MORTAL KOMBAT X Announced its released for 2015

Mortal Kombat X is officially on the way, after weeks of teasing by creator Ed Boon on twitter. NetherRealm, who saw success with their recent Mortal Kombat reboot as well as last year's DC Comics themed fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us returns to the brutal fighter that made their team famous in 2015.



Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat X

CREDIT: NetherRealm

The announcement trailer features a battle between Sub-Zero and Scorpion, arguably the two most recognizable fighting game characters this side of Ryu, with signature elements like the close-up bone breaking, the moves everyone who has played a fighting game in the last 20 years know, and some new variations on the theme. Stay tuned all the way to the end for a new fatality by Scorpion - which is not for kids or the faint-of-heart.

While there are no platforms listed in the trailer (typically those would come at the end underneath the game's logo), retailer listings have noted both current-gen and last-gen consoles, with pre-order listings for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3. That has since been confirmed, alongside PC as well. Check out the trailer, which is decidedly M-rated, below.

Update: Here's the official description of the game, from a press release:

Mortal Kombat X combines cinematic presentation with all new gameplay to deliver the most brutal Kombat experience ever, offering a new fully-connected experience that launches players into a persistent online contest where every fight matters in a global battle for supremacy. For the first time, Mortal Kombat X gives players the ability to choose from multiple variations of each character impacting both strategy and fighting style. Players step into an original story showcasing some of the game's most prolific characters including Scorpion and Sub-Zero, while introducing new challengers that represent the forces of good and evil and tie the tale together.

By Lucas Siegel, NEWSarama.com

Read More

GODZILLA 2014 Movie Review

May 17 (John Nolte / BREITBART.com)

Director Gareth Edwards claims his summer blockbuster "Godzilla" is some sort of Global Warming cautionary tale. If that was his intent, unless you want to count the expected and clichéd platitudes about "controlling nature," he failed miserably (thank God).

Saying such things might be a cynical attempt to win favor with elite critics, but what Edwards actually delivers where it counts -- up on the screen -- is a spectacularly mounted and unpretentious Godzilla romp that might be the best recruiting commercial for the United States Navy since Tony Scott's "Top Gun" (1986).

Godzilla opens in 1999 on the morning of Joe Brody's (Bryan Cranston) birthday. Joe's a loving husband to his wife Sandra, (a welcome Juliette Binoche) and young son Ford, but a series of tremors affecting the Japanese nuclear power plant he oversees are making him nervous, and no one over there is listening to the "crazy American."

Cut to 15 years later and still no one is listening. Joe's still in Japan trying to piece together the mystery. In the meantime, Ford is a grown man (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) living in San Francisco with his wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) and a boy of his own. Ford is also a Navy man who specializes in defusing bombs. Just back from what we assume is a deployment, Ford hardly gets reacquainted with his young family before he has to fly to Japan to bail Dad out of jail -- again.

Dad, as dads usually are, is eventually proven correct. There is something going on. Worse, the Japanese government and its top scientists are covering it up, trying to control and understand it, and naturally that plan doesn't work out so well.

I'm not a hater of 1998's "Godzilla." I know I'm supposed to hate it or at least lie about hating it. But I've always found director Roland Emmerich's destruction of Manhattan as Ferris Bueller runs around trying to stop him, plenty entertaining and satisfying. In fact, now that my Godzilla whistle has been whetted, I'm probably going to watch it again this weekend. And I'm a Godzilla fan going back 40-plus years  with a pile of Toho DVDs this high. But I'm also pretty easy to please. Cast a spell, Mr. Director, and don't break it… I'm yours.

Edwards' "Godzilla," however, is something else entirely. It's not just a Godzilla movie, it's nearly the best Godzilla anyone could possibly make. It's the "Dark Knight"  of Godzilla movies -- the one that catches you off guard, not only with what is possible with the genre but what has been done with it. Legendary Pictures produced (Warner Bros. is the distributor) and you can feel their "Dark Knight" influence all over it.

That doesn't mean that "Godzilla" is as edgy, dark, or even as mean as Christopher Nolan's masterpiece. It's not. And that's to its credit. "Godzilla" gives us plenty of uncomplicated, old-fashioned heroism; a competent and brave United States Navy from top to bottom (no one suffers from PTSD or suggests we waterboard giant lizards); and a loving, perfectly functional American family.   

The special-effects are first-rate. The monster action is as well-choreographed as the 1933 fight between King Kong and the T-Rex, which 80 years on is still The Standard. Edwards also stages a couple of smaller set-pieces (one on a railroad bridge is a real highlight) that effectively bring The Awesome down to a human level.

And Godzilla is Godzilla. I don't want to get into spoilers, but if you're a franchise fan, you'll see what I mean. Edwards knows and respects his Toho history, and builds a real character out of a battleship-sized iguana.

