فيكتور فرانكنشتاين

فيكتور فرانكنشتاين

فيكتور فرانكنشتاين (بالإنجليزية: Victor Frankenstein) هو الشخصية الأدبية الرئيسة في رواية فرانكنشتاين التي كتبتها المؤلفة البريطانية ماري شيلي عام 1818، وهو -في الرواية- ابن ألفونس فرانكنشتاين وكارولين بيوفورت، ولديه ابنان اثنان: ويليام وإرنست.

فرانكنشتاين رواية للمؤلفة البريطانية ماري شيلي ولقد صدرت سنة 1818م، وتدور أحداث القصة عن فيكتور فرانكنشتاين من عائلة فرانكنشتاين إحدى أغنى العائلات في ذلك الوقت، ويرغب في اكتشاف إكسير الحياة الذي يبقيه هو وصديقه هنري وصديقتاه اليزابيث وجوستني أحياء للأبد، فيرغب بخلق إنسان، فينعزل لمدة طويلة عن عائلته وأصدقائه، إلى أن أراد فرانكنشتاين الأب أن يطمئن على فيكتور فأرسل إليه صديقه هنري ليدرس ويطمئن فرانكنشتاين الأب على ابنه، فلما قابل هنري فيكتور، رآه منهكا، ويبدو أنه لا يأكل ولا ينام، وإنما يعمل طوال الوقت لخلق هذا المخلوق، فأراد هنري مساعدته، فلما حان وقت إعطاء الحياة لهذا المخلوق حاولا بث الحياة فيه باستخدام الصواعق، فلم يتحرك المخلوق فاستسلما وقررا العودة إلى ديارهما، ولكن عندما كانا يحاولان نسيان ما حصل وقت النوم إذا بالباب يكسر ويخرج ذلك المخلوق، وعندما رآه فيكتور أثار فيه الاشمئزاز فطرده وذهب ذلك الوحش إلى الغابة ليجد عائلة مكونة من أب وابنه وابنته، يساعدهما الوحش على جمع الفاكهة والحطب، فيقبلون بوجوده، وأعطوه كوخا ليعيش فيه، وذات يوم عندما كانت الابنة في الغابة ذهب إليها الوحش طالبا الزواج منها فاشمئزت وألقت الكتاب الذي بيدها وقضت بقية اليوم في غرفتها، فقرر الوحش حرق المنزل وقتل أهله، وفي ذلك الوقت كان هنري وفيكتور قد عادا إلى ديارهما، وكان الوحش أيضا متجها إلى ديارهما، لأنه قرر أن يقتل صانعه فيكتور، وفي هذه الليلة راود هنري حلم غريب بأنه كان يقف وحيدا على الطريق فوجد اليزابيث أمامه فاتجه إليها وقبلها. ولكنها بدأت تتلاشى، وفي ذلك الصباح اكتشف الصديقان أن اليزابيث وجوستين يخفيان أمرا مريعا، هو أن جوستين متهمة في قضية قتل، وكان هذا الصباح وقت إعدامها، فحاول فيكتور الذي كان يحبها كثيرا منع ما سيحدث ولكنه فشل، ولقيت جوستين حتفها، وكأن موت جوستين كان كافيا، فقد ظهر المسخ ثانية، وأراد من فيكتور خلق زوجة له، وافق فيكتور على هذا، وفي اليوم التالي كانت السيدة فرانكنشتاين الأم على فراش الموت، وطلبت من ابنها فيكتور أن يتزوج باليزابيث، وافقت اليزابيث وتزوجا بعد فترة قصيرة، وحاول فيكتور مع الحب الذي كان يكنه لاليزابيث أن يبقي الابتسامة على محياه، فانعزل فيكتور مجددا، وكان الوحش يراقبه مراقبة شديدة، ولكن فيكتور فكر جيدا في أنه بهذه الطريقة يخلق جنسا ثالثا قويا لا يمكن هزيمته، فقطع جثة هذه المسخة، وألقاها في النهر، وعرف المسخ بهذا الأمر وبدأ بتنفيذ تهديده بقتل فيكتور وكل من يحب، فأثناء زيارة اليزابيث لفيكتور، انقض عليها هذا المسخ، ولكن فيكتور أتى في الوقت المناسب لينقذها، وكانت الليلة ممطرة، والصواعق في كل مكان وكانت في يد فيكتور سكين، وكان معه هنري، فتقاتل فيكتور والمسخ إلى أن أصبحا في عداد الاموات، أنقذ هنري اليزابيث وأخذا ينظران إلى مكان الحادث، وبعدها تزوجا، وكانت الصدمة قوية على فرانكنشتاين الأب لولا أنه كان قويا صبورا وزاد صبره على ما هو فيه بعد أن أنجب اليزابيث وهنرى طفلا وسمياه فيكتور، أما إكسير الحياة فلم يتم اكتشافه بعد، وقد يكون الاكتشاف من نصيب العلوم المتقدمة بعد سنين.

Victor Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein is a 2015 American science fantasy horror film based on contemporary adaptations of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein. It is directed by Paul McGuigan and written by Max Landis, and stars James McAvoy as Victor Frankenstein and Daniel Radcliffe as Igor. The film was released by 20th Century Fox on November 25, 2015.

Told from Igor's perspective, it shows the troubled young assistant's dark origins and his redemptive friendship with the young medical student, Victor Frankenstein. Through Igor's eyes, the audience witnesses the emergence of Frankenstein as the man from the legend we know today. Eventually, their experiments get them into trouble with the authorities, and Dr. Frankenstein and Igor become fugitives as they complete their goals to use science as a way to create life from death.[4] The film received generally negative reviews and became a box office bomb, grossing $34.2 million against a budget of $40 million.

Plot

In London, ambitious medical student Victor Frankenstein attends a circus performance, where he helps save an injured aerialist, Lorelei, by aid of a nameless hunchback enslaved by the circus' ringleader, who harbors feelings for the girl. Impressed by the hunchback's vast knowledge of human anatomy, acquired from stolen books, Victor rescues him, drains the cyst on his back that causes his physical abnormality and gives him a harness to improve his posture – he then names him "Igor Straussman" after his roommate who is not often at home. The two then become partners in Victor's ongoing experiments to create life through artificial means, incurring the wrath of devoutly religious police inspector Roderick Turpin, who views their experiments as sinful.

When Victor shows Igor his use of electricity to animate eyes, Igor suggests he made mistakes attaching the nerves, leading Victor to ask Igor to perform the surgical parts of his experiment. Victor procures parts from dead animals and makes Igor restore the organs, which Victor secretly uses to create a monstrous chimpanzee-esque creature nicknamed "Gordon".

Igor reunites with Lorelei, now masquerading as the mistress of a closeted homosexual baron, upsetting Victor, who views Lorelei as a distraction. Igor invites Lorelei to a demonstration of their experiment, which goes awry when Gordon escapes and wreaks havoc through the university before being killed by Victor and Igor. Lorelei is horrified by Victor's experiments and urges Igor to dissuade him from pursuing the matter further, but Igor is reluctant to do so upon learning that Victor is driven by the need to atone for his indirect role in the death of his older brother, Henry, for which Victor's domineering father blames Victor.

Victor is expelled from college for his unorthodox methods, but attracts the attention of his wealthy, arrogant classmate Finnegan, who wants him to create an artificial humanoid creature. Victor and Igor outline a behemoth named "Prometheus", but Igor's deepening relationship with Lorelei soon causes a rift between them.

Turpin and his men raid Victor's laboratory, hell-bent on destroying his inventions. During the raid Igor stumbles onto the corpse of the real Igor Straussman, dead from an overdose, and the source of the eyes Victor had used in his experiments When he attacks Victor, Turpin loses a hand and is blinded in one eye. Victor and Igor escape in a carriage sent by Finnegan and are taken to his family's estate. Turpin is fired from Scotland Yard for having invaded Victor's home without a warrant.

Finnegan provides the scientists with the necessary funds to build Prometheus and offers them laboratory facilities at his family's estate in Scotland. Igor is mistrustful of Finnegan and disillusioned with Victor and his treatment of the original Igor. After a falling out, Victor departs for Scotland alone. Finnegan kidnaps and binds Igor, revealing his plans to kill Victor once Prometheus is complete and weaponize his creation. Igor is then thrown into the River Thames to drown, but manages to escape and reunites with Lorelei, who nurses him back to health.

