MORGAN FREEMAN SHOWS SUPPORT TO DAY OF RECONCILIATION

Morgan Freeman shows support to local charities in light of South Africa’s national
DAY OF RECONCILIATION

Johannesburg, 11 December 2009:- In respect of South Africa’s heritage and in the spirit of promoting reconciliation and unity around the Day of Reconciliation, commemorated nationally on the 16th December, Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman and Producing partner from Revelations Entertainment, Lori McCreary have committed their support in a corporate charity drive to raise much needed funds for three charities of choice. The Soweto INVICTUS Outreach Programme will take place at the Ster-Kinekor Maponya Mall in Soweto on the celebrated day. At the event, Freeman will hand over all funds raised to The Nelson Mandela Foundation, The Make a Difference Foundation, and the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund. Making an appearance at the Johannesburg premiere of Invictus, Winnie Madikizela Mandela and family have also pledged their support in favour of all Invictus charity-related activities.

Several communities in Soweto, south of Johannesburg, will be transported to Ster-Kinekor Maponya Mall, where they will be treated to a free screening of Invictus. Freeman is excited to address the guests, and hopes that this event will usher in a spirit of generosity and charity in the corporate environment. In the true spirit of ubuntu, Warner Bros. Pictures, Nu Metro Films along with MTN are honoured and excited to be at the forefront of this initiative, and MTN South Africa’s welcomed support in the local entertainment industry serves to confirm their commitment to our country, as a whole.

“With its involvement in the Invictus premiere and charity event, MTN South Africa is showing its commitment to not only the ideals underpinning the movie, but also to provide people from all walks of life with the opportunity to see this uplifting story,” says Veli Mabena, general manager for marketing and brand at MTN South Africa.

Established in 1999 in lieu of Nelson Mandela’s retirement, The Nelson Mandela Foundation, through the creation of strategic networks and partnerships proudly contributes to the making of a just society by promoting vision, values and convening dialogue around critical social issues that require much needed attention. The Make a Difference Foundation which was corely founded by ex Springbok captain Francois Pienaar, provides exceptional educational opportunities for deserving youngsters in South Africa, who might otherwise never have been given the opportunity to reach their full potential. In respect and homage to two young rugby players who died playing the game they loved, The Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund was formed in 1980. With the purpose of making rugby a safer sport, this fund to assist the unfortunate victims of catastrophic or serious rugby injuries and to develop and implement initiatives that aim to educate, inform and create awareness around rugby injuries.


Freeman and McCreary are in South Africa to support local premiere events for the motion picture release “Invictus,” starring Freeman as Nelson Mandela. Invictus releases nationwide on 11 December 2009, and will stay on in South Africa to support the above Invictus charity- related initiatives.
ENDS


For more information, please contact:

Elisha Bholanath
Nu Metro Entertainment
(011) 340 9426
Elishabh@numetro.co.za

Astro Boy

Jozua J. Jonker
Viewing: Nu Metro
Release Date: 4 December 2009

Directed By Dawid Bowers
Screenplay By Timothy Hyde Harris & Dawid Bowers

Cast:

Nicolas Cage (Dr. Tenma), Kristen Bell (Cora), Charlize Theron (Narrator), Bill Nighy (Dr. Elefun), Samuel L. Jackson (Zog) Freddie Highmore (Astro Boy), Donald Sutherland, (President Stone), Moises Arias (Zane), Nathan Lane (Ham Egg), (Eugene Levy Orrin) Ryan Stiles (Mr. Pistachio), Matt Lucas (Sparx), Madeline Carroll (Widget / Grace), Sterling Beaumon (Sludge)

Genre: Animation
Classification: 10MV
Running time: 93 Minutes

I was exited to see Astro Boy because since I discovered Magma and Anime a few years back I have become a huge fan. The Magma comic series "Tetsuwan Atomu" created by Osamu Tezuka in 1952 formed part of what dubbed him as the god of Manga. The creators of the 3d animation Maryann Garger (Producer), Dawid Bowers (Director), and Timothy Hyde Harris (Screenplay) did not stick to the original plot. This adaption might leave hardcore fans dissapointed, which seems to me was written mainly for westerners.