Unlike what some other critics have reported, Edwards doesn't really play "hide the monster."  He does, though, keep you waiting for what you paid your money to see: monsters using skyscrapers as speed bags. The movie is so good, you actually enjoy the teases (news footage of destruction you did not witness destructed). The anticipation is part of the fun. And all that really matters is if it pays off in the end, and believe me it does.

"Godzilla" has its flaws. Unfortunately the story's focus does eventually shift away from Joe in favor of the generic in-a-Channing-Tatum-kind-of-way Ford.  Whereas Cranston and Binoche could make you feel something for their characters and relationship with little more than a shared glance, the odyssey Ford is on to reunite with his wife and son doesn't grab you like it should. In the end it feels like it's there only because it is supposed to be.

Japanese actor Ken Watanabe is also wasted. When you are dealing with an actor of this presence and caliber, a lot can be done with very little. It wouldn’t have taken much to give Watanabe's scientist character a little depth, or even some hint of an emotional life.

Instead, Watanabe is relegated to the role of the guy whose constantly telling everyone they're going to need a bigger boat. Characters try to figure stuff out; Watanabe's eyes grow bigger with a horrific realization; everyone stops to look at him; out comes exposition explaining how the stakes just got bigger. It's also a little off-key giving this particular scientist this role after we watch him blow it in a big way early on (which is another reason the Global Warming allegory makes zero sense), which forces the American military to take control.

Edwards gives Watanabe's character a "moment" involving an old pocket watch, but it unfortunately is the only eye-roller of a thud in the whole movie. A much better moment is watching a group of selfless Navy men thank the Lord for the honor of serving a "great nation" as they, without complaint, head into what we're told is a suicide mission,

Overall, Godzilla delivers, and it delivers all that really matters: As you head out of the theatre and into the night towards your car, you are enveloped in the warm and glorious satisfaction of knowing you have just witnessed all the kick-ass monster action, chaos, and destruction you could have ever hoped to see.

Twice during the climactic battle, the audience I saw it with broke out in spontaneous and enthusiastic applause. They couldn’t help themselves, and neither could I.

Go. Now. Take your kids and the kid in you.

"Godzilla" isn't just the Godzilla movie you dreamt of, it's actually a little better.

P.S. If you're intent on looking for a political message, here in America, only Barack Obama's Hawaii, Harry Reid's Nevada, and Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco are destroyed. Some kind of sub-conscious hostility towards the destructive leadership of the Democrat Party…? Why not. (BREITBERT.com)

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC

Read More

Priyanka Chopra released her third song I Can’t Make You Love Me

Priyanka Chopra has finally released her third song, I Can’t Make You Love Me. She had also impressed the masses earlier with her singles like In My City and Exotic. Being wrapped up by the shoot of the film Mary Kom where she will be in the leading the role has headed all the way to New York City from where she launched this much awaited song.

Ms Chopra tweeted the release of this song. She wrote “*deep breath* here it is…. ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’… https://itunes.apple.com/in/album/i-cant-make-you-love-me-single/id860244346  and asked the views of the listeners.

The song is in fact an electro pop version of the same song sung by Bonnie Raitt which had gone hit in 1991. PC had earlier said that Bonnie is one of the people for her becoming a singer. She said that her cover is different because the original song is a ballad and in this version of the song, they have used dance music. It seems like Priyanka has given her tribute to her singing inspiration.

Priyanka is showered with praises soon after the release of the song I Can’t Make You Love Me, and said that it became a big hit. Only you can decide if it is a bigger hit than the previous two songs In My City and Exotic. So, go and download it from iTunes.

Read More

Film Review: Bhootnath Returns – This One Is Straight From The Heart

April 14 (BusinessofCinema News Network)

Bhootnath Returns is simple, genuine and straight from the heart. The narrative is very simple and that’s what makes the film stand out.

Bhootnath Returns is simplistic, genuine, has its funny moments and moments that can leave you tear eyed. The sequel to Bhootnath that had released in the year 2008 is all about Amitabh Bachchan, his persona and his brilliant screen presence.

Bhootnath Returns starts with Bhoothnath (Amitabh Bachchan) returning back to his world and where is a made to feel like a LOSER who was unable to scare anyone on earth. NowBhoothnath is sent back to earth to redeem him and this time with a promise that he would scare the daylights out of the people he meets.

On his arrival back meets the Dharavi boy Akhrot (Parth Bhalerao) but once again instead of scaring him, both Bhoothnath and Akhrot become buddies. As the story progress Bhoothnathstands for elections.

Bhau (Boman Irani), essays the character of the corrupt politician who is always accompanied by his assistant essayed by Brijendra Kala and his faithful goons.

Bhau is the supreme power over Akhrot’s slum and is not willing to let go his hold over the area. A major portion of Bhootnath Returns deals with the issue of civic malaise, social injustice and official apathy.

Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor put in fleeting appearances lending their support to the election campaign.

