Subject: Re: World War Z News Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:45 pm
Movie review: World War Z Rajarshi Aditya Chaudhuri, June 27, 2013 With a dedicated following, this summer’s latest offering of the walking dead genre is a gripping tale of a retired United Nations investigator fighting zombies on the streets of Philadelphia, South Korea, Israel and Glasgow. Marc Forster’s zombie apocalypse saga is one of the most politically min-ded, this-worldly offering from the genre and is surprisingly realistic and, despite some logical loopholes, a thrilling watch all the way through. With a strong performance by Brad Pitt, an engaging storyline loosely based on Max Brooks’ book World War Z and realistic action and thrills, this is a zombie action movie with a difference.
Gerry (Pitt) has retired from his high-risk job as a UN investigator travelling to some of the most volatile parts of the world and is enjoying living a sedentary lifestyle, making his young family breakfast and dropping the children off to school. In the news, on the television and on the radio on the way to school, Gerry hears of disturbances the world over caused by some kind of rabies virus outbreak. Then, while he is caught in gridlock traffic, all of a sudden there’s absolute mayhem as a truck manned by an infected zombie comes barrelling down, ploughing through the traffic.
The infection spreads rapidly as it only takes 15 seconds after being bitten for the victim to ‘turn.’ Gerry and his family manage to escape the crowded city and escape to the countryside as they try to get in touch with his former colleagues from the UN to help evacuate them. They inform him that the big cities throughout the world had overnight turned into ghost towns, with dormant zombies walking the streets. Gerry and his family are airlif-ted to a US Navy carrier and because of his past experience, he is asked to accompany a scientist to South Korea to investigate what they think was ‘Patient Zero’ of the rabies outbreak. The trail goes cold after a disastrous start to the campaign.
But before dying, the scientist tells Gerry that the only way to find out the zombies’ weakness is to look for behavioural patterns. At the base, Gerry comes across an ex-CIA agent who tells him about how Israel built a massive fortification as a precautionary measure, just before the rabies outbreak.
Gerry goes to meet an Israeli Mossad general to ask him if they had known something about the outbreak before the rest of the world did. But despite the fortification, loud sounds from the Israeli side attract the zombies who scale the barriers and infect millions. Amidst all this chaos, Gerry notices a pattern. The zombies don’t attack the sickly or terminally ill. Gerry then deci-des that it, in fact, this is a disease that mankind’s salvation lies in.
Despite its premise as a zombie thriller, World War Z starts off with all the trappings of a good political drama. And the film, surprisingly, manages to hold on to that, even as you are watching zombies chasing after people and Gerry, almost single-handedly, slaying them like some kind of action hero. It is this realism amidst surrealist settings that makes this movie such an entertaining watch. Sure there are scenes of grenades being set off in airplanes to kill zombies and other instances of bloody ludicrousness, but you get the sense that this wasn’t made to be just another summer blockbuster.
From the political undertones to the Contagion-esque scenes of human meddling leading to global viral pandemics beyond control, all work to the film’s favour. The action is real, the tension palpable and the zombies terrifying. And Brad Pitt being Brad Pitt, this movie would not have been the same without him. Or the $200mn that fuelled the slightly prolonged and innumerable epic zombie battle scenes and many re-shoots. Although World War Z follows the tried and tested formula for a zombie thriller, it is more intelligent than any we have seen before. Or at least it had the potential to be a standout film in the genre. Not bad at all.
bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:49 pm
While some of this summer's blockbusters have been propped up with built-in sequel interest and well-known characters, this almost-end-of-the-world thriller is a fresh face with no strings attached. And it's the best action movie of the summer so far.
Brad Pitt earns every bit of his star status here leading a film about the world being overrun by a zombie-creating virus. Even better than Pitt's performance is the pacing, which is perfectly calibrated to keep your heart pounding.
For those like this reviewer who don't like to watch zombies actually eating people, it doesn't happen much here. Instead, these zombies are more apt to bite than feast on flesh, perhaps because this particular brand of zombie virus is able to turn a victim undead just 10 seconds after a bite.
There are other changes to the standard zombie script that make the action and danger more intense. These zombies don't shuffle about, they run and jump and climb over each other to get over walls.
