John Travolta

Blu-Ray Review: Denzel Washington, Tony Scott Take ‘Pelham 123’ Seriously

BrianTT — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:07:28 -0700

CHICAGO – When a New York subway dispatcher finds himself locked in a tense battle of the wits with a deranged criminal onboard Pelham 123, he’s offered this bit of advice from a seasoned hostage negotiator: don’t enter his world. The same warning could be issued to viewers intent on entering the world of Tony Scott. It is a cinematic landscape that is alternately marred and enhanced by ADD.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

With his ever-changing frame rate and rapid editing, Scott speeds through his story until he lands on a part that sparks his interest; often a moment of physical or emotional violence. This plays out in extreme slo-mo, halting the movement and blurring the action to such an extent that the audience feels like they have been punched in the head.

The Taking of Pelham 123 was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

From “True Romance” to “Man on Fire,” violence has always been justified by Scott’s characters, often as a result of vengeance. Any viewers leaving the theater without a somewhat rancid taste in their mouths are most likely leaving instead with a compromised conscience. In Scott’s nifty remake of “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” a gun-toting killer (John Travolta) repeatedly justifies his acts of vengeance, claiming it is not him, but the city’s deep-seated corruption that has killed his victims. If this were a normal Scott picture, he would be the protagonist. But here, the killer meets his match in the form of an “average Joe” (Denzel Washington) just going about his duty, who wouldn’t dream of resorting to violence unless it was a necessity.

The Taking of Pelham 123 was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

Of course, we all know Washington is no “average Joe.” As one of the most commanding actors of his generation, it takes a considerable leap of faith for moviegoers to buy him as a soft-spoken, blue collar everyman. But Washington, concealed behind thick glasses and a mustache borrowed from Samuel L. Jackson in “Changing Lanes,” is more than up to the challenge. His perfectly modulated performance consistently anchors the film in tangible reality, just as Scott’s hyper-active style threatens to send the film flying off the rails. “Pelham” marks their fourth collaboration, and proves once again that the actor and director complement each others’ work nicely.

Travolta, on the other hand, seems lost at sea. His villainous comfort zone is often confined to quietly brooding (as in “Pulp Fiction”), and he looks ill-at-ease while screaming ultimatums at Washington. His entire character lacks the chilling edge and mystery of Robert Shaw in Joseph Sargent’s original 1974 picture, which still stands as a pleasing minor classic. The film’s color-coded villains each exuded distinctive personalities, but in the remake, Scott focuses entirely on the two leads, while taking full advantage of the technological progress that has occurred since the previous film (which alters the plot considerably). James Gandolfini breathes vibrant life into the thankless role of New York City’s boneheaded mayor, while John Turturro (as the negotiator) exists primarily to give Washington a “thumbs up.”

Since much of the film takes place in two stagnant locations, a transit office and a stalled subway car, Scott is forced to devote his antsy attention to the psychological warfare between Washington and Travolta. The resulting film is no masterpiece, nor a sizable improvement over the original, but it is surely one of the most purely entertaining films of Scott’s career.

“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio), and is accompanied by English, French and Spanish audio tracks, as well as a Digital Copy. Apart from the usual BD Live features offered by Sony (cinechat, movieIQ), there are some special features that actually manage to deepen one’s appreciation of the film. In two commentaries and a making-of documentary, the filmmakers explain why they felt the story was ripe for retelling, and how they went about updating the plot for modern times. Say what you will about Scott, but he’s certainly no slacker when it comes to research.

‘The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and stars Denzel Washington, John Travolta and James Gandolfini. It was written by Brian Helgeland and directed by Tony Scott. It was released on November 3rd, 2009. It is rated R.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Interview: Director John Woo on His ‘Red Cliff’ Premiere at the 2009 Chicago International Film Festival

PatrickMcD — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:55:54 -0600

CHICAGO – John Woo, whose mastery of the action movie was once compared by director Sam Raimi to the suspense mastery of Alfred Hitchcock, premiered his new film, “Red Cliff” at the Chicago International Film Festival on October 9th.

