Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor, Columbia Pictures’ critically acclaimed sports-oriented film “Moneyball” is based on the true story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) – once a would-be baseball superstar who, stung by the failure to live up to expectations on the field, turned his fiercely competitive nature to management.

Directed by Bennett Miller (“Capote”), “Moneyball” also bagged nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

In 2003, former Salomon Brothers bond trader turned author Michael Lewis, at the time best known for such business and politics bestsellers as Liar’s Poker and The New New Thing, published a book about baseball. Only it wasn’t just about baseball. On the surface, it was about how the under-funded, underrated Oakland A’s took on an unfair system of big-money and powerhouse teams. But it was really about the fascinating mix of men behind a major cultural shift and how a risky vision, born from necessity, becomes reality, when a ragtag team of cast-offs rejected due to unfounded biases, get the chance to finally prove their potential.

Now, Lewis’s book has been adapted into a feature film, “Moneyball,” starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the A’s General Manager – the man who would have to think differently and reinvent the rules if his team was going to compete. “Moneyball is a classic underdog story,” says Pitt, who also serves as a producer of the project. “They go up against the system. How are they going to survive, how are they going to compete? Even if they do groom good talent, that talent gets poached by the big-market, big-money teams. And what these guys decided was, they couldn’t fight the other guy’s fight, or they were going to lose. They had to re-examine everything, to look for new knowledge, to find some kind of justice.”

At first glimpse, Lewis’ best-selling and groundbreaking book does not lend itself to a film adaptation. The book is a study of inefficiencies and oversights within the markets of the game of baseball and features case studies of undervalued items, (players, strategies, tactics), using analyses of statistics and theories. But at the center of it all is Billy Beane on a quixotic quest and as his story unfolds, something unexpected happens. His pursuit of a championship leads to something larger and more meaningful. The hallways and front offices of the Oakland Coliseum become an unlikely setting for inspiration and redemption.

Lewis’ book sheds light on the hindrances of groupthink and how irrational intuition and conventional ‘wisdom’ have dominated institutions throughout history. Challenging a system invariably provokes a fight. The film Moneyball builds its foundation from the experience of one man who chooses to take on that fight. Piercing through the layers of statistics, the film finds the quieter, deeper, and more personal story of Billy Beane, which bristles with moments of self-doubt and real life courage.

“Whenever a book is adapted into a movie, there are two possibilities: either the filmmakers stick to the book, or they make up their own story,” says Michael Lewis. “With `Moneyball,’ frankly, I wondered how they were going to do it, because the book doesn’t necessarily have a single narrative or the kind of dramatic arc you usually see in a movie. So it was truly tough to crack the code and get it right and it was an extremely pleasant surprise to see that Bennett and the screenwriters did the impossible – not only did I love the movie, but I was stunned by how well it represents my book. It is honest and true to what happened with Billy and the A’s and what they achieved.”

Bennett Miller adds, “I wasn’t interested in the tropes of sports movies. I’d rather not end a film with a hero carried off on the shoulders of teammates in a stadium where fans are screaming their heads off, champagne corks flying, trophies, fireworks, and all of that. I prefer the quiet triumphs, that might not burn as bright but deeper and more lasting, where you see someone struggle internally and then come out the other side to realize something has changed within them.”

“Michael Lewis likes stories about unconventional thinkers,” says Miller. “That’s what Moneyball is – a story about a character whose past and whose circumstances lead him to and require him to think differently. I like that you have a character who takes a risk not just to make something of himself, but more so to understand something about himself. Billy is trying to do something more meaningful than simply win baseball games – only even he doesn’t really understand that until he starts to turn things around. All of a sudden this baseball season, which is a David versus Goliath story, becomes not just one competitive man’s desperate attempt to win games. It’s really a trial, an attempt to prove something that would, if proven true, explain in part why his life turned out the way it did, which is a thrilling idea.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Moneyball” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Best Picture Nominee ‘Moneyball’ Soon in Cinemas originally appeared on Starmometer on February 9, 2012.

In fact, the tiniest of the film’s creatures are voiced by two of today’s biggest stars: Brad Pitt and Matt Damon as Will and Bill The Krill.

One of the film’s most spectacular adventures is undertaken by the small fry. “It’s the journey of two tiny krill, Will and Bill,” director George Miller says. “They live in a great biomass of billions and billions of krill that move with the tides…they’re the bottom and the basis of the food chain. Every animal up the chain relies on krill. And in the middle of these indistinguishable billions are Bill and Will, played by Damon and Pitt. Will decides that he feels he’s different from everyone else around him and he ventures outside the swarm. Will wants to evolve higher up the food chain. Bill, on the other hand, is terrified. He just wants to stay and continue to behave exactly like all the other krill.”

