In 2008, Gary Sinise received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor awarded to citizens for exemplary deeds performed in service of the nation. He is only the second actor, and one of only 110 people in history to have received the honor. Other awards include The Medal of Honor’s Bob Hope Excellence in Entertainment Award, The Spirit of the Uso Award, The Ellis Island Medal of Honor, The Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award, and the Heart of a Patriot Award from Uso of Illinois. In April 2011 he received the USC School of Social Work’s Crystal Heart, the school’s highest honor for his outstanding community service, and the university established the Gary Sinise Endowed Scholarship in the School of Social Work in his name to support further education in the area of military social work.
Sinise has done hundreds of personal appearances and concerts with the Lt.
Sinise has done hundreds of personal appearances and concerts with the Lt.
- 1/9/2024
- Look to the Stars
Marina Diamandis, the pop singer who performs using just her first name, opened up on Wednesday about her recent diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. “I’ve had symptoms like deep fatigue, numbness, tingling, brain fog, rashes, insomnia and a feeling of being ‘poisoned’ for so long it’s been hard to remember what healthy feels like,” she wrote on Instagram. “My baseline energy has been at 50 – 60 percent for a long time. Aside from a few periods of remission, the last 7 years have consisted of relying on adrenaline and willpower to push me through each day.
- 7/12/2023
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Sally Willcox, the longtime CAA literary agent who most recently oversaw acquisition and development at Tobey Maguire’s Material, has landed at Paradigm, the agency said Tuesday. She will oversee media rights and be based at the agency’s Beverly Hills headquarters.
“Sally excels at discovering and developing intellectual property and it is her passion to find inspiring opportunities for her clients, making her the perfect person to drive and expand our media rights division,” said Adam Kanter, co-head of Motion Picture Literary, and Andy Patman, co-head of Television Literary, in a release announcing the news.
Willcox spent 27 years at CAA, repping authors, journalists, publishers and publications along with screenwriters and writer-directors including Michael Cunningham, Dave Eggers, Laura Hillenbrand, William Nicholson and Steven Knight. She made deals on projects that became major films, like The Hurt Locker, Waiting to Exhale, Adaptation, The Joy Luck Club, Seabiscuit, Where the Wild Things Are,...
“Sally excels at discovering and developing intellectual property and it is her passion to find inspiring opportunities for her clients, making her the perfect person to drive and expand our media rights division,” said Adam Kanter, co-head of Motion Picture Literary, and Andy Patman, co-head of Television Literary, in a release announcing the news.
Willcox spent 27 years at CAA, repping authors, journalists, publishers and publications along with screenwriters and writer-directors including Michael Cunningham, Dave Eggers, Laura Hillenbrand, William Nicholson and Steven Knight. She made deals on projects that became major films, like The Hurt Locker, Waiting to Exhale, Adaptation, The Joy Luck Club, Seabiscuit, Where the Wild Things Are,...
- 10/9/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
DaniElle DeLaite sat down recently with Merritt Patterson & Samuel Hunt and Jon Foreman & Tim Foreman from Switchfoot to talk about their movie Unbroken – Path to Redemption. It is an unofficial sequel to Angelina Jolie’s 2014 film Unbroken, starring Jack O’Connell and Domhnall Gleeson.
Telling the true story of Olympian Louis Zamperini the film stars Samuel Hunt as Zamperini, Merritt Patterson, Vincenzo Amato, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Bobby Campo, Bob Gunton, Maddalena Ischiale, David Sakurai, and Gary Cole.
We also got the chance to ask the Switchfoot brothers about putting aside their hiatus and making music for the new film.
Unbroken: Path to Redemption is released in the Us on the 14th of September, 2018.
Synopsis:
When the war ended, his battle began. Based on Laura Hillenbrand’s bestselling book, Unbroken: Path To Redemption begins where Unbroken ends, sharing the next amazing chapter of Olympian and World War II hero Louis Zamperini...
Telling the true story of Olympian Louis Zamperini the film stars Samuel Hunt as Zamperini, Merritt Patterson, Vincenzo Amato, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Bobby Campo, Bob Gunton, Maddalena Ischiale, David Sakurai, and Gary Cole.
We also got the chance to ask the Switchfoot brothers about putting aside their hiatus and making music for the new film.
Unbroken: Path to Redemption is released in the Us on the 14th of September, 2018.
Synopsis:
When the war ended, his battle began. Based on Laura Hillenbrand’s bestselling book, Unbroken: Path To Redemption begins where Unbroken ends, sharing the next amazing chapter of Olympian and World War II hero Louis Zamperini...
- 9/14/2018
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Gratuitously prolific director Harold Cronk keeps cranking them out. Fascinated by supposedly undamaged people who turn out to be spiritually shattered given the absence of religious submissiveness in their lives, this month alone he’s behind two faith-based releases sporting such a premise: last week’s” God Bless the Broken Road,” and now “Unbroken: Path to Redemption.”
Both follow an individual’s transformation from sinfully reproaching God to realizing their woes are punishment for straying away from Him.
Produced with meager resources, “Path to Redemption” sneakily professes itself as a sort-of sequel to Angelina Jolie’s 2014 sophomore directorial effort “Unbroken,” even though they don’t share any cast members, below-the-line crew, or screenwriters. Most importantly, they are eons apart in storytelling dexterity, technical quality, and tone. Jolie’s feature was far from glorious and earned her mixed reviews, but it’s nonetheless an incomparably superior exercise in period filmmaking.
Also...
Both follow an individual’s transformation from sinfully reproaching God to realizing their woes are punishment for straying away from Him.
Produced with meager resources, “Path to Redemption” sneakily professes itself as a sort-of sequel to Angelina Jolie’s 2014 sophomore directorial effort “Unbroken,” even though they don’t share any cast members, below-the-line crew, or screenwriters. Most importantly, they are eons apart in storytelling dexterity, technical quality, and tone. Jolie’s feature was far from glorious and earned her mixed reviews, but it’s nonetheless an incomparably superior exercise in period filmmaking.
Also...
- 9/13/2018
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
On the heels of The Nun's strong start to the fall season, this weekend sees the release of Fox's The Predator, which should top the weekend box office, though a cloud of controversy may stall what might have been a larger performance. Also releasing this weekend is the Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick thriller A Simple Favor, Studio 8's White Boy Rick and Pure Flix's Unbroken: Path to Redemption, all poised for a spot in the top ten. Debuting in over 4,000 locations, Fox's The Predator isn't having the best of time leading up to release. The controversy swirling around the film has been all anyone is talking about and reviews are, at best, lackluster. The film is currently looking as if it will fall short of Alien: Covenant's disappointing $36.1 million opening last May with studio expectations for the $88 million production in the high 20s, perhaps reaching $30 million for the weekend.
