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Sorry, it took so long to write this obituary. The legendary Oscar-winning actor Christopher Plummer has passed away after having complications from a fall on February 5th 2021. He was 91 years old. With his elegant voice, Plummer was best-known for his role as Captain Von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music', and his career has spanned more than 70 decades.
The Canadian born actor began his career on Broadway in the 1950s and was well-versed and trained in Shakespeare. He has appeared in several productions on stage and screen before landing in a role in the 1965 musical opposite Julie Andrews that would catapult him into fame. He admitted from his memoir that he has mixed feelings about 'The Sound of Music' and its success.
His other memorable roles include newsman Mike Wallace in 'The Insider',a Klingon general in 'Star Trek: VI: The Undiscovered Country' and the evil explorer Charles Muntz in 'Up'. He also portrayed Rudyard Kipling in 'The Man Who Would Be King' opposite Sean Connery and Michael Caine and Sherlock Holmes in 'Murder by Decree'.
In 2009, he was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor in a movie 'The Last Station' where he played Leo Tolstoy, who is in his last year before dying. In 2010, he portrayed a now openly gay museum director in 'Beginners', which won him an Oscar. In 2017, Plummer had replaced Kevin Spacey in the role as J. Paul Getty in Ridley Scott's All the Money in the World. The movie got filmed in six weeks before it later came out in theatres. It even had earned him his third Oscar nomination, which he became the oldest actor to receive that. One of his last films was opposite Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig and Chris Evans in Rian Johnson's ensemble mystery movie 'Knives Out'.
He was married three times, twice divorced and had a daughter from his first marriage, actress Amanda Plummer.
Box Office Gross: $148,000,000 (Worldwide - figure subject to change)
Plot Summary
In the era of the colourful 1980s, Diana Prince lives under the radar among the mortal world while maintaining a low
profile as an ancient
artifacts curator and is unrecognised when performing heroic acts. Soon, Diana will have to contend with her new arch-foes, including a media businessman named Maxwell Lord and a colleague turned villainess, the Cheetah, who has agility and strength. The villainous pair have gotten hold of a wish-granting artifact, and their desires would lead the world on a path of destruction.
All the while, she reunites
with her old lover Steve Trevor.
Cast
Gal Gadot - Diana Prince/
Wonder Woman
Chris Pine - Steve Trevor
Kristen Wiig - Barbara Minerva
Pedro Pascal - Maxwell Lord
Robin Wright - Antiope
Connie Nielsen - Hippolyta
Lilly Aspell - Young Diana
Amr Waked - Emir Said Bin Abydos
Kristoffer Polaha - Handsome Man
Natasha Rothwell - Carol
(Co-Worker)
Ravi Patel - Babajide
Oliver Cotton - Simon Stagg
Lucian Perez - Allstair
Gabrielle Wilde - Raquel
Kelvin Yu - Jake
Stuart Milligan - POTUS
Shane Attwooll - Dangerous Drunk
David Al-Fahmi - Mr. Khalaji
Kevin Wallace - Televangelist
Wai Wong - Lai Zhong
Doutzen Kroes - Venelia
Hari James - Herald (Trigona)
Hayley Warnes - Aella
Lyon Beckwith - Buzz Cut
Ryan Watson - Bad Skin
Jimmy Burke - Flat Top
Brandon Thane Wilson - Scowler
Oakley Bull - Kelly (Girl Hostage)
Rey Rey Terry - Courtney
Tina Edwards - Courtney's Mom
Asim Chaudhry - Roger (Co-Worker)
Tessa Bonham Jones - Lucy (Co-Worker)
Mensah Bediako - Leon
Ed Birth - White House Carl
Lambro Demetriou - Max (8 Years Old)
Jonny Barry - Max (15 Years Old)
Asa Sheridan - Jace Valentine
Jaron Varsano - Carousel Father (Cameo)
Alma Varsano - Snowball Girl (Cameo)
