THE REVENANT Returns to Select Cinemas

Just in case you have been hiding under a rock, then you probably don't know that Leonardo DiCaprio, who has been the subject of countless of hilarious (and sometimes not so funny) memes about the current count of Oscars to his name; has finally, FINALLY! won the coveted Academy Award for Best Actor! Your timeline may have been flooded with memes and news about Leo's long awaited win. Needless to say, the whole world, nay the whole internet was rooting for him to win and after six nominations, he finally did. 

Leo, AKA every 90's kid's first love, crush, true love (etc...) won the award for his role as Hugh Glass in Academy Award Winning Director, Alejandro Iñarritu's 'The REVENANT'. Iñarritu also won Best Dorector for 'The REVENANT'. 

So if you missed the movie during it's run in the cinemas-this is your chance to see it! Make sure you don't miss this opportunity to see Leonardo Di Caprio in the role which finally landed the Oscar in his (deserving) hands. The film also won Best Cinematography under the talented Emmanuel Lubezki, who has won three consecutive times. 

Check out my review of 'The REVENANT'  http://pchengphotography.blogspot.com/2016/01/revenant-is-captivating-and-visceral.html 

DiCaprio’s Best Actor award for his winning performance which the domestic and global audience have been rooting for in his work in “The Revenant” has finally been realized at the recently concluded Academy Awards.  While Iñarritu has for two years in a row have also won Best Director last year for his work in “Birdman” and Lubezki for the third time since his win in 2014 for “Gravity” and last year’s “Birdman.”

The Revenant,” meaning someone who came back presumably from the dead tells of the highly-inspiring true story of Hugh Glass (DiCaprio), a fur trapper on his impossible survival during the 1800s.  Inspired by true events, “The Revenant” is an epic story of survival and transformation on the American frontier.  While on an expedition into the uncharted wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass  is brutally mauled by a bear, then abandoned by members of his own hunting team. Alone and near death, Glass refuses to succumb.  Driven by sheer will and his love for his Native American wife and son, he undertakes a 200-mile odyssey through the vast and untamed West on the trail of the man who betrayed him: John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy).  What begins as a relentless quest for revenge becomes a heroic saga against all odds towards home and redemption. 

                The film’s wilderness-based production mirrored the harsh conditions Glass and company actually lived through in the 1800s. Iñárritu and his whole cast and crew were up for all that was thrown at them, welcoming the challenges of shooting in Canada and Argentina, regions known for unpredictable weather and untouched wilds, in order to fully understand the experience of fur trappers in the early 19th century.

These are the following cinemas where “The Revenant” will have its return engagement starting March 2, Wednesday – Powerplant, Robinson’s Galleria, Eastwood, Festival Mall, Gateway, Gaisano Davao and SM Megamall.

 

                “The Revenant” is a 20^th Century Fox presentation distributed by Warner Bros.

That's Leo giving 'the bear' a kiss before going up the stage for his Oscar. See the movie so you know what the buzz with the bear is all about. 

'The REVENANT' is Captivating and Visceral- You Shouldn't Miss It!

"The Revenant" is one of those movies I would have loved to have discussed in class. Whether it's a Social Studies class discussing ethnic groups or history class looking into unchartered 19th Century American frontier. It could even be a topic in a film class, to discuss the work of such masters of storytelling as Director Alejandro G. Iñarritu or Emmanuel Lubezki's work on the beautiful cinematography in the film. 

The Revenant is a masterpiece worth discussing in class and I always hold movies like these in high regard. I guess the movie has so many merits and layers that I just want to be in a class just talking about it. *Looking for a Revenant Discussion group. Currently suffering from Post-Revenant Syndrome*-it's a thing, I'm making it a thing. 

There has been few films that have been set in this time period, when America was very young, when the Native Americans still roamed the lands and when the pale faced colonizers came to pillage the land of it's resources. This makes the film a unique gem that you simply can't compare with any other period movie. 

The genius that is Alejandro G. Iñarritu brings you in the movie. Even if it's not a 3D movie, it is shot in such a way that you feel as though you are there yourself. During filming, Iñarritu was adamant that they were not going to use computer graphics to enchance the film and they also only used natural lighting in the film and all of these really transpire through the screen. The film captures nature at it's finest. The unconventional camera angles that were used will have you looking at scenes in a different way. The camera brings you to wide sweeping landscapes, up close a dying man's breath, under the savage power of a grizzly bear, through ice cold waters. It is a movie experience, you shouldn't miss. 

The story in itself is a simple one; it is a story of survival and revenge. We've seen this played out in many other takes, movies and TV shows but what makes 'The Revenant' stand out is it's exquisite and masterful telling, bringing you, the viewer in the scene. 

