TRON: LEGACY was released to mixed acclaim. Some people thought it was a great follow up to a series that they never expected to return, some felt that it was bland and uninteresting, while many found it quite middling. But, it did turn out to be a success for Disney, which is why they still had interest in producing a spin-off cartoon series called Tron: Uprising.
Uprising now has a teaser trailer, which gives us a look at the style of the show. Continue reading
While response both critically and somewhat box office wise (despite grossing right around $400 million worldwide) was relatively lackluster, Disney appears to be hell bent on bringing us a follow-up to last year’s much hyped sequel, TRON: LEGACY.
According to THR, the studio has now tapped writer David DiGilio to write the upcoming film. DiGilio is best known for his work on the small screen like ABC’s Traveler (which he created), and also a few projects for the big screen in the works, NORTH WIND and THE DAMNED. However, this is definitely the relatively unknown writer’s biggest project to date. Continue reading
While he’s going to be in front of the camera for the upcoming fourth film in the PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN film, ON STRANGER TIDES, Johnny Depp has just gotten a pair of new writers for a film he’ll be behind in a wholly different manner.
THR is reporting that TRON: LEGACY writers Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal have been tapped to write the upcoming WB project, REX MUNDI, which will see Depp produce, along with his shingle Infintium Nihil.
MUNDI is based off of the comic series of the same name, and is “set in an alternate Europe in which the Protestant Reformation was crushed by the Catholic Church, resulting in the continuing of a medieval power structure where magic is also real. The story is set in 1933 and centers on a pathologist who investigates the mysterious death of the priest who found him as an orphan, a trail that ultimately leads to a quest for the Holy Grail.” Continue reading
Rating: 3/5
The one thing that seemed inevitable after Daft Punk released their first foray into film scoring for TRON: LEGACY was to have the well-known electronic duo’s work to get remixed by some of the genre’s top DJs, artists, and producers. After watching Daft Punk spin their tunes in the film, I understood the urge to jump in and put one’s own “spin” on the score. The extra back beat and electronic elements that are mixed in to the duo’s original creations succeed in taking some of the more high-energy songs and kicking them into an even higher gear. Continue reading
When TRON LEGACY hit theatres in December, fans knew it would only be a matter of time before TRON would get the high-definition treatment on blu-ray. That time is now. Not only do we get Steve Lisberger’s ground-breaking 1982 film, but we also get it with the much argued-about neon spectacle that is TRON LEGACY. Is this April’s biggest must-have double feature?
TRON makes the transition to hi-def very well, with the real world scenes scrubbed sparkly clean. The scenes that take place on the grid suffer slightly, due to the fact that they used so many elements to put a scene together. One shot might contain computer graphics, hand-drawn animation, and human actors all in the same frame, so it’s to be expected that the quality wouldn’t be as flawless. Now, that being said, it’s never, ever looked better than it does here. Contrast and the color are deep, rich, and satisfying, and the re-mastered sound alone makes it a must for those with a decent sound system. Continue reading
When Nine Inch Nails front man, Trent Reznor, along with his collaborator, composer Atticus Ross (THE BOOK OF ELI), took the stage to accept the Oscar for Best Original Score this past February, it was clear that the world of film scoring had shifted. The emergence of electronic scores in the past year has helped push the industry standard into a new realm with popular artists not just lending their songs to films, but creating brand new material tailored specifically for that project. And the industry has taken notice, awarding both an Oscar and a Golden Globe to Reznor and Ross for their score for THE SOCIAL NETWORK (you can read my review of the score HERE).
