Arrow Video is proud to announce the release of Michael Mann’s contemporary espionage thriller Blackhat starring Chris Hemsworth – available now on 4K Uhd and Blu-ray – which includes the rarely-seen Director’s Cut, never before released on home video!
“Back in February, when we announced our release of Blackhat (FCD2373 / AV502) some of our customers expressed disappointment that it did not include the Director’s Cut of the film. Arrow Video has heard your pleas…
After an extensive search, we have managed to track down the rarely-seen Director’s Cut, never before released on home video. The original digital files have been retrieved and we are very pleased to confirm that it will now be included as a second Blu-ray Disc.
To allow time for disc authoring and quality control, we have had to push the release date back to 27th November 2023 in the UK and 28th November 2023 in the US and Canada.
“Back in February, when we announced our release of Blackhat (FCD2373 / AV502) some of our customers expressed disappointment that it did not include the Director’s Cut of the film. Arrow Video has heard your pleas…
After an extensive search, we have managed to track down the rarely-seen Director’s Cut, never before released on home video. The original digital files have been retrieved and we are very pleased to confirm that it will now be included as a second Blu-ray Disc.
To allow time for disc authoring and quality control, we have had to push the release date back to 27th November 2023 in the UK and 28th November 2023 in the US and Canada.
- 12/18/2023
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
The first notable images in Blackhat are of a synchronized series of white lights, flashing rapidly as digital poison courses through the inner workings of a computer mainframe, the camera trailing along on this tumbling journey through the darkness. This is a scarcely graceful bit of eye-catching CG spectacle, seemingly injected to enliven the usually drab proceedings of the hacker movie, a subgenre of thrillers in which fleet-fingered desperadoes are prone to squaring off against one another across the bland conduit of static computer prompts. Yet despite a fair share of clunky elements, director Michael Mann’s elegant work ultimately elevates the film above the level of the material, turning that initial image—of light and dark contrasted within a seemingly all-encompassing grid, its rigidity offset by a sinuous flow of wordless movement—into a gracefully expanding visual motif.
Utilizing a variety of flourishes stemming from agile, expressive camerawork courtesy of Stuart Dryburgh,...
Utilizing a variety of flourishes stemming from agile, expressive camerawork courtesy of Stuart Dryburgh,...
- 11/3/2023
- by Jesse Cataldo
- Slant Magazine
What | Taiwan Creators Night: Bridging Taiwan and the World
A 2020 Networking Cocktail Party, including 3 panels around creative industry topics
Cannes Cinefondacion nominated director Keff chatting with director John Hsu and actress/ screenwriter Wu Ke Xi
Who | Leehom Wang, Sylvia Chang, Midi Z, Eddie Huang, Janet Hsieh and George Young; and companies including HBO Asia, Line TV, Kakao (Korea), Catchplay, KKBox, and MM2
Hosted By | Kindred Spirit’s Anita Gou
When | August 21st, 2020 from 6pm-10pm
Where | TripMoment VR, Taipei City, Da’an District
Youtube Co-Founder Steve Chen discusses the future of tech and content with international superstar Leehom Wang...
A 2020 Networking Cocktail Party, including 3 panels around creative industry topics
Cannes Cinefondacion nominated director Keff chatting with director John Hsu and actress/ screenwriter Wu Ke Xi
Who | Leehom Wang, Sylvia Chang, Midi Z, Eddie Huang, Janet Hsieh and George Young; and companies including HBO Asia, Line TV, Kakao (Korea), Catchplay, KKBox, and MM2
Hosted By | Kindred Spirit’s Anita Gou
When | August 21st, 2020 from 6pm-10pm
Where | TripMoment VR, Taipei City, Da’an District
Youtube Co-Founder Steve Chen discusses the future of tech and content with international superstar Leehom Wang...
- 8/29/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
“Borders are collapsing all around us,” says producer Janet Yang, who programs the Asia Society’s U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit conference next week in Los Angeles. “That process is being driven by changes in content and technology.”
The summit this year has notably broadened its focus from one on U.S.-China relations to one that examines the entertainment business to a wider U.S.-Asia perspective.
The conference’s altered angel of attack may reflect a waning American interest in China, now that Chinese firms are no longer buying up Hollywood corporate assets at inflated prices.
And with the polarizing effects of 22 weeks of anti-Beijing protests in Hong Kong, and a year-long U.S.-China trade war, a China focus might also be too sensitive. U.S. entities such as the NBA, Quentin Tarantino and “South Park” have all clashed with China in recent weeks.
“There are too many other topics.
The summit this year has notably broadened its focus from one on U.S.-China relations to one that examines the entertainment business to a wider U.S.-Asia perspective.
The conference’s altered angel of attack may reflect a waning American interest in China, now that Chinese firms are no longer buying up Hollywood corporate assets at inflated prices.
And with the polarizing effects of 22 weeks of anti-Beijing protests in Hong Kong, and a year-long U.S.-China trade war, a China focus might also be too sensitive. U.S. entities such as the NBA, Quentin Tarantino and “South Park” have all clashed with China in recent weeks.
“There are too many other topics.
- 11/3/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Crossover film and music superstars, Wang Leehom and Jung Ji-hoon are to be honored by the Asia Society next month in Los Angeles. Bob Weis, president of Walt Disney Imagineering and Zhang Wei, president of Alibaba Pictures, will also receive prizes.
The inaugural Game Changer Awards will be presented on Nov. 5 at a gala dinner to follow the U.S.–Asia Entertainment Summit. The summit is in its tenth year. And, where previous editions had concentrated on U.S.-China relations, the event this time has been given a broader focus examining the wider connections between the U.S. and Asia entertainment businesses.
“Lost” star, Daniel Dae Kim, who has broadened his operations from acting to directing and producing through his 3Ad Media company, will be a highlight of the conference section. He will be quizzed by “Late Night” director Nisha Ganatra on The New Hollywood: Have the Asians Arrived?...
The inaugural Game Changer Awards will be presented on Nov. 5 at a gala dinner to follow the U.S.–Asia Entertainment Summit. The summit is in its tenth year. And, where previous editions had concentrated on U.S.-China relations, the event this time has been given a broader focus examining the wider connections between the U.S. and Asia entertainment businesses.
“Lost” star, Daniel Dae Kim, who has broadened his operations from acting to directing and producing through his 3Ad Media company, will be a highlight of the conference section. He will be quizzed by “Late Night” director Nisha Ganatra on The New Hollywood: Have the Asians Arrived?...
- 10/8/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Doubling as both a colorful recycling bin for tropes and ideas from a variety of preexisting children animated features and a casting session for “The Voice”‘s next batch of hosts, Kelly Asbury’s plush-inspired film “UglyDolls” is underscored by a well-intentioned message of self-acceptance, even if the delivery vehicle is unremarkable.
Developed from a story by Robert Rodriguez and written by newcomer Alison Peck, this musical adventure about misshapen plush dolls that were rejected by quality control in a toy factory is as energetic as its mechanics are perplexing. Sure, one must give in to the fantastical elements in films of this kind, but some of the plot details in this mashup production (“Toy Story” + “Monsters Inc.” + a generic stage show) are as visibly defective as its heroes but much less huggable.
