Alfred Molina

DVD Round Up, Oct. 30, 2009: ‘Sauna,’ ‘The Tournament,’ ‘The Butcher’

BrianTT — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Many editions of the DVD Round-Up have featured a different genre and focus for each title within it. This week seems a little more thematically linked as we have a trio of foreign horror films and a few more independent films than usual. Of course, there has to a holiday comedy to spice things up.

Consider this column informational with synopsis, tech specs, and special features info for titles that might go otherwise unnoticed, but if you’re looking for more critical opinion, we covered “Sauna” when it played at the EU Film Fest, “Medicine For Melancholy” when it was available on IFC Direct, and “Nothing Like the Holidays” when it played in theaters.

“P” and “The Tournament” were released on October 20th, 2009

“The Butcher,” “Medicine For Melancholy,” “Nothing Like the Holidays,” and “Sauna” were released on October 27th, 2009

“Nothing Like the Holidays”

Photo credit: Anchor Bay

Synopsis: “John Leguizamo (Ice Age, Moulin Rouge!), Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under, Bobby), Debra Messing (Will & Grace, The Starter Wife), and Alfred Molina (The Pink Panther 2) lead a hilarious ensemble cast in this humorous and heartwarming holiday story that is “laugh-out-loud-funny and downright touching.” (MoviePictureFilm.com)

It’s Christmastime in Chicago, and the far-flung members of the Rodriguez family are converging at their parents’ house to celebrate the season. During the course of this eventful week, traditions will be celebrated, secrets revealed, old resentments forgotten, familial bonds re-affirmed and the healing power of laughter will work its magic. Nothing Like The Holidays is a “heartfelt” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) gift for the whole family.”

“Nothing Like the Holidays” stars John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, Luis Guzman, Melonie Diaz, Vanessa Ferlito, Jay Hernandez, and Elizabeth Pena. It was written by Alison Swan and Rick Najeira and directed by Alfredo de Villa. The film runs 98 minutes and is rated PG-13. It is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by a Dolby Surround 5.1 audio track.

Special features include “Nothing Like a Family: Cast Reunion,” Audio Commentary by Actor/Producer Freddy Rodriguez, Director Alfredo de Villa, and Producer Robert Teitel, Bloopers, and Theatrical Trailer.

“The Tournament”

Photo credit: The Weinstein Company

Synopsis: “Every seven years, thirty of the world’s most deadly assassins face off against one another for an outrageous cash prize. There’s only one rule: kill or die. As dozens of wealthy gamblers watch via closed-circuit TV, a city is overrun by brutal assassins - all aiming to be the last one standing. Starring Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible films), Kelly Hu (X2: X-Men United) and Robert Carlyle (Stargate: Universe), The Tournament is an explosive, action-loaded thriller where the winner takes all”

“The Tournament” stars Ving Rhames, Robert Carlyle, and Kelly Hu. It was written by Gary Young, Jonathan Frank, & Nick Rowntree and directed by Scott Mann. The film runs 95 minutes and is rated R. It is presented in a matted widescreen transfer and accompanied by an English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track.

Special features include…nothing.

“Medicine For Melancholy”

Photo credit: IFC Films

Synopsis: “Wyatt Cenac (of The Daily Show) and Tracey Heggins star in this love story about two African-American twenty-somethings, their one-night stand, and a revealing day-after in rapidly gentrifying San Francisco - a city with the smallest proportional black population of any other major American city. In his internationally acclaimed and award-winning debut feature, writer/director Barry Jenkins creates a tender yet resonant tale of sex, race, bicycles and modern urban life that became one of the most significant hits of the festival season and remains perhaps the most talked-about independent film of the year.”

“Medicine For Melancholy” stars Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins. It was written and directed by Barry Jenkins. The film runs 88 minutes and is not rated. It is presented in an enhanced widescreen transfer and accompanied by an English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track.

Special features include the trailer and “Director’s Notes: An In-Depth Interview with Barry Jenkins at the London Film Festival”.

“Sauna”

Photo credit: IFC Films

Synopsis: “A chilling horror film, Sauna explores the space between Christianity and paganism. The year 1595 - a long and brutal war is finally over. Brothers Knut and Erik - who are part of a commission marking the border between Finland and Russia - commit a terrible sin as they leave a young girl to die a horrible death. As the commission crosses the uncharted swamp, the girl returns to haunt them. Weary men find solace from the nameless village and find a sauna - the sauna where all sins are washed away. Seeking forgiveness the brothers step in…”

“Sauna” stars Ville Vertanen, Tommi Eronen, and Viktor Klimenko. It was written by Iiro Kuttner and directed by AJ Annila. The film runs 84 minutes and is not rated. It is presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen transfer and accompanied by a Finnish/Russian Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track.

