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Michael Ferris (III) More at IMDbPro »
2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2004 | 2003
1-20 of 97 articles from 2009 « Prev | Next »
Review: Surrogates
5 October 2009 1:14 PM, PDT | HeyUGuys.co.uk | See recent HeyUGuys news »
There hasn’t been much in the way of good all out sci-fi action this year. Star Trek was as much introduction as it was action, Terminator: Salvation disappointed, and Transformers… Well, lets not talk about Transformers. So, with District 9 as the only real intelligent contender, Surrogates came along at a good time to try and provide what had been missing this year.
Based on a little known comic, Surrogates starts off with a brief, and almost half-hearted montage of how science has created affordable ’surrogates’, and how they are now used by 95% of the population. The concept of the surrogate is simple. The user stays at home in a nice comfy chair, hooked-up to their ’surri’ via a neural link. They then live out their day via the highly advanced, idealised robot version of themselves. The robots are completely human looking, and very strong.
Bruce Willis plays federal agent Tom Greer. »
- Barry Steele
Mama Mia! Meatballs still tasty in second weekend as Surrogates and Fame sputter in.
27 September 2009 10:28 PM, PDT | Movie Jungle | See recent Movie Jungle news »
Sony’s “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” continued a strong run in its sophomore weekend at the box office with an estimated $24.6 million grossed from 2,951 venues. Film which features the voice talents of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Bruce Campbell, Andy Samberg, Mr. T and Bobb’e J. Thompson showed a mere 18% change in compared to last weekend’s $30.3 million take. Disappointing in second place with just $15 million was Touchstone Pictures’ “Surrogates” frontlined by Bruce Willis and including Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe and Ving Rhames. Science fiction actioner/thriller is helmed by Jonathan Mostow and adapted for the screen by Michael Ferris and John Brancato based on the novel from Top Shelf Comix' Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. Still, even with Willis in the lead, the film which opened in 2,951 locations averaged just $5,083 per theatre. »
'Surrogates' No Substitute for a Good Story
27 September 2009 9:30 PM, PDT | CinemaSpy | See recent CinemaSpy news »
The sci-fi–murder mystery hybrid Surrogates takes an intriguing idea — a future where people only interact through robot proxies — and kills it deader than its murderer’s brain-melted victims. This film from Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines) melds bits of I, Robot, The Matrix, and Minority Report, but it excises all the intelligence and style of its predecessors in the mind-numbing process.
Surrogates begins with a lazy look back at its futuristic world’s history, beginning with the invention of surrogates by Canter (James Cromwell). Fast forward 13 years, and the technology created to help people in wheelchairs has now been adopted by 98% of the world’s population (apparently even the starving live their lives through a surrogate…). People rarely leave their homes, instead sending the surrogates out to work and play. While their real bodies molder in specially equipped easy chairs, they feel every sensation that their surrogates experience, »
Review: Surrogates
26 September 2009 1:00 PM, PDT | SoundOnSight | See recent SoundOnSight news »
Surrogates 2009, USA Directed by Jonathan Mostow Written by Michael Ferris, John D. Brancato, Robert Venditti (graphic novel), Brett Weldele (graphic novel) Starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Ving Rhames The idea of creating an imaginary persona as a replacement for reality is nothing new, at least for those of us who try to pick up 16-year-old girls on the Internet. But in the new science fiction film Surrogates, based upon the comic book by writer Robert Venditti and artist Brett Weldele, that concept is taken to its extreme. In the world of Surrogates, most of humanity remotely operates customizable androids instead of leaving the house. Not only are operators able to remain safely cocooned inside, but they can fulfill their fantasies by living life in whatever form they choose, from a buxom blonde to a cyber-punk with enough body-modifications to give those guys with the split dicks at BMEzine [1]hard-ons. »
- Al Kratina
"Terminator" Team Returns To Robot Future With Bruce Willis In "Surrogates"
26 September 2009 3:33 AM, PDT | icelebz.com | See recent iCelebz news »
When screenwriters Michael Ferris and John D. Brancato and director Jonathan Mostow last teamed up, they created the popcorn-worthy but questionable entry in the "Terminator" franchise, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." It was also Mostow's last big-screen directing job. This time, the trio is back with their latest foray into the robot-filled but not-too-distant near future.
