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Is Disney pushing the boundary of PG13 with Marvel Universe Cross-Over?

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I am not a big fan of fast food chains that include promotional toys for PG13 rated films with kids meals. We don’t give them our money during those promotions. Cereal brands that pull the same trick are off the shopping list too. I think that it is pretty clear cut; if the kid isn’t old enough to see the movie based on its rating, then you shouldn’t be marketing to them. The same applies for TV commercials on cartoon networks that are clearly aimed at the younger set. Although, this is less clear, since some older kids and adults do watch these shows.

Even less clear cut is what I’m now encountering with Marvels cross-over between the PG13 rated feature film “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and TV PG rated ABC television show “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD.”

In general, I won’t bring my son, who is 10 years old, to see a PG13 rated film unless I’ve seen it first (or get the okay from someone I trust who has seen it). Although I have seen the movie, I have not decided if Captain America: The Winter Soldier is okay for him to see. But let’s assume that I want him to wait till he’s a bit older.

There are things that happen in Captain America that will greatly change the direction of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, a show which we watch together (a father and son night). The last two episodes of AoS run pretty much concurrently with the event of The Winter Soldier. And already events in one have affected the other.

Read More »Is Disney pushing the boundary of PG13 with Marvel Universe Cross-Over?

Captain America Storms The Box Office Nets $96.2 Million in Opening Weekend

In true super hero fashion, Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier smashed the record for best April box office weekend with a cool $96.2-million debut. Add that to the already fantastic overseas totals (a $303-million worldwide total so far) and it’s safe to say that… Read More »Captain America Storms The Box Office Nets $96.2 Million in Opening Weekend

Disney’s Frozen Now Number One Animated Film of All Time For Worldwide Box Office

If you hear loud crowing from Burbank this weekend, that’s Walt Disney Animation Studios justifiably cheering for the success of their 2014 hit animated feature “Frozen.” This weekend, Disney’s “Frozen” officially became the highest grossing animated film of all time blowing out all other animated… Read More »Disney’s Frozen Now Number One Animated Film of All Time For Worldwide Box Office

Shirley Temple, Starlet of Hollywood, Dead at age 85

Child star and Hollywood legend Shirley Temple Black died on Monday at age 85. As a child in the 1930’s, she tap danced and sang her way into the hearts of America and the world. As an adult she became involved in politics and served… Read More »Shirley Temple, Starlet of Hollywood, Dead at age 85

Thor: The Dark World, A Fantastic Return To Marvel’s Universe

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Update: just added new Preview below.

In the latest Marvel superhero mega-movie, the stakes are as big as can be and so is the movie. We saw Thor: The Dark World in 3D which made the film appear even bigger as much of the action jumps off the screen at you. As a sequel to Thor (and really, The Avengers), The Dark World progressed the story along nicely, and had all the elements a superhero movie requires.

Natalie Portman returns to play astrophysicist Jane Foster, and Thor’s love interest from the first movie. We find the hammer wielding god, played for the third time by Chris Hemsworth, in the role of peacekeeper in the 9 realms that Asgardians rule over. In his heart Thor pines for Foster. That this love is forbidden gets a little play at the start of the film and then is abandoned once the bad guy sets his evil plan in motion.

The bad guy is Malekith (played wonderfully by Christopher Eccleston), leader of the Dark Elves (who hail from a time before the universe was created and they’re a little cranky about that who light and goodness thing). Eccleston was pretty unrecognizable under all that makeup, but it gave him a sort of Dark Vader eeriness, and Eccleston’s acting helped elevate him into a suitable opponent for Thor. Malekith’s cohorts wore masks most of the time, reminding me alternatively of Storm Troopers (but with better aim) or, here’s your Disney reference, Spectromagic Dolls (a real horror for those in the know).

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The conflict, when it comes, is what I call comicbook violence. People die, but there’s no blood. When gods are fighting each other the stakes still manage to feel real and when humanity is involved, we are essentially ants to those with superhero abilities. That’s how it should be. The film earns its PG-13 rating, but it you have a mature kid who’s a little younger, they’ll probably be fine. Read More »Thor: The Dark World, A Fantastic Return To Marvel’s Universe

Star Wars: Episode VII Release Date set for December 18, 2015

This just in from Disney and Lucasfilm. Star Wars Episode VII has a release date. No official title yet, but we now know that it will open December 18, 2015. Pre-production is in full-swing and shooting is scheduled to begin spring 2014 at Pinewood Studios.… Read More »Star Wars: Episode VII Release Date set for December 18, 2015

New Poster for Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World

Hang on to your hats and glasses everyone, there’s a new “Payoff” poster out for Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World.” It features Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins and more in what is now a standard ‘assembled cast’ motif for Marvel’s Super Hero films.

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If you missed the teaser trailer from earlier this year, you can find it here. The full boilerplate for the movie and slate of upcoming Marvel releases is below the jump:
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Walt Disney Studios Greenlights Artemis Fowl Movie, Finally

artemisfowl-coverWith a fan base that rival’s Harry Potter the Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer have spent a lot of time on the best sellers list. Now Disney hopes it can weave that into box office gold as well with a franchise based on the popular children’s fiction series The Weinstein company kept some of the rights for the Artemis Fowl series as part of its divorce from Disney, so they’ll get producer rights and the screenplay is being written by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix scribe Michael Goldenberg.

If you’re like me and haven’t read the books, here’s a short introduction:

Artemis Fowl is about a 12-year-old Artemis who is a millionaire, a genius – and above all, a criminal mastermind. But Artemis doesn’t know what he’s taken on when he kidnaps a fairy (Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit) to harness her magic to save his family. These aren’t the fairies of the bedtime stories – they’re dangerous.

“With its balance of mystery, adventure and family appeal, Artemis Fowl is a natural fit for Disney,” said Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. “We’re looking forward to collaborating with Harvey on this exciting project.”
Read More »Walt Disney Studios Greenlights Artemis Fowl Movie, Finally