Missing Link | |
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Directed by | Chris Butler |
Produced by | |
Screenplay by | Chris Butler |
Starring |
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Music by | Carter Burwell[1] |
Cinematography | Chris Peterson |
Edited by | Stephen Perkins |
Distributed by | United Artists Releasing |
Release date |
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94 minutes[2] | |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $100 million[3] |
Box office | $26.2 million[4][2] |
I'm in so much love with this movie. I wanna watch it again and again and again! @wwwww@ GIANT ROBOTS! Suzuran Featured By Owner Aug 19, 2014 Professional Digital Artist. Botboy41 Featured By Owner Apr 25, 2014. Very awesome, Just like the Movie itself. Thumb × More from suzuran. Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s other dark children’s fantasy movie from the ’80s transports us to a faraway planet in the past. Cassavetes’ film upends the suburban narrative, interspersing.
Missing Link is a 2019 American stop-motionanimatedadventure film written and directed by Chris Butler. It is produced by Laika. It features the voices of Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, David Walliams, Stephen Fry, Matt Lucas, Timothy Olyphant, Amrita Acharia, Ching Valdes-Aran, Emma Thompson, and Zach Galifianakis. The plot follows an English explorer who encounters a Sasquatch and must escort him to his Yeti cousins in the Himalayas.
Missing Link premiered in New York City on April 7, 2019, before it was theatrically released in the United States on April 12, 2019 by Annapurna Pictures through United Artists Releasing. Although the film was a box office bomb, it received positive reviews from critics, who praised the 'exquisitely crafted sets and a pleasant, easygoing vibe'.[5]
- 4Release
- 5Reception
Plot[edit]
In 1886, Sir Lionel Frost, a struggling investigator of mythical creatures, has continuously searched for different creatures to study and announce their presence in the world, which would allow him to be accepted into the 'Society of Great Men', which is led by Frost's rival Lord Piggot-Dunceby. Frost receives a letter acknowledging the presence of a Sasquatch, making a deal with Piggot-Dunceby that would allow him to join the society if he proved that the creature was real.
Frost travels to the Pacific Northwest, eventually stumbling upon the Sasquatch in a forest. After dubbing him 'Mr. Link,' Frost is told by the Sasquatch that he was in fact the one who sent the letter. Mr. Link requests Frost's help in finding his relatives, the Yetis, in the Himalayas. Frost agrees to help him, but is unaware of the fact that Piggot-Dunceby has hired a bounty hunter named Willard Stenk to track Frost and kill him, ensuring that the pro-imperialist conservative views of the society remain unchallenged.
Frost's old lover Adelina Fortnight has a map to the Himalayas locked in a safe that belonged to her late husband, one of Frost's past partners, so the two visit her mansion to acquire it. However, Adelina harbors resentment for Frost missing her husband's funeral and kicks him out when he offers to pay her for the map. Frost and Mr. Link come back later at night and break in, but Mr. Link's noise-making awakens Adelina, and the safe eventually falls out of the top floor window, cracking open in the aftermath. Frost and Mr. Link grab the map and escape, but are discovered the next day by Fortnight who allows them to search for the Yetis as long as she is there to accompany them. Stenk arrives and a shootout ensues, but the trio trick their pursuer into hopping on the train to search for them.
The trio make their journey via boat, and Fortnight pressures Frost into reaching out to Mr. Link to prove his sincerity. Frost enjoys a heartwarming talk with Mr. Link on the boat's deck where Mr. Link gives himself the name 'Susan', after a friendly prospector he once encountered. However, they are once again ambushed by Stenk. After various scuffles across different parts of the ship, the trio eventually locks Stenk in the boat's boarding rooms while they make another escape.
