News

Lightning Entertainment has announced that they will handle the DVD and VOD release of the zombie comedy The Revenant. We have the official press release, which also mentions a limited theatrical release this August:

“Worldwide rights holder Lightning Entertainment has struck a deal with notable New York-based independent distribution company Paladin to handle the theatrical release of the award-winning horror comedy The Revenant, it was announced today by Lightning president Robert Beaumont, and Paladin’s president Mark Urman.

Paladin plans to release the film theatrically in August in an initial 10 markets. That same day, the film will be available as a premium V.O.D., as part of an event driven day-and-date Ultra VOD bow through Lightning’s distribution arm, Lightning Media.

The DVD will be released through Lionsgate under Lightning Media’s on-going partnership with the company.

The deal with Paladin was negotiated by Lightning Entertainment’s Joseph Dickstein,...

Worldwide rights holder Lightning Entertainment has struck a deal with notable New York-based independent distribution company Paladin to handle the theatrical release of the award-winning horror comedy The Revenant, it was announced today by Lightning president Robert Beaumont, and Paladin.s president Mark Urman.

Paladin plans to release the film theatrically in August in an initial 10 markets. That same day, the film will be available as a premium V.O.D., as part of an event driven day-and-date Ultra VOD bow through Lightning.s distribution arm, Lightning Media.

The DVD will be released through Lionsgate under Lightning Media.s on-going partnership with the company.

The deal with Paladin was negotiated by Lightning Entertainment.s Joseph Dickstein, Svp of acquisitions and Audrey Delaney, VP of acquisitions and business development, and Paladin.s Urman.

Starring David Anders (the CW.s .The Vampire Diaries.) and Chris Wylde (The Ten), The Revenant is written...

Electus announced today that Oscar and Emmy Award-nominated director/producer Morgan Spurlock’s new documentary film Mansome will be distributed theatrically by Paladin. The hilarious look at men’s identity through the exploration of male grooming habits, which is scheduled to have its world premiere at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival on April 21st, will open in limited release in several major cities nationwide including New York and Los Angeles beginning May 18th. Written, directed and produced by Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold) and executive produced by DumbDumb co-founders Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Electus Founder Ben Silverman, Mansome marks Arnett and Bateman’s first executive producer credits.

In the age of manscaping, metrosexuals, fancy men’s day spas, and high-end grooming products galore, Mansome is a witty, provocative and highly-entertaining glimpse into what it means to be a man in a world where the definition...

Did you know that one of the world’s largest environmental film festivals takes place annually in Toronto? Since 1999, the Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival has been bringing some of the best environmentally conscious films from around the world to the city.

Featuring nearly 100 films (mostly documentary), the 2011 edition of Planet in Focus kicks off tomorrow, October 12th, and runs until Sunday, October 16th. Below is a short list of the films that we think are worth watching, but for more of the films playing at the festival be sure to check out the full Planet in Focus 2011 schedule here.

Revenge of the Electric Car, dir. Chris Paine

It’s not often that a documentary warrants a sequel, but if there were ever a subject matter worth revisiting it would be the storied tale of the electric car. Revenge of the Electric Car is director Chris Paine’s follow-up...

Narrator Ryan Reynolds introduces us to the story of Luna by way of simple metaphor – it was as if he was a child in a grocery store, a child who turned around and found his family missing, no longer in the same aisle, and when he went looking for them, he went down the wrong aisle. In July of 2001, the two year old Orca whale calf appeared in Nootka Sound, a complex inlet on the northern west coast of Vancouver Island, an area that was hundreds of kilometers from the normal grounds of the Southern Resident Killer Whale of which Luna was a part (having been tracked by the scientists that study that community since soon after his birth in 1999). Luna was alone. Orcas do not do well alone. What scientists know about the pod structure that Orcas live in hinges almost totally on one prevailing element – the pod is the most important thing. Orca...

Ryan Reynolds talks about his roles as executive producer and narrator on the new film The Whale in an exclusive interview with The Humane Society.

“The Whale” is the true and poignant story of Luna, a young orca separated from his pod, who turned up alone in a narrow stretch of sea off the coast of British Columbia in 2001 and refused to leave. The film invites us to reexamine our preconceived ideas about these amazing marine mammals and consider the many complex effects of our interaction with wildlife.

Narrated by Ryan Reynolds, and executive produced by Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson, “The Whale” is co-directed by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm.

Read more...

