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“Star Wars” is good about keeping the content churning for fans: the franchise most recently released the highly anticipated “Acolyte” in June, with several other offshoots also in the works, including “Skeleton Crew” and “Lando.”
All the “Star Wars” content also means that there’s always new galactic-themed merch and gadgets to gift the biggest fans in your life. Below are 35 of the most unique, fun and nerdy “Star Wars” goods to gift this year.
Icons Unearthed: Star Wars
This new Star Wars book features an oral history into the biggest sci-fi franchise of all time. The book includes exclusive interviews with Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Paul Hirsch, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, Ken Ralston, John Dykstra and more. The biggest interview: new details from Marcia Lucas, the ex-wife of George Lucas,...
“Star Wars” is good about keeping the content churning for fans: the franchise most recently released the highly anticipated “Acolyte” in June, with several other offshoots also in the works, including “Skeleton Crew” and “Lando.”
All the “Star Wars” content also means that there’s always new galactic-themed merch and gadgets to gift the biggest fans in your life. Below are 35 of the most unique, fun and nerdy “Star Wars” goods to gift this year.
Icons Unearthed: Star Wars
This new Star Wars book features an oral history into the biggest sci-fi franchise of all time. The book includes exclusive interviews with Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Paul Hirsch, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, Ken Ralston, John Dykstra and more. The biggest interview: new details from Marcia Lucas, the ex-wife of George Lucas,...
- 8/28/2024
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Alex Cox, Niketa Roman, Satish Ratakonda, Harper Taylor, Brynn Taylor | Written and Directed by Phil Tippett
Mad God is a stop-motion, post-industrial, post-apocalyptic fever dream. It was brought to us via crowdfunding by Phil Tippett, a man who has Star Wars, Robocop and Jurassic Park in his resume. I assume Phil is the titular Mad God, rather than any of the monsters on display.
Visually, as grim as the views here are, the talent and craft on display here are incredible. The monster design, and the stop motion is all top-notch. There aren’t conventional acts in this film. As I sit here, I am not sure if moving scenes around, at random, twisting the mad rubrics cube would have made any difference. It is an hour and 20 minutes of grim suffering that has little of a linear path (that I can see).
We kick off, with an incredibly compelling opening.
Mad God is a stop-motion, post-industrial, post-apocalyptic fever dream. It was brought to us via crowdfunding by Phil Tippett, a man who has Star Wars, Robocop and Jurassic Park in his resume. I assume Phil is the titular Mad God, rather than any of the monsters on display.
Visually, as grim as the views here are, the talent and craft on display here are incredible. The monster design, and the stop motion is all top-notch. There aren’t conventional acts in this film. As I sit here, I am not sure if moving scenes around, at random, twisting the mad rubrics cube would have made any difference. It is an hour and 20 minutes of grim suffering that has little of a linear path (that I can see).
We kick off, with an incredibly compelling opening.
- 8/23/2024
- by Chris Thomas
- Nerdly
The second entry in Ridley Scott's "Alien" prequel series, "Alien: Covenant," is probably the most divisive film in the entire franchise. So much so, we at /Film released two contrasting reviews -- a positive, 8 out of 10 from Karen Han, and a pretty scathing 4 out of 10 from Josh Spiegel that came with the headline "In Space, No One Can Hear You Be This Stupid." Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle. I'm a staunch "Prometheus" defender (don't @ me) and think the downright meanness of "Covenant" is a feature and not a bug. But there's one aspect that, try as I might, I just can't shake. I'm sorry Sir Ridley Scott, but the CGI is bonk at best and ropey at worst.
The threat of the Xenomorph XX121 species in its many life cycle stages is instantly diluted when it doesn't look like it's sharing the same space as the humans it's attacking.
The threat of the Xenomorph XX121 species in its many life cycle stages is instantly diluted when it doesn't look like it's sharing the same space as the humans it's attacking.
- 8/17/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Fede Alvarez clocks another successful franchise "takeover" with Alien: Romulus, but it’s not without faults. Celestial backdrops are stunners, Legacy Effects rewards Alvarez's dedication to using practical over digital (whenever possible), and horror-forward mindsets pack in exhilarating jolts. That said, it's an underwhelming evolution into franchise pandering that renders Alvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues' canonization rigid and routine. Evil Dead (2013) is always "Fede Alvarez's Evil Dead;" Alien: Romulus plays like Alvarez has studio-mandated ties he's checking off like assignment tasks. Everything gets grossly psychosexual, delirious, and dreadfully dark as per Alvarez's trademarks, just never on a level that kicks into hyperdrive.
Cailee Spaeny continues her remarkable run of 2024 performances as Rain Carradine, a youthful space colonist who's sick of Weyland-Yutani's corporate stranglehold over the working class. Rain's only companion is her stuttering synthetic Andy (David Jonsson), programmed with a prime directive to protect Rain. After Weyland-Yutani again...
Cailee Spaeny continues her remarkable run of 2024 performances as Rain Carradine, a youthful space colonist who's sick of Weyland-Yutani's corporate stranglehold over the working class. Rain's only companion is her stuttering synthetic Andy (David Jonsson), programmed with a prime directive to protect Rain. After Weyland-Yutani again...
- 8/14/2024
- by Matt Donato
- DailyDead
Ready to return to a galaxy far, far away?
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm and Disney+, arrives later this year. This new series promises to take us to unexpected and unexplored corners of the “Star Wars” galaxy, introducing fans to brand new characters and scenarios, while maintaining the undeniable spirit. It’ll debut on the streaming service this winter, continuing the “Star Wars”-at-Christmas tradition of the sequel trilogy.
But you’re probably wondering… what is “Skeleton Crew,” exactly?
Read on to learn everything we know about the newest “Star Wars” series.
When is the release date?
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” will debut on Disney+ on Dec. 3, 2024.
Who’s in the cast?
The cast of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is led by Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood, a Force user, along with child actors Ravi Cabot-Conyers (as Wim), Kyriana Kratter (as Kb), Robert Timothy Smith...
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm and Disney+, arrives later this year. This new series promises to take us to unexpected and unexplored corners of the “Star Wars” galaxy, introducing fans to brand new characters and scenarios, while maintaining the undeniable spirit. It’ll debut on the streaming service this winter, continuing the “Star Wars”-at-Christmas tradition of the sequel trilogy.
But you’re probably wondering… what is “Skeleton Crew,” exactly?
Read on to learn everything we know about the newest “Star Wars” series.
When is the release date?
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” will debut on Disney+ on Dec. 3, 2024.
Who’s in the cast?
The cast of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is led by Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood, a Force user, along with child actors Ravi Cabot-Conyers (as Wim), Kyriana Kratter (as Kb), Robert Timothy Smith...
- 8/9/2024
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Film historians agree that computer-generated imagery (CGI) was first used in a motion picture as far back as Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958), which utilized abstract computer animation under its opening credits. Of course that’s not immediately what comes to mind when we think of CGI (or just plain CG) today: the earliest, crude instances of the kind of CG that dominates modern filmmaking were first seen in Westworld (1973), Star Wars, Looker (1981), the groundbreaking Tron (1982), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), and The Last Starfighter (1984).
But the first genuine leap in using CG to animate and incorporate photorealistic three-dimensional objects into live-action came in James Cameron’s The Abyss (1989) via the creation of the alien pseudopod made out of digital ocean water. The techniques developed by Industrial Light and Magic for that film blew open the doors to the true CG revolution in cinema, which began in the 1990s...
But the first genuine leap in using CG to animate and incorporate photorealistic three-dimensional objects into live-action came in James Cameron’s The Abyss (1989) via the creation of the alien pseudopod made out of digital ocean water. The techniques developed by Industrial Light and Magic for that film blew open the doors to the true CG revolution in cinema, which began in the 1990s...