Known primarily for his Hong Kong guns-and-gangster epics like “The Killer” (1989), “Hard Boiled” (1992) and “Bullet in the Head” (1990), Woo came to America in 1993 for his memorable turns in “Broken Arrow” (1996), “Face/Off” (1997) and “Mission Impossible II” (2002). He returns to his native China for the historical drama Red Cliff.

Portrait of an Icon: John Woo at the Chicago International Film Festival, October 9, 2009.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Red Cliff is the story of the “Three Kingdoms” of China in 208 AD, and the war between them that changed history for its country and people. It has a broad and epic scope, beautifully composed, with a sweep and acting passion worthy of David Lean.

Before his exciting Red Carpet premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival, John Woo sat down with HollywoodChicago.com to give his unique and spiritual worldview on his art, and what he learned about the art of war in rendering his vision.

HollywoodChicago.com: Which great war movies did you think about when you applied yourself to the task of creating Red Cliff and why?

John Woo: ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘The Longest Day.’ I also used Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Spartacus’ and Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samarai’ as a reference. I’ve always wanted to make a movie like those and I had the opportunity with Red Cliff.

HC: In applying all the thought and work that went into Red Cliff, what did you learn about the Art of War?

JW: You need a lot of cleverness and teamwork, that’s what I learned. In the film, we had what we called the “turtle” formation, which was a battle technique. But it was a combination of my idea, inspired by what is in the book ‘The Art of War.’ When I looked at the turtle shells, that is when I got the idea.

HC: Women play a significant role in this story, understanding and using the power of their sex in many unique ways. What status for women did you want to convey in Red Cliff?

JW: The female role wasn’t that big from the book we based the screenplay on. It was my idea to expand the Princess spy character, to show the classical woman, to show her strength and ability. She has a iron will and loves her country.

This is different from typical historical Chinese films. Women are more subtle, in the background and left behind. The whole film is about teamwork and I wanted to make the women part of the team.

First Century Warrior: A Battle Sequence from John Woo’s ‘Red Cliff’
Photo credit: © Magnet Releasing

HC: You use Computer Generated Images (CGI) to create scale and perspective in Red Cliff. What is the future of film technology for use in re-creating historical drama and what do you think filmmakers have to be careful of when using CGI?

JW: CGI really helped in creating the scenic and beautiful imagery in the film. But the key is to use it, but not overuse it. I didn’t want the audience thinking it was just another CGI movie.

What the visual effects team did was make it hard for the audience to distinguish between what was CGI and what is real. They combined it very cleverly.

The carrier pigeon flight scene, I was told, was the most expensive CGI sequence in film history. It was 2-1/2 minutes long, with three locations to coordinate and the camera keeps moving.

HC: This is your first Chinese film since 1993. How do you think the art and the people of China have changed?

JW: The country is changing in a good way. Because I care about China, I love China, I want to see the country get better and better. I was touring in Bejing a few years ago, there after a long absence. I was quite amazed to see many happy faces. The young people all are smiling and realizing they have hope and a better future.

You can talk all you want about the situation, but honestly I’ve gotten great support from the government and they never interfered with what I was doing. I felt free to make my own movies. But as far as where China needs to go, there is always work to be done.

HC: When you are working with western or American actors, what are the main differences in approaching them – as compared to their Asian counterparts – when you need to adjust a particular scene or acting moment?

JW: It’s not different working with the actors. My character is I never like to speak much. But I need to find a way to communicate. I like to spend time with my actors, either Asian or American, to get an idea about how they are feeling about the film. During the conversation I will try to find out their specialty, their special qualities.

I want the story to take care of the actors. I want the feeling in the script to make them feel that they are comfortable and allow them to act as themselves. I make sure, for example, to use proper camera angles to capture their good moments, their specialty.

For example, when I was working with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage in “Face/Off,” we would just have little chats about each scene, and built a confidence with each other. We would have a rough rehearsal, then I would let them rest while I set up the camera. Then they would come out, and we wouldn’t have to say anything, because what they did was exactly what I expected. It became like we knew each other for a long time.

West Humbly Meets East: Patrick McDonald and John Woo in Chicago, October 9, 2009.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

HC: You are renowned and admired for being one of the great action filmmakers. What fascinates you most about the human being behind the gun?