Igor and Lorelei embark to Finnegan's estate in order to rescue Victor. Igor finds Victor on the verge of using lightning to animate Prometheus. Victor ignores Igor's pleas and activates the machine. A power surge overloads the machinery, killing Finnegan. During the ensuing chaos, Turpin unexpectedly arrives, blaming and threatening Victor for his creation. Prometheus suddenly steps forward. Victor is initially ecstatic that the experiment has worked, sharing a brief moment with Prometheus, thinking him to be his resurrected brother Henry. Victor quickly realizes that the experiment has failed: Prometheus has no consciousness and can not talk. The shocked Turpin opens fire on Prometheus, who goes into a rage, killing Turpin and nearly killing Victor. Disillusioned, Victor joins forces with Igor to kill Prometheus by stabbing its two hearts.

After regaining consciousness the next morning, Igor reunites with Lorelei, who hands him a letter written to him by Victor, in which Victor apologizes for all the suffering he caused, says he is allowed to live his life with Lorelei, informs him to be ready for when Victor may one day ask for his help, and Victor recognizes Igor was his "greatest creation". Victor retreats to the Scottish countryside in search of new discoveries.

Cast

James McAvoy as Doctor Victor Frankenstein[5]

Daniel Radcliffe as Igor Straussman[5]

Jessica Brown Findlay as Lorelei[6]

Andrew Scott as Inspector Roderick Turpin[7]

Charles Dance as Baron Frankenstein

Freddie Fox as Finnegan

Mark Gatiss as Dettweiler[8]

Callum Turner as Alistair[9]

Daniel Mays as Barnaby[10]

Spencer Wilding and Guillaume Delaunay as Frankenstein's monster aka "Prometheus"

Bronson Webb as Rafferty

Production

The project was first announced by 20th Century Fox in 2011 with Max Landis set to write the script.[11] Paul McGuigan was announced as the director in September 2012.[12] Daniel Radcliffe also began talks to join the film that month, and officially joined the cast as Igor in March 2013.[13] In July 2013, James McAvoy joined the cast to play Victor Frankenstein.[5] Jessica Brown Findlay joined the cast in September.[6]

In October 2013, the film's release date was delayed from October 17, 2014 to January 16, 2015.[14] In March 2014, the film was pushed back again to October 2, 2015.[15] Filming mostly took place in the United Kingdom, with stage filming at Longcross and Twickenham Film Studios and location shooting at Chatham Historic Dockyard.[16] Principal photography began on November 25, 2013, and ended on March 20, 2014.[17][18] In June 2015, the film's release date was pushed back from 2 October 2015, to November 25, 2015, which was first assigned to The Peanuts Movie and The Martian

Bigg Boss Malayalam

Bigg Boss Malayalam

Bigg Boss (or colloquially Bigg Boss Malayalam) is the Malayalam-language version of Indian reality television series Bigg Boss.[1] It follows the Dutch reality TV series Big Brother which was developed by Endemol in the Netherlands. Bigg Boss was created by Endemol Shine India and telecast on Asianet.[2] The first season was premiered on 24 June 2018 with Mohanlal as the host. The second season premiered on 5 January 2020 with Mohanlal returning as the host.

The show follows selected number of contestants, known as housemates, who are isolated from the outside world for 100 days (or 15 weeks) in a custom built house. The housemates are continuously monitored during their stay in the house by live television cameras as well as personal audio microphones. They are dictated by an omnipresent entity named Bigg Boss. Each week, one or more of the housemates are evicted by a public vote.

Overview

Bigg Boss is a Malayalam-language version of the reality TV franchise Bigg Boss, which is based on the original Dutch Big Brother format developed by John de Mol Jr.. A number of contestants (known as "housemates") live in a purpose-built house and are isolated from the rest of the world. Each week, housemates nominate two of their fellow housemates for eviction, and the housemates who receives the most nominations would face a public vote. Eventually, one housemate would leave after being "evicted" from the House. In the final week, there will be five housemates remaining, and the public will vote for who they wanted to win. Unlike other versions of Big Brother, the Malayalam version uses celebrities as housemates, not members of the general public.

The house is well-furnished and decorated. It has all kinds of modern amenities, but just two bedrooms, living area, kitchen, store room, smoking room, and four toilet bath rooms. There is a garden, pool, activity area and gym in the House. There is also a Confession Room, where the housemates may be called in by Bigg Boss for any kind of conversation, and for the nomination process. The House has no TV connection, no telephones, and no Internet connection.

Rules

They are not supposed to tamper with any of the electronic equipment or any other thing in the House. They aren't allowed to write using paper, book or anything else in the house. They cannot leave the House premises at any time except when they are permitted to. They cannot discuss the nomination process with anyone. They cannot sleep in the day time, are required to wear their mic all the time and speak only in Malayalam.

Sometimes, the housemates may be nominated for other reasons, such as: nomination by a person who has achieved special privileges (via tasks or other things), for breaking rules, or something else. If something very serious happens, a contestant may be evicted immediately. All the rules have never been told to the audience, however, the most prominent ones are clearly seen. The housemates are not permitted to speak in any other language except Malayalam.

2012 (فيلم)

2012 (فيلم)

هو فيلم خيال علمي كوارثي أمريكي، من إخراج رولان إيميريش وتمثيل جون كوزاك، أماندا بيت، داني غلوفر، ثاندي نيوتن، أوليفر بلات ووودي هارلسون. وزعت الفيلم شركة كولومبيا بيكتشرز. بدأ تصوير الفيلم في أغسطس 2008 في فانكوفر وصدر عالميًا في 13 نوفمبر 2009.

أحداث كارثية عالمية من شأنها أن تؤدي إلى نهاية العالم، فيما يكافح الناجون من أجل حياتهم. الفيلم مستوحى من عدة فرضيات تقترح أن شعب المايا القديم قد تنبأ بأن "يوم الهلاك" سوف يحل في وقت ما بحدوث عام 2012 ، بينما يأتي مصدر هذا الافتراض من المعتقد أنه نهاية دورة التاريخ حسب تقويم أمريكا الوسطى القديم.

الميزانية والإيرادات

كلف الفيلم 200 مليون دولار وحقق قرابة 800 مليون دولار.

2012 (film)

2012 (film)

is a 2009 American disaster film[4] co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. The film was produced by Harald Kloser, Mark Gordon and Larry J. Franco. Kloser wrote the screenplay with Emmerich and the film was distributed by Columbia Pictures and produced by Emmerich's Centropolis Entertainment[5]. The plot follows geologist Adrian Helmsley, who discovers the earth's crust is becoming unstable after a massive solar flare caused by an alighnment of the planets, and novelist Jackson Curtis as he attempts to bring his family to safety as the world is destroyed by a series of extreme natural disasters caused by this. The film refers to Mayanism and the 2012 phenomenon in its portrayal of cataclysmic events. Filming, originally planned for Los Angeles, began in Vancouver in August 2008.[6]

The film stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover and Woody Harrelson.

After a lengthy advertising campaign which included the creation of a website from its main character's point of view[7] and a viral marketing website on which filmgoers could register for a lottery number to save them from the ensuing disaster,[8] 2012 was released on November 13, 2009, to a commercial success with grossing over $769 million worldwide against production budget of $200 million, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2009. However, the film received mixed reviews from critics, which criticized the runtime, screenwriting and plot, but was praised for its visual effects and production design.

Plot

In 2009, American geologist Adrian Helmsley visits astrophysicist Satnam Tsurutani in India and learns that neutrinos from a huge solar flare are heating Earth's core. In Washington, D.C., Helmsley presents his information to White House Chief of Staff Carl Anheuser, who brings him to meet U.S. President Thomas Wilson.

In 2010, Wilson and other world leaders begin a secret project to ensure humanity's survival. China and the G8 nations begin building nine arks, each capable of carrying 100,000 people, in the Himalayas near Cho Ming, Tibet. Nima, a Buddhist monk, is evacuated and his brother Tenzin joins the ark project. Funding is raised by secretly selling tickets at €1 billion per person. By 2011, articles of value are moved to the arks with the help of art expert and First Daughter Laura Wilson.

In 2012, struggling Los Angeles science-fiction writer Jackson Curtis is a chauffeur for Russian billionaire Yuri Karpov. Jackson's former wife Kate and their children Noah and Lilly live with Kate's boyfriend, plastic surgeon and pilot Gordon Silberman. Jackson takes Noah and Lilly camping in Yellowstone National Park. When they enter an area fenced off by the United States Army, they are caught and brought to Adrian, who has read Jackson's books. After being released they meet conspiracy theorist Charlie Frost, who hosts a radio show from the park.