Director Marc Foster ("Quantum of Solace" and "The Kite Runner") has a solid hand on this film, and, thankfully, doesn't overdo things. He includes epic battles and sweeping scenes like a particularly amazing segment in Israel but doesn't feel the need to make this film into one long fight sequence.
The tension is there from the first zombie bite to an ending that sets up a sequel. It is, after all, a summer blockbuster. Unlike several other over-hyped action films this summer, this one really delivers.
Rated PG 13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images. 115 min. [MC, PV, RA]
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bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:34 am
Brad Pitt installs swear jar on set of ‘World War Z’
Brad Pitt installed a swear jar on the set of 'World War Z'.
The hunky actor - who has kids Maddox, 11, Pax, nine, Zahara, eight, Shiloh, six, and four-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with fiancée Angelina Jolie - tried to prevent cast and crew on the set of the zombie apocalypse movie from swearing in front of the youngsters who played his on screen daughters.
Mireille Enos - who plays Brad's wife in the movie - told People magazine: "He started a swearing jar. If anybody swore around the kids, they had to put a pound in the jar. Those kids went home rich."
Brad, 49, also worked hard to keep the girls entertained on set, even performing magic tricks for them.
aww..how sweet:heart:
bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:54 am
Muse Members Talk Creating Apocalyptic Music in This World War Z Featurette
members Matt Bellamy and Dominic Howard sat down for a quick video chat about their musical contributions to the film World War Z, and we have it for you right here. Check it out, and as you head out for some weekend fun, remember... World War Z is in theatres now!
Read our World War Z review here! The film stars Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Eric West, David Morse, and James Badge Dale.
Related Story: Some Cool World War Z Zombie Concept Art
bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 9:42 am
World War Z and Brad Pitt Winning at Box Office and Blu-ray Pre-Orders
Paramount and Brad Pitt's World War Z continues to defy the haze of bad buzz that swirled around the film right up until its release a week ago. Not only is the film continuing to perform well at the box office, it's Blu-ray and DVD pre-orders are also surprisingly higher than one might expect. Today marks the eighth day World War Z has been playing in cinemas across North America and the results are looking far better than the flop many predicted the PG-13 rated zombies apocalypse flick was destined to become. It has earned $88.3 million thus far and will certainly cross $100 million before the weekend is out. If Disney's The Lone Ranger either fails to connect or sells out, World War Z will pick up some of the spillover moviegoers and could get another boost.
Overseas, World War Z has earned just shy of $46 million to date and has yet to open in numerous territories. Combined the Marc Forster-directed action film stands at $134 million in worldwide ticket sales; a far cry from the film's estimated $190 million budget, but a mark reached relatively quickly with many more potential tickets left to sell.
Paramount made World War Z available to pre-order on individual Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray combo packs during the second day of its theatrical release. It quickly climbed into Amazon's top 10 bestselling Blu-ray titles and has settled into the third (Blu-ray 3D combo) and fourth (Blu-ray combo) position behind the two Star Trek Into Darkness skus. Paramount's Home Entertainment division should be all smiles right now, that is until Man of Steel comes along and bumps both of them down.
Pre-order World War Z for over 50% off the list price at Amazon: Blu-ray combo | Blu-ray 3D combo.
Paramount is already in the very early planning stages of a War World Z sequel so if you liked the film and already pre-ordered the Blu-ray, there's a strong possibility that more zombie mayhem is on the way.
Browse all Amazon.com Blu-ray pre-orders
bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:13 pm
Preppers use zombies as concept to teach others
By Josh Thrall
June 29, 2013 - 6:00 am
has been 16 days since the infection reached Maricopa. No traffic lights are working and all cable, WiFi and phone service is dead. The zombies are everywhere, shuffling their feet and moaning throughout abandoned streets.
Maricopa resident Keith Lostritto huddles with his family and neighbors in his boarded up home with a loaded arsenal laid out on the carpet in front of him. He is unafraid. He has been planning for this for years.
“I’m not running,” Lostritto said. “I have a house, I have a lot of weapons and my plan is to hunker down and defend myself.”