Special features include the film’s trailer.

“P”

Photo credit: Palisades Tartan

Synopsis: “While growing up in rural Thailand, a young orphan girl, Dau, is taught magic by her grandmother. But when her grandmother falls sick, Dau is lured to Bangkok to find work so that she can buy medicine. She finds herself working in a go-go bar, and her journey from naïveté to maturity is swift. She uses the magical skills her grandmother taught her to her advantage, but in doing so makes enemies within the bar. As her magic gets darker, and the consequences increasingly horrific, she gradually loses control, and something evil takes over. ”

“P” was written and directed by Paul Spurrier. The movie runs 110 minutes and is not rated. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen and accompanied by a Thai Dolby Digital Audio 5.1 track.

Special features include Directors Audio Commentary, “Behind the Scenes,” “Soi Cowboy Go-Go Bars” Featurette, Rawang Music Video, Production Photos, and Original Theatrical Trailer.

“The Butcher”

Photo credit: Palisades Tartan

Synopsis: “Told entirely through two POV video cameras, The Butcher throws you into the middle of chaos and death: a handful of people have been abducted and lie bloodied and bound on the floor of a rotting slaughterhouse. Nearby, a team of snuff film producers are discussing their gruesome handiwork: torturing their captives to death, one by one.”

“The Butcher” was written and directed by Kim Jinwon. The movie runs 75 minutes and is not rated. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by a Korean Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 track.

Special features include Alternative Ending, Behind the Scenes Photos, Storyboard Sketches, and the Original Theatrical Trailer.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Character Study With ‘An Education’ Director Lone Scherfig

PatrickMcD — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:50:56 -0600

CHICAGO – In the new coming-of-age film, “An Education,” director Lone Scherfig creates a different time (the early 1960s) and place (middle class England) to tell the story of a teenage girl’s conflict between her academic life and older man lover.

Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is an English schoolgirl in 1962, right at the edge of the coming revolution. She is working hard to get into Oxford, through the ardent wishes of her father (Alfred Molina). When a chance meeting with a older man (Peter Sarsgaard) begins to derail her advancements, she get an education that can never be taught in books.

Between Girl and Woman: Carey Mulligan as Jenny in ‘An Education’
Photo credit: Kerry Brown for Sony Pictures Classics

HollywoodChicago got the chance to interview the director of An Education, Lone Scherfig. She spoke about film’s theme of the transitional life in teenage girls, the relationship between class and education, plus working as a Scandinavian director within the stricture of Great Britain.

HollywoodChicago: When you were developing the story and feel of “An Education,” what thoughts came to mind about your own transition from girl to woman? How did you relate to the main character Jenny?

Lone Scherfig: I think related to her and understood her falling for David. I understand living within a family constellation, my parents were similar, and there was something about it that I could identify in her appetite for films, music and books. The age when I was her age, though, was much more liberated, easier and the country I come from has much less of a class system. So she has problems that I’ve never encountered.

HC: How did you or an outside consultant prepare Carey Mulligan to be a girl in England in 1962, which seemed on the edge of all breakthroughs to the Swinging 1960s?

LS: Carey and I did that, we wouldn’t ask anybody else. The talks about where the actors find the character and where I would try to make the period real for her was something I’d lived through but she hadn’t. It is a way of beginning a conversation that is light, important and packed with information. Then when you come down to shooting there is a based of references, then it is about emotion, not just information.

I made boards for all the main characters with pictures I felt were relevant for each character. The art department, costume department and make-up also had many pictures. We played music, because I wanted the cast members who were too young to have known the period to get to know it, be comfortable in it and be inspired by it.

HC: Besides putting on an accent, what kind of native or cultural preparation did Peter Sarsgaard do in preparation for David?

LS: Peter has spent time in London before, and in a way getting the accent is getting the character. British actors access material that way. They wouldn’t ask about a character’s childhood or social background, but what the dialect is. From then on they can find the character. It’s one way of working that I don’t see in any other country.

The producers hired Peter and it was one more reason that I really wanted the job, because I think Peter is a phenomenal actor.