"For a decade starting in the late 60s, the Kashmere Stage Band — a funk-infused outfit rooted in a poor, predominantly black neighborhood in northeast Houston — built a reputation as the most formidable high school band in the country." Scott Tobias for NPR: "Under the leadership of Conrad O Johnson Sr, a prodigious musician in his own right (he once played with Count Basie), the band zigged where others zagged, embracing the sounds (and moves) of James Brown and Otis Redding while its peers were mimicking the ossified standards of 40s big bands. In competition — and on recordings — the contrast was clear: The Kashmere Stage Band was lively, exuberant, spontaneous and contemporary, and the also-rans were square nostalgists."

"Three decades after graduation, members reunite to honor their beloved 93-year-old bandleader, teacher and role model," writes Eric Hynes in Time Out New York. "Amid its celebrations of black power, ambitious Afros and fly female trombonists,...

The 12th Annual Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival (Pif), running October 12–16 in Toronto with galas, film screenings and workshops, presented an early morning media conference at the Royal Ontario Museum (Rom) September 22, 2011, announcing this year's Opening Night Gala will be "Revenge Of The Electric Car', narrated by Tim Robbins :

"...in 'Revenge Of The Electric Car", director Chris Paine ('Who Killed the Electric Car?') gets extraordinary access behind the closed doors of Nissan, Gm, and the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors to chronicle the story of the global resurgence of electric cars..."

The Closing Night Gala will be "The Whale", narrated by Ryan Reynolds :

"...'The Whale', executive produced by Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johannson, produced and shot by Suzanne Chisolm, tells the true story of 'Luna', a baby orca who gets separated from his family and starts to make friends with humans on...

Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm, experts in the whale community and the filmmakers behind the upcoming documentary “The Whale” have issued a statement in regards to the Osha trial this week in Orlando. The trial concerns the death of a SeaWorld trainer last year, and Chisholm and Parfit believe that captive orcas will eventually show atypical behavior to that of non-captive orcas. Here’s the statement: “The Osha hearings on trainer safety at SeaWorld have sparked a discussion about the effects of captivity on orcas and the dangers they pose to humans in those situations. Our film, The Whale, shows the gentleness and apparent friendliness of a wild orca toward humans....

Set on the rugged western coast of Vancouver Island and narrated by Ryan Reynolds, The Whale describes what happens when Luna, a baby orca, gets separated from his family and unexpectedly starts making contact with people along a scenic fjord called Nootka Sound. Because orcas are highly social beings who spend their lives traveling with their pods, Luna attempts to find a surrogate family among the area residents, much to their delight. But as word spreads about Luna, people become torn between their love for the lonely young whale and fears that human contact might harm him.

Luna.s life is seen through the eyes of the colorful characters who who fall in love with the whale . a cook on an old freighter who can hardly breathe when Luna looks her in the eye, a fisheries officer conflicted by what he thinks Luna needs and what he is told to do,...

The Whale Review

Sometimes friendship comes from the most unexpected places. The new documentary The Whale, which was helmed by husband and wife National Geographic contributors Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm, proves just that, as it chronicles the life of an extraordinary orca named Luna. While orcas are highly social and dependent on their families, Luna proves that his wild species can peacefully co-exist with, and depend on, humans for emotional support.

Thanks for reading We Got This Covered...

Interview With Michael Parfit And Suzanne Chisholm On The Whale

Filmmakers Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm are gearing up to release The Whale, their second documentary chronicling the life of killer orca Luna. The Whale is set to be released at the Siff Cinema in Seattle on September 9, with additional cities to follow. As the movie sheds light on Luna's moving story, the filmmakers remind people that unless wild animals specifically need humans' help to survive, whales like Luna need space to travel and hunt for food.

Thanks for reading We Got This Covered...

Best Picture

Frontrunners

“J. Edgar” (Warner Brothers, 11/11, ?, ?)

“War Horse” (Disney, 12/28, ?, teaser)

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” (Paramount/Warner Brothers, 12/25, ?, ?)

“The Ides of March” (Sony, 10/14, ?, trailer)

“The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight, 11/23, R, trailer)

“Carnage” (Sony Pictures Classics, 11/18, ?, trailer)

“Midnight in Paris” (Sony Pictures Classics, 5/20, PG-13, trailer)

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Sony, 12/21, ?, trailer)

“Like Crazy” (Paramount Vantage, 10/28, PG-13, trailer)

“The Iron Lady” (The Weinstein Company, 12/6, ?, teaser)

Major Threats

“The Artist” (The Weinstein Company, 11/23, ?, trailer)

“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” (Focus Features, 11/18, ?, trailer)

“A Dangerous Method” (Sony Pictures Classics, 11/23, ?, trailer)

“The Help” (Disney, 8/12, PG-13, trailer)

“Moneyball” (Columbia, 9/23, ?, trailer)

“We Bought a Zoo” (20th Century Fox, 12/23, ?, ?)