In a futuristic world where the earth is a rubble heap for discarded robots and humans live on a floating island, we find our hero as the flesh and blood son of Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Dr. Tenma is the head of the ministry of science and also responsible for the invention and technology behind robotics. Yes, in this world a humans every whim is served by friendly robots and if they no longer function as required they are plainly discarded. President Stone (Donald Sutherland) has asked the ministry of science to build a guardian robot to protect the floating utopia from immanent danger. During its test run Dr. Tenma is son killed when the red energy placed inside the guardian robot makes it goes besirk. At the lose of his, Dr. Tenma rebuilt his son as a robot boy with all his memories which he soon realizes cannot replace his son. Astro Boy is discarded with and finds himself amongst the surface folk.

This 3d-animation film is definitely friendly for children of all ages but aimed for the younger kids. The initial beginnings of a grim story is balanced by light moments and child like humor and innocence, creating a strong moral under current. The creators of this film steered away from clever anecdotes of adult humor and twists and plot turns that would help the kids keep up with their short attention spans today. Which is logical off course... The action sequences was done well and yet again a good balance between a lot and to little. The animation for me was great but not as good as its predecessor Kung-Fu panda. This said, one of the main characteristics in its visual style was efficiency, which carried over to the story, cutting it down to the bare essential but this I feel added to the energy with which the story was told.

Mom and dads will enjoy taking their kids to see this movie knowing that they too can experience some of the Japanese pop culture not worrying about what they are exposing their kids to. I also feel that the makers of this film set out to do what they intended. Don't leave it with me though, add your own comments and score.

It gets a successful 7 out of 10. See you at the movies.

2012

Jozua J. Jonker

Viewing: Sterkinekor
Release Date: 4 December 2009

Directed By Roland Emmerich
Screenplay By Roland Emmerich & Harald Kloser

Cast:
John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt,Thomas McCarthy
Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Liam James, Morgan Lily, Zlatko Buric, Beatrice Rosen, Alexandre Haussmann, Philippe Haussmann, Johann Urb

Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama
Classification: PG13
Running Time: 158 Minutes

Although this film for me was amazing in terms of no brainer entrainment value, it sparked something else in me that I liked about movies of this nature. Added with a pinch of salt, if you found your niche in film making like Roland Emmerich, and you do it extremely well there will be people that love it and people that don't. If you think you don't know his work, you will be surprised that you indeed watched some of his movies, Independence Day, Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow. We find our hero Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) as a washed up writer who has only managed to write one book (“Farewell Atlantis”). His career which in terms of publications has not done so well. He is divorced from his wife Kate (Amanda Peet) and an estranged father to his kids. He is a limo driver to make ends meet and it seems like the adventurous life of successful novelist or at least the appearance their of still alludes him. What I like about epic disaster movies is it makes me think. It reminds of that saying, “Watch therefore, for you do not know in what kind of a day your Lord is coming.” It makes me ask questions like, “Am I or will I be ready for when it all goes up in flames”. It makes me do a little reassessment of, “Am I living my life to the full!” My film review peers may give me a hard time that I might be over dramatic in my approach to this particular film, which only leaves itself open for good critique based on its amazing special affects, but I will simply remind them that we have always had a fascination with the end of days. Maybe what we don't like is to be reminded that everybody knows it might and can very well happen. It leaves us to ponder about the value of the larger than life aspirations we have in our daily lives. Well if your are no philosopher you might just think this is one to many as far as disaster movies go ,get over it already!



