"Jurassic World" lets you peak on its first trailer

Jurassic World is the long-awaited installment of Jurassic Park series, as far as I can remember, I was at the theatre 11 years ago and got excited that I bought miniature dinosaurs right after the movie. The movie takes place 22 years after the horrific events of the original “Jurassic Park” and is set on a fully functional park on Isla Nublar.

 Universal Pictures has just unleashed the first full trailer of its epic action-adventure “Jurassic World”.

Steven Spielberg returns to executive produce the long-awaited next installment of his groundbreaking Jurassic Park series, “Jurassic World.” Colin Trevorrow directs the epic action-adventure from a screenplay he wrote with Derek Connolly. Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley join the team as producers.

Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) leads the cast which includes Bryce Dallas Howard (“Spider-Man 3”), Nick Robinson (HBO's “Boardwalk Empire”) and Ty Simpkins (the kid in last year's “Iron Man 3”).

The film also stars Jake Johnson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio, BD Wong, Omar Sy, Judy Greer, Katie McGrath, Lauren Lapku and Andy Buckley.

Opening across the Philippines on June 10, 2015 in 3D, “Jurassic World” will be distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Cooke from Bates Motel shines in "Quija"

“BATES MOTEL” STAR GRABS LEAD ROLE IN “OUIJA”

She’s currently starring alongside Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga on A&E’s acclaimed television series “Bates Motel.”  Now, young British actress Olivia Cooke will be seen in the big screen as she plays lead character, Laine, in Universal Pictures’ supernatural thriller “Ouija.”

The film revolves around a group of friends who must confront their most terrifying fears when they unwittingly make contact with a dark power from the other side.  What started as a game will unleash an evil only they can stop.

The principal cast is composed of five friends, led by the fearless Laine, a high school student looking for answers.  Filmmakers searched for a great deal of time for the best actress to fill the role.  Little did they know, she was right in front of them…as a placeholder in White’s “Ouija” tone book.
Director Stiles White explains: “The first role that we needed to get right was Laine.  I had watched some episodes of `Bates Motel,’ so Olivia was already on my radar when we were putting `Ouija’ together.  As well, I had this tone book filled with photos of how I wanted everything to look.  There she was in the photo of who I thought the lead should be.  It turns out Olivia was exactly who we all had in mind.  It felt like, for the first time, I was seeing the living, breathing version of the character that Juliet and I had imagined.”

Producer Brad Fuller concurs with his director’s decision: “Horror movies are a great way to meet young talent, and we knew Olivia as this great British actress and had seen her in `Bates Motel.’  Still, at the end of the day, at her audition, she just blew us away.”

            As it so happens, Cooke was able to identify with Laine, who fills the maternal role of watching over her rebellious younger sister, Sarah.  She shares: “I am from a single-parent family and I have a little sister who is 14, so I connected to that with Laine.  I also connected to my character’s loyalty, as I, too, am fiercely loyal to my friends and family.”

To get into character, Cooke had to put all of her trust in the man at the helm.  Of White, she enthuses: “Stiles is the calmest director I’ve ever worked with.  He’s very soothing and reassuring.”
Though Laine’s insatiable curiosity leads her into dire situations in “Ouija,” Cooke admits she’s never used a Ouija board.  She laughs: “I was always told not to mess with a Ouija board because I’d heard of people who had these horror stories about contacting a spirit.  Though I do remember saying to my friends, ‘Let’s take a Ouija board into an abandoned barn and play!’ and they were definitely not into it.”

Cooke was born in Manchester, England.  Upon graduating from Oldham Theatre Workshop, she landed a key role in “Blackout,” a BBC series directed by Tom Green, for which she starred alongside Christopher Eccleston.  She then took the lead role in a BBC miniseries set in the 1940s “The Secret of Crickley Hall,” directed by Joe Ahearne.
Cooke was most recently seen in the Lionsgate thriller “The Quiet Ones.”

            Opening across the Philippines on October 29, “Ouija is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

AMANDA SEYFRIED PLAYS A GOLD DIGGER IN “A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST”

If you simply want to have a good laugh this week, go and watch this movie. This will surely tickle your funny bones.

Amanda Seyfried (“Les Miserables,” “Red Riding Hood”) stars as Louise, the woman who would break the hero's heart in, Universal Pictures' new comedy “A Million Ways to Die in the West” (opening exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide on Sept 3.)