JW: I never like violence. People need to be protected, not to be killed. I try to protect also the people behind the gun. Even though I’ve made a lot of action movies, I try to make it anti-violence and in the case of Red Cliff, anti-war.

HC: Your film ‘1949’ was canceled right before it was to go before the lens. Given your personal family history with the events that were to be depicted in that film, what did you get out of the film in pre-production?

JW: The year 1949 has so many different meanings for the people of China. There was suffering, pain and people forced to leave the country. In the case of my family, we moved to Hong Kong.

I feel no matter what happened, China is still a country I love. And even though that era happened, the country is still a family, despite different opinions, different lifestyles and different politics.

The Chicago International Film Festival runs until October 22, 2009. Click here for details.

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

Denzel Washington, John Travolta in Average ‘The Taking of Pelham 123’

BrianTT — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:31:19 -0600

Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Tony Scott’s remake of “The Taking of Pelham 123,” starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, is likely to meet sun-drained audience expectations for a straight-forward, adult-driven action film this season but the overly stylized and not-so-thrilling train ride is ultimately merely average at best and will disappoint fans looking for anything more.

The opportunity to make something “just not bad” out of the very well-liked “The Taking of Pelham 123” was definitely missed but there are elements of the film - mostly in the performances of Washington and Travolta and some of the choices made by screenwriter Brian Helgeland (“L.A. Confidential”) - that undeniably do work and adults looking for non-sequel action are likely to be satisfied by what this train delivers.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “The Taking of Pelham 123” in our reviews section.

“The Taking of Pelham 123” is nearly presented in real-time and opens with the hijacking of a New York City subway train by a group of domestic terrorists led by the deadly Ryder (John Travolta). Ryder and his team clearly know how the rail system works, un-coupling the Pelham train at just the right point where snipers can’t get an easy shot and they can control communication.

Ryder phones in his demand of $10 million in an hour through dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), a former executive who has been demoted while he’s being investigated for allegedly taking a bribe. Of course, Ryder and Garber develop a bond that allows for a lot of monologues, confessions, and revealed motives. Can the family man under a cloud of suspicion himself talk the deadly hostage-taker out of drastic action before it’s too late? James Gandolfini and John Tuturro co-star.

‘The Taking of Pelham 123’ stars Denzel Washington, John Travolta, James Gandolfini, John Turturro, and Luis Guzman. It was written by Brian Helgeland and directed by Tony Scott. It opens on June 12th, 2009. It is rated R.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “The Taking of Pelham 123” review.

Denzel Washington in Columbia Pictures’ action thriller THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, also starring John Travolta.
Photo credit: Sony/Rico Torres

Blu-Ray Round Up, May 5, 2009: ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,’ ‘Grease,’ ‘Saturday Night Fever’

BrianTT — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:42:54 -0600

CHICAGO – Get on your dancing shoes before you hit the floor for the latest version of the toe-tapping Blu-Ray Round-Up, a special edition with three beloved flicks from the ’70s and ’80s with musical beats.

Only one (“Grease”) may be an actual musical, but people still remember the great soundtrack from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Saturday Night Fever” was all about The Bee Gees. All three titles were released on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “Ferris Bueller. Larger than life. Blessed with a magical sense of serendipity. He’s a model for all those who take themselves too seriously. A guy who knows the value of a day off. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off chronicles the events in the day of a rather magical young man, Ferris (Mathew Broderick).

One spring day, toward the end of his senior year, Ferris gives into an overwhelming urge to cut school and head for downtown Chicago with his girl (Mia Sara) and his best friend (Alan Ruck), to see the sights, experience a day of freedom and show that with a little ingenuity, a bit of courage and a red Ferrari, life at 17 can be a joy!”

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck, and Jeffrey Jones. The film was written and directed by John Hughes. It is rated PG-13. The film is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track.

Special features on “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” include “Getting the Class Together - The Cast of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “The Making of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Who is Ferris Bueller?,” “The World According to Ben Stein,” “Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes,” and “Class Album”.

