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"Game of Thrones" had an enormous cast and was filmed in locations all across Europe, from Iceland to Malta. It needed both to do justice to the world and characters described in author George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," but the complicated logistics almost meant that recasting of B-list and below characters was inevitable.

For example: original Night King actor Richard Brake was replaced by Vladimir Furdik in season 6. Since the Night King's blue-skinned make-up remained the same, this recasting could escape notice. Other actor swaps on "Game of Thrones" were more obvious -- like how Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane was recast not just once but twice.

In both the books and TV series, the Mountain earns his name from his enormous size. He's about eight feet tall and half as wide, and his sword dwarfs many of the men he cuts down with it.

Plot: When a preacher arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand his violent past is drawn into question and his faith put to the test as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Māori tribes.

Review: When many of us picture Maori culture, the first film that comes to mind is usually Once Were Warriors. Director Lee Tamahori’s contemporary 1994 drama looked at the modern legacy of the Maori people. After four decades of Hollywood fare, including Mulholland Falls, The Edge, XXX: State of the Union, and the James Bond film Die Another Day, Tamahori returns to the subject of his feature debut but through a very different lens. The Convert is an epic yet intimate look at Maori culture in the early 19th Century, just as the British Empire expanded its colonialization. Told through the experiences of a preacher welcomed into tribal society,...

“The Convert” is a new historical action thriller, directed by Lee Tamahori, starring Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melborne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline Mckenzie, Lawrence Makoare, Dean O’Gorman, Ariki Turner and Duane Evans, now playing in theaters:

“…’Thomas Munro’, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand finds himself…

“…at the center of a long-standing battle between two ‘Māori’ native tribes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Working in his native country seems to enliven New Zealand-born director Lee Tamahori, whose best film remains his 1994 debut feature Once Were Warriors. His Hollywood career has been a mixed bag, including such clunkers as the Nicolas Cage starrer Next and the ill-fated xXx: State of the Union, not to mention Die Another Day, one of the most forgettable of recent James Bond films. Tamahori demonstrates something of a return to form with The Convert, a 19th century-set historical drama starring Guy Pearce, about an English minister who travels to New Zealand to preach at a British settlement only to get caught up in the violence between warring Maori tribes.

Like Tamahori’s 2016 feature, The Patriarch, The Convert is uneven and doesn’t fully live up to its thematic ambitions. But it’s handsomely made and thankfully avoids falling victim to white savior syndrome.

Set in 1830, the story begins with...

In this week’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo finds redemption in “The Convert.” The film follows a preacher sent to British-occupied New Zealand in the 1830s and caught up in the middle of a Maori tribal war. The Lee Tamahori (“Mulholland Falls,” “Along Came a Spider,” “The Devil’s Double”) film stars Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Jacqueline McKenzie, Lawrence Makoare, Antonio Te Maioha, and more.

Continue reading ‘The Convert’: Guy Pearce Talks About His Latest Film, ‘Memento,’ ‘The Proposition’ & More [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.

While the 1830s-set The Convert is a work of historical fiction, the filmmakers are passionate about honoring the customs and traditions of the Māori and presenting them in a historically authentic manner. Great care is taken in the costume and set design, and there are several sequences that focus intently on Māori’s war dances and grieving rituals, as well as the nuances of their language and weaponry. This makes it all the more baffling, then, that Lee Tamahori’s film chooses to center the perspective and experiences of a white British preacher, Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce), who arrives on the shores of what would become Auckland to lead a congregation of British colonists in a newly established church.

The Convert could have delved into the causes of the animosity between two embattled Māori tribes or the myriad consequences that British imperialism had on the Māori during this time period,...

