A Great Year for Brad Pitt
Posted on | January 25, 2012 | Add Comments
This truly has been a great year for Brad Pitt in the world of film. He started the year off starring in and producing The Tree of Life, a truly cinematic film about the meaning of life, then in May he starred in and produced Moneyball, a film about Billy Beane who changed the way baseball players are traded and finally in November he voiced Will the Krill in Happy Feet Two (which I didn’t see). Now the awards season is in full swing (the Academy Award nominations were announced yesterday) and Pitt has garnered a nod for Best Actor. In this article I’ll review Pitt’s performances and discuss whether or not the Oscars were spot on. Read on.
Lets start with The Tree of Life. This is certainly Pitt’s best performance of the year. Pitt masterfully embodies Mr O’Brien a strict father of three kids married to a woman played by Jessica Chastain. However, what’s really amazing about Pitt’s performance in Tree of Life is the fierceness that Pitt resembles. The character of Mr. O’Bren is very interesting, especially his relationship with one of his sons Jack. Pitt also produced this film, but I think he made this decision for a couple million more bucks. Either way I’m glad Pitt decided to star in such a diverse film.
Bennet Miller’s film is also very interesting, but also very different from Tree of Life. Before I go any farther, I just want to say that I am not a baseball fan or even a sports fan, but for some reason Moneyball just did it for me. I was hooked and I sat very still in my seat. Pitt’s performance overall is very good and deserves much attention. Not only is Pitt good in this film, but the character of Billy Beane is complexly captivating onto its self. Beane wants to be independent, diverse, unlike the others.
Alright you’ve heard what I think of Pitt’s performances from last year, but did the Academy get it right? And the answer is… No! Pitt was great in both Tree of Life and Moneyball but if I had to pick one performance it would have to be Tree of Life. Although Pitt’s role was more secondary than front and center, ultimately this doesn’t matter. As long as the performance is good I’m hooked. Fortunately, I wouldn’t trade Pitt to another team if I was directing.
The Holidays of Spielberg
Posted on | December 24, 2011 | Add Comments
Over the years he’s proved his worth and now he’s come back to prove it to us more. Steven Spielberg has currently directed over twenty feature films. He already has two more planned for the next two years (Lincoln, an Abraham Lincoln biopic staring Daniel Day Lewis as the big man himself being released 2012, and Robocalypse, a sci-fi epic based on the novel entitled the same being released 2013). If one word could describe the man it would be unpredictable; he’s directed films ranging from war epics to action manifestos. This month he gives us both.
Let’s start with the action film. Based on on Herge’s French comic book series, The Adventures of Tintin could have been titled Indiana Jones in 3-D, digitally animated and based on a book from another country. Tintin, an intrepid reporter is on the case of a mystery. Red Rackham, a long dead pirate’s ship’s model is found by Tintin in a market. But Tintin is not the only one is interested in the model. The game is afoot. Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, and Andy Serkis will be playing motion capture characters. In case you haven’t heard of motion capture here is a quick definition: it’s a way of making CG animation look more real. The actors wear suits with little balls that look like golf balls. The animators animate the characters before hand so that they are ready. Special computers read the suits and the characters on the computers move the same way the actors do. When on screen the characters move more realistically. I’ve read a few of the books including the three the film is based on which are The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackhams Treasure. Although Spielberg has never directed a fully CG film it’s no surprise that the animation looks great because Peter Jackson who directed The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong is producing and Andy Serkis, the master of Mocap acting is playing Captain Haddock. Serkis has collaborated with Jackson many times before including on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong. And then there’s the 3-D. I will definitely be seeing the film in this format. Before you continue reading watch the official Tintin trailer.
Originally I was going to break down the two trailers but that would take the fun out of having your own opinion. My breakdown of the trailer could become persuasive and after all this a news article not persuasive text. The action in the trailer is so intense that you literally forget where you are and are instantly sucked into Tinin’s world. John William’s score sounds like Raiders of the Lost Ark’s and I mean this as a good thing. The score is very orchestral and rhythmic. The last fifteen seconds of the trailer are the most jaw dropping because of the quick editing. There is not much shown here but action however I am expecting quirky characters because the book is full of them.
