THE MEG Opens Wide And Takes Huge $44.5m Bite From Weekend Box Office!

Of course it opened huge - Jason Statham is no slouch! Ok, the megalodon has something to do with it too.

THE MEG opened this past weekend to the tune of $44.5 million with the overseas markets yet to come on stream. That's an impressive debut. Rottentomatoes.com critics has the movie at a 49% rotten rating while audiences gave it a 61%. Personally I liked it. I still haven't seen it in 3D yet (*GASP* I know right?!), but I will in the coming week or so. I had to catch the flat version as it was the only screening at the time and I was on a tight schedule. I'm really looking forward to seeing some of those action scenes in 3D because I think they nailed it. Some excellent editing really brings the Meg into your lap - even in 2D.

China played a large part in the making of the movie (very evident from the credits and content) and should open amazingly well in that country. Seriously. AMAZINGLY well. And that's a good thing for Warner Bros. - THE MEG cost $130m to make.

I think Shark Week on the Discovery Channel helped the cause - they even had a show entitled "Megalodon: Fact vs. Fiction" to help feed the frenzy.

You know, we should look into using old dino-DNA to bring back Meg. I mean, what could go wrong?

THE MEG is now playing.

James Wan's AQUAMAN Won't Feature Any Other DCU Characters

Jason Mamoa doesn't need any help! Are you kidding me? C'mon. And director James Wan agrees. Usually these days, superhero movies will bring in a supporting cast to borrow their star power for the movie obviously, but also to build excitement for the universe and any ensemble movies - like JUSTICE LEAGUE.

But AQUAMAN will face Black Manta and King Orm without Batman, Superman, et al.

Says Wan: "I wanted to keep the story to the world of AQUAMAN and not have to worry about what other characters are doing in their films and how that would affect us. I just thought the simplest way was to keep it clean — keep it simple and let it be an AQUAMAN story."

He continues: "I told them I understand and respect that it’s part of a bigger universe but at the end of the day I have to tell the story I want to tell, and I want to develop the character as well. It was something the studio was respectful about… in my movie he starts off one way and becomes very different by the end. It’s a classic hero’s journey. I equate our story to The Sword and the Stone, it’s a very Arthurian story about a journey to becoming king."

Perfect! This is a pure James Wan movie. Exactly what I was hoping for - bring it!

Of course, post credit scenes weren't discussed. Sooooo... there's that. Potentially there will be some JUSTICE LEAGUE influence after all.

Here's the movie's storyline:
From Warner Bros. Pictures and director James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, AQUAMAN starring Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime—one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be... a king.

The film also stars Amber Heard ("Justice League," "Magic Mike XXL") as Mera, a firece warrior and Aquaman's ally throughout his journey; Oscarnominee Willem Dafoe ("Platoon," "Spider-Man 2") as Vulko, council to the Atlantean throne; Patrick Wilson ("The Conjuring" films, "Watchmen") as Orm/Ocean Master, the present King of Atlantis; Dolph Lundgren ("The Expendables" films) as Nereus, King of the Atlantean tribe Xebel; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (upcoming "Baywatch," "Netflix's The Get Down") as the vengeful Black Manta; and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman ("The Hours" "Lion") as Arthrur's mom, Atlanna; as well as Ludi Lin ("Power Rangers") as Captain Murk, Atlantean Commando; and Temuera Morrison ("Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones," "Green Lantern") as Arthur's dad, Tom Curry.

Wan directs from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick ("The Conjuring 2") and Will Beall ("Gangstar Squad," TV's "Training Day"), story by Geoff Johns and James Wan and Will Beal, based on characters from DC, Aquaman created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisnger. the film is produced by Peter Safran and Rob Cowan, with Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns and Walter Hamada serving as executive producers.

Wan's team behind the scenes includes such frequent collaborators as Oscar-nominated director of photography Don Burgess ("The Conjuring 2," "Forrest Gump"), his five-time editor Kirk Morri ("The Conjuring" films, "Furious 7," the "Insidious" films), and production designer Bill Brzeski ("Furious 7"). They are joined by costume designer Kym Barrett ("The Matrix" trilogy, "The Amazing Spider-Man") and composer Rupert Gregson-Williams ("Wonder Woman").

www.Facebook.com/AquamanMovie
www.Twitter.com/AquamanMovie
www.Instagram.com/AquamanMovie
www.AquamanMovie.com

If you haven't seen the trailer yet - have a look! Currently at 37 million views:



AQUAMAN opens in theaters on December 21 in IMAX 3D, 3D and flat.

