News

Happy Oscars Week!

As Los Angeles gets ready for Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, here’s Variety’s ultimate party guide for all things happening before, during and after the 97th Academy Awards on March 2.

From Diane Von Furstenberg’s luncheon for women in film to Madonna and Guy Oseary’s annual late-night bash, as well as Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s Gold Party, red carpets are being rolled out all over town.

Tuesday, Feb. 25

Oscars Nominees Dinner

Event replaces the annual nominees luncheon, which was canceled due to the wildfires.

Academy Museum, Los Angeles

6 p.m.

Time Women of the Year

Honorees include Nicole Kidman, Anna Sawai, A’ja Wilson, Olivia Munn, Jordan Chiles and more. Performance by Laufey.

The West Hollywood Edition, West Hollywood

6 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Lumen Awards

Honoring John Ridley, Lucy Walker, Avery Colvert, John Wells, Gregory Nava and Dolores Huerta and Participant.

Hotel Casa Del Mar,...

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers may be considered the worst of Peter Jackson's initial trilogy, but it still earned a significant number of Oscar nominations. Much of The Two Towers' legacy is underwhelming only by comparison, but few would ever say that it is not a magnificent movie. The Lord of the Rings timeline is essentially a single, very long adventure, as this is how J. R. R. Tolkien wrote the source material. The result is that the individual movies do not differ much in tone.

While The Two Towers isn't favorably compared to the installments that preceded and followed it, the sequel also faced significant competition from other movies at the 75th Academy Awards. This was a year when one of the best movie musicals to win Best Picture arose, as well as another Martin Scorsese crime drama. Therefore, a handful of movies competed...

Grindstone Entertainment Group has bought North American rights to Uppercut, a boxing thriller starring Ving Rhames, for Hello Moment Productions.

World sales are being handled by Sublimity Entertainment, which will be presenting the film to international distributors at the Cannes marketplace.

Set in New York City, Uppercut begins in 2014 as Toni (Luiii), a determined fighter, seeks out Elliott (Ving Rhames), a former boxer turned gym owner in gritty Bushwick. Though Elliott first dismisses the idea of training her, an unexpected bond blossoms between them, breaking through the boundaries of boxing and exploring the complexities of respect, love, family, and personal convictions. It culminates in a final showdown that alters Toni’s destiny profoundly.

Years later, Toni, now a pioneering female boxing manager, guides Payne (Jordan E. Cooper) to his first championship fight, drawing upon Elliott’s wisdom. On this very night, Toni might not only lose a fight, but also herself,...

Grindstone Entertainment is getting into the ring with Ving Rhames.

Grindstone has picked up all rights in North America for Uppercut, a boxing thriller starring the Mission Impossible and Pulp Fiction actor as a trainer who agrees to take on a new female fighter.

The English-language debut of German writer-director Torsten Ruether, Uppercut is an adaptation of Ruether’s 2021 feature Leberhaken. Both the German and English film’s star Luiii, aka Luise Grossmann, a former professional pole vaulter-turned-actress. Joanna Cassidy (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and Jordan E. Cooper (Ain’t No Mo) co-star in Uppercut.

Ving Rhames and Luiii in Uppercut.

Hello Moment Productions are the lead producer on Uppercut. Sublimity Entertainment are handling world sales on the film and pitching it to buyers at the Cannes film market this year.

Set in New York City in 2014, the film follows Toni (Luiii), as she seeks out Elliott (Rhames), a former...

Sure, 28 Oscar nominations and 17 wins aren’t to be sniffed at. But the remarkable thing about Peter Jackson‘s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is that it should have been nominated for more. Only one of the cast was nominated for an Oscar across all three films — that was for Best Supporting Actor for Sir Ian McKellen in 2002 for “The Fellowship of the Ring” — while there were a few other curious snubs that, in hindsight, just don’t make sense. So, there was actually more room to nominate this rightly-heralded trilogy of astounding films. With that in mind, here are five more Oscar nominations “The Lord of the Rings” should have landed.

Best Original Score: “The Two Towers”

The music of “The Lord of the Rings” has gone down as one of the best scores ever committed to film. Howard Shore‘s adored score is so top drawer it leaves you clamoring for more.