It is no surprise when futuristic films (such as TRON: LEGACY) pair up with industrial, electronic, or rock artists, but when Reznor and Ross were enlisted to score a drama, the majority of which takes place in a deposition room, it was hard not to take notice. Certainly THE SOCIAL NETWORK was based around the emergence of a new trend in technology, but the film focused on the relationships of those creating that technology more than the website itself. Electronic scores are not a new idea, but using one to score a drama was a new take and helped both those who create and those who watch films see that electronic did not always need to be synonymous with futuristic. Continue reading
Sound is such a huge element in cinema. It has the ability to make us be lost in the emotions we see unfolding on the screen. In some cases music is iconic - think of classics such as JAWS, CHARIOTS OF FIRE, STAR WARS (not only for the main title theme, but who can't forget the sound of a warm lightsaber?), INDIANA JONES, THE LION KING - I could really go on and on, but as you are no doubt well-aware, there are so many composers that have created so much amazing music, and when a great film is married to an amazing soundtrack, along with great sound and dialogue editing, it makes the joys of cinema that much better.
The Motion Picture Sound Editors recently announced their annual Golden Reel Awards, and the film that was the crow-pleaser and show-stealer that took home the big awards was, of course, INCEPTION. The film specifically won Best Sound Editing for Music in a Feature Film and Best Sound Editing in the categories of Sound Effects and Foley .
Personally, I am thrilled about this. Granted, other films such as THE SOCIAL NETWOR and TRON: LEGACY (because I'm a Daft Punk fan) are other truly wonderful music compositions that did receive notice. THE SOCIAL NETWORK did win for Best Sound Editing in the category for Dialogue and ADR in a Feature Film, and TRON: LEGACY was recently nominated for an Oscar in Sound Editing, along with TOY STORY 3, UNSTOPPABLE and, TRUE GRIT.
After the jump is a list of all the film winners, as well as television shows who won and do indeed deserve credit for the work they put forth. Continue reading
Why do nerds always have to make me feel less superior than them? I'm obviously superior, I've kissed ladies and wear glasses only for fashion. So when I read about some hot ticket news item that make me feel left out because I wasn't nerdy enough to notice some non-important Easter egg in a movie, I get mad. So mad I might have to give someone a swirly!
This time around I'm referencing the TRON franchise and the possibility of a small character retuning for the third film in the series. According to AICN, TRON: LEGACY will have a trailer for TRON 3 attached to the DVD release. In this trailer, a small character from TRON pops up as an integral piece to the possible plot of TRON 3. Too many hypotheticals making your head spin? Read on for more details about the "trailer." Continue reading
Rating: 2/5
Writers: Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (screenplay and story), Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal (story), Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird (characters)
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Over two decades ago, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) got sucked into a computer, spat out on to a “Game Grid,” and had to battle a malevolent computer program to survive. In the present day, his son Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) gets sucked into a computer, spat out on to a “Game Grid,” and has to battle a malevolent computer program to survive. And while all of this sounds like a stunning (and needless) retread, Sam has the added problem of having to find his dear old dad and pull him out of the Grid with him.
TRON: LEGACY has been in the works for over a decade, a highly anticipated, ruthlessly marketed, and unquestionably huge tentpole event film for Disney. Placing such expectations on a film is a swift way to be disappointed, especially when we consider its forbearer – which, in these terms, shares little with its LEGACY. TRON was such a bust for Disney back in 1982 that it, along with THE BLACK HOLE, forced Disney to not make another live action film for ten years. Over time, the film gathered a dedicated fanbase who marveled at both its vision of what technology could be and the groundbreaking techniques used to blend animation and live action. And though TRON: LEGACY shares some of these marvels with the first film, it also amplifies that film’s flaws to ludicrous, unbearable levels. Continue reading
Rating: 3.5/5
Marking their first foray into film scoring, it makes sense that the electronic duo Daft Punk were drawn to a film not just about computers, video games, and electronics – but the world INSIDE of the game. Two decades have passed since TRON was first released and, at least from the sounds of it, TRON: LEGACY will pick up right where we left off.
Daft Punk (Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo and Thomas Bangalter) are best known for their upbeat, electronic-styled dance music that infiltrated the French house scene in 1990. Masters at creating expansive and intricate soundscapes with electronica, the duo leaned more towards the classical elements when creating the soundtrack for TRON: LEGACY, constructing a sound that is clearly Daft Punk, but different from anything you have heard from them before. Continue reading