- 9/13/2018
- by Brad Brevet <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
- Box Office Mojo
A demonic nun and a race of extraterrestrial hunters will go head-to-head at the box office this weekend as 20th Century Fox’s “The Predator” will take on “The Nun” in its second weekend, with analysts expecting “The Predator” to take the top spot, albeit with rather lackluster numbers.
Releasing this weekend on over 4,000 screens, “The Predator” is expected to earn an opening weekend in the high $20 million range, with the top end of independent projections standing at $30 million. By comparison, last year’s “Alien: Covenant” opened to $36.1 million in May and went on to gross just $74.2 million domestically and $240 million worldwide against a $97 million budget.
While “The Predator” would hold the highest opening weekend for the 31-year-old franchise, it’s also by far the most expensive in the series with a reported production budget of $88 million. The original 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was produced on a $15 million budget — around...
Releasing this weekend on over 4,000 screens, “The Predator” is expected to earn an opening weekend in the high $20 million range, with the top end of independent projections standing at $30 million. By comparison, last year’s “Alien: Covenant” opened to $36.1 million in May and went on to gross just $74.2 million domestically and $240 million worldwide against a $97 million budget.
While “The Predator” would hold the highest opening weekend for the 31-year-old franchise, it’s also by far the most expensive in the series with a reported production budget of $88 million. The original 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was produced on a $15 million budget — around...
- 9/11/2018
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
A familiar group of monsters are returning to invade multiplexes this weekend.
Fox’s “The Predator,” the fourth installment in the sci-fi series, looks to top a trio of fellow new offerings — “A Simple Favor,” “White Boy Rick,” and “Unbroken: Path to Redemption” — at the domestic box office. The No. 1 spot, however, could be a close call depending on the staying power of Warner Bros.’ “The Nun,” which led North America last weekend with its sizable debut. Another factor that could impact the weekend box office is Hurricane Florence, the category four storm that is targeting the east coast, specifically the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. It’s too soon to tell the potential damage, though storm surges and heavy winds could close theaters.
Estimates show Shane Black’s “The Predator” could earn between $25 million and $32 million when it launches in more than 3,900 venues. A debut over $25 million would rank as...
Fox’s “The Predator,” the fourth installment in the sci-fi series, looks to top a trio of fellow new offerings — “A Simple Favor,” “White Boy Rick,” and “Unbroken: Path to Redemption” — at the domestic box office. The No. 1 spot, however, could be a close call depending on the staying power of Warner Bros.’ “The Nun,” which led North America last weekend with its sizable debut. Another factor that could impact the weekend box office is Hurricane Florence, the category four storm that is targeting the east coast, specifically the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. It’s too soon to tell the potential damage, though storm surges and heavy winds could close theaters.
Estimates show Shane Black’s “The Predator” could earn between $25 million and $32 million when it launches in more than 3,900 venues. A debut over $25 million would rank as...
- 9/11/2018
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Unbroken: Path To Redemption, the film that follows the second half of Louis “Louie” Zamperini’s life and covers the second half of the Laura Hillenbrand’s New York Times‘ best-selling book, has moved up its theatrical release date to Sept. 14 from Oct. 6. By making the move, it takes the picture off the same weekend as Sony’s Venom and Warner Bros.’ A Star is Born and moves it to a weekend occupied by Moses and then the wider releases of Lionsgate’s A Simple Favor and Fox’s The Predator.
The original Unbroken was released via Universal Pictures in 2014 around the Christmas holiday. The continuation of the story was directed by Harold Kronk (God’s Not Dead and its sequel) from a script by Richard Friedenberg and Ken Hixon and was produced by Matthew Baer and Mike Elliott. The film is from Universal 1440 Entertainment, The Wta Group, and Pure Flix.
The original Unbroken was released via Universal Pictures in 2014 around the Christmas holiday. The continuation of the story was directed by Harold Kronk (God’s Not Dead and its sequel) from a script by Richard Friedenberg and Ken Hixon and was produced by Matthew Baer and Mike Elliott. The film is from Universal 1440 Entertainment, The Wta Group, and Pure Flix.
- 6/28/2018
- by Anita Busch
- Deadline Film + TV
The faith-based filmmaking world is wasting zero time. Hot on the heels of the breakout success of Christian indie “I Can Only Imagine” this past weekend, faith-based production company Pure Flix has released a first look at their next big feature: a sequel to Angelina Jolie’s 2013 true-life drama “Unbroken,” albeit one with a very different bent than the one put on screen by the filmmaker nearly four years ago.
Later this year, Pure Flix — also known for releasing the “God’s Not Dead” films, soon to be a trilogy — will release their sequel, “Unbroken: Path to Redemption,” a Christian-leaning follow-up to Jolie’s Louis Zamperini biopic “Unbroken.” None of the Jolie film’s original cast or crew is involved with the film, which follows the war hero upon his return to the States after being held as a prisoner of war during World War II and his eventual turn to born-again Christianity.
Later this year, Pure Flix — also known for releasing the “God’s Not Dead” films, soon to be a trilogy — will release their sequel, “Unbroken: Path to Redemption,” a Christian-leaning follow-up to Jolie’s Louis Zamperini biopic “Unbroken.” None of the Jolie film’s original cast or crew is involved with the film, which follows the war hero upon his return to the States after being held as a prisoner of war during World War II and his eventual turn to born-again Christianity.
- 3/20/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Unbroken, the movie about tortured World War II veteran Louis Zamperini, is getting a sequel that will explore the difficulty that the Olympian-turned-pow had in his private life after coming home.
The sequel, dubbed Unbroken: Path to Redemption, will be produced by Matt Baer, who produced Unbroken in 2014. That film, directed by Angelina Jolie, made $165 million worldwide.
At the time, some Christians took issue with Jolie's version because it ignored the last third or so of Laura Hillenbrand's 2010 book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, where Zamperini, an alcoholic suffering from Ptsd...
The sequel, dubbed Unbroken: Path to Redemption, will be produced by Matt Baer, who produced Unbroken in 2014. That film, directed by Angelina Jolie, made $165 million worldwide.
At the time, some Christians took issue with Jolie's version because it ignored the last third or so of Laura Hillenbrand's 2010 book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, where Zamperini, an alcoholic suffering from Ptsd...
