GET WASTED IN “OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY” TEASER POSTER

Press release

The teaser poster for Paramount Pictures' new holiday comedy Office Christmas Party has just been released, encouraging office workers to “Party like your job depends on it.”

In “Office Christmas Party,” when the CEO (Jennifer Aniston) tries to close her hard-partying brother’s branch, he (T.J. Miller) and his Chief Technical Officer (Jason Bateman) must rally their co-workers and host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale that will save their jobs.

The latest comedy from directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck (Blades of Glory) co-stars Kate McKinnon, Olivia Munn, Jillian Bell, Rob Corddry, Vanessa Bayer, Randall Park, Sam Richardson, Jamie Chung, and Courtney B. Vance in the funniest movie of the holiday season.

Opening across the Philippines on December 07, “Office Christmas Party” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

SHOOTING BEGINS ON WARNER BROS.' SCI-FI FILM “MEG”

Press release

Jason Statham and Li Bingbing star under the direction of Jon Turteltaub

BURBANK, CA – October 12, 2016 – Principal photography is underway in New Zealand on the science fiction action thriller “Meg,” being directed by Jon Turteltaub (the “National Treasure” movies). The film stars Jason Statham (“Spy,” “Furious 7,” “The Expendables” films). Award-winning Chinese actress Li Bingbing (“Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Forbidden Kingdom,” “The Message”) has been set to star opposite Statham.

In the film, a deep-sea submersible—part of an international undersea observation program—has been attacked by a massive creature, previously thought to be extinct, and now lies disabled at the bottom of the deepest trench in the Pacific…with its crew trapped inside. With time running out, expert deep sea rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Statham) is recruited by a visionary Chinese oceanographer (Winston Chao), against the wishes of his daughter Suyin (Li Bingbing), to save the crew—and the ocean itself—from this unstoppable threat: a pre-historic 75-foot-long shark known as the Megalodon. What no one could have imagined is that, years before, Taylor had encountered this same terrifying creature. Now, teamed with Suyin, he must confront his fears and risk his own life to save everyone trapped below…bringing him face to face once more with the greatest and largest predator of all time.

Rounding out the international main cast of “Meg” are New Zealander Cliff Curtis (TV’s “Fear the Walking Dead”), Rainn Wilson (TV’s “The Office” ), Ruby Rose (“xXx: Return of Xander Cage”), Winston Chao (“Skiptrace”), Page Kennedy (TV’s “Rush Hour”), Jessica McNamee (“The Vow”), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (“The BFG”), Robert Taylor (“Focus”), Sophia Shuya Cai (“Somewhere Only We Know”), and Masi Oka (TV’s “Heroes”).

Turteltaub is directing the film from a screenplay by Dean Georgaris and Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber, based on the New York Times best-selling book by Steve Alten. Lorenzo di Bonaventura (the “Transformers” films), Belle Avery (“Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead”) and Colin Wilson (“Suicide Squad,” “Avatar”) are producing the film, with Wayne Wei Jiang, Randy Greenberg, Barrie M. Osborne and Gerald R. Molen serving as executive producers.

Turteltaub’s behind-the-scenes team includes Oscar-nominated director of photography Tom Stern (“Changeling,” “Sully,” “American Sniper,” “The Hunger Games”), Oscar-winning production designer Grant Major (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”), editor Steven Kemper (“Salt”) and costume designer Amanda Neale (“Pete’s Dragon”).

In addition to New Zealand, filming on “Meg” is also being accomplished on location in China.

“Meg” is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Gravity Pictures. It is production of di Bonaventura Pictures, Apelles Entertainment, Maeday Productions, Inc., and Flagship Entertainment, in association with Beijing Digital Impression (BDI) Film, Inc.

Opening across the Philippines on March 2018, “Meg” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

NEW “COLLATERAL BEAUTY” POSTER SAYS `WE ARE ALL CONNECTED'

Press release

New Line Cinema has just rolled out the new international poster for its inspiring and emotional drama “Collateral Beauty” featuring the faces of the star-studded cast and with a reassuring tagline, “We are all connected.”

From Oscar-winning director David Frankel, “Collateral Beauty” is a thought-provoking drama that explores how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of beauty, and how the constants of love, time and death interlock in a life fully lived.