The trio eventually makes their way to the Himalayas and are pointed in the direction of the Yeti temple, and led to their Queen, who reveals their secluded valley to the group. She then reveals their disdain for mankind extends to Susan, who's interacted closely with them. They throw the trio in a pit for them to stay until they die. Susan gives Fortnight a boost and she knocks down a few Yeti guards, allowing them to stack them and escape. They run across the ice bridge, where an armed Piggot-Dunceby and Stenk are waiting at the center of the bridge. Frost denounces his rival's pride and defends Susan as more human than the society ever will be. As a result, the insane Piggot-Dunceby starts firing his rifle at the ice bridge to kill the trio, until Susan stops Piggot-Dunceby from getting any further, still causing it to crack and break. Piggot-Dunceby and his assistant Mr. Collick fall to their deaths while the trio and Stenk make a run for it. They are too late and are left hanging on the edge of the destroyed ice bridge. Stenk, who has made it all the way across, taunts Frost, which leads to the two engaging in a slapping fight while hanging on the bridge. The trio work together to rid themselves of Stenk, who falls to his death after an icicle breaks and falls on him. Frost appoints Susan as his new partner in investigations, who blows a raspberry at the Yeti leader.
After arriving home, Fortnight tells Frost that she will be adventuring on her own for a while and departs, but not before the pair share a brief mutual acceptance of their feelings for each other. Susan and Frost arrive back at the latter's work-space and begin their next case to find Atlantis. After they leave, the end credits reveal maps and souvenirs of their subsequent adventures.
Voice cast[edit]
- Zach Galifianakis as Mr. Susan Link, a self-conscious, gentle Bigfoot searching for his relatives.
- Hugh Jackman as Sir Lionel Frost, an ambitious and rash but well-meaning myths and monsters investigator.
- Zoe Saldana as Adelina Fortnight, a fiercely independent, plucky and conscientious adventurer, and Frost's former girlfriend.
- Stephen Fry as Lord Piggot-Dunceby, the arrogant, snobbish, insane head of the 'Society of Great Men', and Sir Lionel's rival.
- Timothy Olyphant as Willard Stenk, a bloodthirsty bounty hunter hired by Lord Piggot-Dunceby to stop Frost's quest.
- Emma Thompson as the Yeti Elder, the paranoid, secretive leader of the Yetis.
- Amrita Acharia as Ama Lahuma, a mountain guide who Frost and his companions meet and leads them to the Yeti temple.
- Matt Lucas as Mr. Collick, Lord Piggot-Dunceby's neurotic right-hand man.
- David Walliams as Lemuel Lint, Frost's former assistant.
- Ching Valdez-Aran as Gamu, Ama's grandmother and a Yak Herder.
- Humphrey Ker as Doorman, General Pugh
- Adam Godley as Lord Bilge
- Neil Dickson as Mr. Roylott
- Ian Ruskin as Lord Scrivener
- Matthew Wolf as Lord Ramsbottom
- Darren Richardson as Alfie
- Alan Shearman as Lord Entwhistle
- Jack Blessing as McVitie the Conductor.
- This film is Blessing's final film role, his voice role having been recorded before his death in 2017.
- Richard Miro as Ricardo
Old Worlders voiced by Leila Birch, Jean Gilpin, Peter Lavin, Jimmy Hibbert, David Holt, Christopher Neame, Moira Quirk, Maebel Rayner, Alexander Rodriguez, Julian Stone, and Nick Toren.
New Worlders voiced by Kirk Baily, David Beron, William Calvert, David Cowgill, Kerry Gutierrez, Bridget Hoffman, Scott Menville, Erin Myles, Juan Pacheco, Paul Pape, André Sogliuzzo, and Scott Whyte.
Himalayan villagers voiced by Phal Tong Lama, Yangchen Dolkar Gakyil, and Tharlam Dolma Wolfe.