- 9/5/2017
- by Paul Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: A sequel of Unbroken is on the way from the film’s original producer Matt Baer and God’s Not Dead franchise director Harold Cronk which looks at the life of hero Louis Zamperini post WWII. The faith-based film — to be distributed by Pure Flix — is based on the second half of the book from author Laura Hillenbrand. The film is entitled Unbroken: Path to Redemption. The film will pick up where the first left off and follows Zamperini’s life after the war and his…...
- 9/5/2017
- Deadline
Editor’s Note: This article is presented in partnership with Bleecker Street’s release of “Anthropoid,” directed by Sean Ellis and starring Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy. “Anthropoid” is now playing in theaters.
This week, “Anthropoid” looks to join the ranks of a rich and complex cinematic history: films about World War II. A global conflict that has yielded global stories, World War II continues to be the basis for films that challenge our perceptions. “Anthropoid” uncovers an episode from before the fighting stopped, focusing on the attempt to assassinate high-ranking SS General Reinhard Heydrich. Writer/Director Sean Ellis uses the true-life mission as a backdrop for a talented ensemble, including Cillian Murphy, Jamie Dornan and Toby Jones.
The best of these modern WWII films never lose sight of the idea that this was a conflict fought by individuals. Their weapons and their ideologies were varied, but this was history...
This week, “Anthropoid” looks to join the ranks of a rich and complex cinematic history: films about World War II. A global conflict that has yielded global stories, World War II continues to be the basis for films that challenge our perceptions. “Anthropoid” uncovers an episode from before the fighting stopped, focusing on the attempt to assassinate high-ranking SS General Reinhard Heydrich. Writer/Director Sean Ellis uses the true-life mission as a backdrop for a talented ensemble, including Cillian Murphy, Jamie Dornan and Toby Jones.
The best of these modern WWII films never lose sight of the idea that this was a conflict fought by individuals. Their weapons and their ideologies were varied, but this was history...
- 8/12/2016
- by Steve Greene, David Ehrlich, Chris O'Falt, Graham Winfrey, Kate Erbland, Zack Sharf and Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
March 30, 1970. Racing champion Secretariat was born.
After Citation in 1948, Secretariat became the first U.S. Triple Crown winner in 25 years and became the stuff of legend.
New York Post columnist Larry Merchant said:
“Secretariat is the kind of Big Horse that makes grown men weep, even when they are flint-hearted bettors, even when he goes off at 1-10. He is the apparently unflawed hunk of beauty and beast they search for doggedly in the racing charts every day, and never seemed to find. His supporters rhapsodize over him as though he is a four-legged Nureyev, extolling virtues of his musculature, his grace, his urine specimens.” If he were to lose the Belmont, Merchant warned, “the country may turn sullen and mutinous.”
As of 2015, only 12 horses have won the Triple Crown: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), and American Pharoah (2015).
Just as with Secretariat,...
After Citation in 1948, Secretariat became the first U.S. Triple Crown winner in 25 years and became the stuff of legend.
New York Post columnist Larry Merchant said:
“Secretariat is the kind of Big Horse that makes grown men weep, even when they are flint-hearted bettors, even when he goes off at 1-10. He is the apparently unflawed hunk of beauty and beast they search for doggedly in the racing charts every day, and never seemed to find. His supporters rhapsodize over him as though he is a four-legged Nureyev, extolling virtues of his musculature, his grace, his urine specimens.” If he were to lose the Belmont, Merchant warned, “the country may turn sullen and mutinous.”
As of 2015, only 12 horses have won the Triple Crown: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), and American Pharoah (2015).
Just as with Secretariat,...
- 3/30/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
CinemaNerdz is proud to offer our readers a chance to win one of two Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo copies of Unbroken starring Jack O’Connell and directed by Angelina Jolie.
For your chance to win one of the discs, just look for the “giveaway” box further down on this page.
There you’ll be directed to a variety of methods by which you can enter the contest. You’ll be asked to provide a valid email address, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, and Tweet the contest. That’s it! That’s all you have to do to enter. We’ll contact you to let you know if you’ve won one of the prizes. But hurry, because the contest ends at 12:00Am on Saturday, April 4th!
About The Film
Unbroken: Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie directs and produces this epic drama that follows...
For your chance to win one of the discs, just look for the “giveaway” box further down on this page.
There you’ll be directed to a variety of methods by which you can enter the contest. You’ll be asked to provide a valid email address, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, and Tweet the contest. That’s it! That’s all you have to do to enter. We’ll contact you to let you know if you’ve won one of the prizes. But hurry, because the contest ends at 12:00Am on Saturday, April 4th!
About The Film
Unbroken: Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie directs and produces this epic drama that follows...
- 3/26/2015
- by Administrator
- CinemaNerdz
The film Unbroken follows the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini (pictured below), who survived on a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash during World War II — only to be caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a series of prisoner-of-war camps. Author Laura Hillenbrand’s 2010 book (also called Unbroken) is the basis for the film, directed by Angelina Jolie. When Zamperini found out that a well-known actress was going to direct the film, it required some getting used to. It wasn’t long, however, before he embraced Jolie and welcomed her … Continue reading →
The post VOD Spotlight: Unbroken appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
The post VOD Spotlight: Unbroken appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
- 3/24/2015
- by Meredith Ennis
- ChannelGuideMag
Unbroken follows the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini who survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash during World War II—only to be caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a series of prisoner-of-war camps.
The inspirational biopic is on Digital HD now and on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand March 24, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Legendary Pictures. Directed by Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie, Unbroken chronicles the unbelievable true story about triumph over tribulation and the resilient power of the human spirit.
Adapted from Laura Hillenbrand’s acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Unbroken is packed with exclusive bonus content that dives deeper into the life of Louie Zamperini and the legacy he left behind. Exclusive to the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack are deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes interviews and a closer look at the life of the real Louie...
The inspirational biopic is on Digital HD now and on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand March 24, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Legendary Pictures. Directed by Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie, Unbroken chronicles the unbelievable true story about triumph over tribulation and the resilient power of the human spirit.
Adapted from Laura Hillenbrand’s acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Unbroken is packed with exclusive bonus content that dives deeper into the life of Louie Zamperini and the legacy he left behind. Exclusive to the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack are deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes interviews and a closer look at the life of the real Louie...