- 8/9/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
A new look at Skeleton Crew has just found its way online (via SFFGazette.com) and, believe it or not, it was discovered in a thrift store; however, we've confirmed it's the real deal. This has to be one of the strangest sources of a leak to date, though we're not complaining as it offers a new look at the show's leads.
The presence of those skulls is interesting and we're confident the cloaked figure leading the four youngsters is Jude Law's mysterious Jedi.
As for that mysterious droid, we believe he's accompanying the crew on this adventure and is likely called Sm-33. His head resembles a skull and we can't help but wonder whether that's where the name of the titular crew comes from.
Skeleton Crew takes place around the same time as The Mandalorian and is expected to tie into that and Ahsoka. How important it will...
The presence of those skulls is interesting and we're confident the cloaked figure leading the four youngsters is Jude Law's mysterious Jedi.
As for that mysterious droid, we believe he's accompanying the crew on this adventure and is likely called Sm-33. His head resembles a skull and we can't help but wonder whether that's where the name of the titular crew comes from.
Skeleton Crew takes place around the same time as The Mandalorian and is expected to tie into that and Ahsoka. How important it will...
- 7/21/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
"It's a game called, 'Find What's Wrong With This Shot.'" Here is another must watch new video about the current state of the VFX industry in cinema. It's a 20 minute video essay created by Crafthive called "VFX r u ok? Why It Feels Like the End of VFX." The creators take a cold, hard look at what's happening with visual effects (aka CGI and/or VFX) and all of the problems right now, from creative executives to financial struggles to bad filmmakers, and everything else going on. They explain that nowadays VFX has been turned into a commodity, they're "more artisan than artists" now, which isn't a good thing. Yes they even touch on A.I., crypto, Marvel, and all these other dangerous topics. It's not looking good... If you're wondering why, this is a great place to start. This video is also a nice complement to the 'No...
- 5/28/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Later this year, a new ‘Star Wars’ show is set to debut on Disney+ called “Skeleton Crew,” which “follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home—and meeting unlikely allies and enemies—will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.”
Now, we have learned that Lucasfilm is taking the show back to the old techniques used in the original Star Wars films, including matte paintings from a retired Ilm (Industrial Light and Magic) painter and even stop-motion animation from Phil Tippett.
For those who don’t know, Phil Tippett helped create a special animation technique called “go motion” to animate the At-at walkers and tauntauns in “The Empire Strikes Back,” and he led the creature shop in “Return of the Jedi.”
“Skeleton Crew” co-creator Jon Watts spoke...
Now, we have learned that Lucasfilm is taking the show back to the old techniques used in the original Star Wars films, including matte paintings from a retired Ilm (Industrial Light and Magic) painter and even stop-motion animation from Phil Tippett.
For those who don’t know, Phil Tippett helped create a special animation technique called “go motion” to animate the At-at walkers and tauntauns in “The Empire Strikes Back,” and he led the creature shop in “Return of the Jedi.”
“Skeleton Crew” co-creator Jon Watts spoke...
- 5/15/2024
- by Kambrea Pratt
- Pirates & Princesses
In a career that has spanned seven decades, Roger Corman is nothing short of a legend. His influence and impact are almost immeasurable, having mentored or introduced so many prominent filmmakers working today. That doesn’t even touch on how he changed independent cinema or wore multiple hats doing so: director, producer, writer, and actor, to name a few.
With the legend’s passing this weekend, it feels only appropriate to highlight just a handful of the essential Roger Corman horror movies on streaming. This week’s streaming picks celebrate some of the essential works of Roger Corman horror movies, whether he produced, directed, or appeared on screen.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
A Bucket of Blood – AMC+, Crackle, Fandor, Kanopy, MGM+, Midnight Pulp, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Screambox, Shudder, Tubi, Vudu
Roger Corman had a recurring interest in counterculture,...
With the legend’s passing this weekend, it feels only appropriate to highlight just a handful of the essential Roger Corman horror movies on streaming. This week’s streaming picks celebrate some of the essential works of Roger Corman horror movies, whether he produced, directed, or appeared on screen.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
A Bucket of Blood – AMC+, Crackle, Fandor, Kanopy, MGM+, Midnight Pulp, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Screambox, Shudder, Tubi, Vudu
Roger Corman had a recurring interest in counterculture,...
- 5/13/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Oscar Award-winning visual effects artist Phil Tippett unleashed his decades-in-the-making stop-motion epic Mad God back in 2022, and Variety brings us the exciting news today that Tippett is brewing up another feature!
The website brings us a first look at Phil Tippett’s Sentinel, a brand new stop-motion animated feature film that will be pitched to potential partners in Cannes later this month.
Tippett explains to the site that he’s currently working on the script for Sentinel, which will be a mixture of “the whole history of VFX, from stop-motion to digital and now AI.”
“I can mix and match all these techniques,” he tells Variety.
From the plot details the website shared, we gather that Sentinel will begin “like a [traditional] World War One film.” From there, Variety writes in their own words, “the film’s main narrative expands wildly in the moments before a soldier’s death.”
Tippett explains,...
The website brings us a first look at Phil Tippett’s Sentinel, a brand new stop-motion animated feature film that will be pitched to potential partners in Cannes later this month.
Tippett explains to the site that he’s currently working on the script for Sentinel, which will be a mixture of “the whole history of VFX, from stop-motion to digital and now AI.”
“I can mix and match all these techniques,” he tells Variety.
From the plot details the website shared, we gather that Sentinel will begin “like a [traditional] World War One film.” From there, Variety writes in their own words, “the film’s main narrative expands wildly in the moments before a soldier’s death.”
Tippett explains,...
- 5/9/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
VFX icon and “Mad God” director Phil Tippett is working on a new stop-motion feature titled “Sentinel,” which will be pitched for the first time at this year’s Frontières section of Cannes’ Marché du Film.
Variety has been given exclusive access to the first plot details and set images from “Sentinel,” which shares a visual fidelity with “Mad God.” However, in terms of production, things will be very different this time around.
“Mad God” was a project that Tippett worked on off and on for thirty years. A similar timetable isn’t realistic for “Sentinel,” as the director would be over 100 at the film’s premiere. So, Tippett and producer Colin Geddes (Ultra 8 Pictures) say they’re pursuing a more conventional development and production plan with their new project, including a clearer narrative focus. Tippett has already begun filming bits of the film, and his team will be...
Variety has been given exclusive access to the first plot details and set images from “Sentinel,” which shares a visual fidelity with “Mad God.” However, in terms of production, things will be very different this time around.
“Mad God” was a project that Tippett worked on off and on for thirty years. A similar timetable isn’t realistic for “Sentinel,” as the director would be over 100 at the film’s premiere. So, Tippett and producer Colin Geddes (Ultra 8 Pictures) say they’re pursuing a more conventional development and production plan with their new project, including a clearer narrative focus. Tippett has already begun filming bits of the film, and his team will be...
- 5/9/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Skeleton Crew is arguably one of the more intriguing Star Wars projects heading our way, with very little known about how the series will fit into the wider Galaxy Far, Far Away (we've heard next to nothing since Star Wars Celebration attendees were treated to a brief sneak peek last April).
What we do know is that the Disney+ series focuses on a group of kids who get lost in space, with Jude Law cast in the lead role as a mysterious Jedi. With a confirmed post-Return of the Jedi setting, we also anticipate it somehow tying into The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
Collider (via SFFGazette.com) recently spoke with director and executive producer Jon Watts and learned that Skeleton Crew is set to launch this holiday season. That presumably means a December launch.
The filmmaker also shared a new description of the series. "It's about a group of kids...
