FLCL: PROGRESSIVE & ALTERNATIVE COMBO PACK -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

(Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.)  

Originally posted on 1/27/20

If you like frenetic science-fiction-based anime with an emphasis on quirky teen relationships amidst a visual cacophony of robotic, city-smashing chaos, then Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's 2-disc Blu-ray FLCL: PROGRESSIVE & ALTERNATIVE COMBO PACK (Blu-ray+Digital) should keep you happily occupied for more than a few hours.

It's a two-season sequel to the original 2000 series about a wild young minx named Haruko who rides a Vesper and wields an electric guitar that doubles as a chainsaw, sledgehammer, and various other weapons and devices. 

Young people in her vicinity tend to suddenly sprout raging robot monsters from their foreheads, which Haruko gleefully engages in battle with the fate of everything and everyone around her in the balance.

Season two, FLCL: PROGRESSIVE, gives us an appealing new cast of typical middle-school teens of the kind that will be familiar to anime fans, including pretty but pensive Hidomi, her eventual love interest Ide, and his pals Mori and Marco. 

Hidomi is never without her headphones, which help block out the world around her, although they also have another, more mysterious purpose.

Into their everyday world blazes Haruko in the guise of a teacher, seducing Ide and drawing Hidomi under her influence to be used in bringing out inter-dimensional robot monsters for her to battle.

This time she has an alter ego in the form of super-cool Jinju, and they share a secret desire to somehow facilitate the return of a powerful being named Atomsk.

Meanwhile, weird things are going on in Hidomi's hometown, particularly a giant flat iron that's parked on the edge of town which will eventually be put into motion by a giant hand from above, mowing down and flattening everything in its path.

This all has to do with a struggle between two forces known as Medical Mechanica and Fraternity, agents of which are at work trying to either cause or prevent various disasters from occurring.

But for all its sci-fi sound and fury, the likable teenage characters are what give FLCL its heart and maintain our interest.  Even as the story charges irrevocably toward its catastrophic finale, the emphasis is as much on Hidomi, Ide, and their friends, whose interpersonal relationships we follow even as they begin to play key roles in the impending battle, as on the freaky warrior chick Haruko and other combatants.

FLCL: ALTERNATIVE continues with the return of Haruko, still on her no-holds-barred quest for whatever (it ultimately doesn't really matter), and a timid, insecure young girl named Kana who continually seeks acceptance from her close circle of female friends, each of whom has her own problems. 

But even as Haruko somehow stumbles into the role of mentor for this young girl, she also uses her potential mind powers to kick-start Armageddon all over again, this time on a level more cataclysmic than before.

If all this sounds complicated, it's because it is.  In fact, I pretty much gave up trying to keep up with all the different plotlines and such, and just started holding on for dear life as this dizzying succession of eye-candy animation and swirling, surreal imagery went rushing by like a river of watercolors.

Most impressive are the intricate, exquisitely-rendered artwork and full animation, which looks just like traditional cel animation but with digital enhancements.  Character design is semi-realistic for the most part but full of cartoony manga-like silliness and exaggerated reactions, all of which adds to the fun.

As for the battle sequences, the artists and animators let their imaginations run wild with some of the most surreal and dazzling imagery you're likely to see in a series of this kind. The combination of such startling visuals with the sometimes childlike, sometimes mature story themes remains compelling throughout.

Both seasons offer satisfying final episodes, yet FLCL: PROGRESSIVE & ALTERNATIVE COMBO PACK ultimately leaves the door open for more adventures of guitar-slinging wild girl Haruko and another hapless group of youthful protagonists enduring the vagaries of adolescence while caught in a colorful clash of powerful opposing forces.



BLU-RAY COMBO PACK SPECIAL FEATURES

    The Making of FLCL: Progressive & Alternative: An in depth look behind the scenes featuring interviews with the cast and crew.
    Meet the Creators
    The Pillows
    English Voice Actors
    Production: Behind-the-Scenes

FLCL: ALTERNATIVE DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

    English Voice Actors
    Production: Behind-the-Scenes

COMBO PACK INCLUDES ALL 12 EPISODES

    RE: Start
    Freebie Honey
    Stone Skipping
    LooPQR
    Fool On the Planet
    Our Running
    Flying Memory
    Grown-Up Wannabe
    Freestyle Collection
    Pit-a-Pat
    Shake it Off
    Full Flat

DIGITAL
FLCL: Progressive & Alternative Combo Pack is available to own on Digital. Digital purchase allows consumers to instantly stream and download all episodes to watch anywhere and anytime on their favorite devices. Digital movies and TV shows are available from various digital retailers including Amazon Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu and others. A Digital Copy is also included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs for redemption and cloud storage.