However, Bhoothnath Returns belongs almost entirely to Parth Bhalerao who delivers an exceptionally effortless performance. Parth holds his ground against Mr. Bachchan and justifies the faith reposed in him. Nitesh Tiwari, who co-directed Chillar Party, has done a good job as a director of this film.

Bhoothnath Returns is primarily for children and the film serves the purpose as its fun, it’s entertaining and also has a message in the end.

The only dampener is the climax of Bhootnath Returns as it’s very over the top and leaves you with mixed feeing’s.

Ratings: ***

Read More

Dwayne Johnson Dead? No, The Rock Hasn’t Died in New Zealand Fall; Posts Video Amid False ‘RIP’ Death Hoax

April 13 (Jack Phillips / The Epoch Times)


Dwayne Johnson hasn't died. The star of the upcoming film "Hercules," is introduced in the audience during the Opening Night Presentation from Paramount Pictures at CinemaCon 2014 on Monday, March 24, 2014, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Dwayne Johnson, AKA The Rock, hasn’t died but there’s several different Facebook and social media scams going around this week saying he either died on the set of “Fast & Furious 7” or died during a fall in New Zealand. These are both scams and can carry bogus surveys, rogue Facebook apps, or can carry possibly malware.

The scams have been going on for the past few days, and Johnson has been tweeting the whole time. He didn’t make any mention of a death hoax but posted an Instagram video of him working out in the gym Friday. 

On Friday and Saturday, people were tweeting “RIP Dwayne Johnson.” One of the scams reads, “R.I.P. DWAYNE JOHNSON (1972 -2014). He died filming a dangerous stunt for FAST & FURIOUS 7.” Another says, “Actor Dwayne Johnson died while filming a movie in New Zealand early this morning … Preliminary reports from New Zealand Police officials indicate that the actor fell more than 60 feet to his death on the Kauri Cliffs while on-set.”

Scammers likely created these the hoaxes to get web traffic to a particular web page, which is then sold to other scammers, who can use it for more nefarious purposes. One of the pages has surveys that are used to take users’ personal data.

“After sharing as instructed, users will be taken to another page that again supposedly hosts the video. But, users will now be told that they must perform further actions before they can see the video. They may be told that they must fill in one or more surveys, ostensibly to verify their age or show that they are human. Or, they may be asked to install rogue apps that will send out spam and scam messages to all of their friends. In some instances, users may be tricked into adding malicious extensions to their web browsers or downloading malware,” reads a post from Hoax-Slayer.

Celebrity death hoaxes are a common way to spread online scams.

If you’ve downloaded a rogue Facebook app, it’s recommended that you remove it app from your account. You should also “unlike” or delete any post you’ve shared regarding the Johnson death hoax.

To remove the app, log into your Facebook account, and go to your Facebook application settings. This page lists all the applications that you have given access to. 

Go below and then click on the “X” on the right side of the app in order to remove it. Some of the fake apps use names like “Fox News,” “Yahoo,” or “YouTube” to trick users.

For some websites, they can also prove to be lucrative if they go viral. (The Epoch Times)

Read More

Gulzar Chosen For Dada Saheb Phalke Award

Veteran Lyricist Gulzar was chosen today for the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 2013. This award is considered as the highest recognition awarded to film personalities in India. This award is given to film personalities for giving their lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema.

Gulzar is well known for penning memorable hits like 'Tujhse Naaraaz Nahi Zindagi' and 'Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi Shikwa Nahi'. He has also directed highly praised films like 'Mausam' and ‘Aandhi’.

Dada Saheb Phalke Award was first introduced in the year 1969 which is the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke. Dadasaheb Phalke is considered as the father of Indian Cinema and the Dada Saheb Phalke Award is given after his name to recognize the contribution of personalities towards development of Indian Films.

Gulzar is 79 years old Lyricist and filmmaker. He will be 45^th personality to receive this award. Some of his popular films are Angoor, Khushboo, Libaas, Kosish, Mere Apne and Maachis.

Gulzar was also awarded Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 2002 and Padma Bhushan Award in the year 2004. He has also won many national film awards and filmfare awards.

Read More

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Movie Review [SPOILER-FREE]

March 31 (Dylan Hoang / MOVIEPILOT)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the most everything. THE MOST EVERYTHING. It is the most action-packed Marvel film. It is the most emotional Marvel film. It is the most intricate and complex Marvel film and it is the best Marvel film to date.

Ever since Marvel's The Avengers we all questioned, "what now?" What could they possibly do to step it up? Marvel listened to our questions and they delivered. Captain America: The First Avenger was a passable film. It set up the character of Steve Rogers and introduced us to his world. However, it was slow and probably the most flawed of the solo Avenger films in Phase One (ignoring Iron Man 2). It was a good film but not as strong or memorable as say Iron Man or the first Thor. It did it's job and did it well enough. However, The Winter Soldier easily supersedes its predecessor as well as every Marvel film before it. It is part action, part espionage, part thriller and definitely part heroic. It is everything we want from a sequel. It is everything we want from a great film.

