drives Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cap and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight Rises.” The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Morgan Freeman.
Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven produced the film, with Benjamin Melniker,Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. The film is based upon characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
Behind the scenes, “The Dark Knight Rises” reunited the director with several of his longtime collaborators, including director of photography Wally Pfister, production designers Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh, editor Lee Smith, and costume designer Lindy Hemming. In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould supervised the visual and special effects, respectively. The music is composed by Hans Zimmer.
Sad news coming out of Aurora, CO this morning of a senseless shooting at the midnight screening of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Our sympathies and condolences go out to the families that lost loved ones and all our hopes to those wounded and affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.
PLANO, Texas–Jul. 20, 2012– Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK): Cinemark is deeply saddened about this tragic incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and loved ones, our employees, and the Aurora community. We are grateful for the quick and professional reaction of all local law enforcement and emergency responders.
Cinemark is working closely with the Aurora Police Department and local law enforcement.
Aurora Police are investigating a shooting at the Century 16 Movie Theater, located at 14300 E Alameda Ave, involving approximately 50 victims with at least 12 confirmed dead. On July 20, 2012, at about 12:39 a.m., police received numerous calls of the shooting. Officers arrived on scene moments after the first calls and arrested one party at the rear of the theater.
Police were told the suspect “appeared” at the front of one of the theaters, threw some type of gas or explosive device and started shooting.
When the suspect was arrested, police recovered one rifle, one handgun and a gas mask. A third gun is still inside the theater. The suspect is an adult male Aurora resident in his early twenties. He offered no resistance when he was arrested. At this time, the police have no evidence that any additional suspects were involved other than the person arrested.
The Police Department can confirm that 12 persons are deceased, with the bodies of 10 victims still at the crime scene inside the theater. At least two more victims died at area hospitals. The Police Department previously released a preliminary number of 14 dead, but only 12 can be confirmed at this time. Approximately 50 total persons were shot, including the deceased.
Victims were transported to at least six area hospitals. Many were rushed immediately to hospitals in police cars by responding officers. The injured and dead include a wide age range. The conditions of the injured also vary, with some suffering very serious wounds.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting in this investigation. Officers and deputies responded from almost every local police and sheriffs department in the metropolitan area.
Police are using Gateway High School, located at 1300 S. Sable Blvd., as a meeting location for family members seeking to reunite with loved ones.
Aurora Police will hold a press conference at approximately 11:00 a.m., Mountain Standard Time, to provide further information. The location will likely be outside the theater where the shooting occurred but the location may be changed.
“Warner Bros. is deeply saddened to learn about this shocking incident. We extend our sincere sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims at this tragic time.”
Statement from NYPD:
“As a precaution against copycats and to raise the comfort levels among movie patrons in the wake of the horrendous shooting in Colorado, the New York City Police Department is providing coverage at theaters where the ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is playing in the five boroughs.”
From the Associated Press:
The Paris premiere of the new Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises” has been canceled after a gunman killed 12 people at a Colorado opening of the same film.
Workers were pulling down the red carpet display in front of a movie theater on the French capital’s famed Champs-Elysees Avenue on Friday afternoon. Some could be seen carrying away a large mask that had adorned the facade of the theater.
President Obama released the following statement: “My administration will do everything that we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time. We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people, and caring for those who have been wounded. As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family. All of us must have the people of Aurora in our thoughts and prayers as they confront the loss of family, friends, and neighbors, and we must stand together with them in the challenging hours and days to come.”
Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney issued a statement, “Ann and I are deeply saddened by the news of the senseless violence that took the lives of 15 people in Colorado and injured dozens more. We are praying for the families and loved ones of the victims during this time of deep shock and immense grief. We expect that the person responsible for this terrible crime will be quickly brought to justice.”