BASICS
Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates: February 4, 2020
Blu-ray and DVD Presented in 16x9 widescreen format

BLU-RAY COMBO PACK
Price: $44.98 SRP ($52.99 in Canada)
Running Time: Feature: Approx. 264 min
Enhanced Content: Approx. 35 min
2 BD 50s
Audio – English (5.1)
Subtitles – English
UPC# 883929707584
Catalog#1000757643

FLCL: ALTERNATIVE DVD
Price: $19.99 SRP ($24.99 in Canada)
Running Time: Feature: Approx. 132 min
Enhanced Content: Approx. 10 min
2 DVD-9s
Audio – English (5.1)
Subtitles – English
UPC# 883929707577
Catalog# 1000757642

See our original coverage

FLCL: PROGRESSIVE & ALTERNATIVE COMBO PACK -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

Elmer Bernstein's Early Sci-Fi/Horror Themes: "Robot Monster" and "Cat Women of the Moon" (1953) (video)

Before scoring such classics as THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE GREAT ESCAPE, and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN...

...legendary film composer Elmer Bernstein supplied the music for the notorious turkeys ROBOT MONSTER and CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Elmer Bernstein's Early Sci-Fi/Horror Themes: "Robot Monster" and "Cat Women of the Moon" (1953) (video)

The Best Scene In "Star Trek" History? ("The Doomsday Machine", 1967) (video)

Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is aboard the wrecked starship USS Constellation...

...and has aimed it directly into the maw of a renegade war machine headed for Earth.

The ship's is rigged to explode with a 30-second delay, but the transporter is acting up...
...making this an extremely perilous course of action for Kirk.

Sol Kaplan's excellent musical score is one of the best ever written for television.

The SPFX in this episode have since been updated with CGI...
...but many Trek fans much prefer these original effects.

Some shots use a model kit replica of the Enterprise.
Dramatic license is used in the countdown to show simultaneous events.

Many Star Trek fans regard this as the series' best episode ever.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

The Best Scene In "Star Trek" History? ("The Doomsday Machine", 1967) (video)

SEX AND THE FUTURE -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 7/27/20

 

Ever wonder what would happen if you had a "real doll"...that was TOO real? No? So, it's just me? Okay...well, anyway, it's an interesting thing to ponder, which SEX AND THE FUTURE (2020) does in amusingly comedic sci-fi style.

Imagine what would've happened if the guys from WEIRD SCIENCE had made Kelly LeBrock sex robots and marketed them and made millions of dollars. Brilliant but nerdy inventor Barry (Chris Markle), who dreams of losing his virginity, does the inventing while his smooth roommate Evan (Phillip Crum), an aspiring actor who measures happiness by the number of Instagram followers he has, does the marketing.

Meanwhile in a Middle Eastern kingdom, Prince Fahad (Fahad Olayan) runs away from his overprotective parents and, along with faithful bodyguard Khalid (Andy Kenareki), makes his way to L.A. to become an action movie star.

The trouble is, Fahad looks closer to Quasimodo than Cary Grant (facial warts, unibrow, and all), but has been forbidden to look at mirrors all his life while being told that he is incredibly handsome.

Prince Fahad, in his own naive, clumsily well-meaning way, is a very endearing character who, despite thinking that he's God's gift to women, isn't the slightest bit conceited about it.  In fact, he's the film's least selfish and self-centered character, and is always concerned with the feelings of others.

Evan, on the other hand, lets success go straight to his head, taking all the credit, fame, and wealth and becoming a media superstar while Barry is cast aside (shades of Seth Green's "Napster" in THE ITALIAN JOB).

While Fahad courts Evan's acting classmate Steph (Maxi Witrak), a feminist who ends up picketing the robot factory, and Evan falls in love with Barry's beautiful cousin Vanessa (Lena Escandon), the increasingly mad Barry plots a devastating revenge that will ruin his former friend in ways that neither he nor we can even begin to imagine.

Although most filmmakers would've played this material as a wildly outlandish, frenetic farce, directors Luis Carlos Hueck (who wrote the script) and Ethan Zvi "The Don Kap" Kaplan just let it play out as a pleasantly diverting and amusingly comedic sci-fi story that leans a bit more toward character development, an interesting plot, and intriguing sci-fi elements than a succession of belly laughs.

Even so, the film's snappy pace and editing have a nice cartoon-like quality, with some eye-pleasing cinematography (especially in the drone-cam establishing shots). Performances are uniformly good, with special kudos going to Fahad Olayan as the sweetly likable lug Prince Fahad.

The musical score itself is a series of catchy hip-hop and techno songs, mostly by "The Don Kap", that are funny because they're so deliberately dumb.

While some viewers may dismiss it as lightweight and even lightheaded, SEX AND THE FUTURE struck me as a bright, breezily amusing comedy that manages just the right blend of "what if?" sci-fi and surreal silliness.


