EARTH HOUR AND SPIDER-MAN JOIN FORCES TO SAVE THE PLANET

EARTH HOUR AND SPIDER-MAN JOIN FORCES TO SAVE THE PLANET

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH, 2014:  In a first of its kind partnership, Spider-Man will be the first Super Hero ambassador for Earth Hour, the global movement organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), with a message to inspire individuals to use their power to become Super Heroes for the planet.
Andy Ridley, CEO and Co-Founder of Earth Hour, and Jeff Blake, Chairman, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Sony Pictures Entertainment, made the announcement in conjunction with the launch of Earth Hour Blue – a radical new digital crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform for the planet, launched to engage people around the world and participants in the famous lights out event, which this year will be held on Saturday March 29, at 8:30pm.
This year, Earth Hour and the hero of the highly anticipated motion picture The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – along with the film’s stars, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and director Marc Webb – are throwing their support behind Earth Hour Blue, which aims to harness the power of the crowd to raise funds for on-the-ground environmental projects from across the world.
“I’m proud Spider-Man is the first Super Hero ambassador for Earth Hour because he shows we can all be Super Heroes when we realize the power we all have,” says Andrew Garfield, who plays Spider-Man in the upcoming film.  “Earth Hour is a movement that has created massive impact around the world, so imagine what we can do this year with Spider-Man by our side.”
The crowdfunding section of the new platform will allow participants to help deliver energy efficient stoves to families in Madagascar, help communities in the Philippines build fiberglass boats to withstand climate impacts like Typhoon Haiyan and raise funds to expand and conserve the iconic Table Mountain National Park in South Africa, with many more projects to come.
“Earth Hour gives you the power to inspire anyone, even if you’re just one person, and Earth Hour is much more than an hour.  There are great projects from the crowd, for the planet, happening all over the world,” said Emma Stone.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Marc Webb is the first celebrity ambassador to announce the Earth Hour Blue project he is backing, which aims to provide better equipment for WWF Rangers protecting Indonesia’s endangered wildlife such as the Sumatran Tiger, Elephant, Rhino and Orangutan and their forest habitat.
“Earth Hour is a movement full of Super Heroes – people harnessing the power of the crowd to inspire change for the good of the planet, imagine the possibilities when we come together and do more,” said Marc Webb.
Earth Hour has grown to involve hundreds of millions of people from all walks of life across 7000 cities and towns and 154 countries and territories.  Jamie Foxx who plays the villain Electro in the film said, “Earth Hour isn’t just about lights off; it’s about people across the world coming together throughout the year to join forces to improve the planet.  Never underestimate your power, never underestimate what you can do.”
Individuals can also use Earth Hour’s crowdsourcing platform for Earth Hour Blue, which will call for people to add their voice to some of the biggest environmental campaigns across the world; including an Instagram campaign for people to share their love of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, as part of WWF-Australia’s “Lights Out For The Reef” theme for Earth Hour 2014.
Global participants in the movement will also be able to sign the Shark Saver’s “I’m FINished With FINS” pledge, which engages celebrities and public figures throughout Asia to help end shark finning in marine waters for the consumption of shark-fin soup.
“The idea of Earth Hour has grown beyond anything we could have dreamed. This year with the help of Spider-Man by our side, we are taking the movement to the next stage. We hope that Spider-Man will empower individuals to be Super Heroes for the planet, and use their voice or their dollar to support projects or campaigns around the world. It’s about harnessing the power of the crowd. That’s what Earth Hour Blue is all about,” said Ridley.
Sony Pictures Entertainment will join by contributing to a WWF-China and Earth Hour Blue project that provides efficient cookstoves to prevent deforestation in the habitat of the Giant Panda.  Through its efforts, the studio will receive Gold Standard carbon offsets that render the entire physical production of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as well as its publicity tour, carbon-neutral.
Expanding on many sustainability efforts over the years, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 became the most eco-friendly tentpole production in the history of Columbia Pictures.  These environmental efforts, on set and off, were supported at every level – from producers, studio executives, and cast and crew and began as soon as the film went into pre-production.
“Spider-Man’s always been a very relatable Super Hero.  Peter Parker is a hero to all people, and an inspiration, so it seems very fitting that he should join forces with Earth Hour to empower every single individual to help save the planet,” Blake added.  “I’m also very proud of the fact that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is entirely carbon-neutral.  We made a commitment to be as eco-conscious as possible during production itself, when we took a special effort to think green and avoid waste; now, completing that process with Earth Hour Blue is a wonderful testament to what we can achieve when we all work together.”
Earth Hour and its Super Hero ambassador Spider-Man remind us that “with great power comes great responsibility,” so get involved and use your power at earthhour.org.
To view the Earth Hour Spider-Man Partnership Video, please go to: www.earthhour.org/spiderman