That night, after the military evacuates Yellowstone, Jackson watches Charlie's video of Charles Hapgood's theory that polar shifts and the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar predict a 2012 phenomenon and the end of the world. Charlie reveals that anyone attempting to inform the public was or will be killed. After Jackson and his children return home, earthquakes begin in California. Jackson rents a private plane and rescues his family as the Earth-crust displacement begins, causing a 10.9 magnitude earthquake. Jackson and his family escape Los Angeles as much of the city collapses into the Pacific Ocean.

The group flies to Yellowstone to retrieve a map from Charlie with the arks' location. As they leave, the Yellowstone Caldera erupts; Charlie is killed while covering the eruption. The group lands in Las Vegas to find a larger plane and meet Yuri, his twin sons Alec and Oleg, his girlfriend Tamara and their pilot Sasha. Sasha and Gordon fly them out in an Antonov An-500 as the Yellowstone ash cloud envelops Las Vegas.

Adrian, Carl, and Laura fly to the arks on Air Force One. Wilson remains in Washington, D.C. to address the nation while millions of people die in earthquakes and megatsunamis worldwide, including himself. With the presidential line of succession broken, Carl assumes the position of acting commander-in-chief.

As Jackson's group reaches China, their plane runs out of fuel. Sasha continues flying the plane as the others escape in a Bentley Continental Flying Spur stored in the cargo hold. Sasha is killed when the plane slides off a cliff. The others are spotted by Chinese Air Force helicopters. Yuri and his sons, who have tickets, are brought to the arks but the Curtis family, with Tamara and Gordon, are abandoned. The remaining group is picked up by Nima and brought to the arks with his grandparents. With Tenzin's help, they stow away on Ark 4, where the U.S. contingent is located. As a megatsunami breaches the Himalayas and approaches the site, an impact driver lodges in the ark-door gears, keeping a boarding gate open, which prevents the ship's engines from starting. In the ensuing chaos, Gordon, Yuri, and Tamara are killed. Tenzin is injured, the ark begins filling with water and is set adrift. Jackson and Noah dislodge the tool and the crew regains control of the Ark before it strikes Mount Everest. Jackson is reunited with his family and reconciles with Kate.

Twenty-seven days later, the waters are receding. The arks approach the Cape of Good Hope, where the Drakensberg mountains, now the highest mountain range on Earth, are emerging. Adrian and Laura begin a relationship, while Jackson and Kate rekindle their romance. And from space, it is revealed that the continent of Africa, plus a few areas of Europe and Asia, has risen above the waters and is the only landmass on the planet.

Alternate ending

An alternate ending appears in the film's DVD release. After Captain Michaels (the Ark 4 captain) announces that they are heading for the Cape of Good Hope, Adrian learns by phone that his father, Harry, and Harry's friend Tony survived a megatsunami which struck their cruise ship, the Genesis. Adrian and Laura strike up a friendship with the Curtises; Kate thanks Laura for taking care of Lily, Laura tells Jackson that she enjoyed his book Farewell Atlantis, and Jackson and Adrian have a conversation reflecting the events of the worldwide crisis. Jackson returns Noah's cell phone, which he recovered during the Ark 4 flood. The ark finds the shipwrecked Genesis and her survivors on a beach.[9][10]

Cast

John Cusack as Jackson Curtis, a struggling writer and a father of two children[11]

Chiwetel Ejiofor as geologist Adrian Helmsley, chief science advisor to the U.S. President[12]

Amanda Peet as Kate Curtis, a medical student and Jackson's former wife[13]

Thandie Newton as Laura Wilson, an art expert and President Wilson's daughter

Liam James as Noah Curtis, Jackson and Kate's son

Morgan Lily as Lilly Curtis, Jackson and Kate's daughter

Tom McCarthy as Gordon Silberman, a plastic surgeon and Kate's boyfriend[14]

Danny Glover as Thomas Wilson, the President of the United States

Oliver Platt as Carl Anheuser, White House Chief of Staff

Zlatko Burić as Yuri Karpov, a Russian billionaire and former boxer

Beatrice Rosen as Tamara Jikan, Yuri's girlfriend

Alexandre and Philippe Haussmann as Alec and Oleg Karpov, Yuri's twin sons

Johann Urb as Sasha, Yuri's pilot

John Billingsley as Frederick West, a colleague of Adrian

Ryan McDonald as Scotty, Adrian and Frederick's assistant

Jimi Mistry as Satnam Tsurutani, an astrophysicist who discovers the neutrinos which are warming Earth's crust

Agam Darshi as Aparna Tsurutani, Satnam's wife

Woody Harrelson as Charlie Frost, a fringe science conspiracy theorist and radio talk-show host

Chin Han as Tenzin, an ark worker who attempts to save his family

Osric Chau as Nima, a Buddhist monk and Tenzin's brother

Tseng Chang as Grandfather Sonam, their grandfather

Lisa Lu as Grandmother Sonam, their grandmother

Blu Mankuma as Harry Helmsley, Adrian's father and Tony Delgatto's vocal partner

George Segal as Tony Delgatto, a jazz singer

Stephen McHattie as Captain Michaels, captain of Ark 4

Patrick Bauchau as Roland Picard, director of the Louvre, who is killed with a car bomb by the U.S. government

Henry O as Lama Rinpoche, a Buddhist monk

Karin Konoval as Sally, President Wilson's secretary

Dean Marshall as the Ark 4 communications officer

Zinaid Memisevic as Sergey Makarenko, the President of Russia

Merrilyn Gann as the German Chancellor

Lyndall Grant as the governor of California

Vincent Cheng as a Chinese colonel

Leonard Tenisci as the Italian Prime Minister

Elizabeth Richard as Queen Elizabeth II

Frank C. Turner as Preacher

Production

Development

Graham Hancock's Fingerprints of the Gods was listed in 2012's credits as the film's inspiration,[15] and Emmerich said in a Time Out interview: "I always wanted to do a biblical flood movie, but I never felt I had the hook. I first read about the Earth's Crust Displacement Theory in Graham Hancock's Fingerprints of the Gods."[16] He and composer-producer Harald Kloser worked closely together, co-writing a spec script (also titled 2012) which was marketed to studios in February 2008. A number of studios heard a budget projection and story plans from Emmerich and his representatives, a process repeated by the director after Independence Day (1996) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004).[17]

Later that month, Sony Pictures Entertainment received the rights to the spec script. Planned for distribution by Columbia Pictures,[18] 2012 cost less than its budget; according to Emmerich, the film was produced for about $200 million.[2]

Filming, originally scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in July 2008,[6] began in Kamloops, Savona, Cache Creek and Ashcroft, British Columbia.[19] With a Screen Actors Guild strike looming, the film's producers made a contingency plan to salvage it.[20] Uncharted Territory, Digital Domain, Double Negative, Scanline, and Sony Pictures Imageworks were hired to create 2012's computer-animated visual effects.

The film depicts the destruction of several cultural and historical icons around the world. Emmerich said that the Kaaba was considered for selection, but Kloser was concerned about a possible fatwā against him.[21][22]

Marketing

2012 was marketed by the fictional Institute for Human Continuity, featuring a book by Jackson Curtis (Farewell Atlantis),[7] streaming media, blog updates and radio broadcasts from zealot Charlie Frost on his website, This Is The End.[7] On November 12, 2008, the studio released the first trailer for 2012. With a tsunami surging over the Himalayas and a purportedly scientific message that the world would end in 2012, the trailer's message was that international governments were not preparing their populations for the event. The trailer ended with a suggestion to viewers to "find out the truth" by entering "2012" on a search engine. The Guardian called the film's marketing "deeply flawed", associating it with "websites that make even more spurious claims about 2012".[23]

The studio introduced a viral marketing website operated by the Institute for Human Continuity, where filmgoers could register for a lottery number to be part of a small population which would be rescued from the global destruction.[8] David Morrison of NASA, who received over 1,000 inquiries from people who thought the website was genuine, condemned it. "I've even had cases of teenagers writing to me saying they are contemplating suicide because they don't want to see the world end", Morrison said. "I think when you lie on the internet and scare children to make a buck, that is ethically wrong."[24] Another marketing website promoted Farewell Atlantis, a fictional novel about the events of 2012.[7]

Comcast organized a "roadblock campaign" to promote the film in which a two-minute scene was broadcast on 450 American commercial television networks, local English-language and Spanish-language stations, and 89 cable outlets during a ten-minute window between 10:50 and 11:00 pm Eastern and Pacific Time on October 1, 2009.[25] The scene featured the destruction of Los Angeles and ended with a cliffhanger, with the entire 5:38 clip available on Comcast's Fancast website. According to Variety, "The stunt will put the footage in front of 90% of all households watching ad-supported TV, or nearly 110 million viewers. When combined with online and mobile streams, that could increase to more than 140 million".[25]

Soundtrack

The film's score was composed by Harald Kloser and Thomas Wander. Singer Adam Lambert contributed a song to the film, "Time for Miracles", and expressed his gratitude in an MTV interview.[26] The 24-song soundtrack includes "Fades Like a Photograph" by Filter and "It Ain't the End of the World" by George Segal and Blu Mankuma.[27] The trailer track was "Master of Shadows" by Two Steps From Hell.

