'Mirror Mirror' is anything but Grimm ✭✭✭ This fairy tale princess holds her own in a lively 'Snow White' reiteration (CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

By Sheri Linden,
Special to Tribune Newspapers
March 30, 2012

Encased in a coffin, waiting to be brought back to life: That's how Snow White spends a good portion of the folk story that bears her name. There's no such downtime for the princess in the snappy retelling"Mirror Mirror," a fractured fairy tale that occupies the divide between Disney and Grimm.

A booster shot of testosterone lends kinetic kick to director Tarsem Singh's visually inventive interpretation, without shortchanging the requisite froufrou or sugarcoating the story's dark Oedipal heart. The mashup can be choppy, but the fable zings along on the sharp comic timing of the cast, led by a royally wicked Julia Roberts. 

The screenplay by Marc Klein and Jason Keller (a screen story credit goes to Melisa Wallack) pointedly rewrites the fairy tale convention that finds every damsel helplessly imperiled until a prince delivers her from danger. This Snow White (voiced by Lily Collins) can get gussied up with the best of them, but she also holds her own in a fencing duel. And — hello, switcheroo — she rescues a prince in distress.

When in exile, Snow (it's a first-name-informal kingdom) receives martial-arts instruction from the dwarfs. Like the famous septet from Disney's 1937 classic, this woods-dwelling crew provides sidekick slapstick, and each has a character-defining shtick — most memorably the love-struck Half Pint (Mark Povinelli). But they've also been restored to their folk tale roots as bandits and outcasts. They're action anti-heroes with hearts of gold.

READ MORE:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/sc-mov-0327-mirror-mirror-20120330-5,0,747200.story

Phil Collins and Lily Collins: 'Mirror Mirror' Red Carpet (GATHER)

March 18, 2012 06:35 AM EDT

It was a family affair for Lily Collins, who attended the premiere of Tarsem Singh's Mirror Mirror with her dad, musician Phil Collins. On March 17, the pair joined Lily's cast mates Julia Roberts and Sean Bean, and fellow young celebs Renee Olstead and Victorious star Victoria Justice at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

After the big premiere, Mirror Mirror's Prince Andrew, Armie Hammer, joined Lily at the afterparty. Just Jared was on hand as Lily was presented a fantastic red apple cake for her 23rd birthday on March 18. Victoria Beckham, Debby Ryan, and Lily's parents Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman were among Lily Collins's well-wishers at the after party


READ MORE:  http://celebs.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981200306

Henry Cavill is best Superman you could have, says 'Immortals' Tarsem (DIGITAL SPY)

Published Friday, Mar 2 2012, 4:00am EST |
By Simon Reynolds

Tarsem has described his Immortals star Henry Cavill as the "perfect" choice to play Superman. British actor Cavill was cast in Zack Snyder's superhero reboot Man of Steel after playing Theseus in the 3D fantasy epic, which is released on Blu-ray and DVD this week."I think he's about the best Superman you could ever have," the filmmaker said.

"When I first saw him - this was before I knew he [auditioned] for Superman, because the last Superman had been made a year and a half before Immortals and tanked - I said, 'This is Clark Kent!'"

 Tarsem, a former film school colleague of Man of Steel helmer Snyder, said that the Watchmen director would be "blind not to see how right he was for [the role]". "He's very gentle, manly, just everything was perfect for it," Tarsem said of Cavill. "He was so excited when he got it but I didn't doubt for a second that he wouldn't get it."


Read further:  http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a368315/henry-cavill-is-best-superman-you-could-have-says-immortals-tarsem.html

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans | 'Immortals' MTV Movies Honorable Mentions

When compiling your list of the ten best films of the year, inevitably a great film or two just won't fit on your final roster. That's where the honorable mention comes in handy. Perhaps the film was a little dumb, a little odd or something was just off, but for whatever reason it didn't make the cut, you love it nonetheless.

We asked the MTV Movies staff to share their honorable mention for the film year that was 2011.


"Source Code"
Duncan Jones' second feature delivered nearly everything I could ask for in a popcorn sci-fi flick: time travel, parallel universes and nifty plot twists that leave you asking friends afterwards, "Wait, what did it mean when...?" Fans of Jake Gyllenhaal's cult fav "Donnie Darko"—which really truly is an awful movie—would be well served to throw some love toward JG's "Code," because it spins a vastly superior sci-fi yarn. Let's all just pretend we took a source-code trip of our own and managed to alter the film's Hollywood ending so it isn't so blandly, cheesily, plot-defyingly nonsensical. -Eric Ditzian

"The Guard"
Something dark and funny runs in the McDonagh family. Martin McDonagh made a name for himself writing twisted, hilarious Irish plays and burst into film with the nearly perfect "In Bruges," starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in 2008. This year, his brother John Michael McDonagh hit the same notes with his feature film debut "The Guard," which also stars Gleeson as one of the most misbehaved cops you'll ever see. Gleeson earned a Golden Globe nomination for the role and rightfully so. "The Guard" combines dark humor, heart and a good amount of action to keep you entertained throughout, but it ultimately lacks the depth that made "In Bruges" a modern classic. –Kevin Sullivan

"Insidious"
I'll be honest. I had no interest in seeing "Insidious." When I saw advertisements for it, I immediately dismissed it. But upon seeing images of the snarling, hypnotic creature behind Patrick Wilson, I was beyond intrigued. "Insidious" does a great job setting up a desolate and creepy mood, but unfortunately, it staggers to a flawed and goofy finish. Even so, the visuals are great, and the cast elevates the campiness. If you've got 90 minutes to burn on Netflix, check it out. -Joel Hanek

