Review: 'The Widowmaker" is a Cool Cold War Film (Happy B'day, Liam Neeson)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 82 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
Running time: 138 minutes (2 hours, 18 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for disturbing images
DIRECTOR: Kathryn Bigelow
WRITERS: Christopher Kyle; from a story by Louis Nowra
PRODUCERS: Kathryn Bigelow, Edward S. Feldman, Sigurjon Sighvatsson, and Christine Whitaker
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jeff Cronenweth
EDITOR: Walter Murch

DRAMA/ADVENTURE/THRILLER/HISTORICAL

Starring: Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Peter Sarsgaard, Sam Spruell, Christian Camargo, Sam Redford, and Ravil Isyanov

Based upon actual events, K-19: The Widowmaker is the dramatization of the inaugural voyage of the Russia’s first nuclear ballistic submarine, which suffered a nuclear reactor malfunction during its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic in 1961. The film begins in the midst of the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. K-19, called “the Widowmaker,” because of the number of men who have died working on the sub before it even launched, is the Soviet Union’s attempt to catch up to the U.S., which already has nuclear-powered (and armed) submarines.

The film fictionalizes the relationship between the unyielding Captain Alexei Vostrikov (Harrison Ford) and his second in command, Captain Mikhail Polenin (Liam Neeson), who was K-19’s Captain until politics unseated him. The two men and their gallant crew must race against time to prevent a nuclear explosion that would destroy them and inadvertently ignite a world war between the Soviets and the Americans, but the crew also finds itself caught between the two captain’s test of wills.

Kathryn Bigelow’s K-19: The Widowmaker does the fine old genre of submarine movies proud by telling an astonishing true story as an engaging and riveting dramatic tale of survival, grace under fire, and solidarity among military men. This absorbing and scary flick is a testament to Bigelow’s technical skill as a filmmaker. One would think that as a woman, she would focus primarily on character and relationships, but Bigelow is a whiz at staging big action sequences, thrilling chases, and the kind of violent confrontations for which male action movie directors are known.

When this film was first released, some critics took issue with Harrison Ford’s weak Russian accent, which comes and goes (but is quite strong in the movie’s closing sequences), but the way Ford plays the character hits the right note. Ford finds a way to balance his Vostrikov for the way Liam Neeson plays Polenin, and Ford clearly understood the role both characters played in the larger narrative. Ford and Neeson fit their characters neatly into the context of the other characters and the setting. Together they sell K-19: The Widowmaker’s central conflict – Polenin versus Vostrikov, while making neither man a villain, because Christopher Kyle’s excellent screenplay gives both men ample opportunity to be heroic.

A winning adventure at sea and (Cold) war movie, K-19: The Widowmaker respects its audience, and the smart viewer who is willing to engage this film will find a treasure beneath the waves.

7 of 10
A-

Friday, May 25, 2007

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2nd Annual Critics' Choice Television Awards Nominations - Complete List

BTJA Announces Nominations for the 2nd Annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), an offshoot of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, today announced nominations for the 2nd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards. Winners will be announced on the evening of Monday, June 18th, at a gala awards dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

NBC was the most nominated broadcast network with 14 nominations followed closely by ABC with 13 and FOX with 12. HBO led nominations for cable networks with 12, followed by AMC and FX with 11 nominations each. NBC’s Community was the most nominated series with six.

“We are very excited by these nominations, reflecting the amazing diversity and creativity that is exploding on the small screen today,” said Joey Berlin, acting president of BTJA. “In every genre, audiences are witnessing a New Golden Age where imagination knows no bounds, from mass appeal entertainment to quirky originals where one person’s unique vision can delight a more limited audience. As television journalists, we’re proud to offer our choices of the best that we see day in and day out, and we look forward to celebrating television’s best on June 18th.”