Maya Varsano - Carousel Girl (Cameo)
Lynda Carter - Asteria (Cameo)
Crew
Story/Screenplay/Producer/Director -
Patty Jenkins
Based on Characters from
DC Wonder Woman - William
Moulton Marston
Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer -
Geoff Johns
Screenplay - Dave Callahan
Associate Producer/First Assistant Director -
Toby Hefferman
Associate Producer/Production Liaison -
Anna Obropta
Executive Producers - Wesley Coller,
Walter Hamada, Marianne Jenkins,
Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley,
Richard Suckle and Chantal Nong Vo
Producers - Gal Gadot, Stephen Jones,
Charles Roven and Zack & Deborah Snyder
Casting Directors - Kristy Carlson,
Pat Moran and Lucinda Syson
Production Designer - Aline Bonetto
Supervising Art Director - Peter Russell
Supervising Art Director: Additional Photography -
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor - Charlie Noble
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor/
Visual Effects Supervisor: Motion Control -
Chris Shaw
Head of Animation: Method Studios - Marc Chu
Editor - Richard Pearson
Music - Hans Zimmer
Review
After being delayed a few times during COVID-19, 'WONDER WOMAN 1984' (WW84) has finally made its theatrical release near the end of 2020 and the streaming service HBO Max (only available in the US). However, the film proved divisivefor fans and critics, and it wasn't as good as the original. The movie got off to a good start but became inconsistent in regards to some of its aspects. Mostly because of its overindulgence or due to the plot being cliched and elementary. The characterisations are undeveloped, there isn't enough action, and the tone is bland and cheesy. While the plot point of bringing back Steve Trevor seemed like a good idea on paper, it suffers from poor execution and writing. Then again, that's one of the crucial faults within the storyline.
It could be that the director Patty Jenkins had got too overconfident with the success of the first instalment, or it may be the studio wanted the movie to change in a different direction. I like the 80s aesthetic that is rather fitting, given that the film takes place in that era. I'm very disappointed that there is not much 80s music used in the movie (except a few, like the song from Frankie Goes to Hollywood).
The acting other than Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have returned to their roles. Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig make the best performances for the main villains, Maxwell Lord and Cheetah. Especially Pascal, who relishes the opportunity to shine out as the bad guy, who is a bit eerily similar to Donald Trump but has less honourable intentions. Kristen Wiig's role is somewhat similar to Michelle Pfieffer's Catwoman in 'Batman Returns' as both characters were once good females but turned evil. Hans Zimmer returns to the DCEU to compose the musical score he written for 'WW84' and did a spectacular job.
'WW84' offers plenty of escapism for audiences out there and isn't enough to compensate for the lack of originality. If 'WW84' had been better than the original, it would never lose much of the impact it had with fans of DC or any comic book readers.
Release Date: 15th November 2019 - Australia (Netflix)
Production Companies
The SPA Studios
Aniventure
Atresmedia Cine
Genre: Animation/Family
Rating: G
Runtime: 97 minutes
Budget: $40,000,000
Plot Summary
A story tells the origins of Christmas. Jesper, a disgraced student of the Postal Academy, gets sent to a desolate frozen island where no one sends any letters.He is stuck in a hostile environment but finds redemption upon meeting a lonely carpenter named Klaus, who gives Jesper a purpose
and delivers toys to the
surrounding people.