"Immortals"
From the moment "Immortals" was announced, I was ready to buy a ticket for opening day. A new spin on the Theseus versus the Titans myth? A cast of very attractive actors? All under the direction of the exuberant, visionary ground-breaker Tarsem Singh? Talk about winning combinations. It's not like I expected to have my mind completely blown when I did finally see the film. I just wanted a big, beautiful spectacle, and in that respect "Immortals" delivered in spades. So many bloody battles, so many beautiful bodies, so much fun. Plus, we got our first look at "Man of Steel" Henry Cavill's action hero prowess, which is very promising indeed. -Kara Warner

"Another Earth"
If you could meet another version of yourself, what would you say? What would you want to know? Director Mike Cahill asks these questions and more in his feature film debut that uses a compelling sci-fi concept—the discovery of another Earth filled with alternate versions of ourselves, people who made different choices than us—as a way to dive into human nature, the mistakes that we make, the lengths we go to find forgiveness and the ways we punish ourselves. Featuring touching performances from leads Brit Marling and William Mapother, "Another Earth" is not just my favorite sci-fi film of the year, but one of the very best movies I saw in 2011. Seek it out—you won't regret it. -Josh Wigler

"Jane Eyre"
We all know that 2011 was Michael Fassbender's year: "Shame," "A Dangerous Method," "X-Men: First Class," lots of high-profile stuff. But my favorite of his films this year hit theaters back in March, and I wonder if anyone else remembers it. Fassbender played Rochester in a really good adaptation of "Jane Eyre." His co-stars included Jamie Bell, Judi Dench, Sally Hawkins and Mia Wasikowska as Jane – a solid cast in one of the best literary adaptations I've seen in recent years. The movie is dark, intense and romantic. I think Charlotte Brontë would have approved. -Tami Katzoff

Henry Cavill and Tarsem Singh Interview

Mirror Mirror - Julian Roberts, Lily Collins, Sean Bean (She Knows Entertainment)

Whom Will You Choose?

Get ready to fall under Snow White's spell. The beautiful Lily Collins and Julia Roberts are front and center of Relativity's Mirror Mirror. Naughty meets nice in the latest poster for the fable-inspired comedy.

 

Who's the fairest of them all? With leading ladies like Julia Roberts and Lily Collins, it's hard to choose! Relativity Media has released a new poster for their upcoming Snow White adaptation, Mirror Mirror.

The film is a fantastical comedy that tackles inner versus outer beauty. In Mirror Mirror, Collins stars as Princess Snow White, while Roberts plays her nemesis the Evil Queen. The devious matriarch forces the princess into exile, and seizes control of their magical kingdom.

While on her own, Snow White gets a helping hand from seven dwarf rebels. The group devises a plan to expose the Queen and her deeds once and for all. With new friends by her side, Snow White quickly goes from meek maiden to independent woman.

Mirror Mirror co-stars Armie Hammer as the charming Prince Alcott, Nathan Lane as Brighton, the Queen's spineless servant and Sean Bean as the regal King. The film is directed by Tarsem Singh, who previously shot the November blockbuster Immortals.

Before landing the coveted role of Snow White, Lily Collins appeared alongside Taylor Lautner in the thriller Abduction and Sandra Bullock in the acclaimed drama, The Blind Side. Oscar-winner Julia Roberts recently starred in the comedy Larry Crowne, and last year's Eat Pray Love.

Collins is currently filming the dramedy The English Teacher with Julianne Moore and Greg Kinnear.

She's also attached to Scott Charles Stewart's The Mortal Instruments, where she'll play a teen who discovers a dark secret about her family's past. Miss Collins is a very busy girl!
Mirror Mirror opens in theaters nationwide March 16.

http://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/850833/mirror-mirror-poster-pits-fair-against-frigid

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans | 'Immortals' 2011 Movie Review: Beyond The Trailer

Thank you to Charley Parlapanides!

Tarsem Singh revealed | The Boston Phoenix

When I first saw the trailer for Immortals, I wondered how Tarsem's newest film would be misinterpreted.

The mononominal director's work is uniquely open to misinterpretation; he makes films that no one seems to know how to watch. Everyone agrees they're visually gorgeous, but those who dislike them mostly say the same thing: there's no substance. As Richard Roeper put it in his review of Tarsem's second film, The Fall (2006): "It really adds up to a whole lot of nothing."

Empty beauty? Hardly. The Fall amounts to a passionate argument — in fact, the only possible argument — against suicide. It tells the story of an injured man who relates a fantastical story to a little girl in the same hospital. What most synopses miss is that the injured man is trying to trick the child into helping him kill himself.

That twist changes everything that follows: those gorgeous fantasy visuals contain a story as urgent, as serious, as Peter Jackson's in Heavenly Creatures or Guillermo del Toro's in Pan's Labyrinth. "It's my story too," the little girl pleads — which happens to be the only argument anyone can make against someone else's self-destruction.

Interestingly, Tarsem's first film, The Cell (2000) makes exactly the opposite argument in a similar story. The movie was marketed as a girl-meets-serial-killer flick (I'm sure the elevator pitch was "Silence of the Lambs on really good acid!"). Here too, there's a female character — Jennifer Lopez — entering into a man's fantastic private universe, as Lopez uses some best-unexplained tech to navigate the subconscious of a murderer she wants to heal. In this version, though, the man is unredeemed or unredeemable; his story ends by her hands.
At first glance, both movies appear to fall into comfortable genre categories; both transcend them. Taken together, the two films add up to an old question: to be, or not to be?

As for Immortals — the trailer sells it as a 300-esque sword-and-sandal disembowelment fest. But in fact, it may be Tarsem's most intimate work yet.

