A Star Is Born IMAX announcement!

BRADLEY COOPER’S “A STAR IS BORN” RECEIVES SPECIAL

ONE-WEEK IMAXŽ ENGAGEMENT

 

The director’s critically acclaimed and hugely successful debut will screen for one week beginning December 7 at select IMAX theatres across North America, followed by

special, behind-the-scenes footage featuring Cooper and co-star Lady Gaga

Burbank, CA – December 3, 2018 – Beginning on December 7 and for just one week, Warner Bros. Pictures’, Live Nation Productions’ and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures’ “A Star Is Born” will receive a national engagement in select IMAX® theatres throughout the U.S. and Canada.  In addition to experiencing the film for the first time in IMAX, audiences will be treated to “The Road to Stardom,” an exclusive look at the making of “A Star Is Born,” featuring director/star/writer/producer Bradley Cooper and star Lady Gaga, both of whom also wrote and produced many of the film’s songs, as well as performed them live for the movie.

            Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, said, “Securing premium IMAX screens in this competitive holiday window, ten weeks into release, speaks to the quality of the film Bradley Cooper has delivered and the passion audiences have for this story.  We are thrilled to be able to give moviegoers a chance to see ‘A Star Is Born’ again, or for the first time, in such an experiential format as IMAX.”

About “A Star Is Born”

In “A Star Is Born,” Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga fuse their considerable talents to depict the raw and passionate tale of Jack and Ally, two artistic souls coming together, on stage and in life.  Theirs is a complex journey through the beauty and the heartbreak of a relationship struggling to survive.

In this new take on the iconic love story, four-time Oscar nominee Cooper (“American Sniper,” “American Hustle,” “Silver Linings Playbook”), makes his directorial debut, and also stars alongside multiple award-winning, Oscar-nominated music superstar Gaga in her first leading role in a major motion picture.  Cooper portrays seasoned musician Jackson Maine, who discovers and falls in love with struggling artist Ally.  She has given up on her dream to become a successful singer until she meets Jack, who immediately sees her natural talent.

            The film also stars Andrew Dice Clay (“Blue Jasmine”), with Dave Chappelle (“Chi-Raq”) and Sam Elliott, whose nearly 50-year career includes standout performances in such films as “Mask,” “Tombstone” and, most recently, “The Hero.”

In addition to playing Ally, Gaga—who earned an Oscar nod for the song “Til It Happens to You” from the film “The Hunting Ground”—performs original songs in the film with Cooper, which they wrote with a handful of artists, including Lukas Nelson, Jason Isbell and Mark Ronson.  The music is original and all vocals for the movie were recorded live during filming.

            “A Star Is Born” was produced by Bill Gerber, Jon Peters, Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips and Lynette Howell Taylor.  Ravi Mehta, Basil Iwanyk, Niija Kuykendall, Sue Kroll, Michael Rapino and Heather Parry served as executive producers.  The screenplay was written by Oscar-winner Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump”) and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters.

Cooper’s behind-the-scenes team included Oscar-nominated director of photography Matthew Libatique (“Black Swan”), production designer Karen Murphy (“The Light Between Oceans”), three-time Oscar-nominated editor Jay Cassidy (“American Hustle,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Into the Wild”), and costume designer Erin Benach (“Loving”).

            Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, in association with Live Nation Productions, in association with Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures, a Jon Peters/Bill Gerber/Joint Effort Production, “A Star Is Born.”  The film is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.  It is rated R for language throughout, some sexuality/nudity and substance abuse.

www.astarisbornmovie.com

Blast from the Past (November 2018)

Yeah, the Box Office is rockin’ today with a whole lot of movies. But there are some from prior years that you may (or may not) remember. These older movies came out 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago, maybe even longer back. Some were instant classics, while others were not. So let’s jump into the DeLorean and travel backwards in time to revisit a few of these forgotten gems…

November 2013 (5 years ago)   — Frozen – Disney Animation is a powerful juggernaut, so just “Let It Go”…

It does not matter if you like it or not, Disney will always come out with a new animated movie and 99% of the time it will be top of the line. That goes here, of course, for Frozen. It’s a movie that many girls from age five to twenty-five can quote by heart. The whole thing, all the parts, including Olaf the Snowman…

November 2008 (10 years ago)  — Twilight – All the moody Kristen Stewart that anyone can stand, plus twinkley vampires!

