PVR MOVIES FIRST VOL. 28
21 Little-Known Things About….
Natalie Portman
YO U R WI ND O W IN TO T HE WORL D OF CIN EMA
FEBRUARY 2018
GUESTIEW V INTER
THE BEST NEW MOVIES PLAYING THIS MONTH: Aiyaary, Pad man, Hichki, GAME NIGHT and 15:17 to Paris
SHRUTI JAN A H MA
GREETINGS ear Movie Lovers, Here’s the February edition of Movies First, your exclusive window to the world of cinema. This month, the highly anticipated “Black Panther” springs into action, starring Chadwick Boseman as superhero, king and demi-God. T he year promises a Marvel & DC bonanza — we glance at 10 top characters all set to steal the scene. Manoj Bajpayee and Siddharth Malhotra match wits in Neeraj Pandey’s patriotic thriller “Aiyaary.” Akshay Kumar plays Pad Man, who dares to break a deep-seated social taboo.
We rewind to “Saving Private Ryan“ the pulse-pounding Steven Spielberg war dramathat’s counted among the best movies ever made. She’s the great-grand daughter of a spy — learn this and 20 more fun facts about superstar Natalie Portman. And join us in wishingace actor J oe Pescia Happy B irthday. We really hope you enjoy the issue. Wish you a fabulous month of movie watching. Regards Gautam Dutta CEO, PVR Limited
USING THE MAGAZINE We hope youa’ll find this magazine easy to use, but here’s a handy guide to the icons used throughout anyway. You can tap the page once at any time to access full contents at the top of the page.
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CONTENTS This February, the King of Wakanda turns Avenger.
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Movie of The Month
Up Close & Personal
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MUST WATCH
FESTIVAL FLASH
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guest interview
Architects of Cinema
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RELEASING THIS MONTH
A sneak-peak into the big release of the month!
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Aiyaary
Witness Jay Bakshi & Abhay Singh’s Yaari in Aiyaary
The Plot: Two Indian Army officers- a mentor and his protege have a fallout. While the mentor, Colonel Abhay Singh (Manoj Bajpai), has complete faith in the system, the protege Major Jai Bakshi (Siddharth Malhotra), who was once an honest officer has the opposite views. The title of the film came to Neeraj Pandey when he came across the word “aiyaar” in Devki Nandan Khatri’s epic work, “Chandrakanta.” These were a group of people who could shift their shape at will. Considering the plot of his film, which involved a lot of disguise and deception, he thought the word was a perfect fit. While Pandey’s films always have some familiar names, this is the largest ensemble cast he has worked with, so far. Apart from the two protagonists, Manoj Bajpai and PVR MOVIES FIRST
Siddharth Malhotra, there’s Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Adil Husain, Mohammad Zeesahn Ayyub, Rakul Preet Singh, and each one of them plays a key role in the film.
mongst films that I have made since the beginning of my career, “Aiyaary” is the closest to my first hit, “A Wednesday” in terms of storyline and intensity. - Neeraj Pandey, Director
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DID YOU KNOW? • “Aiyaary” marks 10 year since Neeraj Pandey made his directorial debut. • The film’s lead actress Rakl Preet Singh is already a big name in Telugu cinema.
The Collection Neeraj Pandey has carved a niche as the director of thrillers with a surprise ending. His films also hit the right note for their strong social and patriotic themes. Here’s a glance at his best movies:
• Many of the sequences in “Aiyaary” are based on true events.
Manoj Bajpayee has been quoted as saying that this will be one of the best films of his career. The entire cast and crew of the film drew inspiration from director Neeraj Pandey’s dedication to the project. He worked relentlessly on the film despite being unwell during the shoot.
