From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), “John Carter” is a sweeping action adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). Based on the classic sci-fi novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs (“Tarzan”), the film tells the story of John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter discovers that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

The film also stars Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, with Thomas Hayden Church.

Opening across the Philippines in March 2012, “John Carter” will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Disney Reveals New Trailer of ‘John Carter’ originally appeared on Starmometer on December 2, 2011.

He’s also a secret agent… though unwittingly.
Disney/Pixar’s “Cars 2” sends the affable tow truck overseas, along with his best buddy Lightning McQueen, who’s competing in the first-ever World Grand Prix – a race through Japan, Italy and the U.K. to determine who is the world’s fastest car.

Mater’s intentions are good. He wants to lend a helping tire to Lightning and be there to see his best friend win the race and get the glory. Never having been overseas, Mater is a bit naïve to life outside Radiator Springs.

Then he meets Holley Shiftwell. She’s sleek, smart and sophisticated, and she’s interested in him! Mater is smitten with this rookie field spy who’s been sent to rendezvous with an American agent. Her colleague, master British spy Finn McMissile, is the best in the business with all the gadgets and savvy moves to prove it, but even he’s impressed when he meets Mater and finds his rusty undercover disguise particularly admirable.

“It’s exciting to take Mater around the world and put him in situations that are totally unique to that country,” says John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. “This is where the spark of the second part of the story came from as I was traveling. I had all these characters in my head, and I found myself constantly laughing, imagining what Mater would do in these different situations. How would he handle driving on the wrong side of the road in London? What would it be like to have Mater lost in the maze of streets in Tokyo, with no English street signs? And how would he function in Italy, where the traffic signals are just a mere suggestion of what you might want to do?”

Apart from the chance to take the characters all over the world, and explore the world of international racing and espionage, the thing that appealed most to Lasseter was the heart and humor inherent in the characters and the story.

“The humor in ‘Cars 2’ comes from the personality of the characters,” says the director, “and seeing them in interesting, fish-out-of-water situations. But at its emotional core, the movie is about Lightning McQueen and Mater’s friendship, which gets tested in a very different and interesting way. It’s about how the strength of a friendship can be tested. What may be solid in one place can appear much different in another. Put a friendship to the test under a different set of circumstances and in a different setting — how true and deep is this friendship, really?”

Lasseter is particularly fond of Mater. “Mater is such a special character; he’s honest and completely straightforward and tells it exactly like it is,” says the director. “He’s just fun and lovable. When a character as innocent as that discovers that people are not laughing with him, like he’s always thought his entire life, but laughing at him, it’s absolutely heartbreaking to see him become immediately and more realistically aware and learn the truth about himself — or what he thinks is the truth about himself. It’s very touching, because through his own journey, his friendship with Lightning McQueen is eventually made even stronger. They both realize that, you know what, Mater is who he is, and it’s not Mater who has to change, it’s the world that should change.”

Opening across the Philippines on August 24 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular format, “Cars 2” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Tow Truck Mater Takes on the World in ‘Cars 2′ originally appeared on Starmometer on August 9, 2011.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), “John Carter” is a sweeping action adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). Based on the classic sci-fi novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs (“Tarzan”), the film tells the story of John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter discovers that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

The film also stars Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, with Thomas Hayden Church.

Opening across the Philippines in 2012, “John Carter” will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

First-Look: ‘John Carter’ Teaser Poster and Trailer originally appeared on Starmometer on July 28, 2011.

“Hawaiian Vacation” will appear exclusively with the upcoming “Cars 2” theatrical release, which races into Philippine theaters on August 24 and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters. John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct the follow-up to his 2006 Golden-Globe®-winning “Cars.”

Set in new owner Bonnie’s bedroom, “Hawaiian Vacation” features Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) and Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the rest of the favorite “Toy Story 3” toys as they create the ultimate Hawaiian vacation for Ken (voice of Michael Keaton) and Barbie (voice of Jodi Benson). It seems Ken badly miscalculated their travel arrangements, so the gang has to create a dream getaway in Bonnie’s Midwestern bedroom—in the middle of winter. “Hawaiian Vacation” also features the voices of Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin and John Ratzenberger.