Buy it at Indican Pictures

TECH SPECS

Runtime: 80 minutes
Format: 1:78 HD
Sound: Dolby Sr.
Country: USA
Language: English (w/available subtitles)
Extras: Indican trailers

SEX AND THE FUTURE -- DVD Review by Porfle

ROBOWAR -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 6/23/19

 

Once again, prolific Italian schlockmeister Bruno Mattei (VIOLENCE IN A WOMEN'S PRISON, ISLAND OF THE LIVING DEAD, SHOCKING DARK) is loose in the Philippine jungle, but instead of cannibals or zombies, this time he's bringing us a slam-bang, bullet-riddled rip-off of PREDATOR, ROBOCOP, and RAMBO called ROBOWAR (Severin Films, 1988). 

This is actually one of his best films (judging from the ones I've seen, anyway), a good-looking production with lush settings, good camerawork, and some action setpieces that really deliver the explosive goods.

These involve a group of top mercenary soldiers who've been hired to go into the jungle in search of someone--or something--known only as Omega One. Mascher (Mel Davidson) is along as an unwelcome "technical advisor", although the others suspect him of being deeply involved in whatever their secret mission is really about and resent him for holding out on them.

The guys are known collectively as "BAM" (or "Big Ass Mofos", to put it euphemistically) and have such distinct and interesting personalities that we get to like them pretty quick.  Scripters Claudio Fragasso & Rossella Drudi (ZOMBIE 4) have given them some amusingly hokey and funny dialogue, the latter often delivered during the thick of battle which makes those scenes even more fun.

These guys are the usual tough-as-shoe-leather types, especially their leader Murphy (Reb Brown, who I know best as TV's first "Captain America"), but even they are aghast when they start stumbling over a succession of bodies that have been skinned, shredded, disembowled, cooked, etc. in some of the best makeup effects I've seen in a Mattei film.

All of which is due to their elusive prey, a mysterious cyborg who looks like he's wearing a black medieval suit of armor and a motorcycle helmet. Since this movie lacks a Schwarzenegger-sized budget, the cyborg's main features are pixelized robot vision and simple laser-beam weapons.  His constant mental chatter with some centralized computer sounds like those "Roger, Roger" drones in THE PHANTOM MENACE crossed with "The Addams Family"s Cousin Itt.

To increase the team's peril, they keep running into roving gangs of bad-guy guerillas who are gleefully massacring all the civilians in the area including the doctors at a local village hospital. 

Getting involved in the fray, the BAMs not only get a chance to blow away lots of these creeps (in what prove to be the film's most badass action scenes) but also rescue the fair maiden Virgin (Catherine Hickland, "Capitol", "Texas"), a jungle doctor who brings out the chivalrous side of these rough-hewn rogues.

Particularly fun is when the good guys descend on Virgin's former hospital, now used as a guerilla headquarters, and all fiery hell breaks loose. These hardcore mercenaries are armed to the teeth with giant machine guns which they shoot with one hand while feeding it bullets with the other, and they love to scream "YAAAAAA!!!" the whole time. 

When they aren't fighting, ROBOWAR becomes one of those steamy slogs through the jungle where every turn might yield a poisonous snake or a perilous booby trap.  They're being stalked by the cyborg the whole time, but surprisingly he turns out to be much less of a threat than one might imagine, and certainly nothing on the level of the famous "Predator."  Still, he's a fun character and there's a cool final-reel twist regarding his origin.  

There's enough amusingly odd characters and shoot-em-up fun to make ROBOWAR one of Mattei's most entertaining films, whether you're in it for the sci-fi stuff, the gore, or just the trigger-happy military maniacs gleefully shooting up everything in sight while screaming "YAAAAAA!!!"



Scanned in 4k from the original negative
Street date: June 25, 2019

Special Features:

    Robo Predator: Interview with Co-Director/Co-Writer Claudio Fragasso
    Italian Rip Off: Interview with Co-Writer Rossella Drudi
    Violence She Wrote: Career Interview with Screenwriter Rossella Drudi
    Robo-Lady: Interview with Actress Catherine Hickland
    Papa Doc’s War: Interview with Actor John P. Dulaney
    The Robowarrior: Interview with Actor Jim Gaines Jr.
    War in the Phillipines: Interview with Actor/Stuntman Massimo Vanni
    Catherine Hickland’s Behind The Scenes Home Movies
    Trailer

ROBOWAR -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

Blade Runner Scene Inspired By Original Star Trek? (video)

 

In the 7th "Star Trek" episode aired in 1966, "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", there's a scene...

  

...which looks remarkably similar to one that appeared in 1982's BLADE RUNNER.

In both scenes, the hero is hanging on for dear life...

...as a vengeful, hulking android stands over him with the power of life or death.

Did Ridley Scott see this scene, and was he inspired by it?

Judge for yourself!


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

 

Blade Runner Scene Inspired By Original Star Trek? (video)

Robo-Astronaut Freezes Up During Press Conference ("FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACE MONSTER", 1965) (video)

 

Scientist Jim Karen has made space travel safer for humans...

...by creating a lifelike robot astronaut.

But during his debut in front of a group of reporters...

