Displaying items by tag: movie

*NEWS RELEASE*

Illumination’s blockbuster Sing franchise

has earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office

The Sing 2 Sing-Along will feature lyrics

to more than 20 hit songs, including,

“Girl on Fire,” “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back,” and the U2 classic,
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”

Universal City, Calif., March 18, 2022 — To celebrate the success of Illumination’s smash musical sensation, Sing 2, Illumination and Universal Pictures today announced the launch of The Sing 2 Sing-Along Experience in theaters nationwide.

Beginning March 25, audiences in the United States and Canada will be able to choose from multiple Sing 2 Sing-Along showings at participating theaters in all major markets and experience the thrill and joy of sharing unforgettable musical performances with fellow fans as, together, they sing their favorite songs along with the film’s beloved characters. Tickets are available on Fandango now.

Conceived and designed as a one-of-a-kind experience for fans, the Sing 2 Sing Along welcomes audiences to join together in creating the kind of magic that usually only happens when a crowd unites in a live concert, as their favorite band performs their favorite song. The Sing 2 Sing Along provides fans that feeling again and again and again throughout the film.

The Sing 2 Sing-Along Experience will include lyrics to more than 20 of the biggest hits featured in the film, including “Girl on Fire,” “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “She Bangs,” and the beloved U2 classics, “Where The Streets Have No Name” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”

Illumination’s Sing 2 has been playing in theaters and delighting audiences everywhere since Dec. 22. The blockbuster franchise has now earned more than $1 billion worldwide.

Illumination’s Sing 2 celebrates the thrill of chasing your dreams, as the ever-optimistic Buster Moon and his all-star cast of performers prepare to launch their most dazzling stage extravaganza yet …all in the glittering entertainment capital of the world. There’s just one hitch: They first have to persuade the world’s most reclusive rock star—played by global music icon Bono, in his animated film debut—to join them.

With dozens of contemporary and classic hit songs, electrifying performances and breathtaking artistry, Sing 2 serves as an emotional reminder about the importance of dreaming big and the power of music to heal.

Sing 2 features all of the characters audiences fell in love with in the first film (voiced by Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll and Garth Jennings), plus additional characters played by music superstars Pharrell Williams and Halsey, actors Bobby Cannavale and Letitia Wright and comedians Eric André and Chelsea Peretti.

The film is written and directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Garth Jennings and is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Janet Healy. 

About Illumination

Illumination, founded by Academy Award^® nominee Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of event-animated films, including Despicable Me, the most successful animated franchise in cinematic history.  The company’s releases include two of the top 10 animated films of all time, and its iconic, beloved franchises—infused with memorable and distinct characters, global appeal and cultural relevance—have grossed more than $6.4 billion worldwide.

Illumination, which has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures, is the creator of the world of Despicable Me. The franchise includes Minions, the fourth-highest-grossing animated film of all time and the most profitable film in Universal’s history, as well as the Academy Award^®- nominated Despicable Me 2 and Despicable Me 3, which made more than $1 billion at the global box office.

Illumination has launched two additional original franchises that have captivated audiences worldwide. The first Secret Life of Pets film achieved the best opening for an original movie, animated or otherwise, in U.S. history, and the studio followed that success in 2019 with The Secret Life of Pets 2. Illumination’s smash hit, Sing, has now became the studio’s latest global franchise with Sing 2 in December 2021. In addition, Illumination’s Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch continues to hold the record for the biggest opening weekend of any Christmas-themed movie in history. Illumination’s upcoming films include Minions: The Rise of Gru on July 1, 2022 and a new Super Mario Bros. film in December 2022.

About Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

****

SING 2 – In Theaters December 22

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #Sing2

This holiday season, the new chapter in Illumination’s smash animated franchise arrives with big dreams and spectacular hit songs as the ever-optimistic koala, Buster Moon, and his all-star cast of performers prepare to launch their most dazzling stage extravaganza yet …all in the glittering entertainment capital of the world. There’s just one hitch: They first have to persuade the world’s most reclusive rock star—played by global music icon Bono, in his animated film debut—to join them.

Buster (Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey) has turned the New Moon Theater into a local hit, but Buster has his eyes on a bigger prize: Debuting a new show at the Crystal Tower Theater in glamorous Redshore City.

But with no connections, Buster and his cast—including harried mother pig Rosita (Oscar® winner Reese Witherspoon), rocker porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson), earnest gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton), shy elephant Meena (Tori Kelly) and, of course, porcine provocateur Gunter (Nick Kroll)—have to sneak their way into the world-famous Crystal Entertainment offices, run by ruthless mogul wolf Jimmy Crystal (Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale).