“Grease: Rockin’ Rydell Edition”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “John Travolta solidified his position as the most versatile and magnetic screen presence of the decade in this film version of the smash hit play Grease. Recording star Olivia Newton-John made her American film debut as Sandy, Travolta’s naive love interest. The impressive supporting cast reads like a “who’s who” in this quintessential musical about the fabulous ’50s. Grease is not just a nostalgic look at a simpler decade—it’s an energetic and exciting musical homage to the age of rock ‘n’ roll!”

“Grease” stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Jeff Conaway, and Stockard Channing. The film was written by Bronte Woodard and directed by Randal Kleiser. It is rated PG. The film is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track.

Special features on “Grease” include Commentary by Director Randal Kleiser and choreographer Patricia Birch, Introduction by Randal Kleiser, Rydell Sing-Along, “The Time, The Place, The Motion: Remembering Grease,” 11 deleted scenes, Grease on DVD Launch Party, Grease Memories from John & Olivia, The Moves Behind the Music, Thunder Roadsters, John Travolta and Allan Carr “Grease Day” Interview, Olivia Newton-John and Robert Stigwood “Grease Day” Interview, 4 Photo Galleries, and the Theatrical Trailer in HD.

“Saturday Night Fever”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “John Travolta gives a sensual and intelligent performance as the troubled Tony Manero—Brooklyn paint store clerk by day and undisputed king of the dance floor by night. Every Saturday, Tony puts on his wide collared shirt, flared pants and platform shoes and heads out to the only place where he’s seen a god rather than just some young punk. But in the darkness, away from the strobe lights and glitter ball, is a tragic story of disillusionment, violence and heartbreak. Without a doubt, Travolta’s performance made him a Hollywood legend, but Saturday Night Fever is more than just a movie that defined the music and fashion of a generation. It’s a powerful and provocative urban tragedy that carries as much significance today as it did in 1977.”

“Saturday Night Fever” stars John Travolta and Karen Gorney. The film was written by Norman Wexler and directed by John Badham. It is rated R. The film is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track.

Special features on “Saturday Night Fever” include Commentary by Director John Badham, “Catching the Fever,” “Back to Bay Ridge,” “Dance Like Travolta with John Cassese,” “Fever Challenge!,” ’70s Discopedia, and deleted scenes.

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

Blu-Ray Review: Disney Delivers Another Great Release For Super-Cute ‘Bolt’ With Miley Cyrus

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:33:49 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The first word I think of when I read or hear about Disney’s “Bolt” is cute. The movie is just cute, cute, cute. If your threshold for adorable cartoon characters and heartwarming messages is low, stay away, but if you’re looking for a bright smile to break the darkness of daily life, you could do a lot worse than this clever canine, now the subject of yet another nearly-perfect Disney Blu-Ray release.

The Blu-Ray release of the year is still Disney’s “Pinocchio,” but the mouse house makes a strong bid for runner-up position with the gorgeous video transfer for “Bolt” and an entertaining and informative collection of special features.

Bolt will be released on Blu-Ray on March 22nd, 2009.
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Entertainment

“Bolt” is a bizarre hybrid of “The Incredibles,” “The Adventures of Milo and Otis,” and “The Truman Show” but it really, truly works. This is not game-changing cinema like “WALL-E” or “Waltz With Bashir,” but it’s not trying to be either. It’s just trying to be cute, clever, and fun. “Bolt” is all three.

The title character (John Travolta) is the star of a hit network series about a super dog. On the show, Bolt always saves his faithful owner Penny (Miley Cyrus) from the clutches of the evil Dr. Calico (Malcolm McDowell) with his super speed and powerful bark.

Bolt will be released on Blu-Ray on March 22nd, 2009.
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Bolt doesn’t know it’s just a show or that his super bark is just an effect. He thinks he’s a real superhero and that Penny will fall into the clutches of evil without him. When the producers make the mistake of having an episode end with a cliffhanger, Bolt escapes his confines to come to the rescue.

Our canine crusader ends up all the way across the country in New York City where he crosses paths with Mittens (Susie Essman) and the two begin a cross-country road trip back to L.A. Bolt slowly comes to terms with the fact that he’s an ordinary dog. The montage where Mittens teaches Bolt about the wonders of just being a pooch is spectacular.