“The Convert” is a new historical action thriller, directed by Lee Tamahori, starring Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melborne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline Mckenzie, Lawrence Makoare, Dean O’Gorman, Ariki Turner and Duane Evans, opening July 12, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Thomas Munro’, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand finds himself…

“…at the center of a long-standing battle between two ‘Māori’ native tribes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

"Only blood redeems blood. Magnolia Pictures has debuted the US trailer for a film called The Convert from New Zealand, made by Kiwi filmmaker Lee Tamahori. He used to make big Hollywood action movies for years, then went back to New Zealand to make more intimate dramas about his homeland - I loved his last one The Patriarch from 2016. Tamahori’s new action-filled historical epic stars Guy Pearce as Thomas Munro, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand who finds himself at the center of a long-standing battle between two Māori tribes. A lay preacher arrives at a British settlement in 1830s. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes. In addition to Pearce, this also stars Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne as Rangimai, Antonio Te Maioha,...

Magnet is bringing an intense trailer for Lee Tamahori’s action drama The Convert to theaters and on-demand on July 12, 2024, but not before footage from the film spills blood online. The gripping tale of survival stars Guy Pearce as Thomas Munro, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand who finds himself at the center of a long-standing battle between two Māori tribes. The Convert trailer is ambitious and brutal, displaying a power clash for control over land and loyalty.

Lee Tamahori’s The Convert premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 as part of a special presentation. Before the screening, festival organizers released the following description of the film:

As the tall ship carrying preacher Thomas Monro (Guy Pearce) arrives on the shores of the settler town of Epworth, he enters a world he could scarcely have imagined. Despite the growing colonial British...

Lee Tamahori’s historical action epic The Convert has been acquired for distribution in multiple territories, including Magnolia Pictures in North America for a July 12 release date.

The film world premiered at Toronto International Film Festival, and stars Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline McKenzie and Lawrence Makoare.

UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment has also closed deals with Germany’s Capelight Pictures, Spain’s Divisa Red, WW for Benelux, Front Row Entertainment in the Middle East, Monolith Films for Poland, Arna Media for Cis and the Baltic States, Blitz for Ex-Yugoslavia, Ascot Elite for Switzerland, The Film Group for Greece and Cyprus,...

Since his breakthrough 1994 feature Once Were Warriors, a troubling and fiery coming-of-age story indie set in New Zealand’s Maōri community, Lee Tamahori has almost exclusively resided in the realm of pulpy B-grade action cinema. From directing Pierce Brosnan’s final Bond in Die Another Day to Ice Cube in XXX: State of the Union to making a Guy Ritchie-lite actioner about Saddam Hussein’s son (The Devil’s Double), Tamahori has a strong familiarity with cheesy espionage plotlines and passable entertainment. Both sides of Tamahori’s filmography come together in his latest historical epic The Convert––results are expectedly mixed.

Presented in a decidedly prestige manner with sweeping camerawork and a plotline that decides to burn slow in building the relationships of its characters, The Convert tells of John Munro (Guy Pearce), a British preacher who is brought to the settlement of Epworth to help serve the community of settlers there.

When lay minister Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce) first reaches the shores of New Zealand in 1830, he does so on a white horse. A religious British man riding into a far-off land on his milky stallion is the picture of a white savior if there ever was one. But director Lee Tamahori has other plans for this well-spoken man of God in his blood-soaked period drama “The Convert,” his first feature film outing since 2016’s soapy “The Patriarch.”

From the onset, the stunning vistas, handsomely photographed by Gin Loane, signal the underlying theme of the narrative: Survival belongs to the strongest, a precept that grows in significance as the plot progresses. The fierce introduction to this unforgiving environment is a shot of a large bird making a smaller one its prey in one swift motion. Through such imagery, Tamahori aims to imbue the violence that permeates with a primal quality, obeying...

Stars: Jason Isaacs, Temuera Morrison, Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Dan Ewing, Jet Tranter, Mark Coles Smith, Trystan Go, Ken Jeong, Izzy Stevens, Dena Kaplan, David Roberts, Vince Colosimo, Katrina Risteska | Written by Luke Sparke, Dale Dye, Felix Williamson | Directed by Luke Sparke

Released in 2018 the Australian alien invasion film Occupation caught a lot of people off guard with the amount of action and the quality of the effects it produced on a low budget. Now the sequel Occupation: Rainfall is here, the success of the original allowing it the luxury of a $25,000,000 dollar budget. That’s about one-tenth of the Hollywood blockbusters it’s competing with. Can it hold its own against the competition, or is resistance to the Disney Empire futile?