In 2004, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” became the film with joint-most Oscar wins of all time with a whopping 11 victories, matching the total tallies of both “Titanic” and “Ben-Hur.” Those 11 Academy Awards capped off a hugely successful trilogy of movies that collectively snagged 28 Oscar nominations and 17 wins in total. But yet… Peter Jackson‘s film series, adapted from the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, is so, so good that, well, it could have won more. That sounds greedy and over the top, of course, but if you take a look at each film’s nominations, it’s actually very feasible that any one of the three films could have turned the bid into a win. So, with that in mind, here are five Oscar nominations that “The Lord of the Rings” films could and perhaps should have turned into victories.

Best Art Direction — “The Fellowship of the Ring...

If you’ve ever watched a Guy Ritchie movie, you’re probably familiar with his distinct style. From Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to his recent big-budget films like Aladdin or The Gentleman, Ritchie has earned a spot as one of the most influential filmmakers of our time.

But how did Guy Ritchie get to where he is today? In this article, we’ll take you through the story of Ritchie’s journey from his humble beginnings in London all the way to the Hollywood director we know him as now.

From his breakout crime-comedy films to his more recent work as a producer, this piece will explore the highs and lows of Guy Ritchie’s career and highlight some of the key moments that have defined him as an artist. As a fan of Guy Ritchie’s work, you’ll be able to appreciate how far he has...

'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl': Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow. 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' review: Mostly an enjoyable romp (Oscar Movie Series) Pirate movies were a Hollywood staple for about three decades, from the mid-'20s (The Sea Hawk, The Black Pirate) to the mid-to-late '50s (Moonfleet, The Buccaneer), when the genre, by then mostly relegated to B films, began to die down. Sporadic resurrections in the '80s and '90s turned out to be critical and commercial bombs (Pirates, Cutthroat Island), something that didn't bode well for the Walt Disney Company's $140 million-budgeted film "adaptation" of one of their theme-park rides. But Neptune's mood has apparently improved with the arrival of the new century. He smiled – grinned would be a more appropriate word – on the Gore Verbinski-directed Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,...

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc., announced today that principal photography has begun on Ben-Hur starring Jack Huston (American Hustle) as Judah Ben-Hur, Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption) as Ilderim, Toby Kebbell (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) as Messala and Nazanin Boniadi (Homeland) as Esther. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) and written by Keith Clarke (The Way Back) and John Ridley (12 Years a Slave), the film is based on Lew Wallace's epic novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ. The producers are Sean Daniel (The Mummy franchise), Mark Burnett (Son of God), Joni Levin (The Way Back) and Duncan Henderson (Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World).

Serving as executive producers are Roma Downey (The Bible), Keith Clarke, John Ridley and Jason Brown. Filming will take place in Rome and Matera, Italy with the film set for release February 26, 2016. Ben-Hur also...

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc., announced today that principal photography has begun on “Ben-hur” starring Jack Huston (“American Hustle”) as Judah Ben-Hur, Morgan Freeman (“The Shawshank Redemption”) as Ilderim, Toby Kebbell (“Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes”) as Messala and Nazanin Boniadi (“Homeland”) as Esther. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted”) and written by Keith Clarke (“The Way Back”) and John Ridley (“12 Years A Slave”), the film is based on Lew Wallace’s epic novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ. The producers are Sean Daniel (“The Mummy” franchise), Mark Burnett (“Son Of God”), Joni Levin (“The Way Back”) and Duncan Henderson (“Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World”). Serving as executive producers are Roma Downey (“The Bible”), Keith Clarke, John Ridley and Jason Brown. Filming will take place in Rome and Matera, Italy with the film set for release February 26, 2016. “Ben-hur” also...

Ben-hur is returning to the big screen!

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures announced today that principal photography has begun on Ben-hur starring Jack Huston (“American Hustle”) as Judah Ben-Hur, Morgan Freeman (“The Shawshank Redemption”) as Ilderim, Toby Kebbell (“Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes”) as Messala and Nazanin Boniadi (“Homeland”) as Esther.

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted”) and written by Keith Clarke (“The Way Back”) and John Ridley (“12 Years A Slave”), the film is based on Lew Wallace’s epic novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ.

The epic 1959 film was directed by William Wyler and starred Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, Sam Jaffe and Hugh Griffith. It won 11 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. The magnificent score is by composer Miklós Rózsa.

Watch the trailer Here.

The producers are Sean Daniel (“The Mummy” franchise), Mark Burnett (“Son Of God”), Joni Levin (“The Way Back...