What we do know is that the Disney+ series focuses on a group of kids who get lost in space, with Jude Law cast in the lead role as a mysterious Jedi. With a confirmed post-Return of the Jedi setting, we also anticipate it somehow tying into The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
Collider (via SFFGazette.com) recently spoke with director and executive producer Jon Watts and learned that Skeleton Crew is set to launch this holiday season. That presumably means a December launch.
The filmmaker also shared a new description of the series. "It's about a group of kids...
- 5/8/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is an upcoming adventure television series set in the universe created by George Lucas. The series was created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford and is expected to premiere sometime in 2024. Ahead of the show’s release, Watts spoke about crafting a new experience in the Star Wars world through the series.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is an upcoming series co-created by Jon Watts.
At the same time, Watts also shed light on the show’s use of practical effects. Therefore, it is likely that Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will be closer in visual style to the earlier films in the franchise, which fans hold dear even today. Meanwhile, the series might also avoid the criticism aimed at the more recent entries in the franchise, which fans hate for overreliance on one particular technique.
Jon Watts Talks Using Practical Effects in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
During...
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is an upcoming series co-created by Jon Watts.
At the same time, Watts also shed light on the show’s use of practical effects. Therefore, it is likely that Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will be closer in visual style to the earlier films in the franchise, which fans hold dear even today. Meanwhile, the series might also avoid the criticism aimed at the more recent entries in the franchise, which fans hate for overreliance on one particular technique.
Jon Watts Talks Using Practical Effects in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
During...
- 5/6/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Set for Christmas Release This Year - Main Image
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has finally set a release window for its highly-anticipated premiere later this year.
There has been a lot of anticipation for the upcoming Star Wars series which will be a coming-of-age story that is set around the same time frame as The Mandalorian and the other live-action shows.
So far, the plot details are being kept under wraps, but the series will star Oscar nominees Jude Law and Kerry Condon and feature an ensemble of young actors.
Also Read: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Star Kerry Condon Praises Upcoming Series: "I Loved Being on It"
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew to Premiere Around Christmas This Year
In his recent convention interview, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew co-creator Jon Watts revealed that the upcoming series will premiere on Disney+ around Christmas time this year.
No exact date...
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has finally set a release window for its highly-anticipated premiere later this year.
There has been a lot of anticipation for the upcoming Star Wars series which will be a coming-of-age story that is set around the same time frame as The Mandalorian and the other live-action shows.
So far, the plot details are being kept under wraps, but the series will star Oscar nominees Jude Law and Kerry Condon and feature an ensemble of young actors.
Also Read: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Star Kerry Condon Praises Upcoming Series: "I Loved Being on It"
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew to Premiere Around Christmas This Year
In his recent convention interview, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew co-creator Jon Watts revealed that the upcoming series will premiere on Disney+ around Christmas time this year.
No exact date...
- 5/6/2024
- EpicStream
Paul Verhoeven's 1997 sci-fi war film "Starship Troopers," based on the 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein, is a vicious satire that lampoons the aggressive, unthinking language used to bolster unjust, fascistic wars. The main characters are all young, attractive, empty-headed grunts inducted into a meaningless 24th-century intergalactic war with a distant species of giant intelligent arachnids.
The most notable feature of Verhoeven's film, however, is the propaganda videos that periodically fill the screen. Clear-voiced, boldly preachy short films announce to the audience that the war needs to be fought and that the government needs as many able-bodied youths as it can wrangle to feed them into the soul-hollowing combat machine. "The only good bug is a dead bug," people growl. Anti-bug sentiment is high.
Also, the film is a comedy. Screenwriter Edward Neumeier ("RoboCop") strikes a broadly cynical tone, playfully dissecting the American war machine and the politicians who spoke of war as a grand,...
The most notable feature of Verhoeven's film, however, is the propaganda videos that periodically fill the screen. Clear-voiced, boldly preachy short films announce to the audience that the war needs to be fought and that the government needs as many able-bodied youths as it can wrangle to feed them into the soul-hollowing combat machine. "The only good bug is a dead bug," people growl. Anti-bug sentiment is high.
Also, the film is a comedy. Screenwriter Edward Neumeier ("RoboCop") strikes a broadly cynical tone, playfully dissecting the American war machine and the politicians who spoke of war as a grand,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
“Sentinel,” by Hollywood legend Phil Tippett, and “Sister Inconnue,” the first solo directorial outing of Rkss’ Anouk Whissell, cold well be two highlights at a 2024 Cannes Frontières Platform that looks set to underscore the robust range of genre as it is embraced by Hollywood, big independents, horror devotees and auteurs alike.
Creator of creatures for “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park,” Tippett may have terrified more people than anybody alive. If a teaser is anything to go by, “Sentinel,” a project, may well pick up on the style of 2021’s experimental and nightmarish stop motion/animation “Mad God.”
“Sentinel” features a battleground reminiscent of WWI hellish horror, giant bugs echoing “Starship Troopers,” Tippett’s last big job, attack droids and the statuesque figures of Osiris, Horus and Anubis, the last of which saves the hero, the gas-masked Sentinel, from a gruesome battlefield.
Sure to be a huge draw, an expanded version...
Creator of creatures for “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park,” Tippett may have terrified more people than anybody alive. If a teaser is anything to go by, “Sentinel,” a project, may well pick up on the style of 2021’s experimental and nightmarish stop motion/animation “Mad God.”
“Sentinel” features a battleground reminiscent of WWI hellish horror, giant bugs echoing “Starship Troopers,” Tippett’s last big job, attack droids and the statuesque figures of Osiris, Horus and Anubis, the last of which saves the hero, the gas-masked Sentinel, from a gruesome battlefield.
Sure to be a huge draw, an expanded version...
- 4/19/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
"Starship Troopers" was not a big hit when it arrived in 1997, and many audiences didn't know what to make of the darkly satirical tone created by "RoboCop" filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. In the years since its release, however, Verhoeven's violent, funny, action-packed sci-fi flick has been re-evaluated and become both a cult classic and a movie that some people still don't understand.
Adapted from Robert A. Heinlein's novel, "Starship Troopers" follows a group of youngsters who get swept up in being soldiers when alien bugs attack Earth. Of course, the war ends up being hell, and many of these fresh young faces are cut down in increasingly nasty ways. And then, just in case all of the satire went over your head, Verhoeven ends things by having Neil Patrick Harris show up dressed in a Nazi uniform.
Would you like to know more?
Well, how about this: did you know...
Adapted from Robert A. Heinlein's novel, "Starship Troopers" follows a group of youngsters who get swept up in being soldiers when alien bugs attack Earth. Of course, the war ends up being hell, and many of these fresh young faces are cut down in increasingly nasty ways. And then, just in case all of the satire went over your head, Verhoeven ends things by having Neil Patrick Harris show up dressed in a Nazi uniform.
Would you like to know more?
Well, how about this: did you know...
- 3/30/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
This article contains minor spoilers for "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire."
Godzilla is having a bit of a resurgence, between the unprecedented Oscar victory, the TV series that did not need to be this good, and now the movie "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." After the world's strongest Titans battled it out and then fought against a giant robot, "Godzilla X Kong" sees the Titans taking control of the entire planet. The surface is now Godzilla's territory while Kong rules over the Hollow Earth. Things are simple and peaceful, until a secret society of giant apes decides to take over the planet, forcing Kong and Godzilla to team up and stop them.
This may be the best movie in the MonsterVerse yet, one that balances human drama with kaiju fun, expanding the world of the Hollow Earth and fleshing out the consequences and state of the world...
Godzilla is having a bit of a resurgence, between the unprecedented Oscar victory, the TV series that did not need to be this good, and now the movie "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." After the world's strongest Titans battled it out and then fought against a giant robot, "Godzilla X Kong" sees the Titans taking control of the entire planet. The surface is now Godzilla's territory while Kong rules over the Hollow Earth. Things are simple and peaceful, until a secret society of giant apes decides to take over the planet, forcing Kong and Godzilla to team up and stop them.