Then, disaster strikes, literally! In this seemingly washed out timid man, Jackson Curtis, beats the heart of a hero. It makes me think why he did not take more risks in his life, why he did not stop and think about what is really important. It is a struggle that most of us associate with or not. Why? Because sitting in the comfort of everyday life we know that only seemingly impossible challenges grow and make us extra-ordinary. In our society, comfort is our main concern and becoming more than what we are is the road less travelled by to experience the true fullness of our potential. As our planet and cities literary fall apart around us, what is left? What do we take with us? We all want to be the hero without any effort on our part. The true antagonist in this story is not the natural disaster or the politicians (Oliver Platt) inside us who seek survival at any cost and the self serving merchants (Zlatko Buric) who in their riches create such a world of comfort bringing up the next generation to think everything comes easy. You can avert or solve any crisis by throwing enough money at it, even a seat on the newly created “Arks” that carry the monetary elite in the film to safety. I mean we can't save'em all.



Now in terms of disaster movies this is a not a unique concept. It all goes back to what killed the dinosaurs will eventually come for us as the premise of the movie is built on ancient predictions by the Mayans and several other cultures. What I did like was the subtle theme of the film. Our hero needs to journey these invisible human forces as well as what the earth throws at him. This adventure makes him realise what few want to realise even in this reality, “what is really important in life”. Will he make it? As the earth's paradigm shifts, so does his. What is also missing in most disaster movies is decent characters that Harold Kloser (Producer) & Emmerich (Director) formed so well. The visual affects where stunning, not an effortless feat but in true Hollywood style spectacular eye candy. Although it is the same story just with a different outfit, this type of film still mesmerizes me and the silver screen has not lost its magic. Don't leave it with me though, add your own comments and score...

It gets a life changing 7.5 out of 10. See you at the movies.

Surrogates

Jozua J. Jonker

Viewing: Sterkinekor
Release Date: 13 November 2009

Directed By Jonathan Mo-stow
Screenplay By John Brancato & Micheal Ferris Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman & Max Handelman
Cast:
Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, James Cromwell, Jack Noseworthy, Devin Ratray, Michael Cudlit

Genre: Sci-fi
Classification: PG-13
Running time: 88 Minutes

Imagine a life, a real “second life”. Look the way you want and feel almost every sensation when it comes to your second life beyond the computer screen. In the comfort of you own home you linked to a “Stim Chair” which neurologically links your to an avatar robot which can look like a younger better you or look like someone completely different.

This Sci-fi film places the audience in the not to distant future where ninety nine percent of the population lives out their life's through surrogates. The one percent of the population is called dreads who live on cordon off sections called reservations away from the general population. The technology was created by Dr. Lionel Canter (James Cromwell) whose son dies while linked to his surrogate outside a night club. This is where we meet our main character Thomas Greer(Bruce Willis) whose surrogate arrives on the crime scene with his police partner surrogate Jennifer Peters (Radha Micthell). This is off-course alarming to VSI (Virtual Self Industries) who create these avatar robots for their hosts. Who would want a surrogate which kills its host?



This leads the audience through action chases and an intriguing plot. What makes this film unique is that it actually makes this reality plausible motivated by internet sites like second life because we may very well be on our way to that. It gives rise to other questions like how do these people have sex or experience it or how does the economy function with robots who are perfect and need nothing expect clothes? The movie does not explore all these issues but stay on course and true to the premise which to me unveils the true nature of the beast at the end of the movie. Lets say we did live in a society with surrogates and all the questions where answered and solutions given, satisfying all our needs. This can become a major addiction to people and what will happen the day I have to start to live for myself when their is no more surrogate? A theme the animated movie WALL-E toughed on.

The surrogates are freaky and gives certain eerie feel to the movie which keeps you on the edge of your seat. What was interesting to me more than the surrogates was the life's of the people behind the robot's which in the cases of the two characters was explored but with rest only the way they looked was shared. Action sequences was done well, not too much, not too little, which one expects from director Jonathan Mo-stow who directed a movie like Terminator 3. Valuable plot points was introduced which created well thought out contrasts like Thomas Greer who needs to solve the case with out his surrogate and the motive of the killer that wants to pull the plug on an addicted society. Subtle themes comes through short scenes which adds to the value of such a film as this keeps the story interesting, like the life that VSI promises but
the things that a host needs to give up, to subdue unconfronted pain or the life of immediate superficial pleasure to give up the real thing just to look better and for that get an instant sense of self worth. But the trouble with any addiction one needs more and more to satisfy. So where does this spiral end.