In the film, after sheep farmer Albert (Seth MacFarlane) backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend, Louise (Seyfried) leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman named Anna (Charlize Theron) rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband (Liam Neeson), a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test.

The filmmakers wanted to find an actress who was right in the "Goldilocks" zone, someone who could express that artful balance between a woman whom you don't really want the guy to end up with because she's not the nicest person, but a character who still has enough redeeming qualities that you don't think the guy is an idiot for pining after her. Someone "just right."

Actor-writer-director Seth MacFarlane found everything the team wanted in accomplished actress Amanda Seyfried. He explains: "Amanda is a great example of someone who is perfectly cast. There was the scene on the log where she's talking to Albert and is about to dump him, and I remember thinking, 'God, she is nailing it. She's either the world's greatest actress, or she's cut down a bunch of guys like this.' Amanda is very sweet, so I quickly learned it wasn't the latter; she's just extremely good."

Seyfried was initially surprised at her casting. She advises: "Most of my projects haven't been comedy." Discussing her character, the performer shares: "Louise is a selfish young lady who dumps Albert in such a blunt, insensitive way because he's not getting it. She is enamored of Foy, town's most successful businessman, and how awesome she thinks he is that she can't quite see who he really is. Foy's very charismatic and he's got balls, while Albert has no balls at all... figuratively speaking of course. Foy's attractive to her because he has confidence and sex appeal, and his moustache is really hot."

Although Theron's and Seyfried's characters were at odds, that's where the similarities between the actresses ended. Theron explains that she struggled with the biting dialogue that was directed toward her on-screen nemesis: "I found myself constantly looking at Seth and saying, 'I can't say that. It's Amanda, come on.' There is a line where I have to tell her she looks bad in this dress. I was thinking that I am just not that good of an actor. I mean, look at her! She's like a little doll."
“A Million Ways to Die in the West” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Frank Grillo leads the cast of "The Purge: Anarchy"

FRANK GRILLO, FROM “THE WINTER SOLDIER” TO “THE PURGE: ANARCHY”

He made an indelible mark in Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” as villain Brock Rumlow. Now, actor Frank Grillo leads the cast of Universal Pictures' “The Purge: Anarchy,” the sequel to summer 2013’s sleeper hit that opened to No. 1 at the North American box-office.

“The Purge: Anarchy” follows an unlikely group of five citizens who, over the course of the night, find out just how far they will go to protect themselves and, ultimately, each other, as they fight to survive a night fraught with impossible decisions. The story begins with a haunted loner, Leo (Grillo), a sergeant who has suffered the loss of his son prior to tonight. Arming himself with enough guns and body armor to make it until dawn, he is a man possessed...and one clearly going out on a vigilante mission of vengeance against those responsible for his loss.

Prior to casting, filmmakers were clear that this wouldn’t be a genre piece that sacrifices character development. Therefore, it was important to spend the first 20 minutes of “The Purge: Anarchy” providing audiences with an intimate look into each character’s situation. Says director James DeMonaco: “I said, ‘If we’re going to do this, let’s get to know these people.’ I figured, if we don’t care about them up front, we’re not going to care about who lives or dies. I don’t want sacrificial lambs who could be randomly killed on this night.”

DeMonaco had previously worked with Frank Grillo on the miniseries “The Kill Point,” so casting the actor as the gritty and resourceful Leo was a goal. Grillo fit the mold and then some. Offers DeMonaco: “I’ve loved Frank’s work for years, and I’ve followed his career since `The Kill Point.' As soon as I came up with the character, I said, ‘It has to be Frank.’ Frank is a tough guy in real life, and we wanted to have an actor who didn’t have to pretend to be tough.”

Producer Brad Fuller agrees with the director, laughing: “If I had to go out on Purge night, I’d want to be with Frank Grillo. I know I would make it because he would get me through it.”
In Grillo, producer Jason Blum knew DeMonaco had the right guy in mind: “James was passionate about having someone who felt very heroic, but also felt like an everyman; that’s what Frank does best. He feels like he could be your friend, but he also feels like he’s beyond your reach in terms of how heroic he is. That’s the character that he plays in this movie: the underdog who you think is quite a cynical guy but actually has a huge heart.”