..."Frank" will suddenly go freeze-frame like it was the end of a "CHiPs" episode.

 

(Read our review of this movie HERE.)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Robo-Astronaut Freezes Up During Press Conference ("FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACE MONSTER", 1965) (video)

A.I. Documentary "MACHINE" Available Today on VOD! See The Trailer HERE!

"MACHINE"

Available on VOD on September 8th


From the creators of Chef's Table, MACHINE is a hard-hitting, wide-ranging and eye-opening documentary that unpacks the most radical new technology of our time.

Infiltrating everything from transport to military to healthcare, artificial intelligence is no longer merely the realm of science fiction.

WATCH THE TRAILER:



In a world where machines are fast becoming smarter than people, what does our increasing reliance upon technology mean for our future? And who, if anyone, is controlling the rise of this new technology?

With expert insights from engineers, inventors, entrepreneurs, neurosurgeons, philosophers, ethicists and more – MACHINE is a thought-provoking and awe-inspiring new film that examines not only the practical applications of AI, but also the ethical questions raised by these new developments.

Directed By: Justin Krook (I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead)

Written By: James Maclurcan, Luke Mazzaferro

Featuring: Nick Bostrom, Rodney Brooks, Kate Darling, Tim Urban, Miklos Kiss, Eugenia Kuyda, Pindar Van Arman, Mark Little

A.I. Documentary "MACHINE" Available Today on VOD! See The Trailer HERE!

One Of The Wildest Endings In Sci-Fi ("THE TIME TRAVELERS", 1964) (video)

(SPOILERS)

In this sci-fi thriller, a team of scientists create a time portal.

They pass through and become trapped in a desolate, dystopian future.
There, a dying race of humans are menaced by vicious mutants.

The scientists return to the past, but are dislocated in time...
...finding their past selves frozen in a single instant.

Their only choice is to proceed farther into an unknown future...
...whereupon their past becomes an endless time loop.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

One Of The Wildest Endings In Sci-Fi ("THE TIME TRAVELERS", 1964) (video)

Guy Pearce Stars in Andrew Baird's "ZONE 414" -- Highland Film Group Handling Worldwide Sales

ZONE 414

Starring Guy Pearce, Matilda Lutz and Travis Fimmel


Synopsis | Set in the near future in Zone 414’s colony of humanoid robots, private investigator, David Carmichael (Guy Pearce), is hired by an obsessive business tycoon Marlon Veidt (Travis Fimmel) to find his rebellious daughter.

Teaming up with a highly advanced, self-aware A.I. (Matilda Lutz), David moves through the dangerous iron jungle, rapidly piecing together the mystery and uncovering a crime that questions the origins of Zone 414 and the “City of Robots.”

Directed by | Andrew Baird

Written by | Bryan Edward Hill

Starring | Guy Pearce (Memento, Prometheus), Matilda Lutz (Revenge, Rings) and Travis Fimmel (“Vikings,” Warcraft)

Produced by | Martin Brennan, Jib Polhemus, Andrew Baird, and Deborah Kolar

Executive Produced by | Mark Huffam

About Highland Film Group
Led by founding partners Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, Highland Film Group (HFG) is an independent worldwide sales, production and film financing company. Launched in 2010, HFG has had success across a wide range of film genres and platforms, building a reputation for handling high-octane films in the action/horror/thriller space, focusing on cast, director, film maker driven content.

Guy Pearce Stars in Andrew Baird's "ZONE 414" -- Highland Film Group Handling Worldwide Sales

First Time Dr. Smith Ever Said "Oh, the Pain...the Pain" (Lost In Space, S1 E7: "My Friend, Mr. Nobody") (video)

Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris) was one of the most popular characters...

...on the classic 60's sci-fi series "Lost In Space."

A cowardly comedic villain, Dr. Smith's most frequent catchphrase was "Oh, the pain...the pain."

Here's the first time he ever uttered those words on the show...


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

First Time Dr. Smith Ever Said "Oh, the Pain...the Pain" (Lost In Space, S1 E7: "My Friend, Mr. Nobody") (video)

Goofiest-Looking Alien Monster Ever? "Robot Monster" (1953) (video)

Indy filmmaker Phil Tucker didn't have much money to spend on special effects.

So he put a space helmet on a gorilla suit and called it "Robot Monster."

It was a valiant effort.

Ro-Man was played by ape-suit actor George Barrows.

The music was composed by Elmer Bernstein.

The film was shot in four days, in 3D, for approx. $16,000.

It grossed a million dollars in its initial release.

It has since become one of the most popular "bad movies" of all time.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Goofiest-Looking Alien Monster Ever? "Robot Monster" (1953) (video)

Goofiest-Looking Robot Ever? "The Phantom Creeps" (Bela Lugosi, 1939) (video)

There have been some pretty sad-looking robots throughout film history.

