Will Animation resurface?

2010 had been an year famous for the animated work we got to see on the big screen. The revenues that animated studios garnered had been mind-boggling with 5 movies featuring in the top 10 highest earning movies in the US released that year. Such was the impact of the animation industry which I duly noted in my post 'The Year for Animation!' (flashback link: http://bucksandcorn.blogspot.com/2010/10/year-for-animation.html). So you would have expected something similar or better to happen in 2011, right? You did, but the industry disappointed. For starters, none of the animated movies crossed the $200 million mark at the US box office, whereas four had achieved this feat in 2010. Two movies that had some good collections in international markets were both sequels, and both failed to achieve the kind of acclaim their predecessors had gathered - Kung Fu Panda & Cars. With Cars 2, Pixar probably noted its first critical failure in a so far immaculate 15-year old movie making history. Towards the end of the year, Puss in Boots, the spin-off from the Shrek series got a somewhat positive response, but it was too little too late. And right at the end came the much awaited flick by Steven Spielberg, The Adventures of Tintin, which I found to be rather refreshing as well as true to a large extent to the spirit of the book series, though it too did not light up the box office as many had expected it to.

So after 2011 dulled the impact that the animation movies of the previous year had created, what would one expect from 2012? I would not blame you if you remained skeptical about it. But the animation studios have a lot of redemption work ahead of them. And no one more so than Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar is hitting the theatres with is first animation flick that has a lady in the leading role, titled Brave releasing in the coveted month of June. The initial trailers are making me forget about Cars 2 and being a loyalist, I am praying that we will have the old Pixar works back again. Two series' are coming back to set things right for animation industry; the trio of Manny, Sid and Diego returning back along with the ever adorable Scrat in the new Ice Age movie called Ice Age: Continental Drift, and another bunch of animals regrouping in the next of the Madagascar series, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. Usually you wonder about the quality of the work when hit movies are packaged and repackaged in form of sequels, but I was not particularly disappointed with the previous movies of these two franchises. In fact Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs had churned a mind boggling number close to $900 million in worldwide revenues. Also, with 2011 making me a bit worried, it would be better to see some familiar faces on the screen again.

What else do we have? For those who have loved the Dr. Seuss books, there is another animation movie releasing in March on one his books titled Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. While the initial rushes are looking good, what is more comforting is that Illumination Entertainment is working on this project and after watching their previous flick, Despicable Me, I am buoyant about the prospects of this studio. Rise of the Guardians is another animation movie that has got me interested with its imaginative storyline that if pulled off well, would be spectacular - "Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost and the Sandman band together to form a united front against the Bogeyman." There is Hugh Jackman as one of the star voices for the project and it has the name of DreamWorks Animation behind it, so hopefully things will turn out for the best. Hotel Transylvania is the last of the anticipated animated movies I can think of. Voices of Adam Sandler and Kevin James, so it is a no-brainer that this one is intended to be a laugh-riot. I hope I have not missed out on any of the big projects due in 2012 (not counting re-releases such as Beauty and the Beast and Finding Nemo). But all said and done, the animation world is irreplaceable for any movie goer; it adds an extra dimension, an extra feature, a different kind of thrill to watching movies. So I do hope that this year, the animation studios will stand up and be counted... and recreate the magic of 2010! Here's to hope... and to the world of animation!

Warrior: Tom Hardy

I just finished watching 2011's Warrior, though I am late by about 4 months. For those of you who watched it on time... well-done; and for those who are yet to see it, do it soon! With meagre earnings of $18 million worldwide, Warrior came and disappeared from the cinema halls in the blink of an eye. But it has garnered about 41,000 votes (and counting) on Imdb so far and features on the Imdb #250 list as of now! Which if one sees the movie, is not really surprising. It is likely to become one of those movies that does not fare well on the box office but later on develops a cult following. While Nick Nolte would no doubt take away many plaudits for his outstanding (and award deserving) characterisation of the estranged father who is valiantly trying to correct all the mistakes of his past life, I was pleasantly introduced to the wonderful performance of Tom Hardy in this movie.