Rydstrom is a 25-year veteran of Pixar Animation Studios, contributing to the sound design of the studio’s groundbreaking short film “Luxo Jr.” His credits include a variety of Pixar shorts—“Lifted,” “Red’s Dream” and “Tin Toy”—and feature films, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.” and the Academy Award®-winning “Finding Nemo,” among others.

“Toy Story 3” won the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature last February 2011. Randy Newman earned an Oscar® for Best Original Song for the film’s “We Belong Together.” Pixar, which has earned 29 Academy Awards® and seven Golden Globes®, celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2011.

‘Toy Story’ Gang Back in the Big Screen with ‘Cars 2′ originally appeared on Starmometer on June 30, 2011.

They are Thomas McDonell, De’Vaughn Nixon, Jared Kusnitz, Nolan Sotillo, Cameron Monaghan, Joe Adler, Jonathan Keltz and Nicholas Braun.

“Prom” portrays the precarious passage from high school to independence as some relationships unravel and others ignite as the big dance approaches. There are hundreds of nights in high school, but there’s only one “Prom.”

Director Joe Nussbaum says, “The fact that a lot of these actors are new was great because of their enthusiasm, their excitement to be in a movie. Plus, they didn’t have a lot of bad habits that young actors who’ve done a lot of television or commercials tend to have. They are just a blank slate who listen well and just want to work and bring something really fresh to their characters.”

Thomas McDonell (Jesse, “The Outsider”). Jesse is fiercely independent and lives by his own rules. His hardened exterior and “bad-boy” persona give him a definite anti-establishment vibe. Working to help his mother support the family eats up his free time, so making friends and participating in high school activities, especially Prom, are way down on his list. Jesse is a teen trapped in an adult life—what or who will it take to bust him out?

De’Vaughn Nixon (Tyler, “The Less Than Perfect Prom King”). Tyler has it all going on and then some. He is the most popular guy at Brookside High—charismatic, good looking, captain of the Lacrosse team—adored by all. Alongside campus beauty Jordan, he is one half of the picture-perfect high school couple…but looks can be deceiving.

Jared Kusnitz (Justin, “The Perfect Partner”). Justin is a sweet, smart guy who is an understanding, attentive and all-around great partner to Mei, a playfully artistic and stylish senior. They are the perfect couple for all the right reasons, but their relationship is tested when a secret that could impact their future comes between them.

Nolan Sotillo (Lucas, “The Love-struck Sophomore”). Lucas is an indie rock geek just about to learn how to balance friendship with love. Lucas tries to stay connected with his best friend Corey while following his heart—which is headed straight for Simone. Lucas doggedly persists in his attempts to get Simone’s attention, often enlisting Corey’s help, but he lacks the inner confidence to express how he feels.

Cameron Monaghan (Corey, “Music Geek”). For Corey, life is all about friendship. And that’s not a bad thing. Lost in a world of music, he isn’t growing up as fast as best friend Lucas and is not ready yet for the real world that awaits after graduation…but that doesn’t stop him from trying to help Lucas get the girl of his dreams.

Joe Adler (Rolo, “The Dude”). Rolo is an effortlessly laid-back, often oblivious guy that doesn’t feel the need to prove himself to anybody. He promises to have a knockout date on Prom night, which sounds increasingly suspect as details about her are revealed…his friends wonder will he or won’t he have a mystery girlfriend on his arm come Prom night.

Jonathan Keltz (Brandon, “The Perfect Guy”). Ivy Leaguer-in-the-making Brandon is Nova’s (Aimee Teegarden) picture-perfect guy. She believes she is destined to be with him—her parents think so too. But Brandon may not be the heartthrob Nova thinks he is…and thinks she wants.

Nicholas Braun (Lloyd, “The Reluctant Romantic”). Lloyd, who? You go to Brookside? Yes…Lloyd is that kid you see at graduation and realize you never talked to in all of your four years. A comedic character, Lloyd is looking hard for a prom date after he realizes he’s never asked a girl to do…well, anything, and now high school is coming to an end. Motivated by the fact that his time is running out and he’s left no legacy, Lloyd turns into an unstoppable romantic with a repertoire of funny antics. Putting all his game into play for an all-out prom-date blitz, Lloyd hopes to wind up with a girl…any girl.

Opening across the Philippines on June 15, “Prom” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

From Heartthrobs to Geeks: The Guys of ‘Prom’ originally appeared on Starmometer on June 6, 2011.