Grillo describes coming on board the speculative thriller: “I was heading to L.A. for a trip, and James [DeMonaco] called me and said he was working on a sequel to `The Purge.' He described it to me before I’d even read the screenplay, and it sounded like an old Western…like `The Outlaw Josey Wales.' I thought it was interesting and provocative, and after he sent me the script, I was sold.”

While the first film was told from the point of view of the wealthy Sandin family living in the suburbs, DeMonaco focused “The Purge: Anarchy” on the side of the disenfranchised, those whom were targeted in the annual Purge. Grillo was particularly drawn to this idea. He shares: “In this film, you truly get to see what The Purge is and why it exists. It makes you scratch your head about where our society is in terms of violence and prejudice and what we must deal with on a daily basis.”

Opening across the Philippines on August 27, 2014, “The Purge: Anarchy″ is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

THE ACTION-THRILLER “LUCY” STARS SCARLETT JOHANSSON

Portraying strong, unique female characters on the big screen is always a welcome challenge for Scarlett Johansson. So when casting his latest action-thriller “Lucy,” and writer-director Luc Besson needed to find an actress who could be believable as extremely vulnerable, as well as superpowered, when her exposure to an illicit substance inadvertently makes her acquire incredible skills, Johansson quickly came to mind.

Producer Virginie Besson-Silla describes the unlikely heroine of this story: “Lucy is an average girl who’s having fun with her friends in Asia, and there’s a lot of partying going on. She’s discovering life, but she’s going to discover it the hard way…and go much further than she would ever expect.”

For the role, Besson and his producer reached out to Scarlett Johansson, who has starred in intimate films such as “Lost in Translation” and “Her,” as well as action blockbusters including “Iron Man 2,” “The Avengers” and, most recently, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
Besson was impressed by the actress’ discipline. He explains that she was precise and professional from the get-go: “When we first met, Scarlett had read the script and I enjoyed the way she talked about it. She was excited for the right reason, which was the story. At that moment, it was a done deal for me. She was definitely the one.”

Johansson explains that one of her interests in portraying Lucy is based on the fact that the character “is in a transient phase in her life when we find her. She’s figuring out who she is, and she’s feeling like she should probably get her life on track.” The actress was not only attracted to the material, but to Besson’s vision. She notes: “The film poses some complex existential questions. It would have been hard to imagine how the script has evolved because so much of that is Luc’s vision. Anything I could imagine the film to look like, just from reading the descriptions in the script, pales in comparison to the actual life that Luc breathed into this project.”

Johansson acknowledges that even though she was initially disoriented by the screenplay’s nonlinear structure, she knew that she could trust the director. Quite familiar with Besson’s work, she cast aside caution and signed on to the film. “This is actually what drew me to this project,” she insists. “I had to trust Luc’s vision. I remember meeting him and he said, ‘You have to trust that I know what this is about because it can be vague at times. But if you see what I’m seeing, you’ll believe in it.’ So, I took a leap of faith. He’s a formidable guy who knows what he sees in his mind and wants that vision to be executed perfectly.”

Everyone involved in the production acknowledges that Lucy was a highly demanding role. Still, Johansson went beyond everyone’s expectations. Commends Besson-Silla: “It was all the more difficult, as Lucy starts off as a plain girl and turns into, as it were, a superhero. She goes through so much. Scarlett was able to take that journey easily.”

With such a clear vision of his protagonist, Besson was able to devise a method to help his leading lady get in character. He explains: “We created something very funny, which Scarlett had on her wall, to allow her to understand what reactions I wanted from her when I asked her to play, say, 25 percent, or 50 percent, or 70 percent of her brainpower.

“For every 10 percent, we charted out what you could do with that percentage— your level of knowledge and possibilities,” Besson continues. “It was a very good guide. Every morning she’d look at the chart to see which girl she had to play. If you look at the Lucy at the beginning and the Lucy at the end, they have little in common. When we arrived on set, Scarlett was exceptional. You can ask for whatever you want and she says, ‘Okay.’ She’s always willing to try.”

