Peek a BOO… the SPOOKY season is upon us…. iIt’s Halloween!
We’re well into October, the month of Halloween, and to get you in the mood, we’ve put together a list of 10 movies, apart from the usual Hocus Pocus/Frankenstein fare.
Also be sure to check our Halloween ‘Spookymeter’ before watching a movie from the recommended list, to decide if it’s super scary, scary, or not so scary.
The House With A Clock In Its Walls (2018)
Spookymeter: Not-So-Scary – Fantasy – Kids and Family
Cast: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro
Synopsis: Based on the children’s classic written by John Bellairs, this magical adventure tells the spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis, who goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking noise.
The Mortuary Collection (2019)
Spookymeter: Scary – Haunted House – Male/Female 18+
Cast: Tristan Byon, Eden Campbell, Clancy Brown
Synopsis: What’s better than an Anthology of Horror tales at this time of the year? A young drifter is hired as a mortician and learns a series of twisted tales about the place from an eccentric senior mortician.
The Wolfman (2010)
Spookymeter: Scary – Monster Movie – Male/Female 16+
Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins
Synopsis: Joe Johnston’s remake of universal’s classic monster movie ‘The Wolfman’ about an American bitten by a werewolf and eventually cursed by it. It offers intense visuals in a mysterious castle filled with love, murders, and monsters.
Corpse Bride (2005)
Spookymeter: Not So Scary – Animation – Kids and Family
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson
Synopsis: When a shy groom practices his wedding vows in the inadvertent presence of a deceased young woman, she rises from the grave assuming he has married her. A must watch hilarious ageless classic.
Candyman (2021)
Spookymeter: Scary – Urban Legend – Male/Female 16+
Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Tony Todd
Synopsis: The sequel to the 1992 horror film returns to the now-gentrified Chicago neighborhood where the legend first began. Revisiting or watching the 1992 movie as a precursor is highly recommended.
Us (2019)
Spookymeter: Scary –Mystery – Male/Female 16+
Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Synopsis: Jordan Peele’s (Get Out) underrated gem, about a family’s beach vacation that turns to chaos when their doppelgängers appear and terrorize them. The storyline is full of wacky twists and surprises which makes it a must watch for Halloween.
The Night House (2021)
Spookymeter: Super Scary – Haunted House – Male/Female 18+
Cast: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Evan Jonigkeit
Synopsis: In a haunted house on a lake in upstate New York, a grieving widow encounters her dead husband and begins to uncover her recently deceased husband’s disturbing secrets. The movie, directed by David Bruckner, is the one for the new age horror lovers.
Brightburn (2019)
Spookymeter: Scary – Supernatural- Male/Female 16+
Cast: Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, Jackson A. Dunn
Synopsis: Do all the superhuman babies grow up to be heroes? What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, proves to be something far more sinister?
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Spookymeter: Not-So-Scary – Comedy – Kids and Family
Cast: Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd
Synopsis: We all watch the 1984 classic as part of our Halloween celebrations. This year, director Jason Reitman brings a new take to franchise. The movie tells the story of two kids discovering their connection to the original Ghostbusters. In cinemas 18 November 2021.
Hereditary (2018)
Spookymeter: Super Scary – Cult – Male/Female 18+
Cast: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Gabriel Byrne
Synopsis: The secret ancestry of a family is revealed over the course of the movie. The more they discover, the more they uncover the sinister fate they seem to have inherited. Want more from the same director? Check out Midsommar (2019).
Have yourself a heart-pounding and unnerving Halloween!
Source: IMDB and YouTube
How many action movies would you say had that one one well choreographed and epic fight scene? Here are our top five picks of the best action scenes from Hollywood!
At the core of any action film should be that one truly impressive action-sequence… one which isn’t just about the action, but so much more. The sequence itself should have a story, with elements such as timing, level of impact and how the characters embody that scene.
But what are the key ingredients at play beneath all the punches, kicks, and bloodshed?
