BAYMAX TAKES SPOTLIGHT IN “BIG HERO 6”

In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Big Hero 6,” a plus-sized inflatable robot named Baymax makes a difference in the life of teen prodigy Hiro Hamada.

Baymax cares. That’s what he was designed to do. The vinyl robot’s job title is technically Personal Healthcare Companion: With a simple scan, Baymax can detect vital stats, and, given a patient’s level of pain, can treat nearly any ailment. Conceived and built by Tadashi Hamada – Hiro’s older brother -- Baymax just might revolutionize the healthcare industry.

“We pick up the story right after Hiro’s loss, and that’s a really hard place to find your main character,” says co-director Chris Williams, who worked on the scene in which Hiro discovers Baymax. “I love characters like Baymax who are newborns—seeing the world in a fresh new way. Then we can all see the world again through their eyes. A character like Baymax is so naïve, so pure, so simple and good. And I loved the comedic potential of having that very quality be exasperating for Hiro.”

Baymax is not equipped with a mouth, so animators had to get creative with the huggable robot. “It’s called ‘un-imating,’” says Mark Henn, lead 2D animator. “It’s a term coined because animators tend to put too much in. Less is best for Baymax. It really did become an exercise in capturing a very quick and easily-read pose. And if he had dialogue, it was all about timing—how much to move his head or when he should blink.”

“We might posture him up a little to show pride,” says head of animation, Zach Parrish. “A head tilt or double eye-blink can mean he’s confused. What’s cool about going that minimal is that it allows the audience to project onto him what they’re feeling, which makes them active participants.”
The look of Baymax informs his character. “Baymax views the world from one perspective—he just wants to help people,” says co-director Don Hall. “He sees Hiro as his patient. At first, Baymax thinks Hiro is going through puberty, and he wants to help him with that. But then he realizes that Hiro’s dealing with the loss of his brother and his mission is to heal his broken heart.”
Not only did Hall like the idea of a soft non-threatening robot, he liked what it could become. “A big part of this movie is that Hiro turns this compassionate nurse robot into a meched-out warrior with some dangerous consequences at stake.”

To Hiro, the nurturing, guileless bot turns out to be more than what he was built for—he’s a hero, and quite possibly Hiro’s closest friend. And after some deft reprogramming that includes a rocket fist, super strength and rocket thrusters that allow him to fly, Baymax becomes one of the “Big Hero 6.”
Scott Adsit was called on to provide the voice of Baymax. “The fact that the character is a robot limits how you can emote,” says producer Roy Conli. “But Scott was hilarious. He took those boundaries and was able to shape the language in a way that makes you feel Baymax’s emotion and sense of humor. Scott was able to relay just how much Baymax cares.”

“Everything Baymax says is essentially programmed because he’s a robot,” says Adsit. “But over time, as he builds a relationship with Hiro, he adapts and deep inside his inflatable self is a soul, I think. He starts out almost like a child—with a waddle and an innocent look—and grows, embodying different aspects of the relationships in our lives: he’s a son, a brother, and eventually a father. So Baymax is family.”

Opening across the Philippines on Nov. 06, “Big Hero 6” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

“MALEFICENT” ENCHANTED THE BOX OFFICE WITH P179.9-M GROSS IN 5 DAYS!

Disney's “Maleficent” bewitched the Philippine box office well beyond expectations for a No.1 finish, taking in an enchanted P179.9-million in five days nationwide for the May 28 to June 1 weekend. This according to the local office of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, the film's distributor.

That opening gross is the year's second-biggest, bested only by last April's “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (P251-M) but higher than “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (P175-M) which bowed last week.

Powered by positive word-of-mouth from audiences, “Maleficent” opened tremendously huge that it already surpassed the lifetime revenues of Disney's biggest non-Marvel titles, namely “Prince of Persia” (P156-M), “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End” (P155-M) and “Alice in Wonderland” (P140-M).

The “Sleeping Beauty” companion film also shattered the record for Biggest Opening Weekend for an Angelina Jolie Live-Action Movie Ever, likewise smashing the lifetime grosses of “Salt” (P131-M), “Wanted” (P95-M) and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” (P83-M).

Overseas, “Maleficent” also reigned over the weekend box office, debuting to a magical $70 million domestically (U.S.) and $100.6 million internationally.

The film's stateside figure ranks as a record domestic debut for Jolie, edging out “Kung Fu Panda” ($60.2-M), “Wanted” ($50.9-M) and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” ($50.3-M).
Back in the Philippines, the fairytale-based adventure reeled off in 264 screens (including 8 IMAX) in 122 locations. SM North EDSA garnered the largest share of box-office receipts with P8.41-M, followed closely by SM Mall of Asia (P8.29-M), SM Megamall (P8.06-M), SM Cebu (P7.09-M) and Trinoma (P6.19-M.)