Singer Kelly Clarkson, who herself has been on the receiving end of judgmental comments about her physical appearance throughout her career,...
Developed from a story by Robert Rodriguez and written by newcomer Alison Peck, this musical adventure about misshapen plush dolls that were rejected by quality control in a toy factory is as energetic as its mechanics are perplexing. Sure, one must give in to the fantastical elements in films of this kind, but some of the plot details in this mashup production (“Toy Story” + “Monsters Inc.” + a generic stage show) are as visibly defective as its heroes but much less huggable.
Singer Kelly Clarkson, who herself has been on the receiving end of judgmental comments about her physical appearance throughout her career,...
- 5/1/2019
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
We are all flawed individuals. After all, we are only human and no one is perfect. This upcoming animated musical film UglyDolls celebrates the flaws in us and shows us that those flaws are worth fighting for.
Yeah, the movie may look silly and like something that might not interest many of you. But I do like the message that it carries, and I think that it’ll be a fun flick for the kids to enjoy. In today’s world there is so much pressure to be perfect because there are people that seem to demand perfection from others; I see my kids struggling with that, and it’s totally ok for people not to be perfect.
Anyway, Stx Films has released a new trailer for you to watch, and this is said to be the final trailer for the film before it’s released.
The movie is based...
Yeah, the movie may look silly and like something that might not interest many of you. But I do like the message that it carries, and I think that it’ll be a fun flick for the kids to enjoy. In today’s world there is so much pressure to be perfect because there are people that seem to demand perfection from others; I see my kids struggling with that, and it’s totally ok for people not to be perfect.
Anyway, Stx Films has released a new trailer for you to watch, and this is said to be the final trailer for the film before it’s released.
The movie is based...
- 3/29/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
"Our flaws make us who we are! Those are all worth fighting for..." Stx Entertainment has released a third official trailer for the animated UglyDolls movie, opening in theaters in the beginning of May. This is based on the beloved-worldwide little weirdo plush dolls, first created by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim in 2001. Stx's UglyDolls is an animated musical adventure starring the acting & singing voices of Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton, and Pitbull. The main plot follows a group of UglyDolls who "confront what it means to be different, struggle with their desire to be loved, and ultimately discover that you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing." Of course. The voice cast also features Wanda Sykes, Emma Roberts, Gabriel Iglesias, and Wang Leehom. This looks a lot like that other animated movie Trolls, also featuring pop songs singing about how beautiful we all are.
- 3/28/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
“Our flaws are what make us unique… they’re all worth fighting for.”
Here’s a cute new second trailer for UglyDolls from Stx Films, based on the UglyDolls plush toys. I had my doubts about whether this movie could actually pull out a good story, but it’s really shaping up to be a cute movie. I wasn’t sure Trolls was going to turn out either, but it ended up really surprising me, and this looks like it could be another feel good kids musical out to touch on self-esteem and making kids happy. So I’m in!
Here’s a synopsis for the movie:
An animated adventure in which the free-spirited UglyDolls confront what it means to be different, struggle with a desire to be loved, and ultimately discover who you truly are is what matters most.
Sounds good to me! The cast is amazing, and includes...
Here’s a cute new second trailer for UglyDolls from Stx Films, based on the UglyDolls plush toys. I had my doubts about whether this movie could actually pull out a good story, but it’s really shaping up to be a cute movie. I wasn’t sure Trolls was going to turn out either, but it ended up really surprising me, and this looks like it could be another feel good kids musical out to touch on self-esteem and making kids happy. So I’m in!
Here’s a synopsis for the movie:
An animated adventure in which the free-spirited UglyDolls confront what it means to be different, struggle with a desire to be loved, and ultimately discover who you truly are is what matters most.
Sounds good to me! The cast is amazing, and includes...
- 2/6/2019
- by Jessica Fisher
- GeekTyrant
"Are we really not good enough for the big world?" Stx Entertainment has debuted the full-length, second trailer for the animated UglyDolls movie, in theaters at the beginning of this summer. This is based on the beloved-worldwide little weirdo plush dolls, first created by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim in 2001. This is Stx's first animated "family" project, co-produced by Robert Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios. Stx's UglyDolls is an animated musical adventure starring the acting & singing voices of Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton, and Pitbull. The main plot follows a group of UglyDolls who "confront what it means to be different, struggle with their desire to be loved, and ultimately discover that you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing." The voice cast also features Wanda Sykes, Emma Roberts, Gabriel Iglesias, and Wang Leehom. This looks wacky and really dumb, but it has a good heart,...
- 2/5/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Stx Entertainment is partnering with Alibaba Pictures to co-produce and co-finance content from its upcoming UglyDolls franchise as the studio looks to build a long-term global IP. The animated feature film based on David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim’s popular toy line opens on May 3.
Already, Stx is planning an animated TV series with Hulu, as well as digital and print publishing, mobile and educational games, music and merchandising connected to the property.
The venture combines Stx’s multiplatform content making, marketing and distribution expertise with Alibaba Group’s entire ecosystem. With more than 600M consumers across e-commerce, marketing, ticketing, digital media and entertainment platforms, merchandising and consumer insights, Alibaba Pictures serves as the “Gateway to China,” bringing entertainment content to the Middle Kingdom.
Stx’s push into animation comes with the deep experience of its film division leaders, STXfilms chairman Adam Fogelson, who prior to coming to Stx, was instrumental in establishing Illumination Entertainment,...
Already, Stx is planning an animated TV series with Hulu, as well as digital and print publishing, mobile and educational games, music and merchandising connected to the property.
The venture combines Stx’s multiplatform content making, marketing and distribution expertise with Alibaba Group’s entire ecosystem. With more than 600M consumers across e-commerce, marketing, ticketing, digital media and entertainment platforms, merchandising and consumer insights, Alibaba Pictures serves as the “Gateway to China,” bringing entertainment content to the Middle Kingdom.
Stx’s push into animation comes with the deep experience of its film division leaders, STXfilms chairman Adam Fogelson, who prior to coming to Stx, was instrumental in establishing Illumination Entertainment,...
- 1/11/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
With Disney making it official that for a second year in a row summer will start during the last weekend of April with Avengers: Endgame, Stx Entertainment is jumping its family animated feature UglyDolls to May 3, up a week from May 10.
UglyDolls will now be the only wide entry May 3 and moves away from Warner Bros’ Pokemon Detective Pikachu which was planted on May 10.
Kelly Asbury directs the animated pic based off David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim’s plush toy line. Voice cast includes Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Pitbull, Blake Shelton, Janelle Monáe, Wanda Sykes, Emma Roberts, Gabriel Iglesias, Bebe Rexha, Charli Xcx, Lizzo, and Wang Leehom.
The film is another bid by Stx to launch a potential franchise in the wake of its hit female comedy Bad Moms.
UglyDolls will now be the only wide entry May 3 and moves away from Warner Bros’ Pokemon Detective Pikachu which was planted on May 10.
Kelly Asbury directs the animated pic based off David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim’s plush toy line. Voice cast includes Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Pitbull, Blake Shelton, Janelle Monáe, Wanda Sykes, Emma Roberts, Gabriel Iglesias, Bebe Rexha, Charli Xcx, Lizzo, and Wang Leehom.
