Ready to win passes for one final trip to Middle Earth?
From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.
Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.
As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opens December 17th.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES on Wednesday, December 10th at 7PM in the St. Louis area. We will contact the winners by email.
Answer the following:
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again was first published in _____?
The dwarves, elves, and humans are united against the _______ and ______ in what is called the Battle of the Five Armies.
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWERS AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
The film is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images.
The first trailer is here for Peter Jackson’s film, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES.
The third in a trilogy of films adapting the The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves.
Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.
Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.
As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.
Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is led by Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, with Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, and Orlando Bloom.
The film also stars, in alphabetical order, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O’Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt and Aidan Turner.
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES will be released worldwide on December 17, 2014.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and New Line Cinema jointly announced on Friday that the much-anticipated final film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, has now been titled THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES.
The film, previously titled “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” will be released worldwide December 17, 2014, with select international territories releasing on December 10, 2014.
Peter Jackson stated, “Our journey to make ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy has been in some ways like Bilbo’s own, with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we’ve gone along. ‘There and Back Again’ felt like the right name for the second of a two-film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo’s arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced — after all, Bilbo has already arrived ‘there’ in the ‘The Desolation of Smaug.’
When we did the premiere trip late last year, I had a quiet conversation with the studio about the idea of revisiting the title. We decided to keep an open mind until a cut of the film was ready to look at. We reached that point last week, and after viewing the movie, we all agreed there is now one title that feels completely appropriate. And so: ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ it is.”
“The Hobbit” Trilogy tells a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson and his team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar-winning THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING.
Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is led by Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, and Orlando Bloom.
The film also stars, in alphabetical order, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O’Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner.
The screenplay for THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson also produced the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Philippa Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.
The creative behind-the-scenes team is led by director of photography Andrew Lesnie, production designer Dan Hennah, editor Jabez Olssen and composer Howard Shore. The costumes are designed by Richard Taylor, Bob Buck and Ann Maskrey. Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of armour, weapons, creatures and special makeup, which are once again being made by the award-winning Weta Workshop. Oscar-winning visual effects studio Weta Digital is again handling the visual effects for the film, led by senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri. The hair and makeup designer is Peter Swords King. The conceptual designers are John Howe and Alan Lee. Eric Saindon is the visual effects supervisor, with David Clayton serving as animation supervisor.
Under Jackson’s direction, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES was shot in 3D 48 frames-per-second and will be released in High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D) in select theaters, other 2D and 3D formats, and IMAX®. Production took place at Jackson’s own facilities in Miramar, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand. Post production took place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.
New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Present a Wingnut Films Production, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES.
As with the first two films in the Trilogy, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, the final film is a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM.
THE HOBBIT’s Official Facebook page has released 17 new posters along with a little background on J.R.R. Tolkien’s characters. Safe to say Gollum needs no explanation – although I do like his snarly “Thief Baggins! Curse it and crush it! We hates it forever!” Advance tickets go on sale in 3 days.
Brother to Bofur and cousin to Bifur, Bombur is the chief cook amongst The Company of Dwarves. His immense size and voracious appetite causes frequent problems – and laughter – for himself and The Traveling Party. Despite his size he can be surprisingly effective as a fighter – and woe betide anyone who makes him late for dinner!
Younger brother to Fili, Kili is a loyal nephew to Thorin Oakenshield. Carefree and somewhat reckless, Kili has led a charmed and untroubled life to this point. Handsome and physically able, Kili possesses the invincible courage of youth. He is a skilled fighter and expert archer, having been trained with weapons from an early age. As one of the youngest in The Company of Dwarves, Kili is determined to make his mark and prove his worth.
Fili was born into the royal line of Durin and raised under the stern guardianship of his uncle, Thorin Oakenshield. Along with his brother Kili, Fili is one of the youngest in The Company of Dwarves. He has never traveled far, nor ever seen the fabled Dwarf City of Erebor. A skilled fighter, Fili sets off on the adventure ahead with little idea of the challenges and dangers that lie before him.