If you were looking forward to seeing an updated version of the classic Ben-Hur story on the big screen, then you'll be happy to hear that principal photography has officially started on the epic, with a more full cast last revealed as well. Come inside to see.

I'm honestly not sure what to think about a Ben-Hur remake. Done correctly, it could be pretty cool and a great way to introduce a new generation to this story. It also has a good chance of sucking, but that's the risk you take with any remake. Either way, I tend to hold off judgement until I've seen footage, which we've just taken a big step towards seeing as filming has officially started:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc., announced today that principal photography has begun on “Ben-hur” starring Jack Huston (“American Hustle”) as Judah Ben-Hur, Morgan Freeman (“The Shawshank Redemption”) as Ilderim,...

We're winding down the year-in-review game here at HitFix as 2014 draws to a close. For whatever reason I took a year off of the ballot/superlatives posts, but I'm back with those personal assessments of the best of the year, beginning today with my top picks across the Academy's 24 categories. Check back in tomorrow for a list of winners from this lot, as well as others in a slew of peripheral categories. And of course, feel free to let us know what your Oscar ballot would look like in the comments section below. (Oh, and naturally it goes without saying this post is living in a parallel reality where I'm not confined to a specific branch for nominations and reign supreme over all categories with selections for each.) We'll find out if the Academy agrees with any of this when the 87th annual Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 15. *** Best...

**Massive spoilers for every Godzilla movie, with the exception of the 2014 reboot, and Mothra follow**

August 6th and 9th, 1945 forever changed the course of history. When the first nuclear bombs were dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, World War II ended, but a new fear was born that dominated the thoughts of all men, women, and children for decades to come. The Cold War, atomic bomb testing, a cartoon turtle telling children to “duck and cover”, and this new technology that had the actual potential to literally end the world changed the perception of what was scary. Art reflects life, so cinema began to capitalize on these fears. Gone were the days of creepy castles, cobwebs, bats, vampires, werewolves, and the other iconic images that ruled genre cinema in film’s earliest decades. Science fiction was larger than ever and giant ants, giant octopi, terror from beyond the stars, and...

Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla — which has now brought in $323.4 million worldwide — involved some highly skilled work in bringing the monster to life, led by the film's VFX supervisor Jim Rygiel, who won Oscar for all each film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Translating Godzilla from concept artwork to a photoreal CG creature took lead VFX house Moving Picture Company's artists seven months — from the underlying bones, fat and muscle structure to the thickness and texture of his scales. “There is a lot of legacy from the original movie. For us, it was a unique opportunity not only to

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When I watched Godzilla Thursday with an enthusiastic late-night audience, the crowd broke out in spontaneous applause during two specific moments. The first was when Ken Watanabe’s scientist mentioned the legendary creature’s name for the first time. And the second came when Godzilla unleashed one of his most famous weapons on a nasty rival beastie. The audience went home happy — much happier than in 1998, when Godzilla invaded New York in Roland Emmerich’s stinker.

This time around, it’s director Gareth Edwards at the controls, a massive promotion from his low-budget Monsters debut. Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston...

In anticipation of the film's release, Latino-Review is givinging away a few "Godzilla"-related items to some lucky readers, including a full color "Godzilla" towel, "Godzilla" Hoody, IMAX passes to see the film, and much more.

In order to enter the contest, email Latinoreviewmail@gmail.com with your name and address and include "Godzilla" Giveaway in the subject headline.

This giveaway will be open until May 19th at noon Pst and is only open to residents of the United States. Also, only one entry per person. Once the giveaway ends, we’ll look over the entries and randomly draw winners that day. Winners will be advised via email.

Here is what we got.

"Godzilla" Motorola Talkabout Rechargeable Two-Way Radios - Arv $100Canvas Men's "Godzilla Nautilus 24" Vintage Black T-Shirt - Arv $27.50"Godzilla" Adjustable Flat Bill Black Hat – Arv $13.50Full Color "Godzilla" Towel – Arv $35Set of 4 "Godzilla" Mighty Magnets in Clear Box...

Godzilla stomps into theaters Friday, May 16th and Wamg has King-Sized prize packs to give away!

The world’s most revered monster is reborn as Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures unleash the epic action adventure Godzilla. From visionary new director Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”) comes a powerful story of human courage and reconciliation in the face of titanic forces of nature, when the awe-inspiring Godzilla rises to restore balance as humanity stands defenseless.