EPIC INTIMACY A former TV-commercial director — as well as director of The Cell, The Fall, and now Immortals — Tarsem describes his work as “personal.”Advertising art
A little background first. Tarsem Singh Dhandwar: born in India, raised in Iran, schooled in the Himalayas. At 24, he told his father he wanted to study film. His father's response, as Tarsem tells it: "You don't exist anymore."

In the US, Tarsem shed his last two names and went to film school. He first made his bones in advertising — an abased art form if there ever was one. But he's never been ashamed of or apologetic about his work as a commercial director — "I'm like a prostitute in love with her profession," he's told more than one interviewer. Early in Tarsem's career, when David Fincher suggested they work together, Tarsem turned him down. As Tarsem recalled on a panel at WonderCon: "I said, 'I don't think I'm ready. I don't feel like making films, I love advertising, I love music videos, I'll be doing this for another decade and a half.'

"Read the full article at: http://thephoenix.com/boston/movies/130499-director-of-immortals-could-be-hollywoods-mos/#ixzz1fC7utq44

via Aggelik1

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans | 'Immortals' Interview The Detroit News

British actor finds work in 'Immortals' bloody satisfying

Luke Evans: 'I'm Welsh, we love violence, we play rugby.'

Angela Dawson/ Entertainment News Wire The Detroit News

Having played the scheming Duke of Suffolk in the Renaissance-era soap opera "The Tudors," British import Henry Cavill is set to tackle a uniquely American icon — Superman — in Zack Snyder's 2013 reboot of the comic book franchise.

But before he dons the cape and tights in "Superman: Man of Steel," Cavill goes mythological as the ancient Greek hero Theseus in the epic action adventure "Immortals," currently in theaters.

The 28-year-old is an ancient history buff who jumped at the chance to play the stonemason turned rebel warrior who embarks on a mission to avenge his mother's killing at the hands of the brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke at his absolute meanest). Theseus and his men must stop the mad monarch before he destroys humanity and takes on the gods of Mount Olympus by unleashing a regiment of demigods known as the Titans.

Plenty of blood and gore are in store in this 3D fight-fest. The film is produced by the same team that brought the similarly ancient-themed "300" to the big screen in 2006. Visionary filmmaker Tarsem Singh ("The Cell," "The Fall"), who simply goes by Tarsem, directs from a script by Charley and Vlas Parlapanides.

Cavill says he has long admired Tarsem's work in film and music videos, and relished the opportunity to work with him.

"Tarsem had a very exact vision for the job; a lot of passion about it," he says. "When it came to meeting him I was sort of picked up by all his excitement about the project. There was no saying 'no' to that."

Cavill grew up on Jersey in Britain's Channel Islands. He had planned to go to college to study ancient history, specifically Egyptology, before turning his sights to acting. Earlier this year, he visited Istanbul to learn more about the ancient world.

"I found out that the Bosporus (the strait that separates Europe from Asia) was cut by Zeus," he says of the legend.

"I've always been interested in mythology and history in general," he continues. "When it comes to mythology it's even better because it is a made-up story in the interpreter's tale but when you hear that kind of thing you are delving into someone else's imagination."

Cavill's previous knowledge of the myths and legends that inspired the film played only a small part in creating his character.

"You can draw some parallels to the popular mythology of Theseus," the actor says. "But this certainly is not the traditional story. This is a battle of men versus men. There are gods and then there are Titans, but they do not take a direct hand in (human) affairs."

To get into top form, the already strapping Cavill began training six months before production (while he was still filming "The Tudors.")

"I was getting up at 4 in the morning, working for two hours on basic martial arts, and then going to work," he says.

It was a very specific body type he was trying to create — not a bodybuilder, but more of a swimmer's body. He kept up the regimen throughout shooting.

"I told him it couldn't be a six-pack," recalls Tarsem. "You've got to come home with an eight-pack. There has to be no body fat because I don't have too many clothes for you to wear."

With the action set in Tarsem's colorful Caravaggio-inspired world of ancient Greece, filming took place on meticulously decorated soundstages and incorporated hundreds of visual effects.

"Tarsem did this wonderful thing of building many, many (miniature) sets of everything, and then creating a visual storyboard," Cavill recalls. "He had everyone come into a room and showed us where we start, this is what it looks like, and talked us through the entire movie for about two hours."

"I think it was about four hours," interrupts co-star Luke Evans, the Welsh actor who plays the god Zeus in the film, and is paired with Cavill for an interview.

"When it came to the actual day (of shooting)," resumes Cavill, "we had our sets built around us, our foreground, and when it came to deep background, which was a green screen, (Tarsem) would have a piece of artwork that we'd already discussed and so we knew exactly what we were looking at."

Playing a commoner turned rebel leader, Cavill says the fight sequences were all very challenging but a climactic mano-a-mano brawl with Rourke was particularly intense.

"The fight is brutal and messy," says Cavill, who squared off with "The Wrestler" star. "These are two exhausted, desperate men who want to tear each other's throats out. There's some jujitsu, some Greco-Roman grappling, but mostly it's two guys kicking the crap out of each other."

For co-star Evans, the toughest sequence involved the confrontation with the almost indestructible Titans, demigod warriors held in a kind of suspended animation until Hyperion's attack brings them to back to life. The complicated sequence took about a week to shoot.

"I rehearsed that (scene) for two months before we actually did it," Evans recalls. "I learned how to swing a chain around my arm. I still have scars to show for that bloody chain."

Worth it, though, both he and Cavill agree. And what of all the violence?

"You do know I'm British," quips Cavill.

"And I'm Welsh," adds Evans, who previously played the god Apollo in 2010's "Clash of the Titans." "We love violence. We play rugby."

"Yeah, no problem with violence," Cavill nods with a laugh.

While Cavill and Evans may not yet be household names, they each have high-profile projects ahead.