The film is another bid by Stx to launch a potential franchise in the wake of its hit female comedy Bad Moms.
- 12/14/2018
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The first trailer has arrived for the new CG animated film UglyDolls, which is based on the popular plush toy property. The film is a musical adventure in which weird is celebrated, strange is special, and beauty is embraced.
The trailer teases a few of the musical numbers in the movie and as you’ll see it explodes with vibrant color and wacky characters. The movie is sure to be a big hit with the kids.
The voice cast for the film includes Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton and Pitbull. Here’s the lengthy plot summary that was released:
In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Here, the free-spirited Moxy and her UglyDolls friends live every day in a whirlwind of bliss, letting their freak flags fly in a celebration...
The trailer teases a few of the musical numbers in the movie and as you’ll see it explodes with vibrant color and wacky characters. The movie is sure to be a big hit with the kids.
The voice cast for the film includes Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton and Pitbull. Here’s the lengthy plot summary that was released:
In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Here, the free-spirited Moxy and her UglyDolls friends live every day in a whirlwind of bliss, letting their freak flags fly in a celebration...
- 11/9/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
"Good morning Uglyville!" Stx Entertainment has unveiled the first trailer for the animated UglyDolls movie, in theaters next May. This is based on the beloved-worldwide little weirdo plush dolls, first created by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim in 2001. This movie has been in development for years, and it's Stx's first animated "family" project, co-produced by Robert Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios - crazy enough. Stx's UglyDolls is an animated musical adventure starring the acting & singing voices of Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton, and Pitbull. The story follows a group of UglyDolls who "confront what it means to be different, struggle with their desire to be loved, and ultimately discover that you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing." Sounds just like the Trolls movie. The voice cast also features Wanda Sykes, Emma Roberts, Gabriel Iglesias, and Wang Leehom. Hang with the weirdos below. Here's the...
- 11/8/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Prepare for the arrival of Ugly. STXfilms has unleashed the first trailer for UglyDolls, a toon film inspired by the plush-toy line launched in 2001. Check it out above.
Here’s the logline: In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special, and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Moxy (Kelly Clarkson) loves her square-peg life in this round-hole town, but her curiosity about all things leads her to wonder if there’s something — anything — on the other side of the mountain that nestles Uglyville. She gathers a group of her closest friends and sets off to find what’s on the other side. They discover Perfection, a town where more conventional dolls are trained in protocols before they graduate and are sent to the “real” world to find the love of a child.
In Perfection, Moxy and her crew are subject to...
Here’s the logline: In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special, and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Moxy (Kelly Clarkson) loves her square-peg life in this round-hole town, but her curiosity about all things leads her to wonder if there’s something — anything — on the other side of the mountain that nestles Uglyville. She gathers a group of her closest friends and sets off to find what’s on the other side. They discover Perfection, a town where more conventional dolls are trained in protocols before they graduate and are sent to the “real” world to find the love of a child.
In Perfection, Moxy and her crew are subject to...
- 11/8/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Nothing like some campy Chinese fantasy action to start the day, right? The first teaser trailer has debuted online for a new Chinese fantasy-adventure-action film directed by action veteran Renny Harlin titled Legend of the Ancient Sword. Based on the video game "Gu Jian Qi Tan 2", the film centers around a young student of a lost martial arts form (called "Yan") who heads out from his hometown to find a great master. The main cast includes Leehom Wang, Victoria Song, Godfrey Gao, Karena Ng, Julian Cheung, Archie Kao, Ada Liu, and Li Yan. This looks pretty much exactly like it sounds: packed with CGI action, vibrant sets, eccentric characters, and a flaming "ancient" sword. Have fun. Here's the first teaser trailer for Renny Harlin's Legend of the Ancient Sword, direct from YouTube: Due to a fateful occurrence, Yue Wuyi leaves home. ...
- 7/20/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
"Stan Lee's Annihilator" is an upcoming action adventure feature from Falconer Pictures, written by "Spider-Man' creator Lee with screenwriter Dan Gilroy ("Nightcrawler"), following a martial artist (Wang Leehom) who enlists in the Us 'Super Soldier' program:
"... 'Ming' (Leehom) must choose between remaining in prison or enlist in a secret Us super soldier program. The program uses targeted genetic enhancements from various animal species. Ming chooses to undergo this nearly fatal procedure and through his extreme resolve, gained as a result of his family's tradition of practicing 'Qigong' and martial arts, he survives.
"Now, armed with remarkable abilities, he must confront a former rival with his own set of enhanced faculties. Our reluctant hero is forced not only to face his personal demons, but also to defeat the villain who will destroy everything that he knows and loves..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"... 'Ming' (Leehom) must choose between remaining in prison or enlist in a secret Us super soldier program. The program uses targeted genetic enhancements from various animal species. Ming chooses to undergo this nearly fatal procedure and through his extreme resolve, gained as a result of his family's tradition of practicing 'Qigong' and martial arts, he survives.
"Now, armed with remarkable abilities, he must confront a former rival with his own set of enhanced faculties. Our reluctant hero is forced not only to face his personal demons, but also to defeat the villain who will destroy everything that he knows and loves..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 2/7/2017
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Distribution Workshop sells 3D animation about a young girl who teams up with the animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
Hong Kong-based Distribution Workshop has sold 3D animation Where’s The Dragon? to Crimson Forest Films and Hannover House for North America.
Written and directed by VFX veteran Sing Choong Foo (My Lucky Star), the $10m film is being lined up for theatrical release around Chinese New Year (January 27, 2017).
Released in China last November, the film features voice talent including Zhang Ziyi and Wang Leehom. The story revolves around a young girl who joins forces with the animals of the Chinese Zodiac to find a dragon that has mysteriously disappeared.
Hannover House will supervise the creation of an English-language version of the film using Us talent. Recording will take place under a production partnership with Crisp Recording and Filmworks.
“We’re excited to bring diversity and quality storytelling from around the world to audiences in North America,” said...
Hong Kong-based Distribution Workshop has sold 3D animation Where’s The Dragon? to Crimson Forest Films and Hannover House for North America.
Written and directed by VFX veteran Sing Choong Foo (My Lucky Star), the $10m film is being lined up for theatrical release around Chinese New Year (January 27, 2017).
Released in China last November, the film features voice talent including Zhang Ziyi and Wang Leehom. The story revolves around a young girl who joins forces with the animals of the Chinese Zodiac to find a dragon that has mysteriously disappeared.
Hannover House will supervise the creation of an English-language version of the film using Us talent. Recording will take place under a production partnership with Crisp Recording and Filmworks.
“We’re excited to bring diversity and quality storytelling from around the world to audiences in North America,” said...
- 11/3/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
In a odd twist of events almost as strange as that Casper van Dien starring sex toy produced post apocalyptic movie, Qualcomm, the world's leading maker of cell phone processors, is getting into the movie business as well and they're not holding back.
Starring Olivia Munn and Leehom Wang, Lifeline is directed and co-written by Armando Bo who is best known for his work with Alejandro G. Iñárritu including sharing a co-writing Oscar with the director for his work on Birdman. The short stars Wang as a man who wakes up on his boat one morning to discover his girlfriend, played by Munn, is gone. With the use of her phone – the only visu [Continued ...]...