This may be the best movie in the MonsterVerse yet, one that balances human drama with kaiju fun, expanding the world of the Hollow Earth and fleshing out the consequences and state of the world...
- 3/30/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
After introducing readers to the masked convention slasher known as Killr™ last fall, Stephen Graham Jones, Joshua Viola, and Ben Matsuya are teaming up to bring readers back to the Colorado Festival of Horror for another round of killer cosplay in True Believers #2. Once again featuring star-studded cameos and plenty of murderous mayhem, True Believers #2 is coming soon to Kickstarter via Hex Publishers, and we're thrilled to exclusively reveal that Trivium vocalist and guitarist Matthew Kiichi Heafy will appear in the second issue, and we also have a reveal of the new variant cover by Luigi Scarcella!
Below, we have the official press release and exclusive variant cover art reveal, and to support True Believers #2, be sure to keep an eye on the comic book's official Kickstarter page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hexpublishers/true-believers-2-a-horror-cosplay-comic-book?ref=4cf9gc
Also, to learn more about True Believers, watch Jonathan James' previous...
Below, we have the official press release and exclusive variant cover art reveal, and to support True Believers #2, be sure to keep an eye on the comic book's official Kickstarter page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hexpublishers/true-believers-2-a-horror-cosplay-comic-book?ref=4cf9gc
Also, to learn more about True Believers, watch Jonathan James' previous...
- 3/26/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Oscar Award-winning visual effects artist Phil Tippett’s Tippett Studio has engaged in an agreement to sell the majority of stakes to Indian visual effects powerhouse PhantomFX, it was announced today.
We’ve been told, “The company will continue to operate business-as-usual and will continue to provide high-level VFX and post-production services to the major studios, networks, and independents in Hollywood. The transaction represents a strategic move for both partners and will be instrumental in furthering innovation, fostering creativity, and driving growth for the VFX industry. Offices will continue to be based in the U.S., Canada, India, Dubai and the UK.”
Here’s the full press release for all the info you need…
“PhantomFX recognizes the value and prestige of the Tippett name and plans to retain the moniker as they expand into the western VFX market. A key aspect of the partnership will be PhantomFX collaborating with the...
We’ve been told, “The company will continue to operate business-as-usual and will continue to provide high-level VFX and post-production services to the major studios, networks, and independents in Hollywood. The transaction represents a strategic move for both partners and will be instrumental in furthering innovation, fostering creativity, and driving growth for the VFX industry. Offices will continue to be based in the U.S., Canada, India, Dubai and the UK.”
Here’s the full press release for all the info you need…
“PhantomFX recognizes the value and prestige of the Tippett name and plans to retain the moniker as they expand into the western VFX market. A key aspect of the partnership will be PhantomFX collaborating with the...
- 3/12/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: PhantomFX, an Indian VFX powerhouse that has worked on everything from The Avengers and The Walking Dead franchise to Outlander, is set to acquire a majority stake in Tippett Studio, the animation and visual effects production company of Oscar-winning filmmaker Phil Tippett.
Under the agreement, Tippett Studio will retain its name and continue to provide high-level VFX and post-production services to the major studios, networks, and independents. Tippett North America CEO Gary Mundell will stay on in his current role with a seat on the board alongside Cliff McDowell, who has now moved into the COO position for North America.
Retaining his seat on the board, Phil Tippett will continue his creative involvement with Tippett Studio, working alongside his team and those at PhantomFX to develop standalone intellectual property. The transaction represents a strategic move for both partners, as PhantomFX looks to elevate its status within the industry by...
Under the agreement, Tippett Studio will retain its name and continue to provide high-level VFX and post-production services to the major studios, networks, and independents. Tippett North America CEO Gary Mundell will stay on in his current role with a seat on the board alongside Cliff McDowell, who has now moved into the COO position for North America.
Retaining his seat on the board, Phil Tippett will continue his creative involvement with Tippett Studio, working alongside his team and those at PhantomFX to develop standalone intellectual property. The transaction represents a strategic move for both partners, as PhantomFX looks to elevate its status within the industry by...
- 3/12/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s Millie Bobby Brown versus dragon in Netflix’s dark fantasy adventure. Here’s our review of Damsel:
By pure coincidence, Damsel arrives on Netflix almost exactly a century after German director Fritz Lang introduced what was likely cinema’s first dragon in 1924’s Die Nibelungen. Lang and his collaborators brought their fearsome creature to life with a mixture of rubber, mechanical joints and puppetry (plus a bit of cocaine if one account is to be believed), and the result has a physical presence that is still captivating 100 years later.
In Damsel, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and production designer Patrick Tatopoulos used CGI to create their dragon, but it still has plenty of weight, personality, and most importantly, menace. Unlike the gigantic winged beasts of, say, 1981’s Dragonslayer (which had terrific animation from Phil Tippett) or 2002’s Reign Of Fire, Damsel’s dragon is also relatively compact – it’s...
By pure coincidence, Damsel arrives on Netflix almost exactly a century after German director Fritz Lang introduced what was likely cinema’s first dragon in 1924’s Die Nibelungen. Lang and his collaborators brought their fearsome creature to life with a mixture of rubber, mechanical joints and puppetry (plus a bit of cocaine if one account is to be believed), and the result has a physical presence that is still captivating 100 years later.
In Damsel, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and production designer Patrick Tatopoulos used CGI to create their dragon, but it still has plenty of weight, personality, and most importantly, menace. Unlike the gigantic winged beasts of, say, 1981’s Dragonslayer (which had terrific animation from Phil Tippett) or 2002’s Reign Of Fire, Damsel’s dragon is also relatively compact – it’s...
- 3/8/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
It is 36 years since RoboCop blasted its way onto UK cinema screens and made a splash of epic, gruesome, proportions. With that a cult-like following is born and the film’s influence cannot be overstated.
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop is an incredibly methodical ‘making of’ documentary that has now set the standard and an exceptionally high one, no less. It comes as no surprise with the success of their recent projects which include Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story and Pennywise: The Story of It.
The documentary oozes passion and is testament to its directors Christopher Griffiths and Eastwood Allen clear love for the film in a project that has been over seven years in the making.
This four part series spans over more than four hours is nothing short of a triumph, it is forensic in its analysis and brings to life the chaos of the RoboCop shoot and does so brilliantly.
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop is an incredibly methodical ‘making of’ documentary that has now set the standard and an exceptionally high one, no less. It comes as no surprise with the success of their recent projects which include Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story and Pennywise: The Story of It.
The documentary oozes passion and is testament to its directors Christopher Griffiths and Eastwood Allen clear love for the film in a project that has been over seven years in the making.
This four part series spans over more than four hours is nothing short of a triumph, it is forensic in its analysis and brings to life the chaos of the RoboCop shoot and does so brilliantly.
- 2/5/2024
- by Thomas Alexander
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The campy erotic horror Suitable Flesh, from director Joe Lynch (Mayhem, Chillerama) and adapted from H.P. Lovecraft’s cult favorite short story, is streaming exclusively on Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural. The film will also be available to stream on AMC+.
Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient who’s suffering from extreme personality disorder. However, it soon leads her into occult danger as she tries to escape from a horrific fate. Starring Heather Graham (Boogie Nights), Judah Lewis (The Babysitter), Bruce Davison (X-Men, Ozark) and Barbara Crampton (Superhost).
Suitable Flesh was produced by Crampton, Bob Portal, Inderpal Singh and Joe Wicker.
About Shudder
AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and Original Content is...
Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient who’s suffering from extreme personality disorder. However, it soon leads her into occult danger as she tries to escape from a horrific fate. Starring Heather Graham (Boogie Nights), Judah Lewis (The Babysitter), Bruce Davison (X-Men, Ozark) and Barbara Crampton (Superhost).
