M. Night Fans » Dev Patel

UNpopular opinion: The Last Airbender

Rohan — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:05:54 +0000

A friend, Paul Gagne who writes for Joblo.com has written an interesting article under their ongoing column called ‘Unpopular Opinion’ which features different takes on films that either writer hated, but that the majority of film fans loved, or that the writer loved, but that most others loathed. The film in question is ‘The Last Airbender.’ We all know about the negativity which is surrounding the film. Some loved the film and some hated it. Everyone has their own opinion, right? — But what’s really interesting about Paul’s take on ‘The Last Airbender’ is that he has the spotlight from a different angle and that pretty much explains it all in my opinion. It’s an interesting read and thanks to Joblo.com and Paul letting me share the article with the rest of Shyamalan fans.

“So, my final take on the film is that it stepped up to the plate with emotional arcs for the two main characters, great special effects and impressive fight scenes, great set design and costumes, and just a hint of socio-political undertones.”

Paul Gagne – Joblo.com

Hit the jump here to read the full article.

Shyamalan embraces inner kid

Rohan — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 02:45:18 +0000

M.Night Shyamalan is known for spine-chilling thrillers with ghoulish final-frame twists like in The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and The Village. But director M Night Shyamalan says he loved getting the chance to be a big kid again when making his latest film ‘extravaganza’ The Last Airbender.

Based on a hit children’s TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender, the film in which the world is at war and its fate lies in the hand of one small boy. ‘I think each artist thinks of themselves at a certain period of their life and a little bit of me perceives me as a ten-year-old a lot,’ Shyamalan tells AAP from his home in the US.

‘You see it, even in my darker pieces – there’s always a perspective from that age group. Whether it’s Unbreakable when he sees his father in a certain way, obviously in The Sixth Sense and also in Signs which tells the kid’s point of view of what’s going on.

‘It’s always feathered in there. ‘The Last Airbender tells the story of a primitive world which is being threatened with extinction by the Fire Nation, who aims to annihilate the more peace-loving nations of Air, Water and Earth.

But then a ‘waterbender’, who is still learning to control her powers, discovers the long-lost Aang – not only the world’s last airbender, but an avatar sent to save the earth.

It was Shyamalan’s own children who introduced him to the captivating TV series which inspired the big-budget, CGI-assisted, 3D film. ‘Usually people are getting stabbed in all of my movies,’ Shyamalan laughs.

‘It was fun to make a movie that the whole family was a part of from beginning to end. ‘(My kids) were hanging out (on set) and they’re friends with the cast and when I come home, the cast is at my house – it was like that kind of atmosphere.

‘It was a very emotional, fun time – kind of being a kid and doing something for the family and families and thinking with a different part of my brain. It was a soul-enriching kind of thing.’ Wrapping the movie and saying goodbye to the young cast was a tough day, Shyamalan says.

‘It’s always emotional at the end of a movie, but that one in particular was hard,’ he says. Shyamalan is hoping to get the green light on a sequel to The Last Airbender, but he doesn’t think his darker film-making days are over. ‘As the kids grow older and become teenagers, I’ll start to make movies for them at that age, and soon they’ll be adults and we’ll be making only thrillers again,’ he laughs.

‘But it’s nice to make movies for your kids while you have kids.’ The director always had it in his mind to create an alternate world on film, but he acknowledges that in transforming the hit TV series for the big screens he is under a lot of pressure from hard-core fans to get it right.

‘They know the width of the arrow on the head and all that stuff,’ he says. But it was a story that should always have been told on a grand scale, he argues.

‘The ideas were so cinematic … it felt like it was almost too big for what it was before,’ he says. Shyamalan says he had always considered CGI effects to be his ‘arch nemesis’, but he embraced them for this film and soon learned to love them.

‘I’m glad I don’t see it as an enemy anymore,’ he says.

‘I’m a technophobe a little bit. I think it’s just my old curmudgeon ways of not wanting to change, more than anything else.

‘But spending all this time working with CGI I’ve really come to love it as an art form … I think I’ve learned a new tool for the belt.’ Shyamalan, who describes himself as a ‘minimalist film maker’ doesn’t envisage a CGI-dominated movie like Transformers on his horizons.

‘I think when I go back to doing other movies I’ll be able to use it as a tool, but it will still have a minimal part of the story-telling process,’ he says.

Shobha De’s reponse to Dev Patel

Rohan — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 19:53:24 +0000

Who is Shobba De? – In the 1980s, Shobba contributed to the Sunday magazine section of the Times of India, she used to explore the socialite life in Mumbai lifestyles of the celebrities. At present, she is a freelance writer and columnist for several newspapers, magazines and just recently she tweeted to Dev Patel and advising the “Slumdog” star on how and why some big Bollywood stars decided to stay in Bollywood and rejecting offers from Hollywood because Dev Patel calls Hollywood racist.

