Marc Forster has frequently demonstrated an ability to tastefully moderate the more manipulative or saccharine aspects of popular but somewhat blunt-edged source material, in bestseller screen translations like “The Kite Runner” and “A Man Called Otto.” That knack comes in handy once more with “White Bird,” a graceful adaptation of a YA graphic novel by R.J. Palacio. A “Wonder story” tangentially related to 2012’s “Wonder,” it may get some boost from the connection to that book’s successful 2017 film version with Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson.
This less-starry affair (with brightest luminary Helen Mirren relegated to a glorified cameo) is a period piece mixing the Holocaust and teen romance, likely to appeal to a somewhat narrower audience — albeit one that will broaden in home formats. Though one can quibble over some of the more simplistic story elements here, the director’s astute craftsmanship delivers a handsome result that hits the...
This less-starry affair (with brightest luminary Helen Mirren relegated to a glorified cameo) is a period piece mixing the Holocaust and teen romance, likely to appeal to a somewhat narrower audience — albeit one that will broaden in home formats. Though one can quibble over some of the more simplistic story elements here, the director’s astute craftsmanship delivers a handsome result that hits the...
- 8/4/2023
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
When you have an international best seller that was on the Nyt list for 42 weeks and then made into a multi-Oscar-nominated Swedish film that became the third-most successful in the history of that country Ingmar Bergman called home, you might wonder what the need was for an English-language American remake. The answer is a chance to give Tom Hanks a role he can run with and, more important, to bring a very human, often funny, character-driven story back to light in a time that needs it more than ever.
Related Story 2023 Domestic Box Office To Hit 9 Billion Fueled By 33 Tentpoles, But How Does Hollywood Prevent Original Adult Pics From Falling Into Further Jeopardy? Related Story Rita Wilson Talks Oscar-Qualifying 'A Man Called Otto' Song, Plans For New Production Company Artistic Films, First Collaboration With Wes Anderson On 'Asteroid City' & More Related Story Tom Hanks Talks Working...
Related Story 2023 Domestic Box Office To Hit 9 Billion Fueled By 33 Tentpoles, But How Does Hollywood Prevent Original Adult Pics From Falling Into Further Jeopardy? Related Story Rita Wilson Talks Oscar-Qualifying 'A Man Called Otto' Song, Plans For New Production Company Artistic Films, First Collaboration With Wes Anderson On 'Asteroid City' & More Related Story Tom Hanks Talks Working...
- 12/28/2022
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
When you grow up your heart dies. Or so members of The Breakfast Club would have us believe. And Disney appear to be subscribing to Allison Reynolds’ philosophy. Because A.A. Milne’s sweet little storybook boy has grown up to be a heartless, workaholic, dick.
*gasp*
Christopher Robin put away childish things long ago. As we turned the final pages of The House at Pooh Corner, Milne’s words and E.H. Shepard’s illustrations sketched a poignant farewell between that little boy and his toys. Director Marc Forster cleverly elaborates on that theme before and through the opening credits as Christopher (Ewan McGregor) is assailed by loneliness, fear and loss.
Shadows of his playful soul linger long enough for Christopher Robin to find a lifelong dance partner and wife in Evelyn (an inexcusably underused Hayley Atwell). Yet Christopher finds few reasons to dance when he returns from war. In...
*gasp*
Christopher Robin put away childish things long ago. As we turned the final pages of The House at Pooh Corner, Milne’s words and E.H. Shepard’s illustrations sketched a poignant farewell between that little boy and his toys. Director Marc Forster cleverly elaborates on that theme before and through the opening credits as Christopher (Ewan McGregor) is assailed by loneliness, fear and loss.
Shadows of his playful soul linger long enough for Christopher Robin to find a lifelong dance partner and wife in Evelyn (an inexcusably underused Hayley Atwell). Yet Christopher finds few reasons to dance when he returns from war. In...
- 8/13/2018
- by Emily Breen
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The latest in a rather long and profitable string of animated properties getting the live action treatment, Christopher Robin opts to do things a little bit differently. Instead of leaning in to the child audience, a good portion of this family film looks to get in good with the parents. The flick may even challenge younger viewers with its meditative pace at first. Nostalgic parents though, they’ll probably dig on it. After all, Winnie the Pooh (and Tigger too) are staples of youth. Opening this weekend, Christopher Robin is the newest and most artful in Disney’s quest to showcase all of their classic properties. This movie looks at title character Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor), who spent his childhood playing with his toys and loving life. Living playthings like Winnie the Pooh (voice of Jim Cummings), Tigger (voice of Cummings as well), Eeyore (voice of Brad Garrett), Piglet (voice...
- 8/3/2018
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Did we really need the studio behind the “Star Wars” relaunch to make a movie telling middle-aged men to stay close to their childhood toys? That’s the underlying message of “Christopher Robin,” a partially live-action sequel to the lovely “Winnie the Pooh” cartoons that’s a colossal disappointment on many levels.
