***6 Clips from HORRIBLE BOSSES ***Is the Coen Brothers’ Next Film About Iconic Folk Artist Dave Van Ronk? ***Liam Hemsworth Goes AWOL; Teresa Palmer, Austin Stowell, and Aimee Teegarden Also in Talks to Join ***This Must Be the Place Poster

6 Clips from HORRIBLE BOSSES

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: June 25th, 2011

With director Seth Gordon’s (The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters) comedy Horrible Bosses opening July 8, Warner Bros. has provided us with six clips.  As most of you know, the film has an all-star cast featuring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, and Jamie Foxx and it’s about a group of friends that decide to work together to kill their bosses.

While I haven’t seen the film, I’ve spoken to a few people that have and they’re all telling me it’s great.  And after being on the set last year and laughing my ass off, I believe it.  Hit the jump for the clips, and here’s my on set interviews with Day, Bateman and Sudeikis, Gordon, and producer Jay Stern. http://collider.com/horrible-bosses-movie-clips/98836/

Is the Coen Brothers’ Next Film About Iconic Folk Artist Dave Van Ronk?

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 25th, 2011

A few weeks ago we brought you some quotes from the Coen Brothers’ appearance at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center in New York which suggested that their next film would be music-centric. At that time, the key quote came from Joel Coen who claimed:

“We’re working on a movie now that has music in it but it’s pretty much all performed live, single instrument…”

Today, 24 Frames is doing its best uncover more info behind the project and is reporting that the pic may center on one of the Greenwich Valley folk scene’s most revered names: Dave Van Ronk. Per the report, the Coen’s script is “loosely based” on van Ronk’s life as an influential musician and left-wing activist, and may even draw from Van Ronk’s posthumous memoir entitled The Mayor of MacDougal Street. If it comes to fruition, the project would be the Coens’ second musically-intensive film with the first being 2000′s O Brother, Where Art Thou? which garnered two Oscar nods. For a little more on the project, including a synopsis of Van Ronk’s memoir, hit the jump. http://collider.com/coen-brothers-new-film-dave-van-ronk/98791/

Liam Hemsworth Goes AWOL; Teresa Palmer, Austin Stowell, and Aimee Teegarden Also in Talks to Join

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: June 25th, 2011

Liam Hemsworth, who is currently filming The Hunger Games, has signed on for the Vietnam-era indie flick, AWOL. Currently, Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four), Austin Stowell (Puncture) and Aimee Teegarden (Scream 4) are in negotiations, while Chris Lowell (Up in the Air) and Max Adler (Glee) are in talks to co-star in the pic as well. Hemsworth will star as the best friend and comrade-in-arms to Stowell, whose stateside girlfriend (Teegarden) dumps him. Together, they go AWOL and return to their Michigan hometown to win her back. Sounding like less of a war movie and more of a wartime love story, AWOL is set amidst the anti-war counterculture movement at the University of Michigan. Danny Mooney’s directorial debut is slated to start production in Ann Arbor in mid-July. Hit the jump for more info on the principal actors’ upcoming projects. http://collider.com/liam-hemsworth-awol/98774/

This Must Be the Place Poster

Jun 25, 2011 by B. Alan Orange

Sean Penn stars in the Paolo Sorrentino drama This Must Be the Place, which revolves around aging Goth rocker Cheyenne as he sets out on a road trip to find the Nazi that persecuted his dying father. Indigo Films has released the latest poster from This Must Be the Place, which you can check out below.

http://www.movieweb.com/news/this-must-be-the-place-poster

***The Coen Brothers Might Be Making A Music-Intensive Project Their Next Film ***New COWBOYS & ALIENS Trailer ***Jeremy Renner to Produce and Star in SLINGSHOT ***Robert Zemeckis in Talks to Direct MAJOR MATT MASON in 3D; Tom Hanks Stars

The Coen Brothers Might Be Making A Music-Intensive Project Their Next Film
by Bill Graham Posted: June 11th, 2011
The Coen brothers have no problem picking and choosing what they want to do next, and might be utilizing music as a major part of their next film. While Joel and Ethan Coen were gathered with Noah Baumbach to discuss film intros at the new Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center in New York, they briefly touched on what appears to be an unannounced project. The Coen brothers have a long list of potential projects but they seem to suggest this unnamed film is what they are working on now. For more on the project and what the Coens had to say, hit the jump.


http://collider.com/coen-brothers-new-film-music/96002/




New COWBOYS & ALIENS Trailer
by Adam Chitwood Posted: June 11th, 2011
A new trailer for Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens has hit the web. This one debuted at last week’s Spike Guys’ Choice Awards, and features a lot of the same footage from previous trailers, but also includes a couple new shots as well. We get our first look at Paul Dano’s character, and we also get a peek at some sort of alien structure. Personally, I’m thrilled that Favreau isn’t giving the whole film away in the marketing. Everything I see from this flick just makes me more excited to finally see it. Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, and Paul Dano, Cowboys & Aliens hits theaters on July 29th.