I read the story story that the film is based on again recently and the author writes something about her David, the real David, had a phony accent and it is his way of being posh.
Something that was put on and made him a bit of an outsider. She found that deadly attractive. So it works that Peter has a put-on accent.

Peter Sarsgaard as David in ‘An Education’
Photo credit: Kerry Brown for Sony Pictures Classics

HC: The pursuit of Jenny by David highlights the predatory nature that women have to deal with in men of all ages. Was your film an indictment of that kind of age gap, considering the result of the relationship, or was it just part of the circumstance of being an attractive and desired woman?

LS: We made an effort to make her responsible for what happened as well. She is not just a victim, she is the one often pushing the gas pedal. She is the one who leans over to kiss him, she is the one that wants to wait for sex until she is 17, which implies she will sleep with him in the very near future.

Technically she is the victim, because he is so much older than she is, but she is seducing him as well. It makes it more complex and layered that he is not sure he wants to see her again. But if you look at the story from him point of view, he is being seduced as well.

HC: What kind of spotlight did you want to shine on the class system in England that plays in the background at the time, when you told Jenny’s story?

LS: It’s about education, but that in many ways equals class in England. It is a strong class system and because her mother doesn’t have an education she can’t help Jenny, in the way she probably needs it. And because Jenny’s father doesn’t have any education as well, it’s possible for someone like David to come in and steal her.

Also looking at the character of Helen, sort of a dumb blonde in the story, she can lead a fantastic life but she is so dependent on her looks and other people. All of the characters are defined by how much education they have, and means it defines their place in the class system, it still does. More than in the U.S. and definitely more than my native Denmark.

HC: Despite the film being set over 40 years ago, what issues do you feel are still apparent for women as they try to navigate the social, economic and sexual issues of transitioning into adulthood?

LS: The film is a bit of a time machine, and I say thank God some of it is not relevant anymore. What attracted me to the film is not about this is an important story to tell today. But I do think it is nuanced. And I do think the discussion of values that is in all Nick Hornby’s [the screenwriter] work and about the way that the love for these characters are shared with the audience, that is a moral act. That gives the film a certain value, but if I wanted to make a film about how it is to be a young girl today, I should have picked a different story.

I think it does compete, though, with whatever is out there in the film market for my daughter, sister or mother, they would recognize themselves in this film than an ordinary romantic comedy.

HC: Even though the character of Helen plays rather dim in contrast to Jenny, I detected a note of sympathy for her. What do you like about Helen and where do you think she’ll end up?

LS: We talked about that, Rosamund [Pike, who played Helen] and I. These are real people. We don’t know where the real Helen is today. We know where Danny [her boyfriend] is, we know where David and Jenny are, but Helen we don’t know. So we made up a back story for her and what will happen to her.

We are entering this little moment in her life where she is at her most beautiful and she has the best place to live. We care a lot for her. We wanted to give her taste and style. I think it’s really cool that she looks sophisticated and intelligent, but then when she starts talking you think ‘oh my God.’

She is warm and erotic, we wanted that because we wanted Jenny to look at her and Danny, and realize that someone in this group of characters has a proper sex life. That was Helen and Danny.

In some ways she is a role model, but she is fragile because she doesn’t have an education. Probably today she is sorting out those things, those dresses she had from an earlier era.

Director Lone Scherfig in Chicago, October 13, 2009.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

HC: Despite being very young, Jenny seems to have a sexual sophistication older than her years – in fact displaying more maturity regarding losing her virginity than David. What did you want to reveal about a girl’s relationship to her own sexuality in that scenario era and interplay?

LS: That comes from the original memoir. Lynn [Barber, the author] was like that. There is a photo taken of her a few years after this story, where she is really a femme fatale. Her love for France and her general appetite desire for books, films and men is all in her character.

It suits the film that Carey Mulligan is more poised and sophisticated, that’s how we decided to make her. That is a casting thing. And that is how Carey is, I didn’t want to push her into a direction where she was more aggressive in her approach to the things that she wants.

HC: A girl’s relationship to her father is a highly actualized theme in An Education. Do you think the roots of Jenny’s willingness to engage with the older David are embedded in her relationship with her father?

LS: Yes I do. No one has asked me that question before. I think if you grow up with a man like Jack, someone like Graham, her young beau, would be boring. I think why many young girls are attracted to men older than themselves is that they are more mature and you want to be with someone who knows something that you don’t. The love she has for David and the reason she doesn’t ask questions, she wants the mystique and worldliness.