When a successful New York ad executive suffers a personal tragedy and retreats from life, his friends devise a drastic plan to reach him before he loses everything. Pushing him to the very edge, they force him to confront the truth in surprising and profoundly human ways.

“Collateral Beauty” features an all-star cast, including Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris, Jacob Latimore with Oscar winners Kate Winslet and Helen Mirren.

David Frankel (“Dear Diary,” “Marley & Me,” “The Devil Wears Prada”) directs from a screenplay written by Allan Loeb (“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” “21”).

Opening across the Philippines on January 8, 2017, “Collateral Beauty” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

ANNA KENDRICK STARS IN FUNKY MUSICAL ANIMATION “TROLLS” – OPENS NOVEMBER 2

Press release

 Also in upcoming action-thriller flick "The Accountant", actress Anna Kendrick sings to life one of the most beloved toy figures in the latest musical animation “Trolls,” starring alongside an ensemble of equally talented artists such as Justin Timberlake, James Corden, Gwen Stefani, Zooey Deschanel, Russell Brand, Christine Baranski, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Swedish pop music duo of Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, Kunal Nayyar and Ron Funches.

              Kendrick is the voice of Poppy, the feisty and fearless leader of the Trolls, who are naturally cheerful and optimistic. They love to sing and dance, and they have rainbow-colored hair.  Justin Timberlake voices Branch, a gray and fearful troll. He is convinced that the Trolls’ mortal enemies, the Bergens, will track them down in their forest Utopia and capture them. The Bergens are miserable monsters and they are only happy when they eat Trolls. 

              The film was inspired by the quirky cute/ugly looking dolls with brightly colored hair that were invented by a Danish woodcutter in 1959. Created by woodcutter Thomas Damm, who then couldn’t afford a Christmas gift for his daughter, was inspired to make a doll based from his imagination.  The unique look of the doll caught the attention of the other children and from then on, Damm’s dolls became popular and has become one of the biggest toy fads among children and adults too.   

              In the latest toy-to-movie adaptation of “Trolls” where Kendrick’s character Poppy lives, the audience will be introduced to a stunning and original world, with a distinct hand-made look, which mirrors Poppy’s passion for scrapbooking.

              But when we meet Poppy, she is an eternal optimist who finds the inspiration for optimism from within.  She is the ultimate purveyor of positivity.   Moreover, she is an empowered female who is capable and confident, strong and resolute, collaborative and inclusive.   Kendrick appreciates Poppy’s toughness, sassiness, can-do attitude, loyalty and, most of all, her leadership skills.  But when she first met with directors Mitchell and Dohrn to discuss the role, the actress notes she had some concerns.  “I hardly felt like the person to play the happiest Troll; sugary sweet isn’t really my forte.  I warned Mike, Walt and Gina that I might lead Poppy down a feistier path.  I think I used the term ‘sparkplug.’”

 

 Photo credit: 20^th Century Fox 

              When the filmmakers assured Kendrick that her vision for Poppy was in sync with theirs, she embraced her inner Troll with a vengeance.  “Each time I stepped into the recording booth and was greeted with a picture of Poppy’s smiling face, I couldn’t wait to add some fire, sarcasm, sass and determination to her,” Kendrick recalls.  “That’s what makes the difference between a relentlessly happy character that’s a little irritating and one that really comes to life. 

              “That said, I usually ruined the first five minutes of each recording session by talking in my ‘adorable voice.’   I couldn’t help it; Poppy is so cute!  But Mike and Walt encouraged me to make this tiny pink creature feel real and complicated.  Poppy might not look like Shrek, but she’s complex, like him.”

              After viewing some early footage, Kendrick discovered even more unexpected aspects to the character, thanks, she says, to the “animation dream team at DreamWorks, which had captured the little firecracker inside Poppy with every minute expression. 

              “Every time they asked me to do another recording session, it made my week.  I experienced that moment of recognition when I wondered, how does a six-inch-tall pink Troll kind of remind me of myself?  Watching Poppy and the other Trolls fills me with joy.”