With a movie like this the ending could be some form of self actualisation leaving the society (addicts) to deal with plug being pulled or the main charterer coming to terms with his situation and rides of it, galloping into the sunset to another adventure or a life of peace with the damsel in distress learning some moral. The movie does the former on a personal and society but on too good a note. Addicts don't adjust after 2 minutes, mentally and physically.

This movie gets not so well rounded 7 and half out of 10.

See you at the movies!

Julie & Julia

Magdaleen Duvenage

Viewing at: Sterkinekor
Release Date: 13 November 2009

Directed By Nora Ephron.
Screenplay By Nora Ephron & Julie Powell
Produced By
Laurence Mark, Amy Robinson, Eric Steel & Nora Ephron.
Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci & Chris Messina.

Genre: Biography Comedy.
Classification: PG 13
Running time: 123 Minutes

This movie was quite fabulous! It is something serene and feminine, it brings something home that has been missing for quite some time... Some of the articles I have read on Julia Child was that because of her, Americans started cooking again, she was the reason for getting rid of microwave dishes and take-outs. This woman is about: pearls-in-the-kitchen and loving-butter-all-the-way! She is the reason why I love being a woman, everything about her way of living and loving is so true to the feminine heart. I understand Powell's fascination with Julia, I am developing the same craziness...



Poor Meryl is not a hottie in this one, I have to just say how completely and utterly fascinated I am with her; this woman can play absolutely ANY part imaginable! If you can dream it, she can play it! I am shocked how she can go from Donna Sheridan in “Mamma Mia” to Julia Child in “Julie and Julia”, she is really one gifted lady. I bow down to you – oh gifted actress of the ages – all hail to Meryl!!!It felt like watching the elements of cooking written together in a recipe of Life and Marriage. Mouth watering aroma's all around – Julia squeaking voice, all thrown together in a dish called everyday life!



The story takes part in two scenes. The one is with Julia and her amazing husband Paul (played by Stanley Tucci) in Paris in the nineteen-fifties. She is restless, and is on a seeming tour to finding her passion in life. Trying everything from making hats to painting, but all she seems to know how to do, and is extremely good at it, is: eating! Thus the love for food begins and the journey is enfolded with lots of butter, garlic, spices, meats and sauces! Julie Powell (Amy Adams) is a wife in Queens who lives in 2002, she works for a government organization that is involved in rebuilding the World Trade Centre.



She seems to be a woman who loves her husband and cooking. It feels like she has lost her way though. Doing a job she clearly is not in love with, she decides to cook all 524 of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” – in Julia's cook book, and she plans to do it in 365 days and blog about it. Julie found a way to connect with herself, she found something she is good in, in her struggle with life, she found something that makes her want to get up in the morning and she was good at it!
Blogging is what I like to call the “fake” author. It is almost the same as reality T.V.'s fake “celebities”. The difference is that Powell was an actual writer and her book became this movie...




One of the most outstanding features of this film is the fact that Julie became a “better person”, and “better wife” because of this challenge. She finds herself. There is stages where one gets the idea how selfish she became, but to me a story needs to end better than it began; the same as in cooking.Julie got to know Julia through this experience, although it turned out to be different than what she anticipated – the difference is that it happened. She connected with a woman she never met, on a deep emotional level and it taught her to be her... Julia was for Julie a symbol of growth and it left a good taste. One cant ignore certain elements in this movie. Clearly Julia could never have children, and the longing in her life was visible, it seemed that children never was a bother to Julie.



