Kamis, 30 Juli 2009
Rabu, 29 Juli 2009
Selasa, 28 Juli 2009
Jon Hamm and Rebecca Hall join Ben Affleck's next directing attempt: "The Town"
Source: Slashfilm.com
Prince of Thieves follows Doug McRay (Affleck), a thief from Charlestown, the neighborhood just north of downtown Boston. McRay robs a bank but soon falls for Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), the manager of the bank. She lets things proceed, not realizing that he was under the mask of the guy who robbed and traumatized her. Meanwhile the FBI agent played by Hamm is trying to catch McRay and also seemingly falls for Hall.
That all sounds tidy and contrived, but Affleck told Collider that he’ll use a very realistic take on crime.
Rather than a heist movie it’s very realistic. You see how the guys really operate and what they really do. It’s about their lives, the connection to one another, and the way that where they live is changing. It’s unusual and kind of complicated for a movie that has a conventional genre at its root.
There’s also a big climax in Fenway Park, which Affleck has previously said he’s negotiating to use as a location in the film. If Fenway let Fever Pitch shoot in the stands, lets hope they don’t shy away from this.
Given the sure hand for character Affleck showed in Gone Baby Gone, I’m hoping this will indeed be more than just another crime movie. He was previously able to nail the deep personalities of his Boston characters, and I’m hoping he follows through and hits another home run. Hopefully, the major change that will happen next is to the film’s title. Affleck said The Town may not end up being the final title, and I pray that is the case.
2009 Toronto Film Festival acquires even more titles...
Dorian Gray Oliver Parker, United Kingdom
World Premiere
In Victorian London, the handsome Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes) is swept into a social whirlwind by the charismatic and cunning Lord Wotton (Colin Firth). Immersed in the hedonistic pleasures of the city, Dorian vows he would give anything to keep his youth and beauty – even his soul. Based on the Oscar Wilde novel, Dorian Gray examines the destructive power of beauty, the blind pursuit of pleasure and the darkness that can result from both.
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Rebecca Miller, USA
North American Premiere
From all outward appearances, Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) leads a charmed existence. An anchor of feminine serenity, she is the devoted wife of an accomplished publisher (Alan Arkin) 30 years her senior, the proud mother of two grown children, a trusted friend and confidant. But as Pippa dutifully follows her husband to a new life in a staid Connecticut retirement community, her idyllic world and the persona she has built over the course of her marriage will be put to the ultimate test. Adapted from writer-director Rebecca Miller’s novel of the same name, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee presents the complex portrait of the many lives behind a single name.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Werner Herzog, USA
North American Premiere
Terence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage), a homicide detective with the New Orleans Police Department, is promoted to Lieutenant after he saves a prisoner from drowning in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. However, during his heroic act, he severely injures his back and is put on prescription pain medication. A year later, Terence – struggling with his addictions to sex, Vicodin and cocaine – finds himself in the battle to bring down drug dealer Big Fate, who is suspected of massacring an entire family of African immigrants.
Capitalism: A Love Story Michael Moore, USA
North American Premiere
On the 20-year anniversary of his groundbreaking masterpiece Roger & Me, Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story comes home to the issue he’s been examining throughout his career: the disastrous impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans (and by default, the rest of the world). But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene far wider than Flint, Michigan. From Middle America, to the halls of power in Washington, to the global financial epicenter in Manhattan, Michael Moore will once again take film-goers into uncharted territory.
Harry Brown Daniel Barber, United Kingdom
World Premiere
Harry Brown is a provocative and thought-provoking modern urban western featuring a tour-de-force lead performance from two-time Academy Award®-winner Michael Caine. Harry Brown has lived to see his community descend into crime and violence, and ruled over by a gang of teenage thugs. After his best friend is brutally murdered and the gang leader responsible walks free, Harry reaches a breaking point and revenge becomes his only aim.