A Wednesday (2008)
Special 26 (2013)
Aiyaary RELEASE 09 FEBRUARY Genre: Drama, Crime Language: Hindi Director: Neeraj Pandey Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Siddharth Malhotra, Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah Studio: Reliance Entertainment, Plan C Studios Pic Courtesy: Reliance Entertainment
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Baby (2015)
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Black Panther
Tagline: Long Live the King Release Date: 16 Feb, 2018 Genre: Adventure, Fantasy Language: English/Hindi (U) Director: Ryan Coogler Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira Studio: Marvel Studios Pic Courtesy: Marvel Studios
The Story: After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested. The fate of Wakanda and the entire world is at risk, and the young king must release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and save his people. The Hero: Born in 1977, Chadwick Bosemanis an American actor known for playing characters who’ve PVR MOVIES FIRST
MOVIE OF THE MONTH
had to fight to make their way in the world. In “42,” he showcased the quiet dignity of baseball’s first black major league player, Jackie Robinson. In “Get On Up,” he gave
remember going into the Dr Comics & Mr Games store near my elementary school in Oakland, California, saying ’You got any black superheroes? Got anybody who looks like me?’” “The first thing they did was walk me over to Black Panther – Ryan Coogler, Director
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us the man behind the music legend James Brown. And in “Marshall,” he played Thurgood Marshall, the first black Supreme Court justice, during his crusade for civil rights early in his career. The World of Wakanda: The fictional African nation of Wakanda is the source of most of the world’s vibranium, the stuff Captain America’s shield is made out of. Centuries ahead of the rest of the world in technological advancement, it is a secret world, where science and spirituality coexist beautifully. The name “Wakanda” comes from the Wakamba tribe of Kenya, also known as the Kamba. Wakanda is visually based on waterfall locations across Argentina and Zambia. The Female Leads: The Warriors of Wakanda, also known as Dora Milaje, or the Adored Ones, are a group of highly trained female royal bodyguards. “They are women who pledge their lives to the throne and to the security of the kingdom,” says Danai Gurira, who plays Okoye, the General of the Armed Forces of Wakanda. “The Dora have a way of fighting that was supposed to be inspired by moving as one. The Dora work together,” Gurira says. Lupita Nyongo’o plays the bone-breaking Nakia.
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hen they call you and say, “So you want to play Black Panther?” if you know what Black Panther is, there’s no way in the world you’re going to say no because there’s a lot of opportunity for magic to happen. – Chadwick Boseman, actor
The Villains: Michael B. Jordan plays Erik Killmonger, a dissident from the country and aspiring prince who has colluded with a hostile foreign adversary in a bid to bring down the rightful heir to Wakanda’s throne. The enemy Killmonger has aligned with is Andy Serkis’ Ulysses Klaue, the Vibranium poacher last seen having his arm sliced off in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” He has replaced the appendage with a piece of sonic mining equipment stolen from Wakanda, but the real danger is what he could tell the outside world about the nation’s secrets. The Director: Director Ryan Coogler is only 31 years old, and in the last few years has emerged as one of the most exciting up-and-coming filmmakers in the industry. It all began at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where Coogler’s feature directorial debut, Fruitvale Station (then
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Trivia 01
This is the first big-budget comic-book blockbuster to feature black heroes, black villains, a black filmmaker, black screenwriters, a black executive producer and a largely black supporting cast and crew.
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This will mark Ryan Coogler’s third collaboration with actor Michael B. Jordan after Fruitvale Station (2013) and Creed (2015).
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Black Panther was the first of the Marvel characters whose movie rights reverted back to Marvel, having been previously owned by Artisan Entertainment and Columbia Pictures. Marvel got the rights back in 2005.
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Co-stars Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke, who play adversaries Nakia and M’Baku, were classmates at Yale together. They saw The Avengers (2012) together when it released, and were so awestruck by it they said they hoped to get a chance to star in a similar film one day.
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In a flashback, T’Challa goes to Saint Mary’s College High School in Berkeley, California. The setting was chosen because Ryan Coogler was born and grew up in California.
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Chadwick Boseman worked with Marvel dialect coach Sarah Shepherd to create an accent rooted in Africa but unique to the fictional Wakanda. “We listened to a lot of young Nelson Mandela. At one point, I thought that he wouldn’t have an African accent. But I felt like that would be wrong, because Wakanda has never been conquered.”
just called Fruitvale) won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. Coogler then wrote and directed the Rocky spin-off-esque Creed, and soon, the Marvel Cinematic Universe came calling to offer him Black Panther. PVR MOVIES FIRST
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10 Marvel & DC Scene-Stealers of 2018 Aquaman
Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice introduced Aquaman to the DC Extended Universe, and Justice League fleshed him out, but we’ll really get to know him in the Aquaman movie. Beyond giving us more of Aquaman’s gruff personality, the movie will also show Arthur embracing his royal Atlantean duties for the first time, making him a character to watch out for.
chance that Hardy’s Venom will finally be the one we’ve been waiting for.
The Wasp
Thanos
Having officially inherited the Wasp mantle from her mother, Janet, Hope van Dyne will show off her own shrinking abilities in Ant-Man and the Wasp. She’s already demonstrated how smart she is, so her brains putting the Pym Particles to good use in the sequel will make her an excellent crimefighting partner for Scott Lang, if not an even better superhero than him. The comic book Thanos remains one of the Marvel universe’s greatest baddies, and Infinity War will present Josh Brolin’s character as being equally notorious. He leads The Black Order and his monstrous hordes in trying to obtain the six Infinity Stones, and as we’ve seen in the trailer, Thanos will secure at least two Stones.