One Grand Prize Winner Will Receive:

A Godzilla Action Figure

And

One Runner Up will receive

2 Small Action Figures

And

Three additional Godzilla mini-prizepacks will be awarded

Enter Your Name And E-mail In Our Comments Section Below. We Will Contact You If You Are A Winner.

Official Rules:

1. You Must Be A Us Resident. Prize Will Only Be Shipped To Us Addresses. No P.O. Boxes. No Duplicate Addresses.

2. Winners Will Be Chosen From All Qualifying Entries.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have released a slew of new images, as well as set photos of director Gareth Edwards, cast and crew, from the epic action adventure Godzilla. The first movie came out 60 years ago and fans can’t wait to see him stomping across cinema screens again.

For Southern California residents battling the heatwave, be on the lookout for the King of the Monsters looming over the streets of Sunset and Lacienega in Los Angeles.

Imagine the arrival of a great creature that mankind can’t even communicate with, much less control…what would that be like to live through?” asks Edwards. “How would the world react? We’ve all seen or experienced incomprehensible disasters, natural or otherwise, that would seem like a scenario from a movie if they didn’t actually happen. So the challenge of making the ultimate Godzilla movie was to reflect that reality,...

Fiends! We have a fun contest for everyone to score passes for an Advance Screening to Godzilla as well as a Grand Prize winner to score VIP/Reserved seats for the Advance Screening and a awesome Godzilla Army Duffle Bag! Read below for all the rules & details!

Main Trailer

Teaser Trailer

Synopsis

An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Gareth Edwards directs “Godzilla,” which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass”), Oscar® nominee Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai,” “Inception”), Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”), Oscar® winner Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient,” “Cosmopolis”), and Sally Hawkins (“Blue Jasmine”), with Oscar® nominee David Strathairn (“Good Night, and Good Luck.,” “The Bourne Legacy”) and Bryan Cranston (“Argo,” TV’s “Breaking Bad”).

Edwards directs...

In the run up to the release of Godzilla, Warner Bros. Pictures is releasing a full series of videos launching on Wednesday each week.

In the weekly ‘Meet the Director’ series, British director Gareth Edwards divulges his experience of taking on the biggest movie of 2014 and about the advantages of being surrounded by “the best of the best” for the release of Godzilla.

In Summer 2014, the world’s most revered monster is reborn as Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures unleash the epic action adventure Godzilla. From visionary new director Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”) comes a powerful story of human courage and reconciliation in the face of titanic forces of nature, when the awe-inspiring Godzilla rises to restore balance as humanity stands defenseless.

Watch the brand new TV spots for the film.

Gareth Edwards directs Godzilla, which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass”), Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai,” “Inception”), Elizabeth Olsen...

Watch the brand new trailer for Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla.

An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Godzilla stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Oscar winner Juliette Binoche, and Sally Hawkins, with Oscar nominee David Strathairn and Bryan Cranston.

Edwards directs from a screenplay by Max Borenstein and Oscar nominee Frank Darabont (“The Green Mile,” “The Shawshank Redemption”), story by David Callaham and Max Borenstein, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by Toho Co., Ltd. Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing with Mary Parent and Brian Rogers. Patricia Whitcher and Alex Garcia are serving as executive producers, alongside Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes Oscar-nominated director of photography Seamus McGarvey (“Anna Karenina,...

Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait.

Here’s your first look at the brand new official poster for Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla.

An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

At this year’s SXSW (March 7 – 15), there will be a special screening of the original 1954 Japanese film followed by Q&A with Edwards. For more information visit http://sxsw.com/film.

Godzilla stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Oscar winner Juliette Binoche, and Sally Hawkins, with Oscar nominee David Strathairn and Bryan Cranston.

Edwards directs from a screenplay by Max Borenstein and Oscar nominee Frank Darabont (“The Green Mile,” “The Shawshank Redemption”), story by David Callaham and Max Borenstein, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by Toho Co., Ltd. Thomas Tull...

You can experience Legendary’s Godzilla before it hits theaters in the all-new graphic novel ‘Godzilla: Awakening’, on sale May 7th Get all the info here: http://bit.ly/GZAwakening

Co-written by Greg Borenstein and Max Borenstein (screenwriter of the forthcoming movie), this epic adventure, set decades before the film, is the perfect way for fans to experience the new Godzilla before seeing it in theaters.

Director Gareth Edwards also recorded an exclusive message for Legendary Comics fans.

An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our

very existence.