In a desperate attempt to get Mr. Crystal’s attention, Gunter spontaneously pitches an outrageous idea that Buster quickly runs with, promising that their new show will star lion rock legend Clay Calloway (Bono). Problem is, Buster has never met Clay, an artist who shut himself away from the world more than a decade ago after the loss of his wife. Even worse, Buster has failed to realize that Mr. Crystal is an egocentric gangster who would rather drop somebody off the roof of a building than be lied to.

As Gunter helps Buster dream up an out-of-this-world theatrical masterpiece, and the pressure (and sinister threats) from Mr. Crystal mount, Rosita’s leading role in the show gets ripped away and handed to Mr. Crystal’s spoiled daughter, Porsha, played by Grammy-nominated artist Halsey. Desperate to save the show, and his life, Buster embarks on a quest to find Clay and persuade him to return to the stage.

What begins as a dream of big-time success becomes an emotional reminder of the power of music to heal even the most broken heart.

Sing 2 is written and directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Garth Jennings and features additional new characters played by music superstar Pharrell Williams, Black Panther’s Letitia Wright and comedians Eric Andre and Chelsea Peretti.

The film is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Janet Healy. Sing 2 combines dozens of classic rock and pop hit songs, electrifying performances, breathtaking artistry and Illumination’s signature humor and heart into the definitive feel-good cinematic event of the year.

Genre: Animated Event Film

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Letitia Wright, Eric Andre, Chelsea Peretti and Bono

Written by: Garth Jennings

Directed by: Garth Jennings

Producers: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

Work together or die alone.

THE 355 starring Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o, with Édgar Ramirez and Sebastian Stan.

#The355 is in theaters January 7.

The 355 – In Theaters January 7

Official Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | #The355

A dream team of formidable female stars come together in a hard-driving original approach to the globe-trotting espionage genre in The 355. 

When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown (Oscar®-nominated actress Jessica Chastain) will need to join forces with rival badass German agent Marie (Diane Kruger, In the Fade), former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist Khadijah (Oscar® winner Lupita Nyong’o), and skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela (Oscar® winner Penélope Cruz) on a lethal, breakneck mission to retrieve it, while also staying one-step ahead of a mysterious woman, Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan, X-Men: Days of Future Past), who is tracking their every move.

As the action rockets around the globe from the cafes of Paris to the markets of Morocco to the opulent auction houses of Shanghai, the quartet of women will forge a tenuous loyalty that could protect the world—or get them killed.

The film also stars Édgar Ramirez (The Girl on the Train) and Sebastian Stan (Avengers: Endgame).

The 355 is directed by genre-defying filmmaker Simon Kinberg (writer-director-producer of Dark Phoenix, producer of Deadpool and The Martian and writer-producer of the X-Men films). The screenplay is by Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Trouble) and Kinberg, from a story by Rebeck. The 355, presented by Universal Pictures in association with FilmNation Entertainment, is produced by Chastain and Kelly Carmichael for Chastain’s Freckle Films and by Kinberg for his Kinberg Genre Films. The film is executive produced by Richard Hewitt (Bohemian Rhapsody), Esmond Ren (Chinese Zodiac) and Wang Rui Huan.

Genre: Espionage Thriller

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o, with Édgar Ramirez and Sebastian Stan

Director: Simon Kinberg

Screenplay by: Theresa Rebeck and Simon Kinberg

Story by: Theresa Rebeck

Producers: Jessica Chastain, Kelly Carmichael, Simon Kinberg

Executive Producers: Richard Hewitt, Esmond Ren, Wang Rui Huan

---

Movie review written by Jon Patch with 2.5 paws out of 4

Black Box

Amazon Studios, Blumhouse Productions and Black Bar Mitzvah present a 1 hour 40-minute, Horror, Mystery, Sci-fi, directed by Emmanuel Osei-Koffour, written by Wade Allain-Marcus and Stephen Herman with a release date of October 6, 2020.

Coming to Theaters September 9th, 2020
Available on Prime Video September 18th, 2020

AMAZON STUDIOS ANNOUNCES 50 STATE INITIATIVE #ALLINFORVOTING TO GET OUT THE VOTE WITH INFLUENTIAL AMBASSADORS EACH ADOPTING A STATE TO EDUCATE VOTERS

Amazon Studios announces a new digital initiative aimed at educating and engaging American voters by focusing on regionally-targeted activity. Inspired by the Amazon Original movie "All In: The Fight for Democracy", a riveting examination of our nation’s history of voting and voter suppression, the initiative will assemble a team of 50 influential actors, artists, musicians, athletes, and newsmakers to use their platform to educate voters and mobilize participation in the upcoming national and regional elections. 