Participants can engage on social media using the hash-tags #EarthHour and #SpiderMan.
About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a global environmental movement of WWF.  As one of the first opensourced environmental campaigns, Earth Hour has grown from a symbolic event in one city into a global movement, crowdsourcing actions from individuals, businesses, organizations and governments to generate environmental outcomes.  In 2014, Earth Hour Blue sees the movement enter the most exciting stage of its evolution, to be at the forefront of crowdfunding and crowdsourcing for causes, innovation and creativity for the planet.

About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries.  WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

About The Amazing Spider-Man 2
We’ve always known that Spider-Man’s most important battle has been within himself:  the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man.  But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead.

It’s great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield).  For Peter Parker, there’s no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone).  But being Spider-Man comes at a price:  only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city.  With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he.  And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common:  OsCorp.  Directed by Marc Webb.  Produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.  Screen Story and Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner.  Based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.  The film will be released in theaters internationally beginning April 16, 2014, and in the U.S. on May 2, 2014.  #SpiderMan

About Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation.  SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies.  For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information visit marvel.com. ©MARVEL

Gyan Correa, director of much acclaimed film ‘The Good Road’

Gyan Correa, director of much acclaimed film ‘The Good Road’ that was an official entry to represent India for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, has joined hands with Frameboxx, an animation and visual effect training studio in Mumbai for mentoring students for their Digital Film Making classes.

Gyan Correa who also won the national Award for Best Gujarati film last year for his directorial debut, has directed over 500 TV commercials and documentaries. His work straddles the worlds of advertising, NGOs and art, including some of India's leading corporates, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, UNICEF and the UGC etc.

Students at Frameboxx will get this life changing opportunity to not only interact and learn from him but few will also get to gain practical experience by assisting him in various projects since Gyan is actively involved with Advertising, Film Direction and Production.

The duration of the course would be of twelve months and the first batch will commence in March this year.

Gyan says “Film making is a skill born of that right blend of theory and practice. It's exciting that Frameboxx has given me a chance to develop a platform for the next generation of film makers. The Boxxoffice way is to have students far spend more time in the field making films, rather than in classroom lecture. That's exciting and compelling".

Kireet Khurana, Chief Creative Officer of Frameboxx and Creator/Director of “Toonpur Ka Superrhero” says "Under the mentorship of award-winning advertising and feature film-maker – GYAN CORREA, Box-office promises to be one of India’s best Digital Film making courses. Frameboxx is extremely pleased and honored to have an accomplished film auteur like GYAN on its board."

Frameboxx also has people like Kireet Khurana associated with them. Kireet, son of Animation Pioneer Bhimsain (Creator of Ek Chidiya Anek Chidiya), has directed film Toonpur Ka Superhero with Ajay Devgn and Kajol apart from directing many ad films and TV series.

WINTER’S TALE releasing on 14 th feb

WINTER’S TALE

Set in a mythic New York City and spanning more than a century, “Winter’s Tale” is a story of miracles, crossed destinies, and the age-old battle between good and evil.

The film stars Colin Farrell (“Total Recall”), Jessica Brown Findlay (TV’s “Downton Abbey”), and Oscar^® winners Jennifer Connelly (“A Beautiful Mind”), William Hurt (“Kiss of the Spider Woman”), Eva Marie Saint (“On the Waterfront”) and Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”).  “Winter’s Tale” also introduces young newcomers Ripley Sobo and Mckayla Twiggs (both from Broadway’s “Once”).

The film marks the directorial debut of Academy Award^®-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (“A Beautiful Mind”), who also wrote the screenplay, based on the acclaimed novel by Mark Helprin.