Back when romantic vampires were all the rage, Twilight got all the tween-age girls hearts a-flutter. Actually, probably even more of their middle-aged moms’ hearts were sent racing with the idea of a totally dedicated vampire lover…

November 2003 (15 years ago)  — Elf – Will Ferrell plays an oversized imp from the North Pole, and the world breaks out in Christmas songs

This movie is slowly making its way into becoming a Christmas Classic. Ferrell plays the Buddy the Elf with a lot of goofy compassion that he really brings it up a notch. Along with his real curmudgeon father, James Caan, Buddy brings the Spirit of the Season to New York City. “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

November 1998 (20 years ago)  — Enemy of the State – Will Smith gets mixed up with some serious spy stuff, and he takes a toll on the bad guys

Will Smith plays a lawyer who gets on the wrong side of the NSA, and it takes Gene Hackman to get him out alive. Hackman is a super under-cover dude who lives off-the-grid, and Smith works with him to push back on the NSA bad guys. The action gets intense and the bad guys get more than they bargained for…

November 1993 (25 years ago)  — Mrs. Doubtfire –  Robin Williams plays a gender-swapped nanny, the dude does look like a lady…

Robin Williams created a wonderful character, by creating this older British nanny named ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’. He took this role, the alter ego to a divorced father of three, and made it into one of the most memorable in his career. Prevented from seeing his kids, Daniel Hilard creates the loving and all-knowing nanny, and gender-swaps his way back in to be with his kids. Comedy ensues, and lessons are learned.

November 1988 (30 years ago)  — Scrooged – Bill Murray takes “A Christmas Carol” into entirely new dimensions…

Charles Dickens was never this cynical, so he left it up to Bill Murray to do that for him. Based on “A Christmas Carol”, this movie takes a wide swatch of satire and covers the TV networks. It takes a look at how bad the programs can be, and how little the network big-wigs care. Murrays’ character Frank Cross,  meets the Ghosts, and has a change of heart. “Yule Love It!”…

Blast from the Past (October 2018)

Yeah, the Box Office is rockin’ today with a whole lot of movies. But there are some from prior years that you may (or may not) remember. These older movies came out 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago, maybe even longer back. Some were instant classics, while others were not. So let’s jump into the DeLorean and travel backwards in time to revisit a few of these forgotten gems…

October 2013 (5 years ago)   — Captain Phillips – Tom Hanks takes a pirate ride, but not with the fun Caribbean pirates…

This movie was based on the true story of the first American shipping vessel that was hijacked by pirates in over one hundred years. Somali pirates using a small boat were able to take over huge ocean cargo ship, and they took the Captain hostage. A taut and suspenseful voyage in dark waters… 

 

October 2008 (10 years ago)  — Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist – Michael Cera and Kat Dennings answer the question “Where’s Fluffy?”

As he usually does, Michael Cera plays Nick, an awkward teenage ager with a crush on a girl named Norah (Kat Dennings). Norah has no time for bad boyfriends, but they both love a band named “Where’s Fluffy?”. They spend an evening attempting to find a secret concert, and wind up with true love.

October 2003 (15 years ago)  — School of Rock – Jack Black makes the grade in this school

This movie is non-stop Jack Black at his finest, being a substitute teacher at a school, and turning the classroom into his personal Rock ’n Roll domain. No tests, no grades, just jamming and shredding, and turning up the volume. The story is simple but fun, and the kids learn that “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If you Want to Rock ’n Roll).

 

October 1998 (20 years ago)  — Antz – Dreamworks beats Pixar in releasing a very buggy movie

Back when Dreamworks was a brand new company, it released ‘Antz’, a story based on some small insects. Months later, Pixar released “A Bug’s Life”, a story based on some small insects. Coincidence?  Just Dumb Luck? I think not! It was a way to beat Disney/Pixar to the punch and take some wind out of their sails…

 

October 1993 (25 years ago)  — Demolition Man – Stallone and Snipes find that the future is at Taco Bell

After being frozen in 1996, Sylvester Stallone finds himself in the future (2032), and also finds an old foe from the past (Wesley Snipes) is there to confront him again. It is a fun dystopian look at the future of society and crime, when the ‘Fast Food Wars’ left only Taco Bell standing strong. Also starring is newcomer, Sandra Bullock!

 

October 1988 (30 years ago)  — Alien Nation – Well before ‘Bright’ copied the concept, James Caan did it first with alien partner Mandy Patinkin

The Netflix movie ‘Bright’ is about a cop teamed with an Orc. But well before that, this movie had Cop (James Caan) teamed up with an Alien (Mandy Patinkin), and the results were crazy. The Aliens were considered less- than human, and second-class in every way. But when these two worked together, the case is solved and the two become friends.