AMC Theatres statement:
We are terribly saddened by the random act of violence in Aurora and our thoughts are with the victims and their families. For the safety and security of our guests and associates, we are actively working with local law enforcement in communities throughout the nation and under the circumstances we are reaching out to all of our theatres to review our safety and security procedures. Being a safe place in the community for all our guests is a top priority at AMC and we take that responsibility very seriously.
UPDATED:
AMC Theatres is deeply saddened by the Aurora tragedy. Movie going is part of our social fabric and this senseless act shakes us to our core. We’re reinforcing our security procedures with our theatre teams, which we cannot discuss in detail for obvious, safety reasons. Local law enforcement agencies, our landlords and their and our local security teams are stepping up nationwide to ensure we provide the safest environment possible for our guests. We couldn’t be more grateful for their collective support.
At this time, our show schedules circuit-wide will not change. We will not allow any guests into our theatres in costumes that make other guests feel uncomfortable and we will not permit face-covering masks or fake weapons inside our buildings. If guests wish to exchange or refund any tickets, we will honor our existing policy and do as our guests wish. We are taking necessary precautions to ensure our guests who wish to enjoy a movie this weekend can do so with as much peace of mind as possible in these circumstances.
Regal Entertainment Group:
We are profoundly saddened by the tragedy that occurred at a Denver area theatre and are concerned for the victims and their families. The security and safety of our guests and staff is always our number one priority. As is our custom, we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our security needs as necessary. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.
Federal law enforcement officials say the suspect in Friday’s deadly shooting in Colorado is James Holmes, a 24-year-old white American.
IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that The Dark Knight Rises, the highly anticipated third film of the critically acclaimed trilogy, will be released in the immersive IMAX format in at least 485 IMAX®theatres worldwide, 396 of which will play day-and-date on July 20. Director Christopher Nolan’s epic conclusion will be released in a record 332 IMAX theatres domestically and 153 internationally, 64 of which will open this weekend. Additional playdates and territories, including China, are pending and will be added upon confirmation.
While making the 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan was the first filmmaker to use IMAX® cameras in a major motion picture release. Nolan employed the extremely high-resolution cameras even more extensively on The Dark Knight Rises: The IMAX Experience® —including the film’s prologue — incorporating a record of more than an hour of footage filmed with IMAX cameras. These specific sequences, which will expand to fill the entire screen exclusively in IMAX, will deliver unprecedented crispness and clarity and a truly immersive experience for moviegoers.
Of the 485 IMAX theatres worldwide presenting The Dark Knight Rises, 103 will present the film in IMAX 70-millimeter film.
Christopher Nolan stated, “Having shot almost half the picture with large-format IMAX film cameras, it is very important to me that we show The Dark Knight Rises in the IMAX film format wherever possible. Audiences everywhere should be assured that every presentation of the film will be of the highest standard—having benefited from the clarity and depth IMAX cameras offer. However, these 103 screens will showcase the original IMAX film photography in its optimum form, and I hope anyone who has an opportunity to experience the film in these theatres will seek it out.”
Sequences shot in 35mm have been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drives Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cap and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight Rises.” The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Morgan Freeman.
Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven produced the film, with Benjamin Melniker,Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. The film is based upon characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
Behind the scenes, “The Dark Knight Rises” reunited the director with several of his longtime collaborators, including director of photography Wally Pfister, production designers Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh, editor Lee Smith, and costume designer Lindy Hemming. In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould supervised the visual and special effects, respectively. The music is composed by Hans Zimmer.
Whenever a fan-favorite franchise as popular, and with such history is undertaken by Hollywood, the primary question is always “Will it succeed, or will it get butchered?” The Batman property first took theatrical form in the capable, yet recently more volatile hands of Tim Burton, who delivered us two very stylized but still enjoyable versions of the Batman lore. I’ll refrain from commenting on the 3rd and 4th entries into the Batman filmography, which then brings us to the relatively young, but extraordinarily talented — perhaps even genius — vision of director Christopher Nolan. Now seven feature films into the DC Comics based franchise, the question must still remain on the fans’ tongues… “Does it work?”