Goldsman is also producing the film with Marc Platt (“Drive”), Michael Tadross (“Sherlock Holmes”) and Tony Allard (Showtime’s “The Baby Dance”).  The executive producers are Kerry Foster and Bruce Berman.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes five-time Oscar^®-nominated director of photography Caleb Deschanel (“The Passion of the Christ,” “The Patriot”), production designer Naomi Shohan (“Constantine,” “I Am Legend”), costume designer Michael Kaplan (“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” “Star Trek”) and editors Wayne Wahrman (“I Am Legend”) and Oscar^® nominee Tim Squyres (“Life of Pi,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”).  The music is composed by Oscar^® winner Hans Zimmer (“The Lion King,” “Inception,” “Man of Steel”).

A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, “Winter’s Tale” will open beginning February 14, 2014 and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

A Guinness World Record was attempted by Ariel & Raveena Tandon, Sakshi Tanwar, Rituparna Sengupta & Madhoo

   Ariel successfully makes an attempt to create a Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Laundry Lesson’ in the world, on the Power of 1-Wash technology

A  Guinness World Record  was attempted by Ariel & Raveena Tandon, Sakshi Tanwar, Rituparna Sengupta & Madhoo, when over 282 women came together to be wowed by the power of Ariel’s 1-wash technology to battle away some of India’s toughest everyday stains. Ariel India proved it could get rid of these stains by inviting women to witness the proof of performance right in front of their eyes. The 4 celebrities spearheaded Ariel’s power of 1-wash, by showing women across the country how to fight the toughest stains, like food stains, using Ariel.

Ariel decided to let the product do the talking, by setting the stage for the ‘Largest 1 Wash Laundry Lesson’ in the world to emphasize that women across the country can heave a sigh of relief when it comes to toughest stains in just 1 wash.

Talking about her experience was the Bollywood actress & celebrity mother Raveena Tandon, “Pre-motherhood I never bothered about a food stain but after becoming a mom any sort of food stain gives me a nightmare. Particularly after family get-togethers and special occasions, when clothes get ruined by stubborn stains. However, Ariel gave me the power of 1 wash which gives the perfect cleaning I was looking for, & hence I decided to champion this message to women across the country and what better way than to break a record with a brand like Ariel that breaks records! !”

Indian television superstar, Sakshi Tanwar, was delighted to be part of history, “My Mom is a wonderful cook and since I hail from a North Indian family, my family has always been a big time foodie. My brother & Dad relish everything my Mom cooks, particularly her Daal Makhani! However, getting rid of those nasty food stains has always been a struggle for her. Ever since we started using Ariel, with its superior 1-wash technology, stains are a thing of the past, and now our garments at home are always spotless. Dal Makhani has never tasted so good!”

“When I got to hear about the latest innovation, I had to see for myself If Ariel could battle away the Macher Jhol stains in 1-wash! Being Bengali, we enjoy our food and we love our curries. However, the tough macher jhol stain always ruins my husband’s shirts. With Ariel, we’ve won the battle against macher jhol in just 1-wash!  I am delighted to spread this message to wives and mothers across the country, and on this Guinness record-breaking day, would like to tell the women of Bengal that macher jhol stains are history!” said the popular actress Rituparna Sengupta.

“Back at home, Sambhar stains are a real nightmare, and hence it’s always difficult to enjoy a meal. As a south Indian delicacy, sambhar is a staple part of our diet, but unfortunately it’s always been a staple part of our clothes stains as well. I can’t remember the number of times my husband’s lungis have been ruined by a sambhar stain. But being here today as part of  this world record attempt, and seeing the proof of Ariel’s 1-wash technology and battling away the toughest of food stains, has been an amazing experience, one that I wish to share with the women of South India”, said the popular film star Madhoo.

“We are delighted that Ariel is breaking a Guinness World Record today. Ariel is a brand that is synonymous with superior technology & innovation. Everyday stains like – Daal Makhani, Sambhar etc. are the toughest challenge for women across the country and in a country as diverse as India the challenge is amplified. Ariel’s superior 1 wash technology gives our consumers the benefit of getting rid of the stains that plague them in a record breaking 1wash”, said Ms. Vidya Murthy, Associate Marketing Director, P&G India.

P&G serves approximately 4.8 billion people around the world with operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. P&G is one of the largest and amongst the fastest growing consumer products companies in India. Its presence pans across the Beauty & Grooming segment, the Household Care segment as well as the Health & Well Being segment, with trusted brands that are household names across India. These include Vicks ®, Ariel®, Tide®, Whisper®, Olay®, Gillette®, AmbiPur®,Pampers®, Pantene®, Oral-B®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella® and Duracell®. P&G operates through 3 entities in India of which 2 are listed on NSE & BSE. The listed P&G entities are: ‘Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited’ and ‘Gillette India Limited’, whereas the unlisted entity (which is a 100% subsidiary of the parent company in the U.S) operates by the name ‘Procter & Gamble Home Products Ltd.’ Please visit http://www.pg-India.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G India and its brands.