Chris Evans reprises his role as the iconic symbol and he continuously proves that Marvel cast the perfect person to embody this hero. The range of emotion that he must portray in this film is incredibly varied and he makes the transitions perfectly and there is a large amount of realism to it. Besides Thor, Captain America is the most sympathetic Avenger. It's mainly because he was a normal human with great virtues given a chance to protect the beliefs of America, and when he's fighting the enemies, we remember that. Not a moment goes by that we don't side with him or disagree with his methods. Every second of the way we feel every punch and when he fails it is devastating. Evans pulls off the "cool" factor of Captain America effortlessly but the harder task is pulling off the emotion and more human side of him but he does it brilliantly. I have always said that you can really tell when an actor has become a character by studying his eyes. Eyes play a gargantuan factor in acting. Their dilation, focus and intensity speak a lot for a character. Due to the fact that he wears a mask half the time, Evans needs to rely on his eyes to speak the emotion and he nails it. Evans is not only a perfect Captain America who can fight with precision and take choreographed material and make it look natural, he is the perfect Steve Rogers. He has the physique and knowledge of the character down to the core.

When the title for your movie blatantly states the villain, you need to deliver a memorable villain and it is without a doubt that The Winter Soldier is the creepiest, most frightening and best villain so far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Other than Loki, there has never been any other villain brought to life on the big screen as satisfyingly as the Winter Soldier (within the MCU). He is threatening and that really gets across to the audience. His motives, intimidation level and overall personality are so astounding. The first time he appears on screen he demands your attention and well-deservedly receives it. Sebastian Stan embodies The Winter Soldier and similarly to Chris Evans, he is perfect. In fact, The Winter Soldier is one of the standouts of the film. Every scene with him is immensely gratifying and the reason why we love superhero films. We get such an emotional performance from Stan. His face is covered with a mask for more time than Evans and Stan's eyes flash such a huge amount of intensity that his face is implanted as such a memorable image. The Winter Soldier is bound to go down as one of the best villains of all time. He proves to be a definite challenge for the hero (which every villain should be), a very complex character and above all, a worthy addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He is not a character we will only see once. He steals every scene he is in.

You know a movie is doing everything right when everyone in the theatre is silent. When everyone is in awe. When even all of the popcorn chewing and beverage slurping within the auditorium has come to a halt because everyone is captivated by the story unfolding on the screen. Captain America: The Winter Soldier does this not once, not twice...but continuously. As a viewer you are constantly drawn into the universe. The pacing of the story is spot on. Carefully entwining beautiful action sequences spaced between exposition, the movie never let's you go and never hesitates to slow down or speed up. The dialogue is witty and captivating and propels the plot immensely. Every conversation is just a gripping as the following fight scene mainly because it is written so precisely. There isn't any dawdling or "beating around the bush", the dialogue gets to the point and keeps you guessing and gripping your seat. Most importantly, it works because the characters are believable. They have a lot of depth and a wide range of obstacles to overcome. In other words, they are not one-dimensional but feel like real people.

This is by far Marvel's most crowded film to date with the exception ofThe Avengers: Age Of Ultron. The Avengers utilized each of its numerous characters extremely well with equal screen time and dialogue that fit each of their personas. Captain America: The Winter Soldier does it as well. I was immensely surprised by the amount of main characters in the film. Captain America, The Winter Soldier, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) all play the lead roles but Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo), and Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) play extremely prominent and significant roles as well. On a side note, it goes without saying that the addition of Robert Redford simply elevates the extreme credibility of these films. The moment he steps on screen for the first time there's just an immense of power to behold. Each of these characters are essential to the continuance of the story and are utilized extremely fashionably and with great care. Their motives are straight and clear and they never diverge from who they really are. They never become jumbled or over complicated. Every sequence is a beautifully orchestrated composition of this ensemble.

The addition of so many new characters can sometimes be overabundant for a film (hence why The Amazing Spider-Man 3 was such a failure) but it simply works in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Everyone has a back story and an explicit foundation for the who, what, when, where and why. Along with the addition of new characters, this sequel does what every sequel should do and that is to delve into the back story of our former characters. We get to learn a lot more about Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow as well as Nick Fury. They aren't just regular caricatures. They are unique and have a standing worth watching in the film. The dynamic in each interaction between whether it be Natasha Romanoff and Nick Fury or Steve Rogers and Alexander Pierce or even The Falcon and Brock Rumlow is beautifully scripted and genuinely delivered.

When it comes to the superhero genre we immediately think of the action. What set pieces will be present? How many will there be? How will they end or begin? As mentioned before, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the most action-packed film in the MCU by far. There are about ten action sequences wisely spaces throughout the movie but they never get boring. The action in Captain America: The Winter Soldier features an entourage of amazing hand to hand combat, enthralling chase sequences, cat and mouse series and they all not only progress the story but they make sense in it. They don't feel unnecessary and thus every punch and impact is all the more powerful. There is even a emotional factor within them that many action sequences don't provide us with anymore. The production design and set design of the film add even more brilliance as nearly every action sequence adds a whole new scale through the use of location. We get fight scenes that take place in the ocean, on building rooftops and even in the air. Marvel has taken everything it knows and thrust it into one massively pleasing film.

