Entries Tagged 'Movies' ↓

Governor Linda Lingle today announced that Hawai‘i will be the location for “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the fourth installment of the highly successful Walt Disney Pictures’ action adventure film series from Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

The Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger met with Governor Lingle on Friday to share the news that the islands of Kaua‘i and O‘ahu will be sites for the production of the feature film, which will begin shooting this summer and is slated to be released in summer 2011. The production is expected to generate an estimated $85 million in direct and indirect spending in Hawai‘i, providing a needed economic boost for the state’s economy as well as creating hundreds of jobs for local residents.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” will star Johnny Depp, returning to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow. The film is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and directed by Rob Marshall. The writers are Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and the executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Barry Waldman, Elliott, Rossio and John DeLuca.

“Disney’s long-term commitment to Hawai‘i – from ABC’s ‘LOST’ to the new Disney resort on O‘ahu scheduled to open in 2011, and now the upcoming filming of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ – is a testament to the company’s confidence in our state as a great place to do business,“ said Governor Lingle.

“The Walt Disney Company has a great relationship with Hawai‘i that we’re looking forward to building upon with the filming of the latest adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew,” said Iger. “I thank Governor Lingle and her team for their tremendous support of the projects Disney has underway in this great state.”

“We’ve always sought out the most extraordinary and exotic locations for the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films,” said producer Jerry Bruckheimer, “and previously shot briefly on both Maui and Moloka‘i for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.’ Hawai‘i provides an amazing range of both land and seascapes, and we’re delighted to return for ‘On Stranger Tides.’”

The state’s Creative Industries Division and the Hawai‘i Film Office, which are housed in the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, began working with Disney last year and organized a series of meetings and conference calls to help secure the business.

Georja Skinner, the State’s Creative Industries Division administrator who oversees operations of the Hawai‘i Film Office, worked collaboratively with the Governor’s office, Department of Taxation and Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert, along with Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, the Kaua‘i Film Office, the City and County’s Honolulu Film Office, The Resort Group, Ko Olina Resort and Disney Vacation Club to help secure “Pirates of the Caribbean” for Hawai‘i.

“Hawai‘i competes on a global basis for productions and to have Disney choose Hawai‘i over other states and countries is a huge win for us,” said Skinner. “Creative industries are by nature collaborative and what I think made a difference for us is the combination of our tax incentive as well as local film, travel and destination industry support.”

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” joins a growing list of feature film and television productions slated to film in Hawai‘i this year. Warner Bros. feature “Hereafter,” directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon completed filming on Maui last week. Pre-production is also beginning for the feature film “The Descendents,” starring George Clooney and directed by Academy Award®-winning writer/director Alexander Payne. The film is based on the book by Hawai‘i resident Kau‘i Hart Hemmings. Several network pilots, as well as a Japanese drama series and a Korean drama series are also scouting Hawai‘i for projects this year.

“White on Rice,” an award-winning comedy film directed by Brigham Young University student Dave Boyle, is on the verge of becoming a grassroots success story. It will open in Honolulu on October 30 at the Regal Dole Cannery 18, with other theaters to follow. The film is also an official selection of the 2009 Hawaii International Film Festival.

The Japanese and English language family film, which the San Francisco Chronicle’s Jeff Yang calls “a cinematic milestone,” has previously opened in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, San Jose, Salt Lake City and other markets courtesy of distributor Variance Films. The trailer can be viewed here.

Director Dave Boyle and star Hiroshi Watanabe (Letters from Iwo Jima) will attend the Hawaii premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival on October 19. The film also stars James Kyson Lee (NBC’s “Heroes”), Lynn Chen (Saving Face) and Japanese Academy Award winner Nae. Boyle and Watanabe will be in Hawaii from October 18-23 for promotional events at local universities.

Film Synopsis:

Jimmy (Hiroshi Watanabe, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA) loves dinosaurs and sleeps on the top bunk. Unfortunately, Jimmy is 40 and shares that bunk with Bob (Justin Kwong), his 10-year-old nephew. Freshly divorced, Jimmy lives with his sister Aiko (Japanese Academy Award winner Nae) and her family while boldly searching for a new wife. His brother in-law, Tak (Mio Takada, “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”) thinks he’s a disaster. And although Jimmy may lack social grace, he is convinced the best years of his life are just beginning. His plan seems like it’s all falling into place when Tak’s beautiful niece Ramona (Lynn Chen, SAVING FACE) moves in. But once Jimmy sets his sights on stealing her from his best friend Tim (James Kyson Lee, “Heroes”), he sees his intentions go hilariously awry.

Hilarious and touching, “White on Rice” is a Japanese-American comic treat that reminds us families stick together…like white on rice!