- 3/20/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Angelina Jolie is pretty much the epitome of fame. And not just in a celebrity, pop icon type of way. She has had quite the acting career with an Academy Award and Golden Globes to prove it. Jolie also is an avid humanitarian traveling around the world to help those in need, and has even promoted humanitarian causes on a political podium. And now, the actress turned director, just completed her second directorial venture, Unbroken which tells an incredible story so inspiring, that it landed her an introduction to the Pope. Adapted from the popular non-fiction book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, the war drama follows the true story of an Olympic track star turned war hero. After surviving a plane crash, only to drift on a raft to a Japanese Pow camp, Louie Zamperini has to undergo extreme odds.
- 1/12/2015
- cinemablend.com
The USC Scripter Award, now in its 27th year, honors films adapted from novels, short stories, comic books, journalism, and other screenplays with both the source material and the adapted screenplay feted. This year's nominees include four of our five leading contenders for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars -- "Gone Girl," "The Imitation Game," "The Theory of Everything" and "Wild" -- as well as sixth-ranked "Inherent Vice." -Break- Updated: Experts' Oscars predictions in 24 categories The biggest snub was "Unbroken," which we have ranked fourth for Best Adapted Screenplay. That screenplay by four Oscar favorites -- Joel & Ethan Coen, Richard Lagravenese and William Nicholson -- was based on Laura Hillenbrand's bestselling biography of Louis Zamperini. As it excludes stage-to-screen adaptations and foreign-language films, the Scripter has forecast ...'...
- 1/8/2015
- Gold Derby
Universal Pictures has announced that Unbroken will be screened at The Vatican this week. Director Angelina Jolie has traveled to Rome to attend the event, joined by Luke Zamperini, the son of the film’s subject, Louis Zamperini.
Pope Francis, aware of the incredible life story of Louis Zamperini, graciously welcomed the opportunity to view the film and is expected to attend the screening at the Casina Pio IV, headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, on Thursday, January 8. Anticipated to attend with The Holy Father, Ms. Jolie and Mr. Zamperini is a delegation of Vatican leaders and officials.
“To be invited to screen Unbroken at The Vatican is an honor and a tribute to Louie’s legacy as a man of faith and someone who exemplified the power of forgiveness and the strength of the human spirit,” stated Ms. Jolie. “These are universal...
Pope Francis, aware of the incredible life story of Louis Zamperini, graciously welcomed the opportunity to view the film and is expected to attend the screening at the Casina Pio IV, headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, on Thursday, January 8. Anticipated to attend with The Holy Father, Ms. Jolie and Mr. Zamperini is a delegation of Vatican leaders and officials.
“To be invited to screen Unbroken at The Vatican is an honor and a tribute to Louie’s legacy as a man of faith and someone who exemplified the power of forgiveness and the strength of the human spirit,” stated Ms. Jolie. “These are universal...
- 1/8/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Peter Bart and Mike Fleming Jr. worked together for two decades at Daily Variety. In this weekly column, two old friends get together and grind their axes, mostly on the movie business.
Bart: Before we plunge into 2015, it’s worth revisiting the Sony Saga one more time to acknowledge that some things will never be the same. If studio executives in the future feel inhibited about sending prematurely ejaculated emails, for example, how are they going to they keep their cool? Calling Adam Sandler an asshole and Leonardo “despicable” was clearly an important form of emotional release. The human resources apparatchiks likely will recommend meditation (I’m dubious). Or anger management (more dubious). Pot might help (less dubious).
Fleming: I am reasonably sure that nothing in those emails surprised the people receiving the abuse. Or at least not their reps, who probably heard the same thing verbally. We’re all so time-pressed,...
Bart: Before we plunge into 2015, it’s worth revisiting the Sony Saga one more time to acknowledge that some things will never be the same. If studio executives in the future feel inhibited about sending prematurely ejaculated emails, for example, how are they going to they keep their cool? Calling Adam Sandler an asshole and Leonardo “despicable” was clearly an important form of emotional release. The human resources apparatchiks likely will recommend meditation (I’m dubious). Or anger management (more dubious). Pot might help (less dubious).
Fleming: I am reasonably sure that nothing in those emails surprised the people receiving the abuse. Or at least not their reps, who probably heard the same thing verbally. We’re all so time-pressed,...
- 1/4/2015
- by Peter Bart and Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline
Oscar voting opened Monday, and like clockwork, the haters have come calling. As Deadline’s Pete Hammond wrote on Monday, ’tis the season for controversy over fact-based awards contenders: Now, Bennett Miller’s real-life Olympian tragedy Foxcatcher and Tim Burton’s art exposé Big Eyes have joined Mlk Jr. drama Selma, the Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken in ducking for cover over accuracy issues in mixing fact-based stories with narrative structure.
Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, who’s played by Channing Tatum in Foxcatcher, publicly supported the film through its November theatrical release. That changed drastically in a series of angry online rants this week as Schultz turned on the Golden Globe-nominated pic, which won Miller the Best Director prize at Cannes. He blasted Miller and the film on Facebook after he read reviews dwelling on the suggestion of a sexual relationship between him and...
Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, who’s played by Channing Tatum in Foxcatcher, publicly supported the film through its November theatrical release. That changed drastically in a series of angry online rants this week as Schultz turned on the Golden Globe-nominated pic, which won Miller the Best Director prize at Cannes. He blasted Miller and the film on Facebook after he read reviews dwelling on the suggestion of a sexual relationship between him and...
- 1/1/2015
- by Jen Yamato
- Deadline
Wait! Just hold on a second... Before you rush off to the list and then the comments to get mad at me for the placement of these movies and "How dare you!" etc, etc... Remember, these are movies I consider disappointments for one reason or another, reasoning I set out to explain with each entry. Most often this has to do with expectations, whether it be because of the director, screenwriters, star, subject matter, what have you... This is never a fair position for a movie to be placed in, but it's the fact of the matter and I think this is a list far more interesting than the "Worst Movies of 2014" and, in some ways, perhaps even my "Top Ten Movies of 2014". With that out of the way, let's scroll through the ten films I consider to be the most disappointing of the year, six of which were on...
- 12/31/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Angelina Jolie.s second directorial effort, Unbroken, is not an easy viewing. An adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand.s novel about Louie Zamperini, the film tells a heartbreaking tale of survival and persevering through the darkest of times. But even with scenes depicting this man.s trials at sea and in a P.O.W. camp, there was one event in particular that Jolie deemed too gruesome to include in the movie. Be wary of spoilers from Unbroken and the original novel... Those who.ve read Hillenbrand.s novel and seen the film will likely have already deduced which scene we.re referring to: the death of Gaga, the injured but friendly duck that hung around the camp and brightened the soldiers. days. In the book, one of the more vicious guards horrifically brutalized this helpless animal as a means to further crush the prisoners. It was this scene that Jolie...
