A Film MARVEL’S The Avengers

MARVEL’S The Avengers

A teaser trailer below:

http://youtu.be/Bfo_1FZPEz8

The Film Review

Filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, Joss Whedon enlists the creative assistance from literary artist Zak Penn to help him join MARVEL’S eight individual iconic super hero comic book figures together for the quest of a lifetime. Whedon and Penn script a narrative that brings together an unbeatable heroic power team to save mother earth from disappearing from the universe. MARVEL The Avengers is the first film to be taken from the 1963 Marvel comic book series known as The Avengers–a celebrated comics institution.

Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures commission Whedon to the task of using use his directorial expertise as well as his sixth sense for an over the top performance. They were convinced that Whedon’s talent to find the perfect balance connecting the audience to a believable MARVEL The Avengers storyline was the key to a successful block buster. In addition, their desire to unite the legendary comic book super heroes for a big screen quest needed Whedon’s known artistic style keen on character development, wit and explosive special effects. Each MARVEL superhero being a ‘piece of work’ themselves had to be convinced that working as a team would be more beneficial than handling a world crisis alone with their own unique power. Whedon and Penn creatively use the power of humor to break down each super hero’s individual superiority complex exposing their weaknesses so that they need their alter ego MARVEL rivals if they want help save the world.

Synopsis

The iconic MARVEL comic book heroes collaborate under the direction of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) much to their chagrin. Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D. strategically assembles the MARVEL heroes to defeat an enemy threatening global safety and security. He uses the experts in the agency to locate eight MARVEL comic book heroes finding them in crazy places all over the globe.

Fury’s agency summons Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), The Incredible Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). Fury shows the band of heroes that they were chosen not only for their strengths, but also for their weaknesses, to help save the world from destruction. His message was clear that he needed a team of players and not a one man show. World peace is threatened. The individual hero summoned has a set of power skills only necessary to support a team effort to retrieve a complex molecular cube and place it in its proper place (a port hole in the sky) for a peaceful world to exist. Their fight is against Thor’s brother, Loki (Tom Heddleston) and the evil forces that dictate his quest. Loki is guided by the ultimate evil force of the universe and acts as its emissary to carry out the destruction of earth in exchange for a seat in a world power hierarchy. Loki takes on the MARVEL super hero team in the fight for this position in the grand scheme of the supremacy rule. Loki underestimates the might of team play and must recon with a force strong enough to overpower evil with good.

~ Film Review by Karen Pecota, Film & Entertainment Journalist

A Film Chimpanzee

DisneyNature’s Chimpanzee

A Film Review

DisneyNature celebrates Earth Day 2012 with the nationwide premier of Chimpanzee. Filmmakers Alastair Fothergill (“African Cats” and ‘Earth”) and Mark Linfield (“Earth”) team up with actor, Tim Allen (the film’s narrator) to bring to the silver screen an unusual true-to-life nature tale featuring a chimpanzee colony located deep into the African Rain Forest. Chimpanzee is DisneyNature’s fourth feature film as a nature reality tale with wild animals.

The filmmakers/cinematographers miraculously capture on film life altering events for members of a chimpanzee colony in Africa’s animal kingdom. Fothergill and Linfield share an adventure that includes a baby chimpanzee named Oscar, along with his mother, Isha, as well as, their clans alpha male leader, Freddy and a rival chimpanzee  pack led by a bully named Scar. DisneyNature has made it possible for Fothergill and Linfield to share with the world a wild and endearing adventure tale. The out takes at the film’s end gives the audience a glimpse into the filmmakers difficult trek into the Tai Forest to observe one of the world’s most fascinating wildlife subjects–the chimpanzee.

DisneyNature describes the Tai rain forest to be half the size of Texas with a population of twenty-one million and a southern border along the Gulf of Guinea. The Tai Forest, is sixty miles inland and in 1982 the land was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The biodiversity with hundreds of plant and bird species that live within its borders share the habitat with an ever growing chimpanzee population.

DisneyNature adds, “Fothergill and Linfield are not bothered by the discomforts and logistical challenges of their nature filmmaking jobs but both consider the Tai Forest to be particularly grueling and describe their filming trek with fond memories.” They said,  “One of the big things is the sheer inaccessibility of the Tai Forest. To get there you begin by driving ten hours from the nearest city on what is still a tarmac road. Then you do another four hours on a dirt road that is sometimes impassable. And, if you make it that far, there is an hour or more of walking along a very narrow path into the forest.” According to these filmmaking exerts there were many more days of combat with the elements of nature, i.e. a three-mile trek into the jungle that felt like they were jogging in a sauna; or, often no light meter readings due to the darkness from the jungle’s heavy vegetation; and struggling to keep up with the chimpanzee’s because their human body lacked the same agility traveling on their hands and knees dodging extremely thick vines while carrying all of their equipment. One can only imagine that very little film footage would be possible to can from their journey if this were the end of their trekking story.