She says at the end of the film, with her boyfriends, that they are all boys. She wanted to have someone who reflects how life is seen from the other gender, rather than someone that offers you an entrance into the future that you have been program to go towards. In a way, it’s a sense of immaturity that you need someone to take you somewhere. But the world is so appealing, that if you take some detours, you would want to.

HC: The contrast between Jenny’s life with David vs. a potential life like Miss Stubbs – her teacher – was highlighted well. Was it women like Ms. Stubbs, and to a lesser degree the Headmaster character, that kept the hope for different opportunities for women that flowered in the post war era? Did you have a Ms. Stubbs in your life?

LS: It could have been. I think Ms. Stubbs is more from Nick Hornby’s life than mine. The good teacher that is important for your life, especially when you come from a home where they can’t help you. My mother was a headmaster, but she not at all like Emma Thompson. So if I needed that type of advice, I’d go home, not to school. And because of that, there was never a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have an education.

HC: Finally, you are a Scandinavian director guiding a mostly British cast. What are the major differences and similarities between Scandinavian and British cultural sensibilities?

LS: The class system, that is the main difference. In England, you take it for granted that you can be world champions, because in many ways you are. We don’t have that in Denmark. It is much more modest. We’re not as polite. I’ve run into conflicts again and again because I am not afraid of the British. The English thing is to avoid conflicts and tackle things with dignity. That is something I have to learn.

But it is a great place for a director because everyone around you sets such high standards for themselves. They are brilliant at their work because they are ambitious and the actors don’t see themselves as stars, they see themselves as serving the writer and the production. Working in a country where people have so much more at stake in what they do, produces better scripts and better actors.

”An Education” has a limited release October 23rd, 2009. Featuring Carey Mulligan, Peter Saarsgard, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Emma Thompson and Dominic Cooper, directed by Lone Scherfig Rated “PG-13”

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Catch Up With Dan Brown’s World in ‘The Da Vinci Code’

BrianTT — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:52:32 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – One of the biggest movies of the summer is sure to be Ron Howard’s “Angels & Demons,” the sequel to 2006’s massively successful “The Da Vinci Code,” a Tom Hanks film that left most critics cold but ended up making a stunning quarter-of-a-billion dollars worldwide by the time its theatrical run ended. Before you talk to the “Angels & Demons,” catch up on your mythology with “The Da Vinci Code: 2-Disc Extended Cut” on Blu-Ray.

“The Da Vinci Code” may have been one of the best-timed movies in the history of the form. I remember the months leading up to the film’s release and Dan Brown’s books were literally everywhere. You couldn’t ride a Chicago bus without seeing someone reading “Code” or the even-better earlier book, “Angels & Demons”. By the time the movie hit, it was a guaranteed blockbuster.

The Da Vinci Code was released on Blu-Ray on April 28th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

Does that mean it was any good? I think “Code” may have worked for people who hadn’t read the book, but for those of us who had, it felt surprisingly flat. I think Brown’s books are so dependent on the twists and turns of his historical mysteries that they don’t hold up on repeat telling and Howard’s films have always felt unemotional and predictable to me. Essentially, I’m bored by “The Da Vinci Code”.

But I recognize I’m in the minority. And so does Sony. The studio has given their mega-hit a Blu-Ray treatment with the fans in mind, complete with a gorgeous video/audio transfer and hours of special features. I don’t think the movie delivers, but the Blu-Ray certainly does for fans of the film.

The Da Vinci Code was released on Blu-Ray on April 28th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

The official synopsis: “In The Da Vinci Code, noted symbologist Professor Robert Langdon (Hanks) and police cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Tautou) go on a heart-racing quest to unearth the biggest cover-up in human history. Langdon is called to the Louvre Museum late one night where a curator has been murdered, leaving behind a mysterious trail of symbols and clues. With his own survival at stake, Langdon unveils a series of stunning secrets hidden in the artwork of Leonardo Da Vinci, all leading to a covert society dedicated to guarding an ancient secret that has remained hidden for 2000 years. The pair set off on a frantic quest through Paris, London and Scotland, collecting clues as they desperately attempt to crack the code and reveal secrets that will shake the very foundations of mankind.”