Source: EW

Is MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT The Best Movie Of The Summer? YES!

Wow. I saw MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT last Friday and it was amazing! The action is impeccably done and the movie is peppered with it. With Tom Cruise front and center performing his stunts! FALLOUT has already secured the franchise record for opening weekend box office with $61m ($156m worldwide). It should be well over $200m domestically for the run.

Rotten Tomatoes still has the movie pegged at 97% fresh!

For me, when Ethan Hunt has a love interest involved in the story, everything is amped up a bit more. Definitely applies here. FALLOUT delivers. The stakes are extremely high and I'm caring about the characters.

The 3D conversion was also impeccably done, led by a friend of mine, Corey Turner over at Paramount. The depth was dialed up when it was needed with some very cool tracking shots close to the ground that showed me this movie is nailing it. And the aerial 3D shots? Hold your breath! Plenty of time for the eyes to rest too. Congrats Corey! Next up for Corey is BUMBLEBEE, slated for a December 21 release.

As usual, awesome credits and musical score. Look, if you enjoy spy movies, plots where YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION, characters to care about and technically proficient delivery, go see MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT.

It's the summer's best movie. Seriously.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT is now playing.

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM Opens WIDE! 3D Recommended. No Spoilers!

I saw JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM last night in AVX 3D and had a great time. Definitely a popcorn movie and certainly with horror elements to it, which any dinosaur movie worth any measure should be. I will say that I KNOW there will be some who hate the movie (50% Tomatometer) for reasons I can't into right now without spoilers - but I, for one, love popcorn movies sometimes.

JWFK made $15.3m in Thursday preview showings and is expected to take a $140m bite oout of the box office this weekend. It has already made $450m overseas where it has already opened.

The 3D is good and certainly did not detract from the movie whatsoever. The production is a 3D conversion meaning it was shot with conventional 2D cameras and converted in post. The depth added immersion for me and I actually jumped a bit during one shot - which is rare for me. You'll love it!

Director J.A. Bayona pays significant homage to Steven Spielberg's original with this outing and loved every second of those scenes. You'll know it when you see them :-)

There are a couple of mindblowing twists in this movie toward the end so be prepared for shocks.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Three years after the destruction of the Jurassic World theme park, Owen Grady, and Claire Dearing return to the island of Isla Nublar to save the remaining dinosaurs from a volcano that's about to erupt. They soon encounter terrifying new breeds of gigantic dinosaurs, while uncovering a conspiracy that threatens the entire planet.

Cast:
Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, B.D. Wong, Geraldine Chaplin, Jeff Goldblum, Robert Emms, Peter Jason, John Schwab, Sam Redford, Charlie Rawes, Patrick Crowley, Ronan Summers, Daryl Kwan, Eric Kofi Abrefa, Ben Peel, Mark Griffin, Gil Kolirin

Directors:
J.A. Bayona

Producers:
Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley, Belén Atienza, Thomas Hayslip, Colin Trevorrow, Steven Spielberg

Writers:
Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Michael Crichton

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM is now playing.

Awesome News: CAPTAIN MARVEL To Be Scored By Female Composer Pinar Toprak - A First!

I'm really excited to hear about this news, and CAPTAIN MARVEL is shaping up to be another must-see (and hear) event from Marvel. Ever since I saw CM's logo come up in AVENGERS INFINITY WAR I've been curious about their next move. This DOESN'T disappoint.

Pinar Toprak (KRYPTON) will be the first female composer to score a major comic book movie after signing on with Marvel's tentpole, CAPTAIN MARVEL, who is also being headlined by Brie Larson.

Says Toprak: "It’s an incredible honor to be a part of the Marvel Universe…. I have so many people to thank for helping me on this journey but first and foremost, my incredible agents Laura Engel and Richard Kraft for believing in me from day one."

CAPTAIN MARVEL is slated for a March 2019 release. I'll have more as it happens!

Source: Variety
Photo Credit: Ray Costa via Variety

MUST WATCH: Official Trailer for Marvel's INFINITY WAR

Wow. So the big question is who dies in this thing. There are a few hints dropped in this trailer but actually I'm not convinced that anyone dies in the first of these two Infinity Wars movies. I think that will certainly happen in the second though. We'll see.

Loving the interaction between the Guardians and Tony Stark! That's perfect Peter Quill if you ask me. With all these characters butting heads in this thing, who are you most looking forward to seeing interacting?

So check out this trailer! After all these years it all comes down to this. Seriously, Marvel already has an amazing stable of outstanding movies - well written and played out. They have had all this time to nail down exactly what needs to happen and to add the meat to the bones - this is all the marbles. These movies are going to blow us away I'm sure!