The war epic, War Horse is certainly epic. According to the news Spielberg has chosen to replace gritty war violence with subtle yet disturbing takes on war. I guess you could say it’s not exactly original: based on the book, which became a Broadway play, but that doesn’t mean Spielberg can’t strike gold. In fact I predict it will be nominated for the Oscar nomination of all Oscar nominations: Best Picture. The book is sad, horrifying and brilliant all at the same time. The play also fits those descriptions. However the best part about the play is the way Joey, the war horse is presented: when he is young , he is made out of fabric and other material and when he is older he is made out of the same materials and is large, actors stood inside it at all times. The plot is simple, yet complex. Albert, a farm boy, lives with his to the point mother (in the play) and drunken father. Not long after they get Joey “the horse”, he is sent off to the war, becoming a war horse. Joey goes from owner to owner. By the end he has seen everything. Before you continue reading watch the official War Horse trailer.
The opening shots of the trailer hint at very sad,somber themes. John William’s score is melancholy, yet by listening to samples of other songs from the film on iTunes there are definitely lighter tunes probably played during scenes with Albert riding Joey. The war scenes showed are very realistic yet as I said before there is no gore. Another notable key feature is the cinematography which is aided by the lighting. Take the last shot for example: Joey looks out onto the sunset. The sky is bright orange and the camera is still. The camera doesn’t do much here but the lighting is extraordinary. If you want mouth watering cinematography look at Joey jumping onto a tank and then jumping onto the muddy ground. If the cinematography wasn’t filmed in this way the shot could easily have become a waste of film.
Now that you’ve read the news go see the movies. Tintin was released on the 21st and War Horse is coming out tomorrow. You can also look forward to my reviews of at least one of these films. Happy Holidays!
flickflack news
Posted on | March 6, 2011 | 1 Comment
Rango: Although this film is already out in case you have not seen it, here is a trailer: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/rango/ and see art from the film on Empire’s website.
Hollywood is planning on making lots of superhero movies in the upcoming years. Here is a list of them:
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) (about Batman)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Green Lantern (2011)
Thor (2011)
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Superman: Man of Steel (2012)
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Some of these films we will not be able to see and some of them we do not want to see but the ones I am looking forward to the most is The Dark Knight Rises and The Man of Steel.
In 2011 and 2012, two Three Musketeer films (remakes not sequels) will be made. We will definitely check these out.
If you are a fan of the Shrek films you might want to look at a teaser of the upcoming Puss in Boots film: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=30335
Kung Fu Panda: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/kungfupanda2/
The Oscars have come and gone. Here is a list of the winners of 2011: oscars.com
The 2011 Providence Children’s Film Festival (PCFF) awarded Lolly awards this year. Here are the winners:
1st Place:
Film: Eleanor’s Secret
Short: Lost and Found
2nd Place
Film: Crocodiles
Short: Gus Outdooors
3rd Place:
Film: Louder Than a Bomb
Short: Woodpecker
2nd Annual PCFF Film Preview (Flick and Flack’s podcast)
Posted on | February 16, 2011 | 1 Comment
Listen to our PCFF Preview Podcast here. (Run Time: 17 minutes)
Oscar Nominees 2011 (Flick and Flack’s Podcast)
Posted on | January 26, 2011 | 1 Comment
Flick and Flack tell you what they think and want to win an Oscar.
Listen here (37 minutes)
flickflack news
Posted on | January 13, 2011 | 1 Comment
Fresh Air: Terri Gross interviews The Coen Brothers.
Coen Bros. On Wet Horses, Kid Stars: It’s A Wild West. The Coen Brothers give you an inside look at their new movie, True Grit. We liked it because I liked hearing them talk about how they made the movie even though I can’t see the movie (yet).
Golden Globe Awards – Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 8pm (EST)
Oscar’s Nominees will be announced on January 25, 2011 at 5:30 a.m.