Perrier’s Bounty Ian Fitzgibbon, Ireland/United Kingdom
World Premiere
When Michael’s (Cillian Murphy) debt to Dublin kingpin Darren Perrier (Brendan Gleeson) is called in and one of Perrier’s goons accidentally ends up dead, Michael escapes to the mountains with his father Jim (Jim Broadbent) and best friend, Brenda. Flat broke, on the run and with only 24 hours to pay up, Michael is forced to confront his true feelings for Brenda and make amends with his father. However, with Perrier and his gang in hot pursuit, time is running out for Michael and only fate, a bit of luck and possibly a gang of savage dogs will save him, in this cracking gangster comedy.
A Serious Man Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, USA
World Premiere
Imaginatively exploring questions of faith, familial responsibility, delinquent behaviour, dental phenomena, academia, mortality and Judaism – and intersections thereof – A Serious Man is the new film from Academy Award®-winning writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen.
Triage Danis Tanovic, Ireland/Spain
World Premiere
Mark (Colin Farrell), a war photographer, returns home from Kurdistan without his friend and colleague David (Jamie Sives). As time goes on, it becomes clear that Mark holds the key to the truth of David’s disappearance.
Whip It Drew Barrymore, USA
World Premiere
Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut stars Ellen Page (Juno) as Bliss, a rebellious Texas teen who throws in her small-town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller-derby. Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River, Pollock) plays Bliss’s disapproving mother, while Drew Barrymore, Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live) and Juliette Lewis (Old School) play roller-derby stars. Whip It also stars Eve, Jimmy Fallon, Daniel Stern, Alia Shawkat, Ari Graynor, Andrew Wilson, Zoe Bell and singer-songwriter Landon Pigg.
Women Without Men Shirin Neshat, Germany/France/Austria
North American Premiere
Shirin Neshat’s first feature-length film is based on a magic-realist novel written by Iranian author Sharnush Parsipur. The narrative interweaves the lives of four Iranian women during the summer of 1953, a pivotal moment in Iranian history when an American led coup d’état brought down the democratically elected prime minister Mohammed Mossadegh and reinstalled the Shah to power. The film chronicles each woman’s quest for change and their mysterious encounter in a magical orchard.
Senin, 27 Juli 2009
My overdue Halfway Awards for 2009....
I know that most of what you're about to see will have changed dramatically by the time the Oscars draw near, but hell, it's fun to do this now to have something to compare. It's as simple as it sounds: I'm going to reveal where my personal Oscars (the Texans) would go at this point in the year (I waited a little longer, so that now I'm judging out of 30 films total). I'm just putting up the nominations (and I won't do 10 Best Picture nominees until my lineups are just about finalized in early 2010). So, without further adieu, your current (picture-free) slate of nominees for the 2009 Texan Awards ("winners" will be revealed later this week)...
Mila Kunis joins Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" (2010) with Natalie Portman
Mila
The supernatural drama is set in the world of New York City Ballet. Portman stars as a veteran ballerina who finds herself “locked in to a competitive showdown with a rival dancer, with the stakes and twists increasing as the dancers approach a big performance.” But it isn’t as simple as that — the big twist is that Portman’s character is not sure whether her rival is a supernatural apparition or if she is having delusions. Kunis is playing the rival dancer named Lilly.
Minggu, 26 Juli 2009
"Moon" - REVIEW
An independent sci-fi movie. Not exactly what we expect in the Hollywood of today, is it? "2001: A Space Odyssey" aside, when someone mentions sci-fi, you probably think of blasting lasers, faraway planets, exotic alien races, and technology way beyond anything we have on earth. Sci-fi is not a genre that is easy to associate with "independent filmmaking", and the success of "Star Wars" and the recent "Star Trek" film only make it more difficult. The closest thing recently has been "Sunshine" (2007), but even that film, in its third act, moved into more conventional territory. So, for those of you hoping that somewhere out there is a worthy companion piece to your limited edition digitally remastered "2001" DVD that you bought despite already owning another copy, fear not. The film you're looking for is Duncan Jones' "Moon", and while it may not been the timeless classic that "2001" is, it's more than worth a look in a summer crowded with transforming robot aliens, teen wizards, and romantic comedies starring Katherine Heigl or Sandra Bullock (I'm not sure either of those two ladies would have film careers if it weren't for that genre).
