Movies: Dakota Fanning Turns Revolutionary In Ayala Malls Cinemas’ Exclusive “American Pastoral”

McGregor directs and stars in “American Pastoral” that looks at the life of the legendary high-school athlete Seymour “the Swede” Levov (McGregor) who marries an alluring Miss New Jersey, Dawn (Jennifer Connelly) ad inherits his father’s multi-million dollar glove factory.   Starting a life of civic and domestic bliss, raising his beloved daughter Merry (Fanning) in a big country house in the serene, upscale neighborhood of Old Rimrock, New Jersey. By all appearances, the Swede is a pillar of his community, a paragon of the “greatest generation” – admired as a self-reliant businessman, charitable boss and devoted family man, and gifted with an unerring belief in all the promises of the American Dream.

In the 1960s—amid the unrest fueled by the unpopular Vietnam War—an angry, and increasingly radical, 16 year-old Merry becomes the lead suspect in an astonishing act of deadly violence in the Levov’s halcyon rural town, upending her father and his vision of the world. Determined to come to grips with what has happened to his loved ones, the Swede goes on a quest not only to find Merry – now on the run as a fugitive from justice – but to restore the Levov family and his own heart.

Dakota Fanning is at the central and plays the pivotal role of the teen-aged and adult Merry Levov in the movie, who detonates her family’s bucolic life when she becomes a wanted terrorist while still just an adolescent. An actor since the age of 6, Fanning’s work has been widely recognized in films spanning from blockbusters such as “The Twilight Saga” and “War of the Worlds” to dramatic roles in “The Secret Lives of Bees” and “I Am Sam.”

Movies: Ewan Mcgregor’s Directorial Debut “American Pastoral” Exclusive At Ayala Malls Cinemas

Two-time Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor stars and debuts as a director in the deeply affecting father-daughter story “American Pastoral” based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Philip Roth that chronicles the profound changes in the last half-century of American life. The adaptation focuses in on the Swede’s search for his daughter and the resonant themes of uncertainty, shifting fates, family and loss, that took the filmmakers nearly thirteen years to bring to the screen.

“American Pastoral” follows a family’s idyllic existence that was shattered by social and political turmoil that will change the fabric of American culture forever. Ewan McGregor makes his directorial debut and stars as Seymour “Swede” Levov, a once legendary high school athlete who is now a successful businessman married to Dawn (Jennifer Connelly), a former beauty queen. But turmoil brews beneath the polished veneer of Swede’s life. When his beloved daughter, Merry (Dakota Fanning), disappears after being accused of committing a violent act, Swede dedicates himself to finding her and reuniting his family. What he discovers shakes him to the core, forcing him to look beneath the surface and confront the chaos that is shaping the modern world around him.

Lakeshore Entertainment producer Gary Lucchesi reflects on what drove him to stay on course throughout the long but steadfast creative process: “I have always wanted to make a father daughter story. I read the script, I cried, and I knew I had to make the movie one way or another,” he recalls. “I saw in it the story of a man who has an uncompromising love for his daughter through thick and thin. I love dramas about human beings that you can relate to and experiences that you can imagine. That’s what really turns me on as a filmmaker. Every now and then, you get a chance to do something like this that you covet—so you give it everything you have.”

Ewan McGregor, known for his wide-ranging roles in films spanning from the innovative and edgy “Trainspotting 1 & 2”, “Velvet Goldmine” and “Moulin Rouge” to the acclaimed dramas “Ghost Writer” and “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” -- was attached to play the central character of the Swede in American Pastoral long before signing on to direct the film.

McGregor knew this was a rare opportunity. Ultimately, it was his love of the material that led to his decision to take a leap into his feature film directorial debut. “I was very moved by the script and I was completely taken by the Swede and the study of father daughter relationships,” he says.  “I’ve always wanted to direct, but I didn’t want to just direct for the sake of it.  I wanted to have a story that I was compelled to tell,”  McGregor explains.

An Ayala Malls Cinemas’ exclusive presentation, “American Pastoral” opens on April 5 at Glorietta 4 and Trinoma cinemas.