Hit the jump to check out the new trailer.
http://collider.com/cowboys-and-aliens-movie-trailer/95991/




Jeremy Renner to Produce and Star in SLINGSHOT
by Brendan Bettinger Posted: June 11th, 2011
Jeremy Renner recently formed the production company The Combine with Don Handfield. Renner and Handfield announced their first project, a Steve McQueen biopic, in April. Variety reports The Combine’s second project, Slingshot, will likewise center on a real-life figure. Bill Caswell bought a BMW for $500 on Craigslist, then rebuilt it to compete against professionals in the World Rally Championships — Caswell’s team finished third in their class.


Renner is committed to star as Caswell; Handfield will write the screenplay. No director is mentioned, though Handfield is in post-production on his feature directorial debut, the sports drama Touchback, so you have to imagine he’s under consideration. Hit the jump for a recap of Renner’s busy slate.
http://collider.com/jeremy-renner-slingshot/95978/




Robert Zemeckis in Talks to Direct MAJOR MATT MASON in 3D; Tom Hanks Stars
by Brendan Bettinger Posted: June 11th, 2011
Tom Hanks initiated development Major Matt Mason, a feature based on the Mattel astronaut action figure, in 2009. Hanks wrote the screenplay with Graham Yost (who scripted episodes of Hanks-produced miniseries Band of Brothers and The Pacific) and, as a producer with Playtone partner Gary Goetzman, earmarked the lead role for himself. For a director, Hanks is turning to the man who directed him to Oscar nominations in Forrest Gump and Cast Away: Robert Zemeckis.


According to THR, Zemeckis is in talks to direct Major Matt Mason in 3D with a tentative budget over $100 million. We heard recently that Zemeckis’ next project is likely to be Flight, which may shoot as early as the fall. Post-production could occupy Zemeckis through a good portion of 2012, though Major Matt Mason could get in front of cameras next year when schedules align.


Hit the jump for background on the toy.
http://collider.com/robert-zemeckis-major-matt-mason/95972/

*First Look at Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover in Clint Eastwood’s J. EDGAR **The Coen Brothers Writing a “Full-on Horror Movie” ***New Trailer for the HBO Miniseries MILDRED PIERCE Starring Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce

First Look at Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover in Clint Eastwood’s J. EDGAR

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 9th, 2011

Unofficial set photos have landed online of Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover in Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar.  Obviously, this is from Hoover’s younger years as opposed to when he was older and had the face of an angry, wrinkled infant.  The film will explore Hoover’s closeted homosexuality and his relationship with Clyde Toulson (played by The Social Network’s Armie Hammer).

Hit the jump to check out the set photos.  J. Edgar also stars Naomi Watts, Josh Lucas, Ed Westwick, Damon Herriman, and Judi Dench.

Click over to Just Jared for more set photos.

http://collider.com/j-edgar-movie-image-set-photo-leonardo-dicaprio/75294/

The Coen Brothers Writing a “Full-on Horror Movie”

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 9th, 2011

The Coen Brothers have shown that they can do just about anything.  They can bend any genre, they can hit any tone, and they’ve hit a winning streak that shows no sign of slowing down.  But what will be their follow-up to True Grit?  Ethan Coen tells Empire that they might be going into the horror business.  When Coen was asked if they would ever do a film in the horror genre, he replied:

“Funny you should ask, yes, we’re working on a couple of scripts now, one of which it would be fair to call a full-on horror movie. Frances McDormand is the monster.”

The part about McDormand may be a joke (she’s his sister-in-law), but it would be awesome to see them go into the horror genre.  They’ve never shied away from the horrific, but to see them pursue a film firmly in the genre and seeing how they’ll twist it sounds like it could be incredible.  Hit the jump for Coen had to say about their other potential projects.
http://collider.com/coen-brothers-horror-movie/75305/

New Trailer for the HBO Miniseries MILDRED PIERCE Starring Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: February 9th, 2011

Back in September, we got our first look at the anticipated HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce in the form of an impressive first trailer. Now HBO has released another trailer as we inch closer to the March 27th premiere. The miniseries (directed by Far from Heaven helmer Todd Haynes and based on James M. Cain’s novel) follows a proud, single mother (Winslet) struggling to earn her daughter’s love during the depression in middle-class Los Angeles. You’ll probably recognize the song from the first half of the trailer as the very same one that graced the first half of the trailer for The Fighter, but don’t take my word for it. Check out the new trailer after the jump.  Mildred Pierce premieres March 27th.

http://collider.com/mildred-pierece-trailer/75309/

***THE KENNEDYS Finds a Home at Reelz Channel ***Cameron Diaz to Star Opposite Colin Firth in Remake of GAMBIT

THE KENNEDYS Finds a Home at Reelz Channel

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: February 1st, 2011

In January, we found out that The History Channel had decided not to air The Kennedys, an 8-part miniseries focusing on the life and times of the Kennedy family with an all-star cast including cast that includes Greg Kinnear (John F. Kennedy), Katie Holmes (Jackie Kennedy), Barry Pepper (Robert F. Kennedy) and Tom Wilkinson (Joe Kennedy). There was hope the controversial miniseries, which has been criticized for its negative portrayal of the iconic political family, to air on Showtime but the cable network passed. Now THR reports The Kennedys has landed a premiere at ReelzChannel, a cable channel mostly dedicated to talking about and going behind the scenes of various movies.  Hit the jump for more.