Nominees for the 2nd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards include:

Best Drama Series
Breaking Bad – AMC
Downton Abbey – PBS
Game of Thrones – HBO
The Good Wife – CBS
Homeland – Showtime
Mad Men – AMC

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad – AMC
Kelsey Grammer – Boss – Starz
Jon Hamm – Mad Men - AMC
Charlie Hunnam – Sons of Anarchy – FX
Damian Lewis – Homeland – Showtime
Timothy Olyphant – Justified – FX

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Danes – Homeland – Showtime
Michelle Dockery – Downton Abbey - PBS
Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife – CBS
Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men – AMC
Emmy Rossum – Shameless – Showtime
Katey Sagal – Sons of Anarchy – FX

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones – HBO
Giancarlo Esposito – Breaking Bad – AMC
Neal McDonough – Justified – FX
John Noble – Fringe – FOX
Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad - AMC
John Slattery – Mad Men – AMC

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Christine Baranski – The Good Wife – CBS
Anna Gunn – Breaking Bad - AMC
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men – AMC
Regina King – Southland - TNT
Kelly Macdonald – Boardwalk Empire – HBO
Maggie Siff – Sons of Anarchy – FX

Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series
Dylan Baker – Damages – DirecTV
Jere Burns – Justified – FX
Loretta Devine – Grey’s Anatomy – ABC
Lucy Liu – Southland – TNT
Carrie Preston – The Good Wife – CBS
Chloe Webb – Shameless – Showtime

Best Reality Series
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations – Travel Channel
Hoarders – A&E
Sister Wives – TLC
Kitchen Nightmares – FOX
Pawn Stars – History
Undercover Boss – CBS

Best Reality Series – Competition
The Pitch – AMC
Shark Tank – ABC
So You Think You Can Dance – FOX
The Voice – NBC
Chopped – FOOD
The Amazing Race - CBS

Best Reality Show Host
Tom Bergeron – Dancing with the Stars – ABC
Nick Cannon – America’s Got Talent - NBC
Cat Deeley – So You Think You Can Dance – FOX
Phil Keoghan – The Amazing Race - CBS
RuPaul – RuPaul’s Drag Race - Logo

Best Talk Show
Conan - TBS
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Comedy Central
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon - NBC
Jimmy Kimmel Live! – ABC
The View - ABC

Best Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory – CBS
Community – NBC
Girls – HBO
Modern Family – ABC
New Girl – FOX
Parks and Recreation – NBC

Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Don Cheadle – House of Lies – Showtime
Louis C.K. – Louie – FX
Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm – HBO
Garret Dillahunt – Raising Hope – FOX
Joel McHale – Community – NBC
Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory – CBS

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Zooey Deschanel – New Girl – FOX
Lena Dunham – Girls – HBO
Julia Louis Dreyfus – Veep - HBO
Martha Plimpton – Raising Hope – FOX
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Ashley Rickards – Awkward – MTV

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ty Burrell – Modern Family – ABC
Max Greenfield – New Girl – FOX
Nick Offerman – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Danny Pudi – Community – NBC
Jim Rash – Community – NBC
Damon Wayans Jr. – Happy Endings – ABC

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Julie Bowen – Modern Family – ABC
Alison Brie – Community – NBC
Cheryl Hines – Suburgatory – ABC
Gillian Jacobs – Community – NBC
Eden Sher – The Middle – ABC
Casey Wilson – Happy Endings – ABC

Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series
Becky Ann Baker – Girls – HBO
Bobby Cannavale – Modern Family – ABC
Kathryn Hahn – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Justin Long – New Girl – FOX
Paul Rudd – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Peter Scolari – Girls – HBO

Best Animated Series
Archer – FX
Adventure Time – Cartoon Network
Bob’s Burgers – FOX
Family Guy – FOX
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Cartoon Network

Best Movie/Miniseries
American Horror Story – FX
Luther – BBC America
Sherlock – PBS
Page Eight – PBS
The Hour – BBC America
Game Change – HBO

Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries
Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock – PBS
Bill Nighy – Page Eight – PBS
Woody Harrelson – Game Change – HBO
Idris Elba – Luther – BBC America
Dominic West – The Hour – BBC America
Kevin Costner – Hatfields & McCoys – History

Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries
Jessica Lange – American Horror Story – FX
Gillian Anderson - Great Expectations – PBS
Julianne Moore – Game Change – HBO
Patricia Clarkson – Five – Lifetime
Lara Pulver – Sherlock – PBS
Emily Watson – Appropriate Adult – Sundance

Submissions are still being accepted for The Most Exciting New Series category.

The Critics’ Choice Television Awards honors programs and performances that aired between June 1, 2011 and May 31, 2012. Since last year, six new categories have been added for the 2011/12 season including Best Movie or Mini-series, Best Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series, Best Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series, Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series, Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series and Best Animated Series.

Bob Bain will executive produce the show for Bob Bain Productions.


