***Phillip Noyce in Talks to Direct HUNTER KILLER ***Sony Pictures Classics to Distribute Vera Farmiga’s HIGHER GROUND ***FilmDistrict to Distribute Guillermo del Toro’s DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK on August 12th

FilmDistrict to Distribute Guillermo del Toro’s DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK on August 12th

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 14th, 2011

Before Miramax underwent a new business deal, Troy Nixey’s Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was scheduled to open on January 21, 2011 (you can see the teaser trailer here).  Unfortunately, in October the Guillermo del Toro-produced/co-written horror flick dropped off the schedule and went into release-limbo.  THR now reports that FilmDistrict has come to the rescue and will distribute the film on August 12th.  However, the film will have some stiff competition.  Also getting released on that date is 30 Minutes or Less, the new comedy from Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer that stars Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, and Danny McBride; and Tate Taylor’s adaptation of The Help starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Bryce Dallas Howard.

Hit the jump for a synopsis of Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, which stars Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, and Bailee Madison.

.... http://collider.com/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-filmdistrict/76110/

Sony Pictures Classics to Distribute Vera Farmiga’s HIGHER GROUND

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 14th, 2011

Sony Pictures Classics have acquired the North American distribution rights to Vera Farmiga’s directorial debut, Higher Ground.  I caught the film at Sundance and while it left me cold, I should note that some of my fellow critics absolutely adored the flick.  The film centers on Corinne (Farmiga), a devoutly-Christian woman who slowly begins to question her faith and the male-dominated power structure of her church.  It has some funny moments, but it rarely seems to be mocking faith, and I applaud it for that.

Hit the jump for the full press release.

...... http://collider.com/higher-ground-sony-pictures-classics/76113/

Phillip Noyce in Talks to Direct HUNTER KILLER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 14th, 2011

Salt director Phillip Noyce is in talks to direct the action-thriller Hunter Killer.  According to Moviehole, the Black Hawk Dawn-style script is based on the novel Firing Point by Don Keith and George Wallace.  The story centers on “an American sub commander and a Navy SEAL team that must rescue the Russian president and defeat a renegade admiral who’s attempting a coup.”  If this film had come out during the cold war, it would’ve be a huge slap in the face to the USSR.  “Yeah, that’s right!  How awesome is America?  We’ll rescue your leaders for you.  You’re welcome, commies.”

Noyce, who previously directed Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games, and recently turned down the director’s chair for Salt 2, is also attached to the sci-fi flick Timeless and an adaptation of Tim Winton’s Dirt Music starring Russell Crowe.  Hopefully, someone will get Hunter Killer into production (and with a better title) because I love me some submarine flicks.

.............. http://collider.com/phillip-noyce-hunter-killer/76124/

***Sarah Jessica Parker with Pierce Brosnan on the Set of "I Don't Know How She Does It" in NYC ***Matt Damon and Thomas Haden Church Film "We Bought a Zoo" in Los Angeles ***Matt Damon on Set with Cameron Crowe ***Vera Farmiga "Higher Ground" Portraits - 2011 Sundance Film Festival

Sarah Jessica Parker on the Set of "I Don't Know How She Does It" in NYC

 

Sarah Jessica Parker on the Set of "I Don't Know How She Does It" in NYC

In This Photo: Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker, holding onto a large pretzel, films a scene with Pierce Brosnan on the set of "I Don't Know How She Does It" in NYC. The co-stars filmed on location in Madison Square Park, bundled up for the snow.

( January 24, 2011 - Photo by PacificCoastNews.com)

 

Sarah Jessica Parker on the Set of "I Don't Know How She Does It" in NYC

In This Photo: Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan

Sarah Jessica Parker, holding onto a large pretzel, films a scene with Pierce Brosnan on the set of "I Don't Know How She Does It" in NYC. The co-stars filmed on location in Madison Square Park, bundled up for the snow.