The actress admits that the most challenging part was to portray Lucy as a truly relatable character, despite the psychological and physical changes that she’s experiencing: “As the drug kicks in, Lucy gradually loses the ability to empathize and to feel pain. Even though she can delve deeply into someone’s memory and eventually control him physically, she doesn’t have any opinion. She loses her preconceived ideas or judgment about the other person. It was difficult to avoid making my performance flat and monotonous. You have to see the humanity behind her circumstances.”
Opening across the Philippines on August 06, “Lucy” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

“FIFTY SHADES OF GREY” UNCOVERED THE SIZZLING TEASER TRAILER, IMAGES

Universal Pictures and Focus Features have just uncovered the sizzling teaser trailer and images of Sam Taylor-Johnson's feature film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The trailer may be viewed at http://youtu.be/bdagP6--_-s.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is the hotly anticipated film adaptation of the bestselling book that has become a global phenomenon. Since its release, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy has been translated into 51 languages worldwide and sold more than 100 million copies in e-book and print—making it one of the biggest and fastest-selling book series ever.

Stepping into the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, who have become iconic to millions of readers, are Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.

Joining Dornan and Johnson in the cast are Luke Grimes as Elliot, Christian’s brother; Victor Rasuk as José, Anastasia’s close friend; Eloise Mumford as Kate, Anastasia’s best friend and roommate; Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey, Christian’s mother; Rita Ora as Mia, Christian’s sister; Max Martini as Taylor, Christian’s bodyguard; Callum Keith Rennie as Ray, Anastasia’s stepfather; Jennifer Ehle as Carla, Anastasia’s mother; and Dylan Neal as Bob, Carla’s husband.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E L James, the creator of the series. The screenplay for the film is by Kelly Marcel.

Opening across the Philippines on February 11, 2015, “Fifty Shades of Grey” will be distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Prepare for Hercules and his mercenaries

“HERCULES” AND HIS LOYAL CREW OF MERCENARIES

In the new epic action-adventure “Hercules,” “It doesn’t matter to the titular character if he’s the son of Zeus or not,” actor Dwayne Johnson reflects. “The only thing that matters to him is righting the wrongs of the past. But he has this band of brothers and sisters – and they are the ones who push Hercules to believe that he can be a better man.”

Joining Johnson in the film as his loyal crew are Ian McShane (“Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”), Rufus Sewell (“Legend of Zorro”), Aksel Hennie (“Headhunters”), Ingrid Bolsø Berdal (“Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters”) and Reece Ritchie (“Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time”).

AMPHIARAUS/Ian McShane. The soothsayer Amphiaraus joins Hercules’ band of mercenaries as a much-needed spiritual adviser. Now, having seen a vision of his own future death, Amphiaraus fights without a drop of fear because he believes it is not yet his time. Ian McShane right away was drawn to the character. “He’s someone who says don’t blame the gods for the acts of man – you must take responsibility for your own fate,” he explains.

AUTOLYCUS/Rufus Sewell. Autolycus might lack for Hercules’ astonishing strength, but he has more than made up for it with the sharp blade of his wit, ultimately becoming Hercules’ master strategist. Rufus Sewell takes on the role of Hercules’ wisecracking friend. “Autolycus and Hercules go way back, and they've got each other's backs,” Sewell explains. “They have a kind of communication that goes beyond words. They've always worked together, and that's a source of great pride to Autolycus, that he knows Hercules better than anyone else.”

TYDEUS/Aksel Hennie. Mute Tydeus, the lone survivor of an onslaught on the city of Thebes, is loyal to Hercules, but when he is unleashed, the beast within can take over. Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie was intrigued by his character’s way of dealing with the world. “I love the fact that you have this character has all these feelings, and all this rage, but he’s not able to express that verbally. It gives him a mystique,” says the actor.

ATALANTA/Ingrid Bolsø Berdal. The archer Atalanta possesses the world-famous feminine strength of an Amazon – and owes Hercules a blood debt. Says Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, “Atalanta is the icon of strong women, so it took a bit of self-confidence to take that on. But the story was so good, an epic action blockbuster full of interesting characters with their own arcs and agendas, it was irresistible. And it attracted great actors which made it even more thrilling.”

IOLAUS/Reece Ritchie. The mercenary Iolaus is Hercules’ cousin and the storyteller who has spread his legend across the land. He is played by Reece Ritchie, who made his debut in Roland Emmerich’s “10,000 B.C.” and played the role of Bis in “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.” Ritchie says of Iolaus: “He’s always followed Hercules, but I don’t think he’s ever been on an adventure this big or incredible, and it gives him lots of new material for his stories. He is someone who is full of wonder, but he wants to prove himself as a worthy warrior also.”

The most towering myth of all time meets up with the mission of a real man leading a rag-tag band of warriors in “Hercules,” this summer’s action-adventure thriller that reveals the famed symbol of lion-hearted courage as he’s never been seen before: finding the hero’s heart that beats beneath his colossal image.