              A DreamWorks Animation feature, “Trolls” opens in cinemas on November 2 in cinemas nationwide (also in 3D) from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

ANNA KENDRICK IN “THE ACCOUNTANT”

Press release

Academy Award-nominee Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air) stars in Warner Bros.' new action-thriller “The Accountant,” as Dana Cummings, an accounting clerk who's in the center of a multi-million-dollar anomaly.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Directed by Gavin O’Connor (Warrior), The Accountant tells the story of Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck), a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King (J.K. Simmons), starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of-the-art robotics company where an accounting clerk (Kendrick) has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise.

Anna Kendrick describes her character, “Dana is the one who first noticed that something isn’t adding up in the company finances, so she’s a little disappointed when Chris comes in and takes the whole investigation out from under her. She’s not necessarily ambitious, but she wants to be included.”

“Dana has this bubbly personality, and that’s the last thing Christian wants when he’s trying to work,” producer Mark Williams suggests. “But he soon realizes she speaks his language as far as numbers go; she gets exhilarated the same way he does when the pieces start to come together. For that reason, he starts to bond with her and care about her.”

As Chris shows Dana what he’s found, “she gets reenergized by the idea that they’re working together to solve this puzzle,” Kendrick asserts. “She’s intrigued by him because he’s sort of a dorky accountant, but there’s something mysterious, too, which becomes even more obvious when things take a frightening turn. Basically, nerding it up with Chris is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to her,” she laughs.

Kendrick says she shares that sentiment from her own professional perspective. “Working with Ben, as well as Gavin, was hugely exciting for me, too. It was especially interesting acting opposite Ben in this role because Chris is so uncomfortable relating to people, but Ben found a way to make it so charming that Dana is drawn in by his vulnerability. He’s a big guy and physically stronger, but on an emotional level, he’s the one Dana feels needs to be protected.”

The admiration is mutual. “Anna brings a tremendous energy and honesty to her scenes,” Affleck remarks. “She’s someone I admired a lot beforehand, so I was thrilled to have the chance to work with her.”

O’Connor adds, “One thing I discovered about Anna is she can take the dialogue in a scene and—no matter how many times you’ve heard it—create an entirely new interpretation. Every take would be a variation on the theme of how she played it, and I loved that.”

Kendrick says she especially appreciated the director’s “reverence for the emotional content,” noting, “It’s an interesting thing because, in many ways, Gavin is such a dude. He and Ben would get so excited about all the action sequences, but then he also took such joy in the really sweet, emotional scenes.”

Opening across the Philippines on Nov. 02, “The Accountant” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

BEN WINCHELL GIVES LIFE TO MATTEL ACTION FIGURE IN “MAX STEEL” MOVIE

Blogger's note: The reason why I am posting this feature is because it might make internet traffic for the girls who may find this kid appealing. I still think this movie is just intended to make a desperate move to promote the action figure merchandise. I still think it won't surpass the popularity of Ben 10. To get more of my thoughts about the live action Max Steel movie, go to this link: http://marktemplar.blogspot.com/2016/10/first-thoughts-about-max-steel-live.html

Press release

The latest teen heartthrob hero rises in the toy-to-movie “Max Steel” based on Mattel’s most popular action figure of the same name.  Starring in the titular role is Ben Winchell, best known for his roles on Disney Channel’s "A.N.T. Farm" and USA’s "Necessary Roughness”.

                Director Stewart Hendler and screenwriter Christopher Yost (who also wrote the screenplay of “Thor: The Dark World”) adapt “Max Steel” for the big screen. “Max Steel” is a live action feature-length origin story that combines identifiable characters, familiar terrestrial settings and innovative use of technology to create a realistic re-interpretation of the traditional superhero film. 

                Teenager Max McGrath (Winchell) and his mother (Maria Bello) have recently moved back to Copper Canyon, the town where Max was born and his scientist father died under mysterious circumstances.  Adjusting to a new school is not easy for Max, and becomes even more complicated when his body starts to generate strange energy flare-ups that he can't control.  This unpredictable power surge grows too intense for Max to handle and he is forced to distance himself from those around him, including his new friend, Sofia. 

                On the brink of fatal combustion, Max is rescued by Steel, a techno-organic extraterrestrial who has been secretly monitoring his progress.  The two discover that when joined together they can control the energy and harness it into superhuman strength – but when apart, neither can survive.