Impressive grosses were also posted by Glorietta 4 (P4.74-M), Ayala Cebu (P4.07-M), Bonifacio High Street (P4.03-M), SM Aura (P3.47-M) and Alabang Town Center (P3.39-M).
Rounding up the Top 20 cinemas are Newport City (P3.33-M), Eastwood (P3.05-M), SM Southmall (P2.97-M), Power Plant (P2.96-M), Greenbelt 3 (P2.85-M), Greenhills Promenade (P2.82-M), SM Fairview (P2.57-M), Gateway (P2.56-M), SM Clark (P2.49-M) and Market! Market! (P2.48-M).

“Maleficent”explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty” and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.
The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.

Now playing across the Philippines in 3D, 2D, MAX 3D and 4DX formats, “Maleficent” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.
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Academy Award Winner Stromberg Directs "Maleficent"

OSCAR-WINNER ROBERT STROMBERG DIRECTS “MALEFICENT”

Robert Stromberg, who won Oscars for production design for both “Avatar”and “Alice in Wonderland,” steps up to the plate to direct his first feature film, Disney’s “Maleficent.” About taking on the large-scale project, Stromberg says, “I think as an artist you’re always looking for the biggest canvas you can find and it was yet another big canvas to conquer. I thought it was intriguing and fascinating to take on something that was bigger than something I had already done; it was a challenge.”

Stromberg was excited about taking on directorial duties and creating a vision for the film. He says, “Luckily for me, there are a few big projects in the rearview mirror, so I was actually more excited than nervous about any of this, including working with Angelina Jolie. I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have the opportunity to do a project of this size, so why not take that and make the most beautiful thing that I can make out of it that the world might respond to in a new and exciting way?”

Stromberg feels that “Maleficent” gives audiences “an opportunity to find out the history of Maleficent and find out where she came from and what pushed her to the point where we all know her to be. So we get to not only see her when she was a child, but what she went through that drove her to the dark side.”

Director Stromberg and screenwriter Linda Woolverton were in agreement that they wanted to start off the story seeing Maleficent as a young child. “We actually get close to her right off the bat in the beginning of the film, and then we see how she meets Stefan,” says Stromberg. “Stefan and young Maleficent form a bond together early on in the film and so we get to see how that tragically widens over the film as they split and how they, over time, become enemies.”

With Angelina Jolie cast as Maleficent, Stromberg could not be happier. “Angelina Jolie is obviously perfect for the role,” comments Stromberg. “It’s the perfect marriage of actress and role in my opinion in a long time, and I think that ‘Maleficent’ will take us to a place where the audience will have fun seeing where she came from. There’s a lot of dark and a lot of light and there’s even humor in this film. There’s a little bit of something for everybody.”

Everyone familiar with Disney’s classic “Sleeping Beauty” knows what the animated Maleficent looked like, so getting the look right for the live-action film was important to both Stromberg and Angelina Jolie. “Angelina was really passionate about not only who the character was, but what the character looked like,” says Stromberg. “We worked together to come up with a character that wasn’t that stereotype image but was close enough that people would immediately know her to be Maleficent. We see Maleficent through different stages in her life and several types of looks up to the point where we see her as the iconic image that we all know.”

Stromberg set out to bring his vision and the magic touch of his designs to “Maleficent” and relates how he approached the task, saying, “The other projects that I've done have a certain look to them and what I wanted to do on this film is not only have an element of fantasy and a surreal quality, but also make ‘Maleficent’ a bit more grounded in reality. In my other films, I’ve always taken the surreal elements and made them the strongest points and in ‘Maleficent’ we’ve started with real and are augmenting after the fact. It’s a new look.”

Research for the look of the film involved looking at a lot of reference materials. “In this case, I looked at a lot of classic paintings done by artists in the 17th century and 18th century, like The Hudson River School artists who just went out and painted landscapes that they heightened a bit,” says Stromberg. “So that became interesting to me, to create this classic look that has mostly realism in it and see where we could push that. It’s actually turned out to be something that’s quite elegant and beautiful but yet you get the sense that there’s fantasy involved.”

It was also important to Stromberg as a director to have enough of the elements of the 1959 animated “Sleeping Beauty” so that people will not be disappointed. “It was important that those people who recognize and are fans of the original classic film feel that they can not only see it realized in a new light but also see the genesis of some of those things that they saw in the original film,”explains Stromberg. “So it’s a new spin on Maleficent but at the same time we’ve woven in enough elements that people will immediately recognize it to be from the original film Sleeping Beauty.”