“Hugo” (Paramount, 11/23, ?, trailer)

“50/50” (Summit, 9/30, R, trailer)

“The Tree of Life” (Fox Searchlight, 5/27, PG-13, trailer)

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2” (Warner Brothers, 7/15, PG-13, trailer) New

“Albert Nobbs” (Liddell Entertainment/Roadside Attractions, ?/?, ?, ?)

“The Way” (Icon Entertainment, 10/7, ?, ?)

“Contagion” (Warner Brothers, 9/9, ?, trailer)

Possibilities

“Coriolanus” (The Weinstein Company, 12/2, ?, trailer)

“The Adventures of Tintin” (Paramount,...

Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: I celebrate all levels of trailers and hopefully this column will satisfactorily give you a baseline of what beta wave I’m operating on, because what better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? Some of the best authors will tell you that writing a short story is a lot harder than writing a long one, that you have to weigh every sentence. What better medium to see how this theory plays itself out beyond that than with movie trailers? Imaginary Forces Trailer Getting sent an unsolicited trailer is tricky. Sure, every week I ask for them (send them directly to Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com...

Opening in various limited markets in early September, is the Ryan Reynolds-narrated documentary The Whale. Produced by himself and Scarlett Johansson, the doc tells the story of Luna, a baby orca whale who begins socializing with local townspeople after being separated from her family.

Here’s the official synopsis from the press release, followed by the trailer:

Set on the rugged western coast of Vancouver Island and narrated by Ryan Reynolds, The Whale describes what happens when Luna, a baby orca, gets separated from his family and unexpectedly starts making contact with people along a scenic fjord called Nootka Sound. Because orcas are highly social creatures who spend their lives traveling with their pods, Luna attempts to find a surrogate family among the area residents, much to their delight. But as word spreads about Luna, people become torn between their love for the lonely young whale and fears that human contact might harm him.

Check out the new trailer and poster for Paladin’s The Whale, a new documentary out September 16th, directed by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm, narrated by Ryan Reynolds (The Change-up), and executive produced by Reynolds and Scarlet Johansson.

Synopsis:

Set on the rugged western coast of Vancouver Island and narrated by Ryan Reynolds, The Whale describes what happens when Luna, a baby orca, gets separated from his family and unexpectedly starts making contact with people along a scenic fjord called Nootka Sound. Because orcas are highly social creatures who spend their lives traveling with their pods, Luna attempts to find a surrogate family among the area residents, much to their delight. But as word spreads about Luna, people become torn between their love for the lonely young whale and fears that human contact might harm him.

Luna.s saga is seen through the eyes of the colorful characters who...

The trailer and poster for the Ryan Reynolds produced/narrated documentary The Whale have landed online. Directed by Suzanne Chisholm and Michael Parfit, the film is set on Vancouver Island and tells the story of Luna, a baby orca whale who begins socializing with local townspeople after being separated from her family. The directors began investigating Luna's separation while on assignment for Smithsonian and The Whale is the result of their efforts to protect the animal. Although I can't say the trailer and poster make The Whale seem like the most gripping documentary of all-time, it does seem to have a heart of gold that parents may be able to enjoy with their kids. Check out the trailer, poster, some images, and a full synopsis for the film after the jump. The Whale will open to select U.S. theaters beginning September 9th in Seattle, the 16th in New York,...

It's no secret that we love Orcinus orca around this here cinematic sea, along with the rest of their blubbered brethren in the order Cetacea. That's the scientific name for the order of whale for those of you that were not aware (I knew. Because I looked it up on Wikipedia). So, anytime movies and whales tread the same water, we feel it is our duty as both lovers of the art and the animal to bring it to the surface.

Read more on Trailer for documentary The Whale, narrated by Ryan Reynolds...

Nature, celebrities, nostalgia from Eastern Europe, the passion project of a Transformers star, and the question of The Perfect Host -- is it David Hyde Pierce? -- all play a role in this week's column. New Distribution Deals Nature documentaries continue to attract audiences, as well as celebrity narrators who are attracted to the subject matter, and the new film The Whale fits that profile nicely. The Whale tells the tale of "a lonely young killer whale who causes upheaval in a small town and amazement around the world when he tries to make friends with humans," according to a prepared statement from Paladin, a distribution company that has acquired rights to the film. Ryan Reynolds narrates and serves as one of the executive producers, along with...