Renowned as a great Warrior, Dwalin speaks his mind plainly and is not one to suffer fools lightly. Fiercely loyal, he is Thorin Oakenshield’s staunchest supporter with an unshakeable belief in his friend’s leadership. A powerful and bruising fighter, Dwalin has a natural tendency to distrust anyone who is not a Dwarf and is particularly suspicious of Elves. Proud, brave and one of the tallest of the Dwarves, Dwalin will bow to none but those who have earned his respect.
A descendant of nobility and a Dwarf Lord in his own right, Balin is one of the oldest members of The Company of Dwarves. Wise and gentle by nature, he has been forced to live a life fraught with war and the ongoing struggle for survival. Related to Thorin Oakenshield, Balin is one of his closest, most trusted advisors – but deep in his heart, this wisest and most loyal of Dwarves harbors troubling doubts about the wisdom of the Quest for the Lonely Mountain.
As a young Dwarf Prince, Thorin witnessed the destruction and terror wrought when a great fire-breathing dragon attacked the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. When no one came to the aid of the surviving Dwarves, a once proud and noble race was forced into exile. Now, as the strong, fearless fighter and respected leader of The Company of Dwarves, Thorin is determined to reclaim his homeland and destroy the beast that brought such misery upon his people.
One of the most powerful Wizards in all of Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breathing dragon, Smaug the Terrible. Along the way, Gandalf finds evidence that an ancient evil may have found its way back into the world. In order to uncover the truth, Gandalf must leave his companions to fend for themselves – a journey that will take him into the darkest corners of Middle-earth where his worst suspicions are confirmed.
Like all Hobbits, Bilbo Baggins is fond of his comfortable existence; all he needs to be happy is a full pantry and a good book. When the Wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves unexpectedly appear on Bilbo’s doorstep and invite him to join them on a dangerous adventure, Bilbo’s life changes forever. Initially skeptical of the invitation, Bilbo’s spirit of adventure leads him to join the Company of Thorin Oakenshield and become the “burglar” required to complete their quest to outwit a ferocious dragon and reclaim the Dwarves’ stolen treasure. To everyone’s surprise, including his own, Bilbo’s wit and courage prove that there is indeed more to this Hobbit than meets the eye.
Born in the West, Bifur has the rusting remains of an Orc axe embedded in his forehead, which has rendered him inarticulate and occasionally feisty! He communicates only with grunts and hand gestures. Unlike most of the others in The Company of Dwarves, Bifur is not related to Thorin, nor is he of noble lineage, but rather is descended from miners and smithies – simple folk with simple tastes.
Endearing and likeable, Bofur has a disastrous tendency to state the obvious and blurt out things without thinking. With a love of music and a fine singing voice, Bofur delights in good food and good company and is unfailingly optimistic. Though not especially brave, he will do his best to help those in need, especially those he counts as friends. Along with his brother Bombur and his cousin Bifur, Bofur joined the Quest for the Lonely Mountain partly to seek his fortune – and partly because he was told the beer was free.
Along with his brother Gloin, Oin is a distant cousin of Thorin Oakenshield. A brave Northern Dwarf, Oin joins The Company of Thorin Oakenshield out of a sense of loyalty to his kin, and also because he has a substantial sum of money invested in the venture. Well read with an inquiring mind, Oin is the healer among the Company, often applying an herbal salve of his own invention – which has since come to be known as ‘ointment’ after its maker.
Of all the members in The Company of Dwarves who set out on the Quest to The Lonely Mountain, Gloin is the most outspoken and opinionated and is not afraid to challenge authority. He has a tendency to be quick-tempered, but he is also strong, brave and loyal. Gloin is one of the only married Dwarves in the Company (there being a shortage of female Dwarves in general). His wife is an acclaimed beauty with a particularly fine beard. Gloin is also the proud father of a young son, Gimli, who will later grow up to become part of the famous Fellowship of the Ring.