Their latest, "Surrogates," is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. The original novel, "The Surrogates," was printed back in 2005 as an allegory to certain people's internet addictions. These were the days before Facebook was a household name and Twitter still hadn't been brainstormed by its creators. Like the corpulent inhabitants of the world of "Wall-e" or even the recent humans-control-humans "Gamer," "Surrogates" is another film that doesn't hide the idea that people are becoming more comfortable behind the glow of technology.
The film "Surrogates »
"Surrogates" is a Futuristic Thrill-ride!
26 September 2009 12:17 AM, PDT | Reel Empire | See recent Reel Empire news »
Jonathan Mostow directed “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” and he utilizes a similar form of execution in his latest science fiction, action-thriller “Surrogates”. What’s surprising? It’s that he film actually delivers. Walk in expecting an all out action-flick and you’re bound to be disappointed. Instead, writers Michael Ferris and John D. Brancato spend a large portion of their story capturing the futuristic world showcased in the film. Most of the time, this is a bad thing, but here, it’s surprisingly engrossing and even unsettling at times. »
Surrogates Review (Philip’s Take)
25 September 2009 8:30 AM, PDT | Atomic Popcorn | See recent Atomic Popcorn news »
There are certain things, rules if you will, that should adhere to all Bruce Willis action vehicles. The first being him mouthing off to any and every one who opposes his authority. The second is Willis being shot at eighty billion times, followed by him serving up the best kinds of ass-kicking (a.k.a. rule number three.) Die Hard established this quite well, and it was followed by three very awesome sequels that all kept to these rules. Even Armageddon, in all it’s super amazing badness, is able to stay within the confines of these rules, replacing the shooting with a giant asteroid flinging debris everywhere. Surrogates attempts to humanize Willis, taking everything one loves about the man and making it the exact opposite. As you might’ve guessed, the world is a much, much worse place because of this.
But that’s not the real reason why »
- Philip Barrett
Bruce Willis delivers in 'Surrogates': Everything Else? Not so much
25 September 2009 7:35 AM, PDT | Denver Movies Examiner | See recent Denver Movies Examiner news »
It's been a great year for science fiction. From the fantastic reboot of Star Trek to the thoughtful District 9, can Surrogates rise from the questionable ether of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines director Jonathan Mostow and Catwoman scribes John Brancato and Michael Ferris? The answer is, without a doubt, a very confident "kinda."
In the not too distance future, most of earth's population will fold laundry, drop off the kids and do the horizontal jiggy through remote-controlled robots called surrogates. Humanoid in its appearance, the technology allows their human operators the safety and relaxation of knowing that they're protected within the confines of their home while their better-looking extensions are taking care of business. Whatever business that is, is practically up to the operator.
Violent crime, class and race issues have been erased from daily lives along with other annoyances such as looking ugly and dealing with blemishes. »
Review: ‘Surrogates’ swims in shallow water
25 September 2009 7:08 AM, PDT | ReelLoop.com | See recent Reel Loop news »
It’s been a great year for science fiction. From the fantastic reboot of Star Trek to the thoughtful District 9, can Surrogates rise from the questionable ether of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines director Jonathan Mostow and Catwoman scribes John Brancato and Michael Ferris? The answer is, without a doubt, a very confident “kinda.”
In the not too distance future, most of earth’s population will fold laundry, drop off the kids and do the horizontal jiggy through remote-controlled robots called surrogates. Humanoid in its appearance, the technology allows their human operators the safety and relaxation of knowing that they’re protected within the confines of their home while their better-looking extensions are taking care of business. Whatever business that is, is practically up to the operator.