Cavill has no qualms about taking on an American pop culture icon in "Superman: Man of Steel," scheduled to shoot next year with a 2013 release.

"If we were really true to the story, I would be an invulnerable alien, but I'm not, I'm an actor," he says.

Evans, who most recently played Aramis one of the disgraced musketeers taking on Cardinal Richelieu and the Duke of Buckingham in "The Three Musketeers," has wrapped production on James McTeigue's "The Raven," in which he plays a detective who partners with author Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) to find his missing fiancee. He also is set to play Bard the Bowman in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." The actor is in production on "No One Lives," which tells the story of a ruthless gang of killers who are surprised by their victims' resistance.

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans | 'Immortals' | Nessa Interview

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans | 'Immortals' | The making of

This making of video for Immortals by Tippett Studio shows the CGI animation that went into creating the Titans of Hyperion’s army

Making of_'IMMORTALS' from Animaxart VFx on Vimeo.

via Luke Evans News

Tarsem Singh to direct 'Killing on Carnival Road'

Tarsem Singh will direct Killing on Carnival Row

Original italian article badtaste.it

Kindly translated by Simona Fonda.

He had said, Tarsem Singh, that he was considering various hypotheses, and he has now decided: his next film will be Killing on Carnival Row. From peplum epic Immortals, who has just received $ 75 million worldwide in its opening weekend, to the fantasy of Mirror Mirror, now the director will devote to the project that Arnold and Anne Kopelson were trying to accomplish almost six years and was written by Travis Beacham (Pacific Rim).

Kopelson had initially developed the film for New Line Cinema, and over the years there have involved directors like Guillermo del Toro and Neil Jordan. Deadline, which publishes the news says that the producers are in talks with a major study but did not want to disclose which one. The idea is to start filming in June in New Orleans, just over two months after the release of Mirror Mirror. Casting is already underway.

A fantasy thriller with noire tones, the film is set in the future in one town, Burgue, which looks very Victorian London. Inhabited by humans and other creatures (such as elves, fairies and vampires), Burgue lives in terror sown by a serial killer. According to Deadline, Tarsem has also explored the Escape Artists project, Nautica, and Marco Polo by James Stern and Gianni Nunnari

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans | 'Immortals' 4 out of 5 stars

The stuff of legend
Immortals

November 10, 2011 by Todd Gilchrist 4.0/5 rating Box Office Magazine

3.0/5 income

Spectacle and spectacular are often confused for one another in stories of epic adventure, but Immortals is the rare film where they are one and the same. Tarsem—a gifted filmmaker who sometimes sacrifices storytelling for visual sumptuousness—lacquers a straightforward narrative to his decadent directorial DNA, producing a genuinely mythic tale of a mortal who becomes a fulcrum between the well-meaning meddling gods and the villainous mischief of man. With any luck the success of its more-superficial stylistic antecedent, Zack Snyder's 300 will rub off on Immortals box office returns, but more likely the flick is poised for cult adulation, not mainstream glory.

Henry Cavill (of TV's The Tudors and our next Superman) plays Theseus, a peasant content to live a life of unassuming anonymity keeping a watchful eye on his mother. His focus is daily survival, not war. But when power-hungry King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) invades his village in search of a weapon of mythical power, Theseus is forced into action-and thankfully he's been trained by an old man (John Hurt) whose true identity is none other than the king of the gods, Zeus (Luke Evans), who long ago swore off outwardly meddling in human affairs. Theseus slowly assembles a ragtag group of allies that include Stavros (Stephen Dorff) and a priestess named Phaedra (Freida Pinto). But when Hyperion obtains the Epirus Bow and decides to use it against his enemies, the gods are forced to decide whether or not to intervene and save humankind from itself.

Given the participation of 300 producer Mark Canton, the muscles, and the ancient Greece setting, it's easy to dismiss Immortals as a superfluous knockoff with more style than substance. But where Zack Snyder's film owes its look to a visceral combination of Frank Miller's iconic source material and the director's own cinematic excesses, Tarsem's film is steeped in capital-A art. Even as he sets up nasty modern fights, The Cell director invokes the staging and detail of classical artwork. The framing is painterly, the colors are vivid and the choreography is mythic. The visuals aren't just "cool," each shot directly serves the story while giving the viewer something memorable—and better yet, emotionally provocative—to grok.

Although I'm a fan of his two previous films, The Cell and The Fall, it's fair to say that in the past Tarsem sometimes actively encouraged his visuals to overshadow his stories. But his use of filters and camera techniques is never an end unto itself—he uses his stunning toolbox to create atmosphere and character. (Audiences looking for Snyder-style speed-ramping will find that Tarsem uses it sparingly, and less as a self-celebratory flourish than an integral—and awesomely entertaining—example of power, prowess and skill.) The result is an irony-free, magnificently epic style, a hero's journey that's transcendent yet populist.

Cavill is in the unusual position of being better known for an unreleased project—Zack Snyder's Man of Steel—than his current ones. But as he defines his career, Cavill showcases the rugged yet refined masculinity that makes him an ideal leading man. And in Immortals, he proves that has the personality and talent to back it up. While his fellow actors are clearly either peasants or superheroes from the start, he transitions from one to the other with naturalness and believability. Looking good even when he's covered from head to toe in oil, he has a commanding presence and an ease with the formalities of the film's necessarily melodramatic dialogue that never sounds self-aware or silly.

Meanwhile, Evans plays Zeus as an unexpectedly tormented ruler who presides over gods who oddly aspire to be men, even as men aspire to be gods. His struggles with how much (if at all) to intervene in the human war, show the need to preserve the order of this mythical world. Meanwhile, Mickey Rourke's intimidating offscreen presence gives Hyperion's maniacal ambition surprising credulity—he's more practical than he is one-dimensionally villainous. And as the priestess Phaedra, Freida Pinto's incomparable beauty slowly reveals a sophisticated, thoughtful female character desperately yearns to discard her hermetic purity and experience the world in all of its messy mundanity.