Starring Olivia Munn and Leehom Wang, Lifeline is directed and co-written by Armando Bo who is best known for his work with Alejandro G. Iñárritu including sharing a co-writing Oscar with the director for his work on Birdman. The short stars Wang as a man who wakes up on his boat one morning to discover his girlfriend, played by Munn, is gone. With the use of her phone – the only visu [Continued ...]...
- 6/23/2016
- QuietEarth.us
After many years of a varied theater, dance and film career, Roxanne Messina Captor will be directing her script “Pearl” starring Juliette Binoche along with Leehom Wang (“Blackhat”) and Jing Tian (“Great Wall”). Based upon the life of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck, who was in China during the upheaval of the 1920s. The story follows the “Ten Years Civil War” which took place between the Communists and Nationalists after the Nanking Incident of 1927. Her family escaped Nanking with the help of her family’s nanny and moved to Shanghai. She left China in 1934 and never returned.
Buck won the Pulitzer Prize in 1931 for her novel “The Good Earth,” about the struggle of Chinese farmers, and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938, “for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces.” She also wrote “Peony” a deeply moving romance about the last Jew in K’aifeng in the province of Hunan.
The 1937 movie “The Good Earth” starred Paul Muni and Luise Rainer, who won an Academy Award for best actress.
During the Beijing Film Festival 2012, writer/ producer/ director Roxanne Messina Captor tied in China Film Group to co-finance and co-produce her project. About 85% of the film will be shot in China.
Binoche, who won an Oscar for “The English Patient,” recently starred in “Clouds of Sils Maria” and will be seen next in Mike Medavoy’s mining rescue drama “The 33″ opposite Antonio Banderas. She’s repped by CAA and Untitled Entertainment. Roxanne and the project are also repped by CAA.
Roxanne has also been invited by the Pearl Buck foundation to present her research paper on Buck in the Pearl Buck Symposium to be held in Zhenjiang early September. This is Pearl’s hometown and museum.
“Pearl” is scheduled to start production in 2016 in Zhejiang Province, Shanghai and Prague. Vilmos Zsigmond has been attached as the cinematographer.
"I found so many parallels in Pearl's life. At twelve I followed my two professional passions, writing and dancing. Both stayed with me as my career expanded to directing. Pearl and I believe anything can manifest with passion and determination."
A Juilliard Theater School graduate, Roxanne Messina Captor was with Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, Harkness Ballet, New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet and performed as a guest artist with Rudolph Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov. She has performed On and Off Broadway under the direction of Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Uta Hagen, Robert Lewis (Yale Repertory Theatre).
As a theatre director and choreographer working in Regional and Off-Broadway theatre. Francis Ford Coppola chose Captor to assist Gene Kelly with the choreography of "One From the Heart." She danced in the films “Cotton Club”, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "Xanadu" and "Pennies From Heaven. Other film producing and directing include: Emmy-nominated "Home Sweet Homeless”, "A Clean Kill” starring Daniel Benzali, “Her Married Lover” prime time premiere Lifetime Television. "Dead On Sight,” starring Jennifer Beals, and Oscar nominated William H. Macy ("Fargo").
In 2001 she was the Executive Director of the San Francisco International Film Festival and one of the few Americans to moderate a panel at the Havana International Film Festival. She received international recognition and was awarded the prestigious Chevalier du Ordre des Arts and Lettres, Republic of France in 2005. One of the original programming executives who formed Turner Network Television.
Buck won the Pulitzer Prize in 1931 for her novel “The Good Earth,” about the struggle of Chinese farmers, and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938, “for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces.” She also wrote “Peony” a deeply moving romance about the last Jew in K’aifeng in the province of Hunan.
The 1937 movie “The Good Earth” starred Paul Muni and Luise Rainer, who won an Academy Award for best actress.
During the Beijing Film Festival 2012, writer/ producer/ director Roxanne Messina Captor tied in China Film Group to co-finance and co-produce her project. About 85% of the film will be shot in China.
Binoche, who won an Oscar for “The English Patient,” recently starred in “Clouds of Sils Maria” and will be seen next in Mike Medavoy’s mining rescue drama “The 33″ opposite Antonio Banderas. She’s repped by CAA and Untitled Entertainment. Roxanne and the project are also repped by CAA.
Roxanne has also been invited by the Pearl Buck foundation to present her research paper on Buck in the Pearl Buck Symposium to be held in Zhenjiang early September. This is Pearl’s hometown and museum.
“Pearl” is scheduled to start production in 2016 in Zhejiang Province, Shanghai and Prague. Vilmos Zsigmond has been attached as the cinematographer.
"I found so many parallels in Pearl's life. At twelve I followed my two professional passions, writing and dancing. Both stayed with me as my career expanded to directing. Pearl and I believe anything can manifest with passion and determination."
A Juilliard Theater School graduate, Roxanne Messina Captor was with Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, Harkness Ballet, New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet and performed as a guest artist with Rudolph Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov. She has performed On and Off Broadway under the direction of Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Uta Hagen, Robert Lewis (Yale Repertory Theatre).
As a theatre director and choreographer working in Regional and Off-Broadway theatre. Francis Ford Coppola chose Captor to assist Gene Kelly with the choreography of "One From the Heart." She danced in the films “Cotton Club”, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "Xanadu" and "Pennies From Heaven. Other film producing and directing include: Emmy-nominated "Home Sweet Homeless”, "A Clean Kill” starring Daniel Benzali, “Her Married Lover” prime time premiere Lifetime Television. "Dead On Sight,” starring Jennifer Beals, and Oscar nominated William H. Macy ("Fargo").
In 2001 she was the Executive Director of the San Francisco International Film Festival and one of the few Americans to moderate a panel at the Havana International Film Festival. She received international recognition and was awarded the prestigious Chevalier du Ordre des Arts and Lettres, Republic of France in 2005. One of the original programming executives who formed Turner Network Television.
- 8/3/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Take this one with a hearty grain of salt until more official confirmation comes our way, but Hong Kong tabloid Apple Daily is reporting that martial artist and action star Donnie Yen has scored a role in Lucasfilm and Disney’s Star Wars Episode VIII, which will be the third of the relaunched Star Wars films to hit theaters.
Rian Johnson (Looper) is directing the film, which will reportedly be shooting in London next month. Yen, best known for the Ip Man trilogy, will supposedly take on the role of a Jedi and have at least one scene with Harrison Ford’s Han Solo. Currently, only Oscar Isaac, playing Poe Dameron, is confirmed for Johnson’s pic.
More News From The Web
According to the report, studio execs were looking at Yen and Jet Li for the role, but Li’s asking price was far higher. Stephen Chow, Tony Leung Chiu Wai,...
Rian Johnson (Looper) is directing the film, which will reportedly be shooting in London next month. Yen, best known for the Ip Man trilogy, will supposedly take on the role of a Jedi and have at least one scene with Harrison Ford’s Han Solo. Currently, only Oscar Isaac, playing Poe Dameron, is confirmed for Johnson’s pic.