With a decade long track record in the movie industry, Tom Hardy really came in the spotlight with his role as the identity forger, Eames, in the massive hit Inception of 2010. But what has really made him or will make him a household name in the future is his role as the hefty Bane, the new nemesis of Batman in the yet to be released The Dark Knight Rises. And with the responsibility of taking on such a massive role on his shoulders, after all he will be drawing comparisons with Heath Ledger's Joker, I wanted to see how really big those shoulders are. And if Warrior is anything to go by, those shoulders are huge... literally and figuratively. Tom Hardy plays Tommy Conlon, the younger of the two sons left to look after themselves after their dad, played by Nick Nolte, turns out to be a violent non-caring figure. With such a father and having had to bury his mother, Tommy develops a deep loathing in his heart which he tries to fuel through his fights. Tom Hardy has worked on this character so beautifully that you love his arrogance and sympathise with the reason for his rage. While Joel Edgerton as the older brother appears to have more human like emotions, you still root for Tommy in each fight and can feel what is burning inside him. The tattoos on the body, the sharp punches, the stern look, they all come together for a splendid performance! And one of the scenes that takes the cake for me is when he puts his drunk father to bed after having burst out on him the previous night.

Hooked on to his performance now, I looked up on the other roles Tom Hardy would be working on. He is part of the mouth-watering cast in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy; have been looking forward to this flick for quite sometime and really eager to watch it. Tom Hardy would be also appearing in a not-so-serious role in This Means War where he would be competing with Chris Pine for Reese Witherspoon's attention; action comedy flick that seems so-so to me. What has really got me interested is the period flick called Wettest Country to be released in August 2012 which has Tom Hardy along with the likes of Gary Oldman and Shia LaBeouf. A tale about a bootlegging gang in the Depression-era, it has got a premise that has piqued my ears, and hopefully it will not disappoint. By then though, many would have already formed a stronger opinion about Tom Hardy, based on his performance in The Dark Knight Rises, to be released in July 2012. I hope he rises up to the challenges that such a role demands, but the initial signs are definitely promising! We could be hearing about Tom Hardy a lot more in the future...

Trailers Galore - Dark Knight Rises, Hobbit, Wrath of the Titans...

The previous week has seen the release of some of the most awaited Hollywood movies for 2012. These are flicks where every build up is scrutinized till the real deal comes out. So it goes without saying that the directors have to get it right with the trailers as well, to the smallest of details, and set the correct tone for the movie that will follow. These three flicks do exactly that...

The Dark Knight Rises: The problem Christopher Nolan faces here is himself. What he made with the second movie of his Batman trilogy was something so gigantic and memorable that even living up to it, forget exceeding it, remains his greatest challenge. The teaser trailer of The Dark Knight Rises had come out a long time back making it clear that this would be the concluding chapter of Nolan's trilogy. The latest trailer gives us more glimpses as to what to expect. Quite clearly, Nolan is trying to build up his latest villain Bane as the thing to watch out for. The footage in the trailer moves in and out of Bane, showing bits and pieces of his actions and the havoc he is going to create. Nothing much is hinted about the fugitive Dark Knight (as he had become by the end of the previous movie) nor do we get to see Anne Hathaway in her Catwoman outfit. But this is where the problem could lie. While Tom Hardy is an astute actor to play Bane, the arch nemesis of Batman would always remain in many minds the Joker, especially after the incredible performance given by Heath Ledger. If this movie would turn out to be a Batman versus Bane battle, then it would be difficult not to draw comparisons with the Batman versus Joker clash seen in The Dark Knight, and I doubt those scenes can ever be surpassed. So while the tone of the movie seems to be sufficiently dark (the way we want it to be), I hope it turns out more than just another good vs evil clash. With such high expectations of the fans, the second trailer hopefully would explore further and help to rid off the comparisons that this movie would no doubt draw with predecessor.