Opening across the Philippines on July 23 in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D cinemas, “Hercules” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

THE CAST OF “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” IN HK FOR WORLD PREMIERE

WAHLBERG, CAST OF “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” IN HK FOR WORLD PREMIERE

Mark Wahlberg

Hollywood descended in Hong Kong June 19 for the world premiere of Michael Bay's “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” the fourth installment of the mega-blockbuster franchise.

The red-carpet event and screening took place at the Hong Kong Culture Center, and attended by director Michael Bay, cast members Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Li Bingbing, T. J. Miller, Han Geng and the band IMAGINE DRAGONS, who wrote the original song "Battle Cry" for the film and performed live on the rooftop of Harbour City following the film's screening.

Jack Reynor

“Transformers: Age of Extinction” begins after an epic battle left a great city torn, but with the world saved. As humanity picks up the pieces, a shadowy group reveals itself in an attempt to control the direction of history…while an ancient, powerful new menace sets Earth in its crosshairs.

Nicola Peltz

Li Bing Bing

With help from a new cast of humans (led by Wahlberg), Optimus Prime and the Autobots rise to meet their most fearsome challenge yet. In an incredible adventure, they are swept up in a war of good and evil, ultimately leading to a climactic battle across the world.

Imagine Dragons

Now showing across the Philippines in 3D, 2D, IMAX 3D and 4DX formats, “Transformers: Age of Extinction” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

MARK WAHLBERG REBOOTS “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION”

Academy Award-nominee Mark Wahlberg (“The Fighter”) gets to show off his fatherly protective side in Paramount Pictures' “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” the fourth installment in director Michael Bay's summer blockbuster franchise.

Walhberg plays single dad Cade Yeager who the actor describes as "a very ordinary guy who has to do extraordinary things in the face of danger to protect his family — anyone can relate to that. It's a little more intense, but there are great moments of humor infused."

Fans can expect a lot of boom from the Michael Bay-directed film, which will introduce a new breed of Transformers — ancient aliens that transform into dinobots. "Michael is always pushing boundaries, but here we're creating new boundaries," Wahlberg says. "This is going to be a very cool ride."

“Transformers: Age of Extinction” begins after an epic battle left a great city torn, but with the world saved. As humanity picks up the pieces, a shadowy group reveals itself in an attempt to control the direction of history…while an ancient, powerful new menace sets Earth in its crosshairs.

With help from a new cast of humans (led by Wahlberg), Optimus Prime and the Autobots rise to meet their most fearsome challenge yet. In an incredible adventure, they are swept up in a war of good and evil, ultimately leading to a climactic battle across the world.
“Transformers: Age of Extinction,” the fourth film in director Michael Bay's global blockbuster franchise, stars Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Sophia Myles, Li Bingbing, Titus Welliver and T. J. Miller. Produced By Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Ian Bryce. Based on Hasbro's Transformers Action Figures. Written By Ehren Kruger. Directed By Michael Bay.

Mark Wahlberg earned both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his standout work in the family boxing film “The Fighter“ and Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed drama “The Departed.“ Wahlberg has played diverse characters for visionary filmmakers such as David O. Russell, Tim Burton and Paul Thomas Anderson. His breakout role in “Boogie Nights“ established Wahlberg as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents.

Wahlberg’s remarkable film career began with “Renaissance Man,“ directed by Penny Marshall, and “The Basketball Diaries,“ with Leonardo DiCaprio, followed by a star turn opposite Reese Witherspoon in the thriller “Fear.“ He later headlined “Three Kings“ and “The Perfect Storm,“ with George Clooney, and “The Italian Job,“ with Charlize Theron. Wahlberg then starred in the football biopic “Invincible,“ with Greg Kinnear, and “Shooter,“ based on the best-selling novel Point of Impact. He reunited with “The Yards“ director James Gray and co-star Joaquin Phoenix in “We Own the Night,“ which he also produced. Other projects include “The Lovely Bones,“ “The Other Guys,“ “Contraband“ and “Ted.“ Most recently, he starred in Michael Bay’s “Pain & Gain“ with Dwayne Johnson, “2 Guns“ with Denzel Washington, and “Lone Survivor“ for director Peter Berg.