Marvel's AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR opens on April 27.

THOR: RAGNAROK Is Hilariously Well Done... Except For The 3D

Well as they say, I have good news and bad news. The good news is THOR: RAGNAROK is absolutely hilarious and I love what they've done to bring in those laughs. No spoilers in this review by the way. 

There were some very imaginative jokes and gags in the movie - and I simply loved Jeff Goldblum in this!! Perfectly cast if you ask me.

HOWEVER (and it's in all caps) the bad news is the 3D conversion is quite poor at times, frankly. Mind you, the digital visual effects are all superb in 3D as they are rendered natively in 3D - but of course they don't rely upon post-conversion. But the converted optics? *Sigh* Put it to you this way, in the scene with Odin on the cliff fields, the grass is so lazily or cheaply converted that there are clumps of flat grass mixed in with the usual dimensional depth of the location. It was HORRIBLE. It was so bad that it took me out of the movie. These are errors that anybody can see and complain about, not more mundane aspects that I can pick out, or an stereographer.

Marvel, Disney and Stereo D / Legend 3D know better (they both contributed to post conversion). I don't know which conversion company looked after that one particular scene, but something is amiss here. Usually Stereo D / Legend 3D do an outstanding job with post conversion, but something happened - whether they ran out of time or budget. The grass issue was glaring, but there were other issues too, like miniaturization (Hulk in the arena from bird's eye view looked... puny). Ugh.

So, I find it hard to believe Marvel would skimp on budget for a movie they know will rack in the cash. I also find it hard to believe that Stereo D or Legend 3D would sacrifice quality either. So the only real thing left is that everyone just ran out of time. I can't explain it any other way. There mustn't have been enough time to complete all the conversion shots, and some things had to be compromised to hit the release.

If someone knows anything more on what happened, please let me know. This sort of thing doesn't belong in modern 3D movie making. Poor conversions belong with CLASH OF THE TITANS and certainly not with a new Marvel or Disney production. Clean this up.

Final verdict? GO SEE IT!! The movie itself was brilliantly done and one of the funniest Marvel movies ever made. If you can stand the glaring 3D errors (nothing headache inducing mind you!), then I still recommend a 3D screening because of the outstanding VFX shots.
 

MUST WATCH: Final Trailer For Luc Besson's VALERIAN

Wow, this is looking spectacular! We all know what Luc Besson is capable of and so expectations are high for VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS - the kicker is, it looks like the expectations are solid with this final trailer.

I just hope the movie delivers an amazing story to justify all the sights and sounds. Seriously, it looks amazing. Valerian stars Cara Delevingne, Dane DeHaan, Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke, Rihanna and Mathieu Kassovits.

See it in RealD 3D.

Here's the movie's storyline:
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS is the visually spectacular new adventure film from Luc Besson, the legendary director of Leon, The Fifth Element and Lucy, based on the ground-breaking comic book series which inspired a generation of artists, writers and filmmakers.

In the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alpha—an ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and cultures with each other. There is a mystery at the center of Alpha, a dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS opens on July 21 in North America.

First JUSTICE LEAGUE Trailer Drops!

I'm in Vegas in advance of Cinemacon next week and I'm excited about what's happening here on other fronts. I should be in a position to talk about something soon. Cryptic I know!

Meanwhile, the first trailer for JUSTICE LEAGUE is finally here and while the action and visuals look amazing, and seeing all those characters on the screen together is fascinating, I'm left with worry that there is no story and character development, including the villain.

I'm most intrigued with Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and the fun they can have with The Flash. Also thinking about when Superman makes his appearance in the movie.

However, my instincts tell me that JUSTICE LEAGUE may not deliver that ensemble movie we've been waiting for since Marvel's THE AVENGERS. Whedon pulled off an amazing feat of weaving characters, plot, development and at the same time feeding a franchise toward the Infinity War. While I don't want a photocopy, I hope they can deliver here with these beloved characters.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

JUSTICE LEAGUE is slated for a November release.

MUST WATCH: Final Trailer For KONG: SKULL ISLAND

I have a soft spot for this magnificent creature ever since seeing KING KONG as my first theatrical movie experience in 1976 (I did see WESTWORLD at the drive-in at a younger age). I was thoroughly thrilled and I truly hope there are some out there that are making KONG: SKULL ISLAND their first cinema experience too. I was hooked on movies ever since. Kong makes an impression, let me tell you.