Voice Cast
Jason Schwartzman - Jesper
J.K. Simmons - Klaus
Rashida Jones - Alva
Joan Cusack - Mrs Krum
Will Sasso - Mr Elingboe
Norm MacDonald - Mogens
Neda Margrethe Labba - Márgu
Sergio Pablos - Pumpkin/Olaf
Crew
Original Story/Screenplay/
Producer/Director - Sergio Pablos
Co-Director - Carlos Martinez López
Screenplay - Zach Lewis and Jim Mahoney
Producers - Gustavo Ferrada, Mercedes Gamero, Jinko Gotoh, Mikel Lejarza, Marisa Roman and Matthew Teevan
Creative Consultant/Story
Artist - Olivier Clert
Creative Consultants - Steven
Pierre Gordon and Alex Orrelle
Head of Story - Edgar Martins
Production Designers - Szymon Biernacki and Marcin Jakubowski
Lead Character Designer -
Torsten Schrank
Character Designer - Daniel Fernandez Casas
Animation Supervisor: "Krums & Ellingboes" - Charlie Bonifacio
Animation Supervisor: "Klaus" - Victor Ens
Animation Supervisor: "Alva" -
Sergio Martins
Animation Supervisor: "Margu" -
Slaven Reese
Animation Supervisor: "Jesper" -
Yoshimichi Tamura
Layout Supervisors - Armen Melkinian and Jean-Luc Serrano
Background Supervisor - Gabriel Gomez
3D Animation Supervisor - David Lamas
CG Supervisors - Fernando Jareigo and Gabriel G. Roy
Film Editor - Pablo Garcia Revert
Sound Designer - Gabriel Gutiérrez
Music - Alfonso G. Aguilar
Awards
2020 Academy Awards
Best Animated Feature - Sergio Pablos,
Jinko Gotoh and Marisa Roman (Nominated)
Review
Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas, everyone! You probably did not watch 'KLAUS' as the movie came out earlier in 2019 before the holidays and is only available on Netflix. The film recaptures the glory days of 2D animation, honouring the likes of Disney. The minimalist animation format (as opposed to excessive CGI) has not been used in films for a long time in the wake of computer-animated movies that had preceded it. 'KLAUS' is genuinely hilarious and heartfelt in its plot, and no denying that this movie is becoming a holiday classic.
It is the directorial debut of Sergio Pablos, an animator who once worked for Disney and is one of the creative minds behind 'Despicable Me'. Pablos and his studio create a movie that breathes new life in the hand-drawn animation by giving a distinguished look of a timeless myth. The animation is well-drawn and beautiful in that it uses lighting and texture to create a dimensional depth in having it seem like a proper 3D animated feature. Similar to how 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' was made but done in the exact opposite.
Jason Schwartzman was not bad for the role of a selfish postman who winds up helping to bring joy in a hostile environment on the North. J.K. Simmons is notable for playing gruff and detestable characters and goes against that type when he voices a lonely woodsman who would become known as Santa Claus. Rashida Jones was terrific as the schoolteacher. Norm MacDonald plays the ferryman Mogens who is witty and sarcastic.
'KLAUS' has echoes of the past Christmas movies and is a magical holiday movie that anyone will never forget. I hope that more animated films will follow the same pattern as 'KLAUS' did in bringing back the same old-fashioned animation style.
Box Office Gross: $28,801,576 (Worldwide - figure subject to change)
Plot Summary
Peter is upset that his parents had forced him to give up his bedroom to his grandfather. Thus, an all-out war between the two has just begun. But will
the two realise that there is
more than taking back one's property?