This will be the channel’s first foray into scripted programming. Apparently the channel makes it into 60 million homes across the country through various cable providers, so plenty of people will still get a chance to see the miniseries. The first two episodes will air on April 3rd and air the rest of the episodes on successive nights that same week. Since the deal at ReelzChannel includes the world premiere broadcast, the series will not be hitting Canada in March as was originally planned, but should still air up North sometime later.

http://collider.com/the-kennedys-reelz-channel/74021/

Cameron Diaz to Star Opposite Colin Firth in Remake of GAMBIT

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 1st, 2011

Cameron Diaz will co-star in Coen Brothers-scripted remake of the 1966 caper comedy Gambit.  According to THR, Colin Firth will play a “London art curator who plots an elaborate scheme to con a wealthy collector into buying a fake Monet painting. As part of the ruse, he recruits a Texas steer roper (Diaz) to play the part of a woman whose grandfather liberated the painting at the end of WWII.”  The roles in the original film were played by Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine.

Diaz recently costarred in The Green Hornet and will next be seen in the comedy Bad Teacher with Justin Timberlake.  Shooting on Gambit is expected to begin this May in London with The Last Station director Michael Hoffman at the helm.

http://collider.com/cameron-diaz-gambit/74018/

***'The Tourist' Berlin Premiere ***'True Grit' New York Premiere

'The Tourist' Berlin Premiere

 

'The Tourist' Berlin Premiere

In This Photo: Johnny Depp

Celebrities attending 'The Tourist' premiere at the Cinestar Sony Center in Berlin, Germany.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency)

 

'The Tourist' Berlin Premiere

In This Photo: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt

Celebrities attending 'The Tourist' premiere at the Cinestar Sony Center in Berlin, Germany.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency) http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/uve1IkGXJrC/The+Tourist+Berlin+Premiere

 

 

'True Grit' New York Premiere

'True Grit' New York Premiere

In This Photo: Carla Gugino

Celebrities at the premiere of 'True Grit' at the Ziegfeld theatre in New York City, NY.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency)

'True Grit' New York Premiere

In This Photo: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Celebrities at the premiere of 'True Grit' at the Ziegfeld theatre in New York City, NY.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency)

'True Grit' New York Premiere

In This Photo: Gretchen Mol

Celebrities at the premiere of 'True Grit' at the Ziegfeld theatre in New York City, NY.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency)

'True Grit' New York Premiere

In This Photo: Matt Damon, Luciana Damon

Celebrities at the premiere of 'True Grit' at the Ziegfeld theatre in New York City, NY.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency)

'True Grit' New York Premiere

In This Photo: Hailee Steinfeld

Celebrities at the premiere of 'True Grit' at the Ziegfeld theatre in New York City, NY.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency)

'True Grit' New York Premiere

In This Photo: Jeff Bridges

Celebrities at the premiere of 'True Grit' at the Ziegfeld theatre in New York City, NY.

( December 15, 2010 - Photo by Photo Agency) http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/O_bEablP0yu/True+Grit+New+York+Premiere

***Virginie Ledoyen to Star in THE LAST BEAT; Plot Loosely Based on Last Days of Jim Morrison ***New Trailer for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES ***Colin Firth in Talks to Star in Coen Brothers Scripted Remake of GAMBIT

Virginie Ledoyen to Star in THE LAST BEAT; Plot Loosely Based on Last Days of Jim Morrison

by Talia Soghomonian    Posted: December 13th, 2010

French actress Virginie Ledoyen, whose claim to international fame was a starring role in The Beach alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, will appear in a movie inspired by Doors singer Jim Morrison.

The Last Beat is loosely based on his last days in Paris, where he died in 1971. Ledoyen will play Clémence, a countess and one of the two love interests of Jay Douglas, the Morrison-inspired character played by Shawn Andrews. Hit the jump for the synopsis and more.

Its timing will somewhat coincide with the 40^th anniversary of Morrison’s death 2011, although the release date has been announced for 2012. Oliver Stone’s 1991 biopic The Doors was released in time for the 30^th anniversary, but that’s where the comparison between the two films ends.

Stone based his movie on Danny Sugerman and Jerry Hopkins’s biography of The Doors No One Here Gets Out Alive, and what bothers me is that he chose to portray mostly the negative aspects of Morrison’s life. Granted, there were many and it makes for good entertainment but the book depicted him as more than just a spoiled rock star and tortured soul.

While I have some reservations about The Last Beat — I’m not sure about the cliché love triangle — I am relieved that it will feature an original soundtrack and not a massacre of Doors songs.

The production company Bohemia Group revealed more details in a press release:

Writer and Director Robert Saitzyk (Godspeed) dives deeply into the torrid world of rock and roll to craft the realm that is the last days of rock star Jay Douglas in the film The Last Beat. Leading the cast in this powerful drama as the famous and tortured Douglas is Shawn Andrews, whose screen credits include the award winning Fix opposite Olivia Wilde, Dazed and Confused and City of Ghosts, and now attached is the César-nominated French actress Virginie Ledoyen, who has been seen in films such as Tout ce qui brille, The Army of Crime and of course Danny Boyle’s The Beach. Ledoyen will play Clémence, a French Countess involved in a turbulent love triangle between Jay Douglas and his self-professed “soul mate” — the earthy, but fiery Valerie Eason.