For a guy in his 30s doing research for a film, going to prom was surprisingly fun. “I didn’t know how much I loved prom until I went to five of them this year,” jokes Joe Nussbaum, who is director of his own “Prom,” Walt Disney Pictures’ new coming-of-age comedy. “It’s such an amazingly good feeling.

“We walked into a lot of high schools to scout locations, and it can make you feel unnerve,” Nussbaum adds. “You remember it all: the stress, you see kids arguing, or someone walking down the hall looking lonely. And that all comes rushing back. It’s not pleasant visiting high school as an adult, and I thought prom would be the same sort of thing. But it wasn’t.”

Though the movie is a lighthearted story, complete with standard high school character archetypes of geeks, preps and jocks, Nussbaum wanted to capture the intensity of emotion that comes from one of the most memorable (or notorious) nights in adolescent life.

Aimee Teegarden (TV’s “Friday Night Lights”) stars as the know-it-all good girl who runs the prom committee and finds herself drawn to a guy who couldn’t care less about it (newcomer Thomas McDonell). “It’s set in your head when you’re a little kid — prom is that defining moment, when you get to look back on your school career and have a moment just for yourself,” she says.

One thing the movie tries to do differently is show the mingling among cliques. They aren’t as separate as some teen films would suggest. “What I like about this movie is it’s a little more real in that sense,” Adler says. “The offbeat character sometimes is friends with the straight-A people.”

Teegarden is definitely one of the latter, playing teacher’s pet Nova Prescott, who finds herself stuck working with bitter outsider Jesse Richter (McDonell) after he gets blamed for a fire. “Nova is the person you all knew would be a politician when she grows up, or run a Fortune 500 company,” Teegarden says. In other words, she’s not someone very open to the unexpected.

It’s almost impossible to live up to the expectations of a prom, Teegarden says. But everyone tries.

“High school elevates all the highs and lows in life,” Nussbaum says. “Everything is a big deal. It’s supercharged emotionally.”

“It’s kind of like a wedding day,” Teegarden adds.

Nussbaum agrees: “You put ‘wedding’ in front of any other word and it takes on a much different meaning. Prom is the same way. There’s a dress, and then there’s your prom dress, and you’re supposed to go shopping for it four times, and pick it out with your mom and friends, and you’ll remember it forever.”

Though it’s a Disney movie, it’s not all sunshine and cheer. Nussbaum says he wants to explore the pressures of being that age, too. It’s what separates a kiddie high school movie from something that touches even with those who aren’t kids anymore.

He witnessed that stress firsthand on his five excursions to study local proms. “I was walking by a table where this girl was just bawling her eyes out,” Nussbaum says, though he had no idea what had gone wrong.

“She was like, ‘I planned for this for soooo loooong!’ She really did. And that’s what gives it so much importance, and hopefully that’s what will make the movie resonate.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Prom” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Get Ready for the High School ‘Prom’ originally appeared on Starmometer on May 24, 2011.

“Prom” portrays the precarious passage from high school to independence as some relationships unravel and others ignite as the big dance approaches. For Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden), it’s a battle of wills as she finds herself drawn to the guy (Thomas McDonell) who gets in the way of her perfect prom. Fellow seniors Mei (Yin Chang) and Tyler (De’Vaughn Nixon) harbor secrets, while others face all the insecurity and anticipation that surrounds one of high school’s most seminal events. There are hundreds of nights in high school, but there’s only one “Prom.”

Nothing comes as freighted with ambitions as a teenager’s senior prom. Similarly, Disney’s new high-school comedy faces its own expectations, mostly that the purveyor of squeaky-clean kids’ entertainment won’t be able to handle any edginess in the storytelling.

Disney is, after all, tackling a night known for its revelers’ experimentations with adulthood: sex, drinking, even mortality. (The prologue to every prom night is usually a school assembly about the grisly outcome of drinking and driving.)

But director Joe Nussbaum says these aren’t the only things that matter. He hopes “Prom” will show truth and heart in its coming-of-age stories. “Of course we’re not going to show sex and drugs and cursing, which is a part of teenage life, for sure,” says Nussbaum. “But there are a lot of other parts to teenage life, too — insecurity, anxiety, disappointment on the negative side, and also falling in love, having crushes, and the excitement of an event like this on the positive side.”