Cable
Venom
Venom Movie presents Tom Hardy as the symbiote-powered anti-hero — a masterstroke of casting by Sony. Hardy is great at playing tough guys, and has already brought Bane to life in The Dark Knight Rises. The Venom movie is rumored to be adapting the Lethal Protector storyline, and there’s a good
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Fast Forward Nearly 30 years after he was introduced in the comics and after almost two decades of X-Men movies, Cable will finally make the jump to the big screen next year in Deadpool 2. Pulling double-duty in the Marvel realm, Josh Brolin is playing the cybernetically-enhanced mutant from the future. It’s a good bet that Cable will become the next big cinematic action hero in the superhero movie genre.
Black Panther distinctive costumes in the DC Comics mythos. Looks don’t always matter, but for this villain, it’s definitely helps.
Jean Grey
T’Challa will be snagging the spotlight for himself in the Black Panther movie. This character has been a Marvel heavy hitter for over 50 years. We already know how formidable Black Panther in combat, but now we’ll see how well he navigates the politics of Wakanda to protect his people. And if you’re itching for more Black Panther after his movie comes out, not to worry, because he’ll be back a couple of months later for Avengers: Infinity War.
Wolfsbane
Although Jean Grey has appeared in many X-Men movies, but X-Men: Dark Phoenix will be Sophie Turner’s second time playing the character. The movie is going more cosmic this time around, and having already seen Turner’s Jean Grey in action, as well as the actress’ performing ability in Game of Thrones, it stands to reason that her version of Dark Phoenix will not only be superior to what came before, but also be a compelling antagonist.
Shuri
Most people know how talented an actress Maisie Williams is from projects like Game of Thrones and Doctor Who. Wolfsbane also has two things working in her favor. First, her ability to turn into a humanoid wolf creature could make her the most visually interesting character in New Mutants. Considering how horror-driven this movie will be, this struggle will ideally mesh well with her freakish transformations.
Black Manta
The Aquaman movie looks to be going the New 52 route and having the villain simply wanting revenge against Arthur Curry. It’s basic motivation, but the sheer primality of it is what will make Black Manta force to be reckoned with for Aquaman. But more importantly, Black Manta has one of the most visually
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T’Challa will have many allies in Black Panther, but the most interesting is his sister, Shuri. She is a technological genius, eager to lead her country into a new era with her inventions. While Shuri has learned the art of combat like her brother and the Dora Milaje, she’ll bring her own weaponry into battle during Black Panther, giving the hero an edge against his enemies. Shuri is primed to be not just an important Black Panther supporting character, but one of the more interesting MCU players overall.
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MUST WATCH BOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS Kuldip Patwal: I Didn’t Do It!
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09
Genre: Drama, Mystery
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The True Story of a Real Super Hero
Language(s): Hindi
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Pad man Genre: Drama, Biography Language(s): Hindi
Director: Remy Kohli
Director: R. Balki
Cast: Deepak Dobriyal, Raima Sen, Pravin Dabas
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte, Sonam Kapoor
Studio: Rectangle Media, Rapid Eye Motion Picture
Studio: Mrs. Funnybones Movies, Sony Pictures
Pic courtesy: Rapid Eye Motion Picture
Pic courtesy: Mrs. Funnybones Movies
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Movie Plot: A commoner is thrown into a jail cell on suspicion of murder of a local politician. Can he survive the State entrapment, or did he actually do it?
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Movie Plot: Upon realising the extent to which women are affected by their menses, a man sets out to create an inexpensive sanitary pad machine.
Reason to Watch: The intense story and a talented cast.
Reason to Watch: The film is inspired from the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist who revolutionized the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India.
Did You Know: This political thriller is inspired by true events.
Did You Know: Did you know: Amitabh Bachchan has a cameo in the film.
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Dil Juunglee
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Genre: Drama Language(s): Hindi
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3 Storeys
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Genre: Drama
Some stories are worth sharing
Language(s): Hindi
Director: Aleya Sen
Director: Arjun Mukerjee
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Saqib Saleem, Abhilash Thapliyal
Cast: Richa Chaddha, Pulkit Samrat, Sharman Joshi
Studio: Pooja Entertainment
Studio: B4U Motion Pictures, Excel Entertainment
Pic courtesy: Pooja Entertainment
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Movie Plot: A gym trainer gets attracted to an English counsellor who just suffered from a heartbreak. They go their ways but a twist arrives when paths cross again. Reason to Watch: It’s a breezy Valentine season romantic caper Did You Know: It’s ad and music-video filmmaker Aleya Sen’s debut movie as director
Pic courtesy: Excel Entertainment
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Movie Plot: Three stories at the three levels of a Mumbai chawl have a mysterious connection. Reason to Watch: It’s about ordinary people caught in a complex web of love and betrayal Did You Know: The film will bring back Renuka Shahane in a never-seen-before avatar.