                As these unlikely friends learn to accept their connected fates, they begin to uncover secrets surrounding the death of Max's father and, digging deeper, find themselves hunted by an unforeseen enemy bent on capturing Max and Steel for a sinister agenda of destruction.  Uncertain who to trust, the two will have to work together to uncover the truth and find a way to defeat the mysterious force threatening their world.

                “We wanted Max Steel to be a real teenager, universal in his appeal with his first crush, moving to a new school, being raised by a single mom,” says O’Dowd.  “We wanted a film that would resonate with the audience no matter where they lived – Miami, Topeka, Rome or Caracas.  And Stewart's take on how to tell Max's story is from that viewpoint.  It's not glossed over.  It's not shiny.  It's not something that looks like a typical superhero movie.  This is a real teenage boy, living in a real teenage world, who just happens to be a superhero.”

               

                “I love the script,” adds Winchell.  “It has great heart and humor combined with spectacular action and special effects.  And me a superhero...it's every kid's dream!”

                                                          

                A new hero rises when “Max Steel” opens in cinemas on October 19 from Pioneer Films.

HORROR HITMAKER JASON BLUM PRODUCES “OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL”

Press release

When developing Ouija: Origin of Evil, Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum and Platinum Dunes’ Michael Bay, producers Brad Form and Andrew Fuller were excited to work with Hasbro Studios on the opportunity to expand dramatically the cryptic world of the mystical board. For this terrifying chapter that would explore the origin of evil in one small town, they would be trusting the franchise with a filmmaker known for work that is as innovative as it is heart-racing.

Photo credits: UIP/Columbia Pictures

Inviting audiences again into the lore of the spirit board this Halloween, Universal Pictures’ Ouija: Origin of Evil tells a terrifying new tale as the follow-up to 2014’s sleeper hit that opened at No. 1.

The production team approached visionary filmmaker Mike Flanagan, who created Blumhouse’s 2014’s hit Oculus and this year’s hold-your-breath thriller Hush. They gauged his interest in crafting a chapter that delved into so much more of the legend of the board…as well as putting his unique stamp on the series.

Flanagan felt it would be fascinating to explore the superstitious culture of the late 1960s’ Ouija for this chapter, as well as what secrets laid buried beneath one family’s home…only to be unlocked through the board. The horror maestro and his equally talented writing partner, Jeff Howard, imagined the tale of sisters Doris and Lina Zander, who grow terrified the more they learn about the family home they share with their mother, Alice.

Blum explains that when Alice begins using the Ouija board in her séances, she thinks it’s great for business. He notes: “In the beginning, Alice is not discovering anything evil, and it actually seems like it’s a great thing. She thinks that she’s performing this amazing service where—if you have someone in your life who’s gone—you can come use the Ouija board and connect with them. Through Doris you can talk to people who are no longer with us in this world. Initially it seems like it’s not only good for business, but good for people too.”

“There was a lot of discussion about making a direct sequel to the first film and expanding upon that narrative,” explains Form, “but that felt like the easy answer. When we took a hard look at the source material, we began to see that the story was right in front of us. Who was the real ‘DZ’ who was haunting our characters in the first movie, and what had been done to her so long ago that turned her into the twisted spirit seeking out revenge upon anyone who inhabited her home?”

Fuller, who serves as Bay and Form’s production partner at Platinum Dunes, shares how the film’s dramatic themes appeal to a broad base of moviegoers, and that it was of utmost importance to all involved to make this a story about a broken family…and not just a ghost story. “If you strip away the supernatural elements, you’ll find a family going through something extremely tragic and then extremely frightening,” he says. “Audiences who wouldn’t necessarily seek out a horror film will connect to this character-driven story.”

So notes Form, a thriller centered on a Ouija board made the perfect vehicle for relatable horror. “The idea that we could wrap a film around this intense desire to contact those on the other side was irresistible, and Ouija boards are so specific to that,” he concludes. “Even people who don’t believe in spirits have such a strong reaction to the game. This game has the power to turn non-believers into believers, even if only for a moment.”

Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 26, “Ouija: Origin of Evil” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.