“Bolt” is yet-another “be who you are” and “everyone’s a hero” tale but it’s much smarter than most of its animated brethren. Pixar’s John Lasseter executive produced and you can feel his subtle, clever fingerprints all over “Bolt”.

“Bolt” could have been a bit more unpredictable and could have relied less on modern slang, but it’s a simple, enjoyable ride that works more often than it falters and is likely to put a smile on the face of viewers of any age. It’s just damn cute.

And it’s downright breathtaking in 1080P. I marveled at Bolt’s hair design in theaters and the detail is even more noticable in HD Blu-Ray. The depth, color levels, and line detail is amazing. This is one of the best-looking animated movies yet to hit Blu-Ray. It’s a beauty. There’s an HD TV store using it to sell a four-figure product right now.

Bolt will be released on Blu-Ray on March 22nd, 2009.
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Entertainment

The audio is just as remarkable. Audio is bigger part of “Bolt” than your average animated fare because of the action-movie plotline. The opening scenes of the show-within-in-a-movie sound as good as any action Blu-Ray I’ve watched lately with perfectly mixed score, effects, and dialogue.

Before we get to the details on the special features, “Bolt” continues Disney’s brilliant plan to allow fans to watch their films whenever and wherever by putting a Blu-Ray, standard DVD, and digital copy in one set. Kids don’t just watch movies in one room and Disney continues to play to this fact with some of the smartest releases on the market.

Special features in the order they’re presented on the disc:

Bonus Short: “Super Rhino” (4:27)

A new short film with everyone’s favorite supporting hamster that can only be found on the Blu-Ray release of “Bolt”. Featuring the voice talent from the film, “Super Rhino” involves the comic relief from “Bolt” being turned into a superhero himself (or at least dreaming about it). It looks (but doesn’t quite sound) as amazing as the movie itself and features the same clever wit and smile-inducing action. Fun stuff. Kids who loved Rhino in the movie will adore it.

Deleted Scenes With Introductions by the Directors (6:37)

Just two moments in “story reel” form (hand-drawn animation like storyboards). In the first, Bolt gets into a fight in an alley in Las Vegas and learns that he’s not a superhero earlier than he does in the final film. As they say, it didn’t work structurally. They’re right. The second is another version of the moment when Bolt realizes that he doesn’t have superpowers.

“In Session: With John Travolta and Miley Cyrus” (0:59)

Less than a minute of footage with Miley and John singing “I Thought I Lost You” in the recording studio. For hardcore Miley fans only. Seriously.

Bolt will be released on Blu-Ray on March 22nd, 2009.
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Entertainment

“I Thought I Lost You” Music Video (1:47)

The former should have just been an introduction to this video which includes a lot of the same footage with clips from the movie. It would still be for hardcore Miley Cyrus fans only. I’m not kidding. The sugar shock could be deadly if you’re not prepared for it.

“Bolt’s Be-Awesome Mission”

Help Bolt defeat the green-eyed man in a Blu-Ray game.

“A New Breed of Directors: The Filmmakers’ Journey” (4:34)

The rookie filmmakers - Chris Williams and Byron Howard - discuss their process and history.

“Act, Speak! The Voices of Bolt” (9:48)

John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, and more offer insight into the voice work process with a lot of behind-the-scenes footage. It’s actually a good featurette that could introduce young fans into the challenge of vocal work on animation because of the star power of Miley Cyrus.

“Creating the World of Bolt” (6:45)

The directors and their team discuss the backgrounds and art direction for the film, which is actually quite good. They gave the film a warm, comfortable look that’s harder to pull off and more effective in the final product than you might think.

“Bolt Art Galleries”

Design material and storyboards from the film.

The lack of a commentary and generally too-brief running time of the featurettes hold “Bolt” back from the pantheon of Disney Blu-Ray releases like “Pinocchio” or “Sleeping Beauty,” but the film itself and the gorgeous transfer make this a good title to include in your collection not just rent.

‘Bolt’ is released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment and features vocal work by John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, and Susie Essman. It was written by Dan Fogelman and Chris Williams and directed by Byron Howard and Williams. It will be released on March 22nd, 2009. It is rated PG.