- 12/29/2014
- cinemablend.com
If you've read Unbroken, the 2010 Laura Hillenbrand book that Angelina Jolie's Unbroken is adapted from, you will no doubt remember one particularly horrific passage involving a little duck named Gaga. Louie Zamperini (portrayed by Jack O'Connell in the film) had already suffered an extraordinary amount when he became a prisoner-of-war during WWII—including surviving a plane crash and spending 47 days adrift in a raft in the Pacific. Gaga was a friendly duck that used to hang around the camp and lift the soldiers' spirits. Zamperini told Hillenbrand that the event that haunted him the most was when a sadistic...
- 12/29/2014
- by Sara Vilkomerson
- EW - Inside Movies
Unbroken and Into the Woods did big business over Christmas weekend, though first place once again belonged to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.Overall, the box office was quite strong on the last weekend of 2014: the Top 12 earned an estimated $189.4 million, which makes this the highest-grossing weekend of the year.The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies eased 24 percent to an estimated $41.4 million. In comparison, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King fell 30 percent to $50.6 million on the exact same weekend back in 2003. This is also the biggest second weekend yet for the Hobbit trilogy, though each of those weekends were before Christmas, not after.The final installment in the Hobbit trilogy remains on track to at least match The Desolation of Smaug's $258 million, though $300 million now seems to be out of reach.Opening at 3,131 theaters, Angelina Jolie's Unbroken took second place with an estimated $31.7 million.
- 12/28/2014
- by Ray Subers <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
- Box Office Mojo
“The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies” held off a strong challenge from Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken” and the record-breaking debut of Disney’s musical “Out of the Woods” to triumph for the second straight week as the holiday box office boomed.
Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth epic brought in $55 million since Christmas Day to hold off Universal’s Louis Zamperini biopic, which has rung up more than $47 million since Thursday, and “Out of the Woods,” which posted the biggest opening ever for a movie adapted from a Broadway musical with $46 million, topping 2008’s “Mama Mia.”
Both of those openings blew past analysts’ projections,...
Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth epic brought in $55 million since Christmas Day to hold off Universal’s Louis Zamperini biopic, which has rung up more than $47 million since Thursday, and “Out of the Woods,” which posted the biggest opening ever for a movie adapted from a Broadway musical with $46 million, topping 2008’s “Mama Mia.”
Both of those openings blew past analysts’ projections,...
- 12/28/2014
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
A few months ago the pared, gritty World War II tank picture Fury, led with muted intensity by Brad Pitt, caused little stir though it was a modest, hard-won victory in an old genre. It was also a far more involving trawl through war hell than the miscast, timid Unbroken. We have served countless tours through combat documents, all that history on film, it comes as a surprise then that director Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken is the first time the courageous feats of Louis Zamperini have been given their big screen due. So many gripping incidents to cull from Laura Hillenbrand’s bestselling account of Zamperini’s life of endurance trials, tortures, and perseverance; an adapted screenplay with input from wordsmiths Ethan and Joel Coen: a perfect cinematic blueprint.
And that is what the end product resembles: a blueprint of unfortunate events outlined with little passion other than the...
And that is what the end product resembles: a blueprint of unfortunate events outlined with little passion other than the...
- 12/28/2014
- by Gregory Fichter
- CinemaNerdz
Jack O’Connell is the most exciting young actor to break out in years, and he makes this overly familiar film worth your time… if only just. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
First of all: Jack O’Connell. This guy is the most exciting young actor to break out in years. He’s been around British TV for a while, but his recent one-two feature-film punch of Starred Up and ’71 (the latter of which will open in the U.S. in February 2015) put him in the not-to-be-ignored list. He’s a chameleon onscreen, all but unrecognizable from one role to another: you’d be hard-pressed to see either the brash, already hardened Londoner teen felon of Starred Up or the earnest, terrified young British soldier of ’71 in...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
First of all: Jack O’Connell. This guy is the most exciting young actor to break out in years. He’s been around British TV for a while, but his recent one-two feature-film punch of Starred Up and ’71 (the latter of which will open in the U.S. in February 2015) put him in the not-to-be-ignored list. He’s a chameleon onscreen, all but unrecognizable from one role to another: you’d be hard-pressed to see either the brash, already hardened Londoner teen felon of Starred Up or the earnest, terrified young British soldier of ’71 in...
- 12/27/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Recently, Universal Pictures dropped this new featurette/movie clip (below) for their new "Unbroken" drama flick, which is directed by big time movie star, Angelina Jolie. In the featurette, Angelina delivers a very compelling and deep explanation about the storyline for the movie along with a ton of new scene footage. Check it out,below. The movie stars: Garrett Hedlund, Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Finn Wittrock and Miyavi. The official plotline for the movie, reads like this: "Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie directs and produces "Unbroken," an epic drama that follows the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis "Louie" Zamperini (Jack O'Connell) who, along with two other crewmen, survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII—only to be caught by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. Adapted from Laura Hillenbrand's ("Seabiscuit: An American Legend") enormously popular book,...
- 12/26/2014
- by Derek
- OnTheFlix
With over $15 million each, Angelina Jolie's Unbroken and Disney musical Into the Woods had a very Merry Christmas at the box office.Meanwhile, The Gambler and Big Eyes also debuted nationwide, while The Interview (2014) opened in limited release.The Top 10 earned an estimated $71.2 million, which makes this the biggest Christmas Day since 2009 (when Avatar, Sherlock Holmes and the Alvin and the Chipmunks sequel ruled).Unbroken took first place yesterday with an estimated $15.6 million, which ranks third all-time among Christmas Day debuts, behind Sherlock Holmes and Les Miserables. That's pretty remarkable considering the movie lacks any recognizable on-screen talent: credit this to the popularity of Laura Hillenbrand's book, curiosity about Jolie's directing, and the movie's inspirational true story (which appears to have some faith-friendly elements).This type of Christmas Day opening virtually guarantees $125-million-plus in the long run. It could potentially go quite a bit higher; if Unbroken follows Django Unchained's pattern,...