And the tradition continues. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures is going all out with this production and their final trailer for KONG: SKULL ISLAND is no exception. Honestly, I didn't want to visually spoil more of the movie for myself but what it did really, was amplify my need to see this on the biggest 3D screen possible! You've got to see this in all its glory. Prime Focus is the 3D conversion company of record.

Here's the movie's storyline:
When a scientific expedition to an uncharted island awakens titanic forces of nature, a mission of discovery becomes an explosive war between monster and man. Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly star in a thrilling and original new adventure that reveals the untold story of how Kong became King.

Interact:
http://kongskullislandmovie.com
https://www.facebook.com/KongSkullIsland
https://twitter.com/KongSkullIsland
http://instagram.com/KongSkullIslandMovie

KONG: SKULL ISLAND opens on March 10. My ticket is already acquired :-)

Fantastic Week At The Advanced Imaging Society and VR Society Lumiere Awards!

Dignitaries on the red carpet, including Jim Chabin, Ed Bedley Jr., Ivan Reitman, Jon Favreau and Roy Taylor

The Advanced Imaging Society and VR Society held their 8th annual Lumiere awards last week and year after year they always seem to one up the previous! This year was no exception at the completely filled venue at the Stephen J. Ross Theater on the Warner Bros. Studios' backlot.

I was blown away by the VR (virtual reality) demonstrations that were set up for attendees to try. Simply amazing content and we've only just begun in the space! Trust me, if you haven't seen some of these cinematic VR experiences - do it. And the Google Tilt Brush was the icing on the cake. Again - you have to experience VR to appreciate it. No amount of hype or traditional media will probably prepare you for it. You just have to try it!

Native 3D Wizards Ben Gervais and Demetri Portelli

On the Advanced Imaging Side of things, I have to make special mention of Ang Lee's BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK. The native 3D team of Demetri Portelli and Ben Gervais continues to lead the world by example with their superlative work in native 3D (shot optically - not converted in post). It is a technological first for cinema with its first ever use of combined 3D, 4K, 120fps framerate, but more importantly - it works. Another masterpiece for Ang Lee. A Lumiere well earned for Demetri and Ben!

Further, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the stellar 3D conversion and visual effects in Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGE. You know what I mean don't you? That astral plane projection scene - or the folding city scenes? Jaw dropping! Congratulations to Marvel Studios on your Lumiere.

I'm proud to be a recipient of Lumiere for last year's 40 BELOW AND FALLING (with an amazing crew and team) and honored to vote for this year's group of hopefuls. Let's take a look at the category nominees and winners:

3D Feature – Live Action
Assassin’s Creed – 20th Century Fox
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
WINNER: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios
Doctor Strange – Marvel Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
Rogue One – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek Beyond – Paramount Pictures
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.

Stereography – Live Action
Assassin’s Creed – 20th Century Fox
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios
WINNER: Doctor Strange – Marvel Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
Rogue One – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek Beyond – Paramount Pictures
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.

Packed house at the 2017 Lumieres - Jon Favreau seated at left; Ed Begley Jr. seated at right (Photo credit unknown)

3D Feature – Animated
Finding Dory – Pixar
Ice Age: Collision Course – 20th Century Fox
Kubo and the Two Strings – Focus Features
Kung Fu Panda 3 – DreamWorks Animation
Moana – Walt Disney Studios
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter – Sony Pictures
Sing – Universal Pictures
Storks – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount
The Angry Birds Movie – Sony Pictures
The Great Wall – Universal Pictures
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.
The Secret Life of Pets – Universal Pictures
Trolls – DreamWorks Animation
WINNER: Zootopia – Walt Disney Studios

Stereography – Animated
Finding Dory – Pixar
Ice Age: Collision Course – 20th Century Fox
WINNER: Kubo and the Two Strings – Focus Features
Kung Fu Panda 3 – DreamWorks Animation
Moana – Walt Disney Studios
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter – Sony Pictures
Sing – Universal Pictures
Storks – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The Angry Birds Movie – Sony Pictures
The Great Wall – Universal Pictures
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.
The Secret Life of Pets – Universal Pictures
Trolls – DreamWorks Animation
Zootopia – Walt Disney Studios

Outstanding Use of 2D to 3D Conversion
Assassin’s Creed – 20th Century Fox
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios
Doctor Strange – Marvel Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
WINNER: Rogue One – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek Beyond – Paramount Pictures
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.