Gareth Edwards directs Godzilla, which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass”), Oscar® nominee Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai,” “Inception”), Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”), Oscar® winner Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient,” “Cosmopolis”), and...

An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Check out the new poster and trailer for director Gareth Edward’s Godzilla. If some of the effectively eerie music sounds familiar to you sci-fi fans, it’s from the ”Atmospheres” piece by György Ligeti used 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The Godzilla series was created in 1954. A lizard contaminated by nuclear bomb radiation, mutates into a 300 ft tall dinosaur/monster hybrid.

In the new film’s slick viral marketing, the group at the heart of this incident is called M.U.T.O. So who exactly are they?

Find out at: http://mutoresearch.net/

The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass”), Oscar® nominee Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai,” “Inception”), Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene...

The past couple of days I was playing around with Mutoresearch.net assuming that it could be cracked for a sneak peak of the trailer before today. It couldn’t. I got some tasty nuggets out of it but nothing that couldn’t really be found elsewhere. Regardless, it was fun. However, the moment that we have been all waiting for has finally arrived.

Check out the trailer for Gareth Edwards‘ adaptation on Toho’s “King of the Monsters” below & let us know what you think in the comments!

Trailer

Synopsis

An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Gareth Edwards directs “Godzilla,” which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass”), Oscar® nominee Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai,” “Inception”), Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene...

Physical production agent Wayne Fitterman has joined Wme as a partner. The veteran rep was head of UTA's production department and will lead Wme's corresponding division starting today. Fitterman is bringing 46 clients to his new agency, including Oscar-winning cinematographers Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood) and Andrew Lesnie (The Lord of the Rings), producer Ron Bozman (The Silence of the Lambs), production designer Grant Major (The Lord of the Rings), costume designers Jenny Beavan (A Room With a View) and Mark Bridges (The Artist), editor Anne Coates (Lawrence of Arabia) and visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel (The Lord

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In real life, he’s a cowboy. Dressed in dapper blue jeans, white shirt, buckled belt and ash blonde hair — unassumingly you’ll miss him for an actor. But cutting his convention, Jim Rygiel is Hollywood’s special effects wizard. The man, whose paintbrush and software layers got him the Academy Award three years in a row for Peter Jackson’s fantastical adaptation, Lord Of The Rings, is now claiming to be smitten by Bollywood. “It excites me. I always wanted an opportunity to work with studios here. And this seems to be my chance,” he says, as he signs up ...

Mumbai based VFX major Geon studios, a Sahara India Pariwar division has announced its association with world renowned VFX legend Jim Rygiel, a winner of three Oscar awards, three British Academy awards, two Ves awards and many more, on his first ever visit to India. Jim Rygiel will work as an advisor and will provide his expertise and knowledge to clients of Geon studios. Jim Rygiel, a legend in the VFX industry has made history with the movie Lord of the Rings, by winning three Oscars for all the three movies of the series, the 'American Film Institute's first AFI Digital Effects Artist of the Year' award and the 'British Academy of Film and Television Arts' award for best visual effects. Rygiel supervised many feature films, both as digital effects supervisor and as visual effects supervisor. His credits include Starship Troopers, Species, Outbreak, Air Force One, The Scout, The Last Action Hero,...

Mumbai based VFX major Geon studios, a Sahara India Pariwar division has announced its association with world renowned VFX legend Jim Rygiel, a winner of three Oscar awards, three British Academy awards, two Ves awards and many more, on his first ever visit to India. Jim Rygiel will work as an advisor and will provide his expertise and knowledge to clients of Geon studios. Jim Rygiel, a legend in the VFX industry has made history with the movie Lord of the Rings, by winning three Oscars for all the three movies of the series, the 'American Film Institute's first AFI Digital Effects Artist of the Year' award and the 'British Academy of Film and Television Arts' award for best visual effects. Rygiel supervised many feature films, both as digital effects supervisor and as visual effects supervisor. His credits include Starship Troopers, Species, Outbreak, Air Force One, The Scout, The Last Action Hero,...

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy will voice the role of Babe the Blue Ox in Bunyan & Babe , the animated feature from MGM and Exodus Film Group, says The Hollywood Reporter . The film puts a modern twist on the classic folk tale of Paul Bunyan and his sidekick Babe, with the pair embarking on a mission to save a town from a rapacious real estate developer. John Goodman is set to voice Bunyan, and Kelsey Grammer is the developer. Tony Bancroft and Jim Rygiel are directing the film for a 2011 release by MGM.