Fortunately DisneyNature hires only the best filmmakers to brand their animal kingdom message of nature’s circle of life.  Fothergill and Linfield are keen on producing the goods and do so under the most grueling circumstances. Their work gives the film audience a peek into the upbringing of the baby chimpanzee, Oscar as well as a piece of fascinating evidence for the research of chimpanzee behavioral science. Oscar looses his mother to an untimely death while protecting her clan’s territory–a section of the rain forest that is rich in food supply. A surrogate mother needs to step in her place or Oscar will die of malnutrition and loneliness. None of the female’s in the group jump at the chance forcing the alpha male and clan leader, Freddy to do something about the situation. Freddy takes control of the clan’s needs in a whole new fashion. Freddy adds one more occupation to his portfolio and Oscar learns to live again.

DisneyNature’s latest film Chimpanzee to release Nationwide in celebration of Earth Day, Friday, April 20th, 2012 enjoy the clips below:

1) The Film’s theme song called “Rise” by the Mc Clain sisters

http://youtu.be/uxVeeqqAyf0

2) A newly released film clip Oscar’s naptime or playtime:

http://youtu.be/omY2nkbGqMA

Film Review and activity sheets will follow on
Friday April 20, 2012

~ Film Review by Karen Pecota, Film & Entertainment Journalist

A Documentary Film HUNGER HITS HOME

A special documentary on the food channel will air this  Saturday, April 14th 8/7c

http://foodnetwork.com/hunger  (search for Hunger Hits Home)

The documentary will address the growing problem in America with childhood hunger. There are ways we can participate in the solution from monetary donations to practical tips to be practiced in the home. The Food Network seeks to address the growing epidemic in America with their food for thought presentation.

The viewing guide at this link  No_Kid_Hungry_viewer_guide  will give special instructions of the purpose and plan for viewing this compelling documentary about childhood hunger in America. The viewing guide is help you watch the documentary together with family and friends and discuss the topic after the showing.

Plan to join the thousands who will watch this new documentary, HUNGER HITS HOME!

A film THE WAY

THE WAY

A Film Review

A family affair begins with filmmaker, screenwriter, director and actor, Emilio Estevez when he invites his father, actor, Martin Sheen to star in his latest independent feature film The Way. The storyline is taken from a personal experience Estevez describes when his moves to Spain and he explores his feelings of having a son live a long way from the family. At the same time Sheen and his grandson (Estevez’s son) trekked on the 800 kilometer stretch of The Way of Saint James (El Camino de Santiago) through the majestic Pyrenees Mountains along the Spanish-French border. Estevez uses the background of the trek to humanize the journey one takes when suffering a great loss. Hang with the slow moving narrative for the value in the journey shared and not the destiny it achieves in Estevez’s deeply moving portrayal of THE WAY.

A sudden trekking accident takes the life of Dr. Tom’s (Martin Sheen) estranged adult son, Daniel (Emilio Estevez) while on the infamous El Camino de Santiago trail from France to Galicia, Spain. The grief stricken widower Dr. Tom must fly to Spain to identify his son’s body (shortly after laying his wife to rest) and bring his remains home for a proper burial. The authorities are not able to give Dr. Tom much information regarding Daniel’s death because he was traveling alone and the facts of his missed steps are sketchy. The only help they can offer is a short timeline from the date Daniel officially registered for trek to the discovery of Daniel’s body after a big storm. Dr. Tom is given the backpack with Daniel’s meager belongings and just the sight of these earthly possessions conjured up the painful feels of remorse and regret of time not taken to get to know his son. Dr. Tom decides that the best way to eulogize Daniel’s life, while working through his own mourning, is to cremate Daniel’s body, gather his remains in a special box and finish the trek in Daniel’s honor sprinkling his life along The Way.

Dr. Tom learns plenty about his son and himself while on the El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage but not without the help of a comical band of travels he picks up along The Way: the European hardnosed Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger), the Dutchman pothead, Joost (Yorik van Wageningen) and the Irish novelist with writers block, Jack (James Nesbitt). The eccentric foursome comes to share a difficult journey together and while the trek experience partially affects each one’s destiny the bond of friendship that develops is their surprise discovery.