3D Short
Panda Paws – DreamWorks Animation
Piper – Pixar
The Early Hatchling Gets the Worm – Rovio Entertainment
WINNER: Inner Workings – Walt Disney Animation Studios

High Dynamic Range – Live Action
10 Cloverfield Lane – Paramount Pictures
13 Hours – The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi – Paramount Pictures
Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass – Walt Disney Pictures
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios & Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Deadpool – 20th Century Fox
Deepwater Horizon – Lionsgate
Doctor Strange – Walt Disney Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
For A Few Bullets – Wanda Pictures
Force 2 – Viacom 18
Hardcore Henry – STX
Independence Day: Resurgence – 20th Century Fox
Inferno – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back – Paramount
L.O.R.D (Legend of Ravaging Dynasties) – LeVision
La La Land – Lionsgate
WINNER: Live By Night – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
Now You see Me 2 – Lionsgate
Pete’s Dragon – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek 3: Beyond – Paramount
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Divergent Series: Allegiant PT.1 – Lionsgate
The Jungle Book – Walt Disney Pictures
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.
Warcraft – Legendary Pictures & Universal Pictures
X-Men Apocalypse – 20th Century Fox

High Dynamic Range – Animated
WINNER: Finding Dory – Walt Disney Studios
Ice Age Collision Course – 20th Century Fox
Kubo and the Two Strings – Universal Studios
Moana – Walt Disney Studios
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of The Shadows – Paramount
Zootopia – Walt Disney Studios

Virtual Reality Categories

VR – Gaming
A Chair in the Room: Greenwater – Wolf & Wood
Accounting – Squanchtendo with Crows Crows Crows
Batman: Arkham VR – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Battlezone – Rebellion Developments
Chronos – Gunfire Games
Eve: Valkyrie – CCP Games
WINNER: Job Simulator – Owlchemy Labs
Raw Data – Survios
Space Pirate Trainer – I-Illusions
Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One X-Wing VR Mission – DICE & Criterion Games
The Gallery – Episode 1 Call of the Starseed – Cloudhead Games
The Lab – Valve Corporation

VR – Film Experience
Fantastic Beasts – Warner Bros., Google, Framestore VR Studio
WINNER: Ghostbusters VR Experience – Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Void
Star Wars: Trial on Tatooine – ILMxLAB
Suicide Squad: Special Ops VR – Warner Bros., Mob Scene & Atlas Entertainment, MPC VR & Legend 3D
The Jungle Book – Through Mowgli’s Eyes Part 1: Trust in Me – Walt Disney Studios & Tangerine Apps
The Martian VR Experience – 20th Century Fox, Fox Innovation Lab, RSA Films, The Virtual Reality Company

VR – Animation & CGI
Allumette – Penrose Studios
Apollo 11 VR Experience – Immersive VR Education
WINNER: Dear Angelica – Oculus Story Studio
Gnomes and Goblins – Jon Favreau, Wevr, Reality One
Grace – MacInnes Scott
Home: A VR Spacewalk – BBC & REWIND
Pearl – Google Spotlight Series
The Night Cafe: A VR Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh – Borrowed Light Studios
The Starry Night – Shanghai Media Group
theBlu – Wevr
Volt: Chain City – Vive Studios
Wide Awake President Trump VR Experience – MacInnes Scott

VR – Live Action
A Challenge – Brigantine Films
Cirque du Soleil, KÀ – Felix & Paul Studios
Knives – Adam Cosco
My Brother’s Keeper – PBS Digital Studios
WINNER: Nomads: Sea Gypsies – Felix & Paul Studios
Perspective Ch. 2: The Misdemeanor – Specular Theory & Rose Troche
The Harvest – Chapman University & AMD
The Mule – Dark Corner Studios
Through the Ages: President Obama Celebrates Americas National Parks – Felix & Paul Studios
VR Noir: A Day Before the Night – StartVR

VR – Episodic Content
Gone – Wevr & Skybound
Halcyon – Syfy (produced by Secret Location)
WINNER: Invisible – Doug Liman, 30 Ninjas, Condé Nast Entertainment (CNÉ), Jaunt VR, Samsung

Winner, VR - Documentary: THE CLICK EFFECT

VR – Documentary
A History of Cuban Dance – Lucy Walker
David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef – Atlantic Productions & Alchemy VR
Defying the Nazis VR – LIFE VR
Rhinos on the Move – Discovery VR
WINNER: The Click Effect – Annapurna Pictures & Here Be Dragons
The Edge of Space – KonceptVR

VR – Journalism
Calais: The Jungle – Sky News
Chernobyl 30 Years Later – ABC News VR
Defying the Beast – World Vision & Koncept VR
Great Performers: L.A. Noir – New York Times VR
Out of Exile: Daniel’s Story – Nonny de la Peńa & Emblematic Group
Remembering Pearl Harbor – LIFE VR
Struggle for Survival in the Devastated City of Aleppo – CNN
WINNER: Take Flight – New York Times 
“Toxic Tour” 360 – Oil Exploitation in the Ecuadorian Amazon – Huffington Post RYOT
Valen’s Reef – Vice