“The Da Vinci Code” includes the extended cut of the film along with hours of special features, including several exclusive to Blu-Ray. Through BD-Live, viewers can access “Cinechat,” a feature that allows you to create “virtual” viewing parties and chat with your friends through your internet-connected Blu-ray player, but that just scratches the surface.

The special features include $10 e-Movie Cash for Angels and Demons, accessed instantly via BD-Live (also available by mail for those without BD-Live), “Exclusive First Look at Angels & Demons, introduced by Ron Howard, featuring five minutes of footage from the film that can only be seen on The Da Vinci Code: Extended Cut Blu-ray Disc,” “Unlocking the Code,” “New Commentary on Selected Scenes with Ron Howard,” and an amazing 17 featurettes.

‘The Da Vinci Code’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jurgen Prochnow, Paul Bettany, and Jean Reno. It was written by Akiva Goldsman and directed by Ron Howard. It was released on April 28th, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: ‘Wonder Woman’ Continues Series of Interesting DC Universe Releases

BrianTT — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:20:52 -0700

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Even though I once had a weekly comic book addiction, I was never a big Wonder Woman fan. Maybe it was a trapping of my gender, but I always tended toward books with male heroes like Superman, Batman, and The X-Men. Having said that, I can still respect what the team behind DC Universe’s latest film have accomplished with “Wonder Woman,” another installment in an increasingly intriguing series of straight-to-DVD movies.

When you tell a lot of people that an animated straight-to-DVD movie is worth their time, a lot of them glaze over, smile, and nod. Trust me. “Superman: Doomsday,” “Justice League: The New Frontier,” “Batman: Gotham Knight,” and, now, “Wonder Woman” would make for a better superhero marathon than most live-action blockbusters of men (or a woman) in tights. If I had to rank the four, “WW” would be the lowest, but that’s largely just because of how highly I think of the other films, particularly the must-see “New Frontier”.

“Wonder Woman” takes the feminist roots of its heroine and turns them up to eleven. It’s essentially the classic origin story for the girl with the invisible jet, told with a lot more Shakespearian intensity than usual. Maybe a bit too much. Maybe it’s because I grew up on Lynda Carter, but this take on “Wonder Woman” sometimes felt a little too serious for its own good. They could have had more fun with it.

Wonder Woman was released on DVD on March 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Princess Diana (Keri Russell), the girl who would become Wonder Woman, is raised to be a warrior on an island with no men after her mother Hippolyta (Virginia Madsen) defeats the god of war Ares (Alfred Molina) and imprisons him, vowing to never deal with the opposite sex again. When pilot Col. Steve Trevor (Nathan Fillion) crashes on the island, Diana wins a contest to take him back home.

The journey for Steve and Diana becomes fraught with peril when it turns out that Ares has been set free by a traitor on the island and is trying to contact Hades (Oliver Platt) to be released for good and take over the world. With very strong feminist undertones, Diana learns that she can be both a strong woman and that not all men are evil.

As I said, I was never a big “Wonder Woman” fan. And the script for this origin story feels like the weakest to date in the DC Universe line. I was struck more by the cheesy dialogue - “Maybe I think the world’s not worth saving if you’re not in it.” - than in previous installments.

And it feels the least ambitious of the DC Universe titles by far. Superman dies in “Doomsday,” “New Frontier” balances multiple heroes and arcs, and “Gotham Knight” is anime-influenced. “Wonder Woman” feels the most like a standard, Saturday morning cartoon, even if it’s a really good one.

One of the things that has set the DC Universe titles apart is the incredibly accomplished voice work and the people behind the drawings are the best thing about “Wonder Woman”. “Waitress” stars Nathan Fillion and Keri Russell are reunited and they have much of the same quick-and-clever chemistry as they did in that film. Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madsen, Alfred Molina - they are all fantastic.

The video and audio on the two-disc special edition of “Wonder Woman” are typically excellent for this line of releases. The colors are vibrant and clearly defined. Upconverted on a Blu-Ray player, it looks practically HD. And the audio in 5.1 Dolby Surround is similarly strong.

One of the elements of these DC Universe releases that have helped set them apart are the excellently designed, produced, and organized special features. Each title has come with a great documentary/featurette about the history of the character and “Wonder Woman” is no exception.

The second disc featurettes - “Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream” and “Wonder Woman: Daughter of Myth” - combine to give viewers a great history of this legendary character from her origin to her influence. The first disc includes an informative commentary by producers Gregory Novak and Bruce Timm, writer Michael Jelenic, and director Lauren Montgomery, and a first-look at the fifth title in the series, “Green Lantern: First Flight”.