John Goodman and comedian Jeff Foxworthy are the first announced voice cast members for Bunyan & Babe, a new live-action/animated movie in development at MGM and with Exodus Film Group. The southern host of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? will perform the dialogue for Babe the Blue Ox, Paul Bunyan's animal companion in the legend about the lumberman while Goodman supplies the pipes of the ax-man. MGM wants to have the movie out in theaters sometime in 2011.

In a move to update the story from its 19th century rural roots, the action will take place in the modern day. Bunyan and Babe are charged with protecting a small lumber town from being torn down by a greedy real estate developer with ambitious plans for the land. The movie is being directed by Tony Bancroft and Jim Rygiel and in an interesting turn from his usual dayjob as an actor,...

Blue Collar comedian Jeff Foxworthy ("Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?") will lend his voice to the role of Babe the Blue Ox in MGM and Exodus Group's "Bunyan & Babe." Eddie Griffin was thought to play this role. The animated family adventure comedy is directed by Tony Bancroft and Jim Rygiel. Julia Wall wrote the screenplay from the original story and screenplay by Michael A. Nickles. Also cast is Kelsey Grammer. John Eraklis and Max Howard are producing.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jeff Foxworthy will be voicing Babe the Blue Ox in the animated film Bunyan & Babe from MGM and Exodus Film Group.

The film will see Paul Bunyan and his sidekick Babe setting about on a mission to rescue a town from a nefarious real estate developer. John Goodman will be voicing the Bunyan role, and Kelsey Grammer will voice the developer.

Directing this film are Tony Bancroft and Jim Rygiel. MGM plans to release it in 2011.

Jeff Foxworthy will be an ox.

The comedian will voice the role of Babe the Blue Ox in "Bunyan & Babe," the animated feature from MGM and Exodus Film Group.

The pic puts a modern twist on the classic folk tale of Paul Bunyan and his sidekick Babe, with the pair embarking on a mission to save a town from a rapacious real estate developer. John Goodman is set to voice Bunyan, and Kelsey Grammer is the developer.

Tony Bancroft and Jim Rygiel are directing the pic, with Exodus execs John Eraklis and Max Howard producing. MGM acquired the project this year and will look to release it in 2011.

The CAA- and Parallel Entertainment-repped Foxworthy, known for his populist brand of stand-up comedy, has had voice roles in 2006's "The Fox and the Hound 2" and other pics. He hosts the Fox quiz show "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?...

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Exodus Film Group announced today that Bunyan & Babe, Exodus' new animated feature film, will be distributed in North America by MGM. The announcement was made by Exodus CEO, John Eraklis and Erik Lomis, President, Worldwide Theatrical Distribution, Home Entertainment & Acquisitions for MGM.

Bunyan & Babe is a modern take on the folk story of legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan (John Goodman) and his sidekick, Babe the Blue Ox, who work with two adventurous kids to rescue their town from the evil clutches of a demented property developer (Kelsey Grammer).

"What Exodus has with Bunyan & Babe is a new spin on a classic story. It is always a pleasure working with a company that is making this type of accessible family entertainment and we look forward to distributing this film," commented Lomis.

"Bunyan & Babe will bring to life this classic American character and introduce him to a whole new generation...

With five nominations, "Iron Man" leads the list for the seventh annual Ves Awards, which were chosen Saturday by panels comprised of members of the Visual Effects Society.

The Marvel Studios-produced superhero movie was cited in the categories of visual effects in a visual effects-driven movie, best single visual effect of the year, outstanding animated character in a live-action movie, outstanding models and miniatures in a feature, and outstanding special effects in a movie. The nominees cited for "Iron Man" are Ben Snow, Hal Hickel, Victoria Alonso and John Nelson.

Its competition for the best visual effects in a visual effects-driven movie honor are "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (Wendy Rogers, Dean Wright, Andrew Fowler, Greg Butler), "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Eric Barba, Edson Williams, Nathan McGuinness, Lisa Beroud), "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" (Michael J. Wassel, Lucy Killick, Adrian de Wet, Eamonn Butler) and "Cloverfield" (Kevin Blank,...