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MUST WATCH BOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS Kuch Bheege Alfaz
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Hichki
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A Whatsapp Kinda Romance Genre: Romance
Genre: Drama, Family
Language(s): Hindi
Language(s): Hindi
Director: Onir
Director: Siddharth P. Malhotra
Cast: Geetanjali Thapa, Zain Khan Durrani, Shray Rai Tiwari
Cast: Rani Mukerjee, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Harsh Mayar
Studio: Saregama India, Yoodlee Films
Studio: Yash Raj Films Pic courtesy: Yash Raj Films
Pic courtesy: Saregama India
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Movie Plot: In a world of pings, likes, tweets, shares and comments, two strangers connect over a mis-dial and WhatsApp their way into each others’ hearts.
Movie Plot: Naina Mathur, an aspiring teacher, suffers from Tourette Syndrome. Hichki is the story of how she turns her worst weakness into her biggest strength.
Reason to Watch: It’s a very relatable urban story.
Reason to Watch: It is a positive story with a powerhouse performance by Rani Mukerjee
Did You Know: The film marks the debut of model Zain Khan Durrani.
Did You Know: Rani Mukerjee returns to the screen after nearly four years
Welcome to New York
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Genre: Comedy, Drama
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Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety Bromance vs Romance
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23
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Language(s): Hindi
Language(s): Hindi
Director: Chakri Toleti
Director: Luv Ranjan
Cast: Karan Johar, Riteish Deshmukh, Sonakshi Sinha
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Nusrat Bharucha, Alok Nath
Studio: Pooja Entertainment
Studio: Luv Films, T-Series
Pic courtesy: Pooja Entertainment
Pic courtesy: T-Series
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Movie Plot: Two Indian youngsters are in search of a better life. An unexpected trip to New York City sets them off on an adventure that changes their lives forever
Movie Plot: Titu is going to marry a perfect woman named Sweety. Titu’s best-friend Sonu doubts Sweety’s character and tries to break the marriage while Sweety tries to do opposite.
Reason to Watch: It’s India’s first comedy in 3-D, with a massive ensemble cast
Reason to Watch: Besides the fun plot, the film marks the comeback of Yo Yo Honey Singh
Did You Know: The film has already made waves with its innovative promotion campaign.
Did You Know: This is Kartik Aaryan and Nusrat Bharucha’s fourth film together
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MUST WATCH HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS FEB
Bleeding Steel
02
Genre: Action
Honour amongst thieves
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Genre: Action, Thriller
Language(s): English
Language(s): English
Director: Leo Zhang
Director: Christian Gudegast
Cast: Jackie Chan, Callan Mulvey, Tess Haubrich
Cast: Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, Pablo Schreiber
Studio: Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, Heyi Pictures
Studio:Diamond Film Production, Tucker Tooley Entertainment, G-Base
Pic courtesy: Heyi Pictures
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DEN OF THIEVES
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Movie Plot: A special-force police officer is assigned to protect a young woman involved in a science experiment of longevity, from a gangster with an army of advanced technology who desires to obtain her power Reason to Watch: A fun ride from action cinema’s bestloved icon, Jackie Chan Did You Know: The movie releases 55 years since Jackie Chan’s first role as a child actor in “Big and Little Wong Tin Bar”
Pic courtesy: Diamond Film Production
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Movie Plot: A gritty heist saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew. Reason to Watch: It’s a fast-paced heist thriller. Did You Know: Gerard Butler gained 25 pounds to suit his lead role in the film.
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PHANTOM THREAD
02
Genre: Drama, Romance Language(s): English Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville Studio: Focus Features, Annapurna Pictures Pic courtesy: Focus Features
Movie Plot: The fastidious life of a 1950s London dressmaker is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover. Reason to Watch: This is the swan song of the highly talented Daniel Day-Lewis Did You Know: Daniel-Day Lewis has not watched the film, as it makes him too emotional PLAY TRAILER
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MUST WATCH HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS FEB
Maze Runner: The Death Cure Every maze has an end
02
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
The true story of a terrorist, a train and three American soldiers
Language(s): English/Hindi
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Genre: True Story Language(s): English
Director: Wes Ball
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Rosa Salazar, Thomas BrodieSangster
Cast: Jenna Fisher, Judy Greer, Thomas Lennon
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Pic courtesy: Warner Bros
Studio: Warner Bros.