Here are five of our favourite action sequences from Hollywood that bowl us over and leave us in awe, even today!
1. Opening Freeway Attack – Deadpool
Deadpool’s hilarious opening battle on the freeway sets the tone of the film. It works on its own as an independent action scene, but with the wit and fourth-wall shattering wisdom of Deadpool overlaying the action, it gives a fitting introduction of the movie to its audience. Deadpool also makes creative use of the vehicle’s cigarette lighter as he counts down his bullets with manic glee.
2. Superheroes Face Off – Civil War
The superhero battle at the airport in Civil War is the realization of every comic book fan’s lifelong dream. Complimented by exceptional CGI and character performances, this scene is one of the most entertaining fights ever put on film. Civil War offers a thrilling fight, where one finds themselves rooting for both sides.
3. The Bank Vault – Fast and Furious Five
The scene where Dom and Brian pull the bank vault through the streets, while using it as a weapon against crooked cops is fun, destructive, unique and thrilling – all at the same time! What makes this installment of the Fast & Furious franchise a cut above the rest is the filmmaker’s ability to successfully craft the scene in a manner where each character knows exactly how to own specific moments of that scene.
4. Jack Sparrow vs. Will Turner Sword Fight – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
There is a finesse to the sword fight scene between Jack and Will. The amalgamation of the witty banter and commendable choreography – the use of loose floorboards, improvised weapons and emphasis on every twist and reversal, complements each other and keeps audiences hooked from start to end.
5. Zero G Hallway Scene – Inception
The rotating hallway dream fight in Inception is pure creative choreography by Christopher Nolan and the team., for it is one of the few modern action sequences to rely solely on camera effects. The intense sequence which sees the actors fighting against time and gravity has us sitting on the edge of our seats, wanting more.
Action scenes might be the most exciting to watch , but they are also some of the most complicated to shoot. Capturing a fight on film requires carefully executed techniques in order to make it exhilarating, realistic, and safe for all involved. Below is a list of action films slated for release in 2021, which we believe have epic action sequences to offer:
Godzilla vs. Kong (March), Mortal Kombat (April) , Sooryavanshi (April), Fast and Furious 9 (June), Top Gun: Maverick (July), K.G.F: Chapter 2 (July), No Time To Die (October), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (November) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (December)
Contact a member of our sales team for advertising opportunities alongside these upcoming action blockbusters!
Sources: Wikipedia, YouTube, IMDB, Amex Essentials and Screen Rant
In a world with chaos all around, comedy is a saviour for all!
Scientifically, when we laugh, our body releases the chemical Endorphins – the body’s natural ‘feel-good’ chemical, and there’s truly nothing better than a hearty laugh to get these hormones activated.
Everyone enjoys a good comedy film from time to time, and here are four reasons why this genre is loved by all:
Stress-buster:
Be it a long day at work or school, the best way to unwind is by watching something light and funny. There is something about the punch lines, witty sense of humour and the extremely important timing and style of delivery by the actor/actors in question. There are so many facets to comedy, which makes us laugh and relax our nerves.
Develops a sense of humour:
Watching a comedy not only helps us feel relaxed and rejuvenated, but also supports in developing a sense of humour as our surroundings influence us and play a major role in our day-to-day interactions. Having a sense of humour is an essential life skill. Not only does it help us cope during difficult times in life, especially now with the outbreak of COVID-19, but also helps us increase productivity, leadership skills and even improve cardiovascular health!
Studies show that watching a movie of this genre can improve your blood pressure and keep it at an ideal level for up to 24 hours. In 2011, Oxford University conducted an experimental research with a sample set of candidates and concluded that those who watched comedy movies after experiencing painful stimuli had better pain tolerance as compared to those who did not watch comedy movies.