A distant relative of Thorin Oakenshield, Dori is the eldest amongst his brothers Ori and Nori. He is the strongest in The Company of Dwarves, and spends much of his time watching out for Ori, making sure he hasn’t caught a chill or gotten himself killed by Wargs or Goblins. Eternally pessimistic, with a natural tendency to expect the worst, Dori is nonetheless quite prepared to risk life and limb in order to get the job done.
Perhaps the most elusive member of The Company of Thorin Oakenshield, Nori is often in trouble with the dwarvish authorities. Deciding it might be a good time to leave town, he readily joins the Quest for the Lonely Mountain, not realizing the journey ahead may well lead him into far more trouble than he has left behind. Nobody ever quite knows what the quick-witted and wily Nori is up to, except that it’s guaranteed to be dodgy and quite probably illegal. Despite rarely seeing eye-to-eye with his brothers Dori and Ori, he is nonetheless immensely loyal and will protect them by whatever means possible.
Younger brother to Nori and Dori, Ori is a talented artist, and can often be found drawing and writing in his journal. It is Ori who chronicles much of the journey through The Wild to the shores of the Long Lake and the slopes of The Lonely Mountain. Polite and well-bred, he is used to being bossed around by his older brother Dori and is usually biddable, although occasionally his can surprise his fellow companions with his courage and determination.
WaterTower Music has announced the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Original Motion Picture Soundtrack at all retailers on December 11th. The soundtrack will be available both digitally and as a 2 CD set. A Special Edition of the soundtrack, featuring six exclusive bonus tracks, seven extended score cues, and deluxe liner notes will also be available December 11. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey features original score by Academy Award® winner Howard Shore recorded at famed Abbey Road studios by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally, it includes an original song entitled “Song of the Lonely Mountain,” written and performed by Neil Finn (Crowded House). The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of a trilogy of films from Oscar®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy), will be released in the U.S. on December 14, 2012.
One of today’s most respected, honored, and active composers and music conductors, Howard Shore previously worked with director Peter Jackson on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Shore’s music for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy has been performed in concerts throughout the world. In 2003, Shore conducted the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings Symphony in Wellington, New Zealand. Since then, the work has had more than 140 performances by the world’s most prestigious orchestras, and has even been the subject of a book, Music of The Lord of the Rings Films.
“I have looked forward to returning to the imaginative world of Middle-earth for quite a while,” says Shore. “I read all of the books by Tolkien, including The Hobbit, when I was in my twenties, and his deep love of nature and all things green resonates deeply with me.”
“It’s a thrill for us to work with Howard Shore on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey soundtrack,” stated WaterTower Music head, Jason Linn. “His reputation and body of work have long inspired us, and we look forward to another successful partnership as we embark on the next chapter of our journey together.”
Shore’s music for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy stands as his most towering achievement to date. He won three Academy Awards® for his music for those films, two for Best Original Score, and one for Best Original Song. Shore has also won numerous other honors for his film work, including four Grammys and three Golden Globe Awards.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on WaterTower Music in the United States and Decca Records outside the United States. It will be available on December 11, 2012. The track listings for the 2 CD Standard and 2 CD Deluxe versions are as follows:
THE HOBBIT SPECIAL EDITION TRACKLIST
DISC 1:
My Dear Frodo
Old Friends (Extended Version)
An Unexpected Party (Extended Version)
Blunt the Knives performed by The Dwarf Cast
Axe or Sword?
Misty Mountains performed by Richard Armitage and The Dwarf Cast
The Adventure Begins
The World is Ahead
An Ancient Enemy
Radagast the Brown (Extended Version)
The Trollshaws
Roast Mutton (Extended Version)
A Troll-hoard
The Hill of Sorcery
Warg-scouts
DISC 2:
The Hidden Valley
Moon Runes (Extended Version)
The Defiler
The White Council (Extended Version)
Over Hill
A Thunder Battle
Under Hill
Riddles in the Dark
Brass Buttons
Out of the Frying-Pan
A Good Omen
Song of the Lonely Mountain (Extended Version) performed by Neil Finn
Dreaming of Bag End
EXCLUSIVE BONUS TRACKS:
A Very Respectable Hobbit
Erebor
The Dwarf Lords
The Edge of the Wild
THE HOBBIT STANDARD EDITION TRACKLIST
DISC 1:
My Dear Frodo
Old Friends
An Unexpected Party
Axe or Sword?