More News From The Web
According to the report, studio execs were looking at Yen and Jet Li for the role, but Li’s asking price was far higher. Stephen Chow, Tony Leung Chiu Wai,...
- 7/6/2015
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Leehom Wang, Wei Tang, Viola Davis, Holt McCallany | Written by Morgan Davis Foehl | Directed by Michael Mann
About an hour into my viewing of Blackhat I was struggling to remain conscious from boredom. About an hour later I was glued to my seat, my eyes and ears on full alert for whatever the film was going to throw at me next. So you’ll understand when I say I have considerably mixed feelings about crime maestro Michael Mann’s latest film. It’s his first since 2009′s Public Enemies, a film the subject of which (John Dillinger’s battle against the authorities in the 1920s) I was intrigued by but was severely ill-served by its amateurish and distracting digital handicam cinematography.
While that film disappointed after the electric promise of Collateral (I didn’t catch Miami Vice, perhaps luckily), my expectations were set lower for Blackhat, a...
About an hour into my viewing of Blackhat I was struggling to remain conscious from boredom. About an hour later I was glued to my seat, my eyes and ears on full alert for whatever the film was going to throw at me next. So you’ll understand when I say I have considerably mixed feelings about crime maestro Michael Mann’s latest film. It’s his first since 2009′s Public Enemies, a film the subject of which (John Dillinger’s battle against the authorities in the 1920s) I was intrigued by but was severely ill-served by its amateurish and distracting digital handicam cinematography.
While that film disappointed after the electric promise of Collateral (I didn’t catch Miami Vice, perhaps luckily), my expectations were set lower for Blackhat, a...
- 6/19/2015
- by Mark Allen
- Nerdly
Director: Michael Mann; Screenwriter: Morgan Davis Foehl; Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Wei Tang, Wang Leehom; Running time: 133 mins; Certificate: 15
If you think a film about computer hackers furiously tapping their keyboards sounds a bit dull, Blackhat proves you right. Even action maestro Michael Mann fails to inject any urgency and the glare of the PC monitor flatters Chris Hemsworth who is, ostensibly, the brains as well as the brawn behind a potentially earth-shattering security breach.
Mann does tap a nerve in a world increasingly reliant on digital technology, but translating those fears into workable on-screen thrills and spills is awkward. His opening gambit is crash-zooming into a circuit board, the stuff of Tron movies and Citroën ads (créative technologie) except it's no fun without cool bikes, or cars zooming around.
Mann is on safer ground at a penitentiary where Nicholas Hathaway (Hemsworth) flexes muscle in more ways than one.
If you think a film about computer hackers furiously tapping their keyboards sounds a bit dull, Blackhat proves you right. Even action maestro Michael Mann fails to inject any urgency and the glare of the PC monitor flatters Chris Hemsworth who is, ostensibly, the brains as well as the brawn behind a potentially earth-shattering security breach.
Mann does tap a nerve in a world increasingly reliant on digital technology, but translating those fears into workable on-screen thrills and spills is awkward. His opening gambit is crash-zooming into a circuit board, the stuff of Tron movies and Citroën ads (créative technologie) except it's no fun without cool bikes, or cars zooming around.
Mann is on safer ground at a penitentiary where Nicholas Hathaway (Hemsworth) flexes muscle in more ways than one.
- 2/16/2015
- Digital Spy
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Leehom Wang, Wei Tang, Viola Davis, Holt McCallany | Written by Morgan Davis Foehl | Directed by Michael Mann
About an hour into my viewing of Blackhat I was struggling to remain conscious from boredom. About an hour later I was glued to my seat, my eyes and ears on full alert for whatever the film was going to throw at me next. So you’ll understand when I say I have considerably mixed feelings about crime maestro Michael Mann’s latest film. It’s his first since 2009′s Public Enemies, a film the subject of which (John Dillinger’s battle against the authorities in the 1920s) I was intrigued by but was severely ill-served by its amateurish and distracting digital handicam cinematography.
While that film disappointed after the electric promise of Collateral (I didn’t catch Miami Vice, perhaps luckily), my expectations were set lower for Blackhat, a...
About an hour into my viewing of Blackhat I was struggling to remain conscious from boredom. About an hour later I was glued to my seat, my eyes and ears on full alert for whatever the film was going to throw at me next. So you’ll understand when I say I have considerably mixed feelings about crime maestro Michael Mann’s latest film. It’s his first since 2009′s Public Enemies, a film the subject of which (John Dillinger’s battle against the authorities in the 1920s) I was intrigued by but was severely ill-served by its amateurish and distracting digital handicam cinematography.
While that film disappointed after the electric promise of Collateral (I didn’t catch Miami Vice, perhaps luckily), my expectations were set lower for Blackhat, a...
- 2/14/2015
- by Mark Allen
- Nerdly
It has been about six months since my last entry in this supposedly regular column. There are various excuses I could make as to why, but rather than dwell on the past, I'd like to usher this "Long Voyage Home" onward into the future, in the trailblazing spirit of Michael Mann. I couldn't avoid writing on Blackhat, a film that I found as viscerally and formally thrilling as anything I've seen at the cinema in recent memory (and that includes Jean-Luc Godard's Adieu au langage). I've seen it three times and plan to see it at least once more on the big screen before its (likely brief, considering its box office numbers) run ends. It has taken me multiple viewings to get closer to understanding all of Blackhat's moving parts, a journey in itself that I eagerly plan to continue.
A textbook auteur case study, Michael Mann’s...
A textbook auteur case study, Michael Mann’s...
- 1/31/2015
- by Adam Cook
- MUBI
International actuals took their time arriving after the long holiday weekend in the U.S. Most studios have now reported, and in some cases have included grosses through Monday. There were no massive fluctuations, but some of the Oscar nominees including The Theory Of Everything, Boyhood and Birdman enjoyed nice bumps in holdover markets. Figures have also been added below for Jason Statham’s Wild Card, which opened to a strong hand in France, two weeks ahead of its domestic debut.
Figures for the above films have been updated below along with: Taken 3, Seventh Son, Big Hero 6, Penguins Of Madagascar, Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, American Sniper, Exodus: Gods And Kings, Into The Woods, Unbroken, Ouija, Blackhat, Dumb And Dumber To, Horrible Bosses, Honig Im Kopf, Gone Girl, Let’s Be Cops,...
Figures for the above films have been updated below along with: Taken 3, Seventh Son, Big Hero 6, Penguins Of Madagascar, Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, American Sniper, Exodus: Gods And Kings, Into The Woods, Unbroken, Ouija, Blackhat, Dumb And Dumber To, Horrible Bosses, Honig Im Kopf, Gone Girl, Let’s Be Cops,...
- 1/21/2015
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
“Look at where you are.”
(Spoilers abound.)
Michael Mann’s new film, Blackhat, is a paradox of magnitudes and proximities. The scale is global, as announced in the opening shots that rhyme with the Universal logo just prior and, thanks to the dissolves down to Earth, Charles and Ray Eames' 1977 Powers of Ten. Once on ground, in a nuclear reactor’s control room, the powers of cinema take us yet deeper, smaller, to see how fast data travels across minuscule relays inside a screen, a computer, a network. And this data, or code, is made visible as points of light—dots arrayed and racing in tandem with the image (itself a fiction of code, or data) of this new vast universe—given weight through the thunder and crackle of sound design—a truly cinematic sequence of movement/animation no text can replicate.
