Since a month ago, Annihilation can be seen on Netflix overseas, but today the release on Blu-ray, DVD and UltraHD was announced for USA. It will be May 29 (digital May 22). the official website has the details, and these are the covers:
As is well known, China will be the third (and the last) country in which Alex Garland’s film will be released in cinemas. It will be next Friday, April 13, and this is the local poster for the movie:
It’s been a quiet week in Natland. No great news or photos. even so, we have a few tidbits that are worth it:
-Natalie was about to appear the Boston Calling Festival last year, but she could not attend to it due to other commitments. This year, however, it seems that we can see a series of events curated by her. We will soon know what it is about. At the moment, Natalie herself confirms it in her Instagram account:
-According to The Playlist, Xavier Dolan’s The Death and Life of John F. Donovan will not enter into the official section of the next Cannes Festival. Everything seems to indicate that the movie delays its release until the fall festivals.
-Finally, Annihilation will be released in Chinese theaters next week, and the forecast at the box office are quite good: $ 10 million in pre-sale tickets, with forecasts of about $ 20 million the first weekend. To compare with other similar films, Arrival got 15 million and Blade Runner 2049, 11 million. It would be really ironic if Alex Garland’s film collected more money in the Asian country than in the USA.
The Set Decorators Society of America website has a great illustrated article on Annihilation, in which we can see a few new stills of the film:
It’s been a while since I saw so much creativity with a movie starring Natalie. Leon, V for Vendetta, Black Swan and the Star Wars prequels were the most loved by the fans so far, but I think Annihilation is next on this short list. Here we have a new batch of fan art seen on instagram and Tumblr in recent days:
Definitely, Annihilation is a movie that doesn’t leave anyone indifferent, and is generating a lot of creativity and amazing fan art images in social media. These are just a few examples of this:
One of the most praised aspects of the film by Alex Garland is its imaginative visual effects, made by Double Negative Company. VFX supervisor Andrew Whitehurst has been interviewed for Art of VFX about his work in the movie, and the article shows us interesting photos (before and after) of the great work done:
Quiet is the tonic in Natland these last days, but that doesn´t mean that there aren´t a few tidbits…
-The release of Annihilation on Netflix last week has been a rebound in popularity of the film overseas. Alex Garland’s movie is the second most popular film in IMDB right now, just behind “Avengers: Infinite Wars”. China is the only country where it has not yet been released, but today it has been known that the film will be on April 13th there.
–IndieWire has an article that speculates about the films that will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival next May, and The Death and Life of John F. Donovan is one of the rumored ones:
Some rumors suggest the movie is in contention for an opening night slot, and it certainly would seem to fit in there, although it would also come as no surprise if it’s the sole Canadian feature in Competition
-Finally, here we can see a compilation video that makes a fairly complete summary of all the appearances of Natalie in film and TV. It is really curious to see her evolution as an actress for almost 25 years, summarized in a few minutes. Enjoy:
Annihilation has been almost a week released on Netflix, and many of you will have occasion to see it. Natalie makes a powerful perfomance in it.
It is, without any doubt, a beautiful film, perhaps irregular and imperfect, but ambitious and with a powerful subtext, which has all the elements to become a cult film. The first step is usually the imagination of the fans, who gives free rein to their creativity in the form of a fan art. Here we have a few posters that show us:
Before I give my brief thoughts on Annihilation, if you’ve seen the film please check out this fascinating and fantastic deep dive into the themes of the film.
In comparison, mine is going to be surface level impressions at best and with only minor spoilers). So, let’s begin…
To start with, I am a big Alex Garland fan. I’ve always loved his writing and his first film Ex Machina was my favourite film of the year it was released. I haven’t read the novel, but I was definitely primed for something special.
Today is the day: Annihilation debuts on Netflix in all countries except North America and China. As a veteran cinephile who has seen thousands of films in cinemas over the past decades, it´s a real shame to have to see and discover a great movie like this on a television instead of a theater, but, in return, surely a large part of the audience will be able to enjoy it in a short space of time. It´s a sad precedent that can affect future medium budget films, that are risky, or try something different. Guy Lodge reflects on this in an article for The Guardian.
Anyway, here is the film, finally, and it is undoubtedly an artistic and critical triumph. A new step in Natalie’s successful and eclectic career.
We have a few photos to celebrate it:
It’s been a quiet week in Natland, but here we have a few tidbits…
-It seems that there was a test screening of “The Death and Life of John F. Donovan” on Wednesday in USA, and some first reactions have appeared on Letterboxd. It’s likely that we can finally see the film by Xavier Dolan in the coming months (Cannes maybe?).
-Earlier in the week we were able to see Natalie on the set of Vox Lux. Here we have a Instagram video and a couple of new photos from that day:
Paramount released a new Annihilation featurette yesterday, focused on adapting the book to the screen. In the video, we can see new images of the film, and a few concept arts as well:
Alex Garland’s movie is giving a lot to talk about: its suggestive images and scenography have generated many interesting articles in the specialized media. These are the best (most of them with spoilers, so be careful those who have not seen the movie):
Rolling Stone: In Praise of ‘Annihilation’ and the Modern ‘Weird’ Sci-Fi Renaissance
The Hollywood Reporter: What ‘Annihilation’ Gets Right About Scientific Horror
Cinema Blend: 10 Big Differences Between The Annihilation Book And Movie
Slashfilm: The Original ‘Annihilation’ Script Featured a Very Different Ending
The latest science fiction thriller by the extraordinary Alex Garland is definitely not going to be for everyone. It is a massive risk taker whose results will enchant or alienate any that watch it. This review is for those who have watched it, so you can either relive the experience, or perhaps see why some critics and viewers are obsessed with what is being called a very different film. Here is my take on Annihilation, and why it is sensational. Of course, be aware that there are fully descriptive spoilers ahead.
This is the “Annihilation” week in Natland, and we have a few more news about Alex Garland’s film…
-Here are a few more great stills and behind the scenes images of the movie:
Natalie and Gina Rodriguez star in a great photo for the last issue of People Magazine, on the occasion of the Annihilation release, the film by Alex Garland. Enjoy:
Annihilation opens today in 2,012 theaters in the USA and Canada. If you are a North American fan of Natalie, you should not miss the opportunity to see this movie in theaters. It’s without a doubt a unique experience. We await your opinions in the comments section. While we wait for it, we have a new featurette and a film clip:
Read More
For all of us who live outside of North America and China, our only chance to see Annihilation is on Netflix. Today, the well-known streaming platform has become official the film’s release date (March 12), and has launched a new poster and trailer. Here they are:
The embargo is over, and finally we have the first Annihilation reviews, and they are mostly great!
The Hollywood Reporter: “Scary and beautiful”
The Guardian: Natalie Portman thriller leaves a haunting impression
USA Today: ‘Annihilation’ shines as an ambitious, if freaky, sci-fi treat