( January 24, 2011 - Photo by PacificCoastNews.com)

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/u7xi46E3Lx7/Sarah+Jessica+Parker+Set+Don+t+Know+How+NYC

 

 

 

Matt Damon Films "We Bought a Zoo" in Los Angeles

Matt Damon Films "We Bought a Zoo" in Los Angeles

In This Photo: Matt Damon

Monday January 24 , 2011. Matt Damon and Thomas Haden Church hug it out while filming a scene for their new movie " We Bought a Zoo" in Los Angeles. Damon snacked on a celery stick in between takes.

( January 24, 2011 - Photo by PacificCoastNews.com) http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/MMUglel2x8O/Matt+Damon+Films+Bought+Zoo+Los+Angeles

 

 

Matt Damon & Thomas Hayden Church On Set Of "We Bought A Zoo"

Matt Damon & Thomas Hayden Church On Set Of "We Bought A Zoo"

In This Photo: Matt Damon, Thomas Hayden Church

Actors Matt Damon and Thomas Hayden Church hug it out on the set of "We Bought A Zoo" in Los Angeles.

( January 24, 2011 - Photo by Photo Agency) http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/BjYiLxHHXtS/Matt+Damon+Thomas+Hayden+Church+Set+Bought

 

 

 

Matt Damon on Set with Cameron Crowe

Matt Damon on Set with Cameron Crowe

In This Photo: Matt Damon

Matt Damon continues production on the set of his new film with director Cameron Crowe in "We Bought a Zoo". The dressed down actor, wearing a navy t-shirt and jeans, is seen standing outside on a street in Los Feliz, waiting for direction from Crowe, and driving an SUV in another scene.

( January 24, 2011 - Photo by PacificCoastNews.com) http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/HgMgNX5IeWe/Matt+Damon+Set+Cameron+Crowe

 

 

"Higher Ground" Portraits - 2011 Sundance Film Festival

"Higher Ground" Portraits - 2011 Sundance Film Festival

In This Photo: Vera Farmiga

Actress Vera Farmiga poses for a portrait during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival at The Samsung Galaxy Tab Lift on January 24, 2011 in Park City, Utah.

( January 23, 2011 - Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images North America) http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/8UTKSrS0LJY/Higher+Ground+Portraits+2011+Sundance+Film

***Sundance 2011: HIGHER GROUND Review ***James Cameron Says AVATAR 2 & AVATAR 3 Will Be Shot Together; Expects Most of the Cast to Return ***James Gandolfini Picks Up TWYLIGHT ZONES; Will Likely Join EXTREMELY LOUD and COGAN’S TRADE

Sundance 2011: HIGHER GROUND Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 24th, 2011

Religion is a tricky topic.  It’s incredibly easy to mock it or to preach it.  But an honest exploration of faith requires complete commitment and a willingness to let non-believers scoff and the holier-than-thou scorn.  Vera Farmiga’s directorial debut Higher Ground manages the impressive task of fully committing to its characters’ faith.  Unfortunately, it never transforms that commitment into a more fulfilling experience.  Despite an earnest approach to the Christian faith, Farmiga never finds anything interesting to say about it.

Higher Ground follows the life story of Corinne (Farmiga).  The movie starts slow and never picks up much speed.  We see Corinne’s childhood home-life, her introduction to Christianity, her intellectual curiosity, her marriage at a young age, and finally her “coming-to-God” moment.  This is all before we finally get to see Corinne as an adult and her total devotion to Christianity.  While everything in the first act isn’t unnecessary, it could have been condensed and more creatively explained.

Once we see Corinne’s life as a devout Christian, the film picks up a little bit of steam, but can’t maintain its pace.  Watching Corinne go through the paces of her Christian life is curious, but Farmiga doesn’t seem to know what’s worthwhile in the story and what’s not.  She also isn’t able to bring a spark to the proceedings.  There are some laughs from the oddities of her Evangelical faith, but almost everything is presented so matter-of-fact that there rarely seems to be much joy in Christianity.  When Corinne expresses her desire to speak in tongues so she can be closer to God, it’s a wonderful moment because the film rarely shows the love from these people who love Jesus.

To its great credit, Higher Ground never thumbs it nose at faith and that is incredibly admirable.  The film has the potential to be something special because it makes no judgment on the devotion of its characters.  It questions their discriminatory practices and close mindedness, but it nurtures their total belief in God and the Devil as physically real entities that can be called upon and fought against in one’s daily struggles.