Immortals shouldn't be mistaken for unwarranted self-seriousness or frivolous pageantry—this is theatrical adventure shot through with a sincere appreciation for myth-making. Though Tarsem doesn't have the cache of a David Fincher or Zack Snyder, his distinctive style has crossover potential if he continues to find projects that marry his ornate, high-minded sensibility to a more conventional story. If the key to immortality is living a life worth remembering, Tarsem is well on his way, because Immortals is beautiful, smart and emotionally engaging—a combination is as memorable as it is entertaining.

Distributor: Relativity
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Henry Cavill, John Hurt, Stephen Dorff, Corey Sevier, Kellan Lutz, Freida Pinto, Isabel Lucas, Alan Van Sprang, Luke Evans, Robert Maillet
Director: Tarsem Singh
Screenwriter: Charles Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides
Producers: Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari, Ryan Kavanaugh
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Rating: R for sequences of strong bloody violence, and a scene of sexuality
Running time: 110
Release date: November 11

via Charley Parlapanides.

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans | Immortals | The Triangle-Review

'Immortals' offers thrilling action, violence and visuals

by Stanely Wright The Triangle

A gold-barred cage embedded in the vast bowel of Mount Tartarus contains the Titans, a vanquished group of seething former gods defeated in a battle among the heavens. Standing toe to toe, these deadly creatures are destined to stay here for eternity, unless King Hyperion has anything to say about it.

Hyperion aims to wreak havoc on Olympus in defiance of the gods he thinks ignored his plea to save his family. The Titans, and the Epirus Bow he uses to release them, are his keys to vengeance, and he’ll mow down anyone in his path to achieve it. Standing within Mount Tarturus, he draws the bow back and an arrow appears, which he fires into the cell which then explodes, releasing the angered Titans.


Relativity Media“Immortals” stars Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke and John Hurt, directed by Tarsem Singh. The film was released Nov. 11.So begins “Immortals,” the latest in the line of beautifully shot, action-first films, this one derived from the Greek myths of Theseus, the Minotaur and Titanomachy (War of the Titans). Don’t worry if these mythical allusions go right over your head — the film’s advertisers don’t expect you to know them.

They do, however, expect you to respond to heavy scenes of violence, have a healthy respect for nudity and appreciate breathtaking cinematography. These are the main draws of “Immortals,” and director Tarsem Singh capitalizes on them.

A stylistic cousin to “300,” “Immortals” is best appreciated for its astounding visual composition. A hefty combo of CGI and unique camera angles create this effect, often picking up the slack that the dialogue leaves behind.

Protagonist Theseus’ broad shoulders and chiseled stomach also support much of the film’s weight, as they help him protect his home village when Hyperion plunders through. Our hero wields a spear, fighting off dozens in slow motion as he clamors to save his mother from the cruel king’s wrath. I’ll let you see if he was successful, but the battle is most certainly worth the watch.

Theseus and his cohorts engage in several similarly epic fight scenes with Hyperion and his legions throughout the film in which the story comes to life on screen. The most notable scene occurs during the film’s climax, in which Hyperion and Theseus have their final battle. Simultaneously, the Titans and a group of gods, led by Zeus, duke it out in an excessively gory finale.

I found aspects of the plot to be compelling, especially the manifestation of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. This gripping sequence had me on the edge of my seat, and at one moment I even feared for Theseus’ life.

This film is largely linear in construction. However, its many themes get muddled in the midst of waving shields and clanking swords. Reflections on love and loss are mere diversions from the brutality of battle, which is clearly the centerpiece. Commendably, these abundant and gruesome scenes are the most compelling part of the movie.

After all the blood was shed, I was amazed and impressed by some of the battles I witnessed, decently entertained by the storyline and admittedly jealous of Theseus’ love interest, Phaedra, for canoodling with such a handsome warrior.

Before the closing credits, Singh offers one last nugget of quasi-profundity — a powerful summation that is both a lasting tribute to a fallen soldier and almost certainly a setup for a sequel. Stay tuned for “Immortals 2.”

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans - 'Immortals' Review EMC

Simple tale of good vs. evil simply awesome

Posted Nov 17, 2011 By Mark Haskins EMC

MOVIE: Immortals

STARRING: Henry Cavill, Frieda Pinto, Luke Evans, Stephen Dorff and Mickey Rourke

DIRECTOR: Tarsem Singh

RATING: R

EMC Entertainment - Immortals is awesome in much the same way a bolt of lightning striking the Earth is awesome.

Before man walked the Earth there was a war. It pitted Zeus (Luke Evans) and his family of gods against the evil Titans. Immortal fought immortal until Zeus won, and the Titans were imprisoned under Mount Tartarus. Now a mortal filled with hate seeks to release the Titans and destroy the gods.

King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his army have laid waste to Greece in his search for the Bow of Epirus. This fabled weapon has the power to kill a god or free the Titans from their prison. If Hyperion gets the bow it will mean the total destruction of the Gods and all they hold dear.

The gods are forbidden to interfere in the events of mortals directly so Zeus has decided to put his faith in one mortal to stand against Hyperion. Theseus (Henry Cavill) was born a peasant, but he's a warrior born. He has tremendous skill coupled with a desire to protect those in need. Zeus desperately wants Theseus to take up this cause, but it must be Theseus who decides.

It becomes an easy choice after Hyperion destroys Theseus' village and murders his mother. With the thief Starvos (Stephen Dorff) at his side, and the Sybelline Oracle Phaedra (Frieda Pinto) to guide him Theseus sets out to find the bow and defeat Hyperion.