I don’t know much about Dev Patel, but based on his remarks about Hollywood being racist and him getting offers to play steriotypical roles is the voice of an amateur actor. He doesn’t know that his acting abilities isn’t much to talk about yet and in my opinion the actor should be careful before murdering his career. Hindustan Times published the article recently which puts the spotlight on Dev Patel’s remarks and what they think of Hollywood.

The 20-year-old actor from London, frustrated by the lack of decent roles on offer, called Hollywood “institutionally racist”, according to The Telegraph.

“Because Slumdog was such a big hit, there was a lot of pressure in terms of what I did next,” said the actor, whose latest film The Last Airbender was also caught in a racist row. “And all I was getting offered were stereotypical parts.”

“Asian actors tend not to be sent challenging Hollywood scripts. I’m likely to be offered roles of a terrorist, cab driver and smart geek… I want to show that I have versatility,” he added. Patel said he was still hoping to overcome prejudice. “I’m buzzing with adrenaline and raring to go, but I have to be realistic. Being an Asian actor, it’s never going to be easy. Hopefully the industry is changing and the casting directors will be less focused on colour, so that people like myself can get through the door.”

Meanwhile, author Shobha De tweeted in response to Patel’s comment, saying: “Bachchoo Dev Patel calls Hollywood racist. Why do you think SRK, Big B, Salman, Aamir have stayed away? Badshahs here, cabbies there. Got it, Dev?”

Shyamalan promises ‘darker’ sequel to The Last Airbender

Rohan — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:44:44 +0000

OPENING in UK cinemas this Friday, August 13, is M. Night Shyamalan’s new fantasy film The Last Airbender.

The filmmaker has revealed he already has two further instalments in mind in what’s envisaged as a potential franchise.

The movie is based on the children’s animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, with the Avatar part dropped for the big screen because of James Cameron’s sci-fi epic of the same name.

The story follows the adventures of a young boy called Aang in a world divided into four nations, representing Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

In this first film, the Fire Nation has waged a campaign for global domination and it’s only Aang, as the Avatar, who can manipulate all four elements and restore balance to the world.

Despite the challenges of the film and the criticisms of racism over his casting choices, Shyamalan hopes the movie does well enough for him to develop the story in further instalments.

“If I get the opportunity to make the second and third movies, I’ll be much more certain about how to approach it in terms of characters and feel confident in how to use all these things as tools, the CGI, the extras and the costumes,” he told us.

He adds he wants the story to become more “operatic” as it evolves. “In the second part, which is my favourite, it gets darker, things go wrong and Aang makes a lot of bad choices. I love that as a second act of the story.”

Shyamalan was responsible for adapting more than 30 hours of stories into this first release and plotted the film on boards for a year before cameras started rolling.

He explained: “I knew from the moment I put the first words on the page that, to do a movie of this complexity, you have to put the work into it. I was scared to death every day of shooting, as it could be so overwhelming, and there were so many unknowns.”

That included working with computer-generated imagery (CGI), something he once described as his “nemesis”.

“I’m a firm believer in limitations,” he said. “I think CGI is a way of saying anything’s possible, we can fix anything, we can change the colour of your eyes and that takes you away from who you are, as you need limitations, so it’s a very scary process to go into.

“I had to put my own limitations on myself and on the movie and say we’re not going to use CGI here, we’re going to build it and we’re just going to show a glimpse in the edges of frames, like tails of creatures leaving and things like that. It’s a tricky thing, you have an obligation to the fans and an obligation to cinema.”

A stickler for authenticity, Shyamalan moved production to the icy landscape of Greenland for the film’s early scenes, a feat that brought its own problems, such as how to keep everything and everyone from freezing.

But it wasn’t the CGI or sub-zero conditions that proved Shyamalan’s biggest challenge; that accolade went to the 6,000 extras brought in for the film’s epic scenes.

“I didn’t expect the extras to be such an ordeal,” says Shyamalan. “I’m concentrating on the main actors but behind them is someone mugging for the camera and you’re going ‘Cut! Who are you? Why are you doing that?’”

He says pouring all his energy into the fantasy blockbuster has taken its toll: “I’ve only just finished the film and I’m as tired as I ever have been in my life. I’ve basically been making movies since I was 10. Every single day, I’ve done something to do with movies, and never once felt this feeling.

“Maybe I’m getting old, I don’t know. It felt like it took every little bit out of me to hold it together.”

But despite the exhausting challenges, he’s ready to move forward.

“There’s a great quote from a yoga master I met who said, ‘In life you should burn brightly and then let it go’,” he says. “And right up until the last second I will tweak the film and then they say, ‘You’ve run out of time’ and you let it go.”

He’s as philosophical when asked about the highs and lows of his career, for while The Sixth Sense received critical acclaim, his subsequent films have failed to live up to expectation.

“There’s no scenario where you don’t feel pressure,” he says. “Say a movie does really well, do you feel less pressure the second time? And say a movie fails, do you feel less pressure the second time? What scenario don’t you ask that question?” he says.