Occupation: Rainfall picks up two years after the original and things aren’t going well for humanity and their alien allies. And we can see why right from the start,...

Temuera Morrison, Ken Jeong and some rubbery aliens team up in an Australian movie with some seriously impressive visual effects and an outrageously cliched script

It is tough to gauge what is worse about this Australian action sci-fi effort: the outrageously cliche-riddled script by writer-director Luke Sparke, or the way Sparke seems to have encouraged his cast, which includes authentically good actors such as Temuera Morrison and Ken Jeong, to deliver epically poor performances. However, credit where credit is due: on some very specific technical levels, Sparke and his collaborators have made something that looks like it had a vastly bigger budget than the Aus$25m (£13m) it’s claimed to have cost. The producers certainly got a real bargain with the visual effects, which have been deployed to create some genuinely ominous-looking alien spacecraft that have invaded Earth. These spacecraft are helmed by rubbery looking aliens with whooshy lightsaber-style...

"Something big is coming..." Saban Films has debuted a new official US trailer for an Australian sci-fi action thriller titled Occupation: Rainfall, from filmmaker Luke Sparke. This is a completely different trailer than the UK trailer we posted last week. Two years after aliens land on Earth, survivors from Sydney, Aus., fight in a desperate war as the number of casualties continue to grow. It's described as "Avatar meets Star Wars meets Independence Day," and I'll be damned if it doesn't have that kind of feeling in these trailers. From the VFX team behind The Last Jedi and Blade Runner 2049, Sparke's Occupation: Rainfall is a new "sci-fi action epic with an all star cast." Temuera Morrison co-stars with Ken Jeong, Jet Tranter, Dan Ewing, Lawrence Makoare, Daniel Gillies, Dena Kaplan, and Jason Isaacs. Bring on the rain! I just hope this is as kick ass as it looks! It could go either way,...

"Bring the rain." Signature Entertainment in the UK has unveiled the official UK trailer for an Australian sci-fi action thriller titled Occupation: Rainfall, from filmmaker Luke Sparke. Two years after aliens land on Earth, survivors from Sydney, Australia, fight in a desperate war as the number of casualties continue to grow. It's described as "Avatar meets Star Wars meets Independence Day," which is a hell of a marketing pitch for a film that definitely won't live up to any of those (sorry not sorry). From the VFX team behind The Last Jedi and Blade Runner 2049, Sparke's Occupation: Rainfall is a new "sci-fi action epic with an all star cast." Temuera Morrison co-stars with Ken Jeong, Jet Tranter, Dan Ewing, Lawrence Makoare, Daniel Gillies, Dena Kaplan, and Jason Isaacs. This does have some massive VFX sequences, which is quite impressive, but the mash-up of unoriginal sci-fi ideas seems to be its biggest drawback.

Monster Pictures will release sci-fi Occupation: Rainfall, written and directed by Luke Sparke, January 28, 2021 on 120 screens.

The follow up to 2018’s Occupation picks up two years into an intergalactic invasion of Earth where survivors in Sydney, Australia are fighting back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount by the day, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could see the war come to a decisive end. With the alien invaders hell-bent on making Earth their new home, the race is on to save mankind.

The cast includes Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Dan Ewing, Dena Kaplan, Temuera Morrison, Mark Coles Smith, Jet Tranter, Lawrence Makoare, David Roberts, Vince Colosimo, Zac Garred, and Trystan Go, as well as Jason Isaacs as the voice of Steve the alien.

Produced by Carly and Carmel Imire, and co-executive producer Todd Williams, The film features VFX by Creative Cupids, Fin and a range of independent artists.