Phoenix Film Festival Announces PEORIA FILM FEST Film Lineup!

PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FIRST LINEUP OF FILMS SHOWING AT PEORIA FILM FEST THIS OCTOBER

The Phoenix Film Foundation and Phoenix Film Festival are excited to announce the first round of films that will be playing at the Peoria Film Fest! A quick list of movies can be found below with more announcements to come!

  • Magnolia Pictures’ Cannes Winner for Best Actor and Oscar contender, “Dogman”
  • “White Tide: The Legend of Culebra”, a Cocaine Treasure Hunt Documentary from the Tribeca Film Festival
  • “Number 37”, a Hitchcock-esque thriller
  • Festival Premiere of “Point Defiance” starring Derek Phillps and Josh Crotty

The Peoria Film Fest will be held October 19-21 at the beautifully renovated Harkins Arrowhead Fountains 18; screening a mix of independent and upcoming studio releases.

You can stay up to date on the festival at PeoriaFilmFest.com

The Peoria Film Fest is a program under the 501(c)3 non-profit organization Phoenix Film Foundation and is a sibling of the Phoenix Film Festival, the Phoenix Film Society, the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival, IFP/Phoenix, the Arizona Student Film Festival and the Phoenix Critics Circle.  Our mission is to support and develop the artistic appreciation, educational opportunities, and growth of independent film within Arizona.  The Foundation’s primary functions through its programs are to promote the exhibition of independent films and conduct educational programs that teach the art of filmmaking.

Blast from the Past (September 2018)

Yeah, the Box Office is rockin’ today with a whole lot of movies. But there are some from prior years that you may (or may not) remember. These older movies came out 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago, maybe even longer back. Some were instant classics, while others were not. So let’s jump into the DeLorean and travel backwards in time to revisit a few of these forgotten gems…

September 2013 (5 years ago) — Prisoners – Director Denis Villeneuve locks you up in a chilling revenge story

Before Villeneuve had the world enthralled with ‘Arrival’ and ‘Blade Runner 2049’, he came out with this movie. He centers on missing children and a desperate father’s act of vengeance. The perspective of the people grieving and the people unjustly accused makes for a raw display of emotion. It is a very dark and disturbing view and good versus evil, and how sometimes evil can be done in the name of good.

September 2008 (10 years ago) — Burn After Reading – Directors Ethan & Joel Coen take on the CIA and spill the beans

The Coen brothers can have very deep and meaningful movies, about common people in uncommon situations. However, this one is a very dark comedy of errors multiplied by everyone in the all-star cast. George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, Brad Pitt take all that talent and channel it into a crazy-quilt of idiots ready to screw up at every turn. As the CIA chief says at the end: “I guess we learned not to do it again.”

September 2003 (15 years ago) — The Rundown – Dwayne Johnson starts to change from ‘The Rock’ to ‘The Star’

Johnson changed from a wresting star (known as ‘The Rock’) to a movie star (who outgrew his wrestling moniker).  One of his first major roles was in this movie. It takes his bounty-hunter character to Brazil to locate and return Seann William Scott. But not before the two of them cause great mayhem and mischief, of course. Johnson would go on with bigger (and better) movie parts.

September 1998 (20 years ago) — Rush Hour – Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are a mismatched team – and start a trend

The buddy cop film is a familiar genre. So when Chan and Tucker change it up with a Hong Kong cop paired with a black L.A. street cop, the laughs were super charged. The cultural and language barriers were funny to watch. “DO-YOU-UNDERSTAND-THE-WORDS-THAT-ARE-COMING-OUT-OF-MY-MOUTH?”

September 1993 (25 years ago) — Dazed and Confused – Director Richard Linklater brings the world Matthew McConaughey (All right, all right, All right!)

Linklater has some real gems, such as ‘Boyhood’, ‘Before Sunrise’, and ‘A Scanner Darkly’. But this high school reflection on ‘high’ times brings some great characters. Such as McConaughey as Wooderson: “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.”

September 1988 (30 years ago) — Director John Carpenter has come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and he’s all out of bubble gum

Carpenter had already entertained audiences with ‘Halloween’, ‘Escape from New York’, ‘The Thing’, and ‘Big Trouble in Little China’. So a cult-classic Sci-Fi adventure about alien beings subverting humanity with subliminal advertizing is just another great addition to his spooky list of films. Roddy Piper is the bank robber slash hero with the lack of bubble gum. So all he can do is kick some alien ass.

Neil Simon’s ‘Rose & Walsh’ playing at AZ’s ‘Theater Artists Studio’ through this weekend!