Lostritto is a member of U.S. ZORT. (Zombie Outbreak Response Team), a group made of “preppers” who train others to prepare themselves for the end of the world. The group has members in 30 states and is attempting to establish chapters in all 50. Lostritto and his response team are a part of an international movement that can’t get enough of the brainless undead.
Despite being fictional, zombies can be used as a fun and interesting way to teach important lessons to people, Lostritto said.
The public’s fascination with zombies goes back a long way. Lostritto said his first experience with zombies was George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead,” which was released in 1968.
“The movie terrified me, and since then I was hooked.”
Lostritto points to George Romero’s movies as the start of the zombie craze, but said more recent TV shows have re-ignited public interest in zombies. AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” a show about a small group of survivors trying to make it in a world infested with zombies, broke cable ratings records with the finale of its third season. Author Max Brooks’ zombie novel “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War” spent four weeks on The New York Times’ bestseller list and Brad Pitt is starring in the movie version this summer.
Lostritto said people are interested in the zombie apocalypse because it represents a chance to test their own strength and resilience.
“It would be cool if it happened. It really would,” Lostritto said. “It’s a life challenge that no one will get to face. Everybody is curious about whether they could really last.”
Until the living dead walk the Earth, U.S. ZORT will continue training people how to shoot guns and stock up for a disaster. Lostritto said the group hopes these skills will benefit people in situations more likely than zombie attacks, such as natural disasters or home break-ins.
“It’s like we’re a giant survival group,” Lostritto said. “If things go bad, ZORT is a way for us to help people. We want a giant community that can come together and help those in need by sending money, water or people where they are needed.”
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:16 pm
Enter to Win a 'World War Z' Zombie Fighting Prize Package!
If there's one thing Brad Pitt has taught us, it's that you can never be too prepared for a zombie apocalypse (also, that luscious long locks won't get in the way of fighting off the undead).
That's why we've teamed up with Man Crates to to equip all you freedom fighters of the pending zombie apocalypse with a special World War Z prize package! The package includes a signed copy of Max Brooks' World War Z novel and a Zombie Annihilation Man Crate, which contains everything you'll need to fight off the rabid hoards.
So if you're a potential zombie fighter or you know someone who is, enter our Man Crates Max Brooks Signature Edition Zombie Annihilation Crate giveaway by clicking on this link.The contest ends on Thursday, July 4th, so don't wait until the undead have taken over Philadelphia. Happy zombie hunting!
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:24 pm
World War Z Giveaway Man Crates has teamed up with Zimbio and World War Z author Max Brooks to equip the freedom fighters of the pending zombie apocalypse. Armed with the definitive guidebook on zombie survival and a ton of other zombie survival gear from Man Crates, we’re helping those bold, brave few defend humankind from extinction.
So enter the giveaway below to win an exclusive Max Brooks signature Zombie Annihilation Man Crate, including a signed copy of World War Z, and take a stand for humanity:
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bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 11:03 pm
World War Z’ takes ‘Pavlovian’ approach to storytelling
Subject: Re: World War Z News Sat Jun 29, 2013 11:29 pm
bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sun Jun 30, 2013 5:15 am
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Actress Abigail Hargrove
One of the biggest movies out right now is ‘World War Z.’ Abigail Hargrove plays Rachel Lane, the daughter to Brad Pitt’s character Gerry Lane.
We got to ask Abigail what it was like shooting on set with Brad and what she plans to do in the future!
Fanlala: Tell us about your character in the movie.
Abigail Hargrove: My character is "Rachel", the oldest of 2 daughters of Brad's character "Gerry". Rachel is 12ish, smart, beautiful, and is freaked out by all that is suddenly thrust upon her family. And did I mention that she's beautiful? (hehe) Kidding! Rachel has asthma and sort of withdrawals from reality until she has an asthma attack that forces the family to take a detour on their way to being rescued F: What was it like working with Brad Pitt?
AH: Brad is very funny! He loves to cut up and joke around. While shooting the R.V. scene, he made up this song to the tune of "Secret Agent Man" and he made himself laugh so hard that we laughed even harder. It became our theme song while we shot that scene. I spent some time with his family and he seems like a great dad. I watched him interact with his kids like my dad does with us. It was really normal and great and fun! F: Since this was one of your first big movie roles, what did you learn about acting while filming?
