New Disney Archive Series Book: 'Design'

I'm a huge Disney fan (both live and animated films) and I'm giving a shout out to a book series that documents their animated films, the latest is 'Design' and it's just as impressive as the other books: 'Story' and 'Animation' - comprised with storyboards, sketches, character designs over some 256 pages, it's a compendium of artistry from the Disney vaults - it's massive in content and size, and it's quite a heavy book (in weight!) - Highly recommended!

Seattle's Cinerama reopens!

The old classic movie palaces are the best places to see movies and of the nation's best places to see a movie, Seattle's Cinerama is definately in the top ten.  Great to see an individual such as Greg Wood take the reins and present and preserve a great theatre (maybe AMC can close DC's Uptown and give someone a chance here to make the Uptown equal in par):

'Sneak preview of remodeled Cinerama'

By Moria Macdonald

Seattle Times movie critic

Four popcorn poppers at Cinerama, where once was just one? Be still, my heart.
The historic downtown theater, closed since late August for renovations, reopens Thursday for a midnight screening of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part I." And, despite those new popcorn poppers, its biggest change will be one moviegoers may not notice: Greg Wood, the new operator of the theater.

The movie house had been managed by national chain AMC until August, when theater owner Vulcan (Paul Allen's company) severed that relationship. Vulcan hired Wood, who also owns and operates the Roseway in Portland, a 1920s-era theater, which he refurbished and reopened as a first-run cinema in 2008.

"I view it as Seattle's living room," said Wood last week of Cinerama. And that living room's just gotten a facelift. The remodel, says Wood, is primarily a technical upgrade: It now has a new digital projector with 3D capability, an updated sound system, a new giant screen (making for, Wood says, a brighter and more brilliant picture; it'll be the same size as before). Purists needn't fret: The theater still has its film projector and will continue to screen occasional movies in 70-mm or Cinerama (a now-rare, three-strip format). Wood looks forward to bringing back the annual Cinerama Festival, sometime next year.

Though the Cinerama lobby retains its midcentury-kitsch look (the theater dates from 1963), it's been spiffed up with new carpet and display cases for a revolving selection of movie memorabilia, including costumes from "The Matrix," "TRON," "Blade" and others. Moviegoers will see a big change at the concessions counter, which has been redesigned with a new menu and new pricing — a small popcorn, likely to be fresh thanks to all those poppers, is now just $2. Local food vendors have been brought into the mix, such as Cupcake Royale (soon to offer, Wood hopes, movie-themed cupcakes), Theo chocolates and Caffé Vita coffee.

While Wood is pleased with the renovations and new 3D technology (previously Cinerama had to screen even "Avatar" in 2D), he emphasizes that the theater won't be offering blockbusters only. "Because we have 3D doesn't mean we are taking every 3D movie," he said, adding that he hopes to book a mixture of big Hollywood movies ("TRON: Legacy" will follow "Harry Potter"), art-house fare and local film-festival offerings. Presenting that kind of variety, he said, means that everyone in Seattle — not just blockbuster-movie fans — "can come and enjoy the theater."

Lyn Tangen, director of corporate communications at Vulcan, said Wood's experience in making the Roseway a neighborhood destination was part of why he was chosen. "The thing about Greg is that he's very interested in trying to connect with community. We're all behind that. We really like the idea of making the theater more available for community and nonprofit events."

Wood's excited to get on with the business of running the theater, saying he's already begun to book film- festival events for early 2011. And while he's resigned to a lot of driving between Portland and Seattle in the near future, he's grateful for the opportunity to step in and run "one of the most treasured theaters on the planet."

Starting Thursday, all of Seattle gets another chance to find out why.