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

Blu-Ray Review: Marvel Character Strikes Out Swinging With ‘Punisher: War Zone’

BrianTT — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:22:49 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – It’s officially a strikeout for Marvel’s The Punisher, a character now featured in not one, not two, but three bad movies of his very own. Dolph Lundgren swung wildly and missed with his “The Punisher” and Thomas Jane nearly connected but went foul with his reboot of the franchise. Now, Ray Stevenson is the latest actor to fail to connect with this legendary character in “Punisher: War Zone,” now available on Blu-Ray.

There’s at least one thing that director Lexi Alexander and writers Nick Santora and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway get right with “War Zone” - they’re not kidding around. Gone is the attempt at a PG-13 like the Thomas Jane & John Travolta version and the hero is finally the dark, relentless killer that he should be.

Punisher: War Zone was released on Blu-Ray on March 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate Home Video

The problem with “War Zone” is that gore does not equal dark. Yes, there’s extreme violence in “War Zone,” but it’s never allowed to be effective because Alexander and his cast play the whole thing as broad as can be. Dominic West (“The Wire”) as the villain Jigsaw should be terrifying, but he comes off cartoonish, like a twisted, deformed version of Paulie Walnuts from “The Sopranos”.

Punisher: War Zone was released on Blu-Ray on March 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate Home Video

Ray Stevenson of “Rome” (it’s sad to watch two great actors from HBO in Stevenson and West reduced to paper-thin parts like these) plays ex-Special Forces officer Frank Castle, still seeking revenge for the murder of his wife and child. The Punisher is the target of both the mob he’s been decimating in vigilante crimes and the police forces trying to bring him down. After an undercover agent is killed in a Castle shoot-out and Jigsaw is born, The Punisher’s problems multiply.

Stevenson brings a chiseled, nearly-silent strength to the title role that I would actually just barely choose as the best of the three if I had to compare Ray, Thomas, and Dolph. And the action is appropriately R-rated. But the script for “War Zone” is horrendous and I could never shake the feeling that I was watching a relic, a film closer to the mindless action more prevalent in the ’80s.

Ultimately, “Punisher: War Zone” suffers from too many tone shifts, not enough interesting characters, and some of the worst dialogue in the history of Marvel movies. Hardcore action junkies may be satisfied but this is merely proof that this character doesn’t work on the big screen like he does on the page.

The 2-Disc Special Edition of “Punisher: War Zone” is an impressive release from Lionsgate, a company that always knows how to treat their action fans well. First and foremost, movies like “War Zone” depend on a great audio track. If the film works for you, it could only possibly work LOUD and the English 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio will rock your “Punisher”-loving world. The video isn’t particularly notable but also doesn’t register as flat.

Special features include a digital copy of the film, a commentary by Alexander and director of photography Steve Gainer, and the following featurettes - “Training to Become the Punisher,” “The Making of Punisher: War Zone,” “Creating the Look of Punisher: War Zone,” “Meet Jigsaw,” and “Weapons of the Punisher”. It’s a more-than-adequate collection for the film.

‘Punisher: War Zone’ is released by Lionsgate Home Video and stars Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz, Colin Salmon, Doug Hutchison, Dash Mihok, and Wayne Knight. It was written by Nick Santora and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway and directed by Lexi Alexander. It was released on March 17th, 2009. It is rated R.

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

2009 Walt Disney Pictures Preview: ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic,’ ‘Up,’ ‘The Proposal,’ ‘Surrogates,’ ‘Old Dogs,’ More

BrianTT — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:31:17 -0700

CHICAGO – This 11-image slideshow contains official press images and schedule information for the recently announced slate of films to be released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2009 including new films starring Isla Fisher, Bruce Willis, Robin Williams, John Travolta, Ryan Reynolds, Josh Duhamel, and the newest Pixar film.

These 2009 Walt Disney Pictures include “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience,” “Race to Witch Mountain,” “Hannah Montana The Movie,” “earth,” “Up,” “The Proposal,” “G-Force,” “When in Rome,” “Surrogates,” “Toy Story in Disney Digital 3-D,” “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” “Old Dogs,” and “The Princess and the Frog”. Not all films have images released, but release details and dates were announced for the entire 2009 slate.

