In the near future, a detective (Chris Pratt) stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, before it determines his fate.
Directed byTimur Bekmambetov, see MERCY in theaters January 23.
Filmed for IMAX®. Experience it in 3D.
The St. Louis screening is on Wednesday, January 21, at 7pm at Ronnies in IMAX 3D.
The movies have long been fascinated by BEN-HUR, Lew Wallace’s 1880 bestselling novel – two silent versions, a 1907 short one and a spectacular 1925 feature film, and the familiar 1959 Technicolor classic with Charlton Heston. This will be at least the 4th movie version.
The 1925 version has the most thrilling chariot race, with a raw energy and real sense of danger – very real danger as the director hired Italian men skilled with horses to essentially run a chariot race, with all the inherent dangers (if you have never seen it, you really should). Memories of that gripping, cinematic chariot race helped prompt director William Wyler to remake BEN-HUR in 1959, in full color and sound, with a top-star and all the epic “cast of thousands” grandeur of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Now a new technology has its say with the old story -with CGI effects and 3D. Director Timur Bekmambetov, best known for NIGHTWATCH and ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, certainly has the knack for action and effects but might not be the director you think of for BEN-HUR. You just know it is going to be all about the chariot race.
In fact, the film does begin with the chariot race, but then flashes back to an earlier point in the story, when the two young men in the race still regarded each other as brothers.
To Bekmambetov’s credit, he does not simply remake the 1959 film but tries to make the story his own. The story goes back to when Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) and Messala Severus (Tony Kebbell) are grow up like brothers in Jerusalem in the Ben-Hurs home with Judah’s widowed mother Naomi (Ayelet Zurer), sister Tirzah (Sofia Black-D’Elia), and family servant Esther (Nazanin Boniadi). Even under Roman rule, the family lives well. The two boys are close but very competitive. As close as they are, Messala never forgets he is an outsider, a Roman orphan, while Judah is a Jewish prince. Messala leaves to make his own way in the Roman Empire, and rising through the ranks, returns to Jerusalem as a protege of Pontius Pilate (Pilou Asbaek), and a very different man. An incident occurs and Judah is accused of rebellion. The family is imprisoned and Messala has Judah sentenced to a Roman slave ship.
It all leads up to the big highlight of the film: the chariot race. This version wins the prize for highest body count – drivers, support staff, spectators, even horses. Bodies are trampled, chariots flipped or shattered, panicked horses bolt for the stands. Yet even with all the CGI tools in play, – and in 3D too – it really is not as thrilling or as immediate as either of the two previous races with their live stunt work, just more gruesome.
Bekmambetov tries to reshape the story a bit from the 1959 version, mainly by rounding out the Messala character and making the film more about the relationship between the two men. Details of the story change and a theme of revenge and forgiveness are added. It is a good plan but basically brought down by the wooden acting by the two leads, Jack Huston and Tony Kebbell. The film never becomes very emotionally involving or develops much dramatic heat. Too often Huston ends up saying something like “I’m a Hebrew prince, you’re a Roman, but we’re brothers, so let’s race.” Morgan Freeman comes in and weaves his magic in a supporting role as an African chariot team owner Ilderim, but even his efforts are not enough to save this film.
The film is not quite all about the chariots. The full title of Wallace’s book is BEN-HUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST and unlike previous versions of BEN-HUR, Jesus Christ has a much larger role in this film. While we never get much sense of Judah Ben-Hur’s Jewish faith, Christian content is far more present. Unlike earlier versions, we get full view of Jesus, played by Rodrigo Santoro, and even little bits of sermons and scenes from the Gospels, not just the Crucifixion scene usually featured. The increased Christian focus should please Christian audiences but maybe less so non-Christian ones.
Ever since GLADIATOR, it was inevitable someone would remake old Hollywood’s historical epics in CGI, even more so now with 3D. BEN-HUR is better than the other recent remake of a Hollywood “cast of thousands” epic, EXODUS, but it in no way rivals either the 1959 Technicolor version or the great 1925 silent one.
Learn about one of the greatest stories ever told in this new featurette for Paramount Pictures upcoming film BEN-HUR.
BEN-HUR is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves (Nazanin Boniadi), Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption. Based on Lew Wallace’s timeless novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Also starring Morgan Freeman and Rodrigo Santoro.
Paramount Pictures has released a brand new featurette for director Timur Bekmambetov’s upcoming film BEN-HUR – in theaters August 19, 2016.
