Bumblebee Review

Bumblebee


Release Date: 20th December 2018 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Allspark Pictures
Bay Films
Di Bonaventura Pictures
Hasbro (in association with)
Tencent Pictures (in association with)
Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: PG 

Runtime: 114 minutes


Budget: $135,000,000

Box Office Gross: $467,989,645 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
California, 1987. Bumblebee
the Autobot is on the run
and finds refuge in a

junkyard in a small beach
town. Charlie, a soon-to-be-
18-year-old girl struggling
to find her place in the

world, discovers Bumblebee,
battle-scarred and broken.
Her attempts at resuscitation
soon reveal that this is no
ordinary yellow VW bug.

Cast

The Humans
Hailee Steinfeld - Charlie 
Jorge Lendeborg Jr. - Memo 
John Cena - Agent Burns
Jason Drucker - Otis
Pamela Adlon - Sally
Stephen Schneider - Ron
Ricardo Hoyos - Tripp
John Ortiz - Dr. Powell
Glynn Turman - General Whalen
Len Cariou - Uncle Hank
Kollin Holtz - Craig
Gracie Dzienny - Tina
Fred Dryer - Sheriff Lock

Isabelle Ellingson - Mean

Girlfriend

Mike Kubo - Mean Girlfriend

Lenny Jacobson - Roy

Megyn Price - Amber 
Nick Pilla - Young Agent Simmons

Sachin Byatt - Pilot Hutton

Tim Martin Gleason - Charlie's Dad

David Waters - Impatient Guy (Cameo)

Antonio D. Charity - Bill the

Mechanic

The Autobots

Dylan O'Brien - Bumblebee (Voice)

Peter Cullen - Optimus Prime (Voice)
Grey Griffin - Arcee (Voice)
Steve Blum - Wheeljack

(Voice)
Andrew Morgado - Cliffjumper (Voice)

Dennis Singletary - Ratchet

(Voice)
Kirk Baily - Brawn (Voice)

The Decepticons
Angela Bassett - Shatter

(Voice)
Justin Theroux - Dropkick

(Voice)
David Sobolov - Blitzwing (Voice)
Jon Bailey - Shockwave/
Soundwave (Voices)
Kirk Baily - Decepticon Soldier (Voice)


Crew
Director - Travis Knight
Story/Writer - Christina Hodson

Associate/Visual Effects Producer - Ron Ames

Executive Producers - Chris Brigham,
Edward Cheng, Brian Goldner and
Steven Spielberg
Producers - Michael Bay, Tom DeSanto,
Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Don Murphy
and Mark Vahradian
Co-Producer/Supervising Location Manager -

Jonathan Hook
Casting Director - Denise Chamian

Military Advisor - Harry Humphries

Animal Wranglers - Jules Sylvester

and Janine Aines
Production Designer - Sean Haworth

Visual Consultant - Jeffrey Beecroft

Supervising Art Director - Maya Shimoguchi

Art Directors - Gustaf Aspergen,

Richard Bloom, Jordan Ferrer,

A. Todd Holland and Sebastian Schoeroder
Set Decorators - Anne Kujian and

Amanda Moss Serino

Property Master - Guillaume DeLouche
Costume Designer - Dayna Pink

Makeup Department Head - Tina Rosier Kerwin

Hair Department Head - Kevin Trahan
Director of Photography - Enrique Chediak

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Peter Lyons Collister

Aerial Director of Photography - David B. Nowell

Underwater Director of Photography - Peter Zuccarini

"C" Camera Operator: Second Unit - Brooks P. Guyer

Unit Production Manager - Leeann Stonebreaker

First Assistant Director - Brian Reylea

Second Assistant Director - David Waters
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Mike Gunther
Stunt Coordinator: Second Unit - Kyle Woods

Aerial Coordinator/Helicopter Pilot - Frédéric North

Special Effects Coordinator - Scott R. Fisher

Special Effects Coordinator: Second Unit -

Jesse Noel
Visual Effects Supervisor - Jason Smith

Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM - Ivan Busquets

and Samir Hoon

Visual Effects Producers: ILM - Abbigail Keller

and Ryan Wiederkehr

Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Alex Jaeger

Animation Supervisors: ILM - Scott Benza,
Rick O'Connor and Marchand Jooste
CG Supervisors: ILM - Jeremy Bloch,