VR – Sports
360 Rio 2016 Olympics VR – BBC Sport
Closer (featuring David Beckham) – Sky VR & Sky Sports
Experience the Rio Olympics in Virtual Reality – NBC Olympics & Samsung
WINNER: Follow My Lead: The Story of the 2016 NBA Finals – Oculus & m ss ng p eces
NFL Immersed – Episode 1: Eagles Defensive Line – NFL Immersed & Two Bit Circus
NFL Immersed – Episode 4: Melvin Gordon & the Chargers Game Day Prep – NFL Immersed & Two Bit Circus

VR – Music
WINNER: Joshua Bell VR Experience – Sony PlayStation
Kygo: “Carry Me – The VR Experience” – Sony Music
OneRepublic: “Kids” – MPC Creative
Pentatonix: “Up on the Housetop” – Sony Music
TheWave – TheWaveVR
Waves – Wevr (with Reggie Watts)

VR – Branded
WINNER: 360 VR Tour of the Shinola Factory with Luke Wilson – Reel FX
Absolut Deadmau5 – Absolut
Audi’s VR Car Showroom Experience – Zero Light
Formula E “Leap of Faith” – REWIND
Jack Daniel’s 360 VR Distillery Experience – Jack Daniel’s & The Mill
Jaguar: I-PACE – REWIND (for Imagination & Jaguar Land Rover)
Reimagine, VR Film by Etihad Airways with Nicole Kidman – The Barbarian Group
Stan Lee’s Cosmic Crusaders – The Hollywood Reporter, GBI, POW, Legend VR
The Field Trip to Mars – McCann (for Lockheed Martin) & Framestore
The Nature Conservancy: This is Our Future – MPC Creative

Yours Truly and the amazing Jon Favreau

The 2017 recipient of the annual Harold Lloyd Award for Filmmaking goes to Jon Favreau! And deservedly so. His artful storytelling married to eye opening filmmaking technology has thrilled audiences time and time again. My favorite Favreau film (FavFavFilm?) is definitely CHEF although the original IRON MAN comes very, very close. It was wonderful chatting with him for the first time at the Lumieres!

I want to deeply thank Jim Chabin and his AIS team for their tireless work in pulling off these shows every year. It is an absolute pleasure to attend and cover them! Thank you Jim!!

Looking forward to what 2017 has in store for us in Advanced Imaging and VR! Stay tuned. As MarketSaw enters our 11th year of life, we're going to be making some awesome changes!

I'll leave you now with some poster shots of the cinematic VR content we were able to experience!

Clip: Josh Gad's Interrogation Fail With Daisy Ridley For STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

LOL! Josh Gad is growing on me and this clip he posted to his Instagram account is another feather in his cap.

We are all looking for as much detail as possible for the upcoming STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI and sometimes a few of us might take it a bit too far. Enter Josh Gad.

No, Gad is not involved with the STAR WARS mega movie - he is filming Kenneth Branagh's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS with a certain Daisy Ridley though.

Gad invites Ridley into his trailer for some (I assume playful) interrogation to obtain some details for the movie. He wants to know (and rightly so) if the title is speaking of Rey's character being a Jedi, or if it is solely just Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker, or both. A great question.

Ridley deals with the confrontation with suitable poise. Will she respond? Have a look:

I invited #daisyridley to my trailer under false pretenses. #NotARehearsal #IWantTheTruth #TheLastJedi

A video posted by Josh Gad (@joshgad) on Jan 25, 2017 at 1:46am PST

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is slated for release on December 15. Needless to say, it can't come soon enough!

IT'S HERE!!! First Trailer For GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2

Oh man have I been waiting for this one and it delivers. I won't spoil it, but really it's the characters that I have been wanting to see engage each other again, and engage they do!

What do you think? Are you excited about what James Gunn has in store this time around?

Marvel’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 is directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Tommy Flanagan, Laura Haddock and Kurt Russell. Kevin Feige is producing, and Louis D’Esposito, Jonathan Schwartz, Victoria Alonso, Nik Korda and Stan Lee are the executive producers. The screenplay is by James Gunn.



GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 is coming in May 2017.

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM - Apparently At The Theater! Great Movie!!

I thoroughly enjoyed FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. It has enough Harry Potter DNA within it to give it some gravitas, yet it overflows with new ideas and dogma based on the magic community within North America.