Release

2012 was released to cinemas on November 13, 2009, in Sweden, Canada, Denmark, Mexico, India, the United States, and Japan.[28] According to the studio, the film could have been completed for a summer release but the delay allowed more time for production.

The DVD and Blu-ray versions were released on March 2, 2010. The two-disc Blu-ray edition includes over 90 minutes of features, including Adam Lambert's music video for "Time for Miracles" and a digital copy for PSP, PC, Mac, and iPod.[29] A 3D version was released in Cinemex theaters in Mexico in February 2010.[30]

Reception

Box office

2012 grossed $166.1 million in North America and $603.6 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $769.7 million against a production budget of $200 million,[3] making it the first film to gross over $700 million worldwide without crossing $200 million domestically.[31] Worldwide, it was the fifth-highest-grossing 2009 film[32] and the fifth-highest-grossing film distributed by Sony-Columbia, (behind Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and Skyfall).[33] 2012 is the second-highest-grossing film directed by Roland Emmerich, behind Independence Day (1996).[34] It earned $230.5 million on its worldwide opening weekend, the fourth-largest opening of 2009 and for Sony-Columbia.[35]

2012 ranked number one on its opening weekend, grossing $65,237,614 on its first weekend (the fourth-largest opening for a disaster film).[36] Outside North America it is the 28th-highest-grossing film, the fourth-highest-grossing 2009 film,[37] and the second-highest-grossing film distributed by Sony-Columbia, after Skyfall. 2012 earned $165.2 million on its opening weekend, the 20th-largest overseas opening.[38] Its largest opening was in France and the Maghreb ($18.0 million). In total earnings, the film's three highest-grossing territories after North America were China ($68.7 million), France and the Maghreb ($44.0 million), and Japan ($42.6 million).[39]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 39% based on 242 reviews and an average rating of 5.02/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Roland Emmerich's 2012 provides plenty of visual thrills, but lacks a strong enough script to support its massive scope and inflated length."[40] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 49 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[41] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[42]

Roger Ebert praised 2012, giving it ​3 1⁄2 stars out of 4 and saying that it "delivers what it promises and since no sentient being will buy a ticket expecting anything else, it will be, for its audiences, one of the most satisfactory films of the year".[43] Ebert and Claudia Puig of USA Today called the film the "mother of all disaster movies".[43][44] But Peter Travers of Rolling Stone compared it to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: "Beware 2012, which works the dubious miracle of almost matching Transformers 2 for sheer, cynical, mind-numbing, time-wasting, money-draining, soul-sucking stupidity

هذا الفيلم تنبأ بفيروس كورونا الجديد: والنهاية لم تكن سعيدة

هذا الفيلم تنبأ بفيروس كورونا الجديد: والنهاية لم تكن سعيدة

أشار عشاق فيلم Contagion أو العدوى، الذي صدر عام 2011، إلى التشابه الغريب بين الفيلم وفيروس كورونا الجديد.

وفي الفيلم الذي لعب فيه مات دامون وجوينيث بالترو دور البطولة، تسبب فيروس غريب في وفاة ما يصل لعشرات الملايين حول العالم، بينما حاولت مراكز التحكم في الأمراض والوقاية وقف الانتشار دون فائدة.

 

ويظهر في الفيلم كيف انتشر الفيروس إذ نقلته الخفافيش في الصين للخنازير التي نقلته للبشر. والآن، يشتبه في أن الخفافيش السبب الرئيسي لانتشار الفيروس الذي بدأ في ووهان الصينية.

وفي تعليقاتهم على تويتر، كتب نشطاء: كل شيء يبدو متشابها بشكل مرعب، الخفافيش كانت المصدر. الفيلم يحدث في العالم الحقيقي الآن. ما يحدث يذكرني بفيلم Contagion.

وبحسب ما أوردت صحيفة Daily Mail البريطانية، فقد حظى الفيلم، الذي أخرجه ستيفن سودربيرج، بإشادة المجتمع العلمي لدقة تصوير سيناريو انتشار وباء نهاية العالم.

ويُعتقد أن الفيلم تم إعداده لتجسيد انتشار فيروس سارس عام 2003، ويصور ما يمكن أن يحدث إذا كان الفيروس أكثر فتكا. لكن المخاوف تتزايد الآن من احتمالية أن يكون فيروس كورونا الحقيقي أكثر خطورة مما توقعه الخبراء في البداية.

 

وتم تصنيف سوق المأكولات البحرية في ووهان لبيع الحيوانات الحية الغريبة للاستهلاك؛ بما في ذلك جراء الذئاب والثعالب والفئران والطاووس، كمركز محتمل لتفشي فيروس كورونا الحالي. ويعتبر حساء الخفافيش من الأطعمة الشهية في المنطقة، ومن المعروف أن الخفافيش حاملات لسلالات الفيروس.

ويوم الجمعة، أعترفت الحكومة الصينية بأن الفيروس أدى إلى وفاة 25 شخصا في الصين، وتسبب في عدوى أكثر من 800 شخصا، كما أعلنت منظمة الصحة العالمية الطوارئ لكنها لم تصل إلى حد إعلان الوباء مصدر قلق دولي

فيلم Exam

فيلم Exam

الفيلم دة بيرد على أي حد بيقولك ان الأفلام الأجنبية محتاجة امكانيات وفلوس وملايين والكلام دة كله. الفيلم دة كله جوة حجرة في شركة. ومفيهوش أي أكشن ولا انفجارات ولا امكانيات ولا اي حاجة

الفيلم مفيهوش مناظر خارجة ولا أي حاجة يعني اي حد ممكن يشوفه. دة أكبر دليل على ان الفكرة ممكن تخلي اي حاجة تنجح مش الإمكانيات ولا المناظر ولا الحاجات اللي بتشد الناس ولا الدعاية الكاذبة ولا الكلام دة كله.

الفيلم من نوعية أفلام ال Plot Twist او الأفلام اللي هتلفف دماغك وتخليك طول الفيلم بتفكر ومن نوعية الأفلام اللي هتستمتع بيها جدا وهتعيش معاهم بجد كانك واحد من الفريق وهتحس انك في الاختبار معاهم وهتشغل مخك طول الفيلم. الفيلم مش مجرد فيلم هيضيعلك شوية وقت لأ. دة نوع من الأفلام اللي هتستفيد منه بعد متخلص شوية Tricks كدة وحاجات هتفيد عقلك وهتعلمك دايما لما تتسأل سؤال أو تتحط في مشكلة الحل مش بيكون دايما أبعد حاجة او اصعب حاجة وان ساعات الحل بيكون قدام عنيك اصلا لكن علشان انت متعود تفكر لبعيد او تصعب كل حاجة بتروح بعيد من غير متبص قدامك الاول.

الفيلم محترم بجد وواحد من الأفلام اللي مش هتنساها بيحكي عن مجموعة من الناس راحوا يتقدموا لوظيفة واتسألوا سؤال علشان يتقبلوا في الوظيفة ومن هنا بتبدأ احداث الفيلم.

Onward

Onward

Onward is a 2020 American computer-animated urban fantasy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film is directed by Dan Scanlon, produced by Kori Rae from a screenplay written by Scanlon, Jason Headley and Keith Bunin, and stars the voices of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer. Set in a suburban fantasy world, the film follows two elf brothers who set out on a quest to find a spell that will bring back their deceased father.[5]

It was released in the United States on March 6, 2020.