Sabtu, 25 Juli 2009
A description of Jon Favreau's "Iron Man 2" teaser footage
Sadly, no videos have been made available anywhere...
Jon Favreau premiered a sizzle reel for Iron Man 2 during the film’s Hall H panel. You can read a description of the footage after the jump.
Tony Stark is eating a donut while laying in the hole of the huge donut on the roof of Randy’s Donuts. Samuel L
Cut to: Stark and Fury inside the restaurant eating and chatting. Stark asks if Fury was going to ask him to join his group again, to which Nick responds “I remember, you do everything yourself. How is that working out for you?” Stark asks Fury if he is supossed to look at his working eye or the eye patch.
Cut to: A government court hearing, where Tony is talking with Pepper Potts a few rows behind him. Senator Stern Asks Tony if he posseses a weapon, the iron
“Its a weapon Mr Stark!
“If your priority was to protect…”
“Well you can forget it!”
“I am Iron Man, the suit and I am one. You cant have it!”
The Senator calls Rhodey to the stand. Rhodey walks by Stark and tells him he’ll deal with it.
The Senator asks Stark what his point is and Stark responds that his point is “You’re welcome, I’m your nuclear deterrent,” … “I’ve kept the world safe, what more do you want? I tried to play ball with these ass clowns!” The Senator then says “F— You Mr. Stark!”
A montage begins with shots of newspapers and magazines with Stark on the cover. Voice over in a Russian accent “You come from a family of thieves and butchers…” Shots of Rourke putting together his whiplash suit. A bunch of random shots, including a bunch of girls dancing in front of a display with the American flag, and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, kicking ass. Rourke arrives at the race car track in his Whiplash suit. He activates it and the wires light up with electricity as he whips them around. Stark is bloody, in his racing suit, down on the concrete. We see a close-up of Rourke laughing.
Cut to: Iron Man flying through the night air, dodging missiles which explode behind him, as he blasts towards Earth.
The Iron Man 2 logo appears on the screen, along with the music.
Then we get an extra sequence. Rhodey in a air plane hanger. Justin Hammer walks over and asks what this is about and Rhodey says it’s classified. Hammer looks down at a suit, which appears to be Stark’s old Mark II armor. “Is that what I think it is?” “What can you do for us?” Hammer shows Rhodey a bunch of different weaponry. Rhodey tells Hammer “I think i’ll take it.” “Which one?” “All of it.” Cut to: A shot of War Machine blasting off his guns.
Jumat, 24 Juli 2009
There is...SO much wrong with this picture...mommy, I'm scared
"(500) Days of Summer" - REVIEW
There is a scene in "Shakespeare in Love" (don't worry, just go with it) in which Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench) asks to a room of people if a play can, "truly show us the nature of love?" That film took place at the end of the 1500s and was released in 1998. Now, several centuries later in movie-time and 11 years later in our world, maybe a play hasn't shown us an honest look at love, but perhaps a movie has.
It's coming....
Please don't be lying to us Gary Oldman...
August 21st is "Avatar" Day!
SAN DIEGO - James Cameron originally wrote "Avatar" as a way to challenge the special-effects firm Digital Domain, where he served as chief executive. But it took technology 14 years to catch up with his vision of a faraway planet populated by otherwordly plants and animals where humans embody avatars just to brave the landscape.
"In the same way that I wrote 'Terminator' just to get a directing gig, I decided to write a story that was full of creatures and characters that would push the art of CG for that company," he said. But after artists there said it couldn't be done, Cameron shelved the idea.
Ten years later, when he realized technology had caught up with his cinematic visions, he dusted off the concept and helped develop technology to make it work. On Thursday, he presented world-premiere footage of his progress to more than 6,000 fans at Comic Con.