Previous composer Alan Silverstri (The Avengers, Back to the Future), who helmed the music for the first Captain America, was not present for this film. Replacing him was Henry Jackman (X-Men First Class, Captain Phillips), who adds a whole level of intensity and character to the film. Silverstri did a great job with the origin of Captain America, giving us the nationalistic pride feeling with his orchestrations but Captain America: The Winter Soldier has an espionage theme and Jackman's score really gives us that "Bond" vibe while still staying true to the true colors of the first avenger. It's not over the top but it really propels the story along.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier runs at over two hours and it is a blast from start to finish. Marvel continuously delivers great films after another but Captain America: The Winter Soldier isn't one of them. They have outdone themselves so much that this is another masterpiece among the masterpieces of beloved superhero films. The story alone gives so much credence to where they will be leading into with future films and of course the much anticipated The Avengers: Age of Ultron. There are numerous Easter Eggs and references within the film as well as an exceptional end credits scene that introduces something very important in the Avengers sequel. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is Marvel's most ambitious and different film. It is smart, gripping and incredibly engaging. This genre is not leaving us anytime soon and Marvel knows it. They are a juggernaut to be reckoned with. I give Captain America: The Winter Soldier a 10/10. (MOVIEPILOT)

Read More

Legend Review: Cliched! But Thorough Entertainer!

March 31 (TotalFilmy)

The director Boyapati Srinu’s Legend has been released today worldwide. Nandamuri Balakrishna is back to the big screen after two years with Legend. He has again teamed up with the director who had given him a big break with Blockbuster film Simha.

Though the film has nothing new to offer but there is something special about Nandamuri’s performance and rich punchy dialogues that pepper the turf of Legend.

Strong elements of Legend

What elements are stitched into the fabric of Legend? To start with the fact that the film is a mass entertainer, we would say Boyapati Srinu's riveting narration and punchy dialogues are its greatest asset. Further Brahmanandam's comedy timing, Hamsa Nandini's item dance, Devi Sri Prasad's soothing music and meldious background score, Ram Prasad's beautiful cinematography, Ram Laxman's action choreography, dance sequences and amazing locations add to the fabric’s design.

Legend is a combination of romance and entertainment. It is a perfect amalgamation of action, romance, comedy, family drama, music and much more.

Biggest plus point of the film is Nandamuri’s easy going acting that keeps the audience glued to the screen till the end. Actor’s fans will surely love the film! Not only Nandamuri, even Radhika Apte is the pleasing part of the film and her performance stands out. Sonal Chauhan pours glamour into the flick. For entertainment, its punchy dialogues stay constant throughout the film but they dominate in the first half.

Another aspect that keeps Legend smooth till the end is its fast pace which begins with the entry of the actor in a chase sequence in Dubai.

The music is soothing and does not divert the audience from the storyline. The songs fit in the script quite comfortably.

Storyline

The film opens with the entry of villain Jitendra, role essayed by Jagapathi Babu. Then the story moves to Dubai, where the character of Balakrishna enters with SUV chase scene in a desert.

Both emotional and politically triggered dialogues, and the action between Balakrishna and Jagapathi Babu keeps the audience fixed to the screen. As already mentioned the film is predictable to a great degree but the dialogues and individual performances of actors is its greatest asset.

In the film, Krishna (Balakrishna) is an NRI, who cannot endure injustice against anyone. And this is a concept that the audience has seen again and again. It has become a clichéd story in any language films these days. But as already said its dialogues are its savior!

His lady love is Sneha (Sonal Chauhan). The couple comes to India to seek his grandmother's blessings for marriage. But then here he confronts Jeethendra (Jagapathi Babu) where he saves people in his native land. Jeethendra is at loggerheads with Krishna's brother Jai Dev (Balakrishna). Rest of the script encapsulates the fight between the two.

Bottom-line

The film possesses complete commercial ingredients, which has a great potential of doing great on Box Office. It has a power-packed drama with a good amount of action and emotion. (TotalFilmy.com)

Read More

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trailer with Megan Fox Takes Off Its Mask

March 28 (TheHDRoom)

The first trailer for Paramount's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) live-action reboot movie has slashed onto the Internet and finally revealed what the modern incarnation of the pizza-obsessed heroes in a half-shell look like following the trailer's premiere at CinemaCon on Tuesday.

Of course, when Michael Bay is a producer on a high-profile project his name is going to get top-billing considering the success of his film catalog, especially the Transformers films. Ultimately Paramount is targeting the same demographic that pours in hundreds of million of dollars to watchTransformers, so director Jonathan Liebesman will have to do with playing second fiddle.