Plot

In a world inhabited by mythical creatures, magic is commonplace and its wielders are greatly respected. However, due to the difficulty of mastering it as well as technological advances over the years, the use of magic eventually becomes all but extinct.

In a time equivalent to the modern day in the town of New Mushroomton live two teenage elves: Iandore "Ian" Lightfoot, lacking in self-confidence for want of a father figure, and Barley Lightfoot, Ian's older brother and a passionate role-playing and historical fanatic who longs to go on a proper adventure.

On Ian's sixteenth birthday, he and Barley receive a gift from their father Wilden who died of a severe illness shortly before Ian's birth: a magical staff, alongside a letter, a rare phoenix gem, and a guide to a "visitation spell" that can resurrect Wilden for a single day. Barley attempts to incant the spell to no avail, but Ian succeeds in doing so later that night. Due to Barley's interference, the spell is interrupted and only the lower half of Wilden's body is physically reformed. Resolving to fix their mistake, the brothers leave on a quest to acquire another phoenix gem in order to reattempt the spell. Their mother Laurel finds the boys gone soon after and leaves to find them.

Ian and Barley's first stop is the Manticore's Tavern, named for and run by a fearless adventurer who possesses a map to a phoenix gem. The tavern has become a mundane family restaurant and the Manticore Corey is its uptight manager. In an argument with the boys over the map, Corey realizes what she's become and drives the customers out accidentally setting fire to the premises — and the map — in the process leaving the brothers with one clue on a kids' menu: Raven's Point.

Laurel later arrives at the scene and befriends Corey who becomes tamed. Corey warns the mother that the brothers' journey may lead to the awakening of a vicious beast, and that a special broadsword is needed.

Laurel and Corey head to a shop where the broadsword is stored. The storeowner Greckle is selling the sword for such a sum that Laurel can't afford. Although the mother states that it's an emergency, Greckle remains the same. Corey disables Greckle with her tail, before they take away the sword.

Ian and Barley head to a mountainous area and follow the directions pointed by the beaks of the bird statues which lead to an underground river. For several minutes, riding in the river is smooth until they are met by dangers like arrows and flooding.

After surviving the troubles in the underground river, Ian and Barley reach the surface which, to their surprise, is their hometown. Thinking that the journey is a wild goose chase, Ian vents frustration at Barley before walking away with their father. Barley, nontheless carries on in the mission before coming across an old fountain. Barley places a flower-shaped rock, which they found along the way, onto a hole in the fountain which fit perfectly. To the older brother's amazement, the gem they are looking for unravels which he takes causing a nearby dragon sculpture to come to life, which then starts wreaking havoc. Ian tries to fend off the sculpture with the staff, but the dragon is too strong.

Help, however, comes for the brothers when Laurel comes flying with Corey, and wielding the broadsword. After the mother and Ian impaled the sculpture twice, it explodes and is completely subdued. When the dust clears, Ian is trapped in rubble, but is able to see their father standing next to Barley yards away. Ian uses his magic to finally complete their father's body. Barley and the father have a brief chat. Barley and the father hug each other before the father fades into thin air. Although he never gets to meet his father face to face, Ian is contented that they get to be with him in the journey.

Voice cast

Tom Holland as Ian Lightfoot,[6][7] a teenaged elf who is Barley's brother and Laurel and Wilden's son.

Chris Pratt as Barley Lightfoot,[6][7] Ian's brother, and Laurel and Wilden's son who longs for a magical quest.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Laurel Lightfoot,[6][7][8] the widowed mother of Ian and Barley.

Octavia Spencer as Corey, a manticore restaurant owner who Ian and Barley go to for help on their quest.

Mel Rodriguez as Colt Bronco, a centaur police officer and Laurel's new boyfriend.[9]

Kyle Bornheimer as Wilden Lightfoot, Ian and Barley's late father and Laurel's late husband.[10]

Lena Waithe as Specter, a cyclops police officer.[9][11][12]

Ali Wong as Gore, a faun police officer.[9]

Grey Griffin as Dewdrop, a pixie and the leader of the Pixie Dusters biker gang.

Tracey Ullman as Grecklin, a pawn shop owner.[10]

Wilmer Valderrama as Gaxton, a college friend of Wilden.[10]

George Psarras as Avel, a cop.[10]

John Ratzenberger as Construction Worker Felix, a construction worker.[10]

Dave Foley[10]

Production

Development

In July 2017, Pixar announced a "suburban fantasy world" film at the D23 Expo, with Scanlon directing and Rae producing.[5] The film's inspired by Scanlon's father's death when Scanlon and his brother were younger, and their relationship. He decided to write the story after hearing an audio clip of his father.[13] On December 12, 2018, the title was revealed.[14] In 2019, Headley and Bunin were hired to rewrite the screenplay.

Casting

On December 12, 2018, Holland, Pratt, Louis-Dreyfus and Spencer were announced as starring in the film.[15] While having recorded most of their lines separately, Holland and Pratt did some of their recording sessions together since, according to Scanlon, "they've worked together before and hung out together".[16] According to Rae, Holland and Pratt improvised some of their lines while recording together.[17] On December 17, 2019, Wong, Waithe and Rodriguez joined the cast of the film.[9] On February 18, 2020, Valderrama, Ullman, Bornheimer, Foley, Psarras and Ratzenberger were revealed to have been cast on the film

Spenser Confidential

Spenser Confidential

Spenser Confidential is a 2020 American comedy-thriller film directed by Peter Berg and with a screenplay by Sean O'Keefe and Brian Helgeland. It is very loosely based on the novel Wonderland by Ace Atkins, and uses the names of characters created by Robert B. Parker. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine, Cassie Ventura, Donald Cerrone, Marc Maron, and introducing Austin Post and marks the fifth collaboration between Wahlberg and Berg after Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day, and Mile 22.

The film was released on March 6, 2020, by Netflix.
Plot
When two Boston police officers are murdered on the day that Spenser, an ex-cop, is released from prison, he teams up with his no-nonsense new roommate, Hawk, to investigate and take down the guilty parties. The complexities of the plot revolve around Spenser's refusal to walk away from an unjust killing (one murder was of the police captain he himself suspected of malpractice five years prior, and whom he attacked, landing him in jail). He is hated by many of the film's key characters - prison inmates and cops (mainly, corrupt ones).

The film unfolds in South Boston, where rising property prices and a casino project on the former Wonderland dog track, fuel greed and police involvement in selling drugs to obtain a share of the project. Spenser takes down corrupt police, through determination and an odd alliance with ex-con Hawk and their elderly boxing trainer, Henry. His dog, Pearl and ex girlfriend, Cissy, provide comedic elements.

Cast
Mark Wahlberg as Detective Spenser
Winston Duke as Hawk
Alan Arkin as Henry Cimoli
Iliza Shlesinger as Cissy Davis
Bokeem Woodbine as Driscoll
Marc Maron as Wayne Cosgrove
Austin Post as Squeeb
Cassie as Elise
James DuMont as Bentwood
Michael Gaston as Captain John Boylan
Colleen Camp as Mara
Rebecca Gibel as Mrs. Boylan
Big Shug as. W. Lintz
Donald Cerrone as Big Boy
Justus Carney as Liquor Store Worker
Christopher Gerard Weigel as Hipster
Production
On June 26, 2018, it was announced that Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg would collaborate for the fifth time on the film adaptation of Wonderland, one of the novel series written by Ace Atkins based on the Robert B. Parker's character Spenser, which would be streamed by Netflix. The script, by Sean O'Keefe, is a very loose adaptation of the novel. The characters in the film do not reflect the characters in the novel beyond the names used. Nothing else about them is reflected in the novel or the original works by Robert B. Parker. [1][2] The film was produced by Neal H. Moritz through his Original Film along with Stephen Levinson and Wahlberg, and Berg through his Film 44.[3] In October 2018, Winston Duke joined the cast to play Hawk.[4] That same month, Post Malone, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine James DuMont, Marc Maron and Michael Gaston joined the cast of the film.[5][6] In November 2018, Colleen Camp joined the cast of the film.[7]

Filming began in late 2018 in, Boston.[8] The residence of character Cimoli (with whom Spenser is staying) was filmed in the Jones Hill neighborhood of Boston, on the street where actor Wahlberg lived during his teenage years.[9]

Music
The film score was composed by Steve Jablonsky, who has worked with director Peter Berg on previous films. The soundtrack was released by BMG.