About BTJA
The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) is a partner organization to the Broadcast Film Critics Association. BTJA includes TV, radio and Internet journalists who cover television on a regular basis. For more information, visit: http://www.criticschoice.com/

Review: "Over the Hedge" is a Surprising Delight

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 107 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Over the Hedge (2006)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some rude humor and mild comic action
DIRECTORS: Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick
WRITERS: Len Blum, Lorne Cameron and David Hoselton, and Karey Kirkpatrick with Chris Poche (based upon characters created by Michael Fry and T. Lewis)
PRODUCER: Bonnie Arnold
EDITOR: John K. Carr
COMPOSER: Rupert Gregson-Williams
SONGS: Ben Folds

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ACTION/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Bruce Willis, Gary Shandling, Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes, William Shatner, Nick Nolte, Thomas Haden Church, Allison Janney, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Avril Lavigne, Omid Djalili, Sami Kirkpatrick, Shane Baumel, and Madison Davenport

The subject of this movie review is Over the Hedge, a 2006 computer-animated film from DreamWorks Animation. This action comedy is based upon the syndicated newspaper comic strip, Over the Hedge, created by Michael Fry and T. Lewis. The film focuses on a raccoon who uses his friends to help him repay a debt.

RJ (Bruce Willis) is an opportunistic raccoon, and his greed causes him to destroy the treasure trove of a dangerous bear named Vincent (Nick Nolte). Vincent gives RJ less than a week to replace his loot. Fortune leads RJ to a sprawling new suburban neighborhood, where he figures he can replace all of Vincent’s things (such as potato chips, a red wagon, a blue ice cooler, etc.).

Meanwhile, Verne (Gary Shandling), a turtle, and the woodland friends that make up his family: a hyperactive squirrel named Hammy (Steve Carell); a sassy, but low on self esteem skunk named Stella (Wanda Sykes); a melodramatic possum named Ozzie (William Shatner) and his daughter, Heather (Avril Lavigne); Lou & Penny (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara), a porcupine couple with three little ones, wake up from their long winter’s nap only to discover that a tall green thing has cropped up in the middle of their forest home. RJ arrives just in time to inform Verne and his group that the “thing” is actually a hedge, and over the hedge is the “gateway to the good life” – a neighborhood full of humans. Humans live to eat (where as the animals eat to live), and they have lots of food and lots of stuff, he tells them – stuff they can take for themselves.

Verne is suspicious and a little jealous of RJ’s assertive nature, but Verne’s woodland band is ready to follow the manipulative raccoon into the domain of their over-indulgent human neighbors. Verne believes that they have more to fear than to gain from humans, and he is right. Gladys (Allison Janney), the president of the neighborhood association, hires a murderous pest exterminator, Dwayne (Thomas Haden Church), to get rid or RJ, Verne, and the rest of the animals. Can RJ and Verne put aside their differences in time to save the group? Will RJ be able to replace Vincent’s things before he shows up to kill the poor raccoon?

Although there were times in DreamWorks Animation’s latest computer animated film, Over the Hedge, when I was sure the filmmakers were simply trying to make another middle of the road, easily digestible family film, there were many more times when I was shocked at how genuinely sly, witty, smart, and lightly subversive this cartoon movie is. The narrative takes the side of the group over the individual, in this case because the group survives best as a unit and not on the whims of an individual prone to always look out for number one. There’s lots of clever commentary on American consumerism and also on how much people waste, and class division comes up in the form of the woodland animals being poor people who are conservative and gather to live, while the humans over the hedge in suburbia are more about gathering things for status. The movie also takes several digs at junk food.

The quality of the computer animation in DreamWorks Animation’s films (produced by PDI) continues to improve with each film, and that’s evident in Over the Hedge. The texture of the animals’ fur, the reflective surfaces, and the sets (the neighborhood lawn grass is good enough to call attention to itself) are all quite impressive. The surface consistency looks more real; it’s as if the animals’ skins, fur, quills, etc are authentic and not rubber suits. Character movement, which took a leap forward for DreamWorks in last year’s Madagascar, improved here. RJ, Hammy, Ozzie & Heather, and the porcupine triplets move with such grace and fluidity. There is a subtlety to their facial expressions that gives a sincere feel to their emotional displays, and when combined with smooth physical movement, makes their performances feel genuine.

