Entertainment News
09/03/2010
Woo awarded Golden Lion for lifetime achievement
(AP)
 AP - John Woo built his reputation with stylish Hong Kong action thrillers, then moved to Hollywood where he directed such big-budget blockbusters as "Mission Impossible II."
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09/03/2010
Ne-Yo on T.I.: 'He makes a lot of poor decisions'
(AP)
 AP - Ne-Yo says T.I. has had many chances — and it's time he gets his act together.
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09/03/2010
Coppola checks back into Venice for "Somewhere"
(AP)
 AP - Sofia Coppola gives audiences an insider's look into two worlds she knows intimately in her latest film: hotels and Hollywood.
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09/03/2010
Top directors headlining Telluride film fest
(Reuters)
 Reuters - Directors Peter Weir, Danny Boyle, Mark Romanek and Errol Morris will headline the Telluride Film Festival, the annual Labor Day holiday weekend event that kicks off Friday in the Colorado mountain resort.
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09/03/2010
Venice festival honors Chinese director John Woo
(Reuters)
Reuters - The Venice film festival on Friday honored Hong Kong director John Woo, one of the few Asian filmmakers to enjoy box office success in Hollywood as well as at home.
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09/03/2010
Hollywood updates Facebook in lineup of fall movies
(Reuters)
 Reuters - "Social media" is among today's most popular catch phrases thanks to the success of, among other things, networking website Facebook -- the favored way for today's youth to communicate on a global level.
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09/03/2010
Sofia Coppola takes insider's look at Hollywood A-lister
(Reuters)
 Reuters - Sofia Coppola's latest movie is a Hollywood insider's look at the life of an A-list actor -- five star hotels and Ferraris, adoration and sexual advances, but also loneliness, tiresome media attention and boredom.
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09/03/2010
Box Office Preview: 'Machete' should dominate
(AP)
 AP - Twentieth Century Fox's "Machete" is set to slice up the competition as director Robert Rodriguez's star-studded extravaganza will likely dominate the weekend with a Friday through Monday total of around $16 million.
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09/03/2010
Brendan Fraser to co-star in 'Elling' on Broadway
(AP)
 AP - Brendan Fraser and Denis O'Hare will star in the comedy "Elling."
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09/03/2010
Jury struggles with actress' marriage fraud case
(AP)
 AP - A federal jury weighing whether a Mexican-born actress committed marriage fraud has ended a second day of deliberations without reaching any verdicts and has expressed discord in its ranks.
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09/03/2010
Stranded actor Paul Hogan in Australia tax deal
(Reuters)
Reuters - Actor Paul Hogan, star of the "Crocodile Dundee" movies, has struck a deal with Australia's tax office which will allow him to return home to his family in Los Angeles, his lawyer said on Friday.
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09/02/2010
Toronto film fest boss stays cool under pressure
(Reuters)
Reuters - The famously unflappable Cameron Bailey is looking a touch puzzled, and has for weeks.
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09/03/2010
Vivid Entertainment: A new business model for porn
(Reuters)
Reuters - If the new "Date Night" DVD had sold only 25,000 copies, there would have been hell to pay for studio executives. But for Steven Hirsch -- or anyone else in the adult entertainment business, for that matter -- that figure represents a blockbuster.
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09/03/2010
'Crocodile Dundee' to return to US amid tax fray
(AP)
 AP - Actor Paul Hogan, star of the "Crocodile Dundee" movie trilogy, has been cleared to return home to the United States after he was barred last month from leaving Australia because of a disputed tax bill, his lawyer said Friday.
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09/02/2010
Beautiful people look good in "Norwegian Wood"
(Reuters)
Reuters - The fact that "Norwegian Wood" is based on Haruki Murakami's 1987 international best-seller should encourage many viewers to give this long, elegantly shot, sporadically involving Japanese film a try.
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09/03/2010
'Gone with the Wind' child actress dies at 76
(AP)
 AP - Cammie King Conlon, the former child actress who portrayed the doomed daughter of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind," has died at the age of 76.