He believes he has the advantage of living on a farm in Pennsylvania, far from the epicentre of the film industry in Los Angeles. “For me I am so isolated. I close the door on my farm and write and come out with something and I’m so incredibly lucky to make original movies,” he said.

“When we made The Sixth Sense in 1999, the industry was all original material. We had Being John Malkovich, American Beauty, The Matrix and The Blair Witch Project. Every single movie that was dominating cinema was by an original filmmaker with an original point of view and clearly that’s not the case today.

“But every movie needs to be beautiful and fantastic for me and I hope the audience will see the beauty in it too.”

Dev Patel had injuries on Airbender set

Rohan — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:39:14 +0000

Dev Patel‘s fight scenes in new movie The Last Airbender were so realistic he was left covered in bruises after each day of filming.

The Slumdog Millionaire star plays a martial arts expert in the action film, and underwent hours of gruelling rehearsals to make the fighting as lifelike as possible.

The shoot left Patel nursing several injuries, but he is adamant the stuntmen suffered even more – because he kept accidentally punching them in the face.

He tells Britain’s Mail on Sunday, “We did this whole sequence of 30 fight moves in one take. I had this flurry of fists coming at me. It was like being in The Matrix, an incredible adrenaline rush. There were broken bones and bleeding noses every day.

“I caused a few minor injuries when I’d miss my cue and one of the stunt guys would run into my fist or something. There’d be days when I was covered in bruises… Luckily, I avoided any kicks to the groin. I try to avoid those if possible!” »

Dev Patel defends ‘bender’ phrasing

Rohan — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:08:25 +0000

Dev Patel has defended the use of the term “bender” in The Last Airbender.

The film, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, is about a boy who can control the four elements – earth, wind, fire and water. In the movie, the boy is referred to as a “bender” and in one scene, his aunt says: “I knew from the first time I discovered that you were a bender that this would be your destiny.”

Patel, who plays a young prince, said of the term: “When I came onto the movie, I was like, ‘Really’? Benders?’”

Asked why he did not inform the director of the British slang connotation of the word, he told The Times: “It was too integral to the movie. We couldn’t call them fire or air manipulators. It would have been moving too far from the source material.”

The Last Airbender hits the theatres on August 13 in UK.

Source: www.digitalspy.com

M. Night Shyamalan, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone and Dev Patel on Last Airbender

Specter — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:57:49 +0000

The Last Airbender Interviews – M. Night Shyamalan, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone and Dev Patel talk about bringing the cartoon to the big screen with Reelz Channel.

Dev Patel talks Last Airbender role, Prince Zuko

Specter — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:47:43 +0000

HitFix interviewed Dev Patel about The Last Airbender and he spoke very frankly about filming, including what it was like to be cast only a month before the start of shooting the film.

“It’s Impossible to learn a proper martial art in a month, Patel said. “But it came a lot easier than dancing in ‘Slumdog,’ that’s for sure.”

Patel went on to describe how his part in the film sometimes coincides with moments in his personal life, with critics “summarzing” his life and career “in one sentence.”

He also touched on how the “controversy” around race and the casting for the film isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, mentioning that filming was like “walking through Heathrow Airport.”

-via HitFix

M. Night Shyamalan Probably ‘Pulling His Hair Out’ Editing ‘Last Airbender,’ Says Aasif Mandvi

Specter — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:00:41 +0000

“I’m sure he’s pulling his hair out somewhere in an edit room, but that’s the process,” laughed Aasif Mandvi, who plays Zhao, a nefarious member of the Fire nation and the rival to Dev Patel’s Prince Zuko.

“There’s a lot of martial arts, there’s a lot of really cool special effects and CGI and action,” explained Mandvi, who stopped by to chat with MTV News during the red carpet premiere of the Jude Law-starring “Hamlet” production on Broadway.

We’d chatted with Mandvi back in June on the “Airbender” set, when the actor and comedian seemed much more willing to talk about the production. This time around, when it came to talk of the set design, all he’d say was, “It’s going to look really cool and I know exactly what it’s going to look like and I’m not telling you!”

So Mandvi was being a little more tight-lipped this time around, but he did share some of his experiences working alongside Patel, of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame.

“He’s a black belt,” said Mandvi, who’s best known for his work on “The Daily Show.” “That kid knows his martial arts, so they needed to help me. I was the old guy on set who was like, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing here.’”

Did Dev share any butt-kicking tips? “He taught me how to cheat at ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,’” he said in a sly reference to “Slumdog.” “That’s really all he taught me.”

-via MTV Splash Page

Movie Trailers – Movies Blog

Last Airbender Poster featuring All Four Elements Bending

Specter — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:09:09 +0000

Wow, I can’t wait to see this split up into four separate images of bending!

The upper left quadrant features Aang, airbending. The upper right quadrant features Zuko firebending. The lower left quadrant features Katara waterbending, and Sokka standing beside her. And the lower right quadrant features a mystery earthbender, who is potentially Bumi!

See a larger version at Last Airbender Fans

M. Night Fans » Dev Patel

UNpopular opinion: The Last Airbender

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