Makes us better people:
Comedy helps us keep our health in check, contributes to our personality and plays a big role in our day-to-day lives. Humour is a form of coping mechanism for many, while doing so it also adds to our wit, spontaneity and leadership skills. In a survey conducted by Robert Half International, 91% of executives believed that having a good sense of humor is important for one’s career advancement, while a majority of the respondents said that a good sense of humour and work ethic are two vital qualities they look for in a good leader.
A Great Pass Time:
One of the main reasons we watch movies of this genre is because it is a great way to pass time. They are highly entertaining but they also keep us occupied! As per research on Statista – Most popular movie genres in North America from 1995 to 2020, by total box office revenue, comedy is the fourth highest revenue-generating genre (34.38 billion dollars) in the US, behind Adventure, Action and Drama. Additionally, as per research conducted by Motivate Val Morgan in 2017 – Cinema 360, comedy is one of the highest watched genres in the UAE, with 82.5% inclined towards watching comedy at the cinema.
Below are the comedy titles set to release in 2021:
Tom & Jerry – February 2021, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar – February 2021, Coming 2 America – March, 2021, Marry Me – May 2021, Rumble – May 2021, Free Guy – May 2021, Minions: The Rise of Gru – June 2021 and Boss Baby: Family Business – September 2021.
Please Note – Movie release dates are subject to change.
Contact a member of our sales team for more information on cinema advertising opportunities alongside these comedy blockbusters.
Sources: Scientific American, Motivate Val Morgan, Maps of India, Statista, IMDB, Movieweb, WeForum, QZ, Forbes, Seat42f and Moviefone.
Like it or not, we are all stuck inside the house these days as a result of the coronavirus crisis, and whether working from home or just chilling, it’s good to take a cinematic break
With cinemas closed and blockbusters-in-waiting – postponed for later this year or all the way through to next year, thankfully, there are many movies offering some form of escape during this time of distress.
Here’s a list of 100 amazing movies to watch in the comfort of your home:
When you need something out of this world
When you need a change in scenery
When you need family bonding time
When you need a belly laugh
When you need a good scare
When you need a super-duper hero
When you need a history lesson
When you need a great movie
When you need a not-so-great movie
When you need your heart warmed
Enjoy!
Source: US Today
Motivate Val Morgan Cinema Update 2019
Since opening the doors to its first cinema in the capital city of Riyadh in 2018, Saudi movie-goers can’t seem to get enough of this unique entertainment platform.
The Kingdom had 6.6 million cinema visits in 2019, and the 2020 pipeline is on track to meet this growing demand, with new locations set to open in Jubail, Taif, Al-Ahsa, Dhahran, Hail and other cities across the Kingdom.
As for the rest of the region in 2019, cinema exhibitors continued to maintain steady growth by investing in the opening of new locations and growing their circuit of innovative cinema experiences.
2019 was also the first year to have nine films cross the billion-dollar milestone (globally), surpassing 2015’s and 2018’s record of five billion-dollar films. Additionally, Disney (not counting Marvel or Star Wars) saw four films cross US$1 billion (globally) – the studio’s highest amount in any calendar year.
Motivate Val Morgan witnessed an increase in integrated cinema campaign bookings in 2019 – covering both on and off screen advertising, and welcomed a range of first-time advertisers to our list of clients.
Cinema is undoubtedly the ultimate platform for memorable storytelling, for it helps advertisers target specific audiences, builds deeper audience engagement and delivers valuable incremental reach when added as part of a larger media mix.
Click HERE to access the report and contact us to make cinema an integral part of your media plan in 2020!
Scary movie junkies, rejoice! The year ahead is packed with fright fests that will have you peeking over your shoulder and checking to make sure all the doors are locked — as all good horror movies should.
From modern adaptations of literary classics – Hansel and Gretel and The Turn of the Screw, to new installments in fan-favorite franchises – The Grudge and The Conjuring, and intriguing original tales, the slate of upcoming horror movies offers something for fear seekers from all walks of life.
