From Marvel Studios comes the eagerly anticipated “Avengers: Infinity War,” the third installment in the “Avengers” franchise and 19th Marvel Studios film to date. The release also marks the 10-year anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began with the release of “Iron Man” in 2008.
Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” is the preeminent collection of iconic Super Hero characters in one film and stars Robert Downey Jr., as Tony Stark/ Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Don Cheadle as Colonel James Rhodes/War Machine, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Paul Bettany as Vision, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Benedict Wong as Wong, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Dave Bautista as Drax, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, with Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, with Benicio Del Toro as The Collector, with Josh Brolin as Thanos, and Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord.
First appearing in the “Iron Man” #55 comic book issue in 1973, Thanos is a powerful Titan warlord who rules over the furthest regions of space and commands massive armies known as the Chitauri and the Outriders. “We always knew that the bar was very high with Thanos,” says Kevin Feige. “He made a very brief appearance in ‘The Avengers.’ He had a couple lines of dialogue and a brief appearance in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ and we saw him very briefly at the end of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’ But other than that, we’ve never really seen him do anything. We’ve just been teasing his presence and the coming of Thanos since ‘The Avengers.’”
Feige continues, “In our story, Thanos had to deliver a threat far beyond anything the Avengers had ever seen before. That’s not just making him strong and powerful. It’s about having a villain who’s charismatic and who you surprisingly begin to feel for. More so than any of our other movies, this is very much a story about Thanos and his drive, goals and past. This is the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that a film is really told from the villain’s point of view.”
“Thanos is this virtually indestructible character who’s stronger than the Hulk and has invincible skin,” explains Anthony Russo. “Many years prior to ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ his planet, Titan, experienced a cataclysmic shift. They were running out of resources, and they were overpopulated. Thanos made the recommendation to exterminate half the population randomly to save the rest of the population. Titans rejected his notion, branded him a mad man and exiled him. And the planet ended up dying.”
Ok so crazy Titan is hunting infinity stones to fix the universe in a similar way he saw a solution for his own planet.
THE INFINITY STONES PRIMER
SPACE STONE (Tesseract)
Color: Blue
Power: Used to control space and create advanced weaponry
Currently in possession: Asgard
REALITY STONE (Aether)
Color: Red
Power: Ability to warp reality at will, immense strength, durability, powers, and subjective influence over the universe
Currently in Possession: The Collector
POWER STONE (Orb)
Color: Purple
Power: Increases physical abilities, allows manipulation of energy. Can obliterate an entire planet when unleashed.
Currently in Possession: Nova Corps
MIND STONE (from Loki’s scepter)
Color: Yellow
Power: Subjugate the minds of others, bending them to the will of the user. Increased intelligence.
Currently in Possession: Vision
TIME STONE (Eye of Agamotto)
Color: Green
Power: Able to control the flow of time.
Currently in Possession: Doctor Strange
SOUL STONE
Color: Orange
Power: Unknown
Currently in Possession: Unknown
Avengers, Assemble!
There is NO mid credit scene in Avengers: Infinity War, however there is only a end credit scene.
Is this movie ok for kids? This is a tough question because I will say there are tough discussions to have and having to tell a child well it’ll only be a year before the next one comes out doesnt really fly either. so I think for older kids, they’ll get it. younger kids might not.
I will say I loved this movie and it totally did justice to the 10 years and 18 other films leading up to this moment…. now if you’re a fan of the comic books I going to say I believe the next avengers movie (part 4) which hasn’t had its official name released yet might be called Avengers: Secret Wars.
What in my mind was the best Star Wars film in the last 15 years is finally available to bring home for your endless enjoyment.
Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi—the next action-packed chapter of the Star Wars saga— Earned critical acclaim and theNo. 1 spot atop 2017’s list of highest-grossing films. The visually stunning film welcomes the return of original characters, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Yoda, R2-D2 and C-3PO and further explores the deepening journey of the saga’s new members, Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren. Now families can bring home the movie digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD™ and via Movies Anywhere and now 4K Ultra HD™ Blu-ray, and Blu-ray™ disc. This release also marks Disney’s first title available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in both Dolby Vision™ HDR and Dolby Atmos® immersive audio, delivering consumers a transformative viewing experience.
The film stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern with Frank Oz, and Benicio Del Toro. Star Wars: TheLastJedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman. J.J. Abrams, Tom Karnowski and Jason McGatlin are the executive producers.
Bonus features include*:
The Director and the Jedi – Go deep behind the scenes with writer-director Rian Johnson on an intimate and personal journey through the production of the movie—and experience what it’s like to helm a global franchise and cultural phenomenon.
Balance of the Force – Explore the mythology of the Force and why Rian Johnson chose to interpret its role in such a unique way.
Scene Breakdowns
o Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle – Get a close-up look at the epic space battle, from the sounds that help propel the action, through the practical and visual effects, to the characters who bring it all to life.
o Snoke and Mirrors – Motion capture and Star Wars collide as the filmmakers take us through the detailed process of creating the movie’s malevolent master villain.
o Showdown on Crait – Break down everything that went into creating the stunning world seen in the movie’s final confrontation, including the interplay between real-word locations and visual effects, reimagining the walkers, designing the crystal foxes, and much more.
Andy Serkis Live! (One Night Only) – Writer-director Rian Johnson presents two exclusive sequences from the movie featuring Andy Serkis’ riveting, raw on-set performance before his digital makeover into Snoke.
Deleted Scenes – With an introduction and optional commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
Audio Commentary – View the movie with in-depth feature audio commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” is ready to come home available on HD digital and on blu-ray / dvd. Thor: Ragnarok is the third movie in the series and certainly features a fresh new tone. This movie carries more humor then the first two movies but I will say this one comes with a pretty large body count. For those dads looking to enjoy this movie with their children keep that in mind. I recommend this movie for ages 8 and up.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) – and grapple with his silver-tongued adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the fierce warrior Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and the eccentric Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum).
The movie now features exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features include deleted scenes; hilarious outtakes; an exclusive short: part three of the mockumentary “Team Thor,” retitled “Team Darryl” and featuring an eccentric new roommate; the evolution of MCU’s heroes culminating in “Avengers: Infinity War;” numerous making-of featurettes which explore the unique vision of director Taika Waititi; the story’s unstoppable women; the effortlessly charismatic Korg; the tyrannical leader of Sakaar, the Grandmaster; and the film’s comic-book origins; audio commentary by Waititi; and more.
BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):
Blu-ray:
Director’s Introduction
Deleted/Extended Scenes – Deleted Scenes: The Sorcerer Supreme, Skurge Finds Heimdall & Hulk Chases Thor Through Sakaar and Extended Scenes: Thor Meets the Grandmaster, Stupid Avenger vs. Tiny Avenger & Grandmaster and Topaz
Gag Reel – Watch a collection of goofs, gaffes and pratfalls starring the cast
Exclusive Short/Team Darryl – Fresh off being unseated as the ruler of Sakaar, the Grandmaster makes his way to Earth to start a new life. It’s been over a year since Thor left Australia and Darryl has been struggling to pay his rent. Now Darryl needs a new roommate to help make the monthly payments. Unfortunately for Darryl, the Grandmaster was the only one who answered Darryl’s “Roommate Needed” ad and with no viable options, the Grandmaster moves in.
Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years – The Evolution of Heroes – Marvel’s universe is vast and transcends both time and space. We’ll examine the Cinematic Universe as a whole and revisit each of our heroes’ current location and their place in the current MCU timeline, as it all leads up to the one culminating event: “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Getting in Touch with Your Inner Thor – “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi has brought his unique sensibility and sense of humor to the film in a great many ways but it is the evolution of Thor’s own sense of humor, which stands out the most in the new film. This piece explores the impact Chris Hemsworth has made on the development of his widely-loved character and celebrates the mighty cast and crew who reveal the fun and hard work that went into assembling Thor’s eccentric counterparts.