Each of the turtles: Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo, was filmed with actors via mo-cap using the same technology that brought Caeser and his apes to life in Fox's Rise of the Planet of the Apes. As they make their debut in this first teaser trailer, it's clear this new generation of turtles are far larger than previous iterations, though still look pretty much exactly like you'd imagine a CGI-rendered walking ninja turtle to look like.

The TMNT trailer includes a voiceover by William Fichtner, who plays the villainous Shredder in the film. We don't get to see Fichtner in the mask, though there is a shot of him staring at the mask and it looks as delightfully evil as it should.

We don't get to see Splinter, the anthropomorphic rat that mentors the turtles and teaches them the ways of the ninja. Rest assured he's in the film and is voiced by Danny Woodburn.

Also headlining the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cast are Megan Fox as April O'Neil, without the signature red locks, and Will Arnett as Vernon Fenwick. The turtles are played by Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard and Pete Ploszek.

There's turtles. There's a light-hearted comedic tone. There's Shredder and the Foot soldiers he commands. There's also a connection between April's dad and the creation of the turtles, something that die hard fans of the comic book and franchise will no doubt take exception to.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles opens in theaters everywhere on August 8. (TheHDRoom)

Read More

Horror Film Oculus Set For Release Worldwide

American horror film Oculus is set for release worldwide on 11^th April 2014. This film comes from the producers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious.

The film features Karen Gillian and Katee Sackhoff. The horror film will also be released in India on 11^th April.

The story of film is associated with a haunted mirror possessed with supernatural phenomenon that killed more than forty five people in its existence of four generations.

This supernatural horror flick is written and directed by Mike Flanagan. The film is based on a short film titled Oclus Chapter 3 – The Man with the Plan which came in the year 2006.

Read More

Rocky Hits Broadway

March 19 (Elisabeth Vincentelli / New York Post)

Something electric happens at the end of “Rocky” that gets theatergoers on their feet and writers scuttling for exclamation points:

A boxing ring descends from the rafters, then glides into the orchestra!

There’s hooks, punches and blood — and a Jumbotron!

And then: “Adriaaaaaaaan!”

Director Alex Timbers (“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”) earns his keep right there. If you could win a Tony based on just 20 minutes, “Rocky” would be a shoo-in.

Problem is, that finale is preceded by an hour and a half of less thrilling moments.

Turning Sylvester Stallone’s beloved tale into a musical wasn’t the most obvious idea, but some producers believed in it — even if they were from Germany, where the production opened in November 2012.

Thursday night, the musical made its Broadway debut with a cast headed by Andy Karl as underdog Rocky Balboa and Terence Archie as heavyweight champ Apollo Creed. And it turns out that a boxing musical wasn’t such a crazy notion, after all.

Plot-wise, book writers Stallone and Thomas Meehan (“The Producers,” “Hairspray”) hit all the film’s classic scenes: Rocky punching slabs of beef in the Shamrock Meats freezer, running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and gulping down raw eggs for breakfast.

“Eye of the Tiger” pops up as well, even if it’s actually from “Rocky III.” Too bad using that song and “Gonna Fly Now” (a k a Bill Conti’s original theme) only underline how Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ score lacks energy, not to mention soul.

That absence is glaring for a story set in 1975 Philadelphia. We get only a whiff of it in Apollo’s “Patriotic,” in which he boogies with a scantily clad female entourage, but Ahrens and Flaherty don’t have a funky bone in their bodies.

Fortunately, they’ve written some sweet ballads, including a couple of lovely duets for Rocky and Adrian (“The Flip Side” and “Happiness”). This is important, because “Rocky” really is a tender love story camouflaged under a big, burly exterior.

As the Italian Stallion, Karl follows the Stallone model — a big galoot with a heart of gold — but he makes it his own. He has a cool-cat ease and a warm, evocative singing voice. We believe in this irrepressible Rocky and his glass-half-full philosophy: “I got a crooked employer/And a job I hate,” he sings. “But hey/My nose ain’t broken.”

He’s well matched with Archie’s cocky Apollo and Margo Seibert’s Adrian, even though she isn’t as pathetically lonely as the movie’s semi-recluse.

Here she has a friendly boss at the pet store she works in — Gloria (Jennifer Mudge), who’s dating Adrian’s brother, Paulie (Danny Mastrogiorgio).

In what feels like a cop-out, Paulie’s been softened from major creep to minor irritant, and doesn’t even get a song — whereas coach Mickey (Dakin Matthews) scores a nostalgic, momentum-sapping number, “In the Ring,” about boxing’s heyday.

Quibbles, quibbles: The epic brawl wipes them all out, and resets the audience’s memory so we leave on a Himalayan high. “Rocky” does win, after all. (New York Post)

Read More

Priyanka Chopra Launched NDTV Prime India’s First Dual Strategy Channel

NDTV network launched another channel by the name NDTV Prime. It is an infotainment and entertainment hybrid channel and is part of the network’s dual channel or split channel strategy. NDTV Prime will replace its business news channel NDTV Profit from 6 pm onwards every weekday. Viewers will get to watch NDTV Prime 24x7 over the weekends.