I really liked Immortals though to tell the truth I love stories from mythology and Greek mythology is one of my favourites. So I get a little excited when they bring one of those stories to life on the big screen. That said Immortals is still incredibly well done. It's a simple story of good versus evil, but with an intensity that makes it very exciting to watch. That intensity is heightened by the breathtaking and surreal cinematography. From the set backgrounds, to the costumes, to the play of light and dark, to the slow motion action sequences Immortals is a feast for the eyes.

It's a stunningly beautiful film.

I love this cast. This is how gods, heroes and villains from mythology are supposed to look and act. Every actor seems to exude a sense of power and otherworldliness though perhaps none better than Luke Evans as Zeus.

Physically and emotionally Henry Cavill's performance is riveting. He is every inch the hero Theseus almost as if he has stepped out of the ancient past.

I believe Mickey Rourke really enjoys playing the bad guy. He must enjoy it because he's so good at it. Hyperion is a truly twisted and evil man, and Rourke sinks into the role with a zest that's almost disturbing in itself.

Immortals takes this story, this mythology, and brings it to life with a richness and a beauty that creates a real sense of awe.

Mark Haskins' column is a regular feature of the EMC.

Mirror Mirror - Trailer

From the director of 'Immortals', Tarsem Singh comes a classic tale, 'Mirror Mirror' (the Snow White story)



Thank you so much to Simona

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans - 'Immortals' EW Interview ComicCon 2011

An interview with the cast of 'Immortals': Henry Cavill, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, Stephen Dorff, Freida Pinto and director Tarsem Singh.

Henry Cavill, Luke Evans - My Review of 'Immortals'

My ‘Immortals’ Review


I think I have to get this out of my system, even if no one reads it. I went to see Immortals yesterday, finally! And I can honestly say, I have not felt this excited about a movie in a long time!

It was not what I expected, I’m not sure what I expected. I’m not a big fan of this genre, so I can’t say I had something in mind, normally I wouldn’t even pay attention to a movie of this kind, except this time two of my favorite British actors are in it, Luke Evans and Henry Cavill, who is fast becoming one of my top people to watch…I wonder why?

To the movie, the visual part of it is just breathtaking; to me it felt as if I was looking at a painting that moved. I could name many scenes that are edged in my mind, but it would take up this whole review, I’ll just say that if this movie doesn’t receive at least 3 nominations in the art department I will forever stop paying attention to the Oscars.

Tarsem Singh, what can I say about him? He is a genius! I liked how the movie engages you from the beginning and here I’m not sure who is exactly responsible for that, Tarsem or the brothers Charley and Vlas Parlapanides who wrote this brilliant script. I truly appreciated the way the narrator grabs your attention right away. Most movies take a while to go through the motion and present the characters and plot so you can actually follow the story, this goes right for it and you’re in it, immersed in this fantasy world.

As for the cast, I think everyone is perfect for their role, I will concentrate on Luke and Henry, since this blog is partly dedicated to both of them. I’ll start with Henry, since he is our main hero here. I was so impressed with him as Theseus, and not just because of obvious reasons, yes he is one of the most attractive actors out there, but more than that, he brings a certain vulnerability to the role, which to me is so engaging. That ‘poor baby’ quality had me wanting to hug him and comfort him the entire time.

My favorite scenes of Henry are when Phaedra (Freida Pinto) makes him drink water dripping from her mouth, I’ve read some comments where people say it’s disgusting, I thought it was beautifully done, never seen anything quite like it, also it broke my heart to see him try to protect his mother. During the love scene, he also brought me to tears when his eyes filled with them. Very powerful performance and he carries the movie.

His fighting scenes are brutal and you can tell what a dedicated actor he is. His body is like a perfectly oiled (pardon the pun) machine, it’s like he’s performing this carefully choreographed dance brilliantly. I think the character has a wide range of qualities that seem to fit Henry perfectly. He will be the perfect Man of Steel.

Now to Luke Evans. I will say this, this is not how I envisioned Zeus before watching his portrayal of the father of the gods. No way. Every time Luke was on screen he exuded confidence and leadership as the role indicates. I admit, it was strange to see him play the father to the other young gods, but it works, just because of his great talent. Luke has these rugged good looks, not your classic ‘pretty boy’, but very masculine, tough almost. In that regard he was perfect for the role, you couldn’t have someone prettier, that wouldn’t work.

My favorite scenes were when he comes down from heaven and makes the earth shake, loved that. ‘Prove-me-right’ is a classic line now, as well as the show of his wrath and of course that last fighting epic scene where he swings that gigantic whip. He also brought me to tears when he shows his fatherly love, very moving.

My only complaint about Luke is that I was expecting him to have more screen time; I want to see more of him, just as I did for Three Musketeers! Luckily for me, he has at least two movies ready to be released this coming year; that makes me very happy. He is brilliant in my opinion.

As a Mickey Rourke fan of years past, I was very impressed with his performance; he is the classic baddie and does a very good job as the ruthless King Hyperion. He had me cringing every time he was on and asking what will he be up to now? The final epic battle with Theseus is so well performed and he shows he still has some muscles and does a fine job of beating the crap out of the poor boy.

I’m not a big fan of violent films, but the violence and gory blood scenes worked for me, even if I had to close my eyes at that ‘balls crunching’ hammer and other torture parts. Even that was done appropriately as far as the story is concerened. I was definitely cheering the gods and Theseus on and wishing they did away with Hyperion and his hench men, classic good versus evil theme.

All in all, I am ready to see this again! That tells you all you need to know about what I thought of ‘Immortals’. I will also say that I’m very happy to see all the success finally coming to what seem to be lovely people. Henry and Luke deserve all the good things they are getting at this moment.