MOVIES: TALKING HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS ARE SCENE-STEALERS IN “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”

A gentlemanly candelabra and a fastidious mantel clock. These are just two of the memorable characters in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, specifically, the enchanted household objects who can now speak as a result of the spell that transformed their master, a young Prince, into a Beast.

The household objects are the former members of the castle’s staff, including: Lumière (Ewan McGregor), a candelabra; Cogsworth (Ian McKellen), a mantel clock; Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson), a teapot; Madame de Garderobe (Audra McDonald), a wardrobe; Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a feather duster; and Maestro Cadenza (Stanley Tucci), a harpsichord. Hopeful that Belle (Emma Watson) may finally be the one to capture the heart of the Beast (Dan Stevens), they watch and wait for any signs of true love that will break the curse.

Two-time Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge) is Lumière, the Prince’s proper French valet turned candelabra. Frequently at odds with Cogsworth and besotted with Plumette, it is Lumière who sings the show’s most extravagant musical number, “Be Our Guest.” The actor was unfamiliar with the song when he first arrived on set, but quickly became a fan, delivering a performance that would have made Maurice Chevalier proud.

MOVIES: DAN STEVENS IS A PRINCE TRANSFORMED BY A CURSE IN “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”

Attaining global stardom and acclaim for his performance as the dashing Matthew Crawley in the Golden Globe®-winning drama Downton Abbey, Dan Stevens now stars in Disney’s live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, opposite Emma Watson’s Belle.

The British thespian plays the Beast, a spoiled and arrogant Prince transformed by the curse of an enchantress.

Of particular importance to the filmmakers was determining the fine line between man and beast, as there are moments when rage overwhelms the character and makes him more beastly, yet there are other times when he is quite gentle.

“[Director] Bill Condon and I spent a lot of time talking about how we could add some nuances to my character to make him more dimensional than the Beast from the animated film,” says Stevens. “It was quite interesting, trying to find those little human beats that would make him less animalistic and more a human trapped inside this creature.”

MOVIES: “ELEMENTARY’S” JONNY LEE MILLER RETURNS TO “TRAINSPOTTING” SEQUEL

Jonny Lee Miller first gained international attention in 1996 with his performance as the drug-addicted punk Simon aka Sick Boy in Trainspotting.  Now, Lee Miller comes full circle as he reprises the iconic role in Columbia Pictures' T2: Trainspotting, the long-overdue sequel.

T2 Trainspotting is now playing exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4 and Trinoma).

Joining Lee Miller are his original castmates, Ewan MacGregor as Renton, Ewen Bremner as Spud and Robert Carlyle as Begbie.

In the original film, the four life-long friends/associates/bitter enemies had travelled to London to sell a bag of fortuitously obtained heroin.  While the rest are sleeping, Renton sneaks out with the entire proceeds: £16,000 in cash. He walks away. He will not look back.  Now, twenty years have gone by.  Much has changed but just as much remains the same.  Renton returns to the only place he can ever call home.  They are waiting for him: Spud, Sick Boy, and Begbie.

MOVIES: EMMA WATSON CAPTURES YOUR HEART AS BELLE IN “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”

Known to global audiences as the spunky and smart wizard Hermione in the Harry Potter franchise, Emma Watson is now poised to be fondly remembered as Belle, the shrewd villager who yearns for adventure, in the live-action retelling of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

For over a decade, the British actress has charmed audiences playing the quick-witted and tenacious Hogwarts student in the Potter films and in films including The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Noah and The Bling Ring. In addition, she has a highly-visible role as a human rights activist and global goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, something which has become her life’s calling.

Of all the female characters in all the Disney films, she has always been drawn to – and most identifies with – Belle.

MOVIES: EWAN McGREGOR BACK AS RENTON IN “T2 TRAINSPOTTING”

Scottish actor Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rogue, The Island) returns to his breakthrough role of Mark Renton in Columbia Pictures' T2: Trainspotting, the eagerly anticipated sequel to the 1996 milestone film, Trainspotting.