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09/03/2010
"Black Sheep" a strong debut for Italian raconteur
(Reuters)
Reuters - Most of Ascanio Celestini's theater productions consist of him sitting in a chair, captivating audiences with monologues that combine great wit, historical commentary and genuine despair over a range of social injustices.
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09/02/2010
Schnabel ponders Palestinian conflict in "Miral"
(Reuters)
Reuters - Sure to excite curiosity thanks to the reputation of director Julian Schnabel ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly") and its controversial topicality, "Miral" dramatically but unevenly explores the lives of four Palestinian women during the years of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
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09/03/2010
Dolphins herded in Japanese cove but none killed
(AP)
 AP - Japanese fishermen herded dolphins into a cove made famous by an Oscar-winning documentary about the hunt but did not kill any Friday, as conservationist groups ramped up scrutiny of the annual slaughter.
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09/03/2010
Liam Neeson, "A-Team" director reteam for drama
(Reuters)
Reuters - Liam Neeson is in negotiations to reteam with his "A-Team" director Joe Carnahan for the survival drama "The Grey."
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Indie News from Cinematical
09/02/2010
Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig and Anne Hathaway to Join 'Friends with Kids'?
Filed under: Comedy, Independent, Casting  Watching the Emmys the other night, I saw George Clooney on the stage accepting his Bob Hope Humanitarian Award and then I saw Jon Hamm in the audience (they cut to him as Clooney left the stage) and wondered if he's that next TV star to transition to being an A-list film actor. Will he be back in 15 years to similarly win a special honor? Is he even big into causes? In any event, he's about to hit the big screen in next week's The Town and later this month in Howl, and now he's also eying a more prominent role in the indie comedy Friends with Kids, according to Showbiz 411.
The film was written by Hamm's girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt (maybe you saw her with him at the Emmys), who previously scripted and starred in the indie hit Kissing Jessica Stein and the cute, little seen rom-com Ira & Abby. Hamm had minor roles in both prior to becoming famous as Don Draper. This time he'll star, and I wonder if we'll get to see the real-life couple playing an onscreen couple presumably dealing with the fact that all their friends have kids and they don't (and maybe, like Hamm and Westfeldt, aren't even married).Continue reading Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig and Anne Hathaway to Join 'Friends with Kids'? Permalink | Email this | Comments
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09/01/2010
Doc Talk: On the Ropes, Kid Stays in the Picture, American Teen
Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Columns 
Historically it's nothing new. Just look at Merian C. Cooper for a prime example. Or go back to the Lumiere brothers. But these days it's becoming more and more common for successful documentary filmmakers to jump ship, most of the time only temporarily, and give fiction a try. Michael Moore, Barbara Kopple and Errol Morris have all done it. Seth Gordon seems to be sticking with it. Werner Herzog has been balancing both mediums for a while. And now the latest documentarian to make the transition is Nanette Burstein, whose fiction debut, the raunchy yet sweet rom-com Going the Distance, opens this Friday.
Usually I'm disappointed with the filmmakers who try it, even while recognizing that maybe a cash-grab fiction project here will help finance a great non-fiction film there. The truth is few documentarians make good narrative features (see Canadian Bacon, Havoc, The Dark Wind, Four Christmases). Burstein is the exception, though. I revisited her three feature-length docs, two of them co-directed with Brett Morgen, and one made solo, and have to say she's better off doing stuff like Going the Distance, even with its faults. It's not that she's a bad documentarian, but her work in that medium is actually more pedestrian than this new Hollywood effort.Continue reading Doc Talk: On the Ropes, Kid Stays in the Picture, American Teen Permalink | Email this | Comments
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09/01/2010
Clooney to Direct 'Farragut North' with Hoffman, Giamatti and More
Filed under: Drama, Independent, RumorMonger, Newsstand, George Clooney  What will George do next? With his latest movie, The American, hitting theaters today (read Todd Gilchrist's review), and his follow-up, Alexander Payne's The Descendants, in post-production, George Clooney is ready to return to the director's chair. Farragut North will finally begin shooting in February, according to New York Magazine's Vulture, with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti set to play featured roles.