The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey: While The Dark Knight Rises releases four years after its predecessor (and has been discussed literally for each of those four years), The Hobbit comes a decade after The Lord of the Rings trilogy swept away the world with its cinematic beauty and exceptionally artistic story telling by Peter Jackson. This is where The Hobbit should infact benefit. Assuming that the movie itself would be another masterpiece (that is hardly a tough assumption to make considering that Jackson has returned at the helm of things once again after the oh-so-many years of delays), any similarities seen in the trailer of The Hobbit (such as background score or cinematography) with the original The Lord of the Rings series is refreshing and welcomed, as it simply makes us nostalgic! The trailer starts off slowly, acclimatizing us again with the Shire but the chills kick in as soon as the dwarf starts singing the song in a very hushed backdrop indicating the calm before the storm... "Far over, the misty mountains cold...". And then the trailer rightly ends off with the emergence of Gollum! Precioussss...

Wrath of the Titans: Clash of the Titans had been the surprising hit of 2010 grossing close to $500 million in worldwide revenues and a sequel had been promptly announced. While Wrath of the Titans is likely to be another visually superb action flick with not much effort given to the plot outline, the released trailer, I must admit, is nothing short of brilliant. And in fact I found it to be the most gripping of these three trailers (keeping the nostalgic and the larger-than-life bits aside, that the other two franchises carry in abundance). Liam Neeson, playing Zeus, has got a voice to die for and the trailer aptly opens with his words (after few seconds of loud destructive sounds). Once Zeus has spoken about the impending doom and Persus (Sam Worthington) has enquired on what role he can play, the trailer picks up gears as the song Sweet Dreams by Marilyn Manson plays in the background (top notch song choice!). Mystical creatures, battles, blood, Gods and Titans... and high octane action... few things that summarise what the trailer and the final movie have to offer. And even if the movie turns out to be half as good as its trailer... I will not be disappointed!

Best Lines of the Summer...

What will a movie be without dialogues? Like a lion without a roar, like a guitar without melody. Dialogues are not merely lines, not merely words, but connecting pieces of the puzzle. When delivered with the perfect timing and oomph, a dialogue can change from a simple statement to a piece of art. Much like those three words from the 1984 hit Terminator “I’ll be back!” or the creepy chattering of a deranged creature in the 2001 classic The Lord of the Rings "My precioussss!". So with the mood set, I look back at the big-budget / highly anticipated movies of this summer season from a different angle... what was the best they could deliver when it came to memorable lines?

Fast Five: "And above all else we don't ever, ever let them get into their cars!" (That is the Rock shouting out to his team on how to capture Vin Diesel's gang. But we know for sure that this ain't ever happening, don't we?)

Thor: "Whoever wields this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." (You have to love Anthony Hopkins for his style of delivering the simplest of lines in the classiest of manners. This one he utters when his character Odin is about to banish the hammer Mjolnir along with Thor.)

The Hangover 2: "We had a sick night bitches!" (The movie was all about crude thrash talk and Ken Jeong as Mr. Chow made a name for himself with the best of these lines in this sequel, that for me never lived up to what the original delivered)

Kung Fu Panda 2: "But how can kung fu defeat something that destroys kung fu?" (While Oogway had some of the best lines in the original movie, and Soothsayer took his place in the sequel, it is still this casual but brilliant line uttered by Po that sticks out. Still do not know the answer!)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: "It's a pirate's life for me... Savvy?" (All that Jack Sparrow says is gold! He has uttered some of the memorable and splendid lines in the last decade, mixed with idyllic mannerisms that enthrall us all. This, the last line of the movie, was no exception either... savvy?)

X-Men: First Class: "Peace was never an option!" (A classic movie that continued telling the tale of the conflicting ideologies of Charles Xavier and Magneto. This line was uttered by Michael Fassbender playing Magneto in response to Charles' statement 'Killing Shaw will not bring you peace'. Just defined the intensity that burned within the younger Magneto.)

Green Lantern: "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let all who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!" (A disappointing movie that struggled to be anything more than a good-looking guy in a green suit. But the age-old anthem of the Green Lantern Corps still stands out, everytime.)

Cars 2: "He who finds a friend, finds a treasure..." (The Pixar tale continued narrating the journey of friendship between McQueen and Mater and nothing better to describe the crux of it all than this wonderful line)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon: "Today, we take the battle to them!" (With robots so huge, the humans were hardly going to have any of the popular lines. Optimus Prime voiced by Peter Cullen had the bulk of the memorable lines and I loved this one in particular as you saw a slight nasty and aggressive side to the otherwise peace-preferring Autobot.)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2: "Come on, Tom! Let's finish the way we started... together!" (Oh, kudos to Harry Potter as he called out Voldemort by the name he disliked... Tom. Not many would have dared! He shouts this out before Voldemort and Harry plunge down where the final duel will decide their fate and that of the wizarding world, forever.)