AH: I learned that you can shoot the same scene 30 times and it's never the same. I learned that I can always pull one more take out of myself. I learned how to better physically act when my mouth isn't saying a word. I watched Brad and Mireille go so fast into character at the word "action". And sometimes Brad had just made a joke or something but then got so focused so fast. I think that you have to always have a little piece of your mind still in character, even at "cut". Watching and working with Brad I learned that you can love what you do for a long time. (And still be great at it!). F: If there was a real zombie invasion, where is the first place that you would run to?
AH: Max Brooks' house. I mean hey, not only did he write "World War Z", but also "Zombie Survival Guide".
F: What plans do you have for the future?
AH: Something much, much, more scary and sinister than zombies...high school! Maybe I'll write a "high school survival guide" after I graduate. I would love to land another great role very soon but have nothing for sure lined up at this moment.
We loved talking with Rachel! She sounds extremely fun to work with. Good luck with high school, girl! And we hope to see you in more in the future
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sun Jun 30, 2013 6:21 am
Cinesite Creates Zombie Apocalypse for World War Z Category: In Focus Visual effects house Cinesite completed over 430 shots on Paramount’s World War Z, as well as stereo conversion of the visual effects. The film opened in cinemas across the US and UK recently.
World War Z is based on the book World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks. Directed by Marc Forster and starring Brad Pitt as protagonist Gerry Lane, the story follows a UN worker as he searches the globe for information that can stop the zombie outbreak that is bringing down nations.
Cinesite's main body of work forms the exciting first half of the film, set in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Korea and on a military vessel. In Philadelphia, stuck in a traffic jam with his wife and children, Gerry struggles to get his family to safety as the zombie epidemic attacks the city.
Extensive reference photography was used to turn the sequence, which was filmed in Glasgow, Scotland, into convincing Philadelphia environments. A later action sequence, set at dusk on the roof of a building, was filmed on a set and the stunning, panoramic environment added digitally. Cinesite VFX Supervisor Matt Johnson was on set during principal photography. "I have always particularly enjoyed the challenge of creating invisible effects. Photographic elements were used to create the digital environments and there is cutting edge CGI throughout World War Z. Clearly, there are hundreds of complicated effects, but I believe we've created a natural-looking, documentary like reality, which was always our aim."
Crowds of computer generated zombies, swarming and attacking people were added, with realistic hair, cloth and attacking movements, which would stand up both at a distance and close to camera. The work involved extensive TD input and led to significant developments in Cinesite's raytracing, lighting and shading pipelines.
In several aerial shots, Cinesite's team populated environments including the Benjamin Franklin Bridge with CG traffic, crowds and zombies and turned the calm streets into chaotic apocalyptic scenes, complete with CG helicopters, smoke, fire and destruction. Cinesite also created CG ships, flotillas and ship wake, as well as creating a military camp in Lolworth Cove, Dorset.
In parallel to the visual effects, stereo conversion was completed using Cinesite's bespoke pipeline developed and used previously on John Carter.
Antony Hunt, Managing Director of Cinesite said, "Our team has a reputation for creating world-class digital environments. World War Z presented us with a fantastic opportunity to prove this reputation well founded, while showing our increasing prowess in character animation, an area that we have been developing. We're also very proud of the positive response to our stereo conversion of the visual effects
bbad Moderator
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Subject: Re: World War Z News Sun Jun 30, 2013 6:24 am
Kerns: How was Pitt saved from the original 'World War Z' script? Entirely different story introduced in closing 40 minutes By William Kerns A-J ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR I had a ton of fun watching “World War Z,” and was often lured to the edge of my seat.
It is the last place I expected to be.
After all, for some time it was even considered a spoiler to express what the Z in the film’s title stood for. (I’m going to guess that most have seen the trailer and know that the word zombie works.)
So much had been written about script problems beforehand that one could hardly walk into the theater on opening day feeling confident. Even now, it is tough to write about the film without nearing spoilers. So what I plan to focus on is the script that was not used, and thus not give away the present film.
