First Look: Son Of God

When I got to read the PR material, I was wondering if which of the gospel materials is it going to be used. Is it one of the Synoptic gospels or the gospel of John.

Twentieth Century Fox movie release

The “Son of God” will be presented in movie format from the pages of the bestselling book of all time, the Bible, which tells the story of Jesus, the greatest story ever told for a whole new generation.

 

Photo by Casey Crafford

                Inspired by History Channel’s phenomenal miniseries “The Bible” which averaged 15 million viewers per episode, “Son of God” is the larger-than-life stand-alone story of Jesus told with scope and scale of an action epic from the producing couple Mark Burnett and (actress) Roma Downey.  “Son of God” is a powerful and inspirational major motion picture event that takes us back to the oppressive Roman era when Jesus is born to Mary and Joseph until his crucifixion and resurrection.

                “Son of God” is directed by Christopher Spencer who also shares writing credits with Richard Bedser, Colin Swash and Nic Young, the movie features powerful performances, exotic locales, dazzling visual effects and a rich orchestral score from Oscar®-winner Hans Zimmer.

                 The movie introduces Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado who beautifully portrays the role of Jesus with Roma Downey as Mary, Darwin Shaw as Peter, Amber Rose Revah as Mary Magdalene, Greg Hicks as Pontius Pilate and Sebastian Knapp as John. 

                The producers and filmmakers have successfully brought together leaders across all denominations, creating an experience that is endearingly common to all making it relevant to today’s audiences. 

                Pastor Rick Warren says, "I’ve seen most of the films about Jesus produced in the past 50 years. “Son of God” stands alone, in a class by itself. It is a powerful and poignant movie, the best Jesus movie I have ever seen. I am thrilled that Twentieth Century Fox is distributing this film and I know it will be a blessing to millions when it opens all across America on February 2014."

                Rev. Sam Rodriguez, President of the Hispanics Evangelical Alliance says, "Son of God” fills the big screen with two catalytic elements: the passion of the cross and the purpose of the empty tomb, forgiveness and eternal life. It is not just a production worth watching it is a gift worth experiencing."

                Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington DC, says, "I would recommend to individuals, and particularly to families, this wonderful story of the Son of God in order to be inspired all over again with the story of God’s love for us. It is a joy to watch this film bring alive the pages of the Gospel to help us see what those who lived at the time of Jesus experienced."

                The producers are thrilled that their Jesus narrative will finally be seen on the big screen. "We are very excited to be working with Twentieth Century Fox to release “Son of God” as a major motion picture," said Roma Downey and Mark Burnett. "We responded to an overwhelming demand for the greatest story ever told to be seen as a shared experience on the big screen. The result is a beautiful stand-alone movie. It's the story of Jesus for a whole new generation."

                Mark Burnett and Roma Downey have succeeded in doing what few before them have done; they have produced a film that tells the story of Jesus and touches the heart. "Son of God proves that when talent and passion collide, the outcome is spectacular," said Joel Osteen, Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church and #1 bestselling author. "Having spent time with them on the set, Victoria and I witnessed firsthand the deep and abiding passion they both possess for God's Word."

                “Son of God” will open nationwide in the Philippines on February 26, 2014 from 20^th Century Fox.

SNEAK PEEK: 3D DANCE MOVIE “BATTLE OF THE YEAR”

Columbia Pictures movie release

Columbia Pictures brings audiences to the international world of B-boying – the urban dance more commonly known as “breakdancing,” in the 3D dance movie “Battle of the Year.”

 

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

The film stars Josh Holloway (“Lost,” “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”) and recording artist Chris Brown (“Takers”).

In the film, hip hop mogul Dante Graham (Laz Alonso) has created a billion-dollar business out of his b-boy past. Now he intends to reinvigorate America's reputation as the pre-eminent by creating an all-American dream team that can win the legendary Battle of the Year, hip hop's premier competition, in Montpellier, France.

Graham turns to his old friend and former crew mate Jason Blake (Holloway) to coach the team. With help of his assistant coach Franklyn (Josh Peck) and choreographer Stacy (Caity Lotz), Blake struggles to transform 13 headstrong individualists into a disciplined, cohesive and polished crew to rival all comers. 

“Battle of the Year” features electrifying dance performances and astonishing displays of power and grace, showing how a street dance from New York has evolved into an inspiring art form for a new generation around the world.