The Last Beat explores the life of a world weary self exiled rock star searching for a more artistic existence as a poet and writer in Paris, with the hope of erasing his tarnished former stardom. The film’s rich storyline will be accompanied by a completely original soundtrack redolent with the influences of the early 70’s ranging from Rock n Roll to French Pop. The Last Beat will offer audiences a refreshing view of the turbulent end of the 60’s and early 70’s along with an insightful perspective into the melancholy lifestyle and unerring clarity of a rock star and poet coming to terms with his own end.

Production is set to commence in late spring 2011 and will be shot primarily on location in Paris, France.

I’m assuming Valerie Eason is based on Jim Morrison’s girlfriend Pamela Courson, who died in 1974. The actress for the role hasn’t been announced yet.

Ledoyen’s international career never really took off after 2000’s The Beach, not Marion Cotillard style anyway, although she has worked consistently ever since. She has made a slew of (often average) French films and starred this year in Géraldine Nakach’s Tout ce qui brille. But Ledoyen seems intent on making an international “comeback” and is set to appear on TV in XIII: The Series, based on the popular comic by Jean Van Hamme and William Vanc, and, as we previously reported, has been cast in L.D. Napier’s directorial debut, Mis-Fits.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/13/virginie-ledoyen-the-last-beat/

New Trailer for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 13th, 2010

Disney has released a new trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  As we’ve previously reported, the film picks up where Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End left off: with Captain Jack Sparrow hunting for the Fountain of Youth.  Unfortunately for Captain Jack, a woman from his past forces him on to the Queen Anne’s Revenge, which is a nice little ship as long as you don’t mind that its captain is the ruthless pirate Blackbeard.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer, which contains mermaids, zombies, and Keith Richards.  The film stars Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Kevin R. McNally, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Sam Claflin, and Geoffrey Rush.   Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens in 3D on May 20, 2011.  Click here to check out our write-up of the trailer’s premiere at Disneyland.

Briefly, this trailer doesn’t sway me one way or the other on the movie. Jack looks like he’ll remain a static characters and the plot looks overstuffed. However, I’m one of the few people that likes the overstuffed Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End. The trailer shows a lot of scenes with low-lighting which makes me nervous about the 3D since the technology almost always dims the picture. I’ve got mixed feelings on this flick, but hopefully I’ll end up enjoying it as much as the first three.

Here’s the official synopsis for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides:

Captain Jack Sparrow crosses paths with a woman from his past and he’s not sure if it’s love or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard, Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

Genre: Action Adventure

Cast: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Kevin R. McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl), Astrid Berges-Frisbey (The Sea Wall), Sam Claflin (The Pillars of the Earth), and Geoffrey Rush

Directed by: Rob Marshall (Chicago)

Screenplay by: Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio

Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer

Executive Producers: John DeLuca, Ted Elliott, Chad Oman, Terry Rossio, Mike Stenson, Barry H. Waldman

Click over to Yahoo! Movies to see the trailer in HD.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/13/trailer-pirates-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-trailer/

Disneyland Goes All-Out for the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4 Trailer Premiere – UPDATED With Video

by Rob Vaux    Posted: December 13th, 2010

Swashbucklers of all varieties swarmed the Disneyland Resort this morning, eager to watch the world premiere of the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides trailer. Fans and contest winners lined up in front of the AMC theaters in Downtown Disney, braving the icy cold California morning (in which temperatures plunged into the low 50s) in order to be the first to catch a glimpse of Jack Sparrow’s new adventures. “Official” pirates from the park sang sea shanties and conducted costume contests, while director Rob Marshall appeared beforehand to introduce the trailer. In the midst of it, he dropped a few tantalizing hints about the content  of the new film. (Avast mateys! Thar be spoilers ahead. Fairly warned thee be, says I.)

After the trailer screening, guests were taken into the Disneyland park just before the gates opened for the day. The sailing ship Columbia appeared—complete with crew—who sang more sea shanties and swore in the new “crew members” with a lengthy pirate oath. They were joined by none other than Jack Sparrow himself,  who seemed confused as to whether the guests were to be conscripted or executed. Once the issue was cleared up (thankfully with no blood being spilt), the guests took a trip on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, followed by a breakfast and after-party at a nearby pavilion. While Disney provided bacon and eggs, the guests could take pictures with Jack and his crew, as well as with the huge mock-up of the film’s teaser poster, featuring a grinning silver Jack skull. Hit the jump for more.

UPDATE: Disney has provided us with some footage from today’s event as well as an interview with director Rob Marshall. Both are after the jump:

As for the trailer itself? It featured an introduction from Geoffrey Rush, who reprises his role of Captain Barbossa in the film, The wily pirate has changed sides, it seems: now serving as a captain in the British Navy (though we suspect this particular leopard retains the same spots as ever). He and Johnny Depp’s Jack open the proceedings in London, where Jack is seeking the whereabouts of an imposter. From there, it’s back to the New World in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth. Along the way, they’re joined by Penelope Cruz’s feisty pirate queen and Ian McShane’s thoroughly unpleasant Blackbeard.  Watch it for yourself here.