Misty Mountains performed by Richard Armitage and The Dwarf Cast
The Adventure Begins
The World is Ahead
An Ancient Enemy
Radagast the Brown
Roast Mutton
A Troll-hoard
The Hill of Sorcery
Warg-scouts
DISC 2:
The Hidden Valley
Moon Runes
The Defiler
The White Council
Over Hill
A Thunder Battle
Under Hill
Riddles in the Dark
Brass Buttons
Out of the Frying-Pan
A Good Omen
Song of the Lonely Mountain performed by Neil Finn
Dreaming of Bag End
About The Hobbit Trilogy
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM). It is the first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
The screenplay for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro. Jackson is also producing the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and the second and third films of the trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 3D and IMAX 3D will be released on December 14, 2012, with the second film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, to be released December 13, 2013, and the third film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, slated for July 18, 2014.
Warner Bros. Pictures has released the first TV ad for Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, the first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” I must admit I’m ready for another trip to Middle Earth.
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and the second and third films of the trilogy—”The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again”—are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing being handled by MGM.
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be released worldwide beginning December 14, 2012, with “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second film, releasing beginning December 13, 2013, and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” the third film, slated for release on July 18, 2014.
The Weinstein Company presents the new trailer for CORIOLANUS – directed by Ralph Fiennes with a screenplay by John Logan, based on the play “Coriolanus” by William Shakespeare. Filmed in Serbia, Montenegro and the UK, the film will be released December 2nd.
Synopsis:
A feared and revered military commander courts tragedy when he enters the political arena in CORIOLANUS, a driving action/drama that marks the directorial debut of the film’s star, two-time Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes. Updating William Shakespeare’s late-period tragedy of ancient Roman setting to the 21st Century of guerrilla insurgencies, instant polling and 24-hour news networks, Fiennes delivers a trenchant tale of honor, power, politics and pride. At the heart of the film is the personal journey of Caius Martius, the noble but flawed “Coriolanus” of the title. Scion of a proud, aristocratic military family, Coriolanus is a man of great courage and unshakeable integrity – but the values that have served him and his country in battle will be his downfall in civil society. Working from an adapted screenplay by award-winning writer John Logan, Fiennes takes a bracingly modern and naturalistic approach to Shakespeare, delivering a story that speaks strongly to our own polarized, volatile times. Joining Fiennes onscreen is an exciting, impressive and international cast that includes Gerard Butler, Brian Cox; Oscar® winner Vanessa Redgrave; Jessica Chastain; John Kani, James Nesbitt; Paul Jesson; Lubna Azabal; and Ashraf Barhom.
Caius Martius “Coriolanus” (Ralph Fiennes) is unquestionably Rome’s most courageous general and its most controversial. He is revered for his ferocity in battle and willingness to die for his country; and reviled for his openly contemptuous attitude towards the ordinary Roman citizen. After achieving an astounding victory in Rome’s long-running war with the neighboring Volsces, Coriolanus is prodded by his controlling and ambitious mother, Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) to seek the prestigious and powerful political office of Consul. But Coriolanus bristles at the false niceties of retail politicking, and is loath to ingratiate himself with the masses whose votes he needs in order to secure the office. When the public rejects his bid, Coriolanus explodes in rage, prompting a riot that culminates in his expulsion from Rome. The banished hero then allies himself with his sworn enemy, the Volscian guerrilla leader Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take revenge on his city.
From director Emilio Estevez and starring Martin Sheen comes a modern-day odyssey – THE WAY – the soulful journey of a man rocked by personal crisis who sets off on an epic mountain trek, thinking he is utterly lost, only to keep bumping into surprise moments of community, companionship and inspiration that begin to steer his way. This spirited road-movie-on-foot crosses territory that is alternately comic, adventurous and keenly moving, even as it becomes an unforeseen gift from a son to his father.