Suitable Flesh was produced by Crampton, Bob Portal, Inderpal Singh and Joe Wicker.
About Shudder
AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and Original Content is...
- 2/2/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Dr. Viktor Frankenstein is the fictional keystone for generations of horror artists. Monster makers bring dreams and nightmares to life, realizing a filmmaker's vision for the impossible things we need to see and shudder at. While movie monsters existed long before Bela Lugosi put on Dracula's cape in 1931, the birth of the classic Universal Monsters franchise is hard to ignore as a watershed moment for things that go bump in the night. Since then, artists like Ray Harryhausen, Phil Tippett, Stan Winston, and countless more have grown with the technology used to evolve an idea from the drawing board to the cinema screen.
However, making these critters isn't always a clear-cut process. Growing an idea into something we can shudder at can take a few attempts to get terrifying right. Sometimes, even the things that go bump in the night had their awkward teenage years. Below, find out about some...
However, making these critters isn't always a clear-cut process. Growing an idea into something we can shudder at can take a few attempts to get terrifying right. Sometimes, even the things that go bump in the night had their awkward teenage years. Below, find out about some...
- 1/29/2024
- by Margaret David
- Slash Film
Cody Kennedy and Tim Rutherford's "The Last Video Store" is more than a midnighter ode to mom-and-pop rental shops where countless cinefreaks found their calling. It's a meta-horror blast of nostalgia about how loving movies can be both a blessing and a curse. Kennedy and Rutherford told my Fantastic Fest audience their production is held together with duct tape and passion — which is unmistakably evident in both cases. "The Last Video Store" isn't the sharpest horror genre satire, nor the prettiest pumpkin in the patch, but there's a scrappiness to classic genre homages that makes this a treat for cult film lovers everywhere.
Kevin Martin stars as Blaster Video owner Kevin (Martin owns Edmonton's The Lobby DVD Shop) — one of the last proprietors of VHS tapes amidst the almighty format wars. In walks Nyla (Vanessa Adams) with a stack of overdue videotapes on behalf of her father. Kevin regales...
Kevin Martin stars as Blaster Video owner Kevin (Martin owns Edmonton's The Lobby DVD Shop) — one of the last proprietors of VHS tapes amidst the almighty format wars. In walks Nyla (Vanessa Adams) with a stack of overdue videotapes on behalf of her father. Kevin regales...
- 9/26/2023
- by Matt Donato
- Slash Film
The recent trend of docu-feature series exploring the history of popular IPs is gradually becoming popular among dedicated fans due to how genuinely interesting and informative they can be. The most recently released among such ventures is the first season of Robodoc: The Creation of Robocop, a Screambox original, which takes a look back at the excruciating production process, development, and brainstorming that went behind the 1987 sci-fi classic Robocop. The movie is still considered one of the topmost sci-fi pieces ever released by Western media, which was not only topical and philosophical but it has also proven itself to be timeless, at least in the current era more than ever.
The four one-hour-long episodes, which include excerpts from detailed narrations of the chief creator duo Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, director Paul Verhoeven, the Robocop actor Peter Weller himself, cinematographer Josh Vacano, production designer Phil Tippett, William Sandell (Rob Bottin...
The four one-hour-long episodes, which include excerpts from detailed narrations of the chief creator duo Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, director Paul Verhoeven, the Robocop actor Peter Weller himself, cinematographer Josh Vacano, production designer Phil Tippett, William Sandell (Rob Bottin...
- 9/26/2023
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
Pete Kozachik, the Oscar-nominated visual effects artist who contributed his stop-motion expertise to such films as The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, Corpse Bride and Coraline, has died. He was 72.
Kozachik died peacefully Tuesday in hospice care in his Northern California home of complications from primary progressive aphasia, a rare form of Alzheimer’s, his wife, Katy Moore-Kozachik, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kozachik also operated a stop-motion camera on Ghostbusters II (1989) and served as director of miniature photography on Starship Troopers (1997) and as a visual effects cameraman on Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002).
At Industrial Light & Magic, he worked on films including Howard the Duck (1986), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), Innerspace (1987) and Willow (1988) before rejoining frequent collaborator Phil Tippett on the RoboCop sequels released in 1990 and ’93.
For director Henry Selick, Kozachik was director of photography on The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), James and the Giant Peach...
Kozachik died peacefully Tuesday in hospice care in his Northern California home of complications from primary progressive aphasia, a rare form of Alzheimer’s, his wife, Katy Moore-Kozachik, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kozachik also operated a stop-motion camera on Ghostbusters II (1989) and served as director of miniature photography on Starship Troopers (1997) and as a visual effects cameraman on Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002).
At Industrial Light & Magic, he worked on films including Howard the Duck (1986), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), Innerspace (1987) and Willow (1988) before rejoining frequent collaborator Phil Tippett on the RoboCop sequels released in 1990 and ’93.
For director Henry Selick, Kozachik was director of photography on The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), James and the Giant Peach...
- 9/18/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On the road to Halloween, Screambox is unleashing another massive wave of spooky streaming here in September 2023, and we’ve got the full lineup for you today.
First up, a horde of cretaceous creatures attack a coastal town on prom night in Crabs! The indie horror-comedy is streaming exclusively on Screambox right now.
Ahead of Netflix’s new series “Gamera: Rebirth” on September 7, the Gamera Collection stomps onto Screambox on September 4. All 12 films in the giant monster movie franchise are included, from the classic Gamera: The Giant Monster to the influential ’90s reboot, Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, and the latest installment, Gamera the Brave.
Screambox delves into The History of Metal and Horror on September 15. Explore how the two genres have intersected with horror icons like John Carpenter, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Doug Bradley, and Tom Savini alongside such metal luminaries as Rob Zombie, Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine,...
First up, a horde of cretaceous creatures attack a coastal town on prom night in Crabs! The indie horror-comedy is streaming exclusively on Screambox right now.
Ahead of Netflix’s new series “Gamera: Rebirth” on September 7, the Gamera Collection stomps onto Screambox on September 4. All 12 films in the giant monster movie franchise are included, from the classic Gamera: The Giant Monster to the influential ’90s reboot, Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, and the latest installment, Gamera the Brave.
Screambox delves into The History of Metal and Horror on September 15. Explore how the two genres have intersected with horror icons like John Carpenter, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Doug Bradley, and Tom Savini alongside such metal luminaries as Rob Zombie, Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine,...
- 9/2/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The 1990 creature feature Tremors is one of my all-time favorite movies – and in 1996, it received one of the best direct-to-video sequels ever made when Tremors II: Aftershocks (watch it Here) hit store shelves. Today, Arrow Video announced that they’re bringing Tremors II to 4K on November 27th, and they’re also packing the release with new special features! Copies can be pre-ordered through the Arrow Video website.
Directed by S.S. Wilson, who also wrote the screenplay with Brent Maddock, Tremors II: Aftershocks has the following synopsis: After spending all the reward money from his first encounter with the giant, man-eating worms, the Graboids, Earl Bassett agrees to hunt more deadly creatures at a Mexican oil refinery for $50,000 each. Knowing he can’t take on the monsters alone, Earl recruits Burt Gummer, another veteran of the Nevada incident, to provide the weapons. However, Graboids are evolving to attack above ground…...
Directed by S.S. Wilson, who also wrote the screenplay with Brent Maddock, Tremors II: Aftershocks has the following synopsis: After spending all the reward money from his first encounter with the giant, man-eating worms, the Graboids, Earl Bassett agrees to hunt more deadly creatures at a Mexican oil refinery for $50,000 each. Knowing he can’t take on the monsters alone, Earl recruits Burt Gummer, another veteran of the Nevada incident, to provide the weapons. However, Graboids are evolving to attack above ground…...