Release
The film was released by Netflix on March 6, 2020.

Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 41% based on 29 reviews, with an average rating of 4.61/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "While the buddy cops at the center of Spenser Confidential are plenty affable, the comedy never arrives as this half-hearted vehicle goes purely through the motions."[10] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews"

Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), also known as Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey or simply Birds of Prey,[5][6] is a 2020 American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Birds of Prey. It is the eighth film in the DC Extended Universe and a follow-up to Suicide Squad (2016). It was directed by Cathy Yan and written by Christina Hodson, and it stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, and Ewan McGregor. The film follows Harley Quinn as she joins forces with Helena Bertinelli, Dinah Lance, and Renee Montoya to save Cassandra Cain from Gotham City crime lord Black Mask.

Robbie, who also served as producer, pitched the idea for Birds of Prey to Warner Bros. in 2015. The film was announced in May 2016, with Hodson being hired to write the script that November, followed by Yan signing on to direct in April 2018. The majority of the cast and crew were confirmed by December 2018. Principal photography lasted from January to April 2019 in Downtown Los Angeles, parts of the Arts District, Los Angeles, and soundstages at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. Additional filming took place in September 2019.

Birds of Prey is the first DCEU film and the second DC Films production to be rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America. The film had its world premiere in Mexico City on January 25, 2020 and was theatrically released in the United States in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and 4DX on February 7, 2020. It has grossed $191.2 million worldwide, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2020. The film received praise from critics for its visual style, Yan's direction and the performances of
Robbie and McGregor.
Plot
Sometime after the Enchantress' defeat,[a] the Joker breaks up with Harley Quinn, throwing her out on the streets of Gotham City. She is taken in by Doc, the elderly owner of a Taiwanese restaurant, and recovers from her relationship by cutting her hair, adopting a spotted hyena (whom she names after Bruce Wayne), and taking up roller derby.

One night, Harley gets drunk at a nightclub owned by gangster Roman Sionis, and cripples Roman's driver after he insults her. She then meets burlesque singer Dinah Lance, who later rescues an intoxicated Harley from an attempted abduction; that night, Harley blows up the Ace Chemicals plant where she pledged herself to the Joker years prior as a way to publicly announce their breakup. Spotting the scuffle from his bedroom, Roman is impressed by Dinah's skills and appoints her as his new driver. Meanwhile, GCPD Detective Renee Montoya investigates a series of mob killings carried out by a crossbow-wielding vigilante. Finding Harley's necklace at the scene of the Ace Chemicals explosion, Montoya notes that Harley is in danger without the Joker's protection. She approaches Dinah about being an informant on Roman for them, but Dinah rejects the offer.

Roman sends Dinah and his sadistic right-hand-man Victor Zsasz to retrieve a diamond embedded with the account numbers to the fortune of the Bertinelli crime family, who were massacred years ago. Young pickpocket Cassandra "Cass" Cain steals the diamond from Zsasz, but swallows it after she is arrested. Harley, fleeing from Montoya and several other people she had wronged in the past, is captured by Roman's men. Zsasz informs Roman that Cassandra has the diamond, and Dinah warns Montoya about the situation. As Roman tortures Harley and prepares to have her killed, she offers to recover the diamond for him. Roman agrees but also places a bounty on Cass to shake up the competition. Breaking into the GCPD with a variety of firework-inspired non-lethal grenade launcher rounds, Harley frees Cassandra and the pair escape to the evidence warehouse. They are ambushed by a number of thugs, but manage to kill them all.

After escaping from the evidence warehouse, Harley and Cassandra bond while hiding out at the former's apartment. Doc is approached for information by the "crossbow killer", who is revealed to be Helena Bertinelli. Having survived her family's massacre and becoming trained as an assassin, Helena has been targeting each of the gangsters responsible for her family's murders, preferring the moniker of "The Huntress". Quinn's apartment is later bombed by criminals looking for Cass, and Doc sorrowfully reveals that he betrayed Harley, selling them out for money. Harley calls Roman and offers to turn Cassandra over in exchange for his protection, agreeing to meet at an abandoned amusement park (mostly one of the Joker's former hideouts). Dinah notifies Montoya of the rendezvous, while Zsasz notices Dinah's treacherous text message en route to the park and informs Roman. Devastated by Dinah's betrayal, Roman dons his ritualistic mask from which he gets his villainous nickname, "Black Mask".

At the park, Montoya confronts Harley, but Harley knocks her out of a window. Zsasz arrives and tranquilizes Harley before holding Dinah at gunpoint, but he is killed by Helena, who reveals Zsasz was the last of her family's killers. Montoya returns and a stand-off ensues, until they realize Roman has arrived with a small army of masked criminals, known collectively as the False Face Society. Using Quinn's old gear, the makeshift team successfully withstand and repel their attack. During the battle, Cass is captured by Roman, while Dinah reveals her metahuman ability of supersonic-level screaming, defeating an additional number of mobsters aligned with Roman. Harley gives chase on roller skates, and with assistance from Helena, the pair pursue Roman. At a nearby pier, the final confrontation occurs. Taking aim at a shadowy figure in the distance she believes to be Roman, Harley wastes her last bullet as Roman appears from behind the figure, which is revealed to be a statue. Roman holds Cassandra hostage and prepares to kill her. However, Cassandra pulls the ring from a grenade she had taken from Harley's weapons chest earlier, slipping the grenade in Roman's jacket. Harley throws Roman from the pier just before the grenade detonates and kills him.

In the aftermath of destroying Roman's criminal empire, Montoya quits the GCPD. With the money within the accounts hidden inside the diamond, she joins Dinah and Helena in establishing a team of vigilantes – the Birds of Prey. Harley and Cassandra escape, selling the diamond itself to a pawnshop and starting their own contract killing business.

In a post-credits audio sequence, Harley is about to reveal a secret about Batman, but the film ends mid-sentence.

Cast
Margot Robbie as Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn:
A former-certified psychiatrist, who became a crazed criminal and the Joker's accomplice/girlfriend, and later a part of the Suicide Squad. She has since cut ties with the Joker after the pair broke up.[7] Screenwriter Christina Hodson sought to reinvent Harley, wanting to expand on the character following her departure from the Joker's company.[8] Hodson called Harley the character she enjoyed developing most due to her unpredictable personality.[9]
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli / The Huntress:
A vigilante who is the orphaned daughter of gangster Franco Bertinelli.[10][11][12] Ella Mika portrays a young Helena, during flashback scenes.[13]
Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance / Black Canary[10][11][14]
A vigilante with the metahuman ability of hypersonic screams, which she inherited genetically from her mother.[15][16] She is a singer in a club that Sionis owns.[17] Smollett-Bell described Dinah as "disenfranchised and disconnected from the world," and someone who "doesn’t really want to have anything to do with crime fighting or being a good-doer, which is so against her nature because we know Dinah to be all heart." The actress added she became a fan of Black Canary by playing with the character in the video game Injustice 2,[18] which also influenced how she physically portrayed the depiction of the hypersonic screams.[19]
Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya:[20][21]
An alcoholic, cynical detective in the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD), who is building a case against Sionis.
Chris Messina as Victor Zsasz:
A deranged mob killer and henchman of Sionis who carves a tally mark on his skin for each victim he claims.[22]
Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain:
A young girl who has a contract placed upon her head by Sionis after she steals a valuable diamond from him.[20][23]
Ali Wong as Ellen Yee:
Montoya's ex-girlfriend and a Gotham City district attorney.[22][24]
Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis / Black Mask:
A brutal and iron-fisted crime lord who threatens Cassandra and Harley.[25][26] McGregor described the character as "an absolute narcissist."[27]
Additionally, Steven Williams portrays Captain Patrick Erickson, Montoya's superior at the GCPD; Dana Lee portrays Doc, Quinn's friend who owns a Taiwanese restaurant; François Chau portrays Mr. Keo, a rival crime boss of Sionis; Derek Wilson portrays Tim Evans; Matt Willig portrays Happy; and Bojana Novakovic portrays Erika Manson, a night club patron who gets harassed by Sionis. Charlene Amoia and Paul Lasa respectively portray Maria and Franco Bertinelli, the mother and father of Helena; Robert Catrini portrays Stefano Galante, the mob boss who killed the Bertinelli family.[12][28] The Joker appears in the film, through animated-special effects during a flashback sequence, as well as through the combined use of archive footage of Jared Leto from Suicide Squad and a body-double, Johnny Goth, on set. These techniques were used because Leto was not available during filming.[29] A still photograph of Jai Courtney as George "Digger" Harkness / Captain Boomerang also appears on a wall in the Gotham City Police Department
roduction
Development
In May 2016, ahead of the release of Suicide Squad, Warner Bros. Pictures announced a spinoff film focusing on Harley Quinn and several other female DC Comics heroes and villains, such as Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. Margot Robbie was attached to reprise her role as Harley Quinn, and would also serve as producer.[7][31] British screenwriter Christina Hodson was announced to be writing the film in November.[32] Robbie had pitched the film to Warner Bros. in 2015 as "an R-rated girl gang film including Harley, because I was like, 'Harley needs friends.' Harley loves interacting with people, so don't ever make her do a standalone film." Robbie felt it was important for the film to have a female director. While Warner Bros. and DC Films had various other Harley Quinn-oriented films in development, Birds of Prey was the only one with whose development Robbie was directly involved.[33]