Disney’s plans to make it resonate with actual teens, as opposed to the younger tween fans who drove the “High School Musical” franchise. New studio chief Rich Ross, formerly of the Disney Channel, said he wanted “Prom” to be closer to the “honest and authentic” works of John Hughes and Cameron Crowe, icons of teen-dom from the ’80s with movies such as “Sixteen Candles” and “The Breakfast Club” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” respectively.

Nussbaum’s goal is to capture the intensity of emotion on one of the most memorable (or notorious) nights in teen life. “High school elevates all the highs and lows in life,” he says. “Everything is a big deal. And prom elevates it all even further from there.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Prom” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Watch the 2 official trailers of “Prom” here:

Sneak Peek: Disney’s ‘Prom’ originally appeared on Starmometer on May 17, 2011.

Featured in the posters Lightning McQueen, Mater and a bunch of other characters stopping through several countries like Japan, England, France, Germany, Italy and Russia on their international racing tour.

‘Cars 2′ Seven International Posters Released originally appeared on Starmometer on May 8, 2011.

Producer Robert Zemeckis credits the cast Disney Animation Studios’ “Mars Needs Moms” for infusing so much humor into the film. “The situations are funny and the scenes are hilarious—the whole absurd reality of the movie just lends itself to fantastic humor. But our cast in this movie is probably one of the best improv casts that has been put together in recent years. They can take a scene and add to it in a wonderful way.”

Milo (Seth Green) is 9. He has comic books to read, zombie movies to watch and bed-jumping to do. He doesn’t have time to eat his vegetables and do chores, no matter what his mom says. Mom is sick of nagging, and Milo’s sick of Mom. But when he suggests that he’d be better off without her, things get a little hairy. His efforts to apologize are interrupted when Martians—yes Martians—arrive, steal his mom, return to their spaceship and rocket to Mars—with a 9-year-old stowaway who’s determined to rescue the mother he’d wished away just moments before. To Milo, the whole thing would be downright hilarious if he weren’t headed to another planet.

Mom (Joan Cusack) loves Milo more than anything, she just wishes he’d do as he’s told—like eating his vegetables…and not feeding them to the cat (who in turn yaks all over her floor). She only wants what’s best for Milo—and let’s face it, broccoli is very good for growing boys. Her good intentions and loving ways may not please Milo, but they certainly impress the Martian scouts who are looking for a good mom.

Gribble (Dan Fogler) is a 30-something who has been on Mars since his own mom was “needed” by Martians many years prior. When Milo reaches the planet and is taken prisoner, Gribble rescues him, guiding him through a series of secret chutes to the elaborate lair on Mars’ lower level that Gribble calls home. Tricked out with various electronic and spy devices, Gribble’s digs allow him to tap into the planet’s communication systems and spy on what is going on in the hub of all activity, the Citadel. Gribble—who still uses the ’80s lingo from his childhood—is understandably bummed when he realizes that Milo, his first human friend in ages, plans to save his mom and return to Earth. But Gribble agrees to help Milo—even if deep down, he’d love it if Milo could hang out with him forever.

Supervisor (Mindy Sterling) is the much-feared, heartless Martian leader. She is behind the planet’s dismal belief system that promotes cold, strict conduct and prohibits warmth and love, virtually forcing the need to steal Earth’s moms and extract their mom-ness to help nurture their young. She is the leader of Mars’ special security forces, the Siss Guards.

Ki (Elisabeth Harnois) is a strong-willed young Martian who learned to speak English by watching a ’70s sitcom. She spends her time painting elaborate graffiti on the walls of Mars. But she does so in secret. She’s forced to hide her artistic side on a planet that is devoid of color and emotion. The Martians are strictly forbidden from expressing any individuality, but Ki thinks for herself—particularly when she decides to help Milo. Talented, sneaky AND tough—Ki just may be the coolest renegade in Martian history.

Wingnut (Kevin Cahoon) is the leader of the Hairy Tribe Guys, who embody the lost love of Mars. They live in the underground trash caverns, discarded by the misguided civilized society above. Wingnut was Gribble’s buddy before Milo arrived on Mars, and Gribble thinks he’s a little crazy and not too smart. But Wingnut just might understand far more about what is happening on Mars than anyone thinks.

Dad (Tom Everett Scott) is a dedicated family man—even if he is completely unaware of the interplanetary adventure Mom and Milo take together. He does notice that his often-cantankerous son seems somehow different when Milo mysteriously volunteers to take out the trash. “Did something happen to Milo this weekend?”