In short, the answer is an emphatic, ecstatic yes, Yes, YES! Christopher Nolan has for some time now led us to believe this third installment of his Batman interpretation will be his last. Following BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES serves as a superbly well-rounded grand finale to the trilogy. Co-written with his brother Jonathan Nolan and the writer who really gets around, David S. Goyer, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is highly effective at utilizing every last second of the 164 minute running time. The film picks up some time after the previous film. Harvey Dent is dead, but his legacy lives on through the Blackgate Prison, housing some 1000 of Gotham’s most dangerous and violent criminals, essentially rendering Gotham City nearly crime free. As we discover what the post-Joker Gotham City has become, we also discover that Batman has seemingly retired as Bruce Wayne is now a reclusive hermit with health problems.
On the surface, one would think Gotham City is turning around and all is safe, but we know better than this, do we not? Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) is the only man in Gotham still uneasy about the fate of his city, as the mayor and the rest of the police force have bought into the new peace, mocking Gordon in his skepticism. However, there is one cop who shares Gordon’s uneasiness and his name is John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Gordon’s paranoia is not without reason, as THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is a slow burn mystery as the master plan in progress by this film’s villain gradually develops and unfolds like a fiendishly intricate piece of paper origami with a deadly surprise waiting at the center.
Enter Bane, to whom we are introduced at a very early stage in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. We witness the transport of a mysterious criminal/terrorist by the CIA, a large man bound and blinded with a black hood loaded onto a plane. From the very beginning, something feels unavoidably tragic about this transaction. This scene spares no time in showcasing Bane (Tom Hardy) as a powerful, strong and intelligent enemy. Bane is a hulking, bald man who wears an ominous mask housing what appears to be a breathing apparatus of some sort. For those who are not familiar with the storyline from the comic books, this plays a significant role in the film, one which I will not spoil. You’re welcome.
Tom Hardy (WARRIOR) truly captures the essence of Bane, the comic book villain that has become known as Batman’s greatest foe, even over his age-old arch-nemesis The Joker. What truly stands out about Hardy, aside from the shear bulk he developed for the role, is that he portrays the character so well with a performance that is solely physical in nature. As Bane must wear the mask at all times, Hardy is unable to use his voice, and is limited with his facial gestures, forcing him to convey every nuance and emotion through his body. It’s quite remarkable to watch, but I feel a second viewing is necessary to truly appreciate this, as the film is so fully engrossing that it’s quite difficult to focus on any one single element during the initial viewing.
Months ago, a talking point hit the Internet about Bane’s voice. The issue revolved around the audience’s ability to easily understand Bane’s dialogue given that Hardy was forced to speak through the mask apparatus the entire film. This was arguably an issue, and in the end, the film does prove to have employed ADR — Automated Dialogue Replacement, or looping — which allows the filmmaker to go back after filming has completed and replace the existing dialogue with that of a different or better quality. This was a smart decision, as many viewers would have likely found themselves distracted by a struggle to hear the character and understand the story. On the other hand, I do have one… let’s call this a curious observation, as it’s not really a complain, but, I found that Bane sounds surprisingly like Sean Connery. There is no evidence that he provided the new dialogue, but it sure sounds similar and I found myself minimally distracted, but curiously entertained by this notion.
There are those who had their doubts about Anne Hathaway being cast in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, but I was not amongst their ranks. I’ve held an appreciation bordering on respect for her talent for some time, so finding her cast as Selena Kyle — known in the DC Comics Universe as Catwoman — has my interest peaked. As it turns out, Hathaway (LOVE & OTHER DRUGS) delivers a low-key performance with the appropriate sarcastic humor and sharp wit without over-reaching in her role. With the help of a very well written character, Hathaway captures the physicality, sexiness and personality of Selena Kyle with astonishing accuracy, ranking her above Michelle Pfeiffer, in my book.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES does an exceptional job at staying relatively true to the source material, an area in which I could spend endless and lengthy words, going into great detail elaborating and analyzing, but that wouldn’t do you — the reader — any justice whatsoever. IF you’re a reader of the comic books, little of the story itself will be of much surprise, but the film itself will be a highly rewarding experience to accompany your existing knowledge. For those unfamiliar with the comic books, SEE THE MOVIE FIRST! Why? This film is so well done, and serves as such a solid introduction, it will be best to delve into the comic books after seeing the film to fill in all the details and texture of the monumental Batman story arc.