Here’s a list of the most anticipated upcoming horror movies with release dates set over the course of next year:
The Grudge (January 02, 2020)
Andrea Riseborough will star in this reboot of The Grudge franchise, releasing early next year as a detective investigating the case of a young mother who murdered her entire family.
She later discovers that the mother was influenced by an angry ghost seeking revenge, as is the M.O. of the franchise. Nicolas Pesce, who recently made his directorial debut with the black-and-white horror film The Eyes of My Mother (2016) has been hired to direct the movie as well as rework a draft of the script that the studio has been working from.
Underwater (January 09, 2020)
Underwater hasn’t had the easiest road to theaters. Shot back in the spring of 2017, it’ll be almost three years later when the Kristen Stewart-fronted horror film makes its way into theaters on January 9th, 2020.
The movie follows a crew of underwater researchers who must scramble to safety after an earthquake devastates their subterranean laboratory. Trapped and running out of oxygen, they have to navigate through two miles in the dangerous depths of the ocean floor to make it to safety. Think of it as Armageddon (1998) meets The Abyss (1989).
The film is written and directed by William Eubank who also directed The Signal (2014). It stars Kristen Stewart as Norah Price, Jessica Henwick as Emily, T.J. Miller as Paul, Vincent Cassel as the Captain, and John Gallagher Jr.
The Turning (January 23, 2020)
Henry James’ novella The Turn of the Screw is one of the most popular and influential ghost stories ever written, and it’s been adapted for the screen numerous times. In 2020, the classic tale will get a new, modern take from the director of The Runaways (2010) – Floria Sigismondi with The Turning.
This version of the story will be set in modern Maine, but will still tell the story of a governess (Mackenzie Davis) tasked with caring for two young children (Finn Wolfhard and Brooklynn Prince) after the deaths of their parents. As she settles in for the job, she begins to suspect the mysterious estate where the family is living may be harboring a number of dark secrets, and may in fact be haunted.
Gretel & Hansel (January 30, 2020)
Starring IT franchise alum Sophia Lillis as Gretel and Silent Hill‘s Alice Krige as the child-eating witch, this twisted retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm story is rife with established horror talent. Journey into the dark wood alongside director Osgood Perkins – I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016) for a flipped take on the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale in which Gretel takes the lead and there’s isn’t a gingerbread house in sight.
Fantasy Island (February 13, 2020)
Based on the classic 1970s TV series, Fantasy Island will rely on the same basic premise as the show: People from all over the world travel to a mysterious island where guests can live out their wildest fantasies — for a price. Except this time, there will also be a killer on the loose. Michael Peña will star as the island’s enigmatic host Mr. Roarke, a role originated by Ricardo Montalban.
The Invisible Man (February 27, 2020)
This new take on H.G. Wells’ classic novel will take a curious approach to the source material, which follows Elisabeth Moss as a woman who rebuilds her life after her invisible ex-boyfriend commits suicide, before discovering that her partner might not be dead. It’s a fresh take on the popular story, and one that hopefully provides an interesting spin on the familiar story. It’s also benefitted by being Leigh Whannell’s follow-up to his exceptional sophomore feature, last year’s Upgrade.
A Quiet Place: Part II (March 19, 2020)
After the first film exceeded expectations at the box office, A Quiet Place (2018) screenwriters and director John Krasinski decided to return to the silent but deadly world.
Krasinski is back to direct and Emily Blunt is also returning to reprise her role as Evelyn Abbott, a mother trying to protect her family in a world overrun by large creatures with hypersensitive hearing.
Others reportedly joining the cast include Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou.
The New Mutants (March 19, 2020)
This long-delayed, horror-centric X-Men spin-off has undergone extensive reshoots — reportedly to at least somewhat better integrate it into the Marvel Cinematic Universe — since Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in March 2019. But its underlying storyline has seemingly stayed the same. The film, starring Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy and Antonio Banderas, centers on a group of young mutants who are being held against their will inside a secret facility that’s running horrific tests on them.