The visual effects are jaw dropping in many scenes and some very imaginative minds were involved in creating them much to my pleasure! Good enough for an 'A' Cinema Score and Certified Fresh too.

If you are one of those movie goers who doesn't enjoy 3D unless it's dialed up a bit then you will enjoy BEASTS. In some areas, I felt it shouldn't be with so much depth, especially fast tracking scenes early on that may make you feel dizzy. But the movie as a whole does accomplish very nice things with 3D. I appreciated the effort. I felt the faces, even close up were superbly done.

BEASTS will apparently need more of those expanding suitcases for all the cash they are bringing in! $30 million on Friday to be exact - so that pegs the weekend at a potential $76m for the new "spinoff". Of course, being in the Potter universe doesn't hurt, does it? Clearly, sequels were set up as well. I am certainly looking forward to them.

And Eddie Redmayne? Superb as Newt Scamander!

Here's the movie's storyline:
The year is 1926 and Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident...were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is playing now in RealD 3D.

MUST WATCH: New WONDER WOMAN Trailer!

It's finally here and it's looking like WONDER WOMAN may be getting the movie she deserves! I'm not sure what to make of the storyline yet as we just don't know the details, but visually the trailer rocks!

Gal Gadot is absolutely stunning in the role as we saw in BvS and the addition of Chris Pine here will pay off I think.

I'm loving the production quality, the attention to detail and of course, WW's Bracelets of Submission which, as you can see, easily deflect oncoming bullets.

Enjoy!



WONDER WOMAN is slated for release June 2, 2017. Stay tuned for more!

TERMINATOR 2 Finally Getting That James Cameron 3D Conversion?

Looks like it! 2017 Release!! The official TERMINATOR 2 Facebook page posted an awesome new poster for the 3D conversion and because Cameron is involved with it, you know it will be done CORRECTLY. About $6 to 7 million dollars for the effort probably.

Here's what the T2 Facebook posted: "August 29th 1997: The day Skynet first became self aware. August 29th 2016: the day you first saw the brand new poster for Terminator 2 in 3D. Coming to theaters in 2017."

I'm very excited to see this on the big screen. I can think of so many scenes where 3D is just going to amplify the experience so much! More when I get it.

Whoa! Deathstroke Is In JUSTICE LEAGUE?

Interesting piece of news flooding the Internet today after Ben Affleck (Batman) tweeted the following:

https://t.co/0NsNzCtGip

— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) August 29, 2016

Deathstroke? Sure looks like him! Here's how Wikipedia describes him: "Deathstroke (Slade Joseph Wilson) is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. He is a mercenary and assassin who first appeared in The New Teen Titans (vol. 1) #2 (1980). Wizard magazine rated him the 24th greatest villain of all time. Also, in 2009, Deathstroke was ranked as IGN's 32nd greatest comic book villain of all time. Originally the archenemy of the Teen Titans, writers have developed him over the years as an adversary of other heroes in the DC Universe. Parallels have been established between him and Batman, and he has a deep-seated grudge against Green Arrow. The character has been substantially adapted from the comics into multiple forms of media, including several Batman related projects and the Teen Titans animated series. Slade Wilson/Deathstroke later appeared on The CW's live action TV series Arrow, where he is portrayed by Manu Bennett."

If you'd like to read more about Deathstroke - here you go. I'm not including his deeper bio here in case some of you want to discover him (and any studio changes) first in the movie.

We already know that Steppenwolf will be the main villain in JL, so all signs point to Deathstroke being a secondary attraction. Looks interesting and if I do say so myself an awesome adversary for Batman. They both do not have any super powers.

JUSTICE LEAGUE is slated for release on Nov 17, 2017.

Watch: Final Trailer For Justin Lin's STAR TREK BEYOND

I have to admit, even as a self-described Trekkie, that I wasn't overly thrilled with the trailers for STAR TREK BEYOND thus far. I didn't really see anything overly compelling that built anticipation other then, well, it's Star Trek.

But with this final trailer, I'm seeing more character development, emotion and jaw-dropping visual effects and the Rihanna song "Sledgehammer" really adds another dimension. Love it.

Of course, the untimely passing of Anton Yelchin who plays Pavel Chekov in this beloved movie franchise has cast a somber shadow on the release, but one that we will celebrate in his memory.

STAR TREK BEYOND, the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin ("The Fast and the Furious" franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In "Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

STAR TREK BEYOND opens on July 22.

Movie Review - CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR - 9.1 Stars! Spoiler Free!!