Trystan Go and Dan Ewing in Occupation: Rainfall.

Writer-director Luke Sparke always intended to shoot Occupation: Rainfall, the sequel to his 2018 sci-fi thriller Occupation, in three blocks.

However lengthy delays in the second and third blocks resulted in fresh additions to the cast in Jet Tranter, Mark Coles Smith, David Roberts and Dena Kaplan.

Tranter (Tidelands) took over from Stephanie Jacobson as a key leader on the human resistance who tries to end the war with aliens.

Coles Smith is a commando with Roberts as another resistance leader and Kaplan as a fighter pilot.

They joined the previously announced cast of Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo, Trystan Go, Zac Garred, Kat Risteska, Ben Chisholm, Erin Conner, Izzy Stevens and John Reynolds.

Filming wrapped in December after delays caused by a dispute with the Meaa. “With the film being so big, we always planned...

Izzy Stevens and Temuera Morrison in ‘Occupation Rainfall.’

Four weeks into the 12-weeks shoot on Occupation: Rainfall, writer-director Luke Sparke declares the sequel will be four times bigger in scale and ambition than the original Occupation.

The filmmaker is delighted with the performance of Ken Jeong, who has filmed his role as an American character who holds the key to the mystery of the rainfall.

Sparke was happy to encourage the Crazy Rich Asians and Hangover star to improvise, observing: “We let him loose to ad lib. He brings his unique style to the role, a very dry character. He had the crew in stitches at times.”

Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson, the sequel picks up two years after the intergalactic invasion of Earth as survivors in Sydney fight back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could...

“Crazy Rich Asians” star Ken Jeong is starring in “Occupation: Rainfall,” the sequel to the 2018 Australian science-fiction movie “Occupation.”

Jeong will begin shooting in early October in Australian locations including the Hunter Valley and the Gold Coast. Other cast members include Temuera Morrison (“Aquaman”), Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens, Trystan Go, Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton.

Director Luke Sparke returns to helm the sequel with Monster Pictures on board as distributors across Australia and New Zealand.

“We’re building a whole new world with ‘Occupation: Rainfall’ and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing,” Sparke said.”I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here to shoot in October.”

“Occupation: Rainfall” picks up two years into the intergalactic invasion of earth,...

Ken Jeong.

In a casting coup writer-director Luke Sparke has signed Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong to play the lead in Occupation: Rainfall.

The sequel to Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation starts a four-month shoot spanning the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs tonight.

Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens and Trystan Go will reprise their roles from the original film.

Also joining the cast for the sequel are Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton, with more names to be revealed.

Sparke said: “We’re building a whole new world with Occupation: Rainfall and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing. I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here in October.”

Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson,...

Stars: James Rolleston, Lawrence Makoare, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Xavier Horan, Raukura Turei, George Henare, Rena Owen, Pana Hema Taylor, Calvin Tuteao, Jamus Webster, Bianca Hyslop, Isabella Rakete, Matariki Whatarau, Wairangi Koopu, Jeff Ruha | Written by Glenn Standring | Directed by Toa Fraser

Hongi (James Rolleston) – a Māori chieftain’s teenage son – must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honour to the souls of his loved ones after his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains, led by Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka), Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden Dead Lands and forge an uneasy alliance with the mysterious “Warrior” (Lawrence Makoare), a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years.

I actually found The Dead Lands really entertaining. Not only is the film filled to the brim with crazy Māori fight sequences which look brutal and realistic,...

“A powerful and gripping tale of revenge” and “A powerful and primal coming of age story that’s an absolute adrenaline rush” are just some of the words of praise Peter Jackson and James Cameron have respectively given "The Dead Lands." The three-time New Zealand Film And TV Award-winner is landing stateside, and today we have an exclusive look at the bloody opening sequence of the film. Read More: King Of The World: The Films Of James Cameron Directed by Toa Fraser, and starring James Rolleston, Lawrence Makoare, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Xavier Horan, George Henare, Raukura Turei, and Rena Owen, the story follows a Maori chieftain's teenage son who must avenge his father's murder in order to bring peace and honor to the souls of his loved ones after his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery. But it won't be easy going and this opening scene shows the...