They both were happily married, it was like Nora created a interesting sex live for the conservative Julia. It is almost to say: Who needs kids? We have good food and great sex! A compromise, if I may call it that... There was never explicit sex, always just the insinuation towards it that made it so fascinating.I like the unexpected ending. I have always been a favourite when it comes to story telling, literally before fame hits. I think that characteristics are so scares and one never knew those people before they become what we know them as... I loved the platonic way of doing things and the effort it took was phenomenal, nothing back then, came as easy as things do these days.Both these stories are true, both have an impact on society today, and both portray something that is lost to the feminine realm... I thought it was very entertaining and funny! The language was incredible, this is the way men and women are suppose to talk ladies and gentlemen. The story was told amazingly and everything about this movie is almost edible... Don't be surprised when you go home hungry.

I am giving it a tasteful 8/10!

See you at the Movies!

500 Days of Summer

Magdaleen Duvenage

Viewing at: Nu Metro
Release Date: 13 November 2009

500 Days of Summer.

Directed By Marc Webb.
Screenplay By
Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Webber.
Produced By
Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Mason Novick & Steven J. Wolfe.

Cast:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend, Chloe Grace Moretz, Matthew Gray Gubler, Clark Gregg, Rachel Boston & Minka Kelly.

Genre: Romantic Comedy
Classification: PG 13
Running time: 96 Minutes

When this movie begins, they say up-front that this is not a romantic story, at this specific stage I start getting sad... I know that movies are suppose to be realistic and that there is a line in life of realism that one can never escape – but for me, when I see a movie, I want to relax, I want to believe that all is going to work out fine and that every one will get there happy ending. Almost as to say: there is hope and light in a dark and sad world, there is a way that everyone, no matter your race, seize, age, colour or gender, can live happily ever after – for the purpose of this movie I want to call it a Cinderella syndrome...

“I think the key is for me to figure out what went wrong. Do you ever do this? Go back and think about all the things you did together. Everything that happened. Replay it over again in your mind, looking for the first sign of trouble.” – Tom

The beauty with this movie is that EVERYONE, at one stage or another is Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel). The story can be traced back to the beginning of human kind. I, personally, fell in love with Joseph in 10 Things I hate about you, for my generation we were introduced to stars like the late Heath Ledger and Julia Styles, but the shy, small and nerdy Joseph is the one that I knew will brake out into the world in a movie like this and become a instant star – I almost want to say that we grew up together!

Tom is a inspired architect, realistic hallmark card writer, who seems witty and almost unbelievably naïve. Summer is the new piece of meat in the office, she is the artistic P.A.; and when you were introduced to her in failure to launch, you just knew that this natural beauty has more to offer than meets the eye. Needless to say, Tom does the inevitable, he pursues a relationship with Summer. Summer, however, is not the typically “title” girl.She does not want to be labelled as someone's girlfriend/wife. He falls passionately, head-over-heals and over-the-top in love with Summer. From this point on, you know that this poor guy is going to end up with a broken heart. You almost get the suicidal love pattern, completely unhealthy for the realist.

Tom's life is a whirl wind of emotions. You feel from time to time like watching a hormonal teenager. Then again, that is the exact point the director tried to create, I believe that when one can get to a stage of loving whole heartedly, not holding back in any sense, and end up hurt, there comes a sense of maturity, responsibility and wisdom, which in no sense can be bought for any amount of money. Through this relationship, getting hurt and experiencing a complete feeling of death, Tom found himself. He grew up, this pain almost made him a man, which is inevitable – almost like looking at the wizard of Oz, when Dorothy got to the other side of the rainbow – colour began to flow with the story. It becomes part of the telling. Tom's utter depression forms him as a man. I would like to quote: “Better to love and lost, than never to loved at all.” One almost experience with him growing up, he gets rid of that smack look on his face, he becomes mature.



I think it is untrue to say that Summer does not believe in love. She is a interesting character, I sometimes feel that people deny what they feel for fear of fear – that only means that she is not interested in labelling and believes in the certainty of natural events in life. She says in the end: I knew it was different cause I know something I always wondered about with you. I think she was looking for a defining moment in time in their relationship. I feel she searched for something profound, something real, not necessarily with Tom, but more with herself. I applaud her for taking the courage to do so. So many women fall in love and stay in love for the wrong reasons, if you ever have the chance to get out before making the wrong decision do it, you made have saved a lot of heart ache even though you caused it...