P&G Shiksha

Ariel is proud to be associated with P&G Shiksha, the company’s flagship corporate social responsibility program. Every time you buy an Ariel product, in January, February and March, a part of the proceeds go towards P&G Shiksha. Till date, P&G Shiksha has helped over 420,000 children gain access to education by building/supporting over 220 schools across India in association with NGO partners like Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), Round Table India (RTI), Save the Children (STC). P&G has made a cumulative donation of over Rs. 28 crores since inception towards building new schools, providing critical infrastructural amenities at existing schools or reviving non-operational government schools.

RoboCop review by ANIZ FILMVALA

RoboCop

 review by 

ANIZ FILMVALA

  *****

 

CRITIC VIEW.

José Padilha's RoboCop doesn’t recreate perfection over the original it’s just a reboot and the result are not so impressive. The movie sucks, much has been seen and delivered on such genre [video-game action]. 

There is no adrenaline rush or a high octane action to your disposal. The re-surrection portion is boring and drags. Film is more about on white collar crime, diverting audience mind towards making them think rather engaging them into more thrills and edge of the seat experience. 

The rock-hard costume and super intelligence of the RoboCop is fascinating. A first-class production design, astounding background score by Pedro Bromfman and a impressive casting [Michael Keaton as Raymond Sellars ] is a saving grace to this latest installment of the super power entertainment.

STORY.

In 2028, multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of military "robot soldier" technology, supplying the US Military with mechanical soldiers that are used overseas. OmniCorp wants to sell their products for use in civilian law enforcement in the United States but public opinion, embodied by the Dreyfuss Act, prevents this. OmniCorp CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) asks his marketing team, in conjunction with scientist Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman), to create a new law enforcement product by combining human and machine that he believes can be "sold" to the American public, and cause the Dreyfuss Act to be voted down in Congress. They begin looking for a police officer who was permanently injured to act as the core of their prototype.

Policeman Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is critically injured by a carbomb planted by crooked cops under the payroll of local crime boss Antoine Vallon. Norton picks Murphy for the RoboCop program, and after getting consent from Murphy's wife, Clara (Abbie Cornish), has him outfitted with the RoboCop body and software, which gives him enhanced strength along with instant computing information in his brain. Alex at first rejects his current condition, but is convinced by Norton to be strong for his wife and son. Rick Mattox (Jackie Earle Haley), OmniCorp's military tactician, is skeptical of Alex's abilities and points out he will never be as efficient as a fully mechanical robot. In order to make Alex perform better, Norton tampers with Alex's brain, making him believe that his tactical decisions are his own when he is actually executing programs.

While preparing for a public press conference to unveil RoboCop, Alex is emotionally overwhelmed and has a seizure while Norton is downloading the police database information into his brain. Pressed for time, Norton has Alex's brain chemistry altered, lowering his dopamine levels until he no longer displays any emotions. Under control, Alex attends the press conference, where he ignores his waiting wife and son, and efficiently apprehends a criminal in the crowd. RoboCop is a public relations success, and afterward Alex is successful in drastically reducing the crime rate in Detroit. Public opinion on the Dreyfuss Act begins to turn. Norton is told to prevent Alex from seeing his wife and son to disguise the lowered dopamine changes.

Clara manages to confront her husband as he is leaving the station, telling him about his son David's nightmares. Alex leaves, but then overrides his programming and detours from his current case to go to his house. He reviews the CCTV footage of his accident and realizes that David saw his body and was traumatized by it. Alex then pursues Vallon for revenge, and in the course of tracking him down to a warehouse learns that Sellars was involved with Vallon. Vallon is tipped off that Alex was coming and prepares for him, when Alex arrives Vallon nearly succeeds in killing him but fails and is shot by Alex. Alex then returns to the station to apprehend the two cops who sold him out. Alex arrests the two cops, and is about to arrest the Chief of Police when Mattox, who has been given full access to the RoboCop program, remotely shuts him down, fearing the police chief will confess to Sellars involvement in the car bomb that nearly killed Alex. Alex is then taken back to OmniCorp for repair.