The trailer only hinted at the details—though to be sure, there were plenty of buckles swashed throughout—concentrating instead on the film’s use of 3D. The camera swooped through lush jungles and barren shorelines while Jack (and the audience) dodge cannonballs, rapiers, and the occasional zombie hurtling right in our face. As impressive  as they all looked, however, the real selling point was the same as it was for the first three films: Depp, at his mincing, quipping best in the center of all the mayhem. The trailer delivered plenty of his one-liners (“I hope you all saw that, “ he gesticulates after a spectacular dive, “because I will not be doing it again!”), as well as more athletic moments of the crossing-sabers-and-swinging-from-yardarms variety.  The trailer made clear that—whatever changes On Stranger Tides makes—the essence of the series remains intact.

Afterwards, Marshall himself spoke to the press about the film, and the big turnout for the trailer.

“I remember going on the ride as a kid,” he said, while standing in front of the entrance. “It was back when they used tickets for the different rides. This was definitely an E-ticket back then, and we got the same feeling with this shoot: a real adventure.”

Part of that adventure involved getting the 3D right. Marshall said he considered it a key step because it immerses the audience in Jack’s world… a world, he stressed, that relied on actual  locations rather than CGI.

“Because there’s 3D involved, you’re bringing in 3D rigs. It’s one thing if you’re bringing it into a soundstage or on a green screen. Here, we’re bringing it into caves and into waterfalls, and jungles and swamps…. Some pretty amazing places.”

Marshall was quick to sing the praises of his entire cast, particularly Depp, who he described  as “a dream.” Working with him posed a particular challenge, since the actor knows the character so well, but both men quickly established a working rapport. “He’s an actor, and he wants guidance,” Marshall claimed. “It was my job to give him what he needed without getting in the way of this wonderful figure he’s created.”

As for other surprises the film might contain, the director was tight lipped, and when asked if it would make any nods to the ride, he simply smiled. “There are two… but I’m not going to tell you which ones.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens May 20, 2011.

UPDATE: Here’s director Rob Marshall talking about today’s event and the next video is 10 minutes of behind the scenes footage from this morning.  In case you weren’t able to go, now you can see what you missed:

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http://www.collider.com/2010/12/13/disneyland-trailer-premiere-pirates-caribbean-on-stranger-tides/

Colin Firth in Talks to Star in Coen Brothers Scripted Remake of GAMBIT

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 13th, 2010

Last month, we reported that director Michael Hoffman (The Last Station) had come on board to helm the Coen Brothers-scripted remake of the 1966 Michael Caine caper comedy Gambit.  Deadline now reports that Oscar nominee Colin Firth is in talks to play the Caine role of a cat burglar who attempts to steal a priceless statue from a billionaire by enlisting the help of a waitress (played in the original by Shirley MacLaine) who looks like the billionaire’s deceased wife.

Firth, who is likely to receive an Oscar nomination for his wonderful performance in The King’s Speech, is currently developing a film based on the Amanda Knox murder case with director Michael Winterbottom (The Killer Inside Me), and is co-starring in Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/13/colin-firth-gambit/

***First Look at Emma Watson in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN ***4 Movie Clips and Behind the Scenes Footage from the Coen Brothers TRUE GRIT

First Look at Emma Watson in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 10th, 2010

The first shot of Emma Watson in Simon Curtis’ My Week with Marilyn has gone online.  In the film, Emma plays the small but important role of Lucy, an assistant in the wardrobe department at Pinewood studios in 1956.  The film is based on the memoir of Laurence Olivier’s assistant, Colin Clark.  Olivier (who is played in the film by Kenneth Branagh) became a close confidant of Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl.

Hit the jump to check out the image.   My Week with Marilyn is Watson’s first live-action feature film role outside of the Harry Potter franchise.  Click here to check out her interview with Steve where she talks about the film.

Image via Mail Online.

Here’s the synopsis for My Week with Marilyn:

In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark, just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’, the film that famously united Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe, who was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Arthur Miller.

Nearly 40 years on, his diary account ‘The Prince, the Showgirl and Me’ was published, but one week was missing and this was published some years later as ‘My Week with Marilyn’ – this is the story of that week.  When Arthur Miller leaves England, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce Marilyn to some of the pleasures of British life; an idyllic week in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/10/my-week-with-marilyn-movie-images-emma-watson/

4 Movie Clips and Behind the Scenes Footage from the Coen Brothers TRUE GRIT

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: December 10th, 2010

Paramount has released 4 movie clips and about 4 minutes of behind the scenes footage from the Coen Brothers True Grit.  Based on Charles Portis’ novel, the film stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld.  As I said a few weeks ago in my mini-review and video blog, I absolutely loved this movie and think it’s one of the best of the year.  I also think this is one of those films that will stand the test of time.  Of course, being directed by the Coen Brothers, does that really surprise anyone?

