AVENGERS: ENDGAME

Posted on April 24, 2019 by Erin

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

By Erin

As we all know by now, the grave course of events set in motion by Thanos wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks, compelling the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to twenty-two films, “Avengers: Endgame.” Kevin Feige produces “Avengers: Endgame,” and Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau, James Gunn and Stan Lee are the executive producers, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay. Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” is in U.S. theaters on April 26, 2019!

The press junket for the film took place a few weekends ago in Los Angeles. Do you notice something missing here? So many empty seats…The seats were left open for our fallen heroes. Heroes such as Black Panther, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Bucky Barnes, Gamora, and Star-Lord to name a few. It was a weird, eerie feeling at the junket with so many missing. Can you say awkward? Those that survived the snap were here. Here is who was in attendance!

· Robert Downey Jr. (“Tony Stark / Iron-Man”)

· Chris Evans (“Steve Rogers / Captain America”)

· Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”)

· Scarlett Johansson (“Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow”)

· Mark Ruffalo (“Bruce Banner / The Hulk”)

· Jeremy Renner (“Clint Baron / Hawkeye”)

· Brie Larson (“Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel”)

· Don Cheadle (“James Rhodes / War Machine”)

· Paul Rudd (“Scott Lang / Ant-Man”)

· Karen Gillan (“Nebula”)

· Danai Gurira (“Okoye”)

· Directors Anthony & Joe Russo

· Producer Kevin Feige

Moderator: Jon Favreau

None of us had seen the movie yet and in order to not give out any spoilers, most of the questions were about what being part of the Avengers has meant to the cast and other questions totally not related to the film.

Here are some other interesting things we learned.

Kevin Feige thought that what’s special about the film is all the actors on this stage, all the actors who are not on this stage. The family that has come together this decade and the fact that, Robert said it so well in the trailer, part of the journey is the end. Four or five years ago, we all started talking about doing something at every turn including the first Iron Man film. We talked about, how can we do something that’s never been done before. What if a super hero outs his identity at the very last shot of the movie? We can’t do that? No one does that. You can’t do that. What would we do next time? I don’t know. Let’s do it. Four or five years ago, we talked about, what haven’t we seen in films based on comic characters? We haven’t seen an ending. A definitive conclusion to an overall saga. So that’s why it’s called End Game and why I think it’s very, very, very special.

Scarlett Johansson shared that the best part of playing Black Widow during the years is seeing how much the character has evolved since her first appearance in “Iron Man 2.” Black Widow first started as a sort of sexy secretary with a skill set on the side.

Exploring the Frozen, Fascinating World of “Penguins” at Walt Disney Studios

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Erin

Exploring the Frozen, Fascinating World of “Penguins” at Walt Disney Studios

By Melanie Gable

*I was invited as media to attend a press screening of Disneynature’s “Penguins” at Walt Disney Studios. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There’s something about penguins. Is it their endearing waddle? Their tuxedo-like feathers? Their fortitude against harsh weather conditions? Their playfulness as they slide down icy hills or take turns hopping into the ocean for a refreshing swim?

Whatever the reason, penguins are arguably one of the most beloved animals in pop culture, inspiring documentaries, animated films, children’s books, online games, and more, especially over the past two decades.

Disneynature is now taking on these adorable avian creatures with the new feature film “Penguins.” Just in time for Earth Day, audiences are invited to follow the true life adventures of Steve, an Adélie penguin who sets out on a coming-of-age quest to become a family man…er, bird. He faces the challenges that come with living in the wilds of Antarctica – from predators like seals and orcas, to the simple inability to impress a female mate – and makes us laugh along the way.

To celebrate the release of “Penguins,” we were invited to a press screening of the movie at the Walt Disney Studios lot, followed by a Q&A with Producer Roy Conli.

Directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Bears,” “Chimpanzee”) and Jeff Wilson (“Monkey Kingdom”), “Penguins” follows in the footsteps of Disneynature’s past films by featuring stunning cinematography, a window into a rarely-seen pocket of the natural world, and a mix of suspense, heartbreak, and humor. But “Penguins” has an even lighter touch than many of Disneynature’s past offerings, emphasizing the inherently funny characteristics of Adélies with laugh-out-loud music cues and narration by Ed Helms (“The Office,” “The Hangover” trilogy, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”), an actor known for great comedic timing and improv skills.