The release dates, cast lists, and filmmaker information for these Walt Disney Pictures films can be found below in chronological order, followed by a slideshow of available images.

“Confessions of a Shopaholic”
Cast: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, John Lithgow, Kristin Scott Thomas, Leslie Bibb, Fred Armisen, Julie Hagerty, Krysten Ritter, Robert Stanton, Christine Ebersole, Clea Lewis, Wendie Malick, Stephanie March
Director: P.J. Hogan
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Executive Producers: Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Ronald Bozman
Screenplay By: Tracey Jackson And Tim Firth And Kayla Alpert, Based On The Books “Confessions Of A Shopaholic” And “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan” By Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG
Release Date: February 13, 2009

“Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience” (in Disney Digital 3-D)
Cast: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift
Director: Bruce Hendricks
Producers: Art Repola, Johnny Wright, Philip Mcintyre, Kevin Jonas Sr., Alan Sacks
Genre: Rockumentary
Rating: G
Release Date: February 27, 2009

“Race to Witch Mountain”
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Annasophia Robb, Carla Gugino, Ciaran Hinds, Alexander Ludwig, Tom Everett Scott, Christopher Marquette, Cheech Marin and Garry Marshall
Director: Andy Fickman
Executive Producers: Mario Iscovich, Ann Marie Sanderlin
Producer: Andrew Gunn
Written By: Matt Lopez And Mark Bomback And Andy Fickman
Based On Characters Created By: Alexander Key
Genre: Action, Adventure
Rating: TBD
Release Date: March 13, 2009

“Hannah Montana The Movie”
Cast: Miley Cyrus, Emily Osment, Margo Martindale, Jason Earles, Peter Gunn, Melora Hardin, Mitchel Musso, Lucas Till, Barry Bostwick, Moises Arias, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, With Vanessa Williams and Billy Ray Cyrus
Director: Peter Chelsom
Executive Producers: Michael Poryes And Steve Peterman, David Blocker
Producers: Alfred Gough And Miles Millar
Written By: Dan Berendsen
Based On Characters Created By: Michael Poryes And Rich Correll & Barry O’brien
Genre: Family/Comedy
Rating: G
Release Date: April 10, 2009

“earth”
Narrator: James Earl Jones
Directors: Alastair Fothergill And Mark Linfield
Produced By: BBC Worldwide, Greenlight Media
Genre: True Life Adventure
Rating: G
Release Date: April 22, 2009

“Up” (in Disney Digital 3-D)
Voice Talent: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Delroy Lindo, Jordan Nagai
Director: Pete Docter
Co-Director: Bob Peterson
Producer: Jonas Rivera
Composer: Michael Giacchino
Genre: Animation/Adventure
Rating: TBD
Release Date: May 29, 2009

“The Proposal”
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Denis O’Hare and Betty White
Director: Anne Fletcher
Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman
Executive Producers: Alex Kurtzman And Roberto Orci, Mary Mclaglen, Sandra Bullock
Written By: Peter Chiarelli
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TBD
Release Date: June 12, 2009

“G-Force” (in Disney Digital 3-D)
Cast: Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, With The Voices Of Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Steve Buscemi, Tracy Morgan
Director: Hoyt Yeatman
Screenplay By: The Wibberleys And Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio And Tim Firth, Based On A Story By Hoyt Yeatman (Credits Not Final)
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Genre: Comedy-Adventure
Rating: TBD
Release Date: July 24, 2009

“When in Rome”
Cast: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Will Arnett, Alexis Dziena, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Kate Micucci, Bobby Moynihan, with Danny Devito and Anjelica Huston
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
Executive Producers: Mindy Farrell And Steven Roffer, Ezra Swerdlow
Producers: Gary Foster, Mark Steven Johnson, Andrew Panay
Co-Producer: Rikki Lea Bestall
Written By: David Diamond & David Weissman
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TBD
Release Date: Summer 2009

“Surrogates”
Cast: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, James Francis Ginty, Boris Kodjoe and Ving Rhames
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Max Handelman
Executive Producers: Elizabeth Banks, David Nicksay
Screenplay By: Michael Ferris & John Brancato
Based On The Graphic Novel By: Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele
Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller
Rating: TBD
Release Date: September 25, 2009