Cast
Robert DeNiro - Ed
Oakes Fegler - Peter
Uma Thurman - Sally
Rob Riggle - Arthur
Laura Marano - Mia
Poppy Gagnon - Jennifer
Cheech Marin - Danny
Christopher Walken - Jerry
Jane Seymour - Diane
Juliocesar Chavez - Billy
Isaac Kragten - Steve
T.J. McGibbon - Emma
Lydia Styslinger - Lisa
Joe Gelchion - Chuck
Colin Ford - Russell
Faizon Love - Store Manager
Rutanya Alda - Lynn Marino
Veronica Alicino - Nurse Alice
James Martin Kelly - Carl
Crew
Director - Tim Hill
Based on the Book "The War with Grandpa" - Robert Kimmel Smith
Screenplay - Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember
Executive Producers - Richard Barner, Craig Chapman, Grant Cramer, Elizabeth Cree, Chad Doher, Randall Emmett, Guy Fieri,
Ted Fox, George Furla, Joe Gelchion,
Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones,
David Lubotta, Myles Nestel,
Christina Papagjika, Tre Peart,
Jane Rosenthal, Matthew Salloway,
Sonny Schwartz, Jimmy Sommers
and Berry Walsh
Co-Executive Producers - John Kennedy Fitzgerald
and Bryant Pike
Producers - Marvin & Rosa Morris Peart
Co-Producers - Tom Prince and
Mandy Spencer-Phillips
Co-Producer/Second Assistant Director -
Alan Steinman
Production Designer - John Collins
Costume Designer - Christopher Hargadon
Director of Photography - Greg Gardiner
Second Assistant Director - Adam Bocknek
Special Effects Supervisor - John S. Baker
Visual Effects Supervisor - Nicholas Johnson
Film Editors - Peter S. Elliot and Craig Herring
Music - Aaron Zigman
Review
Hello, this is Rad Dingo, it is the anniversary of my blog FilmGuruLad which has turned ten at the end of this year. I decided to celebrate it with a critique of a recent movie which I haven't done for a while. What you all people must know, 'THE WAR WITH GRANDPA' is not a sequel to 'Dirty Grandpa' despite having the same actor Robert DeNiro and is more of a family-oriented comedy. However, due to my low expectations towards 'Dirty Grandpa', it's a miracle that this movie isn't related to the latter and is deemed unsuitable for young children who were under 18 years. After watching the trailer, I decided to watch 'THE WAR WITH GRANDPA' and trust me... this film is a bit better than 'Dirty Grandpa'. The movie is hilarious and endearing but also at its message it teaches you to respect the elderly, even your grandparents! While a bit disrespectful, it showcases several comical scenes that would leave you all moviegoers in stitches!
Robert DeNiro has had this role very easy given at his age. It's not like what he's been through in his career of portraying characters in films that were hard-nosed, crazed and psychotic killers and gangsters. It's not the first time he's played a grandfatherly figure unless you count 'Dirty Grandpa'. His fellow geriatrics like Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour and Cheech Marin are among the supporting players. The same goes for Uma Thurman and Rob Riggle who played the onscreen parents.
'THE WAR WITH GRANDPA' is a delightful and semi-decent comedy recommended for viewing by all ages and is worth my expectations. You will have to wait until this movie comes out on Blu-ray or DVD or your favourite streaming service and you'll be able to give a cheer.
Dearest moviegoers and fans, we've lost another pivotal actor from the Star Wars series, Jeremy Bulloch the British actor who portrayed Boba Fett in the original trilogyhas passed away at the age of 75 on 17th December 2020, due to complications with Parkinson's. His death came weeks after the character reappeared in the Disney+ series 'The Mandalorian' which in recent years was played by New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison. Although Boba Fett's role in the movies was relatively minor, he has continued to be one of the most fan-favourite characters of the franchise. He will be missed by everyone in the Star Wars community.
He was born in Leicestershire in the English Midlands on 16th February 1945. As a child, Jeremy began his acting career in commercials during the late 1950s and at age 17, he starred in a movie 'Summer Holiday' opposite Cliff Richard. He was the first physical actor to portray the Mandalorian bounty hunter in two of the three original Star Wars films, 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi'.
While Jeremy was inside the costume of Boba Fett, his character was voiced by the late Jason Wingreen. Wingreen's voice was later dubbed over by Morrison's in the remastered versions to maintain the continuity within the prequels. Aside from playing Fett, Jeremy also made cameos as the Imperial Officer Lt. Sheckil in 'The Empire Strikes Back' and years later he portrayed Alderaan pilot Captain Jeremoch Culton in 'Revenge of the Sith'. He even proved his love for the franchise by making small cameo appearances in fan-films in support of Save the Children. In 2004, he even had a cameo in Mark Hamill's 'Comic Book: The Movie' which also featured fellow Star Wars cast members, David Prowse and Peter Mayhew. Outside of his Star Wars fame, Jeremy also appeared in three of the Roger Moore fronted James Bond movies like 'The Spy Who Loved Me', 'For Your Eyes Only' and 'Octopussy' as well as several TV shows including 'Doctor Who', 'The Bill', 'Casualty' and 'Robin of Sherwood'.