The new channel will includes some existing programmes from NDTV Profit and as well as fresh programming. Shows can be seen around property, education, automobiles and technology in the infotainment bands whereas a Bollywood talent show and a standup comedy show could be seen in the entertainment band.

The Co-Chairperson of NDTV Pranoy Roy said that during the market hours business news channels get higher viewership but in the evenings entertainment channels have more viewership, so through this strategy we’ll be able to capture both these audiences with NDTV Profit and NDTV Prime thus expanding our audience.

Initially the weekends will show repeats of the fresh content aired during the week and later on it will have new shows which will include a new programme on advertising named All About Ads.

The new channel has been sponsored by Micromax and each band (barring the comedy and the movie band) has individual sponsors. Consequently after three year partnership with Micromax, the logo of NDTV Prime is fashioned after the Micromax logo ‘m’. Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, Datsun, LIC, VLCC, Mobil,  MRF and Videocon d2h are some other sponsors of the channel.

The co-founder of Micromax Rahul Sharma said that we are seeing a trend for greater consumption of high quality content among the viewers with digitization and advancement of technology. The new channel provides a perfect opportunity for Micromax to reach out to advanced viewers through new programming on sports, lifestyle, property, automobiles, gadgets & gizmos, music, reality and comedy which are showing increasing acceptance among Indian viewers.

NDTV Profit has also partnered with the National Stock Exchange. The new logo of NDTV Profit will include the line “Powered by NSE”. The stock exchange members will visit the channel and provide insight into the developments of the day as knowledge partners to the channel.

NDTV had earlier moved the channel NDTV Profit from Mumbai to Delhi and also reduced staff to cut costs. The company was bearing loss of Rs 40 Crore recently but with the introduction of this dual strategy it expects the losses to come down to Rs 19 crore for FY 14.

Actress Priyanka Chopra launched the new channel. Bollywood Actor Shah Rukh Khan also endorsed the channel. He will feature their television, outdoor and print campaign and will be seen in two avatars one serious for NDTV Profit and another relaxed NDTV Prime. The dual channel has the tagline ‘Work Hard, Play hard’.

Read More

Popcorn Time, the illegal Netflix alternative is back online

March 18 (Fox News)

Just days after the service was taken down, Popcorn time -- a sort of Netflix for pirated content -- has popped back up again.

The service has returned thanks to some online developers, continuing to give grey hairs to all those involved in the film industry. According to TorrentFreak, torrent site YTS will now continue developing the movie pirating software, believing that it has a better legal position than the previous developers had, meaning that the service should stay online for a little while longer than before.

Much of Netflix’s success has come from its simple to use interface, something consumers are willing to pay for, rather than having to search around illegal torrenting sites for a copy of a movie that wasn’t recorded with some guys camera in a cinema.

Popcorn Time has that same idea, and it makes watching pirated movies as easy as using Netflix, except it has movies you actually want to watch.

It works by streaming torrents, the same type of files that are available to be downloaded from sites like the Pirate Bay. However, instead of then using a torrent downloader and then watching it in your favourite media player, Popcorn Time picks the best copy for each movie and lets the user stream it with a simple click of a button.

While Popcorn Time seems like a great idea, don’t forget that it is piracy so use it at your own risk. (Fox News)

Read More

300 Rise of an Empire : Review

’300: Rise of an Empire’ Review

8 March, 2014 (Screenrat) 

The 300: Rise of an Empire story follows Athenian general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) in the Battle of Artemisium – while interweaving with the events of 300(i.e., the Battle of Thermopylae). During the first attempted invasion of Greece by the Persian empire, Themistocles and his army successfully defend the Greek shoreline in the Battle of Marathon – mortally wounding King Darius I (Yigal Naor), father of Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and mentor to the ruthless Artemisia (Eva Greene).

As the king is dying, Artemisia formulates a plan to seek revenge on the Greeks by turning the naive (and cowardly) Prince Xerxes into a God-like figure for the Persian Empire to rally behind. Ten years later, Xerxes return with a devastating invasion force – engaging King Leonidas and his Spartan warriors on land at the Hot Gates, while Artemisia battles Themistocles and the Greek navy at sea. Like the 300, Themistocles is gravely outnumbered – forced to rely on cunning and the strength of a unified Greece if he hopes to once again defend his homeland and drive back the invading Persians.