Opening across the Philippines on March 16 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular format, “Mars Needs Moms” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.

Meet the Earthlings, Aliens of ‘Mars Needs Moms’ originally appeared on Starmometer on March 10, 2011.

With films like “The Polar Express,” “Monster House” and “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” under their belts, producers Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey are pioneers in performance-capture filmmaking. And with Walt Disney Pictures’ “Mars Needs Moms,” they’ve capitalized on the latest advancements in both performance capture and 3D, creating a visually mind-blowing experience for audiences.

According to Zemeckis, the technology has come a long way. “The advancement is one thousand-fold. The team that created ‘Mars Needs Moms’ is the best performance-capture digital facility on the Earth. The movie—its imagery and the story the technology allows us to tell—is absolutely beyond anything you’ve seen before.”

Zemeckis says there’s an important aspect of the art form that makes these films special. “One of the great bonuses of doing a movie in performance capture is that it’s in 3D all the time. We have to make our movie in 3D just to do it. We now design the movie to be presented in 3D, too. And when you’re doing a 3D movie that’s completely virtual like ‘Mars Needs Moms,’ the 3D can be more spectacular than you can do in any other form. We spend a lot of time and energy designing our movies for the 3D experience for the audience.”

Director Simon Wells says he feels the film has added spark, thanks to the 3D technology. Since the team knew from the beginning that they had another dimension to play with, so to speak, several scenes were built with that knowledge in mind. Gribble’s lair—with all its gadgets, moving mechanisms and secret monitors—was enormously enhanced by the 3D technology, which was a huge advantage to filmmakers because viewers spend a lot of time there. “They can explore the environment far more than seems possible if it weren’t in 3D.”

Wells adds that the technology worked even better than anticipated on a number of occasions. “The first fall into the trash caverns was always conceived as a very dramatic and gut-wrenching moment,” says the director, “but I wasn’t prepared for just how effecting the plummet and tumble down the first trash hill would end up feeling as a fully three-dimensional experience.”

Even the director was surprised by the evocative quality of the 3D when it came to a spectacular space scene. “When the Martian spaceship creates a wormhole for its trip across the solar system, outer space literally opens up to reveal further, deeper space behind.”

But it’s a scene late in the film—the climactic moment of the movie—that exemplifies what 3D is capable of expressing. “It’s an absolute show-stopper in 3D,” says Wells. “Anthony Shafer and his team carefully scripted the depth in the preceding scenes to be relatively shallow so that at this particular moment, the screen explodes into a shockingly three-dimensional space, which utterly nails the emotion and action of the moment. For me, the movie was worth doing in 3D simply for that one shot.”

“We want to make 3D an immersive, cinematic experience that, like all tools in cinema, ultimately fades away and become invisible. I think ‘Mars Needs Moms’ is a magnificent, state-of-the-art 3D movie.”

Opening across the Philippines on March 16 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular format, “Mars Needs Moms” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.

‘Mars Needs Moms’ Blasts Off to Space in 3D! originally appeared on Starmometer on March 7, 2011.

Below are the images and the individual character descriptions. “Cars 2” hits the track on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.

Finn McMissile is a master British spy. Though charming and eloquent, it’s his stealth maneuvering, intelligence and years in the field that enable him to thwart unexpected attacks from bad guys, making quick daredevil escapes.. Finn’s design is sleek and timeless, but he’s also prepared for any tricky situation with an arsenal of ultra-cool gadgets and weaponry, including front and rear grappling hooks, a missile launcher, deployable magnetic explosives and a holographic disguise emitter.

Holley Shiftwell is a beautiful young British desk agent, turned spy-in-training who’s stationed in Tokyo. Well-educated and sharp, she knows every trick in the book—or rather, she relies on every trick in the spy manual. She’s armed with the latest state-of-the-art spy equipment imaginable, from hidden cameras and concealed weapons to a telescoping utility arm and a holographic pop-up display. Holley is a highly motivated agent, but is fresh out of the academy, so her experience is based on lessons learned in school rather than real-life situations.

World Grand Prix contender Carla Veloso hails from Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The sweet but powerful Latin diva can dance the night away at “Car-nival,” but spends most of her time on the racetrack. After setting a new track record at the local Interlagos circuit, she was drafted to join the 24-hour endurance racing team in Europe, where she posted a consistent series of podium finishes.