If Pixar (now officially owned by the Walt Disney Company, just a few weeks prior to this review) is like Disney in that the studio create animated feature films that focus on story and the art of animation, DreamWorks is like Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes in that it emphasizes broad comedy (sketch, slapstick, situation, etc.) of varying appeal to adults, and it stresses caricature and cartoon-style drawing in the design of its characters. PDI also goes for the “squash and stretch” animation that marked the work of cartoon short directors like Tex Avery and Chuck Jones, so in many ways DreamWorks’ computer animated films are like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner, and Droopy cartoons.

While Over the Hedge occasionally drags in its first half, the voice acting comes together to strengthen both the film’s narrative and its message of family. The acting also makes for some surprisingly strong comedy. Bruce Willis, well known as an action movie hero, first came to fame in the romantic, detective comedy television series, “Moonlighting.” Audiences tend to forget his boyish charm and wit, his sharp sarcasm, and a sense of humor that make him a very good comic actor. It takes a bit of warming up, but he makes a great foil for Gary Shandling’s über-responsible family patriarch. Shandling also takes a bit of warming up to, but that’s true of most of the cast. The film’s writers play well to the actors’ strengths.

Who knew it was possible to get such excellent comedy out of the perception that William Shatner overacted in the original Star Trek TV series and films? Here, his penchant for over dramatizing or melodrama is turned into pure comedy gold. The writers also make good use of Wanda Sykes’ saucy personality and constant sarcasm, as well as her ability create characters that ingratiate themselves to others while still being a smart ass. By the end of the film, my favorite character by far was Steve Carell’s Hammy the squirrel. Carell can do manic, panic, and hyperactivity and can babble with the best. When combined with the superb character animation done on Hammy, Carell creates a memorable cartoon animal character – one worth seeing again.

Over the Hedge is also a good action comedy. The chase that closes its last act is almost as good as the kind of slam-bam showdowns in the Toy Story franchise and could rival a car chase in a Lethal Weapon movie. It’s this facility for action comedy and funny characters that makes Over the Hedge DreamWorks’ best non-Shrek film to date.

7 of 10
A-

Sunday, May 21, 2006

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Review: "The Secret World of Arrietty" is a Beautiful World

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 46 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Secret World of Arrietty (2012)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Japan
Original title: Arrietty or Kari-gurashi no Arietti (2010)
Running time: 95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
WRITERS: Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa (based on the novel, The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
PRODUCER: Toshio Suzuki
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Atsushi Okui (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Rie Matsubara
COMPOSER: Cécile Corbel
ANIMATION STUDIO: Studio Ghibli

ANIMATION/FANTASY

Starring: (English dub voices – U.S. release) Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Moises Arias, and Carol Burnett

Arrietty (or Kari-gurashi no Arietti) is a 2010 Japanese animated fantasy film produced by Studio Ghibli, best known for the animated films of director Hayao Miyazaki, who co-wrote Arrietty. Walt Disney Pictures released Arrietty earlier this year in the United States as The Secret World of Arrietty. Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Arrietty is an adaptation of the 1952 children’s fantasy novel, The Borrowers, by Mary Norton. The film focuses on a tiny girl and how her interaction with a human threatens her family’s existence.

The Secret World of Arrietty is set in a rural home that is surrounded by a lush garden and a verdant forest. Under the floorboards of the house lives a family of four-inch-tall people, the Clock Family (although that surname is never used in the film). They are “Borrowers,” tiny people who survive by “borrowing” simple items from the houses in which they live. They avoid humans, whom they call “beans” (a mispronunciation of “human beings”).

The Clocks are the father, Pod (Will Arnett); the mother, Homily (Amy Poehler), and their spirited daughter, Arrietty (Bridgit Mendler). Their lives change when a young man named Shawn (David Henrie) spots Arrietty in the garden. The house in which the Clocks live is the childhood home of Shawn’s mother, and the 18-year-old Shawn is visiting the home where he will rest before having a delicate surgery. Arrietty and Shawn are curious about each other, although Arrietty’s father is adamant that she avoid him. Their mutual fascination becomes dangerous when the house’s caretaker, Haru (Carol Burnett), also becomes curious about the mysterious “little people.”

The art of hand-drawn animation or, as its now known, 2D animation, is really an art in the hands of the highly talented and skilled animators working for Walt Disney Pictures. Over the better part of eight decades, Walt Disney’s 2D animated films proved that. The same can be said about Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki is a master and his studio is filled with talented illustrators, designers, painters, etc. who are museum-worthy artists.