On completing his first directing job, Stromberg remarks, “I personally had a great time working with the actors, just opening up a new door for myself in communication and how that relates to the timing of other things and how art crosses over into the performances. For the first time, I’ve seen all the colors on the palette and that makes me really happy.”

Robert Stromberg hopes “that people who see this film will be not only thoroughly entertained but also feel that they have been immersed in a world and in a story that they wanted to stay in.”
Opening across the Philippines on May 28 in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D, “Maleficent”is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Elle Fanning symbolizes the light and innocent Aurora

ELLE FANNING IS PRINCESS AURORA IN “MALEFICENT”

If Maleficent has long been a symbol of the dark feminine, the character Aurora has always symbolized the light and innocent. In casting the role of the Princess who falls under Maleficent’s spell, the filmmakers of Walt Disney Pictures' “Maleficent” chose one of the most talented actresses of her generation, Elle Fanning.

“Elle is Aurora,” comments Angelina Jolie, who plays the title character. “From the moment I met her, she is just sunshine. She’s a wonderful, sweet, intelligent young woman.”

“Elle is fantastic and I have nothing but the highest respect for her,” adds her director, Robert Stromberg. “She’s not only beautiful but she’s a tremendous actress; she’s going to be doing wonderful things in the future and she’s a pleasure to work with on the set. She just brings a smile to everyone.”

“Maleficent” explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty” and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.

For Fanning, winning this role was a dream come true. “It’s been sort of everything that I dreamed of,” says the young actress. “I think from the moment of putting on her first outfit, getting the hair and everything, it’s been really special to get to play such an iconic character.”

Although most people know Aurora as Sleeping Beauty from Disney’s classic animated film of the same name, Fanning reveals that in “Maleficent” audiences will get to find out more about her. “In our film you get to see her have different emotions and really get the essence of her,” says Fanning. “I love how she’s very free spirited, and since she has been kept away from normal life, she’s very open to things and innocent. But that’s what makes her very likable and charming.”

Fanning approached playing the beloved fairytale character with the feeling that she wanted to do her justice and find her persona. “Before we started filming the movie, I watched the animated movie again, just to see if I could pick up on any little mannerisms that she did while she’s in the forest, and when she brought those little princess elements,” informs Fanning. “I wanted to make her have those elements but also make her a real person, not just an animated character.”

Having the opportunity to work with Angelina Jolie on the film was exciting for the teenager. “It’s really been amazing,” enthuses Fanning. “I remember meeting her for the first time in London. I had never met her before, and she gave me a big hug. She said we were just going to have so much fun together. And we did have a lot of fun. It’s been great.”

Opening across the Philippines on May 28, 2014, “Maleficient” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

The Muppets Most Wanted Makes Beautiful Music

“MUPPETS MOST WANTED” MAKES MUSICAL MAYHEM

The Muppets wouldn’t be the Muppets without the musical mayhem that’s made them fan favorites for almost four decades. With songs by Bret McKenzie, who won an Oscar for the original song “Man or Muppet”in 2011’s “The Muppets,” and a score by Christophe Beck (Disney’s Oscar-winning hit “Frozen”), the soundtrack of “Muppets Most Wanted” features all-star vocalists, including Kermit the Frog, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, Miss Piggy, Josh Groban, Constantine and Celine Dion.

To be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide starting March 19, “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal —and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two (Ricky Gervais).

“The ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ soundtrack is some of the best music by a frog, pig, bear, chickens, penguins and a—uh, whatever—ever recorded,” said Kermit the Frog. “It’s like going on tour with the Muppets, but without the messy cleanup afterwards.”

According to McKenzie, the songs are true to the Muppets’ musical reputation: they’re packed with puns, punch lines and Muppets mayhem. “All of the songs are quite story specific,” he said. “They’re very character driven.

“‘I’m Number One’ is about the bad frog Constantine being the number one criminal and his sidekick Dominic, being number two,” McKenzie continued. “It’s a power struggle, a classic rivalry song in a style that could be performed in a cabaret venue.”

“A lot of the old Muppets songs are like that—show pieces,” adds McKenzie. The soundtrack features a host of show pieces, including the fully orchestrated “We’re Doing a Sequel,” with special appearances by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, along with the whole Muppets gang.

“Something So Right” is a ballad written for Miss Piggy and celebrated performer Celine Dion. “Miss Piggy is wonderful,” said Dion. “She’s so charming and sensitive and filled with passion. She has a big heart and it was wonderful to sing with her.”