Unstoppable Women: Hela & Valkyrie – This piece explores the strong female characters in “Thor: Ragnarok,” their importance in the MCU, their incredible casting and their epic comic origins.
Finding Korg – A tongue-in-cheek interview with Taika on casting Korg. He describes the difficult search for just the right evolution of the character design, and the nuances of this instantly classic character in the MCU. This conversation will also delve into all the extraordinary visual effects that brought Korg, Sakaar and the worlds of “Thor: Ragnarok” to life.
Sakaar: On the Edge of the Known and Unknown – Sakaar is the collection point for all lost and unloved things. This documentary will answer all known and unknown questions while also exploring the hard work and creativity that went into creating the look and feel of Sakaar. From design inspired by Jack Kirby’s classic artwork to the dedication of the visual development team to the awe-inspiring physical and digital production, you will see this distant world come alive.
Journey into Mystery – A deep dive story piece with the writers, director and producer Kevin Feige about the inspirations for “Thor: Ragnarok” within the comics. Most notably, the contest of champions limited series where the Grandmaster pitted our favorite heroes against one another as he does in the film. This piece also further explores Thor’s comic book origins and classic arcs through interviews with some of the most important comic creators, such as Walt Simonson and Jack Kirby.
8bit Scenes – Final Bridge Battle + Sakaar Spaceship Battle. Dive into these climactic sequences presented in retro video-game format.
Directors Commentary
Digital Exclusives:
Evolution of Thor and Hulk’s Bromance – We’ll examine this Super Hero friendship, which has spanned through several Marvel films. From their original Helicarrier fight match to the now iconic Hulk punch from Avengers 1, see how Marvel’s most powerful Super Heroes become the most extraordinary Super Hero buddies.
Additional Deleted Scenes –Travel to Asgard & Race To The Wormhole
Check out this bonus feature Tribute to Kirby (Bonus Feature)
Disney’s cherished animated classic, “Lady and the Tramp,” will join the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection! As one of the greatest love stories ever told, “Lady and the Tramp” is sure to melt the hearts of generations with its beloved characters, brilliant animation, memorable music and sweet sentiment. Every member of the family will treasure this timeless tale—loaded with three versions of the film, classic bonus material and three all-new features—when it heads home onDigital and Blu-ray & DVD.
“Lady and the Tramp” is the sixth title to join the Walt Disney Signature Collection, which includes groundbreaking films created or inspired by the imagination and legacy of Walt Disney, featuring timeless stories and characters that have touched generations. The film takes its place alongside “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi” and “The Lion King.” Lady and the Tramp is a classic love story and I know my girls love watching all of the above Disney classics and I cant wait to share this movie with them.
As one of the greatest love stories ever told, “Lady and the Tramp” is sure to melt the hearts of generations with its beloved characters, brilliant animation, memorable music and sweet sentiment. The animated treasure tells the story of Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel, and Tramp, a freewheeling mutt with a heart of gold. Through the Signature Collection edition, viewers can relive the pair’s thrilling adventures, sing along with the film’s unforgettable songs like “Bella Notte,” and swoon over one of the most memorable movie moments of all time—the iconic scene in which Lady and Tramp share a plate of spaghetti and an accidental kiss.
BLU-RAY & DIGITAL*:
Film Versions
Original Theatrical Edition – Enjoy this cherished Disney classic that captivates audiences of all ages.
Sing-Along Mode – Sing along with all your favorite songs as you watch the movie.
Inside Walt’s Story Meetings – As you view the film, hear reenactments of Walt’s story sessions with animators and see how their ideas were realized on-screen.
New Signature Bonus
Walt & His Dogs – Through archival recordings and photos, hear the tales of the dogs Walt Disney owned and loved over his lifetime.