I managed to see CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR in Real D at the local Ultra AVX premium large screen format Cineplex last night and I was not disappointed.

If you are a fan of the Marvel universe and especially the Avenger movies then you'll love CW. The humor - oh THE HUMOR is back. There's nothing quite like Marvel's brand of laughter out there and for that reason alone I recommend you go see it.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR is cerebral and comedic just when it needs to be. A beautiful accomplishment!

I won't spoil the movie for you but I will let you know a few things you can expect. The 3D was on par with everything else from Marvel except for just a few lazy areas which I thought should have been tighter - nothing to worry about though, most will miss them. The 3D conversion was done by StereoD as lead and Prime Focus as secondary. Also I felt some depth should have been dialed up for some key scenes that were not. Still, a good job. I gave it a ranking of 92%. I definitely wish that Marvel had gone with native 3D (DC for that matter - would have been a great differentiator), but it's too late to continue complaining I suppose.

Visual effects were jaw dropping of course including some new technology that was used for some up close scenes - you'll know when you see it. I can't comment on it or it will spoil the surprise!

I thought the visual effects, directing and score were the best accomplished tactical aspects of the movie, but really for me the comedy was gold. Again.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Captain America movies are generally more cerebral than the others in the universe and you can really isolate that juxtaposition when you see the other heroes mixed in and working together. Take Ant-Man for example - you'll know what I'm talking about when you see them together.

Yes, I missed the other Avengers that weren't included in the movie, but just seeing Spider-Man on the same screen is AMAZING.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.

Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Emily VanCamp, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd and Frank Grillo, with William Hurt and Daniel Brühl.

Anthony and Joe Russo are directing with Kevin Feige producing. Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Patricia Whitcher, Nate Moore and Stan Lee are the executive producers. The screenplay is by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Get ready to pick a side and join the nonstop action playing out on two fronts when Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” opens in U.S. and Canadian theaters on May 6, 2016.

Go see this as soon as possible because if you're like me you're going to want to see it again very, very soon! Oh and I saw the trailer for DOCTOR STRANGE in 3D pre-rolling before CW - and WOW. Can't wait for that one! Cumberbatch looks perfect in the role.

Movie Review - STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS - 9.4 Stars! Spoiler Free!!

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OK it's time! I've only seen STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (SWTFA) once, but it was in IMAX 3D so it was a premium theater and the brightness of the projection was ample and the sound was magnificent.

First off, if you haven't seen the original three movies (Ep. IV, V and VI) I think you should do so before seeing VII. Secondly if you haven't already seen those movies - what are you thinking? :-) SWTFA can certainly stand on it's own, but much of the past 'soap opera' fill in the blanks are missing.

So let me tell you right from the get-go, JJ Abrams knocked this thing out of the park. I was truly worried he wouldn't capture the spirit of the original movies - the 'je ne c'est quoi' - that makes the original trilogy what it is to millions of fans. But he did it. There are elements in the movie that are certainly "Abrams'esque", and you'll know when you see them, but nothing pulled me out of the movie to think about it.

In many ways, it's the best Star Wars film to date. I don't take those words lightly. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but given what Abrams was able to deliver within the scope of this universe - BRAVO!

I won't talk about specifics because the movie just opened and many haven't been able to see it yet obviously, but I will say this: 

1. The 3D was great. Not perfect (it's a conversion) but I could tell effort was made to produce this movie for 3D from the beginning and that was refreshing. There was only one shot that was jarring and I'll bet it was a Disney executive's call to do it. I don't think a creative would have. Anyway, it was a brief shot and we can discuss in the comments (where spoilers can and do exist!).

2. The score and sound effects were absolutely stellar. Go see it for the audio alone!! Just breathtaking.

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3. JJ Abrams directing has seemingly jumped to the next level here. Truly, an awesome display of blockbuster showmanship and I didn't know he could rise to this level. He certainly has. We're talking close to the caliber of Spielberg, Cameron, Lucas here for SciFi. Yes, he's that good now. And I've had plenty of reservations about him before (STAR TREK in particular).

By the way, there was NO STAR TREK TRAILER pre-rolling last night. I was very disappointed. (Cineplex IMAX in Canada)

4. GO NOW. Go while the truest Star Wars fans are there watching. Nothing, NOTHING beats being the middle of fans like this. The impromptu clapping, laughter, gasps and pointing. It's experiences like this that will keep movie theaters alive in this era.

I'll talk about more in the comments. Again - THE COMMENTS WILL HAVE SPOILERS!! Don't read them unless you want to be clued in on aspects of the movie. You've been warned! Let me know your thoughts on the movie guys!!