‘Astro Boy’ is Here to Save Whatever is Left of the Future

PatrickMcD — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:22:00 -0600

CHICAGO – The cartoon universe is replete with superheroes, none more distinct than the title character in the new animated film “Astro Boy.” Based on a Japanese comic book from 1951, Astro Boy has new life in 3-D cartoon form.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Metro City is a futuristic utopian metropolis created especially to hover over the now abandoned earth (in shades of “Wall•E,” the landscape below is now a dumping ground). The city is an efficiently run model, aided by an army of robot workers, baby sitters and civil servants.

Dr. Tenma (voice of Nicholas Cage) is working on a new energy source derived from a meteorite. This revolutionary blue sphere can create clean energy and power the whole countryside. When the evil government leader, General Stone (Donald Sutherland), gets wind of the new power source, he wants to use it in a new weapon that will solidify him as overseer of Metro City.

Dr. Tenma’s son, a scientific prodigy, gets trapped with the destructive robot and is killed as the experiment goes awry. His distraught father decides to rebuilt him as a robot, and places the blue energy source as his heart. However, the new “Astro Boy” feels like a stranger in his homeland, and exiles himself to the dumping grounds below Metro City.

”Astro Boy” opens everywhere October 23rd. Check local listings for 3-D showings. Featuring the voices of Nicholas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Freddie Highmore, Kirsten Bell, Eugene Levy and Bill Nighy, directed by David Bowers. Rated “PG.”

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Astro Boy”

We Can Rebuilt Him: Scene from ‘Astro Boy’
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Astro Boy”

2009 Summit Pictures Preview: ‘New Moon,’ ‘Push,’ ‘Knowing,’ ‘The Brothers Bloom,’ ‘Sorority Row,’ ‘Astro Boy,’ More

BrianTT — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:54:27 -0700

CHICAGO – Summit Pictures sent over release dates, cast & crew, and synopsis information for their entire 2009 slate and even included a few available images for their upcoming slate.

The 2009 Summit films with available production stills include “Push,” “Knowing,” “Next Day Air,” “The Brothers Bloom,” “Sorority Row,” and “Astro Boy”. 2009 pictures without images released yet but with film information below include “The Hurt Locker,” “Bandslam,” and “New Moon,” the highly anticipated sequel to “Twilight”.

“Push”
Release date: February 6, 2009
Cast: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, and Djimon Hounsou
Directed by: Paul McGuigan
Written by: David Bourla
Synopsis: A riveting action-thriller, Push burrows deep into the deadly world of psychic espionage where artificially enhanced paranormal operatives have the ability to move objects with their minds, see the future, create new realities and kill without ever touching their victims. Against this setting, a young man (Chris Evans) and a teenage girl (Dakota Fanning) take on a clandestine agency in a race against time that will determine the future of civilization.

“Knowing”
Release date: March 20, 2009
Cast: Nicholas Case, Rose Byrne, and Chandler Canterbury
Directed by: Alex Proyas
Written by: Ryne Douglas Pearson, Richard Kelly, Juliet Snowden, Stiles WHite, Stuart Hazeldine, and Alex Proyas
Synopsis: Academy Award® Winner Nicolas Cage (National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Leaving Las Vegas) stars in KNOWING, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming true. His increasingly desperate efforts take him on a heart-pounding race against time until he finds himself facing the ultimate disaster—and the ultimate sacrifice.

“The Hurt Locker”
Release date: Spring 2009
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes, and Guy Pearce
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Written by: Mark Boal
Synopsis: When a new sergeant, James, takes over a highly trained bomb disposal team amidst violent conflict, he surprises his two subordinates, Sanborn and Eldridge by recklessly plunging them into a deadly game of urban combat. As the men struggle to control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos, and James’ true character reveals itself in a way that will change each man forever.

“Next Day Air”
Release date: May 8, 2009
Cast: Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Wood Harris, Omari Hardwick, Emilio Rivera, Darius McCrary, Cisco Reyes, and Mos Def
Directed by: Benny Boom
Written by: Blair Cobb
Synopsis: Life isn’t going smoothly for Leo Jackson. He still lives at home, he just broke up with his girlfriend and he’s had so many complaints about his sloppy work habits that his own mother is threatening to fire him. But Leo isn’t one to let a few bad breaks ruins his day—as long as he’s got plenty of weed to take his mind off his troubles. But when the wacked-out courier accidentally delivers a box containing 10 kilos of high quality cocaine to the wrong apartment, it sets in motion a hilarious and harrowing chain of events that could cost him his life.

“The Brothers Bloom”
Release date: May 15, 2009 (limited); May 29, 2009 (wide)
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, and Robbie Coltrane
Written and Directed by: Rian Johnson
Synopsis: The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they’ve decided to take on one last job - showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world.

“Bandslam”
Release date: July 31, 2009
Cast: Alyson Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens, Gaelen Connell, and Lisa Kudrow
Written and Directed by: Todd Graff
Synopsis: When gifted singer-songwriter Charlotte Banksasks new kid in town Will Burton to manage her fledgling rock band, she appears to have just one goal in mind: go head-to-head against her egotistical musician ex-boyfriend at the biggest event of the year, a battle of the bands. Against all odds, their band develops a sound all its own with a real shot at success in the contest. When disaster strikes, it’s time for the band to make a choice: Do they admit defeat, or face the music and stand up for what they believe in?

“Sorority Row”
Release date: October 2, 2009
Cast: Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung, Audrine Partridge, and Carrie Fisher
Directed by: Stewart Hendler
Written by: Josh Stolberg & Peter Goldfinger
Synopsis: When five sorority girls inadvertently cause the murder of one of their sisters in a prank gone wrong, they agree to keep the matter to themselves and never speak of it again, so they can get on with their lives. This proves easier said than done, when after graduation a mysterious killer goes after the five of them and anyone who knows their secret.

“Astro Boy”
Release date: October 23, 2009
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucus, and Donald Sutherland
Directed by: David Bowers
Written by: Timothy Harris
Synopsis: Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist. Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it takes to be a hero.

“New Moon”
Release date: November 20, 2009
Cast: Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
Directed by: Chris Weitz
Written by: Melissa Rosenberg
Synopsis: Bella Swan is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black. Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to Summit Pictures.

AstroBoy: “Astro Boy”
Knowing01: Nicolas Cage in “Knowing”.
Knowing02: Nicolas Cage in “Knowing”.
Knowing03: Nicolas Cage in “Knowing”.
Knowing04: Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne in “Knowing”.
Knowing05: Poster for “Knowing”.
NextDayAir: “Next Day Air”.
Push1: Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning in “Push”.
Push2: Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning in “Push”.
Push3: Dakota Fanning and Djimon Hounsou in “Push”.
Push4: Djimon Hounsou and Camilla Belle in “Push”.
Push5: Poster for “Push”.
SororityRow: “Sorority Row”.
BrothersBloom01_2: Rachel Weisz in “The Brothers Bloom”.
BrothersBloom02_0: Adrien Brody in “The Brothers Bloom”.
BrothersBloom03_2: Adrien Brody in “The Brothers Bloom”.
BrothersBloom04_2: Rachel Weisz in “The Brothers Bloom”.

Read our Taylor Lautner casting story for “New Moon”.
Read our Robert Pattinson story on “Parts Per Billion” and “New Moon”.
See our high-quality, 28-image “Twilight” slideshow.
Read our “Twilight” opening-weekend box-office story.
Read our “Twilight” sequel story prior to opening weekend.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com