Let's talk about that R-16 rating, it's there for a reason and I suggest that we follow it. The film captures the brutal violence between the Native Americans and the fur trappers who have come to their land. I was gasping, shouting and covering my eyes. It's really brutal but necessary for the story. This was a time when the laws of the land translated to a riffle on hand or a noose around the neck. 

Aside from the movie's beautiful cinematography and gripping storytelling, the film is as strong as it is (you must have heard of all the awards it has won, including Oscar nominations) because of it's actors commitment to their roles. I knew that Leonardo DiCaprio was amazing in the film but seeing him in this role was a humbling experience. DiCaprio's performance is a force to be reckoned with. 

DiCaprio plays Hugh Glass, a fur-trapper who survives a bear attack only to be betrayed and left for dead by his companions. By sheer, strength of will Glass is able to survive the harsh elements, fueled by the need for revenge. The person he wants to get his hands on? The lying, cheating and evil John Fitzgerald, he's such a good bad guy- you'd hate him! Another strong performance from Tom Hardy! A necessary requirement to stand alongside DiCaprio's Glass. 

9.5 out of 10 (it's a tad bit long at 156 minutes but still necessary) 

Not for the faint of heart, 'The Revenant' is painfully beautiful (in more ways than one) and takes an American frontier legend and turns it into a journey of survival so vividly raw, you will surely see it in your dreams. 

The REVENANT will preview as last full show features on Feb. 2 (hours ahead if it's opening day on Feb. 3) and will also be in IMAX screens) from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. 

The Buzz on "The REVENANT"

There has been a lot of buzz on the upcoming Alejandro G. Iñarritu (Babel, Birdman) helmed historical epic 'The Revenant' which tells the story of Hugh Glass, a fur trapper who sets out in unchartered 19th century American frontier. Where Glass is attacked by a Grizzly Bear and survives, he is then betrayed by his companions and left for dead. Glass pulls himself from an early grave-literally to face unknown perils and unfamiliar cultures on a journey that becomes not just a search for reckoning but for redemption. As Glass moves through the frontier in turmoil, he comes to reject the urge for destruction that once drove him. He has become a 'revenant', -one returned from the dead. 

The film is nominated for 12 awards in the upcoming Academy Awards and has already won Best Picture (Drama), Best Director and Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Hugh Glass, in the recent Golden Globes. 

Immersing audiences in the unparalleled beauty, mystery and dangers of life in 1823 America, the film explores one man’s transformation in a quest for survival. Part thriller, part wilderness journey, The Revenant explores primal drives not only for life itself but for dignity, justice, faith, family and home. 

Known for such films as 21 Grams, Babel and the Academy Award®-winning Best Picture Birdman, The Revenant is Iñárritu’s first historical epic.  He brings his distinctive mix of visual immediacy and emotional intimacy to a story that transports audiences to a time and place that have rarely been experienced through visceral modern filmmaking. 

The film’s wilderness-based production mirrored the harsh conditions Glass and company actually lived through in the 1800s. Iñárritu and his whole cast and crew were up for all that was thrown at them, welcoming the challenges of shooting in Canada and Argentina, regions known for unpredictable weather and untouched wilds, in order to fully understand the experience of fur trappers in the early 19th century.

                Leonardo DiCaprio shares,  “The Revenant is an incredible journey through the harshest elements of an uncharted America.  It’s about the power of a man’s spirit. Hugh Glass’s story is the stuff of campfire legends, but Alejandro uses that folklore to explore what it really means to have all the chips stacked against you, what the human spirit can endure and what happens to you when you do endure.” 

The director emphasizes that DiCaprio faced tests no actor could fully prepare for in his performance.  “Leo was working in the toughest of conditions, under a challenging wardrobe, in extreme make-up, going to the most emotionally uncomfortable and dark places. But no matter what he is going through, something immediate comes to life when Leo is in front of the camera. There’s an incredible power,” Iñárritu observes.  

                The bear attack that threatens to end Glass’s life immediately took DiCaprio into a mano-a-mano struggle with one of nature’s most skilled predators. “The bear attack was incredibly difficult and arduous,” DiCaprio recalls, “but it’s profoundly moving. In the film, Alejandro puts you there almost like a fly buzzing around this attack, so that you feel the breath of Glass and the breath of the bear. What he achieved is beyond anything I’ve seen.  Glass has to find a way to deal with this full-grown animal on top of him.  He’s at the brink of death – and you are fully immersed in this moment with him.” 

                “The Revenant is a story of harsh survival but also one of inspirational hope,” Iñárritu says.  “For me, the important part was to convey this adventure with a sense of wonder and discovery, as an exploration of both nature and human nature.” 

                “The Revenant” opens in cinemas February 3 from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. It will only be available in IMAX for only 1 week! So make sure you catch it!