Welcome to the latest installment of Trailer Park, our (semi) regular look at the latest trailers to hit the interwebs. This weeks line-up features a bevy of the latest movie trailers including some of the most anticipateed Summer blockbusters and more, including: Terminator Genisys, Mad Max Fury Road, The Gallows, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Fantastic Four, The Visit, The Dead Lands, Monsters: Dark Continent, Mr. Holmes, Tomorrowland and Black Mass.

Terminator Genisys

When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

Mad...

One-of-a-kind action adventure film The Dead Lands is out in the UK in May. Here's a new trailer...

Here's an action film with a refreshingly different look and feel. Set in an unspecified time in New Zealand's history, it's about a young warrior (James Rolleston) and his search for the villains who killed his father and ransacked his village. The hero's journey takes him into the darkest reaches of the country, the Dead Lands of the film's title, where he encounters a fearsome, cannibalistic "monster" (Lawrence Makoare).

We caught The Dead Lands, directed by Toa Fraser, last year as part of the London Film Festival, and we were riveted by its otherworldly cinematography and brutally exciting fight scenes. 

The Dead Lands has also been praised by the likes of James Cameron and Peter Jackson; Cameron described it as "far more than just a great action movie - it's great cinema.

What 300 does to project Sparta’s glorious lust for battle upon more civilized audiences, The Dead Lands intends to do for the native Maori culture of New Zealand. All the casting is locally sourced (something 300 might have flubbed a bit), lush and exotic locales call back to “simpler” times, and character motivations boil down to animalistic assertions of alpha dominance, which are the only matters that director Toa Fraser deals with. His film might as well be re-titled History Of The Bro Pt. 1, since Glenn Standring’s screenplay never reaches past a simple-as-pie revenge arc, but historical differences do their best to assert some sort of aboriginal individuality versus just any loin-cloth strapped imitator. Key words – “do their best.”

The Dead Lands tells the tale of a Maori teenager named Hongi (James Rolleston), who seeks revenge after most of his tribe is dishonorably slaughtered by rival warriors. Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka...

World peace, even on a small scale, will never be achievable because there’s always some bastard craving the taste of blood. That’s the dilemma faced by Tane (George Henare) and his tribe who are hoping to make peace with their neighbors, but when that opposing chief’s son, Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka), arrives with a squad of warriors in tow it’s clear that war is coming. Quite soon in fact as Wirepa and his men kill Tane and his people leaving only the women and the chief’s son alive. Young Hongi (James Rolleston) is no warrior — we know because we’re told this repeatedly — but as the last man standing from his tribe he sets out after Wirepa with revenge on his mind. He follows his prey into the Dead Lands, a dense section of the forest forbidden to trespassers and home to tales of a monster who eats human flesh, but...

Dead and Buried: Fraser’s Sumptuously Filmed, Familiar Revenge Drama

Premiering at the Toronto Film Festival and snagging the distinction of representing New Zealand as the official best foreign language selection in 2014, Toa Fraser’s The Dead Lands is the first film to be shot entirely in the Maori language and to be told entirely from their character perspective (and not in their relation to white characters). That the narrative is entirely derivative, and with a brutality that will put one, peripherally, in mind of Apocalypto (yes, that Mel Gibson about the Mayans) is sometimes easy to overlook considering the film’s vibrant palette. But as well intentioned as these honorable characterizations are intended in Glenn Strandring’s script, on film they are shapeless archetypes of good vs. evil in an endless cycle of violence brought to a wishful thinker’s fantastical resolution.

Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka), the young leader of a bloodthirsty,...