Violent crime, class and race issues have been erased from daily lives along with other annoyances such as looking ugly and dealing with blemishes. »
- Erik Buckman
Movie Review: Surrogates (2009)
24 September 2009 11:25 PM, PDT | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »
Photo: Touchstone Pictures All I can say is at least it is only 88 minutes long, because Surrogates is a film promising a high tech concept only to offer up a story so dumb the plot holes are evident from the opening moments and get worse and worse as the film goes on. Is there a possibility for this world to ever exist? I'm not sure if you are a pessimist or an optimist if you think it can, but I'm sitting here laughing at the balls it takes to even suggest it could... at least at the level presented here. After an opening montage introducing the audience to a future in which humans no longer walk the Earth and have decided it's best to stay at home in a Lazy Boy plugged into their prettier robotic surrogate, we are witness to a crime in which a »
- Brad Brevet
Surrogates Review
24 September 2009 10:58 PM, PDT | FilmJunk | See recent FilmJunk news »
Surrogates Directed by: Jonathan Mostow Written by: Michael Ferris and John Brancato (screenplay), Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele (graphic novel) Starring: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, James Cromwell, Rosamund Pike, Ving Rhames, Boris Kodjoe It's been a pretty solid year for science-fiction films thus far, with movies like Moon, District 9 and Watchmen all raising the bar for thoughtful futuristic tales on the big screen in one way or another. While this is great news for moviegoers, it's unfortunate for a filmmaker who is trying to put together a big budget action/sci-fi flick later in the year that has any hope of measuring up. Case in point: Surrogates director Jonathan Mostow, who finds himself faced with the unenviable task of following all of the aforementioned films, in addition to a whole summer's worth of massive special effects blockbusters. On the one hand, he has the advantage of Mr. Bruce Willis in the lead role, »
- Sean
Surrogates Reviews
24 September 2009 1:49 PM, PDT | Reelzchannel.com | See recent ReelzChannel news »
We're intrigued by the premise of this Bruce Willis sci-fi pic, and even more intrigued now that it's shaping up as one of the most polarizing movies of 2009.
"Fans of actual sci-fi literature will probably enjoy this more than fans of slam-bang action. But at less than 90 minutes, it's not long enough to bore the haters too badly."
— Luke Y. Thompson, E! Online
"...a smart, speculative suspenser..."
— Todd McCarthy, Variety
"...a serviceable sci-fi thriller..."
— Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"In this kind of industrial entertainment, particularly one that seems to be missing some connective narrative tissue, it's hard to know if the writers, John Brancato and Michael Ferris (working from the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele), or the director, Jonathan Mostow, can be credited or blamed for what's left on screen."
— Manohla Dargis, New York Times
"Lame science fiction about synthetic people that lacks for logic and drama. »
- reelz reelz
Surrogates - 2 new clips added. 22 total videos now available.
24 September 2009 5:20 AM, PDT | Movie Jungle | See recent Movie Jungle news »
We have two new clips in from Touchstone Pictures' Surrogates," starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, Michael Cudlitz with James Cromwell and Ving Rhames. Michael Ferris and John Brancato adapt the screenplay based on the novel from Top Shelf Comix' Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Max Handelman produce the film helmed by Jonathan Mostow. People are living their lives remotely from the safety of their own homes via robotic surrogates—sexy, physically perfect mechanical representations of themselves. It’s an ideal world where crime, pain, fear and consequences don’t exist. When the first murder in years jolts this utopia, FBI agent Greer... »
Director Jonathan Mostow Talks Surrogates
23 September 2009 8:30 AM, PDT | FilmShaft.com | See recent FilmShaft.com news »
Surrogates, director Jonathan Mostow’s blockbuster adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldes, is a sci-fi action-thriller starring Bruce Willis and set in a alternate version of present day Boston. It’s a version of contemporary Bean Town that looks quite familiar – no space-age megadomes or flying cars – apart from the suspiciously flawless appearance of its citizenry. They all look like movie stars; not a blemish or a hair out of place, let alone an actual physical deformity. It’s as if the Stepford Wives had colonized the city with their picture perfect offspring – which, in fact, is not so very far from the case.
In the world of Surrogates, people lock themselves away in the safety of their homes while their lives are lived by idealized, android versions of themselves. It’s an arrangement that, though it purports to eliminate crime and any number of other social ills, »
- FilmShaft Staff
'Surrogates' - New featurette added.
21 September 2009 12:56 PM, PDT | Movie Jungle | See recent Movie Jungle news »
We have a new featurette in from Touchstone Pictures' "Surrogates," starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, Michael Cudlitz with James Cromwell and Ving Rhames. Directed By: Jonathan Mostow Written By: Michael Ferris and John Brancato based on the novel from Top Shelf Comix' Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. People are living their lives remotely from the safety of their own homes via robotic surrogates—sexy, physically perfect mechanical representations of themselves. It’s an ideal world where crime, pain, fear and consequences don’t exist. When the first murder in years jolts this utopia, FBI agent Greer (Bruce Willis) discovers a vast conspiracy behind the surrogate phenomenon and must abandon his own surrogate, risking his life to unravel the mystery... »
'Surrogates' - Trailer 2 for the Bruce Willis starrer.