Pic courtesy: 20th Century Fox
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15:17 to Paris
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Movie Plot: Thomas and his group must break into the legendary last city, a WCKD controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all.
Movie Plot: The real-life story of three men whose brave act turned them into heroes during a highspeed railway ride.
Reason to Watch: This is the thrilling third and final chapter of the Maze Runner series
Reason to Watch: It’s a heart-in-mouth thriller with the lives of more than 500 people at stake
Did You Know: Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Nathalie Emmanuel have both previously starred in the superhit series ‘Game of Thrones’.
Did You Know: The three Americans who save the train are not actors, but the actual heroes who pulled off the brave act
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THE SHAPE OF WATER
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A fairy tale for troubled times Genre: Fantasy, Drama Language(s): English Genre: Fantasy, Drama Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon Studio: Fox Searchlight Pic courtesy:Fox Searchlight
Movie Plot: At a top secret research facility in the 1950s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibian creature that is being held in captivity. Reason to Watch: The film has won several international awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Director. Did You Know: It took more than nine months to design the look of the amphibian creature. PLAY TRAILER
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MUST WATCH HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS FEB
GAME NIGHT
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Genre: Action, Crime Directors: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Language(s): English
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Jesse Plemons, Jason Bateman
Cast: Domnhall Gleeson, Rose Byrne, Sam Neill, James Corden (Peter Rabbit’s voice)
Director: Will Gluck
Studio: Warner Bros., New Line Cinema
Studio: Sony Pictures, Columbia
Pic courtesy: New Line Cinema
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Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Born to be wild
Language(s): English
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PETER RABBIT
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Pic courtesy: Sony Pictures
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Movie Plot:A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery.
Movie Plot: Peter Rabbit’s feud with Mr. McGregor reaches new heights as both compete for the affections of a kind animal lover who lives next door.
Reason to Watch: The movie is a twist-a-minute thrilling ride, peppered with comedy
Reason to Watch: The rebellious rabbit who has captivated readers for generations is now on film
Did You Know: This is John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein’s second film as co-directors, following the comedy “Vacation.”
Did You Know: Many of the live scenes were filmed in Australia, but the rabbits aren’t real because they are not allowed in the country.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
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Genre: Thriller Language(s): English Director: Martin McDonagh Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell Studio: Fox Searchlight Pic courtesy: Fox Searchlight
Movie Plot: A mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter’s murder when they fail to catch the culprit. Reason to Watch: The film cast includes one Oscar winner: Frances McDormand; and three Oscar nominees: Woody Harrelson, Lucas Hedges and John Hawkes. Did You Know: McDonagh was inspired to write the movie after seeing billboards about an unsolved crime while traveling “somewhere down in the Georgia, Florida, Alabama corner”. PLAY TRAILER
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Up Close & Personal
21 Little-Known Things About….
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Natalie is entirely of Jewish descent. Her father was born in Israel and mother was born in Ohio, in the United States. They moved to the US when she was 3 years old. She grew up in Syosset, Long Island.
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Her birth name is Neta-Lee Hershlag.
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She holds dual citizenship of Israel and USA.
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Natalie has taken dance lessons since the age of 4. She still takes ballet classes.
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She can speak two languages, Hebrew and English, fluently. She also knows French, German, Japanese and Spanish.
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She was discovered in a pizza parlour and was originally turned down for the role of Mathilda in Léon: The Professional (1994) because she was too young.
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When she was 12, she served as an understudy with Britney Spears for the Laura Bell Bundy’s lead role in the musical ‘Ruthless!’
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She is a dog lover and often shelters them.
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One of Portman’s great-grandmothers worked as a spy for the British in World War 2.
Natalie Portman PVR MOVIES FIRST
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Portman, who in 2003 graduated from Harvard University with a degree in psychology, has always been something of a bookworm. She was also the first Harvard graduate to win an Academy Award. She is best known for her Oscar-winning role in “Black Swan” (2010), for which she lost roughly 20 pounds, trained up to 16 hours a day, and suffered numerous injuries, including a dislocated rib.
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Due to budget restrictions, the makers of “Black Swan”couldn’t afford both a vanity van and a medic for Portman, and she was told to choose between them. She picked the medic.
Portman started her own production company, Handsomecharlie Films (named after Charlie Chaplin and a departed dog), to create more roles
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for women, by women.