This opening serves to illustrate the mechanisms...
(Spoilers abound.)
Michael Mann’s new film, Blackhat, is a paradox of magnitudes and proximities. The scale is global, as announced in the opening shots that rhyme with the Universal logo just prior and, thanks to the dissolves down to Earth, Charles and Ray Eames' 1977 Powers of Ten. Once on ground, in a nuclear reactor’s control room, the powers of cinema take us yet deeper, smaller, to see how fast data travels across minuscule relays inside a screen, a computer, a network. And this data, or code, is made visible as points of light—dots arrayed and racing in tandem with the image (itself a fiction of code, or data) of this new vast universe—given weight through the thunder and crackle of sound design—a truly cinematic sequence of movement/animation no text can replicate.
This opening serves to illustrate the mechanisms...
- 1/20/2015
- by Ryland Walker Knight
- MUBI
Last weekend saw shocking box office results for a film that paired an esteemed filmmaker with a fast-rising star, and fused them to a hot-button issue that couldn’t be more timely. No, I’m not talking about American Sniper, which posted a record $105.3M holiday weekend. I’m talking about the year’s first big flop, the $70 million Michael Mann-directed action drama Blackhat. The film that stars Chris Hemsworth in a strong lead performance, and deals with the global threat of cyber-hacking we saw play out with North Korea sabotaging Sony Pictures, and Isis infiltrating Defense Department computers. Blackhat landed in 11th place with an anemic $4.4M opening weekend.
How could a film that on paper had so much going for it — and which, by the way, is a Michael Mann-quality crime thriller with several shocking plot twists — fail so badly? I asked that question of everybody involved,...
How could a film that on paper had so much going for it — and which, by the way, is a Michael Mann-quality crime thriller with several shocking plot twists — fail so badly? I asked that question of everybody involved,...
- 1/20/2015
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline
Chicago – “Blackhat” is a hacker’s auctioneer of high-tech and low-tech genre jolts, but its construction provides a thrill of its own - that of witnessing the next era of the action movie. With “Blackhat,” director Michael Mann introduces the new standards for the everlasting genre as it continues to reflect modern anxieties, giving leading roles to two entities that Hollywood has previously treated as supporting acts, hackers and the nation of China. Incredibly on-the-moment, “Blackhat” recognizes that computer whizzes are becoming the physical heroes our connected world needs, and China is the partner that Hollywood will increasingly rely on for business, especially in selling films that look like “Blackhat.”
Mann’s film is the story of a co-investigation between the United States and China. A Hong Kong nuclear power plant and Chicago’s Mercantile Trade Exchange have been attacked, nonetheless by a no-name, no-motive menace who has hacked into their systems.
Mann’s film is the story of a co-investigation between the United States and China. A Hong Kong nuclear power plant and Chicago’s Mercantile Trade Exchange have been attacked, nonetheless by a no-name, no-motive menace who has hacked into their systems.
- 1/17/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – A speedy film project can take about a year from conception to final cut; director Michael Mann’s wired-in thriller “Blackhat” might as well have been written, shot, and cut last month. Not just because of its epilogue to the rise and defeat of the Guardians of Peace, but for its modernity.
This is a tale of headline action specifically for January 16, 2015 and onward, in our new period of cyber terror.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
A thoroughly international project that reckons China’s importance to the American industry, “Blackhat” is the story of a co-investigation between the United States and China. A Hong Kong nuclear power plant and Chicago’s Mercantile Trade Exchange have been attacked, nonetheless by a no-name, no-motive menace who has hacked into their systems. A Chinese official named Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang) works alongside cyberterrorism agents in the FBI (played by Viola Davis and John Ortiz) to track the menace’s previous coding.
This is a tale of headline action specifically for January 16, 2015 and onward, in our new period of cyber terror.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
A thoroughly international project that reckons China’s importance to the American industry, “Blackhat” is the story of a co-investigation between the United States and China. A Hong Kong nuclear power plant and Chicago’s Mercantile Trade Exchange have been attacked, nonetheless by a no-name, no-motive menace who has hacked into their systems. A Chinese official named Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang) works alongside cyberterrorism agents in the FBI (played by Viola Davis and John Ortiz) to track the menace’s previous coding.
- 1/17/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Now that you've seen it, what did you think? "To you this is just a game, the virtual world!" Director Michael Mann is back with his latest action-thriller Blackhat (once known as Cyber), starring Chris Hemsworth as a blackhat hacker named Nicholas Hathaway, recruited by the government to help them solve an attack on a nuclear power plant in China. The cast includes Leehom Wang and Wei Tang as his Chinese cohorts, along with Viola Davis and Holt McCallany representing the Us side. The hacker movie was produced by Legendary Pictures, and is now in theaters. So is it any good? Is it even worth seeing? Is it another hit for Mann or not? Once you've seen it, leave a comment with your thoughts on Mann's Blackhat. Spoiler Warning: We strongly urge everyone to actually see the film before reading ahead, as there may be spoilers below. We also encourage...
- 1/16/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, January 16th. (Synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.) Wide Blackhat Director: Michael Mann Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Tang Wei, Leehom Wang, Manny Montana, William Mapother, Archie Kao, Spencer Garrett, John Ortiz, Holt McCallany Synopsis: "Set within the world of global cybercrime, 'Blackhat' follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta." Criticwire Grade Average: C+ (8 reviews) Paddington Director: Paul King Cast: Ben Whishaw, Nicole Kidman, Peter Capaldi, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Hugh Bonneville, Jim Broadbent, Matt Lucas, Matt King, Samuel Joslin, Ancuta Breaban, Daniel Westwood, Dominic Coleman Synopsis: "A young Peruvian bear with a passion for all things British travels to London in search...
- 1/16/2015
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Even just an average Michael Mann film is still a Michael Mann film – which isn’t a bad thing in my book. The man has a unique style that has developed over his career that’s often described as gritty, in your face, and just plain cool. This is mainly in part due to his more recent use of digital photography that he embraced starting with the movie Collateral. It’s a storytelling choice that has produced a mixed bag of films but nevertheless feel like Mann films (though “man films” would be appropriate as well due to his knack for tough guy stories). Blackhat gives fans of Mann’s macho style what they have come to expect: a cold but mainly likable anti-hero, a world of elite cops and criminals, intense shoot-outs, and skylines lit with neon lights at night. All of this mind you, filmed with shaky camera...
- 1/16/2015
- by Michael Haffner
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Blackhat is a film about computer hacker, a “black hat” in It parlance, causing mayhem and destruction. In light of the recent world events, what more timely a topic could Hollywood possibly tackle? The film is directed by Michael Mann, who is known for films like Thief (1981), Heat (1995), and Miami Vice (2006) to name only a few. Mann is all about a gritty approach and hitting action beats aggressively while at the same time embracing the visual beauty of a scene. The script for this film was written by a first-timer, Morgan Davis Foehl, who is making the leap from editor to writer here, which is a bit ironic (more on that later).