Robbie spent three years working on Birds of Prey and continued to present it to Warner Bros. until the studio felt the project was at the point it could be made.[33] By April 2018, Warner Bros. and DC Films had finalized a deal with Cathy Yan to direct, making her the first female Asian director to direct a superhero film.[34] Robbie was confirmed to be producing the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment banner, as part of a first look deal she has with the studio; Sue Kroll and Bryan Unkless were also announced to serve as producers through their companies Kroll & Co. Entertainment and Clubhouse Pictures, respectively. Production was scheduled to begin by late 2018 or early 2019.[35] The Penguin was intended to appear in the script at one point, but was dropped to preserve his DC Extended Universe debut in The Batman.[36]

Pre-production
By July 2018, the film was entering pre-production.[37] Robbie confirmed the film would be titled Birds of Prey, describing it as "different" from the other DC films featuring Harley Quinn, and said it would be produced on a relatively small budget compared to other superhero films.[38][39] She also stated that Harley Quinn would receive a new costume, and teased the casting of diverse actors.[40] The line-up for the Birds of Prey team was revealed to include Black Canary, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, and Renee Montoya, with the villain set to be a Batman adversary who had not yet been seen in film.[20] Casting began in August,[41] with Warner Bros. considering a number of actresses for Huntress and Black Canary. Alexandra Daddario, Jodie Comer, Blake Lively, and Vanessa Kirby expressed interest.[42][43] In August, Roman Sionis / Black Mask was revealed to be the film's antagonist.[44] Janelle Monáe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Jurnee Smollett-Bell were under consideration for Black Canary by September, while Sofia Boutella, Margaret Qualley, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Cristin Milioti were being considered to play Huntress.[45] Justina Machado and Roberta Colindrez tested for Renee Montoya, while Warner Bros. began seeking a 12-year-old Asian actress to play Cassandra Cain.[46]

In late September, Smollett-Bell and Winstead were respectively cast as Black Canary and Huntress,[10] Warner Bros. scheduled a February 7, 2020 release date,[47] and Ewan McGregor and Sharlto Copley were under consideration for the role of Black Mask.[48] During the U.S.-China Entertainment Summit in October, Yan confirmed the cast and that the film would be R-rated. She said, "[I] could not put the script down, it had so much dark humor to it which a lot of my work does, and there are themes of female empowerment which are so strong and relatable."[49] Cinematographer Matthew Libatique joined the film that month,[50] as did Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya.[21] Stunt coordinator Jonathan Eusebio and fight coordinator Jon Valera joined in November,[51] along with McGregor as Black Mask[25] and Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain.[23] Robbie revealed the full title,[52] and said that the subtitle reflects the humorous tone of the film.[53] Production designer K. K. Barrett joined in December,[54] as did Chris Messina as Victor Zsasz.[22] Steven Williams, Derek Wilson, Dana Lee, François Chau, Matthew Willig, Robert Catrini, and Ali Wong were also cast.[22][24]

Filming
Principal photography began in Los Angeles, California in January 2019 under the working title Fox Force Five.[55][56][57] Although filming had been expected to also take place in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia,[58] the entire shoot took place in Los Angeles after the production received a tax credit from the state of California.[59] Filming was expected to be completed by mid-April 2019.[60] In February, Charlene Amoia joined the cast.[12] Filming wrapped on April 15, 2019.[61]

Post-production
Jay Cassidy and Evan Schiff served as editors, while Method Studios, Weta Digital, Luma Pictures, Image Engine and Crafty Apes provided the visual effects for the film.[62][63][64][65] In August 2019, Chad Stahelski joined as a second unit director for reshoots.[66] Photography for the additional footage began on September 3, 2019.[67]

Music

In September 2019, Daniel Pemberton was announced to serve as composer for the film's score.[68] The Original Motion Picture Score album was released by WaterTower Music on February 14.[69]

A soundtrack album for the film, titled Birds of Prey: The Album, was announced in January 2020 and was released on February 7 by Atlantic Records, to coincides with the film's release. To promote the album, a single was released every Friday before the film's release.[70] "Diamonds" by Megan Thee Stallion and Normani was released on January 10,[71] "Joke's On You" by Charlotte Lawrence was released on January 17,[72] "Boss Bitch" by Doja Cat was released on January 24, "Sway with Me" by Saweetie and GALXARA was released on January 31[73] and "Experiment On Me" by Halsey, was released on the album release day.[74] The movie also includes songs which are not featured on the album, such as Spiderbait's "Black Betty", which plays during the fight scene at the police impound, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' "I Hate Myself For Loving You", which plays during the montage of Harley trying to move on from the Joker, Heart's "Barracuda", which plays for the first part of the fight against the False Face Society, and Kesha's "Woman", which plays during the final scene.

Marketing

Marketing began on January 21, 2019, when a first-look production video of the characters and costumes titled "See You Soon" was released by Warner Bros. via YouTube.[75] DC Comics published a promotional trade paperback anthology featuring stories based on the film on November 12, 2019.[76] The first teaser debuted exclusively in theatres on September 5, 2019, in front of screenings for It: Chapter Two, with Quinn stating that she is "over clowns" while popping a red balloon, in a collective reference to It / Pennywise the Dancing Clown and the Joker.[77]

A short teaser was released on the film's social media pages, announcing the first official trailer would be released on October 1, 2019. A series of posters, which also announced the trailer debut, was released the same day.[78] On December 5, 2019, Birds of Prey held a panel at the annual CCXP in Brazil, showing the first five minutes of the film, and the second official trailer, which was released online on January 9, 2020.

A three-day pop-up event named Harleywood was also organized at the Hollywood and Highland Center with the presence of the cast on the launch day. Artists who contributed to the soundtrack were also present to promote it, with Charlotte Lawrence and Doja Cat performing.[79]

Release

Birds of Prey was theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures in the United States on February 7, 2020 in standard, IMAX, IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX and ScreenX formats.[47][80][81] The film had its world premiere on January 25, 2020 at the Proyecto Publico Prim in Mexico City.[82] It also screened at the BFI IMAX in London on January 29, and at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes on January 30, during a special event named Le Festival de Quinn (The Quinn's Festival) in reference to the Cannes Film Festival

Reception

Box office

As of March 5, 2020, Birds of Prey has grossed $80.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $110.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $191.2 million.[3][4] According to Variety, it is estimated that the film will need to gross $250–300 million worldwide in order to break even.[2]

In the United States and Canada, Birds of Prey was initially projected to gross $50–55 million from 4,236 theaters in its opening weekend.[85] However, after making $13 million in its first day, including $4 million from Thursday night previews, estimates were lowered and it went on to debut to $33 million. The film finished first at the box office but marked the lowest opening for a DC film since Jonah Hex in 2010 ($5.3 million), and was 75% smaller than Suicide Squad's $133.4 million opening in 2016. The low start was blamed on the possible lack of demand for a solo film surrounding the character of Harley Quinn, as well as the R rating limiting the appeal and demographics for ticket sales.[86] On February 10, 2020, it was reported that the film was being displayed under the title Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey on the websites for AMC Theatres, Cinemark Theatres, and Regal Cinemas.[5][6] According to Screen Rant, the name change was mandated by Warner Bros.[5][87] However, TheWrap subsequently reported that "an individual with knowledge at the studio" denied that Warner Bros. had revised the title, and quoted Atom Tickets' Alisha Grauso's explanation that the new listing was "apparently for display/search purposes only for vendors and theaters, not an official title change."[88] In its second weekend the film fell 48% to $17.1 million, finishing second, behind newcomer Sonic the Hedgehog, and then made $7 million in its third, dropping another 59%.[89][90][91]