For the fourth time, DC has taken a legendary comic book hero and created almost the equivalent of a DVD reference book about that character through excellent featurettes and supplemental material. While “Wonder Woman” doesn’t stand up to the other three for me personally, it comes from the same desire of the team behind these titles to really make something to satisfy the fans. That’s more than you can say for most live-action supehero movies.

‘Wonder Woman’ is released by Warner Bros. Home Video and features voice work by Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madsen, Marg Helgenberger, and Oliver Platt. It was written by Michael Jelenic and directed by Lauren Montgomery. It was released on March 3rd, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 26-Image Gallery For ‘Pink Panther 2’ With Steve Martin, Emily Mortimer

BrianTT — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:09:18 -0700

CHICAGO – This 26-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Pink Panther 2,” which was directed by Harald Zwart and features Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Alfred Molina, Emily Mortimer, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Andy Garcia, Lily Tomlin, and John Cleese. The Sony Pictures release opens on Friday, February 6th, 2009.

Synopsis: “The Pink Panther 2, the sequel to the 2006 worldwide hit, stars Steve Martin as he reprises the role of intrepid-if-bumbling French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. When legendary treasures from around the world are stolen, including the priceless Pink Panther Diamond, Chief Inspector Dreyfus (John Cleese) is forced to assign Clouseau to a team of international detectives and experts charged with catching the thief and retrieving the stolen artifacts. Martin is joined by his co-stars Jean Reno (as Ponton, his partner) and Emily Mortimer (as Nicole, the object of his awkward affections). The investigative dream team is played by Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina, Yuki Matsuzaki (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Lily Tomlin also stars. The story is set in Paris and Rome.”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited to Peter Iovino and MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures except where noted. All rights reserved.

PinkPanther2_01: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_02: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2. Photo by Étienne George.
PinkPanther2_03: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_04: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_05: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_06: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_07: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_08: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_09: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_10: Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_11: Aishwarya Rai and Steve Martin star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_12: Steve Martin (left) and Jean Reno star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2. Photo by Étienne George.
PinkPanther2_13: Steve Martin (right) and Jean Reno star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_14: Steve Martin (left) and Emily Mortimer star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_15: Steve Martin (left) and Emily Mortimer star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_16: Steve Martin (center) and John Cleese (right) star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_17: (l to r) Alfred Molina, Andy Garcia, Yuki Matsuzaki and Steve Martin star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_18: (l to r) Steve Martin Andy Garcia and Yuki Matsuzaki star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_19: Steve Martin (center) Jean Reno and Emily Mortimer star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_20: (l to r) Steve Martin, Andy Garcia and Jean Reno star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_21: (l to r) Andy Garcia, Aishwarya Rai, Steve Martin and Alfred Molina star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_22: (l to r) Yuki Matsuzaki, Andy Garcia, Steve Martin and Alfred Molina star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_23: (l to r) Yuki Matsuzaki, Aishwarya Rai, Emily Mortimer, Jean Reno and Alfred Molina star in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_24: Director Harald Zwart on the set of MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_25: Director Harald Zwart (left) and Steve Martin on the set of MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.
PinkPanther2_26: (l to r) Producer Robert Simonds, Director Harald Zwart and Steve Martin on the set of MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Nothing Like the Holidays’ Does Nothing to Stand Out From Christmas Movie Crowd

BrianTT — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:56:31 -0700

CHICAGO – When it was still called “Humboldt Park” and was probably more closely related to Chicago’s thriving Hispanic neighborhood, Alfredo De Villa’s “Nothing Like the Holidays” was probably a lot more interesting than the cookie-cutter dramedy that ended up on the big screen.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Just as the title was turned more generic, “Holidays” became a film that we’ve seen dozens of times before. It’s a typical family holiday movie that lives and dies on the likeability of its extensive ensemble cast, but that, unfortunately, sacrifices its believable characters due to its emphasis on quantity over quality. Like last year’s “This Christmas”, every character comes to the dinner table not with a fruitcake but with a problem that audiences can expect to be resolved before the credits roll.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Nothing Like the Holidays” in our reviews section.

