Latest news with #PorkyPig
Time Out
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
End of an era as Cavendish cinemas close
It was, perhaps, inevitable that this day would come. But the news this week that Ster-Kinekor will close its cinemas in the Claremont shopping centre, Cavendish Square, marks the end of an era. From high school dates to family outings, the cineplex at Cavendish Square has long been part of the fabric of the city's southern suburbs. Once famous for its plush seats, a choice of Cinema Nouveau downstairs and more commercially-minded 'flicks' up top, and the luxurious seating of the Cine Prestige, it seems Ster Kinekor did pretty much everything they could to keep us coming back to the silver screen. And it didn't work. Not even the prospect of 3D screens could pry us off the couch and into the cinema again. In the face of rising costs, Covid, and all-pervasive streaming services, the writing has been on the wall for some time and it was perhaps only a matter of when, not if, the price (ever-increasing) of selling movie tickets and popcorn could cover hefty rents in Cavendish Square. It turns out the 'when' is Monday, 2 June: this will be the last day of trade for Ster-Kinekor at Cavendish Square, and the screens will go dark. The lights will go up, the popcorn swept from the floor, and movie-goers will file out into the light one last time. I'll miss the after-credits chats about whether the movie was any good. I'll miss the lingering taste of sour cream and chives (always, the sour cream and chives) popcorn salt. I won't miss the outrageous cost of said popcorn, or the people who check their phones and take calls (who does that?) in the middle of the movie. 'While this chapter closes, we're firmly focused on the future and are actively investing in our current cinema complexes,' Ster-Kinekor said in a statement released this week. '[This will] ensure that every visit to watch a movie at one of our Ster-Kinekor theatres delivers a truly exceptional movie-going experience, every time.' The question is: do we still want that kind of movie-going experience? Or are we happier on our own couch? Given that the Cavendish closure follows in the wake of cinemas shuttering in Johannesburg and Durban, that remains to be seen. Perhaps we'll be jolted into a wave of nostalgia that has us rushing back to the cinema? Or perhaps we'll just fire up the flat-screen at home and make our own microwave popcorn instead. Sadly, it'll never be as good as that sour cream and chives. Whether you'll miss it or not, come the end of Monday, the days of the silver screen at Cavendish come to an end. As Porky Pig (and later Bugs Bunny) would famously remind us at the end of each Looney Tunes cartoon: 'That's all folks!'
Geek Vibes Nation
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie' Blu-Ray Review - A Gift For Classic Looney Tunes Fans
A brand new buddy comedy starring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck! This richly-crafted, hand-drawn 2D animated adventure marks the first fully-animated feature-length film in Looney Tunes history, told on a scope and scale that's truly out of this world. For in-depth thoughts on The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, please see my colleague Phil Walsh's review from its original theatrical release here. Video Quality The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie comes to Blu-Ray with a sterling 1080p transfer. The level of care and precision these animators put into every unique environment really flourishes here. The texture of the classic character designs and the environments are impressive and give the film a real sense of dimension within its traditional 2-D origins. The fluid nature of the character designs is one of the reasons this film stands out in HD. Viewers are treated to a vibrant array of colors that radiate off the screen with the wide range of hues saturating every inch of the frame. Black levels are incredibly strong with no instances of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. This transfer is every bit as wonderful as a modern animated film should be on Blu-Ray. Audio Quality This Blu-Ray makes the most of its Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track which gives this story a solid presentation. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever getting overshadowed by the competing music or sound effects. This track puts a focus on the front channels for a significant chunk of the sounds, but activity extends to the surrounds and rears during the more looney and action-oriented bits along with the musical soundscape. The low end effects from the subwoofer give memorable sequences that extra push to ramp up the fun. Music maintains a flawless fidelity as it flows through the room. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered creatively within the mix so that directionality is never in question. While we wish this were a full lossless track, Ketchup Entertainment has delivered a fine audio experience for this one. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided. Special Features Trailer (1:01) Final Thoughts The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a welcome throwback to old-school Looney Tunes sensibilities thanks to the sumptuous 2-D animation and its deft mixture of wit and broad gags. The narrative does not try to overindulge on fan service by including a deluge of familiar faces from the greater universe; the film trusts the star duo to anchor the proceedings, and they do so effortlessly. Even with the short runtime, the film does begin to feel a bit long near the end, but the movie has built up enough goodwill by this point that you forgive these minor shortcomings. Ketchup Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a sterling A/V presentation but almost nothing in the way of supplemental materials. If you love the characters, you will at least have a great time with this entry. Recommended The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Ketchup Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie' Gets Max Streaming Date