Opening across the Philippines on June 25 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and 2D cinemas, “Transformers: Age of Extinction” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Michael Bay is back with "Transformers: Age of Extinction" and "Ninja Turtles"

MICHAEL BAY, BACK WITH NEW “TRANSFORMERS,” "NINJA TURTLES" MOVIES

Summer is the season of Michael Bay.

As much as anyone else, Bay — in movies like "Armageddon," ''Pearl Harbor" and "Transformers" — has shaped what the summer movie is: its quick-cutting bombast, its visual-effects flourish, its capacity for mass destruction.

This summer, he'll release "Transformers: Age of Extinction," the fourth film in the franchise, with a revamped cast led by Mark Wahlberg. The 49-year-old Bay, who also produces "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" later in the season, is well acquainted with the scale of the modern blockbuster.

"I've been doing these movies a long time," said Bay in a recent break from the editing suite. "When all is said and done maybe 3,500 people will have worked on this movie. It's one day at a time. You can't panic. My pep talk to everyone is: This is when the pro (expletive) starts and separates the men from the boys."

"Age of Extinction" subs out the sometimes combative Shia LaBeouf with an older, more established action star in Wahlberg. It's planned as the first of a redesigned "Transformers" trilogy.

Bay and Wahlberg first connected on last year's comic crime caper "Pain & Gain," a relatively low-budget project for Bay and one of his most critically acclaimed films.

Wahlberg has already vowed that "Age of Extinction" will be the biggest movie of the year. While optimistic, it's not out of the question. The last "Transformers" film, 2011's "Dark of the Moon," made more than $1.1 billion worldwide.

"It feels fresher with the cast," says Bay. "It's like when you get the new 'Batman' franchises, things get dressed up in a different way. I think the franchise still has a lot more to offer."

The Paramount Pictures release will also have a leg up on the box office in China. "Age of Extinction" is a co-production with two Chinese film companies. A month of shooting took place there, and several Chinese actors were cast through a televised reality show talent search.

Such is the global natural of the big-budget summer movie, a sprawling operation that takes a unique acuity to assemble.

"I don't write notes," says Bay. "I put the movie in my head."

"Transformers: Age of Extinction” opens across the Philippines on June 25, to be followed by “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” on August 13. Both films are distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Oscar-winner Russel Crowe to star in "Noah"

RUSSELL CROWE, MAN WITH A DIVINE MISSION IN “NOAH”

Regarded as one of the finest actors of our time, Oscar-winner Russell Crowe (“Gladiator,” “Man of Steel”) is often sought after to bring an earthy humanity to towering characters. When the filmmakers began talking about who could carry the story of Paramount Pictures' new searing epic “Noah,” his name quickly came to the forefront.

But playing Noah would be an extreme undertaking even by his standards – in part because Noah has never before been seen on screen as a real man trying to stand up under the most enormous burden in human history: to assure the survival of all living things.

Says director Darren Aronofsky, “Russell intrigued us because he is always authentic, and so very, very believable. No matter what, you never question if Russell believes in what he's saying. And of course the possibility of working with someone with that much talent, that much power, was very exciting for me -- just to see what we could create together.”

Screenwriter Ari Handel was gratified to have an actor who could step right into the outsized contours of the role. “We really needed someone in the great tradition of biblical epics who has that gravitas,” he says. “Russell is someone you believe could follow through on the most Herculean, impossible task without complaint. You never doubt his capability or his strength, but in his eyes, you see an underlying compassion.”

To help recruit him, Aronofsky made Crowe a promise: he would never be shot in the hoary cliché with a pair of giraffes behind his head. But once he began his research, Crowe found that trying to get inside Noah from a modern perspective was endlessly fascinating. “You start with all these preconceived notions about Noah, but when you start to break down what the world might have been like in his time, it’s very intriguing,” he says.

The biggest challenge for Crowe was coming to terms with how a man would grapple emotionally and morally with such an urgent but still hazy vision of disaster from the Creator. “Noah only starts to understand the task he faces as a sort of deduction because he’s not getting a lot of direct input,” Crowe explains. “What he understands is that he needs to look after all the animals, but he doesn't have any information at all about how he is to address the human question, so a lot is left for him to figure out. One of the cool things about him is that I don’t think he finds there’s any honor in this job. In fact, he sees it as the worst job he could possibly get from the Creator. But he will do everything in his power to finish it.”