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After watching laser surgery on a chicken at a medical conference with her father when she was 8 years old, young Natalie Portman decided to make the switch to vegetarian. In 2009, she became a vegan. Natalie Portman is a sort of modern nomad. So far she has lived in Israel, Washington DC, Long Island, Los Angeles, England, Massachusetts and Paris. Natalie and her family currently live in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, where she is neighbours with Angelina Jolie. They have bought an incredible $6.5million mansion located near the Californian coast in Montecito, close to Santa Barbara. The property sits on a 10.4 acre estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean. She has a passion for watching cookery shows on TV, but admits she is “too lazy” to try out any of the dishes.
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Guatemala and Morocco, where she lived in tents and toured the Sahara Desert atop a camel.
Natalie loves to rap. She often unwinds by singing karaoke at Winnie’s, a New York City bar in Chinatown.
She collects lipsticks, and has more of them than she can count.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Joe Pesci Hollywood’s iconic tough-guy actor Joe Pesci turns 75 on the 9th of February. Here are 5 fun facts about Pesci, who shares his birthday with Mia Farrow and Michael B. Jordan. 1. Joe Pesci’s father was a part-time barber, and his mother a forklift driver. The word “pesci” in Italian means “fish” (plural). 2. Before he got his first break, Pesci made his way around working as a waiter and singing and playing the guitar in nightclubs. 3. Director Martin Scorsese and actor Robert De Niro tracked down Pesci after seeing him in “The Death Collector” (1976) because they felt he was perfect for the role of Joey LaMotta in “Raging Bull“(1980). Before they persuaded him to take the role, Pesci had been on the verge of giving up his faltering acting career.
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She met her husband Benjamin Millepied on the sets of Black Swan. A French ballet dancer, he choreographed and danced in the film. They have a son and a daughter.
4. His acceptance speech at the Academy Awards is the second shortest in history at just six words and three seconds. The shortest is Alfred Hitchcock who simply said ‘’Thanks’’ when receiving his Lifetime achievement award.
Natalie has always been an avid traveler, and she is known for having gone on solo adventures around
5. Pescihas an eye condition called Heterochromia, that gives his pupils two different colours, blue and brown.
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SHRUTI MAHAJAN
Casting Director Shruti Mahajan lists “Pad Man” amongst her more challenging assignments. She tells us about the movie and the actors in it.
GUEST INTERVIEW
Ujjain, and held extensive auditions — actors came from as far as Indore and Maheshwar.
Sonam Kapoor’s role in the film The setting of “Pad Man” From the beginning, director R. Balki was clear he wanted a totally realistic flavour to the setting and look of the film. He wanted to base the film in a place where discussing certain issues is considered taboo. We zeroed in on Maheshwar, a town that is not only traditional but also deeply religious.
How we found our actors The best way to create an authentic feel to the film was to draw the actors from Madhya Pradesh, where the movie is set. We travelled to Bhopal and
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Sonam plays Rhea, a vivacious Delhi girl, very urban in her upbringing and outlook.Her character is empathetic to Akshay’s, realising he is doing something very noble but does not have the skills to market himself.
The supporting cast is all fresh From the two girls who play Akshay’s sisters to the professor who explains female anatomy to him, most of the actors are fresh faces. Some are from National School of Drama, others like Jyoti Subhash are known names in Marathi theatre.
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THE LIFE OF A LEGEND:
Paul Thomas Anderson ARCHITECTS OF CINEMA PVR MOVIES FIRST
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Paul Thomas Anderson
Academy Award-nominated director, producer, and screenwriter Paul Thomas Anderson, (PTA to his fans) has been called “The Stanley Kubrick of the 21st century.”Known for his layered storytelling and hypnotic camerawork, Anderson works with A-list Hollywood stars and is ranked among the most dynamic directors to emerge in the last 20 years. Early Life: Born in Studio City, California, in 1970, the seventh of nine children, Paul first acquired a camera at the age of eight. “I would film everything,” he says. The son of a successful voiceover artist, Anderson attended the elite Buckley School before being kicked out for poor grades. He later dropped out of both Emerson College and New York University. Anderson’s father was the first man on his block to own a V.C.R., and from a very early age Anderson had an infinite number of titles available to him. While film-makers like Spielberg cut their teeth making 8 mm films, Anderson cut his teeth shooting films on video and editing them from V.C.R. to V.C.R.
ARCHITECTS OF CINEMA
the porn industry. The film was later developed into his breakout hit “Boogie Nights,”an audacious account of the cocaine-fuelled commoditisation of sex in the 1970s. The film made stars of both Anderson and his leading man, Mark Wahlberg.
have a feeling, one of those gut feelings, that I’ll make pretty good movies the rest of my life. – Paul Thomas Anderson
His Films: His career began in earnest at the age of 18 with“The Dirk Diggler Story,” a mockumentary on PVR MOVIES FIRST
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DID YOU KNOW?