It’s a slow, sluggish and whimsy-deficient movie that seems designed to entertain neither children nor adults, and the film’s script opens a Pandora’s Box of a plot twist (more on that in a moment) that that narrative then brushes off. And while many people admitted to weeping from the trailers, the final movie never packs the emotional punch that should be inherent to the material.
What we’re left with is a “Hook”-style mid-life crisis movie aimed at kids, designed to shame parents who spend too much time at the office and not enough with their families.
It’s a slow, sluggish and whimsy-deficient movie that seems designed to entertain neither children nor adults, and the film’s script opens a Pandora’s Box of a plot twist (more on that in a moment) that that narrative then brushes off. And while many people admitted to weeping from the trailers, the final movie never packs the emotional punch that should be inherent to the material.
What we’re left with is a “Hook”-style mid-life crisis movie aimed at kids, designed to shame parents who spend too much time at the office and not enough with their families.
- 8/3/2018
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
In today’s film news roundup, “Deadpool 2” hits a box office milestone, SingularDTV buys a sci-fi thriller, and Jared Mass is re-hired by Reel FX.
Box Office
Fox’s “Deadpool 2” has topped $500 million at the worldwide box office in less than two weeks.
“Deadpool 2” has taken in $218.5 million domestically and another $287 million in international markets, led by $28 million in the U.K. and $27 million in South Korea.
The original “Deadpool” stunned the industry two years ago with a $132.4 million debut weekend, which holds the record for an R-rated title, and went on to finish with $330 million domestically and $420 million internationally. Fox decided in January to open the Ryan Reynolds sequel two weeks earlier to get it into theaters a week ahead of “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
Acquisitions
Blockchain entertainment studio SingularDTV has acquired worldwide rights to the sci-fi thriller “Perfect,” starring Garrett Wareing, Courtney Eaton, and Abbie Cornish.
Box Office
Fox’s “Deadpool 2” has topped $500 million at the worldwide box office in less than two weeks.
“Deadpool 2” has taken in $218.5 million domestically and another $287 million in international markets, led by $28 million in the U.K. and $27 million in South Korea.
The original “Deadpool” stunned the industry two years ago with a $132.4 million debut weekend, which holds the record for an R-rated title, and went on to finish with $330 million domestically and $420 million internationally. Fox decided in January to open the Ryan Reynolds sequel two weeks earlier to get it into theaters a week ahead of “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
Acquisitions
Blockchain entertainment studio SingularDTV has acquired worldwide rights to the sci-fi thriller “Perfect,” starring Garrett Wareing, Courtney Eaton, and Abbie Cornish.
- 5/30/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
A trippy take on genetic engineering, Perfect is a mind-altering film that, depending on the viewer’s sensibilities, will either be an expressionist gem or a hollow exercise in style over substance. Taking place at what could either be a high-tech health spa or the future of the penal system, the film begins as a young man known as Vessel 13 (Garrett Wareing) is urged to this facility by his mother (Abbie Cornish). She’s been there before, opening a whole host of possibilities as liberties are taken visually and spiritually in the name of creating an origin story for Vessel 13 as mother projects her hopes and dreams onto her perfect son. Those looking for a traditional narrative ought to look elsewhere; Perfect is a gruesome, yet occasionally gorgeous high-tech take on Last Year at Marienbad with depth, I fear, that is only skin deep.
Sent to the clinic after killing a young woman,...
Sent to the clinic after killing a young woman,...
- 3/24/2018
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Why do James (Jason Clarke) and his visually impaired wife Gina (Blake Lively) live in Bangkok? It’s a question that hangs over “All I See Is You,” begging to be asked. We know that James does insurance work somewhere in the Thai capital, but the way he brings it up in conversation makes it sound like an alibi. Usually film characters take jobs in far-flung destinations towards the end of the story, not before it starts. In truth the answer couldn’t be more obvious; it’s there the whole time, right in front of our faces, visible to everyone but Gina. Or maybe she sees it too, and — like us — simply doesn’t want to accept the fact that her doting husband moved her to a foreign city because of her debilitating blindness, and not in spite of it.
It can be nice to feel needed, but there...
It can be nice to feel needed, but there...
- 10/26/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
For a few years now, Blake Lively has been quietly doing really strong work. She’s quickly becoming incredibly underrated in Hollywood. Lively is just waiting for the right project to really break out, and her latest work in the independent film All I See Is You showcases her best performance to date. It opens this week and could even present her as a dark horse Best Actress candidate. The field is probably far too stacked to realistically get her in, but this is another hint that she’s going to be a force in the industry. A well deserved nomination could easily be in Lively’s future. The film is a character study with some thriller elements thrown in as well. Gina (Lively) lives with her husband James (Jason Clarke) in Bangkok. They’re there due to James’ work, though the experience is far different Gina. After all, she’s blind.
- 10/24/2017
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Debut competition titles at cinematography festival unveiled.
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
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