‘Rose & Walsh’  by Neil Simon

 

Directed by: Deborah Lee Hall

Starring: Marney Austin, Tom Koelbel, Julie Lee and Jason Isaak

 

Phoenix! Don’t miss ‘Rose & Walsh,’ Neil Simon’s thirty-third play which closes this weekend on Sept. 2nd. I’ve never been to a live performance of a Neil Simon and the fact that he just passed away made the experience of this being my first that much better. He said of ‘Rose & Walsh’ that his play, ‘Follows two great literary figures and the depth and consequence of their enduring love.’ The literary minds are those of Rose Steiner and Walsh McLaren, a couple who were together in life and who are still together even though he has been deceased for five years.

 

Playing Rose and Walsh are Marney Austin and Tom Koelbel respectively. Marney, who hopped all over the globe performing, producing and directing, continued to do the same after returning to the U.S. She serves on the board of the Theater Artists Studio and was excited about the opportunity to play such a fun yet heartbreaking character. She’s impressive in her performance. While watching her you realize she’s energized the room. She’s so comfortable with her co-stars, especially when arguing that she’s right and they’re wrong. Switching from a comedic to a dramatic moment was not a problem for Marney. I’d like to see more from her and I hope I do.

 

You’ll treasure watching Tom McLaren’s Walsh. Tom, a Theater Artists Studio member has opened several plays there and is thrilled he’s part of their 13th season. He’s played some incredible roles outside of Walsh, including Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ and George Bailey in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and has received three ‘Zoni’ nominations. A ‘Zoni’ is an award for theatre excellence. His enthusiasm for the studio and the parts he chooses shows in his strong portrayal of the characters. His comedic timing, especially playing off Marney Austin’s Rose, comes from years of experience that were obvious to the audience. As Walsh does, Tom commands the room when he speaks. He’s compelling to watch, and it comes from great confidence in knowing Walsh, trusting his co-stars and believing in himself that you can’t look away.

 

Jason Isaak plays Gavin Clancy, a writer hired to be a ghostwriter to finish a novel that Walsh hadn’t completed before his death. You can’t help but detect a certain magnetism he exudes when on stage. He’s dynamic and though he’s only been with the Studio since 2016, you can see that he’ll be a part of it for a long time to come.

 

Which brings us to Julie Lee, our final cast member. She plays Arlene Moss, friend to Rose. Like Marney, she, too, has directed and produced for the studio. She owns DYNAMIC! Productions with her husband, Don Woodard and has been involved with the Studio, one way or another, since it came to be. Her Arlene ends up being someone you weren’t quite expecting to meet and Julie’s exuberant, spirited and passionate take on her, is not to be missed.

 

All four actors do an exceptional job bringing the story of a woman who spent all of her money on clothes instead of essentials who, at the breaking point, gets an opportunity of a lifetime via the man she can’t let go of. She gives an opportunity to a new writer and ends up playing matchmaker at the same time. By the end of the story, it’s she who, once again, finds herself with her true love.

The set was great and never seemed to get old. Though the stage wasn’t large, it wasn’t small either and it felt very much alive. The staff is pleasant, and the intimate theatre will have you excited to be there; thrilled to be a part of it… so much so that as the lights go down you’ll be wiggling in your seat. Check out ‘Rose & Walsh’ tomorrow through Sunday! It’s your last chance but be sure to pick up a brochure regarding the rest of the season.

 

THEATRE SITE

 

Blast from the Past (August 2018)

Yeah, the Box Office is rockin’ today with a whole lot of movies. But there are some from prior years that you may (or may not) remember. These older movies came out 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago, maybe even longer back. Some were instant classics, while others were not. So let’s jump into the DeLorean and travel backwards in time to revisit a few of these forgotten gems…

August 2013 (5 years ago) — Elysium – Jason Bourne in Spaaaaace!

Matt Damon stars in this futuristic sci-fi drama about the future divide between the haves and have-nots. All the rich one per-centers get to travel to Elysium, an orbiting spaceship that has the latest in medical technology. Oh, and also Jodie Foster runs the place with an accent that is (literally) out of this world…

August 2008 (10 years ago) — Tropic Thunder – Even the Tom Cruise cameo knew the #MeToo

Ben Stiller took his experience from working in “Empire of the Sun” and figured out that a boot camp for actors playing soldiers could create some comedy landmines. Yup, and those suckers went off everywhere, with the fun work of Stiller, Danny McBride and Robert Downey Jr. (“Never go full Retard!). But the cameo of Tom Cruise playing a parody version of Harvey Weinstein, it’s a NSFW avalanche…

August 2003 (15 years ago) — Freaky Friday – Do the body swap, but ‘Make Good Choices’

Lindsey Lohan was burning up the screens at this time, and before the flame blew out, she was able to pair up with Jamie Lee Curtis. This movie, a remake of an earlier Disney version, is updated (to a point) and made a fun impression on the audience. Not a gem like “Mean Girls”, but much better than later Lohan disasters.