The aminated film The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is coming soon to streaming on Max. Directed by Pete Browngardt, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie marks the first fully-animated feature-length film in Looney Tunes history. It was released in theaters on March 14 before arriving on digital streaming via premium video on demand on April 15. The official summary of the 2D hand-drawn movie reads, 'Porky Pig and Daffy Duck venture to the big screen as unlikely heroes and Earth's only hope when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Faced with cosmic odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!) ... that is if they don't drive each other totally looney in the process.' Warner Bros. Discovery recently announced in a press release that The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie will make its streaming video on demand debut on its Max streaming service on Friday, June 27, and will begin airing on HBO linear on Saturday, June 28, at 8 p.m. ET. Eric Bauza voices both Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, while Candy Milo voices Petunia Pig and Peter MacNicol voices The Invader. The voice cast also includes original Saturday Night Live star Laraine Newman as Mrs. Grecht and Wayne Knight as the Mayor. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie was distributed by Ketchup Entertainment and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Viewers who don't have Max — which will soon revert to its original name, HBO Max — have a choice of three streaming packages. The ad-based package is available for $9.99 per month, while the ad-free package is $16.99 per month. Max also has an ad-free package that includes 4K Ultra HD programming for $20.99 per month. Director Pete Browngardt told IndieWire in a November 2024 interview that The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie presented a great opportunity to pair up Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. It goes to most classic buddy comedies and how it always seems to work, this sort of wacky, out-of-control, off-the-cuff character, and the more grounded, sensible character,' Browngardt told IndieWire. 'And I just was always amazed that it never got old. You can always throw them in a modern situation and figure out how to make them funny. 'Daffy is just sort of the greatest cartoon character in a way. He can play so many personalities, he's so versatile. He's loony,' the director added. 'But then he became a greedy a------ when Bugs needed an adversary, and that was relatable. Some people prefer the old one, but I like them both. They both served their purpose.' The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie will arrive on streaming on Max on June 27 and will debut on HBO linear on June 28 at 8 p.m. ET.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New movies streaming this week: 'Captain America: Brave New World' and 'The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie' now available
Porky Pig and Daffy Duck are back. In The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, the duo (and a few other familiar friends) return to the big screen thanks to Ketchup Entertainment after Warner Bros., the longtime steward of the iconic characters, chose to sell off the film rather than distribute it themselves. The new Looney Tunes movie is just one of several newly available to stream this week, including Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World, starring Anthony Mackie as the titular hero and Harrison Ford as the president of the United States. Eephus, a quietly profound indie gem about baseball that is ultimately about life itself, is now available at home, as is the English-language debut of acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar, The Room Next Door, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, which heads to Netflix on Saturday. The Order, an underrated based-on-true-events thriller with an A-list cast including the likes of Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult, makes its way to Hulu. Here's what to know about the movies newly available to stream as of this week, and where you can find them. Click on the links below to jump straight to a specific movie:Marvel's latest Captain America movie was the highest-grossing movie of 2025, until A Minecraft Movie dethroned it faster than you can say 'chicken jockey'! In the film, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, sporting the superhero's suit and shield) finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Harrison Ford turning into Red Hulk was the centerpiece of the film's marketing campaign, which is a real shame considering the movie treats it as a late reveal, and most of the audience is likely already aware that's what's happening. That means that for most of the movie, it's just Ford taking pills to stop from Hulking out, which isn't very exciting to watch. It's also a bizarre artifact in terms of how it fits into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe — not only is it a stealth sequel to 2008's The Incredible Hulk, but it also requires you to have watched the Disney+ series The Falcon & Winter Soldier to fully grasp who some of the key characters are. The final product is poorly assembled and visually muddled, but fans of the MCU who missed it in theaters and want to stay up-to-date ahead of Thunderbolts* now have their chance. How to watch: Captain America: Brave New World is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and other video-on-demand platforms. Rent or buy The Day the Earth Blew Up is the first-ever feature-length movie in the 96-year history of Looney Tunes that is 100% animated. Every other Looney Tunes movie has a live-action element; think Space Jam or Brendan Fraser in Looney Tunes: Back in Action. Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, the classic animated odd couple, star in the film and turn into unlikely heroes when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Against all odds, the two are determined to save their town, and the world, if they don't drive each other crazy first. Both kids and adults are likely to find it funny throughout, and the stunningly beautiful hand-drawn animation will make you wish more kids fare looked more like this. How to watch:The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and other video-on-demand platforms. Rent or buy The Order might be the best movie you haven't heard of 2024, and it's finally easily available to watch. Based on the chilling true story, the movie follows veteran FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law) as a string of violent robberies in the Pacific Northwest lead him to discover a white supremacist plot to overthrow the federal government. It's gripping from the start and never lets up, features terrific performances from some of its leads as well as all the recognizable actors in supporting roles. It deftly mines a ripped-from-the-headlines story from a different era for the elements that make it relevant today. It's as bleak as it is thrilling, so be forewarned. But if you're into police procedurals or movies about manhunts, this is a great one to put on your list! The Order is now streaming on Hulu. Stream on Hulu An 'eephus" is one of the rarest pitches thrown in baseball, known for its exceptionally low speed and ability to catch a hitter off guard. Typically, an eephus is thrown high in the air, resembling the trajectory of a slow-pitch softball toss. As a character in the movie describes it, it's a pitch that feels like it goes on forever yet somehow is still gone too fast. Sound familiar? Eephus is movie about baseball that functions as just a pure love letter to the sport but also as a metaphor for life and the bitter end of the things that we love. As an imminent construction project looms over a beloved small-town baseball field, a pair of New England rec-league teams face off for the last time. Tensions flare and laughs are shared as an era of camaraderie and escapism fades into an uncertain future. It's a movie that's both celebrating and mourning the end of an era, as these men are set to lose what binds them together. It's a hangout movie not concerned with plot, quietly profound and powerful, and if you weren't romantic about baseball beforehand, you might just be afterward. Eephus is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and other video-on-demand platforms. Rent or buy Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton star in The Room Next Door, Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language film It follows Ingrid and Martha, who were close friends in their youth when they worked together at the same magazine. After years of being out of touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation: When Martha faces the prospect of her life ending due to terminal illness, she turns to Ingrid to ask for a not so simple favor. It's a movie about accepting death featuring two characters with different views on the subject, and the uniquely human quality of having the ability to make choices in life. It's a beautifully crafted knockout that will sneak up on you if you let it, though some may bristle at the odd intonation and pacing of the dialogue. There's a poetry to the language, though, and there are some undeniably moving sections and the usual Almodóvarian bright, colorful imagery. Fans of his won't want to miss it, even if it never reaches the highs of some of his previous works. The Room Next Door starts streaming April 19 on Netflix. Stream on Netflix Bonus: Wolf Man is now available on Peacock, and Companion, which I recommended a few weeks ago, is now on Max.
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie' New On Streaming This Week
The animated feature The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is premiering on digital streaming this week. Based on Warner Bros. Animation's famed Looney Tunes cartoons, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a 2D hand-drawn animated film and the first fully animated feature-length film in Warner Bros. Animation's Looney Tunes history. Directed by Pete Browngardt, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie debuted in theaters on March 14. The summary for the movie reads, 'Porky Pig and Daffy Duck (both voiced by Eric Bauza) venture to the big screen as unlikely heroes and Earth's only hope when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. "Faced with cosmic odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!) ... that is if they don't drive each other totally looney in the process.' In addition to Bauza, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie stars the voices of Candy Milo as Petunia Pig, Peter MacNicol as The Invader, Laraine Newman as Mrs. Grecht and Wayne Knight as the Mayor. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Ketchup Entertainment. Prime Video has the release date for The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie listed for Tuesday, April 15. In addition to Prime Video, the film will be available for purchase for $24.99 or rental for 48 hours on various digital platforms including Fandango at Home and AppleTV. In a March 14 interview with United Press International, Eric Bauza — who voices Porky Pig and Daffy Duck in The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie — was confident that the film captured the essence of the Looney Tunes cartoons from the 1940s. "This one definitely leans into more of the Bob Clampett era of the Porky and Daffy shorts, right down to the look of just how they are designed," Bauza told UPI. Candy Milo — who voices Petunia Pig — said the reason the era was captured in the film was due to the passion director Pete Browngardt and the creatives at Warner Bros. Animation have for the Looney Tunes of that era. "There are people that get that '40s sensibility and Pete Browngardt is one of them," Milo told UPI. "We also have Sam Register at the helm at Warner Brothers [Animation] and he loves the 40s Looney Tunes." 'The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie earned an 87% 'fresh' rating based on 94 reviews from Rotten Tomatoes critics, while audiences gave the film an 89% 'fresh' score on RT's Popcornmeter based on 500-plus verified user ratings. In theaters, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie has earned nearly $8.7 million domestically and $2.2 million internationally for a worldwide gross of $10.9 million. The film had a $15 million production budget before prints and advertising, per The Numbers. Rated PG, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie arrives on PVOD on Tuesday.