BEN-HUR is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves (Nazanin Boniadi), Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption. Based on Lew Wallace’s timeless novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Also starring Morgan Freeman and Rodrigo Santoro. (Trailer)
See how the team brought the chariot race to life in this new featurette.
One of the highlights of the 1959 film, which ran 212 minutes, is its now-legendary chariot race, staged largely by stunt expert Yakima Canutt. BEN-HUR’s Oscar haul included Best Picture, Best Director for the legendary William Wyler, Best Actor for Heston, and Best Supporting Actor for Welsh actor Hugh Griffith as an Arab sheik.
Jack Huston plays Judah Ben-Hur and Morgan Freeman plays Ilderim in Ben-Hur from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures.
Check out the trailer, along with the first poster, for the timeless epic, BEN HUR, based on the best-selling novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ.
Paramount Pictures’ newest version of the timeless classic is one of the most-anticipated movies of 2016.
Will be interesting to see how this film compares to the 1959 classic, directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Hugh Griffith and Haya Harareet. The nine-minute chariot race has become one of cinema’s most famous sequences, and the film score, composed and conducted by Miklós Rózsa, is the longest ever composed for a film and was highly influential on cinema for more than 15 years.
The 2016 version’s score is from composer Marco Beltrami.
BEN-HUR is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves (Nazanin Boniadi), Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption.
Based on Lew Wallace’s timeless novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Also starring Morgan Freeman and Rodrigo Santoro.
From director Timur Bekmambetov, BEN-HUR bows in cinemas on August 12, 2016.
For a group of teenage friends, a devastating fate lurks on the other side of a computer screen in UNFRIENDED, the first in a newgeneration of found-footage thrillers coming to Digital HD July 28, 2015 and Blu-Ray, DVD and On Demand August 11, 2015, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
UNFRIENDED is a startlingly contemporary nail-biter from two modern masters of mayhem, executive producer Jason Blum (The Purge, Ouija, Sinister) and producer Timur Bekmambetov (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Wanted).
What starts as a seemingly innocent online prank produces a sequence of events that spirals out of control. During a routine group video chat, high-school friends are terrorized by an unseen figure. The anonymous intruder implicates each of them in the death of an acquaintance, revealing damning secrets and transforming trusted allies into wary adversaries. Forced into a sordid “game,” the teens try to figure out who is behind the mysterious threat, but all signs point to a power from beyond the grave.
Playing out in real time almost entirely on a computer screen, UNFRIENDED features a rising young cast that includes Shelley Hennig (Ouija, “Teen Wolf”),Moses Storm (“The 4 to 9ers: The Day Crew,” “About a Boy”) and Renee Olstead (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Still Standing”).
FILMMAKERS Cast:Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Jacob Wysocki, Courtney Halverson, Heather Sossamon Directed By: Leo Gabriadze Written By:Nelson Greaves Produced By: Timur Bekmambetov, Nelson Greaves Executive Produced By:Jason Blum Director of Photography:Adam Sidman Editors:Parker Laramie, Andrew Wesman Production Designer:Heidi Koleto Costume Designer: Veronika Belenikina
TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY™: Street Date:August 11, 2015 Copyright: 2015 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Selection Number: 61168942 Layers: BD-50 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Rating: R for violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality, and drug and alcohol use – all involving teens. Languages/Subtitles: English SDS Sound: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Run Time: 1 hour, 23 minutes
TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD: Street Date:August 11, 2015 Copyright: 2015 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Selection Number: 61168935 Layers: Dual Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Rating: R for violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality, and drug and alcohol use – all involving teens. Languages/Subtitles: English SDS Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Run Time: 1 hour, 23 minutes
Actor Rodrigo Santoro takes a break from filming BEN-HUR, which is currently in production in Rome, to attend the Papal Audience and meet Pope Francis.
Pope Francis blessed actor Rodrigo Santoro, who plays Jesus Christ in the upcoming epic BEN-HUR, at the Papal Audience at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Wednesday, April 15th.
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, the movie is written by Keith Clarke and John Ridley.
Actress Nazanin Boniadi and actor Rodrigo Santoro of BEN-HUR in front of the Vatican for the Papal Audience visit.
BEN-HUR is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves (Nazanin Boniadi), Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption.
Based on Lew Wallace’s timeless novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, the film also stars Morgan Freeman.
Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present BEN-HUR opening in theaters nationwide on February 26, 2016.