- 12/26/2014
- by Ray Subers <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
- Box Office Mojo
Merry Christmas, indeed! Angelina Jolie unwrapped a $15 million present on Thursday, Dec. 25, when her new movie Unbroken won the Christmas Day box office. The drama, which is Jolie's sophomore directorial effort, debuted in 3,131 theaters. An adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's non-fiction book of the same name, Unbroken brought in $15.59 million to take the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office. Starring Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, and Garrett Hedlund, among others, Unbroken tells the story of the late Louis Zamperini. Zamperini passed away this past [...]...
- 12/26/2014
- Us Weekly
The Angelina Jolie-directed “Unbroken” and Disney’s musical “Into the Woods” led the way Thursday, as moviegoers turned out in force on a busy Christmas Day that reversed a weeks-long slump at box office.
Universal’s inspirational tale of Olympic and World War II hero Louis Zamperini, based on Laura Hillenbrand’s bestseller and starring Jack O’Connell, exploded for an estimated $15.6 million in its first day. The third-best Christmas Day opening ever puts “Unbroken” on course for more than $40 million over the four days – roughly double what the studio and analysts had projected.
“Into the Woods,” the star-laden,...
Universal’s inspirational tale of Olympic and World War II hero Louis Zamperini, based on Laura Hillenbrand’s bestseller and starring Jack O’Connell, exploded for an estimated $15.6 million in its first day. The third-best Christmas Day opening ever puts “Unbroken” on course for more than $40 million over the four days – roughly double what the studio and analysts had projected.
“Into the Woods,” the star-laden,...
- 12/26/2014
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Wehrenberg Theatres is partnering with The Greater St. Louis Honor Flight Organization (Gslhf) to host a free red-carpet screening of Unbroken for local war veterans. Gslhf is inviting veterans, mostly from World War II, to Galaxy 14 Cine’s Mega Screen to experience Unbroken, the Universal Studios film based on a true WWII story.
The screening is by invitation only, and will take place Tuesday, December 30 at 4:30 Pm.
Hundreds of local vets, and their guests, will be honored prior to show time by walking the red carpet to the Mega Screen. These guests are primarily veterans and family who flew to Washington, D.C. in 2014.
Click here for more info: http://www.gslhonorflight.org/news/
Concession combos featuring popcorn and soda will be provided to every guest courtesy of Chaminade Schools. Charles Schwab is underwriting the event costs.
Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie directs and produces Unbroken, an epic drama...
The screening is by invitation only, and will take place Tuesday, December 30 at 4:30 Pm.
Hundreds of local vets, and their guests, will be honored prior to show time by walking the red carpet to the Mega Screen. These guests are primarily veterans and family who flew to Washington, D.C. in 2014.
Click here for more info: http://www.gslhonorflight.org/news/
Concession combos featuring popcorn and soda will be provided to every guest courtesy of Chaminade Schools. Charles Schwab is underwriting the event costs.
Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie directs and produces Unbroken, an epic drama...
- 12/26/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
A true story doesn’t guarantee a great movie, and Unbroken is proof of that. A perfectly respectable, well-made film, it dutifully depicts Louis Zamperini’s ordeal—from a crash landing of his plane at sea to 47 agonizing days adrift in a life raft, followed by seemingly endless abuse as a Japanese prisoner of war. All of this is vividly and credibly dramatized. Yet the most memorable and inspiring part of his story is the aftermath of these wartime experiences, which is summed up in a couple of title-card postscripts. The movie’s pedigree is impeccable. Zamperini’s life was chronicled in a best-selling book by Laura Hillenbrand, who also wrote Seabiscuit. The script went...
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[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
- 12/25/2014
- by Leonard Maltin
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
Run Rabbit Run: Jolie’s Grimly Serious Pow Reenactment
Beautifully, if sometimes too glossily mounted, Angelina Jolie’s sophomore effort as a director, Unbroken, is too poker faced to enjoy either as a dramatic motion picture or a document of an excruciating, unnecessary experience. That’s not to say there isn’t untoward torture and humans behaving poorly towards one another, but the film, based on Laura Hillenbrand’s book about the WWII experience of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, collapses upon itself as merely an incredibly well-intentioned portrait of human resilience. It seems rather untoward to write the film off as dull or uninspiring, and while it certainly has patches that could be described as such, Jolie, directing from a script written by the Coen brothers and Richard Lagravenese, has simply made a very dry, straightforward film about a man whose experiences as a captive of the Japanese army were...
Beautifully, if sometimes too glossily mounted, Angelina Jolie’s sophomore effort as a director, Unbroken, is too poker faced to enjoy either as a dramatic motion picture or a document of an excruciating, unnecessary experience. That’s not to say there isn’t untoward torture and humans behaving poorly towards one another, but the film, based on Laura Hillenbrand’s book about the WWII experience of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, collapses upon itself as merely an incredibly well-intentioned portrait of human resilience. It seems rather untoward to write the film off as dull or uninspiring, and while it certainly has patches that could be described as such, Jolie, directing from a script written by the Coen brothers and Richard Lagravenese, has simply made a very dry, straightforward film about a man whose experiences as a captive of the Japanese army were...
- 12/25/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
“The Interview” may be the most talked-about movie heading into Christmas Day, but the star-laden Disney musical “Into the Woods,” the Angelina Jolie–directed “Unbroken” and Oscar frontrunner “Selma” lead a holiday parade of eight new movies that could wrest the spotlight this weekend.
With the exception of the blockbuster Peter Jackson epic “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the holiday box office has been sluggish. But the high-profile releases could turn that around starting Thursday.
The Mark Wahlberg crime drama “The Gambler” is also opening nationwide, while the Clint Eastwood–directed “American Sniper,” Tim Burton’s “Big Eyes...
With the exception of the blockbuster Peter Jackson epic “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the holiday box office has been sluggish. But the high-profile releases could turn that around starting Thursday.
The Mark Wahlberg crime drama “The Gambler” is also opening nationwide, while the Clint Eastwood–directed “American Sniper,” Tim Burton’s “Big Eyes...
- 12/24/2014
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Angelina Jolie Makes Two Stars in 'Unbroken': We Talk to Jack O'Connell and Miyavi (Exclusive Video)
"Unbroken" is one of those movies that couldn't get made until a powerful star with clout convinced a studio she could pull it off. Jolie made the Louis Zamperini story immortalized by Laura Hillenbrand her second movie and Universal backed it at $65 million: modest for a period war film with scenes in the air, on the water, and in a Japanese prison camp. Jolie was able to lure the top artists in Hollywood to support her cause, from cinematographer Roger Deakins to editors Tim Squyre ("Life of Pi") and William Goldenberg ("Argo"). The result is a handsome well-crafted movie that is admirable for any sophomore filmmaker. Is it also earnest, old-fashioned and straight-forward? Yes. Reviews are mixed enough to put a taint on Universal's Oscar campaign. O'Connell and Miyavi talk about what it took to film the intense climax of the film, when The Bird threatens to kill Zamperini if...