Candyman (June 11, 2020)
Jordan Peele, the mastermind behind Get Out (2017) and Us (2019) continues his foray into the world of horror with a “spiritual sequel” to Bernard Rose’s 1992 cult classic Candyman, which explores issues of race and class in America. The original movie stars Tony Todd as the titular hook-handed bogeyman, who, according to urban legend, is the undead son of a slave who has haunted Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing project since being lynched for having a love affair with a white woman in the late 1800s.
This time around, Todd will return alongside Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who, despite reports to the contrary, director Nia DaCosta – Little Woods (2018) says isn’t taking over Todd’s original role.
The reboot was co-written by Peele and Win Rosenfeld, whose joint production company, Monkeypaw Productions, is producing alongside MGM Pictures.
The Purge (July 09, 2020)
Prepare yourself for yet another government-sanctioned night of lawless violence in The Purge 5, the fifth installment in the horror franchise set in a near-future United States where any and all crime is legal for one 12-hour period per year.
It’s still unclear whether the Everado Gout-directed Purge 5 will be another prequel like 2018’s The First Purge, or explore the fallout from the election in 2016’s The Purge: Election Year.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (September 10, 2020)
The third official installment of The Conjuring series and the eighth movie in the Conjuring universe won’t have series architect James Wan in the director’s chair. Those duties are being handled by Michael Chaves, the director of The Curse of La Llorona (2019).
The movie stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are reprising their roles as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The plot centers around the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who stabbed his landlord to death in the middle of a drunken struggle and claimed in court that he was possessed by a demon.
*Please Note – Movies release dates are subject to change
Which horror movies are you most looking forward to watch in the coming year?
Sources: Looper and Screenrant
Commissioned by Motivate Val Morgan – market leader in cinema advertising across the Middle East, Ipsos – global market and opinion research specialist, recently conducted a study to decipher movie-going audiences and measure the effectiveness of cinema advertising in the UAE.
The report, Cinema 360: Audience, Advertising and Movies, examines the following:
1. Cinemagoers: habits and preferences
2. Cinema vs TV and Digital Mediums
3. Movie genre insights for specific audience targeting
The study validates the distinctive power of cinema as a medium for entertainment and advertising: premium first-run content, delivered to a captive and engaged audience, in an impactful environment, can deliver significant uplift and value to advertising budgets.
Access the reports below:
Executive Summary, Methodology and Overview
Key Findings and Takeaways for Advertisers
If characters are the new movie stars, then the franchise is the new coin of the Hollywood realm. This is the POWER of a film franchise!
Movie studios live or die by how many franchises – connected universes, sequel factories and spin-off machines they have in their stable.
Research proves films that are part of a franchise continue to perform at the box office.
Two examples from this year:
1.Captain America: Civil War
The follow up to Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Worldwide box office grossing of $1,151,684,349.
Ranks 3rd in UAE’s Top Movie performances in 2016.
Captain America: Civil War (May 2016)
2.Finding Dory
The follow up to Finding Nemo.
Worldwide box office grossing of $1,017,531,402.
Ranks 4th in UAE’s Top Movie performances in 2016.
Finding Dory (June 2016)
J.K. Rowling recently announced at a Warner Bros. event that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (originally set as a trilogy) would now expand across five movies.
The first film is scheduled for release later this year, and the second film is already in the works (slated for release in November 2018). David Yates will be returning as director, with the script written by Rowling herself. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne has signed on to play Newt Scamander in all of the five films.
Fantastic Beasts is a spin-off to the Harry Potter Universe which is one of the highest grossing franchises of all time with $7.7bn in global box office earnings.
With two of the year’s biggest titles still to come, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Nov 17) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Dec 15), expect even more box office records to be broken – both locally and internationally.
Advertise your brand alongside two of the most anticipated movies and well-known movie franchises. Contact a member of our Sales Team for more information on cinema advertising opportunities.
Sources: The Numbers, Box Office Mojo, Los Angeles Times and MVM Research