• His father, Ernie Anderson, was a local celebrity in Cleveland, where he hosted horror shows using the name “Ghoulardi”. • Paul is among the top 10 richest celebrities in Hollywood today, with a seven-figure salary per film and a net worth of more than $70 million. • He has directed seven actors in Oscar-nominated performances. He is also the only Director to win a best director prize at each of the big European film festivals. • He shaves his head before the release of most of his films.
Anderson next wrote and directed 1999’s Magnolia, an ensemble film about several unconnected lives which interwined in unexpected ways. Magnolia captured three Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay. In 2002, Anderson successfully transformed Saturday Night Live comedian Adam Sandler into an empathetic romantic lead in Punch Drunk Love. He won an award for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for his work on the film.
masterpieces, he’s amassed a catalogue that would easily suffice for an entire career, if not two. Praise for Paul Thomas Anderson “His display of talent is as big and exuberant as skywriting.” - Janet Maslin, The New York Times “Anderson is in love with his camera.” - Roger Ebert
QUICK FACTS BIRTH NAME: Paul Thomas Anderson _______________________
Anderson’s most ambitious work, There Will Be Blood (2007), was a dark period drama starring Daniel Day-Lewis. It earned eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.
OCCUPATION: Director, Screenwriter, Producer _______________________
In 2012, he made The Master, a drama about Scientology, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. All three actors earned Oscar nominations.
BIRTH DATE: 26 June, 1970 _______________________
In 2014, he adapted the Thomas Pynchon novel Inherent Vice, a trippy comedic affair starring Joaquin Phoenix, Owen Wilson, Josh Brolin and Reese Witherspoon. With Vice, Anderson earned another Oscar nomination for Adapted Screenplay. Coming up this month is “Phantom Thread,” a “50s London romance set in the high-couture fashion world.” Anderson has already won applause in the top circuits for this Daniel Day-Lewis sign-off vehicle, with strong Oscar buzz around it.
PLACE OF BIRTH: Studio City, California, USA _______________________ Residence: San Fernando Valley, California, USA _______________________ YEARS ACTIVE: 1997 - Present
At 47, Anderson is still a relatively young man by Hollywood director standards. But with eight major films, at least four of which are widely considered to be PVR MOVIES FIRST
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HISTORY
This Month 20 Years Ago
*Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
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HISTORY
This Month 20 Years Ago
This exciting war thriller brought the reality of history’s bloodiest war into the homes of ordinary people, highlighting the reality of broken and lost families in a time of total and encompassing war. The film received widespread critical acclaim, winning several awards for film, cast, and crew. It grossed US$481.8 million worldwide and was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. Spielberg’s direction won his second Academy Award for Best Director, with four more awards going to the film. The sequence depicting the Omaha Beach landings was named the “best battle scene of all time” by Empire magazine. Bookended by this most shocking, searing of battle sequences in film history, “Saving Private Ryan” was as powerful, devastating, memorable and moving as movies get. In fact, Steven Spielberg’s riveting infantryman’s-eyeview of World War II changed the way war movies are perceived. Even the toughest critics agreed that never before had the fear and flux of fighting been so vividly realised on celluloid. “I didn’t want to do something I’ve done with many of my other movies - allowing the audience to be spectators,” Steven Spileberg said in an interview. “Here I wanted to bring the audience onto the stage with me and demand them to be participants with those kids who had never seen combat before in real life, and get to the top of Omaha Beach together.” Plot: During WWII, Chief of Staff, General Marshall is informed that three of a woman’s sons have been killed and that she’s going to receive the notifications of their
demise at the same time. And when he learns that a fourth son is still unaccounted for, the General decides to send a unit to find him and bring him back, despite being told that it’s highly unlikely that he is still alive and the area that he was known to be at is very dangerous. So the unit consisting of 8 men are sent to find him but as stated it’s very dangerous and one by one, they are picked off. Will they find him and how many of them will still be alive? Fun Facts: Steven Spielberg cast Matt Damon as Private Ryan because he wanted an unknown actor with an AllAmerican look. He did not know Damon would win an Oscar for Good Will Hunting (1997) and become an overnight star before the film was released. In the German-dubbed version of the movie, one of the actors, who was a German veteran of the Normandy invasion, dropped out and had to be replaced due to the emotional realism of the film. When the camera shakes during explosions, Steven Spielberg used drills attached to the side of the camera, which were turned on when required. While shooting with this effect, the crew’s photographer let Spielberg know that there was a shaker lens for cameras. Spielberg said in an interview that he had thought he had invented a great new technique. All the actors had to undergo an intensive pre-shoot six-day boot camp during which all but one of them voted to quit, as they found it too arduous. The one dissenting voice was Tom Hanks, who thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Naturally, his vote counted the most, so the rest of the actors were obligated to complete their training.