83rd Oscar’s will premiere on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 8pm. The front runners for the best picture are The Social Network and The Kings Speech. We hope Toy Story 3 will win best picture (even though it probably won’t).
Movies we have watched and enjoyed lately: TRON,TRON Legacy, Harry Potter 4, Big Fish, Harry Potter 7 Part 1, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. and The Adventures Robin Hood (1938 starring Errol Flynn).
flickflack news
Posted on | December 14, 2010 | 2 Comments
We are starting flickflack news that is about everything related to film. You can get an inside look at the best new movies, and we have given you links to interviews and interesting web sites to give you the behind scenes look at interesting film news.
NOTE: The DC comics’ books are about comics not movies but we have decided to include the books because there have been many DC comics turned into movies.
Books:
Learn about the new book written by Paul Levitz, 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking: Wham! Wow!: DC Comics at 75 with Tom Ashbrook on NPR’s On Point Radio.
Book: DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle
Book: The Sounds of Star Wars. Listen to an interview with Ben Burt about ‘The Sounds Of Star Wars,’ Now At Fans’ Fingertips on NPR’s Weekend Edition.
Awards:
American Film Institute (AFI) announces top 10 movies of 2010
Upcoming Films:
Tintin: The Tintin comic book series is being turned into a movie, directed by blockbuster directors Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. Due out at the theaters 2011. Learn more about Tintin on Wikipedia and in Empire Magazine.
Tron Legacy: The sequel to TRON will be in theaters Friday. Visit the official website to look at games, videos, cast, characters, and everything else you can possibly imagine about the new movie, TRON Legacy. Read about it in Empire Magazine.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, On Stranger Tides will be released. Watch the trailer here: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=29718
Save the date:
Providence Children’s Film Festival will be in Providence February 18 – 22, 2011.
2010 Oscar Academy Awards will air on ABC on February 27, 2011. The hosts will be Anne Hathaway and James Franco.
Batch Blue Commercial
Posted on | September 3, 2010 | 2 Comments
Here is an interview at Mad Ernie’s. Michelle Riggen-Ransom interviews Flick and I.
We are making an iphone Commercial for Batch Blue. We know some of the staff from our parents. They asked us because they have seen our website and know we like movies. Flick and I are in it and we direct it. I think it is fun!!!!!!! We are in the editing process right now. It is coming out soon and we will keep you posted!
Mixed Reviews For Shrek Forever After
Posted on | May 24, 2010 | Add Comments
We’re looking forward to Shrek Forever After. Some critics are not. Predictably it’s the last Shrek film says all the news. The Providence Journal gives the film two stars. The New York Times thinks the film is the darkest Shrek (yet.) I have not seen the film yet but despite all the reviews I will still see it because I liked the other Shrek movies.
Summer Movies for kids 2010
Posted on | May 21, 2010 | 1 Comment
Today’s post was co-written by our mom, publisher of Kidoinfo.com.
Here is our list of summer movies for kids—not all are for little kids. Use the information below to help you make decisions of which ones are appropriate for your family. Our top pick is Toy Story 3. We are also looking forward to The Last Airbender, The Karate Kid and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. We wish they were old enough to see Robin Hood and Prince of Persia.
MAY
IRON MAN 2 Release Date: May 7, 2010
Runtime: 124 min
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: Jon Favreau
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson
SYNOPSIS: Based on the comic book series, this sequel to Iron Man (2008), billionaire Tony Stark must contend with deadly issues involving the government, his own friends and new enemies due to his superhero alter ego Iron Man.
ROBIN HOOD Release Date: May 14, 2010
Rating: Rated PG-13 for violence including intense sequences of warfare, and some sexual content.
Runtime: 140 minutes
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: Ridley Scott
Studio: Universal Pictures
Starring: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Danny Huston
Genre: Action | Drama
SYNOPSIS: Based on the classic tale of Robin Hood, an archer in the army of King Richard fighting against the French. While King Richard is gone, Robin travels to Nottingham and assembles a gang to prey upon the rich and help the poor.