But Higher Ground never connects the faith of its characters to something grander.  There are no deep insights or even much of an emotional connection.  It’s not a film that’s about big performances and it’s clear that Farmiga is actively making a choice not to go big (except in brief, bizarre fantasy sequences that feel like a comic crutch) and that’s fine if you’ve got intensity or complexity simmering beneath the surface. Higher Ground could have been divine, but the story and Farmiga’s direction rarely manage to raise the film’s spirit.

http://collider.com/higher-ground-review/71386/

James Cameron Says AVATAR 2 & AVATAR 3 Will Be Shot Together; Expects Most of the Cast to Return

by Jason Barr    Posted: January 24th, 2011

Back in October, we reported that James Cameron’s Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 were looking at Christmas 2014/2015 release dates respectively.  At that time, though, we weren’t sure if the plan was to shoot the films back-to-back or if Cameron/Fox were going to sit back and count the profits from Avatar 2 (which will require a considerable amount of time, I’m sure) before lensing the third.  Today, though, Cameron has confirmed that the projects will be shot at the same time.  In a recent interview, the writer/director/producer said:

“I am in the process of writing the next two Avatar films now. We are planning to shoot them together and post them together, and we will probably release them not quite back to back, but about a year apart. Christmas ’14 and ’15 is the current plan.”

For more on what Cameron had to say about the returning cast members and potential Avatar charity work, hit the jump.

Talking with EW’s Inside Movies, Cameron assured fans that much of the original cast will return for Avatar 2:

“Basically, if you survived the first film, you get to be in the second film, at least in some form.”

In addition to breaking the sequels’ shooting, editing, and casting plans, Cameron also confirmed that both films would be of a charitable mind:

“One thing’s for sure: some percentage of the presumably-massive Avatar sequel gross will go to charity. Fox has partnered with me to donate a chunk of the profits to environmental causes that are at the heart of the Avatar world. I didn’t want to make more Avatar movies without a grander plan in place.”

In case you were unaware, 2009’s Avatar earned a little over $2.7 billion at box offices worldwide against a production budget thought to be somewhere around $250 million.  As such, after catching wind of this generous plan, I wouldn’t be surprised to see “environmental causes” popping up everywhere in the near future.  In fact, if anyone knows of any holes in the “environmental causes market,” feel free to send them my way.

http://collider.com/avatar-2-avatar-3/72345/

James Gandolfini Picks Up TWYLIGHT ZONES; Will Likely Join EXTREMELY LOUD and COGAN’S TRADE

by Jason Barr    Posted: January 24th, 2011

James Gandolfini is apparently an experienced juggler.  From what we can tell, the actor may soon be balancing as many as three new projects in the near future.  Gandolfini has been confirmed for the first of the three projects, The Sopranos creator David Chase’s new film Twylight Zones.  Per Deadline, that film is set in 1960’s New Jersey and tells the story of an awkward teen (played by John Magaro) who begins to grow into his own as the lead singer of a rock band.  According to the report, Gandolfini will play the teen’s disapproving Italian father (sounds about right).

As for his other two potential projects, Gandolfini is currently in final negotiations to join Stephen Daldry’s adaptation of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock already star) as well as Andrew Dominik’s adaptation of Cogan’s Trade (headed by Brad Pitt).  For more on those two projects, hit the jump.

Continue Reading

http://collider.com/james-gandolfini-twylight-zones-extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close-cogans-trade/72354/

 

***Sundance 2011: First Images from HOMEWORK, Starring Fredding Highmore and Emma Roberts, and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE ***Sundance 2011: First Images and a New Poster for Kevin Smith’s RED STATE ***Sundance 2011: First Images from Vera Farmiga’s Directorial Debut HIGHER GROUND and HERE

Sundance 2011: First Images from HOMEWORK, Starring Fredding Highmore and Emma Roberts, and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

by Jeff Ames    Posted: December 3rd, 2010

With the Sundance Film Festival premiering in a little over a month (48 days to be exact), new images from the films in competition have begun to emerge. As such, we are pleased to bring you a few screenshots from Gavin Wiesen’s Homework, starring Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Rita Wilson and Blair Underwood; and Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene, with Elizabeth Olsen, Brady Corbet, Hugh Dancy, John Hawkes, and Sarah Paulson.