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FILM FESTIVALS OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL 2018 Festival Date: Feb 7– Feb 11, 2018 Venue: Oxford, Mississippi, USA Opening Film: The Last Movie Star Closing Film: Allure Acclaimed Movie MAD TO BE NORMAL
PLOT: Parvana is an 11-year-old girl whose family, like many others, struggle for a better life under Taliban rule in 2001. Based on Deborah Ellis’s much-loved novel, Parvana cuts her hair and dresses like a boy in an attempt to help her family survive following the wrongful arrest of her father. Twomey’s powerful film drew the attention of UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie, who is executive producer. MOVIE INFO Directed By: Nora Twomey Cast: Sara Chaudry, Soma Bhatia, Noorin Gulamgaus Genre: Animation, Drama
BERLINALE, 2018 Festival Date: Feb 15– Feb 25, 2018 Venue: Berlin, Germany Opening Film: Isle of Dogs Acclaimed Movie THE PRAYER PLOT: The story of a radical psychiatrist who rewrote the rules on mental health treatment. He became a 60s counterculture hero for challenging the status quo of pills and electro shock therapy, instead opting for a holistic treatment without drugs, group therapy, and communal healing. MOVIE INFO Directed By: Robert Mullan Cast: Jessica Jones, David Tennant, Gabriel Byrne Genre: Biopic
DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 2018 Festival Date: Feb 21– March 04, 2018 Venue: Dublin, Ireland Opening Film: Borg vs McEnroe Closing Film: Surprise Film Acclaimed Movie THE BREADWINNER PLOT: Thomas, 22, is a drug addict. In an effort to put an end to his habit, he joins a community of former addicts who live isolated in the mountains and use prayer as a way to cure themselves. At first reluctant, Thomas gradually accepts to submit himself to a Spartan life of discipline, abstinence, hard work and frequent prayer. He discovers faith, but also love. MOVIE INFO Directed By: Cedric Kahn Cast: Anthony Bajon, Damien Chapelle, Alex Brendemühl, Louise Grinberg, Genre: Drama PVR MOVIES FIRST
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Out This FEBRUARY MOVIE NAME (LANGUAGE)
GENRE
FORMAT
icons
RELEASE DATE
Bleeding Steel (English) Action 02 Feb __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 02 Feb Den of Thieves (English) Action / Thriller __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 02 Feb Phantom Thread (English) Drama / Crime __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 02 Feb Kuldip Patwal: I Didn’t Do It! (Hindi) Drama / Mystery __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 02 Feb Maze Runner: The Death Cure (English/Hindi) Sci-Fi / Thriller ATMOS / IMAX / 4DX __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 09 Feb 15:17 to Paris (English) True Story __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 09 Feb Padman (Hindi) Drama / Biography ATMOS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 09 Feb Aiyaary (Hindi) Drama / Crime ATMOS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16 Feb The Shape of Water (English) Fantasy / Drama __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16 Feb Dil Junglee (Hindi) Drama ATMOS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16 Feb 3 Storeys (Hindi) Drama / Thriller __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16 Feb Black Panther (English/Hindi) Adventure / Fantasy 3D / ATMOS / IMAX 3D / 4DX __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16 Feb Kuch Bheege Alfaz (Hindi) Romance __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23 Feb Three Billboards (English) Crime / Comedy __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23 Feb Hichki (Hindi) Drama / Family ATMOS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23 Feb Game Night (English) Crime / Mystery __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23 Feb Peter Rabbit (English) Fantasy / Adventure __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23 Feb Welcome to New York (Hindi) Comedy / Drama 3D / ATMOS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (Hindi) PVR MOVIES FIRST
Comedy / Romance
ATMOS
Subject to release at PVR. Movie schedule is subject to last minute change.
23 Feb PAGE 29
IN THE NEXT ISSUE:
EDITOR HARSHVARDHAN CONSULTANT EDITOR SHUBHRA DESIGNER VIJAY FEATURES WRITERS SIDDHARTH Conceptualized by Ranjeet Ahluwalia The views, ideas and content of this magazine are not of PVR’s. PVR shall not be held responsible for the outcome of any action or decision based on the information contained in this publication. PVR does not give any warranty for the completeness or accuracy for this publication’s content, explanation or opinion. To share your feedback about the magazine, write to us at pvrmoviesfirst@gmail.com
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