It's a project that's been gestating for several years. In 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio was all ready to star as an idealistic campaign worker who's corrupted by the system; Clooney was attached to direct. Instead, DiCaprio made Body of Lies and Revolutionary Road the following year, and Clooney directed Leatherheads and starred in Burn After Reading. Reportedly, Clooney is considering Chris Pine to take the starring role; Pine has the advantage of playing the part in a Los Angeles stage production last year.Continue reading Clooney to Direct 'Farragut North' with Hoffman, Giamatti and More Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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08/31/2010
Charisma Carpenter's the Latest to Find Thrills in the Woods
Filed under: Independent, Thrillers, Casting  The forest is about to get a little added Charisma.
Though it was cool to hear her get work in The Expendables when the casting news hit last year, it was a bummer to see Buffy and Angel star Charisma Carpenter go from Wonder Woman rumors to some beefcake's girlfriend. But it looks like things might be looking up for the actress, who found fame with Joss Whedon and then piqued libidos as Kendall Casablancas in Veronica Mars. After playing a horror novelist who relocates to the UK and finds real horror in this year's British B movie Psychosis, Carpenter has nabbed the starring role in a new indie thriller called Crash Site.Continue reading Charisma Carpenter's the Latest to Find Thrills in the Woods Permalink | Email this | Comments
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08/31/2010
Another Michael Jackson Concert Film May Be on the Way
Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Music & Musicals, RumorMonger, Fandom  Just when you thought you were safe from moon-walking at your local multiplex, rumblings are descending about another Michael Jackson concert film. This time the source material stretches back to 1981, and the culprit responsible party is a man named Ron Newt. He tells TMZ that Jackson gave him the footage, and that he's put together a 64-minute feature film which has drawn offers reaching into "seven figures."
From a historical perspective, the tour material could be fascinating. The Triumph Tour was a huge deal at the time; Michael was between Off the Wall and Thriller, and the tour reunited the Jackson brothers for a series of sold-out concerts. A live album from the tour, The Jacksons Live!, was released in 1981. Last year's rehearsal footage documentary, Michael Jackson's This Is It, made more than $260 million worldwide, but that was in the wake of Jackson's death. It came out in time to satisfy hunger by his fans for the concert tour that never was. Would archival footage from 30 years ago be able to tap into that same interest?Continue reading Another Michael Jackson Concert Film May Be on the Way Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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08/30/2010
Is 2010 The Best Year for Documentaries Ever?
Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Awards, Box Office, Cinematical Indie 
I've had a feeling that this was the best year for documentaries ever. But I also thought the feeling had to do with the fact I'm seeing a whole lot more docs now that I'm the resident doc guy here at Cinematical. I also went to my first film festival devoted completely to the non-fiction format (Silverdocs). Meanwhile, though, I did notice that the docs selected for both Tribeca and Toronto fests were more noteworthy this year than normal.
And let's not forget the docs that came out of Sundance, many of which either blur the line between fiction and documentary (Exit Through the Gift Shop, Catfish) or at times feel more like great narrative features than documentaries (Restrepo, Last Train Home). Not to mention, 2010 is the year we've got an all-star documentarian anthology film (Freakonomics). You know non-fiction film has made it when five filmmakers can be considered "all stars."
The reason for my questioning if this is like non-fiction's 1939 (considered the best year for fiction film of all time, right?) is a claim by award season analyst Scott Feinberg that this is "the strongest - or, at the very least, the deepest - year yet in the history of documentary filmmaking." He lists 29 films on his radar. I think that means films he's seen and recommends, none of which is my very favorite film of 2010 so far, Last Train Home. The Chinese doc, which is also one of my favorite docs in years, made the front page of the New York Times yesterday with a profile in anticipation of its theatrical release this Friday.Continue reading Is 2010 The Best Year for Documentaries Ever? Permalink | Email this | Comments
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08/30/2010
Central Florida: The Hub of 'Holywood' for Faith-Based Flicks
Filed under: Independent, Distribution, Exhibition, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Religious  Faith-based movie production companies are heading in flocks to central Florida to film. The weather is great, the local churches have plenty of volunteers at the ready, the state offers financial incentives, and the theme parks are staffed with actors looking for a big break. Plus, as one local filmmaker puts it, "We want to get the 'L' out of Hollywood." Zing!