"Click" takes an old theme -- that life is to be cherished in each moment, even the seemingly insignificant ones -- and gives it a postmodern spin by dropping in funnyman Adam Sandler and a mischievous Universal Remote with its own Life Menu. The movie is gag-filled, as you would expect of a Sandler movie, but the filmmakers -- director Frank Coraci and writers Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe -- realize they have hit upon an idea that is both clever and good, so they edge their comedy into some darker areas of human behavior. While the film pulls back from this dark side for a sunny ending, this nevertheless is light years removed from "Happy Gilmore" or "The Waterboy". So its anticipated boxoffice success will reflect Sandler's winning attempt to broaden his appeal.

Sandler's Michael Newman is established as a harried, workaholic architect determined to win the approval of his boss (David Hasselhoff) so he will be named a partner in the firm. Which leaves his lovely wife, Donna (Kate Beckinsale), and picture-perfect kids, Ben (Joseph Castanon) and Samantha (Tatum McCann), in the lurch. Dad hasn't any time to take a holiday or even finish that treehouse in the backyard.

Annoyed one evening when he can't figure out which of his remotes turns on the TV, Michael drives to a store to purchase a universal remote to operate all his electronic equipment. At Bed, Bath & Beyond, he slips through a door marked Beyond, which takes him to a shadowy warehouse/lab where a slightly demented guy named Morty -- Christopher Walken, who else? -- hands him a gadget that he promises will change Michael's life. It does.

Michael discovers that this remote can not only muffle the dog's bark, but let him fast-forward through arguments with Donna and skip the drudgery of work. The drawback is that the remote begins to program Michael: It anticipates, based on his previous preferences, the events he would like to experience and those he would choose to miss. Only now he is skipping over major sections of his life, fast-forwarding to the day he finally becomes a partner only to return home to a family irredeemably estranged from dad.

"Click" has a grand time aging people, portraying the results of a junk-food addiction over a long haul and seeing relationships crumble and resume at a click of a button. Clearly, this gag leads to serious themes explored in works as divergent as Harry Chapin's song "Cat's in the Cradle", Thorton Wilder's play "Our Town" and Charles Dickens' novella "A Christmas Carol", where a protagonist learns he must treasure everyday life just as it is and realizes the consequences of mistreating those who are close.

The logic of this Universal Remote is not completely thought through. If Michael can fast-forward in time, why can't he hit reverse and alter his destiny? More puzzling is that the devise seems to create two different Michaels. The one who hits the clicker is still sensitive to his desperate need for his family and their love. But the "bad" Michael, the one he catches up with in these time-travel leaps, is completely cut off, if not hostile, to family members.

Fortunately, Sandler sells the good Michael as a likable guy even when crazed with work and seems truly startled at this deviant version of himself. Michael's children, played at different stages by three sets of actors, grow up believably. However, Beckinsale's Donna isn't given much to work with other than an unlikely shift in her romantic affections.

Characters on the periphery -- Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler and Judy Kavner as Michael's parents, Sean Astin as a swim coach and Jennifer Coolidge as Donna's husband-cheating girlfriend -- are all caricatures.

The visual effects by Jim Rygiel and Pete Travers and special effects supervised by John Hartigan are part of the fun. The various design elements pull you into the world of the Universal Remote as well as a credible future complete with 2016 cars and Perry Andelin Blake's sleek production design, all expertly woven together by Dean Semler's crisp cinematography.

CLICK

Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures/Revolution Studios present a Happy Madison/Original Film production

Credits:

Director: Frank Coraci

Screenwriters: Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe

Producers: Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, Neal H. Moritz, Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe

Executive producers: Barry Bernardi, Tim Herlihy

Director of photography: Dean Semler

Production designer: Perry Andelin Blake

Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams

Costume designer: Ellen Lutter

Editor: Jeff Gourson

Cast:

Michael: Adam Sandler

Donna: Kate Beckinsale

Morty: Christopher Walken

Ammer: David Hasselhoff

Ted: Henry Winkler

Trudy: Julie Kavner

Bill: Sean Astin

MPAA rating PG-13

Running time -- 106 minutes...

Jim Rygiel, who won three visual effects Oscars for his work on the Lord of the Rings films, is set to make his directorial debut on the upcoming indie feature Bunyan and Babe for Venice, Calif.-based Exodus Film Group. Based on the legendary figure of Paul Bunyan, Bunyan and Babe is a live-action family adventure following Bunyan's attempts -- with the help of a couple of kids -- to rescue his ox from the evil clutches of a demented circus owner. The film will feature the voice of Eddie Griffin as the CGI-animated Babe the Blue Ox.