Anyway, if you can’t wait till Christmas Day, hit the jump for some clips and the behind the scenes footage:

Here’s the clips:

Here’s the behind the scenes footage:

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And here’s the official synopsis:

True Grit is a mythic Western adventure story of vengeance and valor from Academy Award winning filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, whose stirring adaptation hones in on the plain-spoken humor, bold storytelling and rough beauty of Charles Portis’ classic American novel.

The time is the 1870s, the setting frontier America just after the Civil War, and the taleteller is Mattie Ross, who at 14 years-old journeys to Fort Smith, Arkansas determined to extract justice for the death of her father, shot in cold blood. Highlighted by a cast that includes Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Academy Award® nominee Matt Damon (Invictus), Academy Award® nominee Josh Brolin (Milk), Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan) and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld as one of literature’s most stouthearted young heroines, True Grit is written for the screen and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and produced by Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen.  The executive producers are Steven Spielberg, Robert Graf, David Ellison, Paul Schwake and Megan Ellison.

Mattie Ross (STEINFELD) arrives in Fort Smith as her family’s sole representative, in search of the coward Tom Chaney (BROLIN), who is said to have killed her father for two gold pieces before setting out into Indian Territory as a fugitive. Beholden to follow Chaney and see him hanged, Mattie enlists the help of a man rumored to be the most ruthless U.S. Marshal in town — trigger-happy, drunken Rooster Cogburn (BRIDGES), who, after many objections, agrees to hunt Chaney. But Chaney is already the target of the talkative Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (DAMON), who also aims to catch the killer and bring him back to Texas for an ample reward – which brings the trio to collide on the trail.  Each willful and stubborn, each driven by their own rough moral codes, this unlikely posse rides towards an unpredictable reckoning, as they find themselves enveloped in the stuff of legend: mischief and brutality, courage and disillusion, doggedness and unalloyed love.

The film’s distinguished production team is made up of collaborators from many of the Coen Brothers past projects including Oscar®-nominated director of photography Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC (The Man Who Wasn’t There, O Brother Where Art Thou?) production designer Jess Gonchor (Capote, No Country for Old Men) and costume designer Mary Zophres (Catch Me If You Can, O Brother Where Art Thou?).  The editor is Roderick Jaynes and the composer is Carter Burwell.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/10/true-grit-movie-clips-behind-scenes-footage/

***Steve Has Seen The Coen Brothers’ TRUE GRIT; Some Thoughts and a Video Blog ***Paul Dano Joins Rian Johnson’s LOOPER ***Kirsten Dunst: 'All Good Things' NYC Premiere

Steve Has Seen The Coen Brothers’ TRUE GRIT; Some Thoughts and a Video Blog

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: December 1st, 2010

In the late 90’s, I used to watch Pedro Martinez pitch for the Boston Red Sox.  While he’d always been a decent pitcher, starting in ‘97, he was in the zone, striking out batters with such ease that everyone knew they were watching something special.  It got to be that his dates on the mound were circled on calendars and people cleared their schedules to make sure they could watch.
Which brings me to the latest Coen Brothers movie, True Grit.
For the past few years, moviegoers have been witness to an incredible streak of brilliant movies from the Coens, starting with No Country For Old Men in 2007, and continuing with Burn After Reading, A Serious Man, and now their latest work of genius, True Grit.  Like Pedro Martinez in the 90’s, the brothers are throwing fastball after fastball and they’re making it look far too easy.  And they’re doing it every year.  If you’re a movie nerd, you know how difficult it is to make one great movie, let alone four in four years.  Much more after the jump:

Before going any further, if you’re not familiar with True Grit, it’s a western that stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper and Hailee Steinfeld.   Here’s the trailer:

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Here’s the thing: Since True Grit doesn’t get released until the end of December, I’m unwilling to go into too many specifics about the plot.  I walked into the theater knowing very little as I hadn’t read Charles Portis’ 1968 novel, and I’d never seen the original John Wayne movie from 1969.  And even though some of you might have either read the book or seen the original film, I’d imagine the large majority of moviegoers are going to walk in like I did.  If you do, you can look forward to the same reaction I had while watching: loving every second of it.  On top of that, if you’re a fan of westerns, get ready for a cup of fried gold, as the Coens have again proven they can work in any genre and tell any story.
And this is the problem with writing about the Coen brothers–you’re stuck with the same superlatives that you use all the time:  genius, brilliant, awesome, amazing, dazzling…you get where this is going.  They’ve once again made one of the best films of the year and it’s something you should be excited to see.  It’s definitely on my top ten.