The First Avenger comes Last!

The previous weekend had been dedicated to magic, wizards and witches, Hogwarts and Ms. Rowling, Harry and Tom and everything else that has ever had anything to do with the Harry Potter series. The final movie of the franchise (or so it seems for the present), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, lived up to all the hype and drama that had surrounded it, and stole the box office with earnings of $169 million in the US. This appears even more impressive when one is told that the earnings are about $10 million more than Nolan's classic The Dark Knight, thus making the weekend collections of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 the highest ever in the history of US box office! And while Harry Potter and gang were saving the world from the Dark Lord, at the other side the Autobots too were busy defending the planet from the evil Decepticons as Transformers: Dark of the Moon became the first movie of the year to hit the $300 million jackpot at the US box office. Who said that franchises ever lose their sheen? But these movies would be pitted against a formidable opponent this weekend in the form of Captain America, a symbol of valour and patriotism, or at least that is the way he is being portrayed. Captain America: The First Avenger will probably mark the end of all the big budget movies of this year's summer period and more importantly to many, start the ticker for the release of The Avengers movie scheduled for next year. For those who are still in the dark, Captain America is the last of the Avengers to be hitting the big screen after Iron Man, Hulk and Thor, and all the four are going to combine their forces next year in The Avengers. Mouth-watering indeed! (The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises within space of a few months?! Too much to handle!) I for one, have not read the comics of Captain America and know very little so I will avoid pointing out what to expect from the movie. Though the trailers have looked good and a cast that includes the likes of Tommy Lee Jones and Hugo Weaving apart from Chris Evans in the lead, promises much. Quick fun fact: Chris Evans is one of the rare personalities to have depicted two different superheroes - the other being Johhny Storm in Fantastic Four series. Only Ryan Reynolds comes to my mind now,who has achieved a similar feat having featured in recently released Green Lantern apart from playing Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Keeping the trivia aside, I can only reiterate what I said at the time of release of Thor, that Captain America: The First Avenger better turn out to be good and do well on the box office for the greater good, which is the success of The Avengers!

Recap: What I had to say before release of Thor --> http://bucksandcorn.blogspot.com/2011/05/god-of-thunder-thor.html

The Pottermania ends!

"This boy will be famous. There will be no child in our world who doesn't know his name." So said Professor McGonagall to Professor Dumbledore, a decade back, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The child she was referring to was of course, Harry Potter or the Boy who Lived. And how true were to be her words! Potter not only became a phenomenon in the wizarding world but also took our world, the muggle world, by storm. And it all comes to a riveting conclusion this weekend with the release of the eighth and final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. While the penultimate movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, fell only $50 million short from earning $1 billion in worldwide revenues, its successor is tipped to reach that mark. And if starts are anything to go by, the movie has already ripped the best opening day earnings ever in the US box office, with $92 million revenues earned on Friday, much ahead of the previous record holder, 2009's The Twilight Saga: New Moon ($73 million).

It does not take a genius to predict that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is going to be a massive hit, that the producers will go home richer, and that the cast will be all smiles (and rich of course!). And hence I will not state the obvious! But what interests me is the phenomenon that has been created around one character that probably is unmatched in the history of movie making. What started off from the pen of the author, J.K. Rowling, has led to so much more than just seven books and eight movies. I am not talking of only the theme parks, the merchandises or a new lingo that has been created, but way much more... maybe another attempt to appreciate the long old battle of good versus evil, how courage of even the young can inspire so many, and of principles that one must adhere to even in the darkest of times. And of friendship that stands by you when everything else fails!