To date, the following #AllInForVoting State Ambassadors have signed on, with more soon to be confirmed:

Elizabeth Banks (Massachusetts)
Connie Britton (Tennessee)
Don Cheadle (Missouri)
Katie Couric (Virginia)
Viola Davis (Rhode Island)
Patrick Dempsey (Maine)
Melissa Etheridge (Kansas)
Kaitlyn Farrington (Idaho)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Montana)
Taraji P. Henson (Washington, D.C.)
Ashley Judd (Kentucky)
Zach LaVine (Washington) 
Seth MacFarlane (Connecticut)
Janelle Monáe (South Carolina)
Offset (Georgia)
Patton Oswalt (Iowa)
Aubrey Plaza (Delaware)
Billy Porter (Pennsylvania)
Travis Rice (Wyoming)
Lisa Rinna (Oregon)
AnnaSophia Robb (Illinois)
Rajon Rondo (Florida)
Sheryl Underwood (Arkansas)
Gabrielle Union (Nebraska) 
Lindsey Vonn (Minnesota)
Bradley Whitford (Wisconsin)
Bowen Yang (Colorado)

Each participant will serve as an #AllInForVoting State Ambassador, focusing on an assigned state, and will amplify key messages and information such as registration deadlines, how and when to vote, vote early and vote by mail updates, and concerns of voter suppression tactics in the state.

Seeking to highlight the importance of accurate, local information and overcome factual misrepresentations, the digital activations will range from online conversations and short-form content to social media posts, sharing vital knowledge about how audiences in each state can vote.

In the wake of an unprecedented public health crisis, the initiative’s goal is to provide resources to ensure that all Americans are equipped with the information they need about how to make their voices heard at the ballot box this November without compromising their safety. 

https://dl-mail.aolmail.com/ws/download/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-q3TU6oSQx8BQHKbvUMuN5-cUW-kxhfXi5p-2jsa2f9Eigm70iQtbif06Dv-DQnjRyqtsdt-jko-uK0ko8KHOrw/messages/@.id==AAoE4ZwLjJwuX0U40A3a4DeA-QY/content/parts/@.id==2/raw?appid=aolwebmail&ymreqid=ddc46c40-d28c-0f89-2f4b-aa0753019c00&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBZuCMDx4Z4cI_OxpbxVZj6wQ_EoZfGrLst8df_KkjtWwiKCbvSJC1uJ_ToO_4NCeNHKq2x236OSj64rSSjwoc6v" alt="image.png" width="496" height="138">

In coordination with the film, the filmmakers with support from foundations, private funders, and Amazon Studios are launching #ALLINFORVOTING a non-partisan social impact campaign aimed at educating and registering first-time voters, mobilizing communities to turn out to vote, and training citizens to know their rights and report voter suppression.

In addition to Fair Fight, key partners include: Advancement Project, Alliance for Youth Action, ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, All Voting Is Local, Black Voters Matter, Campus Voter Project, Community Change, Election Protection, Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, HeadCount, Indivisible, Jewish Women International, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, LUCHA, Movement Voter Project, National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), People for the American Way, Rock the Vote, Southern Poverty Law Center, Voto Latino Foundation, and When We All Vote.

For details on #ALLINFORVOTING, please visit allinforvoting.com.

Directed by Liz Garbus & Lisa Cortés

Produced by Liz Garbus, Lisa Cortés, Dan Cogan and Stacey Abrams
Featuring Stacey Abrams 

In anticipation of the 2020 presidential election, ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY examines the often overlooked, yet insidious issue of voter suppression in the United States. The film interweaves personal experiences with current activism and historical insight to expose a problem that has corrupted our democracy from the very beginning. With the perspective and expertise of Stacey Abrams, the former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, the documentary offers an insider’s look into laws and barriers to voting that most people don’t even know are threats to their basic rights as citizens of the United States.