There’s something comforting about good holiday movies that make them such an annual staple. We’d all love to think that our family isn’t the only weird or troubled one out there and that the warmth of the holiday season will resolve everyone’s deepest issues just in time for the New Year. But when that believability is pushed to the breaking point with ridiculous behavior and unlikable characters, the subgenre falls apart.

‘Nothing Like the Holidays’ stars Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena, Freddy Rodriguez, Humboldt Park, Luis Guzman, Vanessa Ferlito, Melonie Diaz, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, and Jay Hernandez, ‘Nothing Like the Holidays,’ which was written by Alison Swan and Rick Najera and directed by Alfredo De Villa, opened on December 12, 2008.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Nothing Like the Holidays” review.

Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, and Vanessa Ferlito star in Nothing Like the Holidays.
Photo credit: Overture Films

DC Universe Releases Images, Premiere Details For ‘Wonder Woman’

BrianTT — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:55:19 -0700

CHICAGO – Warner Brothers announced this week that their fourth original DC Universe animated original film, “Wonder Woman”, will debut at the New York Comic Con in February and sent along a couple of brand new images to get audiences excited.

Preceding the March 3rd, 2009 release of “Wonder Woman” on Blu-Ray, DVD, OnDemand, Pay-Per-View, & Digital Download all simultaneously, the original animated movie will receive a big screen premiere at the New York Comic Con on February 6th, 2009 at the IGN Theater at the Javits Center.

A full month before the availability of “Wonder Woman” on the home market, fans can see the entire film and participate in a panel discussion featuring members of the film’s cast and crew that will follow the 8:30 p.m. screening. Exact talent available for the Q&A is not yet clear.

Wonder Wonder prepares to take on Ares in battle in “Wonder Woman,” the all-new DC Universe animated original movie will be distributed by Warner Home Video on March 3, 2009.

“Wonder Woman” is presented by Warner Premiere, Warner Bros. Animation, and DC Comics and will be distributed by Warner Home Video on March 3rd, 2009. It will be available as a Single Disc DVD, 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, and Blu-Ray Disc. “Wonder Woman” will also be available OnDemand, Pay-Per-View, and available on digital download on the same day as the film’s street date.

Steve Trevor gets his first look at the Amazons in “Wonder Woman,” the all-new DC Universe animated original movie will be distributed by Warner Home Video on March 3, 2009.

“Wonder Woman” is being produced by the legendary and Emmy Award-winning animation king Bruce Timm and features voice work by Keri Russell in the lead role and Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Virginia Madsen, Rosario Dawson, Oliver Platt, and David McCallum in supporting roles. Bruce Timm will actually be a Guest of Honor at the New York Comic Con along with previously-announced Guests of Honor including Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, George Perez, J. Michael Straczynski, and Michael Uslan.

The DC Universe series of animated PG-13 films written and directed by acclaimed comic book directors have been very successful for Warner Brothers and include the acclaimed “Superman: Doomsday”, “Justice League: The New Frontier”, and “Batman: Gotham Knight”. Films in development include works based on Batman, Superman, Justice League, Green Lantern, and The Flash.

‘Wonder Woman’ will be released by Warner Home Video and includes voice work by Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Virginia Madsen, Rosario Dawson, Oliver Platt, and David McCallum. It will be released on March 3rd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Red-Carpet Portraits: Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez, Elizabeth Pena For ‘Nothing Like the Holidays’

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:36:54 -0700

CHICAGO – Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez and Elizabeth Pena were in Chicago on a snowy Dec. 1, 2008 for the red-carpet premiere of the new Chicago-filmed movie “Nothing Like the Holidays” at the Music Box Theatre. The HollywoodChicago.com lens captured their exclusive portraits.

“Nothing Like the Holidays,” which opens on Dec. 12, 2008 and was formerly called “Humboldt Park,” stars Debra Messing, John Leguizamo, Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez, Elizabeth Pena and Alfred Molina. “Nothing Like the Holidays” follows a Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago as they face what may be their last Christmas together.

Luis Guzman poses for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in Chicago on Dec. 1, 2008 at
the Music Box Theatre for the red-carpet premiere of “Nothing Like the Holidays”.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Freddy Rodriguez poses for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in Chicago on Dec. 1, 2008 at
the Music Box Theatre for the red-carpet premiere of “Nothing Like the Holidays”.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Elizabeth Pena poses for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in Chicago on Dec. 1, 2008 at
the Music Box Theatre for the red-carpet premiere of “Nothing Like the Holidays”.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com