The movie is edited in a way of forwarding/rewinding, and you basically always end up in the middle, getting very few ideas of what happened in the beginning or the end. Usually, I don't like this wayof editing, but with the style of the this specific movie, (please all other directors: don't use this if it does not complement the style!), it works amazingly. The movie does turn out, not to be a typicalromance.

When I look at Joseph in the above photo, I am amazed at how he grew up. I can actually see he is a man and not a boy any more. He became attractive over night, and in this movie, his presence is tangible.The movie promotes premarital sex, (with all the different positions, ways and colours), which leads up to a promiscuous life style. I believe that this is why Tom ends up devastated, his whole world almost ends because his relationship with Summer was so unhealthy. I cant repeat myself enough that there needs to be some form of stability and balance.However, it is a movie you think about after wards. You do walk away with a sense of ease. The director really got the message of the story across, which is for his first feature film, a huge accomplishment. I am very much looking forward to his next movie, I think this is just the beginning of Marc Webb. Congratulations Marc!!

I am giving it a very easy 6.5/10.

See you at the movies!

Cloudy with Chance of Meatballs

Cloudy with Chance of Meatballs By

Jozua J. Jonker

Viewing At: Sterkinekor
Release Date: 16 October 2009


Directed By Phil Lord
Screenplay By Phil Lord
Producers: Pam Marsden
Voices:
Flint Lockwood - Bill Hader, Sam Sparks - Anna Faris, Tim Lockwood - James Caan, "Baby" Brent - Andy Samberg, Mayor Shelbourne - Bruce Campbell
Earl Devereaux - Mr. T, Cal Devereaux - Bobb'e J. Thompson, Manny - Benjamin Bratt

Genre: Animation
Classification: PG
Running time: 90 Minutes

After watching the movie I did not feel this movie was for me. Maybe it was an off day for me or that I am not a parent yet. But their where a few things in the movie that caught my attention which I think is worth mentioning.

The story begins with Flint Lockwood as young child having dreams as an inventor. Not sure whether he should pursue his dreams or follow his dad's dreams Flint's mother encourages the boy to follow what is in his heart. As Flint grows up his inventions are prone to have a life of their own which helps set-up the towns disaster that is about to happen as the antagonist, gets a life of its own, creating the food storm of the century . This is motivated by the town itself when it runs into an economic recession. Up to this point the town survived by catching and canning sardines but the world no longer needs it and so the town falls on hard times.

In Flint's impressive make-shift laboratory he works on a solution to the towns problems. An invention that can turn water into food. At the unveiling of the towns new theme park Flint activates his machine, creating a food euphoria for the citizens of Swallow Falls. The sub plots build around Flint's relationship with his father and a newly formed relationship with the Weather Girl Sam Sparks which is told by a big city news broadcaster to report on the weather in Swallow Falls as snippet to the daily news.

The movie is unique in its style, bringing a world of food to everyone's everyday life without it being that “gross”. Kids playing in ice cream show, having a house build out of jello etc. The visual effects created by Sony's new 3d imaging software gives way to stunning weather, food and big crowd sequence effects. Comedy is the drive behind the story which will be appealing to the adult audience and all the color and spectacle will wow the kids. Using animation as a platform to tell the story made the unique events believable, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. The creators of this animation used their knowledge of modern day culture to fuse story and character quirks together in a story mould that will be likable to kids and their parents.

The moral of the story is revealed early in the film, being yourself is OK, even if you are a nerd. The fact that the hero is typical outcasts, loner, does not fit in type who saves the day can be overlooked as each character is given distinctive visual and personal characteristics that make them as unique as the story itself. Cloudy with a chance of meatballs gets a hearty 7 out of 10.

See you at the movies.