From Captain Marvel to Pirates of the Caribbean, the film industry brought $1.4 billion to San Bernardino and Riverside Counties since 1995. This income is unlikely to continue as the film industry has been “hit hard,” says Dan Taylor, President of the Inland Empire Film Services. Taylor previously served as the Liaison for the San Bernardino Film Commission and the Deputy Director of the Inland Empire Film Commission. His primary role is to help production companies obtain filming permits and provide a resource center where they can hire local people and vendors.According to him, the film industry brought in $50 million to the Inland Empire last fiscal year. A number the region is … [Read more...] about Dan Taylor discusses COVID-19’s impact on the local film industry
film
Double the Fyre, Double the Fraud
Within days of one another, both Hulu and Netflix released documentaries that covered the 2017 infamous Fyre Festival disaster that scammed thousands of attendees, staff members and investors. Eventually, it resulted in a $100 million dollar lawsuit against festival founder and con artist, Billy McFarland. Long story short: self-proclaimed entrepreneur, Billy McFarland—with the help of confused Fyre Media employees, Jerry Media strategists, event planners, numerous supermodels, perplexed Bahamian staff members, and a questionably sober Ja Rule—announced the debut of an extremely luxurious festival that was to be located on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma. Customers who purchased … [Read more...] about Double the Fyre, Double the Fraud
Blade Runner 2049: 35 Years in the Making
Blade Runner 2049, the long-anticipated sequel to the 1982 cyberpunk classic, Blade Runner, is now in theaters. Lovers of the original story are sure to enjoy the stunning computer generated imagery that is guaranteed to dazzle audience members into a science fiction haze. The film follows the story of a Blade Runner and new model Replicant who simply goes by K. The film starts with him, hunting down an older model Replicant and then transitions into a completely different story. For those who are not familiar with the story, here is what you need to know: Blade Runner 2049 takes place on Earth in the year 2049. The atmosphere is reflective of a dystopian environment that is … [Read more...] about Blade Runner 2049: 35 Years in the Making
04 Movie Review: The Accountant
By Nylles Vernon |Staff Writer| Ben Affleck stars in his newest film, "The Accountant," in which he plays Christian Wolf, a mathematical genius that adjusts the books for dangerous criminals while being a trained killer and marksman. During one of the coolest scenes of the movie, young Wolf is frantically putting together a puzzle at an neuroscience institute. As the shot widens, it shows Wolf putting the puzzle together upside down with the graphic portion facing the floor, revealing an image of the legendary boxer, Muhammed Ali. Even though Note: Better transition here! Although he was emotionally distant from others throughout the film, Wolf had a few moments of compassion … [Read more...] about 04 Movie Review: The Accountant
Cannes Film Festival
By Natalie Padron |Staff Writer| Cannes legendary actor, Jean-Pierree Léaud, who debuted in 1959, will be presented with the honorary Palme d’or (French for Golden Palm) award at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. The event once known as the International Film Festival, until 2002, is now the Festival De Cannes, as they say in French, and it previews footage of upcoming films that cover the whole spectrum of genres. This annual invitation-only gathering of talents was founded in 1946 and put into action in 1947 with films from 16 different countries. There are 21 possible awards to be given out, and the most prestige one being the Golden Palm, which has only been given out once to … [Read more...] about Cannes Film Festival
London gets bloody gory
By Andrea Jimenez | Staff Writer | "London Has Fallen" was not my favorite film, but I cannot say that it did not keep me in suspense, while shedding a couple tears as my deepest thoughts went to the lives lost in the many terrorist attacks that have impacted our lives and made history rise. Following the mysterious death of the British prime minister, the world's leaders gathered in London to pay their respects. Before they kneel down and say their last goodbye, the city of lights quickly arose in massive explosions, becoming the city of gore. Decapitation seemed to be the main theme in this action filled sequel, as terrorists had no mercy on anyone, leaving puddles of flesh and … [Read more...] about London gets bloody gory
So much hype and nothing to show
By Cassie Coughlin |Staff Writer| In an effort to promote "Zoolander," the king of fashion Derek Zoolander strutted down the runway of the 2015 Paris Fashion Week, but his performance couldn't prevent the film from flopping in the box office it's opening weekend. In a report by Rotten Tomatoes, the film gained a 34 percent like score from audience viewers, and a 22 percent Tomatometer score, which is the percent of critics who gave the film a positive review. Even though the film didn't do as well as expected, there was plenty of hilarious advertisement material leading up to the release. Promotion for the film began when main characters Derek, played by Ben Stiller, and Hansel … [Read more...] about So much hype and nothing to show
Amazing trailer, terrible movie
By Jose Alvarez | Staff Writer | Our former governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, stars in a disappointing film. “Maggie” is a horror-drama film that has been playing in select theaters since its limited release on May 8. Critics believe the only reason that this film has been getting any traction is because of Schwarzenegger’s iconic name. The plot goes as follows: Maggie, played by Abigail Breslin from “Zombieland,” is a teenage girl who gets infected and slowly transforms into a zombie. Maggie’s father Wade, played by Schwarzenegger, is now faced with a difficult decision, either send Maggie to the quarantine zone where she will be killed, or kill his own daughter. I felt that one of the … [Read more...] about Amazing trailer, terrible movie
Love is almost found again in “The Longest Ride”
By Tiffany Moyes |Staff Writer| Many filmgoers thought the glory days of movies based on Nicholas Sparks books were over, until now. “The Longest Ride” follows the love story of Sophia (Britt Robertson) and Luke (Scott Eastwood), two young kids from North Carolina, who met by fate at a rodeo. Their lives would never be the same after saving the life of an elderly man. Their personal struggles and determination place a decent backdrop to the true love story of this film. The latest adaptation of one of the many Sparks novels has no new surprises in what they market, but the true surprise is what they don’t tell you after failing to captivate audiences the last two times … [Read more...] about Love is almost found again in “The Longest Ride”
“Unfriended” is not your typical horror film
By Jose Alvarez | Staff Writer | “Unfriended” is a low budget film that has been making a lot of noise around CSUSB lately. The movie was released on April 17 with what seemed to be low expectations from everyone. If you ask me, the movie was pretty decent. What’s unique about the film is that we, the audience, view it as if it were a Skype call. The screenwriter, Nelson Greaves, used an unknown spirit that invades the Skype transmission. The plot goes as follows: Laura Barns was a victim of cyber-bullying after a video was posted online of her passed out at a party. After the embarrassing video was uploaded on YouTube, another video was posted of … [Read more...] about “Unfriended” is not your typical horror film