The story of Harry Potter has transcended language and geographical barriers, has been seen by young and old, and appreciated by millions. And so it is no surprise that the last movie of this franchise should be so highly anticipated, so much talked about. It is one of those things that years later a new generation will ask you 'Where were you when the last Harry Potter movie was released?'. I can recollect very few franchise-ending movies that created such a fervour. The mother of all series, Star Wars, comes to mind easily and its final chapter, The Revenge of the Sith, released in 2005, had been a beacon calling across its followers from far and wide to be a part of the final chapter, eventually earning $850 million in worldwide revenues (do not count the animated series that followed as part of this epic movie series). Maybe The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King would also count, but then it has The Hobbit releasing soon that would act as a prequel, so the franchise has not exactly ended. Similarly, some other great franchises that were slated to end reemerged, such as the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, while the superhero movies based on Batman or Spiderman may never end. But for what appears now to be the case, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 would be the final movie of this series, and this is what makes it more special! The possibilities of Rowling revisiting her series and continuing it forward always exists for nothing is written in stone, but keeping that possibility (and for some, a hope) aside, we bid adieu to a grand series, with style!

"And now Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure!" (words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

Autobots Assemble!

Aliens invading our planet Earth has been well documented, described, talked about in Hollywood, from every possible angle, envisaging seemingly improbable yet possible scenarios, tapping onto various hidden emotions. These aliens have taken various forms, their colours varying from green to blue, with fangs or without them, some dwarf-like puny and some huge. But Hollywood is not even close to being done with this concept yet. And nothing gives this concept that bigger-than-life feel than Michael Bay's Transformers series. What started off in 2007 with the release of Transformers and the beginning of the fight between Autobots and Decepticons on our planet, culminated in such a rip-roaring success with $708 million in worldwide revenues. To not have a sequel, was simply out of the question. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen released in 2009, again pitting Optimus Prime with Megatron as humans watched and scurried and did their best to help the good guys (which are the Autobots, in case you are one of the few ones still to catch the movie), and outdid its predecessor with $836 million in worldwide revenues. The third instalment has released this weekend titled Transformers: Dark of the Moon, that toys with the reasons behind the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon - to search for an alien ship atop the moon! Obnoxious, right? But Michael Bay's series has played with that word whole-heatedly so far, and has still emerged succesful. Even though reviews of the movies in this series are never great, the bucks earned in fact are quite the opposite. So why does this series sell so well? The Megan Fox

loyalists would like to name their goddess to be behind this. And some would point out Shia LeBouf's simplistic, annoying but likable acting to be the key. But it is not just that. It is the backdrop that Bay has created. The gigantic robot-like aliens bringing their battle to earth wherein the race of humans simply appear like midgets, the deep booming voices of Peter Cullen and Hugo Weaving, voicing Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively (we got Leonard Nimoy as well in the third one, yay!), the slick movements of these giants when they coolly convert between fast cars and giant robots back and forth, the never-ending fight scenes that make you shout like a child for the Autobots to win, and in the midst of all the chaos, a simple guy (like you and me) and his good-looking girlfriend, showing the simplest of human emotions that we all crave to have in abundance when it matters, courage! This is what the first two movies was all about, and again, this is what the third movie is about. Will it continue to work? The movie released early on Wednesday, and has grossed about $97 million in its first 3 days. So that is not bad. Plus the worldwide revenues would continue to be steaming hot. My advice to fellow movie-goers would be to go to the theatre to enjoy the show, the battle cries mixed with a bit of wit. Go out there to save the day, to be a part of the campaign to save earth, to root for the Autobots and bring the end of Decepticons! Let the child inside of you enjoy the adrenaline rush, and I bet, you will figure out that it was fun after all...

While the latest Transformers movie would be attempting to match its predecessors, there is someone who has already done that. Say hello once again to the beloved Captain Jack Sparrow! Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides had reported the weakest numbers in the franchise at the US box office. But when you are such a massive global brand, the international markets take centre stage. And in this case the spotlight remains very much on the fourth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise that has grossed more than $1 billion in worldwide revenues, something done only by 7 Hollywood movies before it, which incidentally includes Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest at #5. Remarkable feat indeed! And this makes Johnny Depp the only actor to have three movies in this elite club (Alice in Wonderland being the third, apart from the two movies of the Pirates in the Caribbean franchise). Way to go Johnny! Will Transformers: Dark of the Moon come close to matching it? The war cry has been called out... Autobots Assemble!