Sellars decides to spin this turn of events to his advantage, via television presenter Pat Novak (Samuel L. Jackson), who thanks RoboCop for revealing the fallibility of the police, and points out that drones are incorruptible. A repeal of the Dreyfuss Act goes underway, with voters overwhelmingly in support of the repeal. Clara, who has been insisting to see Alex, goes to the press and angrily demands to see her husband. Sellars and Mattox realize that Clara can eventually force a meeting with her and Alex and this could reveal their involvement with Vallon, so Sellars separately sends both Mattox and Norton to destroy Alex. Norton reaches Alex in the lab first and has him brought back to consciousness, telling him everything. Alex, feeling betrayed, goes after Sellars.

Sellars has the OmniCorp building shut down and armed with drones. Alex manages to gain entry with the help of his former partner, Jack Lewis (Michael K. Williams) and other police officers. Alex reaches the roof, where Sellars is waiting for a helicopter and has Clara and David as hostages. Alex's programming prevents him from arresting Sellars, but he manages to overcome it just long enough to shoot Sellars, killing him.

In the closing scenes, OmniCorp's parent company, OCP, decides to review the drone and RoboCop program. The President vetoes the repeal of the Dreyfuss Act based on the testimony of Norton, who confesses everything they'd done in the RoboCop program. Alex's body is rebuilt this time back to the original Robocop body as he was given initially in Norton's laboratory, and then he waits for Clara and David, who are coming to visit him.

CAST.

Joel Kinnaman as Alex Murphy,

Gary Oldman as Dr. Dennett Norton,

Michael Keaton as Raymond Sellars

Samuel L. Jackson as Patrick "Pat" Novak, host of The Novak Element

Abbie Cornish as Clara Murphy

John Paul Ruttan as David Murphy, Alex and Clara's son.

The Gunday team visited 2 colleges yesterday to promote their movie.

The Gunday team visited 2 colleges yesterday to promote their movie.

They visited Welingkars Institute and Vidyalankar institute. The college students made some special plans where they made Arjun and Ranveer danced on Anil Kapoor songs and Priyanka on one of her previous movie songs.

They even celebrated Valentine's day with the students. They taught the students dance moves on the song "Ghanti".

 

Bhushan Kumar Brings Together Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Yo Yo Honey Singh for the 1st time!

Bhushan Kumar Brings Together Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Yo Yo Honey Singh for the 1^st time!

 All you Big B aficionados out there, here’s yet another special piece of news to keep you excited for the maestro’s Bhoothnath Returns releasing on 11^th April 2014. Bhushan Kumar of T-Series has brought together Mr Amitabh Bachchan and ace musician Yo Yo Honey Singh together for the very first time!!!

The young star has composed a special ‘swag’ number for the film. This track will be the next collaboration between Bhushan Kumar and Yo Yo Honey Singh who have successfully given chartbusters such as ‘Sunny’ from Yaariyan, ‘Lungi Dance’ from Chennai Express to name a few.

Big B is one of the few luminaries who have been contemporary and always at the core of innovation and modern trends; this special number is yet another nouveau offering from the icon to look forward to!

Produced by Bhushan Kumar and Abhay Chopra, Bhoothnath Returns stars Amitabh Bachchan along with Boman Irani. 

Produced by T-Series and B.R Films, Bhoothnath Returns is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the Chief Creative Officer in Leo Burnett and also one of the directors’ of Chillar Party.

George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jean Dujardin have a blast at Monuments Men Berlin Premiere!

Director-actor George Clooney brought his war caper ‘The Monuments Men’ back to Berlin for the Berlin Film Festival complete with its all star cast.

The Berlin premiere saw the majority of the cast back together, with Hugh Bonneville, George Clooney, John Goodman, Justus von Dohnanyi, Matt Damon, Ben Balaban, Dimitri Leonidas, Jean Dujardin and Bill Murray all posing for photos and having a gala time!!

Monuments Men is based on a true story about a group of men — including art historians and museum directors with Boston and Cambridge ties — who went behind enemy lines during WWII to rescue great artworks being looted by the Nazis.

Directed by George Clooney, the film stars Clooney, Matt Damon, John Goodman , Bill Murray , Cate Blanchett  and Bob Balaban .

“The Monuments Men” opens February 21^st 2014 in India.