But the scowling, big-headed monstrosity in the Bela Lugosi serial "The Phantom Creeps" really takes the cake.

Bela plans on using an army of them to help him take over the world...

...but he can barely control the one clumsy prototype that he has.

And the lumbering heap of junk can't even survive a single run-in with a few soldiers.

Nevertheless, Rob Zombie would borrow the design for his 2009 cartoon feature "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto."

And, of course, we love the big goofy-looking lug, too.

READ OUR REVIEW OF "THE HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPERBEASTO"


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Goofiest-Looking Robot Ever? "The Phantom Creeps" (Bela Lugosi, 1939) (video)

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI on Digital March 13 & Blu-ray March 27 (New Trailer and Pics Here!)

“A spectacular, full-throttle joyride of thrills, exhilarating, screen-filling visuals” – Neil Pond, Parade

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

Writer/Director Rian Johnson takes fans behind the scenes, revealing production secrets and never-before-seen footage and deleted scenes

BURBANK, Calif. (February 20, 2018) — Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi—the next action-packed chapter of the Star Wars saga— Earned critical acclaim and the No. 1 spot atop 2017’s list of highest-grossing films.

The visually stunning film welcomes the return of original characters, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Yoda, R2-D2 and C-3PO and further explores the deepening journey of the saga’s new members, Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren.

Now families can bring home the movie digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD™ and via Movies Anywhere on March 13, two weeks before the 4K Ultra HD™ Blu-ray, and Blu-ray™ disc on March 27. 

This release also marks Disney’s first title available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in both Dolby Vision™ HDR and Dolby Atmos® immersive audio, delivering consumers a transformative viewing experience.

Director Rian Johnson takes fans on an intimate journey into the creation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in a feature-length documentary, explaining his unique interpretation of the Force, detailing the painstaking process of creating Snoke, and deconstructing action-packed scenes from the film such as the epic space battle and the final confrontation.

Johnson also reveals two exclusive scenes, featuring Andy Serkis as Snoke prior to his digital makeover, as well as 14 never-before-seen deleted scenes, in addition to his audio commentary.

Bonus features include*:

⦁ The Director and the Jedi – Go deep behind the scenes with writer-director Rian Johnson on an intimate and personal journey through the production of the movie—and experience what it’s like to helm a global franchise and cultural phenomenon.
⦁ Balance of the Force - Explore the mythology of the Force and why Rian Johnson chose to interpret its role in such a unique way.
⦁ Scene Breakdowns
⦁ Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle – Get a close-up look at the epic space battle, from the sounds that help propel the action, through the practical and visual effects, to the characters who bring it all to life.
⦁ Snoke and Mirrors – Motion capture and Star Wars collide as the filmmakers take us through the detailed process of creating the movie’s malevolent master villain.
⦁ Showdown on Crait – Break down everything that went into creating the stunning world seen in the movie’s final confrontation, including the interplay between real-word locations and visual effects, reimagining the walkers, designing the crystal foxes, and much more.
⦁ Andy Serkis Live! (One Night Only) – Writer-director Rian Johnson presents two exclusive sequences from the movie featuring Andy Serkis’ riveting, raw on-set performance before his digital makeover into Snoke.
⦁ Deleted Scenes – With an introduction and optional commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
⦁ Audio Commentary – View the movie with in-depth feature audio commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.

* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is packaged several ways to ensure fans get the most out of their in-home viewing experience. The Multiscreen Edition (formerly the Blu-ray Combo Pack) includes Blu-ray, and a Digital copy, giving viewers the flexibility to watch the film on different devices.

Those with 4K Ultra HD capability may opt for a 4K UHD Collector’s Edition, including 4K Ultra HD disc with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, Blu-ray disc, and a digital copy (where available).

Dolby Vision delivers greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. Dolby Atmos places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. Together on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, viewers will practically feel the Force in their own home.

DISC SPECIFICATIONS:

FEATURE RUN TIME:           Approximately 152 min.
RATING:                                 PG-13 in U.S.; PG in CE; PG in CF
ASPECT RATIO:                     2.39:1
AUDIO:                               4K UHD (US): English 7.14 Dolby Atmos; English 7.1 Dolby Audio™; English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Audio
4K UHD (Canada): English 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos; English 7.1 Dolby Audio; English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French 7.1 Dolby Audio
Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio Language Tracks
DVD: English 5.1 Dolby Audio, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio Language Tracks
Digital 4K UHD: English Dolby Atmos (where available), English 7.1 Dolby Audio (where available), English, French & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio (where available)
Digital HD: English, French & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio (where available)
SUBTITLES:                         UHD / BD: English SDH, French & Spanish
                                             DVD: English SDH, French & Spanish
                                   Digital: English SDH, English Closed Caption, French & Spanish (where available)

SOCIAL MEDIA:  

Website: http://www.starwars.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/starwars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/starwars
Instagram: http://instagram.com/starwars
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/starwars

ABOUT STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI:

In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.