- 12/24/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Chicago – Olympic runner, plane crash survivor, and WWII Pow Louis Zamperini had an extraordinary life of defeating even more profound conditions from cruel nature and fellow man. His is a tale of grandiose cinematic potential, especially considering our desire for beat-down underdogs and their gauntlets of adversity, but such gets a surface-level treatment from director Angelina Jolie’s underwhelming tribute “Unbroken.”
Rating: 2.0/5.0
The film is a chronicle of Zamperini’s struggles, a narrative that beats a character down specifically to see them endure. Embodying Zamperini is Jack O’Connell, a rising actor with an immense amount of power inside him, even though this movie undersells it with whimsical stoicism. (If you’re looking for a great role to see the biggest sense of this, I recommend his 2014 bloody-knuckle prison drama “Starred Up.”)
“Unbroken” has a strange flaw in that it makes plain a man of astonishing heroism. From the very beginning of the story,...
Rating: 2.0/5.0
The film is a chronicle of Zamperini’s struggles, a narrative that beats a character down specifically to see them endure. Embodying Zamperini is Jack O’Connell, a rising actor with an immense amount of power inside him, even though this movie undersells it with whimsical stoicism. (If you’re looking for a great role to see the biggest sense of this, I recommend his 2014 bloody-knuckle prison drama “Starred Up.”)
“Unbroken” has a strange flaw in that it makes plain a man of astonishing heroism. From the very beginning of the story,...
- 12/24/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Before Angelina Jolie made “Unbroken,” Louis Zamperini’s dramatic World War II survival story had been looking for a filmmaker since 1957. But it took Laura Hillenbrand’s bestselling book and the interest of second-time director Jolie to nudge the project back into action, leading to the film that opens on Christmas Day on the heels of four Critics’ Choice Movie Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Jolie said she was obsessed with the story of Zamperini, an Olympic runner who survived 45 days adrift on a raft in the Pacific and two years in a series of brutal Japanese prison camps.
Jolie said she was obsessed with the story of Zamperini, an Olympic runner who survived 45 days adrift on a raft in the Pacific and two years in a series of brutal Japanese prison camps.
- 12/24/2014
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Earlier this year, Louie Zamperini died at the age of 97. He was the son of Italian immigrants, born in 1917 in New York state. His family relocated to Torrance, California where he was on the verge of becoming a hooligan until his older brother Pete got him involved with the school track team. By the time he was 19, he had qualified for the 1936 Berlin Olympics in the 5000-meter race.
An entire feature-length film could probably be made just about his career as a runner, but the full scope of the man's endurance is told here in Angelina Jolie's second directorial effort. Unbroken really feels like three movies in one, weaving in the story of Zamperini's Olympic success, his time in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II and his eventual struggles as a prisoner of war in a Japanese camp. In the film, British actor Jack O'Connell...
An entire feature-length film could probably be made just about his career as a runner, but the full scope of the man's endurance is told here in Angelina Jolie's second directorial effort. Unbroken really feels like three movies in one, weaving in the story of Zamperini's Olympic success, his time in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II and his eventual struggles as a prisoner of war in a Japanese camp. In the film, British actor Jack O'Connell...
- 12/24/2014
- by Matt Shiverdecker
- Slackerwood
The best reason to see Angelina Jolie’s more-than-decent film adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken — the story of Louis Zamperini’s grueling odyssey adrift on a lifeboat in the South Pacific and in several Japanese prisoner-of-war camps — is to experience torture from the side of the tortured, to feel vicariously what it’s like when an enemy has absolute power over your life and death. (Needless to say, I don’t mean to imply a connection between this and the House of Representatives’ recent “torture report,” which is obviously a partisan effort to make a few bad apples stand for the CIA under the rigorously ethical Bush-Cheney administration. Perish the thought.) At its essence, Unbroken is a tribute to manly perseverance, its message so nice, it’s stated twice: “If you can take it, you can make it.” Taking the film is no walk in the park, either.The...
- 12/24/2014
- by David Edelstein
- Vulture
Review by Dana Jung
The story of Louis Zamperini is perhaps unknown to modern audiences, but has been well documented through the decades. Sports hero, war hero, and all-American good guy, Mr. Zamperini has been in and out of the public eye since the 1930s. Tony Curtis was supposedly interested in a film version of Mr. Zamperini’s story as far back as the 1950s. It’s certainly surprising that no one has attempted to bring the story to life on the big screen, because Mr. Zamperini’s saga is an amazing testament to the human capacities for endurance and survival.
Director Angelina Jolie and screenwriters Joel and Ethan Coen, Richard Lagravenese, and William Nicholson have stayed true to the best-selling book written by Laura Hillenbrand. The film is generally divided into three segments, with some brief but informative flashbacks that add insight to the character. The movie opens aboard...
The story of Louis Zamperini is perhaps unknown to modern audiences, but has been well documented through the decades. Sports hero, war hero, and all-American good guy, Mr. Zamperini has been in and out of the public eye since the 1930s. Tony Curtis was supposedly interested in a film version of Mr. Zamperini’s story as far back as the 1950s. It’s certainly surprising that no one has attempted to bring the story to life on the big screen, because Mr. Zamperini’s saga is an amazing testament to the human capacities for endurance and survival.
Director Angelina Jolie and screenwriters Joel and Ethan Coen, Richard Lagravenese, and William Nicholson have stayed true to the best-selling book written by Laura Hillenbrand. The film is generally divided into three segments, with some brief but informative flashbacks that add insight to the character. The movie opens aboard...
- 12/24/2014
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
With the last-minute brouhaha over The Interview’s play in an estimated 300+ indie engagements, it would seem that the Christmas Day box office is all about the Sony political comedy and nothing less. While rival studios expressed alarm last week about The Interview’s presence in the market, they’re rather apathetic about its return. Will The Interview cut into other major titles’ showtimes in major markets such as Los Angeles, New York and Dallas? “No, not really. First, people have to figure out that it’s out there,” says one studio chief, while another observed, “The Interview is playing a bunch of little art house and sub-run theaters. If they were in the circuit first run houses it would be a different story.”