Opening across the Philippines this November, “Battle of the Year” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Michelle Pfeiffer in The Family

Michelle Pfeiffer is a Golden Globe Award winner and three time Academy Award nominee who over the last three decades has captivated film audiences with her stunning beauty and compelling performances.  

             Most recently, Pfeiffer was seen in Dark Shadows, a film that reunited her with Tim Burton for a big-screen take on the gothic vampire series from the 1960s. She also appeared in Alex Kurtzman‟s drama People like Us, opposite Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde and Elizabeth Banks, and Garry Marshall‟s romantic comedy New Year’s Eve, alongside Robert De Niro, Hilary Swank, Sarah Jessica Parker and Ashton Kutcher.  

              This year she is starring opposite Robert De Niro in the film "The Family," Pfeiffer plays the wife of De Niro, who plays a Brooklyn mobster. Their family has been forced to move to Normandy, France, under the witness protection program.

“Michelle Pfeiffer was Luc‟s first choice to play Maggie Blake. She agreed to do the film very quickly because the story is so appealing and so was the idea of working with Luc and Robert.”  

Although De Niro and Pfeiffer both starred in the films  Stardust and New Year’s Eve, they had never actually appeared in a scene together. Still, De Niro says he felt very comfortable working with her. “I figured it was a good match for us,” he says. “I‟m very happy that Michelle was available and wanted to do this.”  

Pfeiffer came in to meet with Besson full of ideas on how to make the character richer and more rounded. “Michelle is very focused,” says the director. “Pairing her with an actor of the caliber of Robert De Niro brought out the best in each of them. They had not shot together before, so they really wanted to show each other that they could be counted on. It was just a pleasure for me, because they respect each other so much. They‟re great team players.”  

Pfeiffer says she came to the set looking forward to working with De Niro and was not disappointed. “He‟s such an icon,” she says. “There are maybe five actors that have godlike status for me, and he‟s one of them. He is very humble, very quiet and collaborative, and he has a generous spirit. I really enjoyed being on the set with him and with Luc Besson.”  

The actress, who starred in Jonathan Demme‟s 1988 Mafia comedy Married to the Mob, admits she has a fondness for playing gangster‟s wives, but the real attraction for her was the Manzoni-Blake family dynamic. “They take a genre that I love in a new direction. This is really about how they interact with each other and the outside world, which is a great source of humor in the film. They are their own worst enemies and impossible to protect because they just can‟t behave. It‟s really about the family connection and that overrules all, no matter the circumstances.”  

Maggie is the bedrock of the family, according to Pfeiffer. “She does have a temper, but she always hits the ground running and tries to make the best of the situation to keep her family‟s spirits up. She has accepted that this is now their way of life, but she still has some issues and her rage has got to come out somewhere. She‟s humiliated by the whole experience, especially the anti-American sentiment that they keep encountering in France. She tries to fit in, to do good and to respect the culture that she‟s in, but she feels she is being treated unfairly.”  

Pfeiffer enjoyed working on Besson‟s warp-speed schedule, even though it was occasionally challenging. “I like that,” says Pfeiffer. “You constantly have to be on your toes. At the same time, it lends a really good energy to the film. Luc is constantly thinking, which I love. He‟s collaborative, but I knew that my ideas had to be very well thought out, because he doesn‟t waste time on debating anything that he thinks won‟t work.”

“THE FAMILY’ is released and distributed by CAPTIVE CINEMA

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Int'l Trailer featuring Ben Stiller

Stiller’s Mitty starts to live in the latest trailer reveal of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” a modern-day dreamer photo editor whose dreams turned into reality when he realized that he is about to lose his job. Taking on the impossible and unimaginable journey of his life, Mitty steps out of his own private realm to search for a famous photographer’s (Sean Penn) missing negative.

               

                “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” offered a rare chance for Ben Stiller to look at a touchstone American tale afresh, from new times.   Way back in high school, he first encountered Thurber’s story – a story that almost as soon as it had been published in The New Yorker began making an impact that belied its ultra-brief length. It inspired a beloved 1940s screen comedy, numerous theatre works, and sealed the phrase “he’s a Walter Mitty” into the popular lexicon, referring to anyone who throws more energy into diverting daydreams than into real life.   Now, Stiller saw a chance to take Thurber’s endlessly escapist character into the full-scale complexity of our social networking, down-sizing, re-tooling times– and to push his story further, comedically, dramatically and cinematically, bringing the full visual spectacle of modern filmmaking to the mix. 

                “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” will open January 2014 in theaters nationwide from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.