- 8/25/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
In the wake of bringing the original Tremors to 4K Ultra HD, Arrow Video has announced this morning that Tremors 2: Aftershocks is also getting a 4K upgrade this year.
You’ll be able to grab the 1996 sequel on Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD (UK/US/CA), Limited Edition 4K Uhd: Arrow Store Exclusive (UK/US), or Limited Edition Blu-ray (UK/US/CA).
Tremors 2: Aftershocks hits 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on November 28, 2023.
Arrow Video previews, “Reprising the same mix of nail-biting horror and rib-tickling humor that made the original film so beloved, Tremors 2: Aftershocks is back in a brand new 4K restoration that makes this creature feature pop like never before!”
Special Features include…
New 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director S.S. Wilson 4K (2160p) Uhd Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original lossless 2.0 and 4.0 surround audio Optional English subtitles...
You’ll be able to grab the 1996 sequel on Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD (UK/US/CA), Limited Edition 4K Uhd: Arrow Store Exclusive (UK/US), or Limited Edition Blu-ray (UK/US/CA).
Tremors 2: Aftershocks hits 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on November 28, 2023.
Arrow Video previews, “Reprising the same mix of nail-biting horror and rib-tickling humor that made the original film so beloved, Tremors 2: Aftershocks is back in a brand new 4K restoration that makes this creature feature pop like never before!”
Special Features include…
New 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director S.S. Wilson 4K (2160p) Uhd Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original lossless 2.0 and 4.0 surround audio Optional English subtitles...
- 8/25/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Screambox Original four-part docuseries RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop will premiere on August 29, Bloody Disgusting is excited to announce this week. New hour-long episodes will follow weekly through September 19 on the Bd-powered Screambox.
Featuring exclusive insight from stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Ray Wise, and Kurtwood Smith, director Paul Verhoeven, writers Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, special effects legend Phil Tippett, and more, RoboDoc offers an in-depth look at the making and impact of the trailblazing 1987 dystopian action classic.
Part man, part machine, all cop, RoboCop burst onto the scene as the cinematic landscape began to shift and artificial intelligence was capturing the public’s imagination. The boundary-pushing film spawned an unlikely franchise that includes two sequels, an animated series, and a Hollywood remake, along with comic books, video games, toys, and merchandise galore.
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop is co-directed by Chris Griffiths and Eastwood Allen and produced by Gary Smart.
Featuring exclusive insight from stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Ray Wise, and Kurtwood Smith, director Paul Verhoeven, writers Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, special effects legend Phil Tippett, and more, RoboDoc offers an in-depth look at the making and impact of the trailblazing 1987 dystopian action classic.
Part man, part machine, all cop, RoboCop burst onto the scene as the cinematic landscape began to shift and artificial intelligence was capturing the public’s imagination. The boundary-pushing film spawned an unlikely franchise that includes two sequels, an animated series, and a Hollywood remake, along with comic books, video games, toys, and merchandise galore.
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop is co-directed by Chris Griffiths and Eastwood Allen and produced by Gary Smart.
- 8/18/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The power of Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Herz, and Joe Ritter's "The Toxic Avenger" is truly remarkable if you really think about it. Troma Films' 1984 low-budget, superhero-splatter comedy launched a franchise that included an animated series, an off-Broadway rock musical, three film sequels, and now a remake from Macon Blair for Legendary Pictures. We know that production on the film wrapped sometime in 2021, the film is stacked with film fanatic favorites, and that "Game of Thrones" star Peter Dinklage would be picking up the mop as the new Toxie. But today, after the wild and wonderful weirdos at Fantastic Fest announced that "The Toxic Avenger" would be opening this year's festival, even more exciting news came to the surface regarding the film.
"Let's start with the headline grabbers," Fantastic Fest tweeted. Opening night: 'The Toxic Avenger.' Peter Dinklage wields the mop. Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon rule.
"Let's start with the headline grabbers," Fantastic Fest tweeted. Opening night: 'The Toxic Avenger.' Peter Dinklage wields the mop. Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon rule.
- 8/16/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
This story about the production design of “Poker Face” first appeared in the Down to the Wire: Comedy issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
Even in a galaxy far, far away, offscreen alliances can be forged that come in handy down the road. Director Rian Johnson had the great good fortune to meet stop-motion legend Phil Tippett while he was working on 2017’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” at Skywalker Ranch near Tippett’s home, and the pairing led to “The Orpheus Syndrome,” one of the most satisfying episodes of Peacock’s sleuth comedy “Poker Face.” In the episode, a hermetic, Tippett-like designer (Nick Nolte), scarred by a filmmaking mishap years prior, finds himself blindsided by the schemes hatched up by his effects-house mogul boss (Cherry Jones), only to have the resourceful Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) interfere when she becomes his assistant.
“The Orpheus Syndrome” had the full blessing of Tippett,...
Even in a galaxy far, far away, offscreen alliances can be forged that come in handy down the road. Director Rian Johnson had the great good fortune to meet stop-motion legend Phil Tippett while he was working on 2017’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” at Skywalker Ranch near Tippett’s home, and the pairing led to “The Orpheus Syndrome,” one of the most satisfying episodes of Peacock’s sleuth comedy “Poker Face.” In the episode, a hermetic, Tippett-like designer (Nick Nolte), scarred by a filmmaking mishap years prior, finds himself blindsided by the schemes hatched up by his effects-house mogul boss (Cherry Jones), only to have the resourceful Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) interfere when she becomes his assistant.
“The Orpheus Syndrome” had the full blessing of Tippett,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
The eagerly-anticipated RoboCop documentary RoboDoc hits streaming service Screambox & VOD, on August 29th.
It is over 30 years since the Paul Verhoeven classic blasted its way onto the big screen leaving a trail of body parts and blood. Directed by Eastwood Allen and Christopher Griffiths, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop will showcase the chaotic production of the first movie and more. This is part one of what will be a 4-part limited series spanning over four hours.
Though the streaming release is U.S only, Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment have acquired UK distribution rights with a release expected by the end of the year.
In what promises to be the most in-depth insight into the making of the films as well as TV series it features over 60 interviews with cast and crew including Paul Verhoeven, Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, Ronny Cox as well as Phil Tippett.
Initially Peter Weller was not set...
It is over 30 years since the Paul Verhoeven classic blasted its way onto the big screen leaving a trail of body parts and blood. Directed by Eastwood Allen and Christopher Griffiths, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop will showcase the chaotic production of the first movie and more. This is part one of what will be a 4-part limited series spanning over four hours.
Though the streaming release is U.S only, Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment have acquired UK distribution rights with a release expected by the end of the year.
In what promises to be the most in-depth insight into the making of the films as well as TV series it features over 60 interviews with cast and crew including Paul Verhoeven, Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, Ronny Cox as well as Phil Tippett.
Initially Peter Weller was not set...
- 8/1/2023
- by Thomas Alexander
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
“Star Wars” is one of the biggest franchises of all time and has welcomed multiple generations to a galaxy far, far away for 45 years. George Lucas’ groundbreaking vision, which began all the way back in 1977 with “A New Hope,” changed the movie industry forever and, with that, made a mark on the Academy Awards that year with a Best Picture nomination. However, the relationship between “Star Wars” and the Oscars hasn’t always been as lovable as Han Solo and Chewie. In fact, there’s often been a touch of Vader-Luke in the conflicted dynamic between the two institutions. Here’s a breakdown of the history of every “Star Wars” movie at the Academy Awards, ranked in terms of Oscars success.
“A New Hope” (1977)
Dir: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
“Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and...
“A New Hope” (1977)
Dir: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
“Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and...
- 7/28/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Large scale puppets, miniatures and various other all-practical effects will come together for Grylu Sker, an Icelandic ghost story from the creators of The Haunted Swordsman – along with Sjón, co-writer of Robert Eggers’ The Northman – that is now funding on Kickstarter.