Production[edit]
On April 25, 2018, it was announced that Laika had begun development on 'Film Five,' a new animated film written and directed by Chris Butler and starring Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, and Zach Galifianakis. The film was set to be distributed by Annapurna Pictures in the United States.[6][7] On May 7, 2018, it was announced that the film had been titled Missing Link and that additional voice actors would include Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Timothy Olyphant, Matt Lucas, David Walliams, Ching Valdez-Aran, and Amrita Acharia.[8][9]
Production was reportedly underway by May 2018 with Laika's artists having constructed over 110 sets with 65 unique locations for the film.[10]
Release[edit]
The film was released in the United States on April 12, 2019 by United Artists Releasing, Annapurna Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's joint distribution company.[11][12]
Home media[edit]
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released the film on digital on July 9, 2019 and Blu-ray & DVD on July 23, 2019.[13]
Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
Missing Link was a box office bomb, grossing $16.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $8.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $24.7 million. It also holds the title for the biggest box office bomb in animation history, with the previous title given to Mars Needs Moms, which only made $39 million.[2]
In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside Little, Hellboy, and After, and was projected to gross around $10 million from 3,314 theaters in its opening weekend.[14] However, after grossing $1.6 million on its first day (including $230,000 from Thursday night previews), it went on to debut to $5.9 million, finishing ninth at the box office and marking the 12th-worst opening for a film playing in over 3,000 theaters, the worst opening for a film playing in over 3,150 theaters, and the lowest start for a Laika film ever.[15] In its second weekend the film dropped 27% to $4.4 million, finishing ninth.[16]
Critical response[edit]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 89% based on 133 reviews, with an average rating of 7.13/10. The website's critical consensus reads, 'Another beautifully animated triumph for Laika, Missing Link is a visual treat with lots of humor, plenty of heart, and even a little food for thought.'[17] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating 'generally favorable reviews'.[18] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of 'B+' on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an overall positive score of 81% and a 'definite recommend' of 63%.[15]
Peter Debruge of Variety wrote: 'Sooner or later, Laika was bound to branch out, which makes this funnier, more colorful film the link previously missing between the company's Goth-styled past and whatever comes next.'[19]John Nugent of Empire Magazine praised the film, calling it 'a charming family-friendly story about adventure and friendship — told with bar-raising artistic craft and technical skill. We'd expect nothing less from Laika.'[20]
References[edit]
- ^'Carter Burwell Scoring LAIKA's 'Missing Link''. Film Music Reporter. October 9, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- ^ abc'Missing Link (2019)'. The Numbers. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ^White, Peter (May 9, 2018). 'FilmNation China Deal; AGC Makes Ingenious Move; Carnaby Joins 'Highway'; 'American Jedi' Sales – Cannes Briefs'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- ^'Missing Link (2019)'. Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
- ^Ryan Fujitani (April 11, 2019). 'Hellboy Fails to Catch Fire'. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- ^Kit, Borys (April 25, 2018). 'Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, Zach Galifianakis Starring in Animated Film From Laika'. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
- ^Fleming Jr, Mike (April 25, 2018). 'LAIKA Sets Next Animated Pic 'Film Five' For Annapurna Release'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
- ^Mendelson, Will (May 8, 2018). 'Laika's 'Missing Link,' featuring all-star cast, to hit theaters spring 2019'. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^Hopewell, John (May 7, 2018). 'Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson Join Laika's 'Missing Link' (EXCLUSIVE)'. Variety. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^Patterson, Adam (May 8, 2018). 'Laika's Next Film is THE MISSING LINK'. Film Pulse. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^Galuppo, Mia (February 5, 2019). 'MGM, Annapurna Team for Distribution Label United Artists Releasing'. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^Pedersen, Erik (June 28, 2018). ''Missing Link': Laika's Zach Galifianakis-Hugh Jackman-Zoe Saldana Toon Gets Release Date From Annapurna'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=25248
- ^Fuster, Jeremy (April 9, 2019). 'Will 'Shazam!' Still Fly High With 'Hellboy' at Its Heels at This Weekend's Box Office?'. TheWrap. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
- ^ abAnthony D'Alessandro (April 14, 2019). 'Shazam!' To Hit $100M Before Friday; 'Little' Mighty With $15M+; 'Hellboy' Extinguished; 'After' Works Overseas – Sunday AM Update'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^Anthony D'Alessandro (April 21, 2019). 'Lowest Easter Weekend At The B.O. Since 2005 Despite $26M Purse Of 'La Llorona' – Saturday AM Update'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
- ^'Missing Link (2019)'. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
- ^'Missing Link reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- ^Debruge, Peter (3 April 2019). 'Film Review: 'Missing Link''. Variety.