Jeremy, wherever you are, you gave us the character of the bounty hunter that we all know and love.
To all millions of Star Wars fans around the world, it is with deep sorrow that I regret to inform you that the former British bodybuilder/actor David Prowse, the man who embodies the iconic villain Darth Vader in the original 'Star Wars' trilogy has passed away after a short illness on November 28th 2020, he was 85 years old.
While James Earl Jones is known to have provided the voice of Vader, it was Prowse's imposing six-foot and six-inch physical stature that suits him in playing the Sith Lord who is formerly known as Anakin Skywalker.
He began as a bodybuilder and has competed in the Commonwealth Games in Great Britain in 1962 for which he won the British heavyweight weightlifting championship. After doing competitive weightlifting for several years, Prowse got his first screen role (albeit uncredited) in the 1967 James Bond spoof 'Casino Royale' where he played Frankenstein's Monster. The role that David would later reprise again in two Hammer films in the early 1970s like 'Horror of Frankenstein' and 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell'.
Prowse was the center of attention for an up-and-coming filmmaker named George Lucas who has seen him in his small role as a bodyguard in Stanley Kubrick's 'A Clockwork Orange' that he asked David to audition in either the role of the oversized Wookie Chewbacca or Darth Vader in his original 1977 sci-fi movie 'Star Wars'. However, Prowse opted for the latter while the former went to Peter Mayhew and not knowing that the character would be masked. His voice for Vader was famously dubbed over by American actor James Earl Jones's booming voice when Prowse's West Country accent was deemed unsuitable for the character.
He returns as Vader in both 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi'. although he is forced to share the suit with British Olympic fencer Bob Anderson who did much of the lightsaber duels when Prowse was unable to do it convincingly. Vader was finally unmasked at the end of 'Return of the Jedi' when it was British actor Sebastian Shaw that portrays the face of Anakin Skywalker. At one point in 1978, Prowse accidentally blurted out that Darth Vader was Luke's father which at that time claimed it was a lucky guess and it wasn't even revealed until 'The Empire Strikes Back' and it puts a strain on his relationship with George Lucas and his production company Lucasfilm. Prowse was a regular in several fan conventions but was officially barred in many Star Wars conventions because of his earlier controversies until ill-health forced him to retire in fan conventions in 2016.
Prowse was also featured inmovies like 'Vampire Circus' and 'The People That Time Forgot' and TV shows including 'The Saint', 'Doctor Who', 'Space 1999' and 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. He also appeared in two of the Star Wars-related documentaries like 'Elstree 1976' and 'I Am Your Father' which details with his relationship of working in Star Wars.
All I can say is that Dave, wherever you are... you created one of the most iconic movie villains in history and you are now one with the Force.
It is with sad news that I regret to inform you that Sean Connery, the Scottish-born actor who was well-known for his iconic portrayal of James Bond is dead. He was 90 years old. He had been long-regarded as one of the best actors to have the played the famous British secret agent in seven films and had instantly skyrocketed him into fame as one of the franchise's most popular and enduring international stars. It is said that he had been unwell for some time which led to his death in an overnight sleep in the Bahamas where he is surrounded by his loved ones. Sean was widely considered by fans to be the best Bond seen in the series. It is then forever that in the scene of the first Bond movie 'Dr. No', where Sean would utter these distinct words of the character as he introduces himself in his namesake "Bond... James Bond".