Since The Interview fell off tracking, there’s no barometer for insiders to project what it could actually rake up over four-days. And the film’s...
Since The Interview fell off tracking, there’s no barometer for insiders to project what it could actually rake up over four-days. And the film’s...
- 12/24/2014
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline
With a team that's won a total of six Oscars and been nominated for over 35 more, on paper, at least, "Unbroken" seems like as close to a sure thing as it gets this awards season.
It has a high-profile director, a script by the Coen brothers, and an up-and-coming young actor delivering another in a string of acclaimed performances. Not to mention it's adapted from a best-selling account of the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympian-turned-war hero who survived a plane crash and 47 days lost at sea during World War II, only to spend another two-and-a-half years in a Japanese Pow camp.
But somehow, despite all of that, Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken" ends up less than the sum of its promising parts. So to figure out what went wrong, we've taken a look at the World War II drama's latest Oscar odds to determine where "Unbroken" ultimately broke down.
It has a high-profile director, a script by the Coen brothers, and an up-and-coming young actor delivering another in a string of acclaimed performances. Not to mention it's adapted from a best-selling account of the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympian-turned-war hero who survived a plane crash and 47 days lost at sea during World War II, only to spend another two-and-a-half years in a Japanese Pow camp.
But somehow, despite all of that, Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken" ends up less than the sum of its promising parts. So to figure out what went wrong, we've taken a look at the World War II drama's latest Oscar odds to determine where "Unbroken" ultimately broke down.
- 12/23/2014
- by Rick Mele
- Moviefone
The tale of Olympic runner and World War II survivor Louis Zamperini has inspired millions who’ve read his memoirs and Laura Hillenbrand’s 2010 bestselling biography, Unbroken.
Now Angelina Jolie has directed the highly anticipated movie based on Unbroken, which is expected to spread the late hero’s story to millions more.
“He’s somebody who many people know his life, or know her book, but when you sit with him, it really is…,” Jolie says during an interview in Los Angeles, searching for the right words to explain the personal impact that Zamperini had on her. The man who died last July at the age of 97 was, coincidentally, her neighbour in Hollywood. “I didn’t know my grandparents and I didn’t grow up with my father [actor Jon Voight], so that was amazing for me as well, really getting to know an older man and getting the wisdom.
“There was so...
Now Angelina Jolie has directed the highly anticipated movie based on Unbroken, which is expected to spread the late hero’s story to millions more.
“He’s somebody who many people know his life, or know her book, but when you sit with him, it really is…,” Jolie says during an interview in Los Angeles, searching for the right words to explain the personal impact that Zamperini had on her. The man who died last July at the age of 97 was, coincidentally, her neighbour in Hollywood. “I didn’t know my grandparents and I didn’t grow up with my father [actor Jon Voight], so that was amazing for me as well, really getting to know an older man and getting the wisdom.
“There was so...
- 12/23/2014
- by Bob Strauss - Cineplex Magazine
- Cineplex
Unbroken is the story of WWII survivor and Us Olympian Louis Zamperini, a remarkable serviceman with an even more remarkable story. Putting his legendary track career on hold like so many other young professionals who enlisted to protect their great nation, Zamperini found himself as an underdog for the umpteenth time in his life after being captured by enemy forces – a grim fate bested by Zamperini’s uplifting strength, courage, and perseverance.
Zamperini’s story inspires hope, captured by author Laura Hillenbrand in her historical biography, yet some of Hollywood’s biggest names fail to convey anything more than a patriotic puff-piece in its cinematic adaptation. Directed by Angelina Jolie and written by a collective team including the Coen brothers, a Gladiator scribe, and the screenwriter of Behind The Candelabra, a biographical tone is lost amidst heavy-handed messages that refuses to let us forget just how inspirational Unbroken is (or...
Zamperini’s story inspires hope, captured by author Laura Hillenbrand in her historical biography, yet some of Hollywood’s biggest names fail to convey anything more than a patriotic puff-piece in its cinematic adaptation. Directed by Angelina Jolie and written by a collective team including the Coen brothers, a Gladiator scribe, and the screenwriter of Behind The Candelabra, a biographical tone is lost amidst heavy-handed messages that refuses to let us forget just how inspirational Unbroken is (or...
- 12/22/2014
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Disney's musical Into the Woods and Angelina Jolie's World War II drama Unbroken both prospered on Christmas Eve, earning $1.1 million and $850,000 in late-night grosses as they began rolling out across the country. Unbroken began playing in 1,979 locations at 7 p.m. The films stars Jack O'Connell as World War II hero Louis Zamperini. The Universal film, which follows Zamperini as he's stranded in the ocean after a plane crash and then captured and tortured as a prisoner of war, is based on Laura Hillenbrand's best-selling biography. It's likely to earn in the
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- 12/22/2014
- by Rebecca Ford, Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Angelina Jolie's World War II drama Unbroken and Disney's Into the Woods both delivered big Christmas Day openings in a needed win for the film business, which has suffered a downturn at the box office since Thanksgiving (not to mention the hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment). From Universal, Unbroken grossed $15.6 million from 3,131 locations, marking the third-highest debut ever for Christmas Day after Sherlock Holmes in 2009 ($24.6 million) and Les Miserables in 2012 ($18.1 million), not accounting for inflation. Unbroken, earning an A- CinemaScore and based on Laura Hillenbrand's best-selling biography, stars Jack
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- 12/22/2014
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It probably will be hard to break Unbroken’s record for development time in getting to the screen. Universal had optioned World War II hero Louis Zamperini’s own story in 1957 as a vehicle for Tony Curtis, who was going to star but chose to do Spartacus instead. The project languished for decades until Laura Hillenbrand’s eight-years-in-the-making best-selling book made Zamperini a hot film property again. Angelina Jolie took quick interest in the story, got to know Zamperini and made the movie as her second directorial effort.
Jolie shows an epic command of the screen, whether shooting on water with sharks, crashing B-24s, dealing with the harsh brutality of Japanese prison camps or re-creating the 1936 Olympic Games. All of this was a part of Zamperini’s remarkable story, and Jolie not only has captured the scope of it all — with the key help of 11-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Roger Deakins — but most important,...
Jolie shows an epic command of the screen, whether shooting on water with sharks, crashing B-24s, dealing with the harsh brutality of Japanese prison camps or re-creating the 1936 Olympic Games. All of this was a part of Zamperini’s remarkable story, and Jolie not only has captured the scope of it all — with the key help of 11-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Roger Deakins — but most important,...
- 12/19/2014
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline
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