According to the Orlando Sentinel, which has a full rundown of these small indies filming in the Sunshine State, the help from local churches can be crucial, from just offering an extra set of hands to congregants who offer up their homes for locations. The Passion of the Christ benefited from marketing directly to churches and religious groups, who often bought tickets in bulk, but these smaller films have taken it one step further because churches themselves are becoming production companies and sometimes the theaters themselves.Continue reading Central Florida: The Hub of 'Holywood' for Faith-Based Flicks Permalink | Email this | Comments
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08/28/2010
On Demand: 'Bunny and the Bull'
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Independent, Fandom, Home Entertainment 
I've been waiting for what seems like ages to peep Paul King's comedy Bunny and the Bull, although, truthfully, it hasn't even been a year since it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. I didn't know much about it except what I'd seen in the trailer and read online, but King's involvement was enough for me since he's directed 20 episodes of The Mighty Boosh, one of my favorite TV shows. The Mighty Boosh is a sublime, childlike, weird British comedy show that's hard to explain except that it is about the increasingly bizarre adventures of Howard Moon (Julian Barratt), a dour jazz fan, and Vince Noir (Noel Fielding), a mod obsessed with his hair, Gary Numan, and Mick Jagger.
Bunny and the Bull stars Edward Hogg and Simon Farnaby as Stephen and Bunny, two best friends not unlike Howard and Vince in that Stephen is very, very sensible and sensitive whereas Bunny is basically a walking id. He's crass, he sleeps with the girls Stephen likes, he drinks and gambles too much, and he tries to goad Stephen into adventures that they get out of by the skin of their teeth. (It should be noted that Vince Noir is actually just a big goofy kid and not as prickish as Bunny, so the comparison isn't perfect.)
When I realized that it was playing on cable through IFC On-Demand, I immediately called my friends and organized a viewing party.Continue reading On Demand: 'Bunny and the Bull' Permalink | Email this | Comments
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08/27/2010
Fantastic Fest to Play '30 Days of Night' Sequel, 'I Spit On Your Grave' and More
Filed under: Action, Animation, Classics, Comedy, Drama, Foreign Language, Horror, Independent, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Fantastic Fest, Remakes and Sequels  Cannibals, crooks, vampires, aliens and geeks galore are all lined up to invade Austin for Fantastic Fest next month, and if you think that we harp on this particular film festival a bit, A) you're right and B) it totally deserves every effusive word.
We've got the whole list of newly announced titles after the jump, but right off the bat, I can tell you that we're looking at the U.S. premiere of crime drama Stone (starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Milla Jovovich), the world premiere of 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, North American premieres of Hatchet 2 (which just received a warm reception at Frightfest over in the U.K.) and Ong-Bak 3 (just please have less dancing than 2), and a double bill of a restored print of 1960's The Housemaid and its recent remake.
All of this on top of Opening Night Film Let Me In and a slew of super-secret screenings in the mix? You bet your ass that we're gonna be there covering it from September 23-30.Continue reading Fantastic Fest to Play '30 Days of Night' Sequel, 'I Spit On Your Grave' and More Permalink | Email this | Comments
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08/27/2010
Review: The Last Exorcism
Filed under: Horror, Independent, Lionsgate Films, Theatrical Reviews, Religious
If there's one thing that binds the best exorcism films, it's that the really good ones all offer some great acting. The major players in The Exorcist give amazing performances, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is believable through the work of its solid ensemble, and, now, The Last Exorcism delivers a potentially star-making performance from Patrick Fabian. What seems to be a "me too" attempt at creating another Paranormal Activity is actually a fascinating, uncomfortable, character-driven look at matters of faith and fear.
I expected the typical thrills of a demon possession flick, and while The Last Exorcism delivers, beat-for-beat, almost every creepy trope of the genre, its mature focus on characterization really sets the film apart. This is a welcome approach -- a horror film about people and not just kills and thrills -- but because the scares take a back seat to the characters, it also never quite reaches the fever pitch of terror that it also seems to be working toward. It's engaging, but is it scary? I can't quite say that it is, which is a peculiar criticism of a movie that still stands as one of the best horror films of 2010.
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