Miller was happy to have the opportunity to pair Damon and Pitt in the recording studio to capture both their irrepressible banter…and their singing. “They were really very free, working off each other, because they know each other so well. Matt Damon can sing, and Brad Pitt made it really clear upfront he couldn’t. But Brad just said, ‘This is a no-shame zone; I’m just going to go out there and give it a go,’ and he did remarkably well. His singing is in the movie.”

Damon admits, “The singing was a bit of a surprise. It was fun to just go for it and say, ‘What the hell?’ It’s definitely not my strong suit, but I figured, you gotta go loud or go home.”

It was lucky for the filmmakers that both Pitt and Damon were available to record together in the same studio. And both actors agree they were fortunate to have a filmmaker like George Miller to guide them. Damon observes, “There is a contagious fearlessness that comes from George. You see a guy who loves the project that much and you realize that what made the first movie great is that spirit. Brad and I were doing stuff we’ve never done in any kind of movie, animated or not. We left there thinking, ‘Now that was cool!’”

Co-producer Doug Mitchell adds, “We learned later on that Brad’s and Matt’s kids are fans of the first film, and I think it is safe to say that they had a lot to do with them taking the roles.”

One should never undervalue the contribution of the small. Filmmakers learned that lesson, as Bill Miller comments, “Do not underestimate the power of children to pester their parents to act in a film. Matt Damon told us he hadn’t even cracked open the screenplay to ‘Happy Feet Two’ before his daughter said, ‘Dad, you’re doing it.’ Matt really had no choice.”
Opening across the Philippines on Nov. 23 in IMAX 3D, 2D and regular theaters, “Happy Feet 2” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Brad Pitt, Matt Damon are Will & Bill in ‘Happy Feet 2′ originally appeared on Starmometer on November 18, 2011.

Heading into the 2002 season, Billy faces a dismal situation: his small-market Oakland A’s have lost their star players (again) to big market clubs (and their enormous salaries) and is left to rebuild his team and compete with a third of their payroll. Driven to win, Billy takes on the system by challenging the fundamental tenets of the game.

He looks outside of baseball, to the dismissed theories of Bill James, and hires Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a brainy, number-crunching, Yale-educated economist. Together they take on conventional wisdom with a willingness to reexamine everything and armed with computer driven statistical analysis long ignored by the baseball establishment.

They reach imagination-defying conclusions and go after players overlooked and dismissed by the rest of baseball for being too odd, too old, too injured or too much trouble, but who all have key skills that are universally undervalued. As Billy and Peter forge forward, their new methods and roster of misfits rile the old guard, the media, the fans, and their own field manager (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who refuses to cooperate.

Ultimately this experiment will lead not only to a change in the way the game is played, but to an outcome that would leave Billy with a new understanding that transcends the game and delivers him to a new place.

Directed by Bennett Miller (“Capote”), “Moneyball” is produced by Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, and Brad Pitt. Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin. Based on the book by Michael Lewis.

Opening across the Philippines in November, “Moneyball” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Sneak Peek: ‘Money Ball’ Starring Brad Pitt originally appeared on Starmometer on September 26, 2011.

“Moneyball” also stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt and Casey Bond. It is based on the true story of Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics, and his attempt to create a competitive team despite Oakland’s unfavorable financial situation.

The film, based on the 2003 book of the same name written by Michael Lewis, is set for release on September 23, 2011.

Watch the trailer here:

Brad Pitt Topbills ‘Moneyball’ originally appeared on Starmometer on September 3, 2011.

“The Tree of Life” is the Best Film (Palm D’or) winner in the recently-concluded Cannes Film Festival and it stars Brad Pitt. The Terrence Malick-helmed movie served as the closing film at the 16th French Film Festival yesterday which was held at Shangi-La Plaza Mall.

Speculations that “Brangelina” might visit the Philippines sparked from the report that Brad Pitt is going to promote “The Tree of Life” screening in Manila later this month. Pitt is not only the lead star of the award-winning film, but he is also the producer.

Wilson Yuloque of Pioneer Films, the distributor of “The Tree of Life” in the Philippines, said that they are under negotiations with Pitt’s camp for the actor to personally promote the movie in the country.

But since the film will have a limited release, the odds of the Hollywood couple visiting the country are very slim.

Photo Credit: angelinajoliepics.com

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt to Grace ‘The Tree of Life’ Screening in Manila? originally appeared on Starmometer on June 20, 2011.

Heath Ledger was supposed to star in this movie but because he passed away, he was replaced by Brad Pitt.

Also starring in the film are Jessica Chastain (Jolene) and Academy Award winner Sean Penn (I Am Sam, Mystic River). Directed by Academy Award nominee Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line), The Tree of Life is set to open in theaters on May 27, 2011.

Here is the official synopsis of the film as released by Fox Searchlight Pictures at the 2010 American Film Market:

We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, Jack, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvelous to the child. He sees as his mother does with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world’s way of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth.

From this story is that of adult Jack, a lost soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme of which we are a part. When he sees all that has gone into our world’s preparation, each thing appears a miracle—precious, incomparable. Jack, with his new understanding, is able to forgive his father and take his first steps on the path of life.