SHREK FOREVER AFTER Release Date: May 21, 2010
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: Rated PG for mild action, some rude humor and brief language
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: Mike Mitchell
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews
Genre: Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: In this fourth movie, Shrek is feeling over-domesticated. He used to send villagers running in terror, now they ask him to sign their pitchforks. To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with the crafty Rumpelstiltskin. When the pact goes wrong Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away if he had never existed.
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME Release Date: May 28, 2010
Run Time: 116 minutes
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action.
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: Mike Newell
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina
Genre: Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Romance
SYNOPSIS: Based on the comic book Prince of Persia later made into a video game series. Jake Gyllenhaal plays an adventurous Persian prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing a world-destroying sandstorm.
JUNE
MARMADUKE Release Date: June 4, 2010
Runtime: N/A
Rating: PG for some rude humor and language
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director:Tom Dey
Studio: Davis Entertainment
Cast: Owen Wilson, Keiffer Sutherland, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone
Genre: Comedy | Family
SYNOPSIS: Based on the comic Marmaduke found in the daily funny pages of many local papers. A suburban family moves to new neighborhood with the large lovable great dane who is prone to wreak havoc when he is around.
THE KARATE KID Release Date: June 11, 2010
Run Time: N/A
Rating: PG for bullying, martial arts action violence and some mild language
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: Harald Zwart
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson
Genre: Action | Drama | Family | Sport
SYNOPSIS: Based on the 1984 coming-of-age classic, The Karate Kid (starring Ralph Macchio) about a California kid and the karate master who takes him under his wing. In this remake, the story is a coming of age story re-set in China.
TOY STORY 3 Release Date: June 18, 2010
Run Time: 86 minutes
Rating: N/A. Probably G
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: Lee Unkrich
Studio: Pixar Animation Studios
Voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Keaton, Bonnie Hunt
Genre: Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: Andy is going off to college. After he packs up his old toys they get mistaken for trash and wind up at The Sunnyside Daycare. In this action-packed adventure our favorite toys meet up with a new group of toys and need to figure out how to get back to their old pal, Andy.
JULY
THE LAST AIRBENDER Release Date: July 2, 2010
Run Time: N/A
Rating: N/A
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Cast: Jackson Rathbone, Cliff Curtis, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz
Genre: Adventure | Family | Fantasy | War
SYNOPSIS: A 3-D, live-action adaptation of the animated TV series, The Last Airbender about a young spiritual figure who looks for adventure.
DESPICABLE ME Release Date: July 9, 2010
Runtime: N/A
Rating: Rated PG for rude humor and mild action.
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Voices: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Jason Segel, Ken Jeong, Julie Andrews
Director: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
Genre: Animation | Family
Studio: Illumination Entertainment
SYNOPSIS: Three orphan girls come into the life of a despicable supervillain who is trying to steal the moon.
THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE Release Date: July 16, 2010
Runtime:N/A
Rating: N/A
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina
Genre: Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: A live-action, modern-day retelling of the classic tale, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in which a seemingly normal kid is recruited by a Manhattan sorcerer who needs his help to battle the forces of darkness.
RAMONA AND BEEZUS Release Date: July 23, 2010
Runtime: N/A
Rating: G
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Starring: Joey King, Selena Gomez, John Corbett
Director: Elizabeth Allen
Genre: Family | Comedy
Studio: 20th Century Fox
SYNOPSIS: Beverly Cleary’s classic children’s books come to life, following the misadventures of the young grade-schooler, Ramona Quimby.
NANNY MCPHEE AND THE BIG BANG Release Date: August 20, 2010
Runtime: 109 minutes
Rating: PG for rude humor, some language and mild thematic elements.
Parental Rating: Via IMDB
Cast: Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maggie Smith, Rhys Ifans.
Director: Susanna White.
Studio: Universal Pictures
Genre: Comedy | Family | Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: The magical and unusual looking governess from Chistianna Brand’s books shows up in a sequel to the 2005 family film. This time, she’s summoned to help a harried mother raise her children while the woman’s husband is away at war.
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