Homework finished shooting in New York last April and marks Wiesen’s feature length debut as writer and director. Likewise, Martha Marcy May Marlene is the first for Durkin, who wrote and directed the film. Hit the jump to see the pics and for a brief synopses:

Homework (Director and screenwriter: Gavin Wiesen) – Quirky, rebellious George has no ambitions other than to cut his next class. But one day, one girl gives him the perfect reason to figure out who he really is. Cast: Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano, Elizabeth Reaser with Rita Wilson and Blair Underwood.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (Director and screenwriter: Sean Durkin)- Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult. Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Brady Corbet, Hugh Dancy, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/03/homework-movie-images-martha-marcy-may-marlene/

Sundance 2011: First Images and a New Poster for Kevin Smith’s RED STATE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 3rd,

Hot off the heels of news that Kevin Smith’s upcoming horror film Red State was recently accepted into the Sundance Film Festival, new images have been revealed from the film and a new poster has been unveiled by Smith himself. The poster was released by Smith via Twitter as a “thank you” to fans who pledged $1000 to The Wayne Foundation in less than 30 minutes. The Wayne Foundation is a charity devoted to stopping pederasts, with a mission to provide young women who have fallen victim to commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking with a means of leaving the sex industry for good.
The poster unveiled by Smith features Red State actress Kerry Bishe, and is one of four posters that Smith plans to release next week starting Monday. The headline of the poster, “The Virgin”, asserts Smith’s statement on his “Red State of the Union” podcast that the film begins very much like an 80’s horror film.  Smith’s podcast has been the source of a great deal of news concerning the film, particularly his description of the flick as essentially about “sex, religion, and politics.”  The images from the film that were released showcase Smith’s stellar cast, and confirm that the film is a drastic departure from his previous catalog of films. Hit the jump the check out the poster and images, as well as a bit more on the flick.

Red State stars Michael Parks, Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, John Goodman, and Melissa Leo, as well as Kevin Pollak, Anna Gunn, Stephen Root, and Smith’s Hit Somebody lead Nicholas Braun. Per the Sundance release, the flick is about “a group of misfits [who] encounter extreme fundamentalism in Middle America.” Parks is said to play a Fred Phelps-type preacher who leads a family of followers. We previously brought you the first teaser poster for the film, which was created by producer Jon Gordon’s assistant Melissa Bloom. I quite like the posters released so far, and these new images have me even more excited for the film (John freaking Goodman!). Needless to say, I’m hoping the flick gets picked up quickly at Sundance so audiences will get to peep it themselves sometime next year.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/03/red-state-movie-images-poster-kevin-smith/

Sundance 2011: First Images from Vera Farmiga’s Directorial Debut HIGHER GROUND and HERE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 3rd, 2010

The slate of films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January were just announced, and we’ve been given a slew of images from a number of films that will have their premiere at the prestigious festival. Higher Ground, screening in the in-competition category, marks the directorial debut of Up in the Air star Vera Farmiga. The actress also stars in the film alongside Joshua Leonard (Blair Witch Project), John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone) and Dagmara Dominczyk (Kinsey). Scripted by Carolyn Briggs and Tim Metcalfe (Kalifornia), the synopsis is as follows: A frustrated young mother turns to a fundamentalist community for answers, but after years of dogma and loss, she must find the courage to ask the questions that will help her reclaim her life.
HERE, also screening in the in-competition category, is directed by documentary filmmaker Braden King and stars Ben Foster, Lubna Azabal and Narek Nersisyan. The script, written by King and Dani Valent, centers on an American cartographer who’s on assignment to create a new, more accurate satellite survey of Armenia, who forms a powerful bond with an Armenian expatriate and art photographer. Hit the jump to check out the images from both films.

Here are the images from Higher Ground. Click on an image to see it in high-resolution.  Expect a lot more Sundance articles very soon.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/03/higher-ground-movie-images-here-movie-images-sundance/