~ Film Review by Karen Pecota, Film & Entertainment Journalist

A Film THE VOW

THE VOW

A Film Review

A love story of an unusual kind is what the new film called The Vow portrays. Filmmaker Michael Sucsy and screenwriters Jason Katims, Abby Kohn, Stuart Sender, Marc Silverstein attempt to tackle a romantic tale inspired by actual events from the life of Kim (Channing Tatum) and Krickitt (Rachel McAdams) Carpenter that made national news in 1996. The media was captivated by their story–twice married within a three year period. The Carpenters documented their horrific story in book form during the year 2000 that gave way to a large national media platform. The attention was moving and due to their bold faith in God they felt because of His Devine intervention their story to share was a part of their destiny.

Twelve years later, a book revision incorporating several photos and a full feature film by the same name The Vow retells the world the impact of Kim and Krickitt’s oath of marriage:

First and foremost, to take each other

as their loving and faithful (husband/wife)

to be together from this day forward,

in the holy estate of matrimony,

to will love you and cherish you,

honor and keep you,

for better, for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

till death do us part,

I promise you this from my heart,

for all the days of my life…

 

Ten weeks into the Carpenters marital bliss, in route to visit family for Thanksgiving, they nearly lost their lives in a terrible car accident. Kim suffered a damaged lung, broken hand, bruised heart concussion and lacerations. He needed immediate surgery. Krickitt suffered physical setbacks but the major trauma was to the brain that left her in a coma. She eventually came out of the loss of consciousness but what lingered was a condition called retrograde amnesia. This type of forgetfulness refers specifically to the loss of access to memories that precede a traumatic event. The trauma affects the brain’s limbic system that controls our emotions and memories. Krickitt lost all memory of an eighteen month period prior to the accident which had everything to do with her meeting Kim, their courtship and their marriage. The Carpenters’ intense and dramatic story begins when Krickitt comes out of her coma and has no recollection of her husband, Kim. She assumes that he is just a very good attentive orderly that the hospital has provided to be by her side 24/7. Krickitt’s personality changed. She was convinced Kim was not her husband nor did she desire to be his wife. Kim’s vow before God and man to love, honor and cherish his wife just months earlier was proving to be more than difficult from her constant rejection. Krickitt’s faith in God to believe truth was the only thing that opened her heart to trust a man she could not remember loving.

The Carpenters’ story in book form is told in the first person by husband, Kim in descriptive language to combine the good, the bad and the ugly times shared of their life of reality bites. It’s a hard core nightmare in some respects and not a life to experience for the weak. The film lacks putting a realistic face on the intensity and depth of Kim’s passion to love his bride in sickness and in health. His perspective on the Kim and Krickitt love story is so enlightening and the best part of what makes their marriage vow so rich. Sadly, Hollywood missed a great opportunity to script the film closer to the actual story for a gripping classic tale. But no worries, you can purchase the book. It’s an easy read and there you will be able to imagine their heroism and a story triumphant. (The Vow authored by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter with Dana Wilkerson)

~ Film Review by Karen Pecota, Film & Entertainment Journalist

A Film The Grey

The Grey

A Film Review

Filmmaker Joe Carnahan directs and co-writes what he calls “a hard-core survivalist film” in THE GREY –based on the short story “Ghost Walker” by his co-writer Ian Mackenzie Jeffers. The two bring to the silver screen, in life like form, the intensity of Jeffers’ perception of the Alaskan wild frontier with a man vs. nature thriller. Carnahan and Jeffers collaborate with executive producers Ridley and Tony Scott; actors Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Callas Roberts, Joe Anderson, James Badge Dale, and Nonso Anozie; along with experts in visual effects, cinematography and editing to create a believable journey of destiny. Its Carnahan’s manly epic to question life’s deeper meanings with regard to nature, life and God.

The oil refineries sprawled along the Alaskan frontier employ men from all walks of life living hundreds of miles away from the never-ending wintery landscape. The men’s varied jobs see to it that the refinery works at capacity to break down the crude oil into suitable components for commercial use. Their grueling five–week 24/7 hour shift is immediately followed by a two week off vacation for the necessary psychological repose to gear up for the next demanding work cycle.

A full passenger airline flight of the refinery workers are on their way home and fly directly into horrific snow storm. The plane crashes on the Alaskan tundra biome leaving eight men as survivors including John Ottway (Liam Neeson), a sharpshooter and one of the refinery’s hired guns to keep wild animals from attacking the oil workers during their shifts. The first night the survivors huddle in the plane wreckage for protection. Though the freezing elements made for an uncomfortable night the men were able to sleep and keep warm due to the sporadic fuel fires from the crash site debris.