Regarding what information I learned about Sean, he was born in August 25th 1930 in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh and was the son of a Catholic factory worker and Protestant domestic cleaner. After the age of 13 when he left school in the grip of poverty, Connery took odd jobs such as a coffin polisher, milkman and a lifeguard before enlisting in the Royal Navy and then three years later, he was removed from service due to stomach ulcers. After his time in the Navy, he earned a reputation for being a "hard man" when he defended himself from six gang members that have followed him after they tried to steal from his coat. Sean took up bodybuilding and had a love of football and at one point was offered a £25-a-week contract at Manchester United before changing his goal into becoming an actor.
In 1953, while competing in the Mr Universe competition in London, Connery began his career on stage where he joined the chorus of the production of the musical 'South Pacific'. About a year later, Connery made his first appearance as an extra in the film 'Lilacs in the Spring' and was later given some minor roles on television. In 1957, Sean got his first leading role in BBC's television remake of 'Blood Money' as well as his first major role in a B crime movie called 'No Road Back'. The following year he would star opposite Lana Turner in 'Another Time, Another Place'.
He continued to act and while perfecting his skill, Sean was approached by producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman who have acquired the rights for Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and had begun searching for an actor who will play 007 himself. Sean got the part without having being auditioned for the lead role and the rest is history. Upon its release, 'Dr. No' became an instant success and had made him an international star that he continued to play the agent in four consecutive films of the series such as 'From Russia with Love', 'Goldfinger', 'Thunderball' and 'You Only Live Twice'. Is that year 1967 when 'You Only Live Twice' was finished, Connery was tiring of Bond and feared of being typecast. He refused to return in 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', with the role later given to Australian actor George Lazenby. In 1971, he later returned to play the character in 'Diamonds Are Forever' after being convinced by Broccoli and Saltzman for a then-record of $1.25 million dollars. Though a great deal of money would later tempt him in what would be his last time to portray the character in 1983's 'Never Say Never Again'.
Aside from portraying 007, Connery had a long distinguished career in films, beginning in the mid-1960s to early-1970s with 'Marnie', 'The Hill', 'A Fine Madness', 'Shalako' and 'The Molly Maguires'. In 1974, the same year he appeared in the post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy movie 'Zardoz' which was a huge misstep, Sean was to earn a supporting role in a film adaptation of Agatha Christie's mystery novel 'Murder in the Orient Express'. His career continued to flourish in 1975 with such films like 'The Wind and the Lion' and 'The Man Who Would Be King' with his friend Michael Caine and in 1976, he starred opposite Audrey Hepburn where he played the aging Robin Hood in the film 'Robin and Marian'. But while the movie is not an instant success, it solidified his reputation as a versatile, serious screen actor. In the late 1970s, there were more setback movies for Sean like 'A Bridge Too Far', 'Cuba' and 'Meteor', but did earn another hit movie by Terry Gilliam called 'Time Bandits'. His reputation in the box office would improve in films such as 'Highlander' (except in the U.S.), 'Name of the Rose' and 'The Untouchables'. The latter of which earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
In 1989, Connery was paired with Harrison Ford when he was cast as Indiana Jones' father (despite being 12 years older) by director Steven Spielberg in 'The Last Crusade'. Sean continued to act in notable successes like 'The Hunt for Red October', 'The Russia House', 'Dragonheart', 'The Rock', 'Entrapment' and 'Finding Forrester' as well as failures like 'First Knight', 'The Avengers' and 'The League of Extraordinary Gentleman'. Connery retired from live acting in 2005 but did voice acting including as Bond in the video game adaptation of 'From Russia with Love'. He even did the voice for the title character in the animated short 'Sir Billi the Vet' and later reprises his role in 2010 for 'Sir Billi' which he was also an executive producer. Sean was given a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000, he was first married to Australian actress Diane Cilento in 1962 which bore him his only son Jason Connery and was divorced in 1973.
We'll miss you, Sean, and wherever you are, you would always be my favourite James Bond!