In the setting that is The Secret World of Arrietty, Ghibli creates the illusion of space, depth, and presence as well as any 3D computer-animated film. Pixar and DreamWorks Animation don’t have anything over Ghibli in terms of creating layered and textured environments. Such elements as drops of rainwater or tea, thriving and animated plant life, and the everyday-items that fill the Clocks’ home seem solid and real. The paintings used to create the film’s backgrounds recall the paintings of Monet. I could spend all day praising the animation of Studio Ghibli, because hand-drawn animation doesn’t get much better than The Secret World of Arrietty.

The story is the part of The Secret World of Arrietty that doesn’t live up to the quality of the animation. The film is charming and imaginative, but is also surprisingly melancholy, even cynical. Being that the film takes the viewer into an alien world and successfully presents it from the perspective of the aliens (the Borrowers), one would think The Secret World of Arrietty would be about discovery, yet it doesn’t do much discovering. It is an uncomplicated tale of friendship that pales in comparison to its extraordinary setting.

The film only brushes the characters, choosing to emphasize their actions, rather than delve into their personalities and even the mysteries of their pasts. Who are they? What are their wishes and desires? Still, Bridgit Mendler and Will Arnett are excellent in their voice performances and make their characters stand out. Even with my complaints, you’d be surprised that I really think a lot of this film. The Secret World of Arrietty is visual splendor and that makes up for the film’s tepid pace, indifferent drama, and lack of characterization. It must be the magic of Studio Ghibli that always seems to cast a spell on me. I actually want to visit The Secret World of Arrietty again.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, June 03, 2012

Disney's "John Carter" Now on DVD and Blu-ray

A Warrior On Earth Becomes a Hero On Mars

Disney's John Carter

New On Disney Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D™, HD Digital, DVD, and On-Demand June 5th

“A Visual Marvel” ––Steven Weintraub, Collider.com

Disney brings to life an iconic hero, John Carter, in a visually stunning new world with heart-pounding action. The heroic epic adventure “John Carter” arrives on Disney Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D™, HD Digital, DVD and On-Demand June 5, 2012, just in time for Father’s Day!

As a warrior lost on Earth, John Carter is magically transported to Mars, where the fate of the planet and its people ultimately rest in his hands. With surprising new powers, and epic battles, he rises to become the man he is meant to be and the hero he truly is.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (Best Animated Film, WALL•E, 2008) “John Carter” is a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). John Carter is a war-weary, former military captain who’s inexplicably transported to Mars and reluctantly becomes embroiled in an epic conflict. It’s a world on the brink of collapse, and Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands. Stunning special effects, great characters and villains — and complete with extraordinary bonus features — “John Carter” is a heroic and inspirational adventure that will thrill audiences beyond imagination.

This ambitious and unforgettable screen adaptation of the classic novel “A Princess of Mars” by Edgar Rice Burroughs, stars heartthrob Taylor Kitsch (“Friday Night Lights,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”) in the title role, Lynn Collins (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Number 23”) as Dejah Thoris, Willem Dafoe (“The English Patient,” “Spider Man”) as Tars Tarkas, and Dominic West (“300,” “The Wire”) as Sab Than. The screenplay is written by Stanton, Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon.

“John Carter” will be available to own and for in-home viewing as follows:

4-Disc Combo Pack (3D BD + 2D BD + DVD + Digital Copy)

Includes:
Blu-ray bonus features:  Disney Second Screen – Explore John Carter’s journal with this innovative in-world experience and uncover a trove of fascinating details that extend the mythology of the movie. 360 Degrees of John Carter – Experience every aspect of the filmmaking process on one of the movie’s biggest production days. Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director, Andrew Stanton Barsoom Bloopers Plus all DVD features

DVD bonus features: 100 Years In The Making – Follow the journey of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ story, from its origins as a pulp novel to its arrival onscreen. Audio Commentary with Filmmakers

*The 3D Blu-ray Disc & The Digital Copy Disc do not include bonus features on it

2-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)

Includes: All Blu-ray bonus features All DVD bonus features:

1-Disc DVD

Includes: All DVD bonus features

Digital 3D High Definition Digital

Does not include bonus features

High Definition Digital

Includes: Life by the Second: The Shanzam Unit (digital premiere) Disney Second Screen Barsoom Bloopers Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director, Andrew Stanton