Mathias Lautour and Andrew McDonald

Digital Compositing Supervisors: ILM -

Ryan B. Clarke, Sam Bassett and Jeff Sutherland

Digital Artist Supervisors: ILM - Kevin Barnhill,

Gregory Bossert, Jacob Buck, Enrico Damm,

Alison Farmer, Justin Kosnikowski,

Johanes Kurnia, Kelvin Lau, Daniel Letarte,

Sean MacKenzie, David Marsh, Naren Naidoo,

Daniel Pearson, Anthony Rispoli,

James R. Tooley and Michael Van Eps

Editor - Paul Rubell

Additional Editor - Nancy Richardson

Supervising Sound Editors/Designers -

Ethan Van der Ryan and Erik Aadahl

Sound Designer - Tobias Poppe

Sound Re-Recording Mixers - Anna Behlmer

and Mark Paterson

Additional Re-Recording - Terry Porter

Production Sound Mixer - José Antonio García

Foley Artists - Alicia Stevenson

and Dawn Lunsford
Music - Dario Marianelli

Music Editors - Kelvin McKeever and

Mark Willsher


Review

After being very disappointed by the previous movie, The Last Knight, I had misgivings about the prequel/spin-off BUMBLEBEE as this could be the last Transformers movie. Fortunately, after the film's release, I learned it gained a positive critical reception, which could revitalise the movie franchise from exhaustion. It rarely happened in the series. The sequels didn't get the same applause that the first instalment had. BUMBLEBEE did break the mould, and many fans believed it was a soft reboot despite having the same continuity as the earlier films. It has anything to do with Michael Bay letting go of his directorial reins and moving over to a position as the producer with Travis Knight as his replacement director. Having directed the animated movie Kubo and the Two Strings, it's surprising that a fresh, talented face has been given new opportunities in addition to making his big break in the Transformers series.

BUMBLEBEE features a character-driven storyline that the original movies have lacked and a genuine throwback to the 80s. The latter is where the G1 toy line and cartoon originated. Also, the film focuses on one of the main Transformers who shares the same title. Bay's signature style is nowhere to be found as the film contains a fast-cutting action style with its movements and pace. It recaptures the sense of fun and wonder and delivers emotional resonance absent in the sequels. 

Hailee Steinfeld succeeds in acting as a more believable human character than Shia LaBeouf or even Mark Wahlberg had done for the previous Transformers films. John Cena is incredible, and it comes from the sheer menace he provides for the part of the antagonistic Agent Burns. Though the visuals are good, they aren't as flashy and detailed as the films directed by Michael Bay. It's great that the robots are reformatted into their G1 designs and are less cluttered to fit the old style.

I can't believe there is still hope for the film franchise Transformers, but this movie is a step in the right direction. BUMBLEBEE is different from the "Bayformers" interpretation that many people see. It's a fun, heartwarming, action-packed movie and is the best of the Transformers series. I hope there will be a new instalment that goes down the same road.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie Review

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie


Broadcast Date: 29th November 2002 - USA


Production Companies
National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) (presents)
The Jim Henson Company (presents)
Jim Henson Productions


Genre: Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 100 minutes
                 85 minutes (DVD)



Plot Summary
'Tis the night before
Christmas, and the Muppet
theatre is in danger of being
torn down. And when bad
goes to worse, Kermit begins
to believe the world would be
a better place if he'd never
been born. But don't worry!
With heavenly help and
hilarious send-ups of just
about every holiday movie
ever made. Kermit and the
Muppets discover what

matters most is their 

love for each other.