While recording his dialogue for the film, Helms was charmed by the footage of Steve and his fellow penguins. “Even though they’re birds, they’re really aquatic creatures, and in the water they’re unbelievably graceful and elegant, fast and agile. But on land, they’re so awkward; they walk with this sort of weird wobble. And yet, they have such spirit and moxie because they persevere in these crazy Antarctic conditions.”

Adélie penguins are named after the wife of French explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville, who discovered the species in 1840. Growing to only around two feet tall, Adélies are smaller than their Antarctic neighbors, Emperor penguins, but possess oversized temperaments.
Said Fothergill, “People may be more familiar with Emperor penguins, but they’re actually pretty mellow. I like to say that Emperor penguins are the California surfers and Adélie penguins are New York City taxi drivers. They have attitude. They’re feisty. They have an extraordinary amount of expression in their eyes. They almost look animated. And I knew—with their big personalities—the film would have a lot of comedy.”

Described by Conli as an “everypenguin,” the aptly named Steve is a five-year-old Adélie who struggles with first-time fatherhood, leading to some nail-biting, hilarious, and downright gross moments that human parents are sure to find relatable. We watch as Steve builds a nest, fights off rock-stealing male competitors, attracts a mate named Adeline, and shares parenting duties with his penguin partner. We chuckle at Steve’s missteps (sometimes literally, as he is often slipping on the ice), root for him and his family, and marvel at his ability to survive what seem like insurmountable obstacles in the frigid Antarctic climate. Though Steve’s behavior is entertaining, any film that is true to nature is sure to include scenes that are hard to watch for those who are sensitive to animal peril, and may even prompt some in the audience to cover their eyes in suspense.

“There are still places left on Earth that are remote, untouched by human presence and where real-life dramas play out on a daily basis,” says Wilson. “Adélie penguins deserve our respect and adoration and stewardship for the fact that they are superbly adapted to living in one of the harshest continents on Earth.”

“Penguins” was filmed over the course of three years by a world-renowned group of polar experts. They literally immersed themselves in the environments of their subjects, following the Adélies across icy landscapes and underwater, shooting for nearly 900 camera days. “These locations may be the hardest locations to get to of any Disneynature film we’ve made so far,” said Fothergill. “It’s hard to think of a tougher habitat on the planet.”

Editor Andy Netley was given the challenging task of sorting through the many hours of footage to carve out a compelling narrative arc and keep the focus squarely on the film’s star penguin. “Disneynature movies are unique because they’re so character driven. We definitely wanted to do an emotional and informative story, but above all, it’s Steve’s story.”

Moviegoers of all ages are sure to be captivated by “Penguins,” which is the first Disneynature film to be released in IMAX. Audiences can also help aid conservation efforts by seeing the movie during opening week (April 17-23, 2019). For every ticket sold during this time, Disneynature will make a donation to the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN), which helps protect penguins across the southern hemisphere. WCN supports an elite network of on-the-ground conservationists, including the Global Penguin Society (GPS), the worldwide leader in science-based penguin conservation and a champion of specific programs that align with Disneynature’s mission. For the past ten years, Disneynature has empowered audiences to help make a difference, with each new movie supporting the conservation of the wildlife featured in the films

Disneynature’s “Penguins” is open nationwide in theaters and in IMAX now!

Like Disneynature on Facebook: Facebook.com/Disneynature

Follow Disneynature on Twitter: Twitter.com/Disneynature

Follow Disneynature on Instagram: http://instagram.com/disneynature

Visit the official website here: https://nature.disney.com/penguins

Disney’s Dumbo in Theaters Now!

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Erin

Disney’s Dumbo in Theaters Now!

By Jonelle

Growing up I loved Disney. As an adult, I love Disney. Driving into the Disney Studios in Burbank, never gets boring. This was a placed I dreamed of working. As I walk to the theater where the special preview of Dumbo is screening, I wonder if Mr. Disney walked the same streets or turned the same corners.