The story follows Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) who is in prison for hacking and has now been provisionally released in order to pursue a menacing hacker – the aforementioned blackhat. The plan is not a new one. The send...
The story follows Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) who is in prison for hacking and has now been provisionally released in order to pursue a menacing hacker – the aforementioned blackhat. The plan is not a new one. The send...
- 1/16/2015
- by Steven Gahm
- CinemaNerdz
Blackhat
Written by Morgan Davis Foehl
Directed by Michael Mann
USA, 2015
Blackhat is a cyber-thriller that starts out boring and ends dumb. It’s almost unimaginable that a gifted director like Michael Mann, responsible for, arguably, the best crime-thriller of the last 30 years in Heat, could helm a film so utterly bereft of tension or drama. Not even his signature hyper-stylized aesthetic can disguise what a lackluster film this is. From the unimaginative script to the indifferent editing, Blackhat needs a complete overhaul to escape the basement of Mann’s distinguished filmography.
Watching people play on the computer is like being the designated driver at a bachelor party. That this genre peaked with WarGames over 40 years ago is a clear indication that cyber-thrillers are anything but thrilling. Mann uses every trick in the book to make the Internet wankery interesting—including a rollercoaster ride inside the circuitry itself—but he...
Written by Morgan Davis Foehl
Directed by Michael Mann
USA, 2015
Blackhat is a cyber-thriller that starts out boring and ends dumb. It’s almost unimaginable that a gifted director like Michael Mann, responsible for, arguably, the best crime-thriller of the last 30 years in Heat, could helm a film so utterly bereft of tension or drama. Not even his signature hyper-stylized aesthetic can disguise what a lackluster film this is. From the unimaginative script to the indifferent editing, Blackhat needs a complete overhaul to escape the basement of Mann’s distinguished filmography.
Watching people play on the computer is like being the designated driver at a bachelor party. That this genre peaked with WarGames over 40 years ago is a clear indication that cyber-thrillers are anything but thrilling. Mann uses every trick in the book to make the Internet wankery interesting—including a rollercoaster ride inside the circuitry itself—but he...
- 1/16/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Sneak Peek new footage, plus images of actor Chris Hemsworth ("Thor") in director Michael Mann’s "Blackhat", also starring Viola Davis, Tang Wei and Wang Leehom:
"...set within the world of global cybercrime, 'Blackhat' follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners...
"...as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network...
"...from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Blackhat"...
"...set within the world of global cybercrime, 'Blackhat' follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners...
"...as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network...
"...from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Blackhat"...
- 1/15/2015
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Black in the Saddle: Mann’s Cyber Thriller Forgets Thrills
Though clearly uninterested in providing conventional thrills with his first theatrical release in six years, director Michael Mann’s Blackhat unfortunately forgets to be as uniquely innovative and engaging with its narrative as it is with its showy feats. A return to visual form for the aesthetically inclined auteur, sporting perhaps the best digital photography from the director’s latter filmography to date, the film is littered with schlocky convenience, instances of miscasting despite committed performances, and, worst of all, it’s uniformly dull. A high minded tech thriller, one wonders how the It inclined could pick apart the film’s sometimes rudimentary logic. Mann and first time screenwriter Morgan Davis Foehl would seem to sidestep formula, but they simply replace structure with narrative sprawl and credibility stretching conveniences. One only has to point to the tired clichés of the...
Though clearly uninterested in providing conventional thrills with his first theatrical release in six years, director Michael Mann’s Blackhat unfortunately forgets to be as uniquely innovative and engaging with its narrative as it is with its showy feats. A return to visual form for the aesthetically inclined auteur, sporting perhaps the best digital photography from the director’s latter filmography to date, the film is littered with schlocky convenience, instances of miscasting despite committed performances, and, worst of all, it’s uniformly dull. A high minded tech thriller, one wonders how the It inclined could pick apart the film’s sometimes rudimentary logic. Mann and first time screenwriter Morgan Davis Foehl would seem to sidestep formula, but they simply replace structure with narrative sprawl and credibility stretching conveniences. One only has to point to the tired clichés of the...
- 1/15/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Someone, somewhere, hits the “Enter” key, and a nuclear reactor in China explodes. A similar attack against the U.S. fails, but when the same hacker causes minor havoc on the stock exchange a joint American/Chinese task force is formed to locate and capture the cyber bully. Captain Chen Dawai (Wang Leehom) insists that they need the assistance of a currently imprisoned hacker named Nicholas Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), and soon the team — which also includes F.B.I. agent Carol Barrett (Viola Davis), U.S. Marshal Mark Jessup (Holt McCallany) and Chen’s sister, Lien (Tang Wei) — is trotting around the globe in search of the criminal mastermind. Hackers haven’t exactly had the best track record when it comes to being central to a film’s plot, and the great ones can be counted on one hand — WarGames, Sneakers, ? — so newly announced titles are often greeted with understandable hesitation. The...
- 1/15/2015
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
In Blackhat, the new feature film from Michael Mann, the idea of just how scary the internet can be is played out. Two of my favorite performances in the film - aside from the terrific Chris Hemsworth - include Tang Wei and Leehom Wang who portray siblings helping find a very dangerous cybercriminal. Recently at the junket for the film, I had the fantastic opportunity to speak to the two performers. Speaking 1 on 1 to each, there was talk about the kind of training each actor went through....
- 1/15/2015
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
As a shadowy hacker causes a nuclear meltdown at a reactor in China, the camera dives into a series of wires and flies through the microscopic highways of a computer chip, lights indicating the 1s and 0s that are altered to trigger the disaster. It's a cheesy CGI moment reminiscent of something you'd see in a 1990s movie about hacking, and director Michael Mann uses the gimmick twice in the first ten minutes of Blackhat. Things do not get better from there.
A Chinese computer expert (Leehom Wang) teams with an American FBI agent (Viola Davis) to track the man responsible for the crime. The only man who can help them is Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), a convicted hacker serving a thirteen year prison sentence. Pulling Hathaway from prison, the gang begins trying to unravel artifacts of code left behind in order to pinpoint the identity of the hacker before he strikes again.
A Chinese computer expert (Leehom Wang) teams with an American FBI agent (Viola Davis) to track the man responsible for the crime. The only man who can help them is Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), a convicted hacker serving a thirteen year prison sentence. Pulling Hathaway from prison, the gang begins trying to unravel artifacts of code left behind in order to pinpoint the identity of the hacker before he strikes again.
- 1/14/2015
- by Ben Pearson
- GeekTyrant
“Blackhat,” the Michael Mann-directed movie about international cyberhacking that opens Friday, could hardly be more timely given the November attack on Sony Pictures. But the R-rated thriller starring Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis is a very long shot to break out at the box office over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend that kicks off Friday.
It’s projected to take in around $10 million over the four days — not what Legendary Entertainment and distributor Universal Pictures envisioned from “Blackhat,” which has a $70 million production budget.
See photos: Sony Hack Attack Timeline: From First Cyberbreach and Leaks to ‘The...
It’s projected to take in around $10 million over the four days — not what Legendary Entertainment and distributor Universal Pictures envisioned from “Blackhat,” which has a $70 million production budget.
See photos: Sony Hack Attack Timeline: From First Cyberbreach and Leaks to ‘The...