Cast
David Arquette - Daniel
Joan Cusack - Rachel Bitterman
Matthew Lillard - Luc Fromage
Whoopi Goldberg - Daniel's 'Boss'
William H. Macy - Glenn
Mel Brooks - Joe Snow (Voice)
Chantal Strand - Nancy Nut-
What
Dave 'Squatch' Ward - Sally
Ann Santa Claus

Muppet Performers
Steve Whitmire - Kermit/
Various
Eric Jacobson - Miss Piggy/
Fozzie Bear/Animal/Yoda
Dave Goelz - Gonzo/Various
Bill Barretta - Swedish Chef/
Various
David Rudman - Scooter/
Various
Jerry Nelson - Robin the
Frog/Various
Brian Henson - Scooter/
Various
Kevin Clash - Sam the Eagle
Allan Trautman - Joe Snow/
Eugene the Tuba Player
John Henson - Sweetums
John Kennedy - Dr. Teeth

Cameo Guest Stars
Zach Braff - Dr. John 'J.D.' Dorian
Carson Daly - Himself
Kelly Ripa - Herself
Molly Shannon - Herself
Bill Lawrence - Himself - 'Scrubs' Producer
Judy Reyes - Nurse Carla Espinosa
Neil Flynn - The Janitor
Robert Smigel - Triumph the Comic Insult Dog (Voice)
Sarah Chalke - Dr. Elliot Reid
John C. McGinley - Dr. Perry Cox

Crew
Director - Kirk R. Thatcher
Writers - Tom Martin and Jim Lewis
Executive Producers - Juliet Blake and Brian Henson
Producers - Martin G. Baker and Warren Carr
Co-Producers - Bill Barretta and Ruth Caruso
Production Designer - Michael S. Bolton
Costume Designers - Polly Smith and
Sandra J. Blackie (Uncredited)
Director of Photography - Tony Westman
Choreographer - James Hibbard
Film Editor - Gregg Featherman
Music - Mark Watters


Review
It's Christmas Eve. everyone! It's been a few years since I last reviewed 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' which is the best seasonal offering from The Muppets. While I haven't had the chance to review any of the Muppet movies since, (well I only have done two films) I have waited a long time to review 'IT'S A VERY MERRY MUPPET CHRISTMAS MOVIE' which nowadays is overlooked by everyone. It wasn't released in theatres but the movie was actually shown on television after their last cinema outing 'Muppets from Space' failed before coming back with a brief resurgence in 2011.

This feature is a loose parody of 'It's a Wonderful Life' and even though the plot is too predictable, it still has that signature Muppet zaniness. It also came out before the 2011 film (click here) which has similarities to the story-line including the Muppets trying to save their theatre from being torn down by a heartless rich person who wants to replace it with his/her new establishment. Containing a lot of spoofs and pop cultural references to TV shows and films including 'Scrubs', 'The Grinch', 'Moulin Rouge', 'The Crocodile Hunter' and 'Star Wars', it even features a musical number "Everyone Matters" which is a nice song although a bit forgettable.

Joan Cusack plays a truly heinous villain who behaves like a bratty child and it seems Cusack was having fun with her role. In a stroke of casting genius, Whoopi Goldberg plays God but her performance is something less than holy. The celebrity cameos are a blast in typical Muppet fashion, there are actors such as Matthew Lillard, Mel Brooks, Molly Shannon and William H. Macy.

While this movie isn't ingenious enough to be considered the greatest of the Muppets. 'IT'S A VERY MERRY MUPPET CHRISTMAS' is definitely worth-seeing.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Knight and Day Review

Knight and Day

Release Date: 15th July 2010 - Australia

Production Companies

20th Century Fox (present)

Regency Enterprises (present)

Pink Machine

Tree Line Film

Dune Entertainment (made in
association with)

New Regency Pictures (Uncredited)

Wintergreen Productions (Uncredited)

Distribution

20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Action/Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 109 minutes

                 117 minutes

                 (extended)


Budget: $117,000,000

Box Office Gross: $261,930,436 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

A small-town girl called
June encounters a
mysterious stranger and
thinks she has found the
man of her dreams.

However, she soon finds

out that he's a fugitive
super-spy and gets thrust
into a thrilling cat-and-

mouse chase across the

globe. June must decide

whether her knight in

shining armour is a

defector or her one true

love as bullets and sparks

fly.