“Toy Story” (in Disney Digital 3-D)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, John Morris, Erik Von Detten, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey
Director: John Lasseter
Producers: Ralph Guggenheim, Bonnie Arnold
Executive Producers: Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs
Original Story By: John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton And Joe Ranft
Screenplay By: Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen And Alan Sokolow
Genre: Animation-Comedy/Adventure
Rating: G
Release Date: October 2, 2009

“Disney’s A Christmas Carol” (in Disney Digital 3-D)
Cast: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes, Fionnula Flanagan
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producers: Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke
Screenplay By: Robert Zemeckis
Based On The Classic Novella By: Charles Dickens
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Rating: TBD
Release Date: November 6, 2009

“Old Dogs”
Cast: John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lori Loughlin and Matt Dillon
Director: Walt Becker
Producers: Andrew Panay, Robert Levy & Peter Abrams
Executive Producer: Garrett Grant
Written By: David Diamond & David Weissman
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG
Release Date: November 25, 2009

“The Princess and the Frog”
Voice Cast: Anika Noni Rose, John Goodman, Keith David, Jim Cummings, Jenifer Lewis
Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker
Produced By: Peter Del Vecho
Genre: Animated Comedy Adventure/Musical
Rating: TBD
Release Date: Christmas 2009

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Specific photographer credits where noted.

Confessions: Isla Fisher in Confessions of a Shopaholic. Photo Credit: Robert Zuckerman
Confessions2: Isla Fisher in Confessions of a Shopaholic. Photo Credit: Robert Zuckerman
OldDogs: John Travolta, Robin Williams. Photo Credit: Ron Phillips
PrincessandtheFrog: Princess Tiana
Surrogates: Bruce Willis. Photo Credit: Stephen Vaughan
TheProposal: Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock. Photo Credit: Kerry Hayes
Up: Teaser One-Sheet.
WheninRome1: Josh Duhamel, Kristen Bell. Photo Credit: Myles Aronowitz
WheninRome2: Josh Duhamel, Kristen Bell. Photo Credit: Philippe Antonello

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

Despite Rollercoaster Energy, ‘Mamma Mia!’ Bellows Beloved ABBA Vocals With Feel-Good Appeal

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:03:32 -0600

CHICAGO – While it’d be embellishment to say you’d have the time of your life at the new musical film “Mamma Mia!,” any dancing queen or an admirer of seeing Pierce Brosnan croon a tune instead of trigger James Bond destruction can at least have some of the time of your 108 minutes.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Sandwiched amid three excellent female performances, Donna (played by Meryl Streep) is appreciated as the overwhelming lead of the middle-aged trio. She’s effectively complemented by a feisty Christine Baranski and a lone-wolf Julie Walters. The three ladies, though, dwarf three more energy-lacking male performances.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “Mamma Mia!” in our reviews section.

View our full, high-resolution “Mamma Mia!” image gallery.

Working with Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård – both of whom at times feel somewhat in an unintentional slumber – Pierce Brosnan saves the middle-aged male trio with powerful, leading male vocals and his usual charisma.

The three men arrive at the wedding of Donna’s daughter, Sophie (played preciously by Amanda Seyfried), amid confusion of which one is Sophie’s true father.

While the camera yet again finds the heartthrob in Piece Brosnan, this time he’s a sensitive and singing heartthrob without all the high-tech James Bond gadgetry and penchant for blowing stuff up.

Still, it was enormously difficult to see him without beautiful ladies on both arms and things in his pocket triggering big Hollywood booms.

“Mamma Mia,” which opened everywhere on July 18, 2008, stars Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski.

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Mamma Mia!” review.

Left to right: Tanya Chesham-Leigh (Christine Baranski), Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) and Rosie Rice (Julie Walters) lead the Greek chorus in the musical romantic comedy “Mamma Mia!”.
Photo credit: Universal Pictures

Amanda Seyfried as Sophie Sheridan on the set of the musical romantic comedy “Mamma Mia!”.
Photo credit: Peter Mountain, copyright Universal Studios

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Mamma Mia!” review.