Universal Pictures’ UNFRIENDED opens in theaters this Friday, and in celebration of the films release WAMG was invited to participate in the Blumhouse panel at WonderCon in Anaheim, CA last weekend. Shelley Hennig Moses, Jacob Storm, Will Peltz, Renee Olstead, Jacob Wysocki, Courtney Halverson, Jason Blum and Nelson Greaves joined a room of fans and convention attendees to talk about their new cyber-thriller. Check it out below.
Ushering in a new era of horror, Universal Pictures’ UNFRIENDED unfolds over a teenager’s computer screen as she and her friends are stalked by an unseen figure who seeks vengeance for a shaming video that led a vicious bully to kill herself a year earlier.
Ushering in a new era of horror, Universal Pictures’ UNFRIENDED unfolds over a teenager’s computer screen as she and her friends are stalked by an unseen figure who seeks vengeance for a shaming video that led a vicious bully to kill herself a year earlier.
After Universal executives saw a test screening of UNFRIENDED terrify a test audience, the studio acquired the thriller that was developed and conceived by visionary filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter). Directed by Levan Gabriadze, UNFRIENDED is written by Nelson Greaves and produced by Bekmambetov and Greaves, as well as Jason Blum for Blumhouse Productions.
The film stars Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Jacob Wysocki, Courtney Halverson, Heather Sossaman.
UNFRIENDED hits theaters April 17.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of UNFRIENDED on Wednesday, April 15th at 7pm in the St. Louis area. We will contact the winners by email.
Answer the following:
In UNFRIENDED, a bunch of friends, chatting on Skype, are being terrorized by some otherworldly entity in the form of a cyberbully.
In the 1990’s, a movie was released where a virtual-reality serial killer manages to escape into the real world.
What is the name of this film?
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. ENTER YOUR NAME AND ANSWER IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
3. YOU MUST SUBMIT THE CORRECT ANSWER TO OUR QUESTION ABOVE TO WIN. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
UNFRIENDED has been rated R (Restricted – Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian) for violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality, and drug and alcohol use – all involving teens.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures announced today that principal photography has begun on BEN-HUR starring Jack Huston (“AMERICAN HUSTLE”) as Judah Ben-Hur, Morgan Freeman (“THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION”) as Ilderim, Toby Kebbell (“DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES”) as Messala and Nazanin Boniadi (“HOMELAND”) as Esther.
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (“WANTED”) and written by Keith Clarke (“THE WAY BACK”) and John Ridley (“12 YEARS A SLAVE”), the film is based on Lew Wallace’s epic novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ.
The epic 1959 film was directed by William Wyler and starred Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, Sam Jaffe and Hugh Griffith. It won 11 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. The magnificent score is by composer Miklós Rózsa.
The producers are Sean Daniel (“THE MUMMY” franchise), Mark Burnett (“SON OF GOD”), Joni Levin (“THE WAY BACK”) and Duncan Henderson (“MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD”). Serving as executive producers are Roma Downey (“THE BIBLE”), Keith Clarke, John Ridley and Jason Brown.
Filming will take place in Rome and Matera, Italy with the film set for release February 26, 2016.
BEN-HUR also stars Rodrigo Santoro (“300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE”) as Jesus Christ, Sofia Black D’Elia (“GOSSIP GIRL”) as Tirzah, Ayelet Zurer (“MAN OF STEEL”) as Naomi, Moises Arias (“ENDER’S GAME”) as Gestas and Pilou Asbæk (“LUCY”) as Pontius Pilate.
“You could not have imagined a more perfect location to shoot this epic than Italy. We can’t wait to get started,” said Bekmambetov.
The film returns to the heart of Lew Wallace’s epic novel focusing on the nature of faith. The story follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him. Both must come to choose between retribution or forgiveness.
Behind the scenes, the creative team includes Director of Photography, Oliver Wood (“THE BOURNE IDENTITY”), Production Designer, Naomi Shohan (“AMERICAN BEAUTY”), Costume Designer, Varvava Avdyushko (“WANTED”), Visual Effects Supervisor, Academy Award® Winner Jim Rygiel (“THE LORD OF THE RINGS” Franchise) and Special Effects Supervisor, Andy Williams (“FURY”).
MGM will handle production with Jonathan Glickman, President, Motion Picture Group and Matt Dines, Vice President, Production, overseeing the project on behalf of the studio. The film will be distributed worldwide theatrically and on home entertainment by Paramount Pictures, with select international territories as well as all television distribution to be handled by MGM.