Congratulations to all involved in this fantastic movie and best wishes for future success! We’ll be watching you.

Patricia.

Tarsem Singh’s Immortals opens No.1 at Weekend Box Office

By BollySpice Editors

Relativity Media’s visually-stunning epic 3D adventure Immortals exceeded both internal and external industry estimates leading the company to its highest box office opener as an independent distributor, taking in an estimated $32.2mm in 3,112 locations in North America and $38mm internationally from opening in 35 countries, it was announced today by Kyle Davies, Relativity’s President of Worldwide Distribution. Opening on 11-11-11, the film impressively took the # 1 spot in America and became the highest R-Rated action film this year and the third highest-grossing R-rated film debut in 2011 behind The Hangover 2 ($85.9mm) and Paranormal Activity 3 ($52.6mm). Directed by Tarsem Singh, and from the producers of 300 Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari and Relativity’s Ryan Kavanaugh, Immortals is completely original and not based on a comic book, novel or a previous film.

Relativity mounted a robust marketing and publicity campaign toward a broad audience, beginning by targeting the elusive under 35 male demographic, and leveraging innovative partnerships with such companies as Clear Channel Radio, MTV, Best Buy, Carl’s Jr.®, Spotify, Richard Petty Motor Sports and Virgin Mobile to reach beyond the targeted under 35 male demographic. Exit polls indicate that Immortals reached that specific group and beyond, as 75% of its audience was under 35 (with 60% of that audience consisting of males and 40% comprising of females) and 25% was 35 and over. Exit polls also indicated very strong response in both rating and recommendation scores from the younger demographic (males and females under 25). 70% of locations played the film in 3D. 66% of the gross was on 3D screens with 34% on 2D.

Relativity owns worldwide rights to Immortals with Lionsgate handling foreign sales. Immortals opened day and date with the U.S. in over 35 international territories including: UK/Universal, Germany/Austria/Constantin, Italy/RAI/01 Distribution, Japan/Universal, South Korea/Next Entertainment World, Turkey/Aqua Pinema, Taiwan/Studio Solutions Group/Catchplay, Netherlands/A-Film, Greece/Village Films, South Africa/Nu Metro, UAE/Gulf Films, and CIS & Eastern Europe/Paradise/MGN. Immortals is the first Relativity title released in China through Sky Land, its joint venture with IDG and Saif Partners. The current estimated weekend box office is approximately a solid $38mm+ with a number of territories still to report. The rest of the world will open by the Christmas holiday including France/Metropolitan, Belgium/A-Film/Belga, Australia/New Zealand/Universal, Denmark & Norway/Nordisk, Portugal/Prisvideo, Brazil/Imagem, Mexico/Gussi, Spain/Universal, among others.


In Relativity’s first year as an independent distributor, Immortals marks the studio’s second over-performing film to reach the #1 spot in America, following Neil Burger’s paranoia-fueled action thriller Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in March of this year. Both titles were produced internally by Relativity.

“We are thrilled that our homegrown epic Immortals performed well above internal and industry projections and are gratified that our core audience showed up to this wholly original film. We’re also enthused by the broad and ethnically diverse audience, hoping the positive word-of-mouth will continue the movie’s playability through the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Davies.

Immortals stars Henry Cavill (Superman: Man of Steel), Luke Evans (Robin Hood), Kellan Lutz (Twillight), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Stephen Dorff (Public Enemies), Daniel Sharman (The Collection), Stephen McHattie (Watchmen), Greg Bryk (A History of Violence), Peter Stebbings (Jeremiah), Alan VanSprang (Saw III), John Hurt (Hellboy) and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2). Directed by Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) and written by Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, Immortals tells the story of the ruthless King Hyperion (Rourke), who leads his bloodthirsty army on a murderous rampage across Greece to find a deadly weapon that will destroy humanity. A mortal chosen by Zeus named Theseus (Cavill) must lead the fight against Hyperion and his evil army with the fate of mankind and the Gods at Stake. The film is executive produced by Relativity’s Tucker Tooley, Working Pictures’ Jeff Waxman, Tommy Turtle, Virgin Produced’s Jason Felts and co-executive produced by Voltage Productions’ Craig Flores, Relativity’s Robbie Brenner and Virgin Produced’s Rene Rigal. Relativity’s Kenneth Halsband served as co-producer.

The next film on the studio’s growing slate is Oscar®-winner Steven Soderbergh’s dynamic Haywire debuting in theatres January 20, 2012. This highly anticipated action-thriller stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) star Gina Carano in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts. Haywire tells the story of Mallory Kane, a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive. Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious – and dangerous – trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary. The release marks Soderbergh’s 25th film.

Relativity Media just wrapped production on the hilarious comedy 21 & Over and is currently in pre-production on Nicholas Sparks’ gripping love story Safe Haven and the international espionage thriller Hunter Killer. Relativity’s expansive upcoming slate also includes: Act of Valor, a heart-pounding action film starring active duty Navy SEALs (in theatres February 17, 2012), a gritty thriller The Raven (in theatres March 9, 2012), the magical adventure comedy Mirror Mirror (in theatres March 16, 2012), starring Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, and Armie Hammer and edge-of-your seat thriller House at the End of the Street (in theatres April 20, 2012).

About Relativity Media, LLC


Relativity Media is a next-generation studio engaged in multiple aspects of entertainment, including full-scale film and television production and distribution, the co-financing of major studio film slates, music publishing, sports management and digital media. Additionally, the company makes strategic partnerships with, and investments in, media and entertainment-related companies and assets.