“I was magnifique,” added Miss Piggy, “With a little help from moi, I think Celine may have a big future in singing.”

The soundtrack also includes “Interrogation Song,” featuring Ty Burrell, Sam Eagle and the Muppets. It’s what McKenzie calls “a conversation put to music,” and actually started out as dialogue from the film. Additionally, Tina Fey, who plays feisty prison guard Nadya, takes center stage—complete with Russian accent—with the renowned Josh Groban in “The Big House.”

The “Muppets Most Wanted” soundtrack features 20 tracks—including 12 new recordings—plus five bonus tracks. Also featured is a score by Beck, who incorporated styles from around the world in a nod to the international locales the Muppets visit in the film. “This score was incredibly fun to write,” said Beck. “With characters spread across the world, there was opportunity after opportunity to explore many musical styles and settings.”

Beck introduced several character themes—Constantine has a Slavic theme, for example, and Kermit and Miss Piggy are accompanied by a love theme (of course) that is an extension of music from “The Muppets.”An 80-piece orchestra was sprinkled with unique instruments, including a banjo, Spanish guitar and a Russian balalaika. “The real fun was the 20-person Russian male chorus, which is heavily featured,” said Beck.

When it comes to the Muppets, Beck knows that comedy is key, but that doesn’t mean he needed to weave it into the score. His trick to supporting the funnier moments is to “let the comedy play out,” says Beck. “The Muppets exist in the real world in their films, and their hardships and triumphs are no less serious than those the audience experiences every day. The comedy comes from watching these personalities that we all love interact with each other and their surroundings. They don't need ‘funny’ music underneath—they need very serious music that supports the scale of what is happening on screen.”

“Muppets Most Wanted” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Melanie Griffith's Daughter Dakota Johnson Stars for "Need for Speed"

BEFORE “50 SHADES OF GREY,” SEE DAKOTA JOHNSON IN “NEED FOR SPEED”

Scott Waugh, the director of DreamWorks Pictures' new action-adventure “Need for Speed” was looking for someone special for the role of Anita, the girl the film's hero let get away. Waugh found her in Dakota Johnson, the daughter of actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and one of the hottest, new stars in Hollywood, having taken on the coveted role of Anastasia Steele in the upcoming “50 Shades of Grey.”

“Need for Speed” centers around Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), a blue-collar mechanic who races muscle cars on the side in an unsanctioned street-racing circuit. He and Anita have a long history, but he lost her to the big city and arrogant, rich rival, Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper).

Waugh says, “Dakota is the siren we have in this movie. You can’t take your eyes off of her when she’s on screen. You just get totally sucked into her world and she’s incredible.”
Following her motion picture debut in “Crazy in Alabama,” Dakota Johnson went on to give critically acclaimed performances in “The Social Network” and “21 Jump Street,” among others. She will soon be seen in the coveted role of Anastasia Steele in “50 Shades of Grey.”

Johnson says that working with Aaron Paul and Dominic Cooper was a very fulfilling experience. “Aaron is so gifted and so accessible. Dominic is the same. It’s so nice to work with actors who accept what you’re giving them and they give it back to you. It’s so much fun to watch them work.”

“Need for Speed” marks an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and ’70s, when the authenticity of the world brought a new level of intensity to the action on-screen. Tapping into what makes the American myth of the open road so appealing, the story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country journey for our heroes — one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption.
Struggling to keep his family-owned garage afloat, Tobey reluctantly partners with the wealthy, ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster. But just as a major sale to car broker Julia Maddon (Imogen Poots) looks like it will save Tobey's shop, a disastrous race allows Dino to frame Tobey for a crime he didn’t commit, and sending Tobey to prison while Dino expands his business out West.

Two years later, Tobey is released and set on revenge — but he knows his only chance to take down his rival Dino is to defeat him in the high-stakes race known as De Leon — the Super Bowl of underground racing. However to get there in time, Tobey will have to run a high-octane, action-packed gauntlet that includes dodging pursuing cops coast-to-coast as well as contending with a dangerous bounty Dino has put out on his car. With the help of his loyal crew and the surprisingly resourceful Julia, Tobey defies odds at every turn and proves that even in the flashy world of exotic supercars, the underdog can still finish first.
Based on the car racing video game of the same name, “Need for Speed” captures the freedom and excitement of the game, while bringing to life the passion for the road that has made our love of cars so timeless.

Opening across the Philippines on March 12,“Need for Speed” is distributed in the Philippines by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.