In other territories, the film was expected to debut to $60–70 million from 76 countries, for a worldwide total of $110–125 million.[85] It made $7.8 million after two days of overseas release in 51 countries and $18.1 million from the full 76 after three. The film went on to make $46 million from international play in its opening weekend, and $79 million worldwide. Its highest-grossing territories were Mexico ($4.6 million), Russia ($4 million), the United Kingdom ($3.9 million), Brazil ($2.8 million) and France ($2.7 million). The low opening was blamed on similar audience hesitation as in the United States, as well as the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Asia closing some theaters.[92]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 78% based on 370 reviews, with an average rating of 6.73/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "With a fresh perspective, some new friends, and loads of fast-paced action, Birds of Prey captures the colorfully anarchic spirit of Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn."[93] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on 59 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[94] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, and PostTrak reported it received an average 3.5 out of 5 stars, with 61% of people surveyed saying they would definitely recommend it.[86][89]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, and said that "Robbie turns in a much richer and funnier and layered performance as Harley this time around, thanks in large part to the stiletto-sharp screenplay by Christina Hodson."[95] Joe Morgenstern, writing for The Wall Street Journal, stated, "Much of this R-rated movie is chaotic, yet it’s a richly hued, madly inventive, gleefully violent and happily slapdash contraption with a formidable female at its center."[96] Matthew Monagle of The Austin Chronicle gave it 4 out of 5 stars, and said that "Yan and Robbie lean into both sides of Quinn’s personality throughout the film. This allows Birds of Prey to earn every bit of its R-rating while still feeling like a Looney Tunes cartoon."[97] The Arizona Republic's Nicole Ludden praised Yan's direction, saying that it "carries a visually distinct style throughout the film that makes the layering of several chaotic scenes feel cohesive."[98]

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "action-packed, but more rule-following than its bonkers protagonist," and wrote, "Yan finds plenty of opportunities for exciting set pieces: Extravagant action choreography makes the most of colorful set design, unlikely gimmicks and wrasslin'-style brutality. But Hodson's script offers far less diverting banter than it might've between the fight scenes."[99] Writing for Variety, Owen Gleiberman said the film was "thin but lively" and praised the animated performances of Robbie and McGregor, as well as Yan's direction, although noted the script as having "attitude to spare, but in a rather bare-bones way."[100] Calling it "DC's first good action movie," Joshua Rivera of The Verge offered a mixed review while praising the film's relation to breakups, writing, "That manic energy is all that’s holding Birds of Prey together at times, and the fact that all of its characters seem to thrive in it makes it all the more disappointing that the movie doesn’t really take any time to get to know them better.

Fast and Furious

Fast and Furious

Fast & Furious (originally The Fast and the Furious) is an American media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with illegal street racing, heists and spies. The franchise also includes short films, a television series, live shows, video games and theme park attractions. It is distributed by Universal Pictures.

The first film was released in 2001, which began the original trilogy of films focused on racing, and culminated in the standalone film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006). The series then went under a soft reboot with Fast & Furious (2009), which transitioned the series toward heists and spying, and was followed by four sequels. Two additional films are scheluded to be released in 2020 and 2021. The main films are collectively known as "The Fast Saga".

Universal expanded the series to include the spin-off film Hobbs & Shaw (2019), while its subsidiary DreamWorks Animation followed this with the animated web television series Fast & Furious Spy Racers. Soundtrack albums have been released for all the films, as well as compilation albums containing existing music heard in the films. Two short films that tie into the series have also been released.

The series has been commercially successful and is Universal's biggest franchise, as of 2015 ranking as the ninth-highest-grossing film series of all time with a combined gross of over $5 billion.[1] Critical reception was mostly mixed to negative for the first four films, while later films in the series were more positively received. Outside of the films, The Fast Saga has been the focus of other media, including attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood, live shows, commercials, many video games and toys. It is also considered the vehicle that propelled lead actors Vin Diesel and Paul Walker to stardom

The short films were either released direct-to-video or saw limited theatrical distribution by Universal. They were mostly included as special features for The Fast and the Furious (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), and Fast & Furious (2009), as part of the DVD releases. The films, which range from 10 to 20 minutes, are designed to be self-contained stories that provide backstory for characters or events introduced in the films. It is also designed to bridge the chronological gap that was created as the initial leads departed the series.

The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) sees Paul Walker reprise his role as Brian O'Conner, and details his escape from Los Angeles and avoidance of law enforcement, which culminates in his eventual arrival to Miami. Los Bandoleros (2009) sees Vin Diesel reprise his role as Dominic Toretto, who is living as a wanted fugitive in the Dominican Republic. He eventually reunites with Letty and other associates to plan the hijacking of a gasoline shipment to help an impoverished neighborhood.

In early 2000, actor Paul Walker had wrapped up filming on The Skulls with director Rob Cohen. Cohen secured a deal with producer Neal H. Moritz for an untitled action film for Universal Pictures,[8] and approached Walker for his idea of a dream action movie, with the actor suggesting a mash-up of the films Days of Thunder (1990) and Donnie Brasco (1997).[8] Soon thereafter, Cohen and Moritz brought him a Vibe magazine article published in May 1998, which detailed an undercover street racing circuit operating in New York City, and suggested a story that was to be a re-imagined version of the film Point Break (1991), but set to follow Walker as an undercover cop tasked with infiltrating the world of underground street racing in Los Angeles.[8] Upon hearing this, Walker signed on immediately; finding his co-star proved more difficult. The studio warmed toward the idea of Timothy Olyphant in the role of Dominic Toretto, due to the success of the blockbuster Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), but he declined. Moritz instead persisted on Vin Diesel following his performance in Pitch Black (2000), with Diesel accepting after proposing several script changes. Upon release in June 2001, the film shattered box office and critical expectations, and a 2002 sequel was green-lit by September.[9][10]

However, Diesel declined to return for the sequel, saying that the screenplay was inferior to its predecessor. Cohen also declined the sequel, opting to develop the film xXx (2002), which starred Diesel in the lead role. To account for these changes, Universal commissioned the writers to create a standalone sequel with Walker in the lead, and brought in John Singleton as the new director. As a result, filming was delayed by a year, and Tyrese Gibson, who worked with Singleton on the film Baby Boy (2001), was hired as Walker's new co-star. Furthermore, the production location shifted to Miami, and was also the first entry in the series to feature long-running castmate Ludacris.[8]

Universal attempted to bring back Diesel for the third installment, but he again declined due to other projects and a dislike for the script.[11] As a result of failing to secure the returns of any of the original cast, Universal ordered a reboot of the franchise. Screenwriter Chris Morgan subsequently attempted to revive the series primarily for car enthusiasts, with new characters, focusing on a car-related subculture, and moving the series to Tokyo; the city is considered the birthplace of Asiatic cars. It is also the first film in the series to start its tradition of filming in exotic locations.[12][13] Moritz returned and hired director Justin Lin, having been impressed with Lin's work for the film Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), which shared similar elements with Tokyo Drift. Moreover, the series were able to bring Diesel in for a cameo appearance, in exchange for letting the actor's production company acquire the rights to the Riddick character.[14][15] The third movie was the least financially successful of the franchise, received lukewarm reception, and left the future of the franchise in limbo.[16]

Away from the franchise, Diesel had made a string of box office or critical flops, including The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), The Pacifier (2005), and Find Me Guilty (2006). After discussions with Universal, the pair shared an interest in reviving the series.[16] After signing Diesel and confirming the return of Lin, Universal worked to track the first film's original co-stars, and re-signed Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster in mid-2008.[16] Walker was initially reluctant to rejoin the franchise after six years, but Diesel assured him that film would be considered the first "true" sequel.[8] Morgan returned to write after the critical praise for the character Han Lue. Given the death of the character in the third movie, the entire timeline of the franchise was altered to account for his appearance.[11] Considered a soft reboot as emphasis on car culture was toned down, the fourth movie, Fast & Furious, was a unilateral commercial success. Although critical reception was mixed, it reinvigorated the franchise, as well as the star power of Diesel and Walker.