The film will even feature a stop motion animation sequence supervised by Oscar-winner Phil Tippett (Mad God), so it’s no surprise that the Kickstarter fund has been a smashing success so far. Running until August 11, over $90,000 of the total $120,000 goal has already been raised!
Billed as a gothic adventure, Grylu Sker is the tale of a lost explorer set in a world of Icelandic folklore written by Tab Murphy and Icelandic author Sjón (co-writer of The Northman). It is a story of an explorer’s fight for survival on a bleak unforgiving island and also a re-imagining of the legendary Icelandic witch Gryla.
Director Kevin McTurk explains, “This...
The film will even feature a stop motion animation sequence supervised by Oscar-winner Phil Tippett (Mad God), so it’s no surprise that the Kickstarter fund has been a smashing success so far. Running until August 11, over $90,000 of the total $120,000 goal has already been raised!
Billed as a gothic adventure, Grylu Sker is the tale of a lost explorer set in a world of Icelandic folklore written by Tab Murphy and Icelandic author Sjón (co-writer of The Northman). It is a story of an explorer’s fight for survival on a bleak unforgiving island and also a re-imagining of the legendary Icelandic witch Gryla.
Director Kevin McTurk explains, “This...
- 7/27/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
In “I’m a Virgo,” Jharrel Jerome plays a 13-foot-tall teenager in Oakland named Cootie raised by his aunt and uncle (Carmen Ejogo and Mike Epps) in secret. Over the course of the show’s first season, Cootie comes out of hiding, makes friends, and contends with media obsession over his height. Like Riley’s first feature “Sorry to Bother You,” the series develops its own internal logic as it transforms into a scathing indictment of capitalism from some very unexpected directions.
None of that would hold up without its central conceit, which proved challenging, given that Jerome is actually five feet and eight inches. Riley made the show with Amazon on a relatively modest $53 million budget (around the same time that its first season of “Lord of the Rings” cost a reported $1 billion). However, the minimal effects budget wasn’t the only reason he turned to puppets and forced perspective...
None of that would hold up without its central conceit, which proved challenging, given that Jerome is actually five feet and eight inches. Riley made the show with Amazon on a relatively modest $53 million budget (around the same time that its first season of “Lord of the Rings” cost a reported $1 billion). However, the minimal effects budget wasn’t the only reason he turned to puppets and forced perspective...
- 6/29/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Poker Face pulled off many things in its debut season. With its murder-mystery-of-the-week plot in a new spin on the detective genre, the Natasha Lyonne-starring Peacock series from Rian Johnson revived the concept of procedural television for streaming, saw Benjamin Bratt turn a catchy Blues Traveler song into a poetic monologue and recruited Star Wars legend Phil Tippett for one episode’s special effects. But perhaps most impressive, Poker Face assembled an eye-popping roster of guest stars.
How did they nab Nick Nolte to play opposite Cherry Jones in Hollywood saga “The Orpheus Syndrome”? Who knew that Ellen Barkin and Tim Meadows would have such fiery chemistry in theater sendup “Exit Stage Death”? How did they convince the likes of Adrien Brody, Stephanie Hsu, Ron Perlman and Tim Russ to come in for one episode just to be killed off? And, who knew that S. Epatha Merkerson and Judith Light...
How did they nab Nick Nolte to play opposite Cherry Jones in Hollywood saga “The Orpheus Syndrome”? Who knew that Ellen Barkin and Tim Meadows would have such fiery chemistry in theater sendup “Exit Stage Death”? How did they convince the likes of Adrien Brody, Stephanie Hsu, Ron Perlman and Tim Russ to come in for one episode just to be killed off? And, who knew that S. Epatha Merkerson and Judith Light...
- 6/20/2023
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
VFX legend Phil Tippett, whose totally bonkers “Mad God” stop-motion horror film finally got released last year, is a special effects Emmy hopeful this season for an episode of Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face” on Peacock, written and directed by star Natasha Lyonne. He not only contributed old-school monster puppets but also inspired its story about a crusty old stop-motion filmmaker (Nick Nolte). The busy Tippett also supplied hellish cave set designs for Season 3 of “The Mandalorian” (on Disney+).
Both projects came as a result of Tippett’s “Star Wars” fame, which began when he led the Ilm animation department for “The Empire Strikes Back.” On the “Star Wars” sequel, he co-developed the “go motion” animation technique (stop-motion with motion blur) and was responsible for the At-at Imperial Walkers and the hybrid alien Tauntauns. On “Return of the Jedi,” he won his first Oscar for his creature work; with “Jurassic Park,...
Both projects came as a result of Tippett’s “Star Wars” fame, which began when he led the Ilm animation department for “The Empire Strikes Back.” On the “Star Wars” sequel, he co-developed the “go motion” animation technique (stop-motion with motion blur) and was responsible for the At-at Imperial Walkers and the hybrid alien Tauntauns. On “Return of the Jedi,” he won his first Oscar for his creature work; with “Jurassic Park,...
- 6/10/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“Poker Face” star and executive producer Natasha Lyonne makes an indelible impression as Charlie Cale in Season 1 of Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face,” but she’s far from the only one lending memorable acting chops to the Peacock series.
Throughout the mystery-of-the-week comedy’s initial run, guest stars included (but were not limited to) Adrien Brody, Chloë Sevigny, Clea DuVall, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jameela Jamil, Judith Light, Lil Rel Howery, Nick Nolte, Ron Perlman, Stephanie Hsu and Tim Meadows.
Fitting in this many famous faces with the central one in “Poker Face” required immense coordination by casting directors Mary Vernieu and Bret Howe, as well as the friendships and connections of Lyonne and Johnson. And then it was up to the actors to shine around Lyonne’s human lie detector.
Light led the guest star cast for Episode 5, “Time of the Monkey,” alongside S. Epatha Merkerson. They played Irene Smothers and Joyce Harris,...
Throughout the mystery-of-the-week comedy’s initial run, guest stars included (but were not limited to) Adrien Brody, Chloë Sevigny, Clea DuVall, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jameela Jamil, Judith Light, Lil Rel Howery, Nick Nolte, Ron Perlman, Stephanie Hsu and Tim Meadows.
Fitting in this many famous faces with the central one in “Poker Face” required immense coordination by casting directors Mary Vernieu and Bret Howe, as well as the friendships and connections of Lyonne and Johnson. And then it was up to the actors to shine around Lyonne’s human lie detector.
Light led the guest star cast for Episode 5, “Time of the Monkey,” alongside S. Epatha Merkerson. They played Irene Smothers and Joyce Harris,...
- 6/8/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
You know the laugh. You know the beady little eyes and floppy ears. The little Kowakian monkey-lizard Salacious B. Crumb may have been on the wrong side of things in 1983's "Star Wars: Episode IV — Return of the Jedi," but somehow Jabba the Hutt's tiny jester has become a fan favorite over the years. To be fair, he always was. The diminutive cackler was the talk of the playground when I was little, and rightly so.
In case you have somehow managed to exist in the world without seeing this film (and I know there are some of you out there), Salacious B. Crumb is perched at Jabba's side in the film as the crime lord baits a mostly blind Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and captures Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), chaining her to his side. Crumb helps with the mockery by repeating things Jabba says, and his laugh is ... well,...
In case you have somehow managed to exist in the world without seeing this film (and I know there are some of you out there), Salacious B. Crumb is perched at Jabba's side in the film as the crime lord baits a mostly blind Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and captures Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), chaining her to his side. Crumb helps with the mockery by repeating things Jabba says, and his laugh is ... well,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
The idea of the “movie star” is usually reserved for the uber-famous; Margot Robbie, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The occasional director like Jordan Peele or Christopher Nolan, filmmakers so well established they have their own font. But in the genre world, it’s different. As much as you might see a crowd turn out in force for the game-changing work of a John Carpenter, or a Michelle Yeoh, you’re just as likely to see lines around the block for Dick Smith, Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, Greg Nicotero, Phil Tippett or Tom Savini – Hollywood’s most lauded special effects and make-up artists. The physical creators of some of the most iconic characters in cinema history: our movie monsters.