The "Titanic" director showed more than 20 minutes of footage from the film.
"Avatar" introduces viewers to the planet of Pandora, where the lithe, blue, indigenous Navi people inhabit a lush and wondrous place dense with green forests, fluorescent pink flowers, bizarre hammerhead dinosaurs and flying dragons. Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a soldier on duty there, and Zoe Saldana plays Neytiri, the Navi princess who befriends him.
Saldana learned the fictional Navi language and studied with a dialect coach to perfect a Navi accent on her English.
"I'm from Queens," the actress said.
Sigourney Weaver, who plays botanist Grace Augustine, studied the fictional flora and fauna of Pandora to prepare for her role.
"Every single plant and creature has come out of this crazy person's head," she said, pointing to Cameron.
A longtime sci-fi fan who likens himself to the average Comic Con conventioneer, Cameron said "Avatar" is more than just a fantastic tale 14 years in the making.
"The technology could be made (for it) to happen, but also (it) was just wanting to do something, I don't want to say important," he told fans. "But something that has this spoonful of sugar of all the action and the adventure and all that, which thrills me anyway as a fan, but also wanting to do something that has a conscience, that maybe in the enjoying of it makes you think a little bit about the way you interact with nature and your fellow man."
It may seem like a simple story about "nasty" humans fighting with "those beautifully, spiritually evolved Navi," he said. "But it's really not, because we make science fiction as human beings for human consumption."
"It means the Navi represent something that is our higher selves, or our aspirational selves, what we would like to think we are or maybe what we realize we're losing," he said. "And the humans in the film, even though there are some good ones salted in, represent what we know to be the parts of ourselves that are trashing our world and maybe condemning ourselves to a grim future."
He announced that fans worldwide could see 15 minutes of the film for free on "Avatar Day," Aug. 21. The film is set to open Dec. 18. Comic Con continues at the San Diego Convention Center through Sunday.
Kamis, 23 Juli 2009
First trailer: "The Book of Eli" (2010)
Rabu, 22 Juli 2009
A look at "District 9"'s crazy alien technology, a more detailed synopsis, and a new TV spot
Thirty years ago, aliens made first contact with Earth. Humans waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology. Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa’s District 9 as the world’s nations argued over what to do with them.
Now, patience over the alien situation has run out. Control over the aliens has been contracted out to Multi-National United (MNU), a private company uninterested in the aliens’ welfare – they will receive tremendous profits if they can make the aliens’ awesome weaponry work. So far, they have failed; activation of the weaponry requires alien DNA.
The tension between the aliens and the humans comes to a head when an MNU field operative, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his DNA. Wikus quickly becomes the most hunted man in the world, as well as the most valuable – he is the key to unlocking the secrets of alien technology. Ostracized and friendless, there is only one place left for him to hide: District 9.
Selasa, 21 Juli 2009
Trailer for "Bright Star"
Charlize Theron could headline "Atlas Shrugged" mini-series...or movie?
When the economic crisis went into full swing, bookshops started to notice an odd trend: people who hadn’t read much more than a Grisham or Clancey novel in the last decade were suddenly rabid Ayn Rand fans. Atlas Shrugged, with its message of capitalism unfettered by government control, blasted back onto bestseller charts in the last year, making the long-gestating film adaptation seem a lot more likely. NowCharlize Theron is seriously interested, says the Risky Biz Blog, and because she and the producers are concerned that simply making a feature film wouldn’t do justice to the novel’s epic length (1100+ pages) it may instead become a miniseries for Epix, the new pay-cable network that Lionsgate is setting up with MGM and Viacom.
Theron was one of a small group of actresses (among them Anne
This is only the latest chapter in an effort to film the novel that is becoming almost as epic as the book itself. Loads of talent have been involved over the past four decades, and Angelina
Beyond the current surge of interest in the book there’s one more reason to get this going sooner rather than later: if a film doesn’t go into production by the end of next year, the book option reverts back to the Rand estate. At that point, you can bet that the price to renewing it will skyrocket.