The film stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern with Frank Oz, and Benicio Del Toro. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman. J.J. Abrams, Tom Karnowski and Jason McGatlin are the executive producers.

ABOUT LUCASFILM LTD.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

MOVIES ANYWHERE (MA):
Movies Anywhere simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Movies Anywhere brings together the movies from Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film, The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Participating digital retailers at launch are Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu. Movies Anywhere offers a library of over 7,300 digital movies at launch, including new releases, and will continue to expand the consumer experience as more content providers, digital retailers and platforms are added. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can connect their Movies Anywhere account with participating digital retailers and enjoy their favorite digital movies from the comfort of their living room and across multiple devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire devices; Android devices and Android TV; Apple TV; Chromecast; iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; Roku® devices and popular browsers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-ray and DVD disc packages from participating studios and enjoy them through Movies Anywhere. 
 
ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:
For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!

ABOUT DOLBY VISION
Dolby Vision transforms your TV experience with spectacular imaging—incredible brightness, contrast, and color that bring entertainment to life before your eyes via OTT online streaming, Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, broadcast, and gaming applications.

ABOUT DOLBY ATMOS
Dolby Atmos delivers moving audio—sound that can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in three-dimensional space, including overhead. It brings entertainment alive all around the audience in a powerfully immersive and emotive experience.

© 2018 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. 

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI on Digital March 13 & Blu-ray March 27 (New Trailer and Pics Here!)

Lucasfilm and Others Join Forces With littleBits to Present "DROIDATHON"!

Facebook, Fitbit, Industrial Light & Magic, Instagram, Twitter, Google and Lucasfilm Join Forces With littleBits to Inspire the Next Generation of Inventors at Droidathon

Kathleen Kennedy, Daisy Ridley, and Kelly Marie Tran Named As Judges For littleBits Inventor Competition Running November 15 - January 10

San Francisco, CA – November 15, 2017 – littleBits, the award-winning company that empowers kids to be inventors, joined Lucasfilm today to reveal never-before-seen Droids designed by technologists from top Bay Area innovators, all created in celebration of a global competition aimed to inspire the next generation of inventors and shed light on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math).

Held at the Lucasfilm San Francisco campus, iconic Bay Area technology companies came together for the first-ever “Droidathon,” an event for kids from local organizations including the Black Girls CODE, Booker T. Washington School Community Center, The Boys & Girls Club, and the YMCA where inventors showcased their Droid creations and discussed their ideation and inspiration.

Using the littleBits Droid Inventor Kit as a starting point, teams of engineers, programmers, and designers created innovative Droids using the core electronic building blocks together with 3D printing, craft material, soldering and programming. Initial photos from the event can be found here. More content will be available the morning of November 16.

The Droidathon kicked off the littleBits Competition: Droid Inventor Kit which invites kids, families, and Star Wars fans—residing in the US, UK, and Canada - to share their own unique Droid creations with the inventor community.  The competition will run from November 15, 2017 to January 10, 2018.

Fans and families will be able to submit their own Droid design creations, with qualifying submissions judged by Star Wars: The Last Jedi stars Daisy Ridley (the actress who portrays Rey in the current Star Wars trilogy) and Kelly Marie Tran (the actress who portrays Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi) alongside Ayah Bdeir (founder and CEO of littleBits) and Kathleen Kennedy (president of Lucasfilm).

“Star Wars has always expanded kids’ imaginations and inspired them to see what is possible,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “We’re excited to collaborate with all of these incredible companies and littleBits to showcase the power of STEAM in action and inspire the next generation of inventors.”

Both the Droidathon event and competition seek to inspire kids to explore technology and think of themselves as inventors: to accept challenges, make mistakes, persevere, and feel the triumph and pride of creating something with their own two hands. The littleBits Droid Inventor Kit is a gender-inclusive product that celebrates kids’ own self-expression and ingenuity, while showcasing the same characteristics of imagination, grit and invention that are embodied in the Star Wars franchise.

For more information about how young inventors can get involved, visit www.littlebits.com/droidinventorkitcompetition.

“We believe the two best way to inspire kids about STEAM is through fun and role models. What could be more fun and inspiring than seeing the world’s top innovators and role models creating the
weirdest Droids anyone has ever seen?” said Ayah Bdeir, founder and CEO with littleBits. “We’re thrilled to work together to inspire kids of all ages, backgrounds, genders and interests to become tomorrow's change-makers."

About littleBits
littleBits empowers kids around the world to become inventors. Founded in 2011 by Ayah Bdeir MIT Media Lab alum, its innovative platform of easy-to-use electronic blocks allows anyone to create and invent with electronics, independent of age, gender or technical ability. As the leader in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) learning, littleBits believes in inspiring invention by creating products that encourage self-directed exploration and problem solving; support grit and tenacity; and create a safe place to experience both failure and accomplishment. The company is dedicated to successfully bridging the gender gap with its gender-neutral platform, attracting an industry high thirty five percent of young girls to invent with littleBits. By embracing STEAM, both girls and boys can invent solutions to the problems that matter to them. The company’s products have won over 150 industry awards in the toy and education industries. littleBits is headquartered in New York. For more information and inspiration, go to www.littleBits.cc.