The sequel will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4 and Trinoma) starting March 1, 2017.

Joining McGregor are his original castmates, Ewan Bremner as Spud, Jonny Lee Miller as Sick Boy, and Robert Carlyle as Begbie.

MOVIES: “T2 TRAINSPOTTING”: LOOKING BACK AT THE LANDMARK ORIGINAL FILM

As Columbia Pictures' T2 Trainspotting makes its way exclusively to Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4 and Trinoma) starting March 1, 2017, it is important to look back at the original 1996 Trainspotting film and how it defined it a generation.

Original director, Academy Award®-winner Danny Boyle is reunited with the original cast for T2 Trainspotting – Ewan McGregor as Renton, Ewan Bremner as Spud, Jonny Lee Miller as Sick Boy, and Robert Carlyle as Begbie.

Made on a £2M budget, Trainspotting is the sophomore film from the team behind Shallow Grave, and it outgrew its modest indie roots to become a bona fide cultural phenomenon.

MOVIES: ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, CAST REUNITE FOR SEQUEL “T2 TRAINSPOTTING”

Columbia Pictures' T2 Trainspotting reunites Academy Award®-winning director Danny Boyle with the original cast of the 1996 Trainspotting film – Ewan McGregor as Renton, Ewan Bremner as Spud, Jonny Lee Miller as Sick Boy, and Robert Carlyle as Begbie.

The sequel will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4 and Trinoma) starting March 1, 2017.

First there was an opportunity……then there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as much remains the same. Mark Renton returns to the only place he can ever call home. They are waiting for him: Spud, Sick Boy, and Begbie.

Other old friends are waiting too: sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, friendship, love, longing, fear, regret, diamorphine, self-destruction and mortal danger, they are all lined up to welcome him, ready to join the dance.

MOVIES: PURE ENCHANTMENT IN “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” FINAL TRAILER

Disney has released the final trailer of “Beauty and the Beast,” giving fans a longer peek than before to its enchanting story.

Check out the final trailer at http://youtu.be/NIt3nvELueg and watch the film in Philippine cinemas starting March 16, 2017.

Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is a live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs.

“Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.

The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar® winner Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Le Fou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumière, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Cadenza, the harpsichord; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; six-time Tony Award® winner Audra McDonald as Madame De Garderobe, the wardrobe; Hattie Morahan as Agathe, the enchantress; Nathan Mack as Chip, the teacup; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.

Directed by Oscar® winner Bill Condon based on the 1991 animated film, “Beauty and the Beast” is written by Evan Spiliotopoulos and Stephen Chbosky and Bill Condon.

“Beauty and the Beast” will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. Like us on Facebook, WaltDisneyStudiosPH; follow us on Twitter, @disney_phil; follow us on Instagram, @disney.ph and use the hashtag #BeOurGuestPH.

MOVIES: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” ASSEMBLES MAIN CHARACTERS FOR PAYOFF POSTER

Disney has just unveiled the main poster art for Beauty and the Beast, showcasing the principal cast. Check out the poster below and watch the film when it opens in the Philippines on March 15, 2017.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs.

Beauty and the Beast is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.

The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar® winner Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Le Fou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumière, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Cadenza, the harpsichord; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; six-time Tony Award® winner Audra McDonald as Madame De Garderobe, the wardrobe; Hattie Morahan as Agathe, the enchantress; Nathan Mack as Chip, the teacup; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.
Directed by Oscar® winner Bill Condon based on the 1991 animated film, Beauty and the Beast is written by Evan Spiliotopoulos and Stephen Chbosky and Bill Condon and produced by Mandeville Films’ Academy Award® nominees David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, with Emmy® winner Jeffrey Silver, Thomas Schumacher and Oscar nominee Don Hahn serving as executive producers. Eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards® (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the animated film, provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as three new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice.

Beauty and the Beast will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. Like us on Facebook, WaltDisneyStudiosPH; follow us on Twitter, @disney_phil; follow us on Instagram, @disney.ph and use the hashtag #BeOurGuestPH.