Rick Grimes and and the living dead of Robert Kirkman's comic book world get a new look from artist Gilbert Hernandez in the Wizard World Las Vegas variant cover art for The Walking Dead #1. Also featured in our latest round-up are release details for The Lazarus Effect Blu-ray, as well as the trailer for The Dead Lands.

Variant Cover for The Walking Dead #1: Press Release - "Las Vegas, April 13, 2015 -- Wizard World, Inc. (Otcbb: Wizd) and Skybound, Robert Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics, today announced that Love & Rockets creator Gilbert Hernandez has drawn the seventh in a yearlong series of Limited Edition Exclusive Variant Covers of The Walking Dead #1 comic, to be provided free to all full-price attendees at the inaugural Wizard World Comic Con Las Vegas, April 24-26. Skybound’s The Walking Dead created by Kirkman, the groundbreaking, Eisner Award winning comic book series, continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Robert Kirkman's All Out War story arc from The Walking Dead comic book series packs the panels with blood-soaked action, but it also features intriguing characters aplenty, and the folks at Diamond Select Toys have captured some of the characters from All Out War and other memorable story lines with The Walking Dead Minimates Series 7, including Rick, Jesus, and Negan. In our latest round-up, we also take a look at the respective trailers and release details for The Reconstruction of William Zero and The Dead Lands.

The Walking Dead Minimates Series 7: Priced at $119.88 as a group and at $9.99 apiece, The Walking Dead Minimates Series 7 are now available from Diamond Select Toys:

"A Diamond Select Toys release! The newest series of Walking Dead Minimates is here, and this time it’s war! Featuring characters from more recent issues of the hit comic book series, this assortment...

The Dead Lands

Written by Glenn Standring

Directed by Toa Fraser

New Zealand, 2014

Set in New Zealand, long before the arrival of European colonialists, The Dead Lands sees the journey of 16-year-old Hongi (James Rolleston) as he transforms from warrior apprentice to full fledged killer under harrowing circumstances he much rather do without. The land where he has grown up was, up until recently, prospering in a much-welcomed peace, but it was not so long ago that war engulfed the neighbouring tribes. One leader, Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka), suffers an insatiable thirst to crush the wipe out the current détente and aggrandize his legacy throug whichever means available, including the senseless massacre of Hongi’s entire tribe. Left to fend for himself and seeking justice, Hongi will be call upon the help of an estranged warrior (Lawrence Makoare), some would say monster, who lives in a damned region of the...

Sorry for missing last week, dear readers, but I was so busy with work and other commitments that I had to let the column fall by the wayside. But I’m determined to not let that become a habit, and I’ve got something really cool for you this week. In this installment of Trailer Trashin’, I’m taking a look at the upcoming New Zealand action film The Dead Lands.

Premise: After his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery, Hongi (James Rolleston), the teenage son of a Maori chieftain, must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honor to the souls of his loved ones. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains led by Wirepa (To Kohe Tuhaka), Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden Dead Lands and forge an uneasy alliance with the mysterious Warrior (Lawrence Makoare...

New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures) released their new action/fantasy flick, "The Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies," into theaters this weekend. I just watched it, and thought it was very entertaining, especially the back half of it when the huge war took place as it really offered some major action fight scenes. The movie stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, the wicked Smaug dragon showed up to obliterate Laketown with lots of fire breathing action. Everyone was scrambling for their lives until...

New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures) released their new action/fantasy film, "The Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies" into theaters this past Wednesday, December 17th and all the top, major critics have turned in their reviews. It appears that they were pretty mixed, giving it an overall 59 score out of a possible 100 across 45 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. We've added blurbs from a couple of the critics, below. Brice Ingram at the Chicago Sun-Times, gave it a very good 88 score,...

New Line Cinema recently dropped this new IMAX featurette/movie clip (below) for their upcoming "The Hobbit 3: The Battle of the Five Armies" action/adventure/fantasy flick, and it features a ton of new, cool scenes from the movie, along with short interview clips with some of the castmembers. They talk about how they'll miss working with each other as the series comes to an end. They also talk about the beautiful IMAX experience and more. Check it out,below. The movie stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick,...