- 1/14/2015
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Blackhat is awful. As a director, Michael Mann's visual flair, intimate camerawork and explicit violence is all here, but in terms of the film he's delivered I'm not sure it could be any less entertaining or narratively flat. To call it dull wouldn't be a stretch and in fact might be an understatement as the opening minutes deliver not one, but two sequences where we spend time watching (yes, watching) the camera navigate the inner-workings of a computer system as they are hacked and a not-so-ominous figure on the other end hits "Enter". Oh no! Don't hit Enter!!!! What you have to look forward to is plenty of typing, noisy computer screens and erratic and nonsensical behavior, all leading up to a conclusion that is so unsatisfying it makes the tedious wait getting there all the worse. As a nuclear explosion in China clumsily sets off the events that...
- 1/14/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
There are moments where a talented director makes a film so bad that you feel like you might need to go back to watch their earlier films just to make sure you weren't wrong when you liked them. "Blackhat" is the worst film Michael Mann has made since "The Keep," and I think given the choice between the two, I would happily watch "The Keep" again first. I am baffled by almost every moment of "Blackhat," and I'm struggling to make sense of where something goes this wrong. I haven't read the spec that Morgan Davis Foehl sold to the studio, but I know that Mann felt strongly that he deserved a co-writing credit on the film, one that the WGAw denied him after an arbitration. I'm not sure who to blame for the truly unfathomable narrative choices throughout, but I have to give Mann the final credit for creating...
- 1/14/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
“Blackhat” is such a massive fiasco that it’s hard to know where to begin analyzing it: There’s the screenplay by Morgan Davis Foehl, which alternates between dull, rushed exposition and an utter disregard for logic and narrative.
One might also catalog the terrible acting of everyone on screen not named Viola Davis, or the eye-scorching cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh (“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”), which follows in the footsteps of director Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” by making expensive digital camerawork look like a cross between Dogme 95 smudge and footage from an iPhone that fell in a toilet.
One might also catalog the terrible acting of everyone on screen not named Viola Davis, or the eye-scorching cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh (“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”), which follows in the footsteps of director Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” by making expensive digital camerawork look like a cross between Dogme 95 smudge and footage from an iPhone that fell in a toilet.
- 1/14/2015
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
After a case of high-level computer hacking arises, American and Chinese military forces work together to stop it. The film’s lead, Chris Hemsworth, described it as a “sort of cat-and-mouse international heist-thriller.” It stars Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Holt McCallany, Tang Wei, and Leehom Wang. Written by Morgan Davis Foehl and Michael Mann. Directed by Michael Mann. “Blackhat” hits theaters everywhere on January 16, 2015.
The post Blackhat Gets A New Clip appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Blackhat Gets A New Clip appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/13/2015
- by Rudie Obias
- ShockYa
Blackhat is a story of one man, a blackhat hacker trying to outrun his past and take control of his future. Convicted hacker Nicholas Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), furloughed from federal prison, and his American and Chinese partners as they try to identify and hunt down a world class and dangerous cybercrime network from Los Angeles to Hong Kong. As Hathaway gets closer to his target, his target becomes aware of Hathaway and the more personal the stakes become. Blackhat also stars Viola Davis, Tang Wei and Wang Leehom.
Michael when did this story start to interest you?
Michael Mann: First I liked that it was set in Asia but I also went to Washington and started talking to them about cyber intrusions and cyber theft and what was happening in the world. It was an eye opening experience because the way we think we live our lives are really...
Michael when did this story start to interest you?
Michael Mann: First I liked that it was set in Asia but I also went to Washington and started talking to them about cyber intrusions and cyber theft and what was happening in the world. It was an eye opening experience because the way we think we live our lives are really...
- 1/13/2015
- by Fernando Esquivel
- LRMonline.com
There are moments where a talented director makes a film so bad that you feel like you might need to go back to watch their earlier films just to make sure you weren't wrong when you liked them. "Blackhat" is the worst film Michael Mann has made since "The Keep," and I think given the choice between the two, I would happily watch "The Keep" again first. I am baffled by almost every moment of "Blackhat," and I'm struggling to make sense of where something goes this wrong. I haven't read the spec that Morgan Davis Foehl sold to the studio, but I know that Mann felt strongly that he deserved a co-writing credit on the film, one that the WGAw denied him after an arbitration. I'm not sure who to blame for the truly unfathomable narrative choices throughout, but I have to give Mann the final credit for creating...
- 1/13/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 60 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated new thriller “Blackhat” starring Chris Hemsworth from writer and director Michael Mann (“Heat,” “Ali,” “Public Enemies”)!
“Blackhat,” which opens on Jan. 16, 2015 and is rated “R,” also stars Viola Davis, Tang Wei, Wang Leehom, John Ortiz, William Mapother, Sara Finley and Ritchie Coster from writer and director Michael Mann. Note: You must be 17+ to win and attend this “R”-rated screening.
To win your free “Blackhat” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
“Blackhat,” which opens on Jan. 16, 2015 and is rated “R,” also stars Viola Davis, Tang Wei, Wang Leehom, John Ortiz, William Mapother, Sara Finley and Ritchie Coster from writer and director Michael Mann. Note: You must be 17+ to win and attend this “R”-rated screening.
To win your free “Blackhat” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
- 1/11/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In an event to promote their upcoming film Blackhat, Universal collaborated with Google’s Chrome Security Engineering Manager, Parisa Tabriz, to bring all of San Francisco’s top hackers (all the big names working in computer security) together for an early screening of the film and a question and answer session with director Michael Mann (Heat, Public Enemies, The Last of the Mohicans). After the screening, the audience was surprised when not only Michael Mann showed up, but all three stars of the film as well, including Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers, Rush)! Thanks to a special invite, I was able to attend on behalf of Cinelinx and record the Q and A for our readers to enjoy!
Just so you’re aware, there are a couple minor spoilers here, but nothing that will make a big difference to seeing the movie.
The following transcript begins just after the official...
Just so you’re aware, there are a couple minor spoilers here, but nothing that will make a big difference to seeing the movie.
The following transcript begins just after the official...
- 1/9/2015
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Nick Vollmer)
- Cinelinx
Before you see Blackhat in theaters on January 16, delve deeper into the world of cyber-crime as Chris Hemsworth and Michael Mann take you behind the scenes in this new Blackhat featurette.
Set within the world of global cybercrime, Legendary’s Blackhat follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta.
Directed and produced by Michael Mann, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Tang Wei and Wang Leehom, and it is written by Morgan Davis Foehl and Mann. Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni produce alongside Mann, while Alex Garcia and Eric McLeod serve as the executive producers.
Wamg invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of Blackhat on January 13th at 7Pm. We will contact the winners by email.
To Enter,...
Set within the world of global cybercrime, Legendary’s Blackhat follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta.
Directed and produced by Michael Mann, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Tang Wei and Wang Leehom, and it is written by Morgan Davis Foehl and Mann. Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni produce alongside Mann, while Alex Garcia and Eric McLeod serve as the executive producers.
Wamg invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of Blackhat on January 13th at 7Pm. We will contact the winners by email.
To Enter,...
- 1/7/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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