Director Christopher Nolan continues to prove he is a force to be aware of in Hollywood, rapidly becoming the most powerful filmmaker in Tinsletown. To our great benefit, he has developed a strong, ongoing relationship with cinematographer Wally Pfister and composer Hans Zimmer. Thank God, because this has led to a trilogy of films that look and sound absolutely breathtaking. Batman demands the criminal’s attention, so it’s fitting that this trio of creative artists render the Batman lore as equally demanding of the viewer’s attention. Christian Bale continues to deliver as Bruce Wayne/Batman, still growling at the bad guys, but slightly less so as to water down the excess and becoming less of a distraction.
Viewers prepare yourselves. Get ready to rumble and relish in Batman’s action-packed swan song, or is it? I’ll say no more, but I will merely point out that this film has plenty of surprises, suspense, incredibly choreographed fights between Batman and Bane, and even some bad-ass, long-legged butt-kicking by Anne Hathaway. As usual, there are plenty of cool toys featured in the film, a couple of distinctly hilarious tongue-in-cheek moments, one of which is a humorous epiphany delivered by Batman himself. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES also delivers on the heart strings, featuring one specifically tear-inducing moment between Alfred (Michael Caine) and Bruce Wayne. Marion Cotillard rounds out the cast, playing fellow philanthropist Miranda Tate, along with return performances from Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and a cameo appearance from a previously featured villain.
While THE DARK KNIGHT RISES serves as the perfect finale for an incredible three chapter story, it also raises many questions for the audience, especially fans, while not leaving any significant loose ends. If your cinematic experience with THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is anything like mine, you’ll leave the theater energized, excited and fulfilled, while also desperately desiring more from the new master of “the caped crusader.” Personally, I feel privileged to have been exposed to Batman in such light, but also feel like the cinematic legacy of The Dark Knight has only just begun to tap it’s true potential.
Fans of The Dark Knight, the wait is almost over. To tide you over until July 20th WAMG is offering you the chance to win some Batman trinkets.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.
You can watch the LIVE stream from the world premiere of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES on Monday July 16th.
Join director Christopher Nolan and stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Morgan Freeman for live interviews and red carpet arrivals.
Enter for a chance to win THE DARK KNIGHT RISES prizepack from Warner Bros. Pictures and WAMG.
(1) One winner will receive:
T-Shirt Keychain Magnet Buttons Soundtrack
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES.
2. FILL OUT YOUR REAL NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.
3. In the 1966 BATMAN movie, who did the Catwoman pretend to be to gain Bruce Wayne’s trust AND what was the actresses name?
WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PRIZES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED.
CONTEST WILL END ON MONDAY, July 30, 11:59pm CST.
The screenplay is written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on BATMAN BEGINS and the record-breaking blockbuster THE DARK KNIGHT. The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The film is based upon characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winnerMichael Caine (The Cider House Rules) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) reprises the role of Lucius Fox.
Behind the scenes, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES reunites the director with several of his longtime collaborators, all of whom worked together on THE DARK KNIGHT. The creative team includes director of photography Wally Pfister, who won an Oscar® for his work on Nolan’s “Inception”; production designers Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh; editor Lee Smith; and Oscar®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”). In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould, who both won Oscars® for the effects in “Inception,” supervised the visual and special effects, respectively. The music is composed by Oscar® winner Hans Zimmer (“The Lion King”).