Anyhow, since Peter from Slashfilm was at the same advance screening as me, we recorded a video blog the other night.  The only thing to know is I was in Boston and had to use my laptop video camera.  Meaning the quality is pretty bad.  But you can hear us, which is all that really counts:

And for the people that didn’t watch the video, here’s a few things that stand out in True Grit:

Hailee Steinfeld.  The entire movie is about her character trying to get revenge on the man who killed her father.  She plays a 14 year old girl in the late 1800’s and she delivers one of the best “kid” performances I’ve seen in a long time.  There are scenes where she’s acting against Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon and she easily holds her own.
Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon.  Both are brilliant for different reasons.  I don’t want to spoil how Damon plays his character, but his choices are perfect and he again demonstrates why he’s one of the best actors working today.  Bridges, on the other hand, is in the majority of the film and he’s phenomenal as Marshal Reuben J. Cogburn – the person Hailee Steinfeld hires to kill the man who murdered her father.  If he hadn’t won an Oscar last year for Crazy Heart, this role might have done it.  Either way, I can see both actors getting Oscar nominations.
Roger Deakins.  If you’re a film nerd, you knew this was coming.  As the director of photography for a lot of the Coen Brothers films, most have seen his work behind the camera.  He’s helped make some of their films so memorable.  Look at his resume.  He’s one of the best in the world.  Anyway, in True Grit, he makes a long gone era feel new and real.
Production Design/Costumes/Etc. – Every aspect impressed me.  There are some scenes towards the beginning of the film that you’ll think you’ve been transported back in time as Steinfeld walks around.  So impressed.
The script. I don’t know how the Coen Brothers continue to churn out phenomenal script and script, but I’m so thankful they do.  As you would imagine with this being a Coen film, you’re going to have plenty of great moments that you didn’t see coming.  I really want to talk about some specific things…but I’m holding back as I don’t want to ruin any aspect of the film.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of westerns, the Coen brothers, any of the actors in the film, or just great movies, True Grit should be on your list to see this holiday season.  It’s one of my favorites of the year and brilliant on so many levels.  I wish I could talk about a few of the specific things that I loved, but I don’t want to ruin any of the twists and turns. My advice is to see True Grit as soon as possible.  You’ll be happy you did.
True Grit opens December 22 at theaters everywhere.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/01/coen-brothers-true-grit-review-video-blog/

Paul Dano Joins Rian Johnson’s LOOPER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 1st, 2010

Paul Dano is in talks to join the cast of Looper, the new film from writer-director Rian Johnson (Brick, The Brothers Bloom).  The plot takes place in a world where a crime syndicate can send their enemies back in time and a group of killers known as “loopers” eliminate those enemies, so there’s no evidence of the murder in the crime syndicate’s present time.  The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as “Joe”, a looper, Bruce Willis as the older version of Gordon-Levitt’s character, and Emily Blunt.
Variety doesn’t say what role Dano would be playing, but according to The Playlist, he’s playing a looper named Seth.  The Playlist adds that while it’s not a brief role, it’s a key part of the movie and that Dano’s a perfect pick for the job.  Shooting is scheduled to begin in Louisiana early next year.  Seeing as I’ve loved both of Johnson’s previous films, I’m excited out of my mind to see what he’ll do with Looper.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/01/paul-dano-looper-rian-johnson/

Thu, 02 December 2010

Kirsten Dunst: 'All Good Things' NYC Premiere

Kirsten Dunst steps out in a Valentino dress at the premiere of her latest film, All Good Things, on Wednesday (December 1) at NYC’s SVA Theater.

The 28-year-old actress met up with the film’s director, Andrew Jarecki, on the black carpet.

All Good Things, which also stars Ryan Gosling, hits select theaters this Friday (December 3)!

10+ pictures inside of Kirsten Dunst at the NYC premiere of All Good Things…

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2010/12/02/kirsten-dunst-all-good-things-nyc-premiere/
Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/#ixzz16x55x3MW

29 november; HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Born Today

Joel Coen (56)

Don Cheadle (46)

 

Garry Shandling (61)

Kim Delaney (52)

Anna Faris (34)

2011 Oscar Preview

by Adam Chitwood    Posted:November 26th, 2010

Best Director
Frontrunners:
David Fincher – The Social Network
Danny Boyle – 127 Hours
Likely to be nominated:
Tom Hooper – The King’s Speech
Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan
Christopher Nolan – Inception
Outside contenders:
Joel & Ethan Coen – True Grit
Peter Weir – The Way Back
Lisa Cholodenko – The Kids Are All Right
The Best Director race is understandably similar to the Best Picture race at the moment. Fincher’s work in The Social Network shows masterful restraint, and Boyle managed to make a film which largely takes place in a small rock cavern visually invigorating. With The King’s Speech being a frontrunner for Best Picture, you can expect Hooper to be at the top of the list of the Director race. Of the 82 films that have won Best Picture, 60 of them have also won Best Director, so these two categories are very closely tied together. And with the list of Best Picture nominees expanded to ten, many look to this category to determine the 5 “real” Best Picture nominees. It would be surprising if either Aronofsky or Nolan were overlooked; both of their films are obviously Director-driven, not to mention wholly original. If True Grit lives up to the hype, expect the Coen brothers to be nominated as well. Weir could be the wild-card in this category. He’s been nominated for Best Director four times in his career, and is something of an Academy favorite.  Then again, it’s also conceivable to think that someone like Cholodenko or David O. Russell could pick up the last slot.

http://www.collider.com/2010/11/26/2011-oscar-preview/#more-62096

***The Weinstein Company Assembles Legal Team to Challenge MPAA Ratings for THE KING’S SPEECH and BLUE VALENTINE ***Four New Banners and an International Poster for TRUE GRIT

The Weinstein Company Assembles Legal Team to Challenge MPAA Ratings for THE KING’S SPEECH and BLUE VALENTINE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 18th, 2010

The Weinstein Company has a couple of serious awards contenders with The King Speech’s and Blue Valentine.  While critical acclaim for these films has already come out of the festival circuit, the Weinsteins are trying to get these films in front of as many people as possible.  Standing in the way is the MPAA, which has slapped The King’s Speech with an R-rating for langugage and Blue Valentine with an NC-17 for apparently being too emotionally devastating.