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Nature, celebrities, nostalgia from Eastern Europe, the passion project of a Transformers star, and the question of The Perfect Host -- is it David Hyde Pierce? -- all play a role in this week's column. New Distribution Deals Nature documentaries continue to attract audiences, as well as celebrity narrators who are attracted to the subject matter, and the new film The Whale fits that profile nicely. The Whale tells the tale of "a lonely young killer whale who causes upheaval in a small town and amazement around the world when he tries to make friends with humans," according to a prepared statement from Paladin, a distribution company that has acquired rights to the film. Ryan Reynolds narrates and serves as one of the executive producers, along with...

Read More...

Paladin has obtained the theatrical distribution rights for the upcoming documentary ‘The Whale,’ which follows a killer orca who tries to become friends with humans, the company’s president, Mark Urman, has confirmed. The movie, which was co-directed by journalist Michael Parfit and producer-cinematographer Suzanne Chisholm, chronicles several years in the life of the whale, nicknamed Luna. The orca becomes separated from his family, and unexpectedly begins making contact with people. Ryan Reynolds, a native of Vancouver, Canada, where ‘The Whale’ takes place, will narrate Luca’s story. The actor will also serve as an executive producer. ‘The Whale,’ which will begin a limited engagement in late summer 2011 and expand in...

Paladin Has ‘Whale’ Of A Time

in documentary about friendly orca

New York, June 28, 2011 . The Whale, a new documentary about a lonely young killer whale who causes upheaval in a small town and amazement around the world when he tries to make friends with humans, will be released theatrically by Paladin, it was announced by company president, Mark Urman.

The Whale (http://www.thewhalemovie.com/) was directed by noted journalist Michael Parfit and veteran producer-cinematographer Suzanne Chisholm, who encountered the young orca whale, nicknamed Luna, at the height of his celebrity and spent several years chronicling his adventures both in print and on film.

Ryan Reynolds, who hails from the very region in Western Canada where the story unfolds, narrates the film and served as executive producer, along with Scarlett Johansson and Eric Desatnik. The Whale will play its first commercial engagements in late summer and expand in the fall.

Paladin will release "The Whale," a documentary narrated by Ryan Reynolds about a young and lonely killer whale who makes waves when he tries to befriend humans in a small town. Journalist Michael Parfit directs with producer-cinematographer Suzanne Chisholm. They spent several years chronicling the whale, "Luna," and her adventures. Reynolds is from the same region of Western Canada where the film takes place. Reynolds also served as executive producer ...

Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are thought to be continuing to work together on an upcoming film project. The couple, who announced their separation yesterday, are attached as executive producers to The Whale. As well as production credits, Reynolds is due to narrate the movie, which is set in British Columbia and follows a baby orca that becomes separated from its parents. Despite the pair's decision (more)...

It’s sad but true, one of Hollywood’s most attractive unions is also quite a short-lived one as Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson, the closest we may ever get to two superheroes getting married in real life, are kaput.

The bomb dropped yesterday that the couple are taking that final trip to Splitsville (Population Them) after a little over two years of wedlock, but since movie star marriages can be measured in dog years, two years is really like fourteen, right?

Regardless, ScarJo and RyRey weren’t the only ones to officially hit the market recently, as there’s still the issue of the documentary titled “The Whale,” which the two executive produced.

According to the La Times gossip column, the doc is a reconfigured version of festival favorite “Saving Luna,” beefed-up with new footage and Reynolds narration. The story of a killer whale that had a distant relationship from his family (parallels maybe?...

Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are set to put their marriage split aside to continue work on their documentary about killer whales - producers have confirmed both actors are still committed to the joint project.

The Hollywood couple announced on Tuesday that they have separated after two years of marriage, casting doubt on whether they would continue working together on The Whale - a movie about a baby orca which becomes separated from its parents.

Johansson and Reynolds are both co-executives producers, while The Proposal actor also narrates the movie, which is set in British Columbia close to where the estranged couple exchanged vows in 2008.

But a producer on the project is adamant the stars will both remain involved in the film despite their impending divorce, telling the Los Angeles Times, "We have no reason to believe that their passion and commitment to this project will waver as a result of any changes in their personal lives."

The film is slated for a 2011 release.

It becomes more and more obvious that this is the year of split. Another high-profile celebrities, Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson, have called it quits after two years of marriage. The couple released an official statement through their rep just a day after Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter announced theirs.

"After long and careful consideration on both our parts, we've decided to end our marriage," they said Tuesday, December 14 through their publicist, Meredith O'Sullivan. "We entered our relationship with love, and it's with love and kindness we leave it. While privacy isn't expected, it's certainly appreciated."

The couple, which is notorious for being very private about their relationship, was engaged in May 2008 and got married four months later. They worked together in a documentary called "The Whale" which is narrated by Reynolds and produced by both of them. The producers are aiming for a summer 2011 release, which means Reynolds...