Vanity Fair reported in a lengthy feature that the filmmakers threw out a 12-minute battle scene as the budget passed $190 million.
Just do not assume that the movie follows the book.
Screenwriters Drew Goddard and Damon Lindelof were paid at virtually the last minute to save the movie, in essence rewriting the final 40-plus minutes.
Gifted director Marc Forster then was able to deliver a cunningly visualized PG-13 movie and dispose of the R-rated gore fest that zombie fans had relished. The film works. At one point, Rotten Tomatoes graded “World War Z” at a fresh 73, dominating the 56-percent approval rating then earned by “Man of Steel.”
Mind you, Hollywood’s media often have written about film problems, overages and unhealthy set morale.
Recall how James Cameron’s crew hated his arrogance while making “Titanic,” predicting a bomb. George Lucas’ crew made fun of his script and openly pitied actors who had to say the lines in “Star Wars.”
Many assumed “Jaws” would flop after countless stories about problems filming on water or the performance by Spielberg’s mechanical shark, Bruce, who would neither swim nor eat. Just sink.
Spielberg, as it turned out, would not reveal his shark until deep into the film. But his only story changes involved human characters. Spielberg realized no one cared about human problems when a killing machine was swimming just off the coast.
Whereas in “World War Z,” changes went far deeper than simply considering a possible reunion. The original script is an almost completely different movie. Thus, I’m not certain it can simply be referred to as an alternate ending when the movie comes out on DVD.
Those who have seen “WWZ:” Prepare to be astounded.
Here is the teaser I wrote for Friday’s Go:
“Director Marc Forster defies all naysayers, not to mention all those reports about script problems and finale changes. ‘WWZ’ is an intense thriller that glues everyone to the edges of their seats, while United Nations investigator Gerry Lane (a fine performance by Brad Pitt) barely catches the last flight out of seemingly everywhere in an attempt to find the source of a zombie pandemic that appears to find humanity doomed.
“The opening introduction to zombie attacks in heavy city traffic is intense and horrifying, directed with a stunning eye for detail. Killing is far more gory and gruesome on television’s ‘The Walking Dead;” yet viewers rarely close their eyes while ‘World War Z’ is on screen.
“True, the ending is somewhat of a letdown. But the movie as a whole is so good that one almost wishes for a follow-up.
“Andre Kertesz also shines as wounded Israeli soldier Segen.”
I originally had added that Pitt leaves the story open for a sequel by telling us that the conflict is nowhere close to over. At the time, I was not sure that everyone even liked each other enough to return. Paramount, however, has seen the box office figures and is committed to a sequel; so is Pitt.
Nevertheless, much as Bruce Willis was sent back in time to search for the source of a virus in superior drama “12 Monkeys” — which, by the way, earned Pitt a much deserved Oscar nomination — the new film finds Pitt searching for the source of an undead pandemic that seems to have humanity doomed.
However, look closely and notice that Matthew Fox has the bit part of a soldier who helps Pitt’s family onto an escaping helicopter in an early scene.
Why?
Pitt’s telephone later is stolen and so, in a way, is his wife in the first script.
Suffice it to say that she had a much bigger role in that story. That first script finds Pitt captured by the Russian government. He realizes that the undead are slowed by cold weather, which helps him become an even more deadly Rambo-esque warrior, leading Russia in a huge, bloody battle against thousands of zombies in the middle of Moscow’s Red Square (the lost scene).
Naturally, the Reds expect him to stay.
Pitt’s Gerry Lane instead sails around the world, only to wind up on the opposite side of the United States from the wife and daughters he plans to rescue as the original story ends — thus guaranteeing a sequel.
That’s how the original ended.
And by now, I am positive that those who have seen “World War Z” have dropped onto the nearest sofa, asking aloud, “Say what?”
Or they may be ready to accuse me of making this all up.
Los Angeles Times writer Kenneth Turan summarized it best, saying, “Unless you knew about the film’s troubled past, you’d never guess it even existed.”
My advice?
Go with the flow. Enjoy what made it on screen, and hope that Forster and Pitt are handed a much stronger story in the now inevitable sequel.
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