- ^John Nugent (3 April 2019). 'Missing Link'. Empire.
External links[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Missing Link (2019 film) |
- Missing Link on IMDb
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Missing_Link_(2019_film)&oldid=922982987'
Suburban Secrets (aka: Lust for Laura) | |
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Directed by | Joe Sarno |
Produced by | Michael Raso |
Written by | Joe Sarno |
Starring |
|
Music by | Pink Delicates |
Cinematography | M.A. Morales |
Edited by | Brian McNulty |
EI Independent Cinema | |
Distributed by | EI Independent Cinema |
| |
| |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Suburban Secrets (US television title Lust for Laura) is a 2004 sexploitation and softcoreadult film, written and directed by Joseph W. Sarno. The film stars Isadora Edison, Tina Tyler, Kay Kirtland, and Chelsea Mundae. Seduction Cinema regular A.J. Khan also appears,[1][2][3] in a film where the director transposes the theme of his 1976 'classic' Misty into a modern-day environment.[4]
The film was Sarno's last film[5] (he died in 2010) and his first since 1990. According to William Grimes in The New York Times, it is 'a film that harked back to his glory years' during which he helped 'establish the sexploitation genre and break down the taboos against erotic content in American cinema'.[6]
- 1Plot
- 3Production
Plot[edit]
Overview[edit]
Laura, a nude model, returns to her small-town hometown after learning her ex-boyfriend has begun a relationship with her aunt Cynthia.
Synopsis[edit]
During a photo shoot, nude model Laura (Isadora Edison) receives a phone call from her sister Winnifred (Chelsea Mundae). Laura learns that her ex-boyfriend, high-powered attorney Nelson Nyland (John Samuel Jordan), is dating her aunt Cynthia (Tina Tyler); not only that, they are making plans to move in together. While she tells Winnie that's she's pleased, Laura is emotionally hurt.
After hanging up, Laura asks her photographer, Jennine (Andrea Davis), for a few weeks off. Jennine agrees, commenting that she has some good shots for her editor. Intercut with a montage of Laura and Jennine having sex, Jennine comments that she has 'an awful schoolgirl crush' on Laura. Laura is initially put off, but then passionately kisses Jennine.
Meanwhile, in Meadow Springs, Nelson visits his law partner, and sister, Judith (Kay Kirtland). Judith invites Nelson out to a romantic dinner, but Nelson explains that he is expected by Cynthia.
At Cynthia's cabin, Nelson arrives to find Cynthia seductively rubbing herself. Making himself comfortable, Nelson approaches her from behind and cups her breasts. After several minutes of foreplay, they retire to the bedroom.
At a cafe, Winnie (Chelsea Mundae) asks her co-worker Louise (A.J. Khan) why she pushed Winnie so hard into telling Laura about Cynthia and Nelson. Louise admits that she is a potential novelist, and that she is writing an exposé about the town's sexual goings-on. The scene then intercuts with both Nelson and Cynthia, and Laura and Jennine having sex.