Sullivan Stapleton as Themistocles in ’300: Rise of an Empire’

300: Rise of an Empire arrives eight years after Zack Snyder’s original 300 wowed audiences with slick slow-motion fight sequences, an illustrative visual aesthetic, and an intriguing fantasy tale variation on the real-life Battle of Thermopylae. Snyder returns as executive producer but handed directorial duties over to Noam Murro (Smart People), who does his best to imitate the 300 formula but falls short of doing anything new or particularly memorable in the process. In general, it’s an adequate follow-up, packed with action, machismo, over-the-top violence, and fantastic twists on actual events – but nearly every single element is slightly inferior to Snyder’s original vision and execution. Fans of the original will, likely, enjoy returning to Frank Miller’s exaggerated version of Greek history; yet, 300: Rise of an Empire doesn’t offer the same cross-genre appeal as its predecessor.

The main plot is serviceable, jumping in and out of scenes previously seen in 300 to help flesh out the larger war with Xerxes, as well as the backstories of Artemisia and Themistocles. Familiar supporting characters –  like Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) and Dilios (David Wenham) – return to connect Rise of an Empire to the prior installment, but viewers shouldn’t expect to spend a lot of time with the Spartans, as the sequel is tightly centered on the conflict between Artemisia and Themistocles.

The Battle of Artemisium in ’300: Rise of an Empire’

Frank Miller, Kurt Johnstad and Snyder serve as screenwriters and craft another epic revision of a Greek history, with all the same romanticized ideas about honor, freedom, and beautiful deaths  - albeit with a bit less depth. Those who criticized the original 300 for being style over substance will find the ratio of visual spectacle to thought-provoking storytelling is significantly wider than before – providing an equal amount of over-the-top action but even less character development and thematic synergy.

Themistocles is a passable leading man but lacks the same gravity (and quotable lines) as his Spartan predecessor. Where Leonidas was a brash but sympathetic warrior, Themistocles is much more calculating and remorseful – making him interesting and heroic but not quite as engaging to watch on screen. Still, Stapleton is strong in the role, conveying the reasonability (and desperation) that Themistocles feels – while also shining in exciting (and bloody) fight choreography.

Eva Green as Artemisia in ’300: Rise of an Empire’

However, Artemisia is, without question, the film’s most compelling addition – especially with Green in the part. Despite an over-complicated backstory and an obsessive search for a warrior that is truly worthy of a fight, the character reflects what’s great about 300 - taking larger-than-life historical figures, setting them in a heightened series of real events, while making them relatable and enthralling in a modern movie experience (in spite of the twenty-five hundred years in between). Green commits to the role entirely, presenting a layered villainess whose tongue is just as quick as her sword – capable of fighting toe-to-toe with brawny greek warriors while also manipulating powerful Persian commanders into doing her bidding.

Unfortunately, the supporting cast is much less defined. Returning faces are a welcome bonus but every single one of Themistocles’ warriors falls into a familiar trope (some of which were already explored in 300): a son that must earn his father’s respect on the front lines, and a generic second-in-command that spends more time as a sounding board for Themistocles than he does actually fighting,etc… The origin of Xerxes adds a few extra layers to Rodrigo Santoro’s God-king, but Rise of an Empire, much like 300, once again shoves the character – and the Persian war machine – into the background to spotlight the battle at hand (not to mention leave ample room for another sequel).

Rodrigo Santoro as King Xerxes in ’300: Rise of an Empire’

In fact, the action is glued almost exclusively to Themistocles, aside from shots of nondescript greeks as they clash with featureless persians. And, while the fights are more violent than ever, they’re a slight step down overall. The main battle sequences include set pieces that should get a reaction out of fans, but Rise of an Empire‘s overall approach lacks the innovation and flair of Snyder’s original. The naval combat is a smart change of pace that allows for some fresh ideas, but once swords hit shields in close combat, it’s clear that Murro was struggling to find his own style while also including elements that returning moviegoers would expect from a 300 sequel (bloody slow-motion fighting, for example). Moment to moment it’s all entertaining enough – Rise of an Empire just fails to evolve the story or sword-and-sandles brawling in any meaningful way.

300: Rise of an Empire is also playing in 3D and IMAX 3D; given the visual aesthetic of the film, both formats are worthwhile upgrades. Frugal moviegoers could compromise and skip the IMAX price hike (not the 3D) but the improved sound and screen space will be rewarding for anyone that is willing to spend the extra cash.

Spartan’s fallen heroes in ’300: Rise of an Empire’

It may not court casual moviegoers as easily as its predecessor, but Murro succeeds at delivering a 300 sequel that fans will enjoy watching. Buoyed by a captivating performance from Eva Green and an adequate replacement for Gerard Butler in Sullivan Stapleton, it’s still interesting (and exciting) to explore Frank Miller’s retelling of the Greco-Persian war. Nevertheless, much like the real Battle of Artemisium – which often takes a backseat in history books to the Battle of Thermopylae – it’s hard to imagine that Rise of an Empire will ever step out of 300‘s lofty shadow.

300: Rise of an Empire runs 102 minutes and is Rated R for strong sustained sequences of stylized bloody violence throughout, a sex scene, nudity and some language. Now playing in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D theaters. (Screenrat)

Read More