Lucasfilm, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

Lucasfilm and Others Join Forces With littleBits to Present "DROIDATHON"!

"ROBOTS" -- Arclight Films' Big Budget Russia-China Co-Production Enters Preproduction

Arclight Films and Sarik Andreasyan Embark on New Big Budget Sci-Fi Action Feature Film

ROBOTS

LOS ANGELES (July 10, 2017) – Arclight Films and director Sarik Andreasyan are thrilled to announce their newest feature film, ROBOTS, an exhilarating sci-fi adventure that has just moved into the preproduction process.

The English language Russia-China co-production has just begun the casting process and will be directed by Sarik Andreasyan (GUDARIANS, EARTHQUAKE, AMERICAN HEIST).  This film highlights a new and innovative trend to bring high quality bigger budget coproductions to the global marketplace, which will be filmed in both Russia and China.

Gary Hamilton, Managing Director of Arclight Films (CRASH, LORD OF WAR, THE BANK JOB, PREDESTINATION), Ying Ye (BAIT, RECLAIM, GUARDIANS OF THE TOMB), and Mike Gabrawy (JUNGLE, TRIPLE THREAT) will produce the film alongside Andreasyan.  Arclight Films’ Ruzanna Kegeyan will serve as Executive Producer.  “We are excited to work with Sarik, one of the most gifted directors from Russia who has a keen ability to successfully translate his work onto the big screen.” Said Hamilton. “ROBOTS is a highly, commercially viable film that will resonate with audiences all over the world and keep moviegoers on the edge of their seats throughout the cinematic experience.”

The sci-fi adventure centers on a post-apocalyptic Earth destroyed by humans. Chaos ensues when an explosion allows deadly creatures known as “Wretches” to enter the city.  But, a group of men, led by Cassius sets out to save what is left of humanity from these Wretches.  They discover for the first time giant Mechs, with advanced looking weapons that look like they are specifically designed to survive the outside world.  They decide to take the Mechs and attempt to reach the mythological “Station 88” to try and bring back help to save their friends and families.

“I’m delighted to be working with Gary Hamilton and the Arclight Films team, who have a global reputation of bringing films like ROBOTS to audiences in virtually every country around the world.” Said Andreasyan. “The film is very personal to me and I’ve been working on it for quite some time. Watching it begin to come together is absolutely thrilling. It’s not just that we have the capability to create a high-budget sci-fi film, it’s a true passion coming to life.”

Arclight Films is handling worldwide rights on ROBOTS.

About Arclight Films
Arclight Films is one of the world’s leading international sales companies for theatrical, television and home entertainment. Arclight Films has sold over 300 motion pictures including the Best Picture Oscar® winner CRASH, and Golden Globe® Best Picture Nominee BOBBY and LORD OF WAR starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke.

Arclight Films additionally encompasses subsidiary labels Darclight Films, the edgy genre-driven division of the company whose films include the worldwide horror hits WOLF CREEK, WOLF CREEK 2 and action thriller BAIT 3D (the highest grossing Australian film in the history of Chinese cinema), and Easternlight, a specialty arm showcasing Asian cinema with the largest film library of any non Asian-based indie film label. Films sold under the Easternlight banner include the worldwide blockbuster FORBIDDEN KINGDOM starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, 14 BLADES starring Donnie Yen, and legendary auteur Chen Kaige's SACRIFICE.

The latest additions to Easternlight include SNOW GIRL AND THE DARK CRYSTAL starring Li Bingbing, WOLF WARRIOR starring Wu Jing (which opened #1 at the Chinese Box Office, earning more than $32.5M in one weekend), OUTCAST starring Nicolas Cage, SPECIAL ID starring Donnie Yen, BADGES OF FURY starring Jet Li and TRIPLE THREAT starring Scott Adkins, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais and Michael Jai White.

Some of the latest additions to the Arclight Films’ slate include 2016 Official Cannes Directors’ Fortnight selection DOG EAT DOG starring Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe, directed and written by Paul Schrader, HOTEL MUMBAI starring Dev Patel and Armie Hammer, FIRST REFORMED starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried, directed and written by Paul Schrader, THE CONFIRMATION starring Clive Owen and Maria Bello, directed by Academy Award-winner Bob Nelson (NEBRASKA), 2016 Sundance Official Selection FRANK & LOLA starring Imogen Poots and Michael Shannon, PREDESTINATION starring Ethan Hawke now in release through Sony Pictures, LAST KNIGHTS starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, RECLAIM starring John Cusack, now in release through Lions Gate, PAPER PLANES starring Sam Worthington, and SHANGRI-LA SUITE starring Emily Browning and Luke Grimes to be released through a major studio and JUNGLE starring Daniel Radcliffe.