THE WAY’s production was marked by a close and deep father-and-son collaboration – one that took director Emilio Estevez and actor Martin Sheen on a passage together into the high mountains of France and Spain and through some of the richly human questions that draw them both: questions about love, about community and about what keeps us moving forward when the road starts getting tougher, stranger and seemingly more forbidding. In the process, they had a chance to explore not only the awe-inspiring land of their ancestors, but their shared fascination with the power of laughter, forgiveness and even vexing relationships to make the most arduous path feel meaningful.
WAMG is giving away passes so you can be the first to see THE WAY this Thursday, October 6th at AMC West Olive 16 at 7pm.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. FILL OUT YOUR NAME AND E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW. REAL FIRST NAME REQUIRED.
3. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: The Pyrenees Mountains form the natural border between what TWO countries?
WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN THROUGH A RANDOM DRAWING OF QUALIFYING CONTESTANTS. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PASSES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED. DUPLICATE TICKETS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!
Synopsis:
Tom (SHEEN) is an affluent California doctor who arrives in St. Pied de Port, France to collect the ashes of his venturesome son, Daniel (ESTEVEZ), who perished during a freak storm in the Pyrenees Mountains. Arriving in a daze, Tom intends to turn right back around for the home Daniel once dubbed an isolating “bubble” — but at the last minute, he instead makes the most impulsive decision of his carefully ordered life.
Following in his son’s footsteps, quite literally, Tom begins to walk the 500-mile Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage that for more than 1000 years has been made by millions of around the world for every conceivable reason, from sheer adventure to searching for answers. Out of shape and out of sorts, Tom stumbles from the trailhead, defiantly on his own. He doesn’t want solace, and he’s not so sure he believes in salvation. But try as he might to escape, he keeps running into unwanted company – including that of a sarcastic Canadian (DEBORAH KARA UNGER) trying to kick the habit, a hefty, hedonistic Dutchman (YORICK VAN WAGENINGEN) wining and dining his way through Spain, and a motor-mouthed Irish author (JAMES NESBITT) chasing the story that might blast through his writer’s block.
Step by step, stunning mile after stunning mile, as Tom makes his way through incidents both frightening and funny – from raging rapids to Gypsy encounters — he can’t seem to help opening up to the breathtaking landscape, to his unavoidable companions and the new possibilities that now surround him at every turn. Suddenly, his misfit fellow travelers become his truest friends. Memories become his strength. And Tom begins to see that all the comedy, wonder and joy of the journey itself are what he was really after – and that this is just the beginning of going after his destination.
Sums up Sheen: “The most gratifying thing when I’ve seen audiences watching the film is to see them really inserting themselves into the journey with Tom and wondering if it would be possible for them. So many people come up afterwards and say, ‘where do I sign up to do something like this?’ It’s a powerful thing to be able to inspire people.”
Producers Distribution Agency and ARC Entertainment present an Elixir Films Production of THE WAY, a film written and directed by Emilio Estevez. The film is produced by David Alexanian and Estevez and stars Martin Sheen, Deborah Kara Unger, Yorick van Wageningen and James Nesbitt.
THE WAY will be in select cities on October 7th and NATIONWIDE October 21st.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.
With no hairy feet visible or long beards yet, here’s the new group photo of THE HOBBIT cast. MARTIN FREEMAN (center front), who plays Bilbo Baggins, is surrounded by the actors cast as the company of dwarves in Peter Jackson’s much-anticipated film version of THE HOBBIT for New Line Cinema, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Pictured from left to right are: AIDAN TURNER, WILLIAM KIRCHER, STEPHEN HUNTER, JED BROPHY, JAMES NESBITT, MARK HADLOW, JOHN CALLEN, MARTIN FREEMAN (FRONT), PETER HAMBLETON, GRAHAM MCTAVISH, ROB KAZINSKY, KEN STOTT, RICHARD ARMITAGE, ADAM BROWN.