August 1998 (20 years ago) — The Avengers – This one had nothing to do with Marvel…

Yeah, the Marvel Extended Universe was only being born ten year ago, so this comes from a different source. The old British TV spy series called “The Avengers . This movie snooze-fest version had Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman. John Steed and Emma Peel are no match for the villain, played by Sean Connery. Connery had only a few more movies in him, before he retired. Perhaps he did not retire early enough!

August 1993 (25 years ago) — The Fugitive – Han Solo on the run from the law!

Harrison Ford was a major Box Office draw, and his fans flocked to see him do an update of the Dr. Richard Kimble character, from the original TV series. Also, with co-star   Tommy Lee Jones, Ford went on the run to find the real killer of his wife. Do yourself a favor. Make a ‘hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse’ to find this movie and watch it.

August 1988 (30 years ago) — Young Guns – Westerns never die, as long as actor’s kids come along

Martin Sheen and Donald Sutherland too old to be acting in a Western? No problem! Just get their sons, Kiefer Sutherland, Emilio Estavez and Charlie Sheen can all substitute. The Billy the Kid tale also has some other fine actors, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dermot Mulroney, Terence Stamp and Jack Palance. Are their dads famous actors?

STANLEY KUBRICK’S SCI-FI CLASSIC “2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY” COMING TO IMAX® THEATRES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

STANLEY KUBRICK’S SCI-FI CLASSIC “2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY”

COMING TO IMAXŽ THEATRES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

The one-week IMAX engagement follows the ongoing success of the 
50th anniversary release of the “unrestored” 70mm print

            BURBANK, CA – August 1, 2018 – Continuing the 50th anniversary celebration of Stanley Kubrick’s science fiction masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Warner Bros. Pictures is bringing the film to more than 350 IMAX® theatres across North America for one week only, beginning on August 24th.  This marks the first time ever that moviegoers will have the opportunity to view the seminal film on the largest possible screen, creating a truly immersive experience.  The announcement was made today by Jeff Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The IMAX engagement comes on the heels of the widely successful “unrestored” 70mm film release of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” which was overseen by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, a lifelong admirer of Kubrick.

As part of the week-long IMAX release, four select theatres will be showcasing the feature on IMAX® 70mm film: AMC Universal Citywalk IMAX, Universal City, AMC Lincoln Square IMAX, New York City, AMC Metreon IMAX, San Francisco, and Ontario Place Cinesphere IMAX, Toronto.  The IMAX 70mm film print, to be shown exclusively in these four locations, was created from the recently released “unrestored” 70mm print—a true photochemical film recreation struck from new printing elements made from the original camera negative with no digital tricks, remastered effects, or revisionist edits.  The additional IMAX theaters will be presenting a brand new 4K restoration of “2001: A Space Odyssey” in IMAX® with Laser and IMAX® Xenon projection formats.

Tickets for the IMAX engagement go on sale this Friday, August 3rd.

            Widely considered among the greatest films of the 20th century, “2001: A Space Odyssey” was originally released on April 4, 1968, igniting the imaginations of both critics and audiences.  With the film, Kubrick redefined the limits of moviemaking and cemented his legacy as one of the most revolutionary and influential motion picture directors of all time.

            “2001: A Space Odyssey” was directed and produced by Kubrick from a screenplay he co-wrote with legendary science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke.  The film stars Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout | New Featurette Available Now!

Experience Mission: Impossible – Fallout in theatres, RealD 3D and IMAX on July 27, 2018

 

SYNOPSIS

The best intentions often come back to haunt you. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT finds Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team (Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames) along with some familiar allies (Rebecca Ferguson, Michelle Monaghan) in a race against time after a mission gone wrong.  Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, and Vanessa Kirby also join the dynamic cast with filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie returning to the helm.

 WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY

Christopher McQuarrie

PRODUCED BY

Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, Jake Myers, J.J. Abrams

STARRING

Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby,

Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin, Wes Bentley, Frederick Schmidt

Click icons below to follow us on social!

 

www.MissionImpossible.com

#MissionImpossible