Working with Aronofsky was a major lure for Crowe throughout. “I felt that we never finished a day without something really cool being captured,” says the actor. “He’s intense because he wants to get a lot done, but that's great because you know he's always looking for something. And here's the other thing: he never stops directing. Even in the longest, coldest, toughest night, he never stops talking about that thing that you're pushing towards, which I suppose explains exactly why he makes the type of movies that he does. He's always taking people into places and experiences that are not average or typical. And hopefully that’s what this movie does as well.”

Inspired by the epic story of courage, sacrifice and hope, Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan”) brings to the screen his personal vision of “Noah.” Russell Crowe portrays the man chosen to undertake a momentous mission of rescue before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world. The film offers a mesmerizing visual adventure through everlasting themes of good and evil, destruction and mercy, hope, family and second chances.

The film sets out to imagine the largely unknown life of Noah and his family, inviting audiences into both the spectacle and the heart of their experience as the earth disappears under a colossal deluge that will undo everything … yet lead to a new day for all Creation.
Opening across the Philippines on June 11, “Noah” will be distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.
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RIPD : To Protect and Serve the Living.

Look Sharp, Partner: Costume Design


The dynamic duo of R.I.P.D. Roy Pulsifer (JEFF BRIDGES) and and Nick Walker (RYAN REYNOLDS), brings together two era’s of men in uniform--a deputy of the Wild West, and a modern day police cop.

But dressing up these law enforcers proved to be an enjoyable one for Costume designer Susan Lyall.

Having previously  worked with Schwentke on two of his previous films, Red and Flightplan, Lyall had the task of not only creating the costumes of the film’s contemporary characters but also Royab’s Old West sheriff and a multitude of R.I.P.D. cops—officers from almost every period within the past few centuries.

Considering that whatever era an officer dies in marks the era of clothing he or she wears for eternity, the producers and writers took great pleasure in adding their suggestions to incorporate some iconic cop references into the mix.  

Lyall welcomed the process, which surprisingly invited considerable research.  She states: “Every member of the R.I.P.D. has a visual reference attached to him or her.  Some, audiences will pick out right away [i.e., Serpico, Popeye Doyle and Cagney & Lacey], but the rest of the looks came from real research.

“It was actually liberating because it didn’t have to be Boston-police specific,” she adds.  “We could choose a police uniform from any state or decade.  We had to create a universe and create rules of R.I.P.D., just in order to function for ourselves.  They’re not rules that are necessarily apparent to the audience, but the rules existed for us to limit our universe and find a way to kind of make sense of what was a very open concept.”

While Nick would remain dressed in 2013-appropriate Boston Police Department gear, Roy was a bit trickier.  For the grizzled cop, Lyall brought in hints of rock-and-roll imagery—from the wraparound sunglasses to the cut of his vest and long sheriff’s duster.  The rogue sensibility offers a visual link to the graphic novel’s aesthetic as well as indicates that Roy is the longest-serving officer there (to Proctor’s alternate annoyance/enjoyment).  Indeed, his multiple infractions during his tour of duty just keeps extending his time with the R.I.P.D.

The Rest In Peace Department is tasked to protect and serve the living from an increasingly destructive array of creatures who refuse to move peacefully into the afterlife.

Veteran sheriff (Bridges) has spent his career with the legendary police force known as R.I.P.D. tracking monstrous souls disguised among the living as ordinary people.  His mission?  To arrest and bring to justice a special brand of outlaws trying to escape final judgment by hiding among the unsuspecting on Earth.

Once the wise-cracking Roy is assigned former rising-star detective Nick Walker (Reynolds) as his junior officer, the new partners have to turn grudging respect into top-notch teamwork.  When they uncover a plot that could end life as we know it, two of the R.I.P.D.’s finest must restore the cosmic balance...or watch as the tunnel to the afterlife begins sending angry spirits the very wrong way.

Starring alongside Bridges and Reynolds in R.I.P.D. are KEVIN BACON (X-Men: First Class) as Bobby Hayes, Nick’s partner before he’s taken out in the line of duty; MARY-LOUISE PARKER (television’s Weeds) as Proctor, Nick and Roy’s tough-as-nails bureau chief in the R.I.P.D.; and STEPHANIE SZOSTAK (Iron Man 3) as Julia, Nick’s widow who must find out the reason behind his untimely departure before she is forced to play an unwelcome role in the world’s end.

“RIPD” opens August 21, 2013 in theaters nationwide is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corporation