Known as the “World’s Greatest Rally Car,” #6 Raoul ÇaRoule was born in Alsace, France. A restless soul, Raoul joined the famous ‘Cirque du Voiture’ French circus where he learned Gymkhana – a graceful, drift-filled motorsport that taught him pinpoint timing and an unparalleled ability to navigate tricky courses with ease. He’s the first car to ever win nine consecutive rallies.

Shu Todoroki is a Le Motor Prototype racer representing Japan and bearing #7 in the World Grand Prix. Shu was raised at the base of the active Mount Asama volcano in Japan, and soon became a champion on the Suzuka Circuit. His sleek design sports a fiery red Ka-Riu dragon, which Shu borrowed from Japanese legend because he relates to the small, yet fierce nature of the dragon.

Grem is a dented, rusty orange AMC Gremlin. After years of being dismissed for his design, even being called a “lemon,” Grem has a big chip on his fender that has led him to the underworld of international espionage.

Acer has always felt like an outcast in the car world. The beat-up green AMC Pacer joined forces with fellow “lemon” cars as henchmen for the devious Professor Z, whose clandestine mission is to wreak havoc at the highly visible World Grand Prix.

Big Reveal: Brand New Characters in ‘Cars 2′ originally appeared on Starmometer on February 11, 2011.

From the director of the No. 1 box-office hit “Eagle Eye” and the producer of the blockbuster “Transformers” series comes DreamWorks Pictures’ “I Am Number Four,” a suspense-filled action-thriller featuring relatable, engaging characters grounded in the familiar realm of high school but caught up in a deadly manhunt.

Based on the best-selling book by Pittacus Lore, “I Am Number Four” revolves about an extraordinary young man, John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), who is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant), John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events—his first love (Dianna Agron), powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

The film’s classic dramatic elements are set to draw the audience into the thriller from the opening scene to the climax. The lead character, John Smith, is struggling with the realization that who he always thought he was and who he really is are polar opposites, and he must make up his mind whether or not to accept his destiny—and the sacrifices it entails.

As producer Michael Bay says, “John aka Number Four has a destiny that’s going to catch up to him whether he wants to face it or not. That’s where the drama of this movie comes from. This teenager finally finds what he’s looking for, but he can’t have it because he has to save the world first.”

At the same time, John is a typical teen, pushing boundaries, challenging his guardian Henri at every turn, but not fully realizing the consequences. It is real-life drama with high stakes.

The character-driven suspense will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. As director D.J. Caruso explains, “The more you care about a character on a real level, when you put him or her in suspenseful situations, the more real and the more terrifying the suspense is going to be because you really feel for that character.”

Caruso found that combining the real-life drama the characters experience in “I Am Number Four” with their otherworldly abilities and keeping it “real” was both an enjoyable experience and a challenge for him as a filmmaker. “The thing I enjoyed the most was keeping the drama incredibly real so that when the fantastical kicked in, you were relating to it on a human level,” he says.

“I Am Number Four” is the biggest effects movie Caruso has ever done and he is finding Michael Bay’s experience as a director of such mega-hits as “Transformers” and “Armageddon” an invaluable help. “Michael has been very helpful with the physicality of what needs to happen on set when you are dealing with a CG character,” explains Caruso.

Michael Bay equally admires his director, “D.J. has an incredible ability to get in touch with the reality of his young characters’ lives. It’s not easy to make an alien kid with super powers feel real—an authentic hero that audiences could relate to.”

Caruso was immediately captivated by the story of “I Am Number Four,” particularly the character of John Smith, played by Alex Pettyfer. “I was really attracted to it from the character standpoint—this disenfranchised teenager who keeps moving around, not really putting down roots, and trying to figure out who he is. At the same time, he’s got this hidden destiny. I thought it was a really cool story.”

Caruso admits that he is interested in characters who are going through a dark period. “Through that darkness they figure out where the light is, and they find something good. What I enjoy exploring is the notion that you have to experience some bad things in order to grow up, and to find out who you are. Thematically, that happens in this movie as well.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “I Am Number Four” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

(CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER)

‘I Am Number Four’ – New Sci-fi Thriller from ‘Transformers’ Producer originally appeared on Starmometer on February 3, 2011.