Stories from Walt’s Office – Take a tour of Walt’s office suite on the Studio lot, carefully re-created to look just as it did when he occupied it.
How to Make a Meatball and Other Fun Facts About “Lady and The Tramp” – Watch a delicious lesson on how to make perfect meatballs with teen chef Amber Kelley and Oh My Disney Show Host Alexys Gabrielle.
Songs
“Peace on Earth”
“What Is a Baby/La La Lu”
“The Siamese Cat Song”
“Bella Notte”
“He’s a Tramp”
Classic Bonus Features
Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad – Walt’s daughter shares memories of her father and Disneyland’s early days, as well as a look at his apartment above the firehouse.
Never-Recorded Song – “I’m Free as the Breeze” – Take a listen to a song originally meant to be sung by Tramp.
Deleted Scenes
Introduction of Boris – Tramp wasn’t always meant to be Lady’s only suitor. Meet Boris the aristocrat and Homer the peasant in this deleted scene.
Waiting for Baby – Lady watches as Jim Dear plans out his new son’s future in this early storyboard.
Dog Show – See the storyboards for this deleted scene in which Lady and Tramp unexpectedly find themselves in the middle of a dog show.
Classic Bonus Features on Digital Only*
Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of “Lady and the Tramp” – A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film based on an original story.
Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard – Explore the origins of the storyboard and how they’re used by filmmakers today.
Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film – View a unique presentation of the original 1943 storyboards for “Lady and the Tramp.”
PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs – Wild and wacky comedian Fred Willard takes us on an outing to the dog park to learn all about dogs and their owners.
Deleted Scenes
Turning the Tables – In this story-reel presentation, Tramp dreams of a world where dogs run the show and humans are on the other end of the leash.
The Arrival of Baby – In this alternate scene re-created from original storyboards and with original voice talent, Lady makes way for a new arrival.
Baby Arrives – Lady is baffled by the strange goings-on in the house—the arrival of a squealing bundle only deepens the mystery.
Lady’s Sweater – Lady gets a new sweater for her birthday and must figure out an ingenious way to lose it for good.
Trailers
1955 Original Theatrical Trailer – More than just a trailer, this preview features several minutes of footage from the film and introduces each major character.
1972 Theatrical Re-Issue Trailer – This trailer from the 1972 rerelease heralds Disney’s “happiest motion picture.”
1986 Theatrical Re-Issue Trailer – Released theatrically for the 1986 holiday season, this trailer highlights the love story between Lady and the handsome Tramp.
It has just been over a week since the release of Dreamworks Animation Studios, Netflix Original Series Trolls: The Beat Goes On. Personally, I LOVE IT! After watching the entire season in just under a week, twice (I have kids and everything has to replay) it has provided some very special moments with the kids. The story, the songs, the animation has all resonated so well with my family it has become one of our go to shows to put on first thing in the morning.
One of my most memorable experiences during my trip to Dreamworks Animation Studios was our time in the theater. Almost everything I was a part of was a first for me and with all of the activities this wonderful organization had us part of I was there just taking it all in with amazement and participating as often as I could.
Meeting some of the team leads behind this incredible show was very surreal and it was inspiring to hear all the wonderful things they had to say in relation to its overall process. Also, having the opportunity to see other bloggers who were way more experienced than me asking all kinds of cool questions only added to the experience for the better. It was such a pleasure to meet so many wonderful people from around the country. (more…)
Disclaimer: Accommodations provided by 20th Century Fox
If recommendations matter, then go see THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – Opening December 20 at a theater near you. This original musical starring Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum and as his wife Michelle Williams, along with his partner Zac Efron and also Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya. The songs are by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul the writers of LaLaLand and Dear Evan Hansen.
This movie hits all the right notes not only in its song and dance but in the celebration of overcoming obstacles to create a life of making dreams come true.
