EU in the News: The Manila edition of the 15th Cine Europa Film Festival, now an annual fixture at the Shang Cineplex at the Shangrila Plaza, was launched this week by Charge d’affaires Lubomir Frebort of the Delegation of the European Union.
Details:
September 6-16, 2012 at Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City
FREE Admission
Seats are on a first come first served basis
Film ratings may be confirmed at the ticket office
Schedules are subject to change without prior notice
Hollywood’s new means to market a high concept studio sci-fi film is the quasi-viral soft sell. Sometimes they are fake advertisements for fictional companies; other times, they come in the form of an endorsement by a third-party brand to give the viral clip more legitimacy. But the underlying goal is the same: Edutain audiences about the world of the film without ever expressly stating "This Is An Ad For a Potential Blockbuster".
The latest iteration is the first teaser for the M. Night Shyamalan-helmed Will and Jaden Smith sci-fi adventure After Earth, set to be released on June 2013. The film is about a father and son who crash land on Earth 1,000 years after humanity evacuated the increasingly inhospitable planet. Instead of any shots of its two stars, however, the video traces how the crash landing of an extra-terrestrial space craft helped boost human technology, and ultimately lead to the inevitable disintegration of the planet. It also introduces the Raige family, the pioneers of this technology and the descendants of Will and Jaden Smith’s respective characters. Interestingly, the entire timeline is presented as part of, well, a Facebook timeline - though the actual Facebook page for the film has barely developed.
Jackie Chan, the Hong Kong-born Chinese actor, is now retiring from action films. At age 58, Chan announced his retirement at the Cannes Film Festival. His decision is in part due to his age. He feels he's "too old" for the demanding stunts. He said that the upcoming film "Chinese Zodiac" will be his last action flick. "I am not young any more. I am really, really tired," Chan said. He also remarked that he has become turned off by the increasing level of violence in films today. "The world is too violent right now. It's a dilemma -- I love fighting. I like action. but I don't like violence."
Indeed, fans of Chan's work will note that while his films have a tremendous number of impressive stunts, the action is rarely violent for the sake of being violent. Comedy and innocence are usually mixed in. Despite hanging up his kung fu kicks, good news to his supporters is that he's not retiring from acting. Chan said he wants to expand his range and take on more emotionally dramatic work.
"I don't just want to be an action star, I want to be a true actor. I want to get rid of my image. I want the audience to know also I'm not only a comedian. I can act. Day by day, year by year, I'm going to show you the real Jackie Chan." Chan cited Robert De Niro and Clint Eastwood as his role models.
Chan expressed that his new movie "Chinese Zodiac" is one of the most important movies in his entire career. He stars as Asian Hawk, a man who searches the world for 12 bronze symbols from the Chinese zodiac. Chan wrote and directed, as well as kicked butt on screen.
Joss Whedon's superhero epic Marvel's "The Avengers" or "Avengers Assemble" has now joined the ranks of movies that reached the $1 billion worldwide box office record. Aside from tying with "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2" and James Cameron's "Avatar", "The Avengers" further adds to its impressive resume an explosive growth for it has just been playing in cinemas for 10 of those days. On the other hand, the Tim Burton-Johnny Depp horror comedy "Dark Shadows" only earned disappointing gross numbers since it debuted last week. Although part of its faults can be credited to the competition provided by Marvel's "The Avengers". Plot-wise, the film was criticized by early viewers, not to mention that there was almost no marketing done by Warner Bros. for it. Rounding up the top three is Tim Story's comedy "Think Like A Man", according to sources at Box Office Mojo (10 to 13 May).
Similarly in most countries in Asia, "The Avengers" is still in top spot last weekend, with "Dark Shadows" placing second. Not many viewers over here know that "Dark Shadows" is based on the 1966/1971 gothic horror soap opera of the same name about a wealthy playboy named Barnabas Collins who was cursed to turn into a vampire when he evokes the ire of the witch, Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green).