A classic Hollywood movie musical is reviving the romantic appeal of Kauai’s beautiful beaches and lush flora for a new generation of fans. South Pacific, the box-office blockbuster about forbidden love in the tropics during World War II, was recently re-released on Blu-ray Disc by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment to commemorate the movie’s 50th anniversary.

Most of the filming for South Pacific took place in 1957-58 on Kauai’s idyllic north shore,
an area renowned for its breathtaking coastlines, flourishing green fields, and picturesque
waterfalls. The location was a popular choice with the film’s crew and Director Joshua Logan noted at the time, “Kauai is a place that will enchant movie audiences, giving reality instead of stage illusion.”

Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau, said an enduring attribute
of Kauai’s north shore is that it remains largely unchanged five decades later. “Kauai’s allure and spectacular natural beauty helped tell the story of South Pacific. Travelers coming here today will enjoy many of those same qualities,” said Kanoho.

Kanoho added that visitors will recognize many of the sights and landmarks used for
South Pacific’s signature moments, especially those captured in song.

• Mount Makana’s towering twin peaks in Hā‘ena were the inspiration for the mystical “island of Bali Hai.”
• Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor) was romanced by Emile de Becque (Rossano Brazzi) singing the ballad “Some Enchanted Evening” atop a garden-like plateau overlooking Princeville, now home to a popular resort area.
• Nellie sang “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair” at Lumaha‘i Beach, a crescent-shaped beach known for the many native hala trees on the beach’s edge.
• The song “Nothing Like a Dame” took place at Hanalei Bay, a perfectly curved bay featuring historic Hanalei Pier, crystal blue waters, and one of Hawaii’s most famous surfing spots.
• The ever-charming Bloody Mary (Juanita Hall) sang “Happy Talk” on the banks of the Kīlauea River amid the fertile vegetation that is the Garden Isle’s trademark.

Kanoho noted, “South Pacific helped put Kauai on the map for travelers and our island is
as lovely and inviting today as it was 50 years ago.”

The 28th annual Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) presented its 2008 awards today during a luncheon at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort. They are:

• The Halekulani Golden Orchid Award for Narrative Feature was awarded to “Cape No. 7,” directed by Wei Te-Sheng.
• The Halekulani Golde Orched Award for Documentary Feature was presented to “Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawaii,” directed by Anne Keala Kelly.
• The Film In Hawaii award, presented by the State of Hawaii, went to Joan Lander and Puhipau for their significant contributions to promoting the local film industry.
• The Honolulu Magazine Award for Best Short Film was awarded to “Coffee and Allah,” directed by Sima Urale, for its excellence in short film cinema. Honorable mention went to “Texas Girl,” directed by Hyung Hyup Kim.
• The NETPAC Award was awarded to “Brutus – The Adventure,” directed by Tara Illenberger, which was a participant in LVHIFF’s Green Screen showcase. Honorable mention for NETPAC went to “The Little Heart,” directed by Thanh Van Nguyen.
• The Video-On-Demand Viewers Choice Award, presented by Oceanic Time Warner Cable, went to “The Hollow,” A University of Hawaii, Academy For Creative Media submission from director Dana Ledoux Miller.

At the end of the festival this year the Audience Choice Award will be given to the film that audience members voted as their favorite film. Ballots have been distributed for the first screening in Honolulu of every eligible film during the festival.

Three more awards will be handed out on Saturday, October 18, at the festival’s closing day press conference at 10 a.m. at the Halekulani in Waikiki. Jung Woo-sung, star of “The Good, The Bad, The Weird,” will receive HIFF’s Achievement in Acting Award and the film’s director, Kim Jee-woon, will be given the Maverick Award.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann will also be on-hand to present the ‘City and County of Honolulu Vision in Film’ Award to the Vice President of the Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group (SMEG) Yang Qixiang.

HIFF film jurors this year represented various careers and talent within the film industry. Jurors for the narrative competition were: executive director of The VILCEK Foundation Rick Kinsel; producer Roy Lee (“The Ring,” “The Departed”); and chief officer for Creative Industries Division, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Georja Skinner.

Jurors for the documentary competition were: actor Cliff Curtis (“Whale Rider, “Sunshine,” “Die Hard”); director Don King (“Beautiful Son”); and KGMB 9 Morning News anchor Grace Lee. Jurors in the shorts competition were: director Gerard Elmore (“All For Melissa”); Honolulu Advertiser Features Editor Elizabeth Kieszkowski; and SMART Magazine publisher Molly Watanabe.

Established in 1981, the Hawaii International Film Festival is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. HIFF is the premier international film event in the Pacific and has won the praise of governments, filmmakers, scholars, educators, programmers and film industry leaders throughout the world. For the discovery and exhibition of Asian and Pacific features, documentaries and short films in the nation, it is a primary source.

The festival has premiered such movies as “Once Were Warriors,” “The Piano,” “Shine,” “Shall We Dance,” “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”