Glenn here. If you had ever wondered what a pre-colonial New Zealand western may look like, Toa Fraser's The Dead Lands just may be it. The film's story of revenge taken by a Maori chieftain's son after the slaughter of his tribe and family is very typical fodder for the western genre, but with its use of indigenous languages (a language that itself has been slaughtered throughout history) mixed with local mythology and lore, the film proves an entirely unique proposition. It's only the third foreign language submission in the small island nation's history, and the first to be set before white settlement. I spoke to the director last week, just a few days before his film received the biggest haul of nominations at the New Zealand Film Awards. The Dead Lands received 14 nominations and will face stiff competition from the inspirational chess drama The Dark Horse with 13. We...

Recently, New Line Cinema dropped this new,2nd TV spot/movie clip (below) for their upcoming "Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies," and it looks quite intense and drama-filled, giving us new looks at some heavy sword fighting, arrow shooting, and more. Check it out,below. The movie stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, an Enraged, Smaug will rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin will sacrifice friendship...

Recently, New Line Cinema dropped this new, 2nd movie trailer (below) for their upcoming "The Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies," and it looks ultra intense and dramatic as Bilbo and the rest of the dwarves are seen,engaging in more heavy battle action. There's some romance that's featured, along with Bilbo still using the magic invisibility ring, and more. Check it out,below. The movie stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, an enraged Smaug will rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men,...

Recently, New Line Cinema released this new movie poster for their upcoming "The Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies" action/fantasy movie, and it gives us a new look at the great wizard, Gandolf The Grey, in up close action. He looks quite serious and focused as usual. As for the movie, it stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new movie, an Enraged Smaug is going to rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure,...

Recently, New Line Cinema dropped this new movie poster for their upcoming "The Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies" action/fantasy flick, and it gives us a new look at main hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, looking as intense as he wants to be, wielding a very sharp sword. He definitely looks like somebody that shouldn't be messed with. The movie stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, an Enraged, Smaug is going to rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Exclusive: Xyz Films and General Film Corporation has sold North American rights of the Toronto Film Festival film The Dead Lands to Magnet Releasing. The New Zealand-set action-thriller was directed by Toa Fraser, scripted by Glenn Standring and produced by Matthew Metcalfe and Standring. James Rolleston, Lawrence Makoare, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Xavier Horan, George Henare and Rena Owen star. Magnolia’s Magnet will release in theaters next year and the deal was brokered by Magnet’s Peter Van Steemburg and Xyz’s Nate Bolotin.

Pic was shot in Auckland and the central North Island of New Zealand. Rolleston stars as a Maori chieftain’s teenage son who must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honor to the souls of his loved ones after his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery. Vastly outnumbered by the band of villains, Hongi’s only hope is to...

Recently, New Line Cinema delivered this new movie banner (above) for their upcoming "Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies," and it looks quite epic to say the least, featuring just about every major character in action. As for the movie, it stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, an enraged Smaug will rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin will sacrifice friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo's...

Exclusive: Toa Fraser’s action-thriller sells to UK, Germany and China, among others.

Xyz Films has closed a raft of deals led by a UK sale to Icon Film Distribution on The Dead Lands, already seen by press and industry and received its world premiere on Sept 4.

Rights have also gone to Ascot Elite for Germany, Movies Inspired for Italy, Fabula Films for Turkey, Falcon for the Middle East and Hgc for China. The Jokers previously acquired rights for France.

Toa Fraser’s New Zealand-set action-thriller is based on a screenplay by Glenn Standring, who produced with Matthew Metcalfe, Norman Merry and Tainui Stephens.

The film was shot on location in Auckland and the central North Island of New Zealand and follows a chieftan’s son who sets out to avenge his father’s murder.

James Rolleston from Boy stars alongside Lawrence Makoare, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Xavier Horan, George Henare and Rena Owen.