Standard Definition Digital

Includes: Life by the Second: The Shanzam Unit (digital premiere) Disney Second Screen Barsoom Bloopers Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director, Andrew Stanton

On-Demand

Does not include bonus features

DISC SPECIFICATIONS:
Street Date: June 5, 2012

Suggested Retail Prices:
4-Disc Combo Pack = $49.99 U.S./$56.99 Canada
2-Disc Combo Pack = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada
1 Disc DVD = $29.99U.S./$35.99Canada

3D High Definition, High Definition & Standard Definition Digital = Please check with your favorite digital retailer for pricing

On-Demand =Please check with your television provider or favorite digital retailer for pricing

Feature Run Time: 132 minutes

Ratings: U.S.: PG-13 / Canada: PG (bonus material is not rated)

Presentation: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray: 1080p High Definition 2.40:1 / DVD: Widescreen 2.40:1

Audio/Languages: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray: 7.1 DTS HD-MA; French & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

DVD: English, French & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray = English SDH, French, Spanish

DVD = English SDH, French, Spanish

Social Media:
Stay connected with the latest news and information on Disney’s JOHN CARTER  “Like” the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/JohnCarterMovie Follow us on Twitter at @JohnCarter View videos at www.YouTube.com/DisneyMovies


About The Walt Disney Studios:
For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

© 2012 Disney


Trademarks JOHN CARTER, JCM Design, JOHN CARTER OF MARS, BARSOOM, and PRINCESS OF MARS, owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and used by permission.

Lucasfilm Has new Co-Chairman: Kathleen Kennedy

(Photographic image of Kathleen Kennedy is courtesy of Business Wire)

Kathleen Kennedy To Become Co-Chair of Lucasfilm Ltd.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lucasfilm Ltd. today announced that Kathleen Kennedy will become Co-Chair of Lucasfilm. In an effort to move forward with his retirement plans, George Lucas will work with Kathleen Kennedy to transition into her new role. Lucas will become Co-Chairman of the Board of Lucasfilm and continue as CEO. Micheline Chau will remain as President and COO of Lucasfilm, and continue to focus on the day-to-day operations of the business.

“I’ve spent my life building Lucasfilm and as I shift my focus into other directions I wanted to make sure it was in the hands of someone equipped to carry my vision into the future,” said George Lucas. “It was important that my successor not only be someone with great creative passion and proven leadership abilities, but also someone who loves movies. I care deeply about my employees—it is their creativity and hard work that has made this company what it is today. As the company grows and expands I wanted to be sure the employees of Lucasfilm have a strong captain for the ship. I also care deeply about our fans and it was important to have someone who would carry on the passion and care that I’ve given the films over the years. So for me Kathy was the obvious choice, she is a trusted friend and one of the most respected producers and executives in the industry.”

Director Steven Spielberg said, “George's prescience is once again proven by his choice of my long time producing partner, Kathy Kennedy to co-chair Lucasfilm. Kathy has been a member of both of our families going into a fourth decade so it does not feel like she is going to another galaxy far far away. She will get just as much support from me with Lucasfilm as George has given both of us all these years.”

“George is a true visionary,” said Kathleen Kennedy. “I’ve seen him build Lucasfilm from a small rebel unit in Northern California to an international fully integrated entertainment company. I’m excited to have the chance to work with such an extraordinary group of talented people. George and I have talked about the enormous opportunities that lie ahead for the company, and as George moves towards retirement I am honored that he trusts me with taking care of the beloved film franchises. I feel fortunate to have George working with me for the next year or two as I take on this role—it is nice to have Yoda by your side.”

Seven-time Academy Award nominated Kathleen Kennedy is one of the most successful and esteemed producers and executives in the film industry. As a producer she has an impeccable record with a robust filmography working with such filmmakers as Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Martin Scorsese, Robert Zemeckis, Barry Levinson, Clint Eastwood, David Fincher and Gary Ross. As a testament to her standing in the film community, she previously held the position of governor and officer of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and currently serves as a member of the board of trustees. She is also a former President of the Producers Guild of America.