Cast

Tom Cruise - Roy Miller

Cameron Diaz - June Havens

Peter Sarsgaard - Fitzgerald

Viola Davis - Director George

Jordi Molla - Antonio

Paul Dano - Simon Peck

Falk Hentschel - Bernhard
Marc Blucas - Rodney
Lennie Loftin - Braces
Maggie Grace - April Havens
Rich Mainley - Danny
Dale Dye - Frank Jenkins
Celia Watson - Molly Knight
Gal Gadot - Naomi
Jack O'Connell - Wilmer

Trevor Loomis - Eduardo

Nilaja Sun - Allison

Tommy Nohilly - Randy Mechanic

Taylor Treadwell - Gate Agent

Christian Finnegan - Ticket Agent

Brian Dykstra - TSA Officer

Brian Tarantina - Scrap Yard Man

Natasha Paczkowski - Petra the Tailor

Lee Wesley - Fireman Paul

Matthew Lawler - Passerby Agent

Ronn Surels - Flight Attendant

Eric Robert Bradshaw Bennett - 18

Wheeler Driver

Scott Wahle - Newscaster

Sara Underwood - Newscaster #2

Helen L. Welsh - Neighbor

King Orba - Smuggler

Michael Enright - Train Engineer

Adam Gregor - Train Cook

Mitch E. Bowan - Medivac EMT

Gerry Carbajal - Doctor in Hallway

Crew

Director - James Mangold

Writer - Patrick O'Neill

Associate Producer - Marsha L. Swinton

Executive Producers - Joe Roth and
Arnon Milchan

Executive Producer/Production Manager -

E. Bennett Walsh

Producers - Cathy Konrad,
Steve Pink and Todd Garner

Casting Directors - Lisa Beach,

Donna DeSata and Sarah Katzman

Production Designer - Andrew Menzies

Supervising Art Director - Greg Berry

Art Directors - Jeffrey Wisniewski

and Andrew L. Jones

Art Directors: Austria Unit - Ray Chan

and German Pizzinini

Set Decorator - Jay Hart
Set Decorator: Spain Unit - Barbara Perez-Solero

Property Master - Kris Peck

Costume Designer - Arianne Phillips

Makeup Department Head - Jane Galli

Director of Photography - Phedon Papamichael

Unit Production Manager: Second Unit -

Paul Deason

First Assistant Director - Nicholas Mastandrea

Second Assistant Director - Maria Mantia

Second Unit Director - Brian Smrz

Stunt Coordinators - Charles Croughwell
and Gregg Smrz

Picture Vehicle Supervisor: Spain Unit -

Graham Kelly
Special Effects Coordinator - Michael Meinardus
Visual Effects Supervisors - Eric Durst

and Eric Brueau (Uncredited)

Visual Effects Supervisor: Rhythm & Hues -

Greg Steele

Visual Effects Supervisor: Soho VFX -

Allan Magled

Visual Effects Supervisor: Weta Digital -

Charles Tait
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor - Pat McClung

Digital Producers: Rhythm & Hues - Vanessa Joyce

and Mark Simone

CG Supervisors: Rhythm & Hues - Josh Bryer,

Matt Derksen and David Lauer

Animation Supervisor: Rhythm & Hues -

Chad Shattuck

Film Editors - Michael McCusker and
Quincy Z. Gunderson

First Assistant Editor - Andrew Buckland

Supervising Sound Editor - Donald Sylvester

Production Sound Mixer - Lee Orloff

Sound Mixers - Paul Massey and

David Giammarco

Music - John Powell

Review
Years ago, I had two options to decide which movie I'd see in theatres, and I chose Avatar in its 3D version. The other film I wanted to go and see was KNIGHT AND DAY, a romantic action comedy that manages to keep an unrealistic situation going. There's something predictable about KNIGHT AND DAY, such as the girl meets a mysterious stranger and gets drawn into a predicament (remember True Lies, anyone?) What makes the movie unpredictable is the comedy. And when Cameron Diaz's character is not the swooning damsel in distress that we thought she would be. The film takes us across each continent in evidence of action sequences such as the train fight and the climactic car chase in Spain.

I like Tom Cruise as an actor, but pairing him with an actress like Cameron Diaz makes him even more engaging. Their chemistry was top-notch.

KNIGHT AND DAY's plot is slightly cliched, but the film redeems itself, thanks to Diaz and Cruise's chemistry. Though it may not have been perfect, it is fun to watch.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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