I was asked to screen the upcoming Disney release Dumbo and here’s the thing, I never saw the original in its entirety, which I just found out is only about 60 minutes or so. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Dumbo was originally slated as a 30-minute short film. It ultimately expanded to just under 64 minutes (Dumbo is Disney’s second shortest animated feature film behind 1942’s “Saludos Amigos,” which was just 42 minutes).

I’ve seen the trailer for the live action version many times, and each time I had tears and chills. I kept thinking 1. Wow, Colin Farrell gets better looking with age and 2. That is the cutest elephant I’ve ever seen, where can I get one. Yes, that is how real the CGI looks.

Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) are charged with caring for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. ©2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Let’s be honest, I know a little bit about the original. It’s about a baby elephant who is taken away from its mother, has ginormous ears and is forced to fly in a circus. Beyond that, I had nothing. We all know about the famous music that came out of the original. Danny Elfman keeps those same elements in his reimagined score. You’ll find a few other elements from the original, like the pink elephants, a reimagined Timothy Mouse and of course the famous Casey Jr. Circus Train.

The film centers around a traveling circus in the height of the traveling circus craze. Colin Farrell’s, Holt Farrier, has just come back from WWI having sustained an injury that left him with one arm. His wife has died and his and his children were left, being raised by the “Circus Freaks” they’ve come to know as family. Holt and his wife were the main attraction of the Medici Family Circus, and once that duo ceased to exist, so did the attraction of this traveling band of misfits. With times hard continuing in the foreseeable future, Max Medici, sells Holt’s prized horses to purchase a pregnant African Elephant, call it a two-for-the-price-of-one deal. However, once baby Jumbo, Dumbo’s original name, is born, Max sees him as just another freak, saying, “a face only a mother could love.”

With his Jumbo ears, Dumbo, is made to dress up like a clown, perform horrific stunts and is teased mercilessly by the circus crowd. Mama Jumbo gets very angry at the people laughing at her baby and take matters into her own hooves. Because of her actions, one of the roadies get killed and many spectators get injured. This is going to wreck the Medici Family Circus, so he gets rid of Mama Jumbo and keeps his new attraction: Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Dumbo, even with the love of Holt’s children Milly and Joe, is depressed because he misses his mother, something Milly and Joe can relate to. There are so many parallels between Milly, Joe and Dumbo. They’re not taken seriously, they have lost their mother, they’re trying to just find their place in the world.

Once the circus begins to thrive again with Dumbo’s help –he’s forced to fly–, villain V.A. Vandevere, played by Michael Keaton, makes Max Medici an offer he cannot refuse, he becomes the Vice President (in name only) of Vandevere’s state of the art amusement park, Dreamland. Not everyone in Dreamland agrees with Vandevere’s treatment of his animals, especially his most prized item, Dumbo. This leads to the climax of the story. Dumbo is anxious to be with his mama once more.

FLYING HIGH

The movie itself is absolutely visually stunning. We are taken back to 1920’s America and then taken to a “Fantasyland” of entrainment called Dreamland. You forget you’re looking at CGI elephants. They look so real and Dumbo’s eyes are the most endearing eyes, you can’t help but want to save all the elephants. The costumes in Dreamland are brightly colored and magical, especially the costumes worn by Eva Green’s, Colette Merchant, the famous trapeze artist who is tasked to soar with Dumbo. She wears this this beautiful feathered outfit that truly makes her look like a soaring bird.

One thing that Max Medici says towards the end of the film is that animals “don’t belong in cages”. The messages in this film speak volumes. At its heart, this simple story is one of family and acceptance, acceptance of what makes us all different. We could learn a lot from Dumbo. And yes, animals don’t belong in cages.

Dumbo is directed by Tim Burton and stars Colin Farrell as Holt Farrier, Michael Keaton as V.A. Vandevere, Danny DeVito as Max Medici, Eva Green as Colette Marchant, Nico Parker as Milly Farrier, Finley Hobbins as Joe Farrier, Alan Arkin as J. Griffin Remington, Roshan Seth as Pramesh Singh, DeObia Oparei as Rongo the Strongo, Joseph Gatt as Neils Skellig, and Sharon Rooney as Miss Atlantis.

Horsing Around In LA

Category Archives: Disney

AVENGERS: ENDGAME