Kathleen will step down from her role at The Kennedy/Marshall Company, shifting her responsibilities to partner Frank Marshall. The Kennedy/Marshall Company is currently in post production on LINCOLN, directed by long time collaborator Steven Spielberg whom Kennedy also produced for on the INDIANA JONES and JURASSIC PARK franchises, and THE BOURNE LEGACY, written and directed by Tony Gilroy and produced by Marshall. Under the Kennedy/Marshall banner, the pair has produced such Academy Award nominated Best Picture films as WAR HORSE (six nominations), THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (thirteen nominations) THE SIXTH SENSE, (six nominations) and SEABISCUIT (seven nominations), as well as blockbusters including the BOURNE series and THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN. Marshall will oversee the company’s current slate of projects and continue to expand it via their development deals with DreamWorks and CBS TV Studios.


About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world's leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully-integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual-effects and audio post-production; LucasArts, a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide; Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties; Lucasfilm Animation, which is currently producing content for film and television, including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a CG-animated half-hour television series; and Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses. Additionally, Lucasfilm Singapore, produces digital animated content for film and television, as well as visual effects for feature films and multi-platform games. Lucasfilm's motion-picture productions include three of the 20 biggest box-office hits of all time and have received 19 Oscars and more than 60 Academy Award nominations. Lucasfilm's television projects have won 12 Emmy Awards. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif.

Mark Wahlberg Gets Down and Dirty in Down and Dirty "Contraband"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 (of 2012) by Leroy Douressaux


Contraband (2012)
Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use
DIRECTOR: Baltasar Kormákur
WRITER: Aaron Guzikowski (based on the film, Reykjavik-Rotterdam, from a screenplay by Arnaldur Indriðason and Óskar Jónasson)
PRODUCERS: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Baltasar Kormákur, Stephen Levinson, and Mark Wahlberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Barry Ackroyd
EDITOR: Elísabet Ronalds
COMPOSER: Clinton Shorter

CRIME/THRILLER

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Kate Beckinsale, Giovanni Ribisi, Lukas Haas, Caleb Landry Jones, J.K. Simmons, Kevin “Lucky” Johnson, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, David O’Hara, Diego Luna, Connor Hill, Bryce McDaniel, Jaqueline Fleming, Jack Landry, J. Omar Castro, Jason Mitchell, and William Lucking

Contraband is a 2012 crime thriller starring Mark Wahlberg. It is a remake of Reykjavik-Rotterdam, a 2008 film from Iceland. Contraband’s director, Baltasar Kormákur, starred in the original film. Contraband is about a former smuggler who temporarily returns to smuggling in order to protect his brother-in-law from a violent street-level drug lord.

Former smuggler, Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg), now runs his own small business installing security alarms. He lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, and enjoys a happy and peaceful life with his wife, Kate (Kate Beckinsale), and their two sons. However, his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), recently botched a drug smuggling job for Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi), a ruthless drug lord.

To pay back Andy’s debt to Briggs, Chris sets up an operation to smuggle ten million dollars in high-end counterfeit money out of Panama and back into New Orleans. To protect his family from Briggs’ threats, Chris asks his old partner, Sebastian Abney (Ben Foster), to watch over Kate and the children. However, there are many others players in this game, both in New Orleans and in Panama, and this contraband run will put all of Chris’ smuggling skills to the test.

I consider time spent watching a Mark Wahlberg movie (one in which he is the lead or one of the major characters) to be time well spent, and Contraband was time well spent. I enjoyed the hell out of it. The film is plot heavy with a large cast of characters, and both elements are well done. However, the film focuses on the plot, subplots, and all the twists and turns they take, more than it ever delves into the characters.

That is a shame because there are some good supporting characters and some good supporting performances. I generally like everything Giovanni Ribisi does, and he is Oscar-worthy as the crazy mutha, Tim Briggs. The always-reliable J.K. Simmons is riotous as the butt-hole-ish, Captain Camp. Even Kate Beckinsale manages to eek out some intensity as the wife/female victim, Kate Farraday. With more emphasis on character development and character drama, Contraband could have been a great film. Instead, it is just a really good film. Oh, well.

The focus is, of course, on the star, and Mark Wahlberg is a fine actor and a true movie star. Movie stars carry movies, and Wahlberg’s streetwise, don’t-mess-with-me, don’t-betray-me, screen persona is alluring – at least to me. If you like Mark Wahlberg, you will probably like Contraband. If you like crime thrillers, Contraband is criminally thrilling.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, June 02, 2012