In helming the film, Christopher Nolan utilized IMAX® cameras even more extensively than he did on THE DARK KNIGHT, which had marked the first time ever that a major feature film was even partially shot with the large-format cameras.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES will be presented on 70-millimeter film in 102 IMAX 15/70mm locations worldwide. Christopher Nolan stated, “Having shot almost half the picture with large-format IMAX film cameras, it is very important to me that we show ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in the IMAX film format wherever possible. Audiences everywhere should be assured that every presentation of the film will be of the highest standard “having benefited from the clarity and depth IMAX cameras offer. However, these 102 screens will showcase the original IMAX film photography in its optimum form, and I hope anyone who has an opportunity to experience the film in these theatres will seek it out.”
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan. Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. THE DARK KNIGHT RISEShas been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane
Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winnerMichael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) reprises the role of Lucius Fox.
Warner Bros. Pictures and WAMG invite you to enter for your chance to win passes to the advance screening of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES in St. Louis on July 18th at the OMNIMAX at 7pm…but you are going to have to work for this one Batman fans.
You will need to send us one of two photos:
A picture of you dressed as Batman
A picture of your car decorated as The Batmobile
Please send all images to: michelle@wearemoviegeeks.com
This is exactly what we’re looking for!
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN THROUGH A RANDOM DRAWING OF QUALIFYING CONTESTANTS. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PASSES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED. DUPLICATE TICKETS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan. Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The Dark Knight Rises has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.
Check out the latest IMAX 12:01 print for THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Attendees of the IMAX 12:01 midnight show on 7/20 (evening of 7/19) will receive this limited edition, exclusive print. See the full list of participating theatres here: http://imax.ly/LI6eAS.
On July 17, 2012, WaterTower Music will release The Dark Knight Rises : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack at all physical and digital retailers. Academy- Award® winning composer Hans Zimmer teams for the fourth time with writer/director Christopher Nolan to create the music for the final installment of his Dark Knight Trilogy.
The CD version of the soundtrack will contain an exclusive link to unlock three bonus tracks, while a deluxe version of the soundtrack, with three additional tracks, will be available digitally. A limited edition vinyl configuration is set for release on September 4. Following the success of his experiential app for Inception, which boasted 5 million downloads, Zimmer is preparing to unveil a new iPhone app for The Dark Knight Rises that will provide fans with a more immersive musical and sonic experience into the world of Gotham City. Details for the new Hans Zimmer app will be announced soon.
“I thought after we finished the last one [The Dark Knight], that was it,” said Zimmer. “There was nothing else we could possibly do. At the same time, when I started reading this script, I instantly knew that there was a whole world out there that I hadn’t even touched yet.”
“I have never worked with someone so dedicated to the idea that the real risk is in playing it safe,” said Nolan. “Hans taught me that you sometimes have to go in what appears to be the wrong direction to discover all the possibilities, and that without exploring those possibilities you can never do anything truly exceptional. He sets creative goals for every film that are higher than you ever thought practical…or even reachable.”
Zimmer added, “We’re comrades in arms, the way we try to cheer each other on and try to really do the best work we possibly can. And part of that is you have to be prepared to not hold back. You have to put everything into the movie.”
Hans Zimmer has scored over 100 films, grossing more than 19.6 billion dollars at the box office worldwide. He has been honored with the Academy Award®, 2 Golden Globes, 3 Grammys, an American Music Award, and a Tony Award. In 2003, ASCAP gave him the prestigious Henry Mancini award for Lifetime Achievement for his impressive and influential body of work. He also received his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2010. Some of his most recent works includeMadagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ The Dark Knight Rises is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Morgan Freeman. Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven produced the film, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers, and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan. Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The Dark Knight Rises has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.
The Dark Knight Rises — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and The Dark Knight Rises – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Deluxe Version on WaterTower Music will be available digitally and in stores on July 17, 2012.