During the night, an unprecedented encounter with a wild animal goes unnoticed killing the night watchman without a fight or a sound. In the morning, the eerie discovery of the incident alarms Ottway. His study of the wild wilderness for his refinery job puts him on edge. He knows all of remaining survivors are in grave danger. The brazen attack means the predator is not fearful of humans and considers them now as its prey. The crash has invaded into something’s territory and the survivors position on the treeless snowy landscape is life threatening.

Ottway leads the men southbound heading toward a distant wooded area to find shelter. Traveling for hours through heavy snow drifts and almost to the shelter of a thick wooded forest; the men narrowly escape an attack from a pack of hungry gray wolves. Ottway is aware that the grey wolf family will wear the men down to not leave them alone and wonders if they are being led to their den. Ottway teaches the remaining survivors to think like the gray wolf because their lives depend on it but he really wonders if this is pay-back time for the work of protecting his colleagues. Nevertheless he daily quotes, “Once More into the Fray, Into the Last Good Fight I’ll Ever Know, Live and Die on This Day, Live and Die on This Day”.

~ Film Review by Karen Pecota, Film & Entertainment Journalist

A Film John Carter 3D

John Carter 3D

A Film Review

Walt Disney Pictures commemorates the 100^th anniversary of the American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs’ fictional heroic character Captain John Carter in John Carter 3D. It is hard to comprehend that Burroughs breathed life into the American Civil War Captain as the first space hero in a book series a century ago. A salute to an incredible imagination!

Academy Award® winning director/writer Andrew Stanton was inspired to bring the first novel in Burroughs’ Barsoom series, “A Princess of Mars,” to the big screen for its action packed adventure. Stanton recalls, “Reading the books when I was a boy, I fell in love with the concept of a human finding himself on Mars, among amazing creatures in a strange new world. It was a very romantic aspect of adventure and science fiction. I always thought it would be cool to see this realized on the big screen.”

Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan, has entertained generations for more than a century with his literary imaginative creations. He has truly influenced and inspired some of the world’s celebrated artists and filmmakers in the likes of science fiction writers Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury; filmmakers James Cameron (Avatar), George Lucas (Star Wars), Andrew Stanton (John Carter 3D); writer Michael Crichton, and Scientist Carl Sagan. In their company are a large number of creative designers in the field of production, costuming, visual effects, special effects and animators.

Synopsis

In 1881, the wealthy John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) from New York City mysteriously dies too early for his time.  Summoned to hear the reading of the will at Carter’s estate is his nephew Ned Burroughs, the sole heir of his estate. Ned has only known Carter as his Uncle Jack and is thoroughly confused about his uncle’s name, death and his fortune. Ned is furthermore, overwhelmed by the will’s precise detailed instructions given to him by Uncle Jack. The last item the lawyers of the estate pass off to Ned is his uncle’s locked leather-bound journal meant for Ned’s eyes only. Left alone to ponder the implications of his inheritance Ned longs for the presence of his uncle. In Ned’s state of mourning, he recalls Uncle Jack’s ability to tell amazing stories. He grabs the key to unlock the hand-scripted document and is stunned to see the journal begins with the words My dearest nephew Ned.

The account meant for his eyes only develops as no surprise to Ned because it reads like another one of Uncle Jack’s adventure tales he listened to as a child. Carter survives the American Civil War and in pursuit of prospecting gold in the Arizona Mountain Range in 1868, the Apache Indians attack and chase him along with a U.S. cavalry gentleman. Carter hides the two in a cave that turns out to be lined with solid gold rock. The moment Carter tries to touch the gold he is transformed to a strange desert place, called Barsoom (Mars) facing the Green Martians known as Tharks—tall, skinny, Gecko-like creatures with four arms. Held hostage by the alien beings, Carter finds it easy to escape their clutches using his new super human powers of strength and agility given him upon entering the foreign world at which they are impressed. A friendship develops between Carter and the Green Martian chief, Tars Tarkas (William Defoe). In exchange for a transportation ride back to his earthly homeland, the Gecko people ask Carter for help save their planet from extinction by using his super powers for aid. Carter agrees and faces nine human years of adventure on Barsoom. Carter survives a battery of wars against varied aliens, human-like beings, and three all-powerful creatures to destroy evil and finds true love with a Red Martian who is actually a Princess of the civilization of Helium, Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins).

Coined with a story inconceivable, Ned finds that near the end of the journal Uncle Jack explains the reality of his accumulated wealth and the reason for the absence from Ned’s life for the past thirteen years in Uncle Jack’s recorded family confession. As fate would have it and before Uncle Jack’s had-written words come to a close, Ned is called upon to unlock one last door that opens up the veracity of Uncle Jack’s perilous life on Mars to which Carter is banking on will transpire.

~ Film Review by Karen Pecota, Film & Entertainment Journalist