MARTIN FREEMAN won the coveted role of Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s much-anticipated film version of THE HOBBIT for New Line Cinema, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Below is the video from the New Zealand press conference.
from New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM, the film is scheduled for a 2012 release. Check out THE HOBBIT’s Facebook page HERE.
When one thinks of a powerful film, what comes to mind? An epic saga? A grandiose drama? A hard-hitting film of controversy? For me, the films that have the greatest impact, the films that offer the most honest and realistic portrayal of contemporary concerns, are those that present themselves in their purest form. All the fancy camera work, all the flashy visual style and emotionally-charged music in the world will never take the place of a powerful story. And, that story does not necessarily need to be complex.
As they say, less is more. FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN is 90 minutes of raw, unfiltered human emotion. Not the over-done, exaggerated type that makes for good Hollywood drama, but the kind that makes an audience sit up in their seats. The kind of tactile human sensory emotion that makes an audience stare, unflinching, mesmerized into the lives of another human being. Plain and simple. The kind of story any aspiring filmmaker who years to offer the world something significant should admire and embrace, if for no other reason that to appreciate it’s intended impact and utter beauty, through the harsh realities of pain and suffering, loss and regret, guilt and recovery.
FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN was written by Guy Hibbert (SAIGON BABY) and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel (THE INVASION). The film stars Liam Neeson (TAKEN) and James Nesbitt (MATCH POINT) as two men whose lives are connected by the death of another. The fictional story, based upon truth, takes place in Ireland and follows former UVF member Alistair Little (Neeson) as his is invited to meet Joe Griffen (Nesbitt), the brother of the young man whom Little murdered some 33 years ago.
Alistair was 17 at the time he killed Jim Griffen. Joe was younger. Having witnessed the event, followed by the domino-like effect it had on his family beginning with his father’s heart attack. Joe’s mother blamed him for his brother’s death for the rest of her life and Joe couldn’t help being psychologically devastated by this. When offered the chance to finally meet his brother’s killer, face to face, by a television producer hoping to make a powerfully relevant series about truth and reconciliation, Joe and Alistair both agree.
Alistair’s intentions are clear from the beginning. He’s become a wise man after 2 years in prison, but he’s also a remorseful and sad man, despite his outward charm. Joe is a man deeply and disturbingly affected by the events of his life, and more significantly by the residual impact of the event’s aftermath that has progressively intensified over years of mental anguish and fixation. Joe’s intentions for their meeting are not entirely clear, as he waffles between what his emotions and his damaged psyche desire and what he knows to be right but refuses to admit and accept.
FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN is not a fancy film. It’s shot in the most straight-forward style, normal lighting, normal staging, natural. The film actually feels a bit like a PBS, or perhaps in this case, a BBC docudrama. The brilliance of the film is not in the technical production, but in the acting. The film is primarily a character study of Alistair and Joe, whittling away at their inner most emotions and allowing us to peer into their individual processes of coming to terms and facing their pasts, present and futures.
Liam Neeson, as is usually the case, is tremendous. Neeson conveys a heart-felt sorrow and a heaviness in his soul, and we feel this and we empathize, despite what he’s done. Nesbitt also delivers a stellar performance as a man afflicted by his hatred for how his mother blamed him for his brother’s death, manifesting itself into a gnarly and frightening image of a man lost in his pain and twisted by his single-minded need for revenge.
What makes FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN so engaging is how the two character’s roles are reversed from the traditional arrangement. The audience feels drawn to the man who has done wrong and feels repelled by the victim. Neeson is able to say so much without speaking and Nesbitt is able to speak volumes, not so much through “what” he says, but how he says it. Nesbitt gives Joe equal moments of calculated foresight and frantic hysteria.
The suspense that develops during the long and uncomfortable preparation, leading up to the final meeting is intense and primal. The actual meeting of Alistair and Joe is not as expected. In the end, Alistair gets what he silently hoped for and Joe gets what he truly needed, not what he believed he wanted. FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN is a rare film. It’s a film that has a lot to say without saying too much. It’s a film with contemporary value and deserves recognition.