'Megamind' 3D / IMAX-Digital review

MEGAMIND

AMC Tysons Corner - IMAX Digital 3D

  

Dreamwork's latest animated film is a mixed bag, only in the sense that the film's theme would fit perfectly  along side 'Despicable Me' where the protagonist, the villain, finds his true inner 'good' side.  While the 3D is certainly the highlight of the film, notably in the film's flying sequences and the towering city skyscrapers - one who is wary of heights [me] might freak out how well 'height' is excellently conveyed.  The voice acting is actually good for a change, Dreamwork's animated films seem too preconceived and hype films way too much in this respect.  But here for 'Megamind' Will Ferrell is good and restrained (thank god) and Brad Pitt doesn't act like himself (Dreamwork's 'Sinbad' where he played the lead, was bland, bland, bland).  The animator's also seem to incorporate Tina Fey's facial expressions into her portrayal of Roxanne Ritchi.  Only when Jonah Hill's 'Titan' becomes the key villain does the film become a tad too derivative of 'The Incredibles' (i.e, 'Syndrome').  Even David Cross' role as Minion gives the film much needed humour, which largely seems quite limited and restrained.  Technically, the soundmix is odd, since for a film of this genre one would expect alot of explosions, body pummelling and audio mayhem - it's not overdone and as a result the mix almost hinders the viewer to be fully encapsulated into the film's environment. To bad I didn't hear the full discrete 7.1 mix, since IMAX audio is not set up as such  All in all though I found this film to be quite entertaining, but not 100% 'great' - but still recommended.

3 New 3D auditoriums at Regal Bethesda!

In a rather mixed bag of news, Regal contiues the digital conversion of it's theater's and downtown Bethesda Maryland is the latest in the DC metropolitan area! Two of the largest auditoriums there are finally made over; # 2 and #10 (as well as #4).  #10 is a great auditorium as it once featured Kodak's now defunct 6-channel CDS 'Cinema Digital Sound' (the precursor to Dolby Digital, DTS, and SDDS digital sound) - 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day' was killer!  The screens are also worthy since they feature side masking and when displaying a scope 2.35 widescreen film really fills up the wall horizontally to great effect. 

Unfortunately... according to management none of the four screens are equipped to playback the new 7.1 discrete soundsystem where four channels of sound are distributed to the rear of the listener/filmgoer - apparently Regal found that Gallery Place was worthy, yet Bethesda, nope! [grrrrrr]  - oh well, can't have it all.  This is great news since there are a number of 3D movies that aren't being seen at my neighborhood AMC, since only one screena at Mazza is equipped as such.

The next Muppet Movie ?!?

a still with Jason Segal - this should be a ton of fun! 

Winnie the Pooh (2011) Official Trailer - HD

'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' (2010 remake) review

Paramount Theatre - Virginia Film Festival - November 6, 2010

Young Sally Hirst at the beginning of the movie is sent to live with father and his new girlfriend in big old creepy Gothic mansion - she discovers a race of creatures under the basement floor, and decides to let them out - BIG mistake.  Stylistically it looks like a Guillermo Del Toro movie (as it should since he is credited as one of the three writers) but it's up to newcomer director Troy Nixely to deliver the goods, which he does sporadically. The biggest problem is that the characters are on the one dimensional side and it all plays out in the standard 'old dark house' horror cliches and trappings (which do work mind you) but Guy Pearce as the father seems and acts like a total wall flower at times.  Katie Holmes fares a little better, surprisingly. Bailee Madison as Sally does alot of great screaming and smashing of a few creatures to a gory pulp (the audience I saw this with, loved those scenes).  The creatures are a nasty bunch (which resemble leaner spider like 'ghoulies') and the effective 5.1 soundmix has them scurrying in and around inside the walls and speaking to Sally - to freak her and the audience out. Mind you it's a fun horror movie, but one wonders if Del Toro had actually directed this, if characterization might have been better refined. 

The film was followed by a question and answer session with producer Mark Johnson  and I have to say, it was by far the worst Q&A I've had the chance to listen to at the Virginia Film Festival - David Edelstein was snarky and asking unrelated questions to the film which we had just seen and given the fact that we were one of the first audiences to see the movie, more time should have been allotted to our questions for Mr. Johnson.   It was a strange flawed movie for the festival's centerpiece screening, Del Toro was supposed to have been at the Q&A, but cancelled, obviousily his non-presence was sorely missed.