This story is not necessarily the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth but it’s truth is to storytelling in a mesmerizing spectacle of color, love, and the path that we can take when we have that lust for life.
In meeting Hugh Jackman he said the movie, conceived on the night he emceed the Academy Awards nearly ten years ago, felt like a story he wanted to tell as he and the producers discussed how they could tell this story. The essence of the movie, according to Jackman “if you follow your path and make yourself happy you will make people around you happy.” Zac Efron added, though he was not involved from the beginning, he’s been involved for several years, because of the movie’s message, “Love yourself exactly as you are! It’s empowering and cool to be just you!”
Kelly Settle, who discussed her fears “I was so petrified because this is my first major motion picture in a role that I didn’t know was going to be what it is. I had no idea. It changed over the course of how it was created as we were creating, you know, in rehearsals and stuff like that before we started initial photography. And the bigger that it got for me, the scarier that it got because I wanted to hide even more. And I am still, even sitting here in front of you, fighting that right now.”
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul did the original music for The Greatest Showman. The musical features 10 original songs and I’m pretty sure they’ll win an award or two this season for their amazing ballads.
Set more than a century ago, it has messages that would be well served in the era we live in now, if only we can sing and dance and live on that higher plain of the passion for family, love and friendship overcoming bigotry, power and lust.
In a world where powerful people get what they want in the world, and bullies still get away with picking on kids in school this movie has attributes beyond the joy of the movie itself as the message that everyone should be loved and especially that everyone should love themselves no matter what they look like, where they were born or how far outside societal norms they may be. While the set is magical the message is hopeful and if hopeful then we can make it real. “No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.”
I don’t want to get too deep because it is still a movie with singing, dancing, acting, music, color, costume and set design all of which can easily sweep the awards season. Go see it and get the original cast recording so you can learn the words, then, as the new year begins, see it again and again. It’s Showtime. The Greatest Showman is in theaters December 20th.
See the trailer:
Watch the Empire State Building’s lights dance alongside The Greatest Showman actress Keala Settle’s live performance of “This is Me”.
“The Greatest Showman” is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. “The Greatest Showman” is directed by exciting new filmmaker, Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land”) and starring Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman. Jackman is joined by Zac Efron, Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
Genre: Musical
Directed By: Michael Gracey
Screenplay By: Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon
Story By: Jenny Bicks
Produced By: Laurence Mark, p.g.a, Peter Chernin, p.g.a, Jenno Topping, p.g.a
From Marvel Studios comes the eagerly anticipated “Avengers: Infinity War,” the third installment in the “Avengers” franchise and 19th Marvel Studios film to date. The release also marks the 10-year anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began with the release of “Iron Man” in 2008.
Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” is the preeminent collection of iconic Super Hero characters in one film and stars Robert Downey Jr., as Tony Stark/ Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Don Cheadle as Colonel James Rhodes/War Machine, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Paul Bettany as Vision, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Benedict Wong as Wong, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Dave Bautista as Drax, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, with Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, with Benicio Del Toro as The Collector, with Josh Brolin as Thanos, and Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord.
First appearing in the “Iron Man” #55 comic book issue in 1973, Thanos is a powerful Titan warlord who rules over the furthest regions of space and commands massive armies known as the Chitauri and the Outriders. “We always knew that the bar was very high with Thanos,” says Kevin Feige. “He made a very brief appearance in ‘The Avengers.’ He had a couple lines of dialogue and a brief appearance in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ and we saw him very briefly at the end of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’ But other than that, we’ve never really seen him do anything. We’ve just been teasing his presence and the coming of Thanos since ‘The Avengers.’”
Feige continues, “In our story, Thanos had to deliver a threat far beyond anything the Avengers had ever seen before. That’s not just making him strong and powerful. It’s about having a villain who’s charismatic and who you surprisingly begin to feel for. More so than any of our other movies, this is very much a story about Thanos and his drive, goals and past. This is the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that a film is really told from the villain’s point of view.”