102 Minutes | Rated PG-13

Watch the Official Trailer:
https://youtu.be/t6jVGswLPd8

Blaxploitation? No, Bruceploitation!
The Film Detective Presents 40th Anniversary Edition of the
Cult Classic Fist of Fear, Touch of Death on Blu-ray & DVD
Collector’s Set 4K Restoration With Exclusive Special Features
(With Blood-Red, Blu-ray Case), Available March 31st
ROCKPORT, Mass. — March 31, 2020 — For Immediate Release — The Film Detective (TFD), a leading classic media streaming network and film archive that restores classic films for today's cord-cutters, is proud to announce the 40th anniversary edition of the cult classic Fist of Fear, Touch of Death in a special collector’s set.
First presented in 1980 by veteran distributor and producer Terry Levene and director Matthew Mallinson, the action-packed Fist of Fear, Touch of Death premiered as one of the final pieces of the Bruceploitation era.
A subgenre of 1970s cinema, Bruceploitation clung to the box office success of the Bruce Lee legacy after the star’s untimely demise in 1973, utilizing Lee lookalikes and archival footage from the legend himself. Carving a niche within the grindhouse market, Bruceploitation not only appealed to fans of the day, but has generated a cult status in recent years.
True to Bruceploitation fashion, Fist of Fear, Touch of Death features eye-popping combat scenes viewers will have to see to believe, putting the 1979 World Karate Championship at center stage, where martial artists take their shot at eliminating the competition and claiming the title of “successor to the Bruce Lee legacy.”
Using mockumentary-style interviews in the film, hosted by Academy Award-nominee Adolph Caesar, martial arts masters Fred Williamson and Ron Van Clief, among others, emerge from every corner of the martial arts world to give their take on whether any competitor can be deemed worthy of the Bruce Lee legacy.
Lee himself receives top billing in the film, appearing in archival footage dubbed “The Bruce Lee Story,” a chronicle of Lee’s early years partially taken from the 1957 film, Thunderstorm. In the film, a Kung Fu move known as the “Touch of Death” shrouds Lee’s untimely demise in mystery, before returning to the World Karate Championship to watch the new victor claim the title.
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death 2 | Page
Said the film’s star, Fred Williamson, “It was never meant to be a serious martial arts movie. It’s a comedy and satire … a bad movie that was good. Why was it good? It was entertaining, which is, after all, why you make a movie.”
Said Phil Hopkins, founder of The Film Detective, “We are excited to be giving Fist of Fear, Touch of Death the restoration it deserves in honor of its 40th year. Fans of Quentin Tarantino’s recent tribute to Hollywood’s Golden Age, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, are sure to appreciate this grindhouse classic and new, never-before-seen special features.”
A drive-in circuit sensation in 1980, this special 40th anniversary collector’s set is guaranteed to pack a punch with audiences, featuring a blood-red, Blu-ray case and a stunning 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative under exclusive license from the film’s original producers at Aquarius Releasing, Inc.
EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL FEATURES: Stars Fred Williamson and Ron Van Clief are reunited for interviews, masterfully produced by Prince Henry Entertainment Group founder Frazier Prince; and producer Terry Levene, director Matthew Mallinson and scriptwriter Ron Harvey give their behind-the-camera take on the film in new interviews conducted by producer and editor Jim Markovic as part of an exclusive, 30-minute featurette, That’s Bruceploitation, by Daniel Griffith from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures. Limited-edition Blu-ray copies will feature a special liner note booklet written by Justin Decloux and Will Sloan, hosts of The Important Cinema Club podcast.
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is available for purchase on The Film Detective website March 31 in a limited-edition Blu-ray ($24.99) or on DVD ($19.99). With a limited pressing of just 1,500 Blu-rays, this exclusive deal won’t last long. Fans can secure a copy by pre-ordering, beginning March 3, at www.thefilmdetective.com/fist-of-fear
About The Film Detective:
The Film Detective is a leading distributor of restored classic programming, including feature films, television, foreign imports, and documentaries. Launched in 2014, The Film Detective has distributed its extensive library of 3,000+ hours of film on DVD and Blu-ray and through leading broadcast and streaming platforms such as Turner Classic Movies, NBC, EPIX, Pluto TV, Amazon, MeTV, PBS, and more. With a strong focus on increasing the digital reach of its content, The Film Detective has released its classic movie app on web, iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. The Film Detective is also available live with a 24/7 linear channel available on Sling, STIRR, and DistroTV. For more information, visit us online at www.TheFilmDetective.com.
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death
The Film Detective
Genre: Action-Adventure
Original Release: 1980 (Color)
Rated: R
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $24.99 (Blu-ray) / $19.99 (DVD)
Pre-Order Date: March 3, 2020
Release Date: March 31, 2020
UPC Code: 810044711004 (Blu-ray) / 810044710991 (DVD)
Catalog #: FB1006 (Blu-ray) / FD1006 (DVD)
# # #

Throw your own home premiere for TROLLS WORLD TOUR this Friday! 

For fun activities, Download the at Home Premiere Party Pack:

https://www.dreamworks.com/downloads/TrollsPartyPack.pdf

Review written by Jon Patch with 3 out of 4 paws

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Walt Disney Pictures, Lucasfilm and Ram Bergman Productions present a PG-13, 152 minute, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, directed by Rian Johnson, written by Johnson and based on characters created by George Lucas with a theatre release date of December 15, 2017.

Review written by Jon Patch with 4 out of 4 paws

Wonder

Lionsgate, Mandeville Films and Participant Media present a PG, 113 minute, Drama, directed by Stephen Chbosky, written by Chbosky and Steve Conrad with a theatre release date of November 17, 2017.

Review written by Jon Patch with 3 out of 4 paws

Logan Lucky

Fingerprint Releasing, Bleecker Street Media, Trans-Radial Pictures and Free Association present a PG-13, 119 minute, Comedy, Crime, Drama, directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Rebecca Blunt with a theater release date of August 18, 2017.