To date, Relativity has produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 motion pictures. Released films have accumulated more than $16 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Relativity’s recent films include: Immortals, Tower Heist, Bridesmaids, Hop, Limitless, Anonymous, Machine Gun Preacher, Cowboys & Aliens, Battle: Los Angeles, Season of The Witch, Little Fockers, The Fighter, The Social Network, Salt, Despicable Me, Grown Ups, Dear John, It’s Complicated, Couples Retreat and Zombieland. Upcoming films for Relativity include: Haywire, Act of Valor, The Raven, Mirror Mirror,21 Jump Street, American Reunion, and The Bourne Legacy. Thirty-eight of the company’s films have opened to No. 1 at the box office. Relativity films have earned 60 Oscar® nominations, including nods for The Fighter, The Social Network, The Wolfman, A Serious Man, Frost/Nixon, Atonement, American Gangster and 3:10 to Yuma. Fifty-nine of Relativity’s films have each generated more than $100 million in worldwide box-office receipts.

Relativity also owns and operates Rogue Pictures, a company that specializes in films targeted to the 13-25 year old audience, and RogueLife, Relativity’s digital studio which is developing original content for the Web and creating sustainable online platforms and communities. RelativityREAL, Relativity’s television arm, has 67 projects in production, including 17 original series that are currently airing or will air in the upcoming television season including Police Women for TLC, Coming Home for Lifetime and The Great Food Truck Race for Food Network.

Visually extravagant; a real triumph of special effects, costume design, and art direction that should be commended for its translation of 3D into an immersive experience.

Written by Chris Pandolfi (editor-at-large)

Immortals is visually extravagant – a triumph of special effects, costume design, and art direction. This is to be expected from Tarsem, who belongs on the same shelf as Tim Burton as one of the most unique visually inclined directors alive. While not the film’s greatest achievement, he should be commended for shooting it in 3D and successfully translating the process into a theater format. For the first time in what seems like ages, here is an immersive experience that isn’t dim or muddy; I could clearly see what was going on, even during the dark scenes. I like that I don’t have to give you my usual advice of saving your money and seeing it in traditional 2D. This time around, you can base your decision on what dimension you prefer, not on sparing yourself from a barely visible projection.
But I’m making this sound better than it actually is.

The plot is essentially B-movie material – Greek mythology crossed with the comic-book action of an Italian sword-and-sandal epic. This is somewhat disappointing given Tarsem’s previous film, The Fall. Apart from being a sumptuous visual feast, it was also a heartfelt, beautifully structured story within a story. It was the work of a free filmmaker, bounded only by the limits of his imagination. Here, he brings his vision to a serviceable but routine screenplay of the same league as Clash of the Titans and Conan the Barbarian (in both cases, I’m referring to the remakes). There will inevitably be comparisons to 300, although if you actually see this film, you’ll quickly realize that the two are in fact quite different.

Immortals will probably never rank among Tarsem’s best works, but for what it is, I thought it was entertaining. The story is as follows: King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) has declared war on humanity and the Olympic gods following the death of his family. He seeks a legendary magic bow, which can produce arrows out of this air when the string is plucked. This weapon will allow him to free the Titans, who for eons have been imprisoned deep within a mountain. Rather than follow the current trend of making them beasts of colossal proportions, they are instead of normal human size, looking like nomads caked with mud. Their prison is actually kind of interesting; they’re neatly lined up within a cramped square cell, and their teeth are clamped on rods passing through the walls. The immediate image that comes to mind is a foozball table.

Anyway, the Olympians, led by Zeus (Luke Evans), are by law forbidden from siding with mortals during times of war. It seems, however, that they’re not forbidden from preparing mortals for battle well ahead of schedule (I admit, the details are a little sketchy). Here enters Theseus (Henry Cavill), the bastard son of a peasant woman. Although he doesn’t believe in the gods, he has been expertly mentored by an old man who isn’t given a name, except for Old Man (John Hurt). Exactly who he is, I leave for you to discover. What I can say is that he delivers the expected wise-elder dialogue – observant, cryptic, and just a touch humorous. A stock character, to be sure. My favorite line of his doubles as the film’s opening title card: “All men are immortal, but righteous men are immortal and divine.”

Into Theseus’ life enters Phaedra, a virgin oracle priestess (Freida Pinto), and a cynical, wisecracking thief named Stavros (Stephen Dorff). Their quest to find the magical bow before Hyperion is surprisingly violent; in the course of this movie, we will see numerous battle sequences, all involving stabbings, beheadings, and impalements. Some scenes achieve an unexplainable perverse beauty through the use of editing, special effects, and choreography. This would definitely include when one of the Olympians decapitates his way through a blockade of Hyperion’s men; the bodies fall in slow motion, and the blood sprays dramatically. Other scenes are a bit too heavy handed. One involves torture victims roasting to death inside an iron bull sitting atop an open flame. Another involves Hyperion taking a sledgehammer to a man’s nether regions.

I mentioned the battle sequences. Most of them are typical action fare – swords clanging, spears flying, wounds opening, people dying. It isn’t until the obligatory final battle that we get the male posturing that was once rousing but is now funny. Just before the fight, Theseus stands on a ledge and shouts to a battalion of men, all ironclad, all raring to go. Tarsem adds interest to the scene by having the men rhythmically pound their swords on their shields. Cavill delivers a line. Bang! Another line. Bang! Line. Bang! Line. Bang! It lasts no more than a minute or two, and yet it achieves an almost musical quality. Can you blame me for laughing at this? Story wise, I have a sneaking suspicion Immortals was intended to be taken with a grain of salt. But in terms of the work that went into the film’s look, it’s impossible to not take that seriously.

Tags:Immortals, Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, Isabel Lucas, Kellan Lutz, Freida Pinto, Mickey Rourke, Tarsem Singh

 

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