Arclight Films maintains a presence at all major motion picture and television festivals and markets with offices in Los Angeles, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing and Toronto. For more information on Arclight Films please visit www.arclightfilms.com

"ROBOTS" -- Arclight Films' Big Budget Russia-China Co-Production Enters Preproduction

ROBOT WARS -- Movie Review by Porfle

One of the early titles for ROBOT WARS (2016) was "Kill Box", which is much more descriptive since this movie does have something you could call a "kill box" but doesn't actually have any "robot wars" in it. 

We do briefly see two robots, one at the beginning and one at the end, but they don't do very much.  They certainly don't have any wars.

The "war" is what happens in the dystopian near-future after a ragtag corporate-espionage team infiltrates a rival company and steals their most top-secret project, then finds that they must battle their way back to safety through a barrage of enemy fire after their extraction helicopter fails to show up. 

 

The team of experts consists of head honcho Jules, a strict, no-nonsense company girl (Jennifer Sydney); her right-hand man Decker (Teddy Cañez); Decker's old pal Billy, whom he arranges to have released from prison to join the team (Ben Naasz); nervous electronics whiz Kyle (Aaron Moreland); and callow young Natalie (Faye Kingslee).

They're a fairly interesting bunch and the actors playing them give it their all.  What hinders them is the old convention of having everything we see consist of both security camera footage and, most extensively, the POV of each team member's special ocular implants that turn them all into human cameras with Terminator-vision. 

It seems at first as though this might be an intriguing approach, and during the initial infiltration and theft of the rival company's secret project (a box which two of the team must constantly lug around like a big, heavy stretcher) the old "Blair Witch" found-footage style does kind of work to an extent.

 

Plus, once we find out what's in Pandora's box (which turns out to be pretty interesting) I was looking forward to it leading to a slam-bang sci-fi finale.

As the story drags on, however, the POV thing--which is usually a mixed blessing anyway--gets increasingly haphazard and confusing to follow, draining a lot of the suspense and excitement from the almost non-stop action scenes in the last half-hour or so. 

Often, in fact, I could barely tell whose eyes I was supposed to be seeing out of or what was going on, especially in the numerous shots that take place in near-darkness.  The camerawork, as it is, alternates between extreme Shaky-Cam and what appears to be a bad first-person shooter game.

In its favor, the story does have a twist or two, including at least one traitor in the team's midst, and a couple of other interesting characters along the way such as Billy's old friend Clark (Willie Bingo), one of those nerdy computer hackers who seem to turn up in any movie with computers in it.  And, DIRTY DOZEN-style, we're kept guessing right up until the end who lives and who dies.

After a somewhat abrupt ending, ROBOT WARS left this viewer feeling that it was a case of having a lot of potential but coming up short of realizing it.

Buy it at Amazon.com
Release date: April 11, 2017

ROBOT WARS -- Movie Review by Porfle

"MALWARE" Turns Domestic Androids of the Future Against Us!

What if a malware were to infect the domestic androids of the future and they turned against us?

Madrid, October 11th 2016 - Most people associate the word Malware with computer viruses and malicious software, and they are right.

However, Malware is about to take on a new significance, the name of a feature film.  What if in the future a Malware were to infect our domestic androids such as, the cook, the sexual doll or the gardener? 

In the future, those who dominate the network, will control the world.  The RedMutants, a group of hackers and cyberterrorists created a name for themselves by previously controlling the dark side of the internet, also known as the DeepWeb.    Their current goal is to kidnap the Hartman family, for both monetary and personal reasons. 

After neutralizing the security algorithm of the SmartHome, the cybercriminals inoculate a strange virus in the network intelligence console.  However, after realizing that the house-droids are not in sleep mode and have been infected with a rabies-like disease, the plot takes a terrifying twist.

The first of the concept teasers of Malware is set to release on October 13th at Sitges Film Festival, it is also available on YouTube to get a good glimpse of what to expect from the film.  For those wanting more, follow the film’s production and teasers at www.malwarefilm.com

“The screenplay comes from talented director Albert Arizza (Ramirez) and has been in development since early 2011.  At this time, we are closing international cast and distribution.  It is expected that principal photography will take place by summer 2017. Shooting is scheduled for 10 weeks”, said producer Monika Goyanes.

"From a young age, I was drawn to science fiction movies, such as Alien, Terminator and Westworld; films with innovative stories and major technological breakthroughs” said Albert Arizza

About Cinema Resistance
Cinema Resistance creates original concepts from idea inception, script and concept art to production, shooting, and VFX; devises powerful stories, balanced between high-level content and entertainment; develops artistic film projects with challenging contents and international scope that entertain the target audiences.

http://www.malwarefilm.com/


 

"MALWARE" Turns Domestic Androids of the Future Against Us!