Cast[edit]
- Isadora Edison as Laura Spencer
- Andrea Davis as Jennine
- Chelsea Mundae as Winnifred
- A.J. Khan as Louise
- Tina Tyler as Cynthia
- Kay Kirtland as Judith Nyland
- John Samuel Jordan as Nelson Nyland
- Brian Johnson as Johnson
- John Paul Fedele as O'Mera
- Justin Wingenfeld as Clem
Production[edit]
Originally titled Lust for Laura,[7] the film was written for Misty Mundae and Julian Wells.[7] Mundae initially agreed, but in time backed out, wanting to get out of the porn industry.[7] Wells left the project soon afterwards.[7]
To replace his stars, producer Michael Raso turned to redhead Isadora Edison, who had made an impression on him in the film SpiderBabe.[7] For the role of Cynthia, he wanted an older woman and turned to porn veteran Tina Tyler.[7] Tyler had worked with Joe Sarno before,[8] and enjoyed the script. Since the film dealt with incest, the first question Tyler asked was 'are you sure the content is legal?'[8] Sarno countered that as long as the actors weren't related, they should be fine.[8]
As with most, if not all, of Joe Sarno's films, the sex scenes were written around the plot, instead of the plot written around the sex scenes.[7]
DVD extras[edit]
The extras were spread over two DVD's.
The first DVD includes a ten-minute featurette titled “Inside Suburban Secrets” which shares comments and insights about the film from cast and crew.[2]
The second DVD includes a film trailer for the project, as well as selection of trailers for other Joseph W. Sarno films, as well as two additional featurette's. The first is titled “Lake Placid Film Festival” as an in depth look at the festival, and the other one titled “Behind the Scenes” sharing more on set clips and comments from cast and crew. The principle DVD extra is the 82 minute television “Hot T.V. Cut” version.[2]
Rounding out the extras are liner notes about Joseph W. Sarno and this film.[2]
Reception[edit]
DVD Verdict praised the film and concluded their analysis and review by writing it was 'a worthy entry into Sarno's extensive filmography. He doesn't break new ground, but he does prove himself once again. Sometimes plodding and admittedly overlong, Suburban Secrets bristles often enough to make it a great softcore film.'[1]
10,000 Bullets praised Joseph W. Sarno, and wrote that the film 'shows he still has what it takes to make' what they specifically refer to as 'a soft core masterpiece.'[2] While acting was gently criticized, they also wrote the film 'does feature some great performances from A.J. Khan and Isadora Edison.'[2] Toward the DVD and its including the shorter television version, they wrote 'Even though it is cool that an alternate version of the film was included' they felt the 'shorter version pales in comparison to Joseph W. Sarno’s director’s cut.'[2]
Plume Noire notes that the film assembled 'a cast of regular people doing wild things' and writes 'while lead actress Isadora Edison is fairly attractive, don't expect any model-types here, as from curvy and anorexic women to old people, you will get your fair share of realism,'[4] and also supposes that with his being past 70, viewers might assume that filmmaker Joe Sarno 'lost his approach to sensuality', and agrees with their own supposition by writing 'Suburban Secrets is a quite dull affair in general.'[4]
Exploitation Retrospect panned the film, decrying its packaging and promotion and calling the film itself lousy.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ abLineberger, Rob (2 November 2006). 'review 'Suburban Secrets''. DVD Verdict. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ^ abcdefgWood, Cliff (11 October 2006). 'Suburban Secrets review'. 10,000 Bullets. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ^ abCrites. 'review: Suburban Secrets (2004)'. Exploitation Retrospect. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ^ abcThom, Fred. 'Suburban Secrets review'. Plume Noire. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ^Last film per IMDB and NYT obituary
- ^William Grimes (May 2, 2010). 'Joseph Sarno, Sexploitation Film Director, Dies at 89'. New York Times.
- ^ abcdefgInside Suburban Secrets featurette (Special Edition DVD). EI Independent Cinema.
- ^ abcTyler, Tina. Suburban Secrets: Behind the Scenes featurette (Special Edition DVD (disc 2)). EI Independent Cinema.
External links[edit]
- Suburban Secrets on IMDb
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Suburban_Secrets_(film)&oldid=921338886'