Which explains Forbidden Worlds Film Festival’s entire strand devoted to ‘Creature Creators’; a series of films shining a spotlight on these visual effects ‘stars’. Charting a course from Willis O’Brien’s...
Which explains Forbidden Worlds Film Festival’s entire strand devoted to ‘Creature Creators’; a series of films shining a spotlight on these visual effects ‘stars’. Charting a course from Willis O’Brien’s...
- 5/21/2023
- by Ben Robins
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Close your eyes and meditate on the Force for a moment. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about "Star Wars"? For me, it's the opening shot of "A New Hope" when the Tantive IV is being stalked by Darth Vader's Star Destroyer, the Devastator. The next image is, without a doubt, Ben Solo igniting Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber to give to Luke in his hut on Tatooine. By leaps and bounds, the lightsaber has become the most recognizable piece of "Star Wars" lore.
Used sparingly throughout the original trilogy, the Jedi's weapon was only unsheathed in a handful of key moments, allowing for maximum impact when Luke, Obi-Wan or Vader ignited their blade. As the Skywalker saga continued into the prequels, the lightsaber was used one too many times and the magic of seeing it on screen was severely diminished. By choosing to not...
Used sparingly throughout the original trilogy, the Jedi's weapon was only unsheathed in a handful of key moments, allowing for maximum impact when Luke, Obi-Wan or Vader ignited their blade. As the Skywalker saga continued into the prequels, the lightsaber was used one too many times and the magic of seeing it on screen was severely diminished. By choosing to not...
- 5/4/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Wooden puppet stop-motion samurai awesomeness! A must watch! Hidari is a stop-motion animated film currently in development in Japan under the direction of Masashi Kawamura. The film recently finished a massive funding round on Kickstarter, and they've released a 5-minute pilot short to show everyone how this will look. It Rules!! I've always been a fan of stop-motion, but I've never seen anything like this. The film tells the story of "Jingoro Hidari," a legendary Edo-era craftsman. All characters are made by wood & animated frame-by-frame, just like how Jingoro's wooden sculptures came to life in his stories. This short mixes dynamic action as seen in Japanimation, and the rich analog expressions of stop-motion. "As a kid who was raised watching films by Ray Harryhausen, Kihachiro Kawamoto, and Phil Tippett, I always dreamt about one day creating a long length stop-motion animation film." I'm 100% in. Can't wait to see it finished.
- 4/27/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Existential quandaries meet expressionist monsters in Takahide Hori’s dystopian world
Envisioning a dystopian future where humans inch closer to immortality while losing the ability to procreate, Takahide Hori’s stop-motion adventure journeys through a gloomy, dilapidated universe filled with exquisitely strange creatures. Considering that the film is mostly a one-man operation – Hori pores over nearly every technical aspect himself – the worldbuilding details are simply extraordinary, bringing to mind the nightmarish virtuosity of Phil Tippett’s Mad God.
Seeking a solution to a diminishing population, a human scientist plunges into the subterranean domains inhabited by the Magarins, mutants whose labour powers the running of the city above. After an accident obliterates his physical form, the mind of our wandering protagonist is transferred into a succession of mechanical guises, blurring the difference between his humanity and the clone workers.
Envisioning a dystopian future where humans inch closer to immortality while losing the ability to procreate, Takahide Hori’s stop-motion adventure journeys through a gloomy, dilapidated universe filled with exquisitely strange creatures. Considering that the film is mostly a one-man operation – Hori pores over nearly every technical aspect himself – the worldbuilding details are simply extraordinary, bringing to mind the nightmarish virtuosity of Phil Tippett’s Mad God.
Seeking a solution to a diminishing population, a human scientist plunges into the subterranean domains inhabited by the Magarins, mutants whose labour powers the running of the city above. After an accident obliterates his physical form, the mind of our wandering protagonist is transferred into a succession of mechanical guises, blurring the difference between his humanity and the clone workers.
- 4/19/2023
- by Phuong Le
- The Guardian - Film News
Peacock’s hit Poker Face has been a hit for creator Rian Johnson, who envisioned recreating the magic of 70s and 80s case-of-the-week classics like Rockford Files and Columbo — and it worked.
Related: Deadline Studio At Contenders Television 2023 – Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Dominique Fishback, Riley Keough, Natasha Lyonne & More
Johnson tips his hat to star Natasha Lyonne for much of the show’s success.
“I had the idea in my head of wanting to do a case of the week, episodic type show. Something that was kind of like the TV shows I grew up loving like Magnum P.I., Murder, She Wrote and Quantum Leap. I wanted to go back to that versus a show with a mystery that runs across the whole season,” Johnson said during Deadline’s TV Contender event on Saturday. “What I realized is that what these shows have in common is they all have...
Related: Deadline Studio At Contenders Television 2023 – Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Dominique Fishback, Riley Keough, Natasha Lyonne & More
Johnson tips his hat to star Natasha Lyonne for much of the show’s success.
“I had the idea in my head of wanting to do a case of the week, episodic type show. Something that was kind of like the TV shows I grew up loving like Magnum P.I., Murder, She Wrote and Quantum Leap. I wanted to go back to that versus a show with a mystery that runs across the whole season,” Johnson said during Deadline’s TV Contender event on Saturday. “What I realized is that what these shows have in common is they all have...
- 4/15/2023
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Star Wars Celebration 2023 was full of surprises. Trailers, news, and first looks were unveiled for lucky fans of a galaxy far, far away in London, England. But there was arguably no cooler reveal than the premiere of an episode of the upcoming "Star Wars: Visions Volume 2" made by animation studio Aardman.
The short, titled "I Am Your Mother," is just what you'd expect from an Aardman "Star Wars" project. It is very cute and full of heart, but also extremely funny and imaginative, with every scene packed to the rim with Easter eggs that feel organic, as if we're watching actual people living in this universe with countless tales of heroes.
Stop-motion animation has always been a part of "Star Wars." It is as integral to this franchise as VFX or John Williams' music, with Phil Tippett's work on the At-at and the Tauntauns helping make that film timeless and well-crafted.
The short, titled "I Am Your Mother," is just what you'd expect from an Aardman "Star Wars" project. It is very cute and full of heart, but also extremely funny and imaginative, with every scene packed to the rim with Easter eggs that feel organic, as if we're watching actual people living in this universe with countless tales of heroes.
Stop-motion animation has always been a part of "Star Wars." It is as integral to this franchise as VFX or John Williams' music, with Phil Tippett's work on the At-at and the Tauntauns helping make that film timeless and well-crafted.
- 4/11/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The animated anthology series "Star Wars: Visions," which debuted in 2021, may be the best way to explore the franchise's vast and complicated mythology, better even than legacy shows like "The Book of Boba Fett" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi." Every one of the "Star Wars" movies has featured a lot of background detail, often depicting space aliens of all walks of life casually going about their business, oblivious to the adventures that our heroes may be going through at any given moment. In presenting out-of-timeline animated shorts, "Visions" has the leeway to look into the cracks and explore what life is like in the "Star Wars" universe outside the tiresome saga of the Skywalkers. It has only been through expanded universe fiction, and shows like "Visions," that Starwoids have been able to see what non-soldiers are doing in wartime.
The first seasons of "Visions" featured shorts exclusively from Japanese animation studios, including...
The first seasons of "Visions" featured shorts exclusively from Japanese animation studios, including...
- 4/10/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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