The story ends in hope, acknowledging the beauty and joy in all things, in the everyday and above all in the family—our first school—the only place that most of us learn the truth about the world and ourselves, or discover life’s single most important lesson, of unselfish love.

Brad Pitt Stars in ‘The Tree of Life’ originally appeared on Starmometer on April 10, 2011.

Here is the Plot of MegaMind:

“Megamind” (Will Ferrell) has gained a reputation for being the most brilliant supervillain the world has ever known, and yet the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way. Each attempt has been a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as “Metro Man” (Brad Pitt), an invincible hero who has outdone him ever since their days in diapers. It seems that the pattern will never end until the day Megamind actually kills him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, Megamind has no purpose, becoming a supervillain without a superhero. He realizes that achieving his life’s ambition is the worst thing that ever happened to him. Megamind decides that the only way out of his rut is to create a new hero opponent called “Titan” (Jonah Hill) out of an ordinary man with a bitter and unreciprocated crush on beautiful reporter Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey). Titan initially promises to be bigger, better and stronger than Metro Man ever was. Pretty quickly Titan starts to think it’s much more fun to be a villain than a good guy, except Titan doesn’t want to rule the world, he wants to destroy it, and anyone who gets in his way. Megamind then seeks to stop Titan, beginning a path to redemption in the process.

Superhero stories will never be the same.

MegaMind hits theaters on November 5, 2010.

Watch the trailer here:

Brad Pitt vs. Will Ferrell in Dreamworks’ ‘MegaMind’ originally appeared on Starmometer on June 11, 2010.

Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt talks about why he’s not marrying Angelina Jolie, Proposition 8, religion, on France and on smoking weeds in the latest edition of Parade Magazine.

Brad Pitt is on the Cover of Parade Magazine originally appeared on Starmometer on August 7, 2009.

THE Brad Pitt is on the cover of Wired Magazine August 2009 issue.

Brad Pitt – Wired August 2009 originally appeared on Starmometer on July 16, 2009.

Jennifer Aniston, on the other hand, came in second with $25 million earnings in the last 12 months. And what do the no. 1 and no. 2 top earning actresses in Hollywood have in common? Brad Pitt of course.

Jolie starred in the movies Wanted, Changeling and a voice over in the animated film Kung Fu Panda. Aniston, on the other hand, starred in He’s Just Not That Into You and Marley & Me.

FORBES’ Top Earning Hollywood Actresses of 2009

1. Angelina Jolie, $27 million
2. Jennifer Aniston, $25 million
3. Meryl Streep, $24 million
4. Sarah Jessica Parker, $23 million
5. Cameron Diaz, $20 million
6. Sandra Bullock, $15 million
7. Reese Witherspoon, $15 million
8. Nicole Kidman, $12 million
9. Drew Barrymore, $12 million
10. Renee Zellweger, $10 million
11. Cate Blanchett, $8 million
12. Anne Hathaway, $7 million
13. Halle Berry, $7 million
14. Scarlett Johansson, $5.5 million
15. Kate Winslet, $2 million

In the Top Earning Actors category, Harrison Ford leads the pack with $65 million earnings in the last 12 months. Thanks to the box-office success of Indiana Jones 4. Comedian Adam Sandler is 2nd with $55 million and Will Smith is 3rd with $45 million.

Brad Pitt is at no. 9 with an earning of $28 million. He earned $1 million higher than his partner Jolie.

Angelina Jolie is Forbes’ Top Earning Actress of 2009 originally appeared on Starmometer on July 4, 2009.

According to Dailymail.co.uk, Brangelina was supposed to adopt their seventh kid from Burma but certain laws of the country prohibited the Hollywood couple.

Speculations are growing that the couple are shifting their sights on the Philippines for their 7th baby.

According to report, the Pitt-Jolie’s private plane landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week, before returning to New York on Monday evening, not to plan the couple’s vacation but apparently to look for the next member of the Pitt-Jolie family.

“Brad and Angelina flew out together. They want to add to their family and tried to adopt from Burma but the authorities are very strict, so they decided to look at the Philippines,” says a source.

A spokesperson for Pitt and Jolie declined to comment.

Watch the report of Saksi on the link below:

Video Link: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt to Adopt a Filipino Baby?

Brangelina to Adopt a Pinoy Kid? originally appeared on Starmometer on April 14, 2009.

The buzz that Brangelina are in Manila started when a US-registered private plane landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Friday afternoon. The passengers reportedly booked a room in Shangrila.

There were speculations that the couple will fly next to Boracay and stay at the newly-opened Shangrila five star international resort hotel in the island. Workers of the said hotel denied the rumors.

However, a source from the resort confirmed that a representative of Brangelina booked a suite this coming lenten season. It’s not confirmed, though, if the famous couple will use it.

Video Link: Brangelina in Manila?

Brad and Angelina are in Manila? originally appeared on Starmometer on April 4, 2009.