Ian Dawson at [link...

How does a film that features some of the most gorgeous landscapes on earth, buff, exotic warriors, and dollops of Aboriginal mysticism end up being a dull viewing experience? I’m not sure I can put my finger on a precise answer, but the makers of The Dead Lands manage to pull it off.

After the men in his village including his chieftain father are slaughtered, teenager Hongi (James Rolleston), despite being inexperienced and inept in the ways of warfare, sets out after the treacherous rival tribesmen responsible for the deed. Hongi learns of a place called the Dead Land, an ostensibly evil realm from which no one returns, which is occupied by a monster who kills and eats all who dare enter it. Conferring with the spirit of his dead grandmother (Once Were Warrior’s magnificent Rena Owen), he decides to enter the Dead Land to solicit the assistance...

As has been the case with all of Peter Jackson's films (especially where Middle-Earth is concerned), the previous The Hobbit film, The Desolation of Smaug is getting an extended edition. Warner Bros. have now announced the details on the upcoming blu-ray, which includes 25 minutes of extra footage, and you'll be able to get it in your hands just in time for the final film in the trilogy. Come inside to check out all the details!

I loved the Extended Edition versions of all the Lord of the Rings films. They were great and added in some content that genuinely fleshed out characters and storylines...Yet, I've had very little interest in seeing more of The Hobbit films. For the most part, this is due to the fact that I feel The Hobbit films have been bloated from the get-go. There are plenty of scenes in both of these movies...

Recently, New Line Cinema served up this new,official movie photo from their upcoming "The Hobbit 3: The Battle Of The Five Armies," and it gives us a new look at all the Dwarves suited up and ready to do some hardcore battling. As for the movie, is stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new film, an enraged Smaug is going to rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin will give up...

This past weekend, "The Hobbit 3: The Battle Of Five Armies" spoiler panel hit up the huge 2014 Comic-Con event in San Diego,CA to drop this new, first movie trailer (below) for the movie. It looks pretty intense and action-filled as more danger goes down with the huge Smaug dragon, and more. Check it out,below. The movie stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, an Enraged, Smaug will rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure,...

Recently, New Line Cinema served up this new movie poster for their upcoming "The Hobbit 3: The Battle of the Five Armies" action/drama flick,and it looks very extreme, featuring a very angry Smaug surrounded by fire and on the attack while a lonely hobbit looks on. As for the movie, it stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Lawrence Makoare, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O'Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, an Enraged, Smaug will rain his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin...

The 39th Toronto International Film Festival has announced its initial slate of galas and special presentations, which includes 37 world premieres and several films with Oscar ambitions. The Judge, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as a big-city lawyer who reluctantly returns home and ends up defending his revered father (Robert Duvall) against criminal charges, will have its world premiere in Toronto. His Avengers pal, Chris Evans, will unveil his own directorial debut in Toronto, titled Before We Go.

Also noteworthy: James Gandolfini’s final film, The Drop, which also stars Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace; another Jason Reitman Toronto world premiere,...

The Toronto International Film Festival announced its initial wave of 2014 premieres and galas this morning and it features some familiar awards titles, some big stars and some unexpected studio titles. Among the major studio films, David Dobkin's "The Judge" with Robert Downey Jr. and Antoine Fuqua's "The Equalizer" each received gala slots and should premiere over the festival's opening weekend. Other announced galas so far include Bennett Miller's acclaimed "Foxcatcher," which debuted at Cannes, and Mike Binder's "Black and White" starring Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer and Anthony Mackie. Toronto has also scheduled special gala screenings for David Cronenberg's "Map to the Stars" with Julianne Moore and Robert Pattinson, François Ozon's "The New Girlfriend," Ed Zwick's "Pawn Sacrifice" with Tobey Maguire, Lone Scherfig's "The Riot Club," Jean-Marc Vallée's "Wild," Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano's "Samba" and Shawn Levy's "This is Where I Leave You...