14 September 2009 3:28 AM, PDT | Movie Jungle | See recent Movie Jungle news »
See a second trailer from Touchstone Pictures' "The Surrogates," starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, Michael Cudlitz with James Cromwell and Ving Rhames. Jonathan Mostow directs from the writing by Michael Ferris and John Brancato based on the novel from Top Shelf Comix' Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman and Max Handelman produce. »
'Surrogates' - New images added from the film starring Bruce Willis.
5 September 2009 4:21 AM, PDT | Movie Jungle | See recent Movie Jungle news »
Check out new pics from Touchstone Pictures' "Surrogates," directed by Jonathan Mostow. Michael Ferris and John Brancato write based on the novel from Top Shelf Comix' Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Max Handelman produce. The film stars Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, Michael Cudlitz with James Cromwell and Ving Rhames. People are living their lives remotely from the safety of their own homes via robotic surrogates—sexy, physically perfect mechanical representations of themselves. It’s an ideal world where crime, pain, fear and consequences don’t exist. When the first murder in years jolts this utopia, FBI agent Greer (Bruce Willis)... »
MovieWeb's 2009 Fall Movie Guide!
1 September 2009 7:54 AM, PDT | MovieWeb | See recent MovieWeb news »
Labor Day weekend is coming up, and it's a holiday that marks the end of the summer movie season along with summer itself. All the kids are heading back to the classroom for another dreaded year of school and (for those in L.A. like myself) the weather starts to cool... hopefully. While fall usually isn't seen as a cinematic hotbed, with the blockbuster summer season over, there are still plenty of quality films to check out at the box office. This year we have Megan Fox's possessed body, a sensational animated film and a new zombie adventure. There's a lot more that I'm looking forward to this fall, so here is a comphrehensive look at what you can expect from this fall movie season.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Kyra Sedgwick, Michael C. Hall, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Leguizamo, Amber Valletta, Terry Crews, Logan Lerman, »
XXX 3 Lands a Director
1 September 2009 4:20 AM, PDT | Reelzchannel.com | See recent ReelzChannel news »
The third installment in the XXX opus is on its way, and Columbia Pictures has hired Ericson Core to direct it. Titled XXX: The Return of Xander Cage, relative newcomer Core (Invincible) will need to be approved by Vin Diesel, though Core and Diesel have worked together previously on The Fast And the Furious where Core acted as cinematographer.
XXX director Rob Cohen was originally supposed to reunite with Diesel. When Cohen backed out to direct Medieval, he called the decision to leave "tough" and hoped the production would wait for him. Apparently, it hasn't.
The script for The Return of Xander Cage was written by Terminator Salvation writers John Brancato and Michael Ferris, and will follow Cage's return to the National Security Agency after an absence of eight years.
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 9/1/2009 by Ryan
Ericson Core | Rob Cohen | Vin Diesel | Michael Ferris | John Brancato | XXX | Invincible »
- Ryan Gowland
"XXX: The Return of Xander Cage" Gets New Director
27 August 2009 10:51 AM, PDT | Manny the Movie Guy | See recent Manny the Movie Guy news »
Columbia Pictures has hired Ericson Core to direct "XXX: The Return of Xander Cage," the third installment in the action franchise. Neal Moritz and Joe Roth are producing.
Vin Diesel will return as Xander Cage, an extreme sports athlete-turned-government agent. Rob Cohen directed the original "XXX," but both star and director decided to ignore the 2005 sequel, "XXX: State of the Union," which starred Ice Cube and was helmed by Lee Tamahori.
Cohen agreed to return as director last year, but dropped off and chose to work on "Medieval" instead.
The hiring of the new director must also get the approval from Diesel. The actor worked with Core before in the 2001 movie "The Fast and the Furious." Core was a cinematographer in that film.
Core made his directorial debut with the 2006 football flick "Invincible."
"Terminator Salvation" scriptwriters, John Brancato and Michael Ferris, wrote the script for "XXX: The Return of Xander Cage. »
- Manny
2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2004 | 2003
1-20 of 97 articles from 2009 « Prev | Next »
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