The Weinstein Company has assembled a legal team to fight the ratings, since the “R” would lower The King’s Speech’s potential box office and the “NC-17″ would outright kill Blue Valentine.  Hit the jump for more.

The press release issued by The Weinstein Company is below followed by my comments and a suggestion as to a possible long-term solution for the MPAA regarding these kinds of controversies.

LOS ANGELES, CA (November 18, 2010) – In response to the ratings given to two of its upcoming films, The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that it has engaged a formidable legal team to challenge the NC-17 rating for BLUE VALENTINE and the R rating for THE KING’S SPEECH given by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), according to TWC Co-Chair Harvey Weinstein.

“While we respect the MPAA, I think we can all agree that we are living with an outdated ratings system that gives torture porn, horror and ultraviolent films the same rating as films with so-called inappropriate language,” explains Weinstein.

In mounting the challenge, TWC has assembled a team of top attorneys including David Boies, who serves as legal advisor on both films, Bert Fields, who is overseeing the appeal for THE KING’S SPEECH, and Alan R. Friedman, the lead attorney for BLUE VALENTINE.

THE KING’S SPEECH drew an R rating due to its multiple occurrences of strong language, even though it is used in a non-aggressive, non-sexual, therapeutic way. Director Tom Hooper states, “I hope that language can be judged by its context just as violence is currently judged in context. The f-word in ‘The King’s Speech’ is not being used in its sexual sense, or in its aggressive sense, but as a release mechanism to help a man overcome a stammer in the context of speech therapy, in a scene that is also very funny. This was a technique that David Seidler, the writer, encountered as a boy in the 1940s – discovering he didn’t stammer on curse words was hugely helpful to him overcoming his speech problems. Fortunately in the UK we have been granted a 12A, and the on screen certificate will explain that there is some bad language “used in the context of speech therapy”. I hope that in the light of this context the R rating for the movie can be reconsidered.”

Prompted by the decision from the British Board of Film Classification to lower the rating of THE KING’S SPEECH to 12A, the equivalent of our PG-13, and to use the specific warning: “Contains strong language in a speech therapist context,” as well as the outcry from parents, teens and educators who have already seen the film, TWC has requested what is referred to as a Special Hearing with the MPAA. The Special Hearing is necessary because the film is now within 25 business days of its theatrical release. “We were so encouraged by the British Film Board’s decision to lower the rating in England that it motivated us to fully support the Special Hearing that TWC has requested. We feel that school kids in America would otherwise miss out on the opportunity to see this film which at its core is a film about overcoming adversity, based on moral themes of friendship and self belief,” comments Iain Canning.

Not only has the film received support from filmgoers, but also from a chorus of key journalists, including Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times, Dave Karger of Entertainment Weekly, and countless other editors and writers. The other motivation for proceeding with the 11th-hour appeal is in response to audiences who believe the current powder-keg issue of childhood bullying, and its effects long into adulthood, subtlety illustrated in the film, should reach pre-teen and teenage viewers.

Attorney Fields adds, “This rating for THE KING’S SPEECH is arbitrary and irrational. In my view, it violates The Weinstein Company’s right to freedom of speech under the state and US constitution. It should strike fear in the heart of every director and producer.”

BLUE VALENTINE, starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, in a film already acclaimed by critics, tells the honest and personal story of a troubled marriage, and yet apparently drew an NC-17 due to one scene, a sexually intimate sequence between a married couple trying to repair their broken relationship.

Gosling comments, “You have to question a cinematic culture which preaches artistic expression, and yet would support a decision that is clearly a product of a patriarchy-dominant society, which tries to control how women are depicted on screen. The MPAA is okay supporting scenes that portray women in scenarios of sexual torture and violence for entertainment purposes, but they are trying to force us to look away from a scene that shows a woman in a sexual scenario, which is both complicit and complex. It’s misogynistic in nature to try and control a woman’s sexual presentation of self. I consider this an issue that is bigger than this film.”

“The MPAA’s decision on Blue Valentine unmasks a taboo in our culture, that an honest portrayal of a relationship is more threatening than a sensationalized one,” says Williams. “Mainstream films often depict sex and violence in a manner that is disturbing and very far from reality. Yet, the MPAA regularly awards these films with a more audience friendly rating, enabling our culture’s desensitization to violence, rape, torture and brutality. Our film does not depict any of these attributes. It’s simply a candid look at the difficulties couples face in sustaining their relationships over time. Blue Valentine opens a door for couples to have a dialogue about the everyday realities of many relationships. This film was made in the spirit of love, honesty and intimacy. I hope that the MPAA will hear our pleas and reconsider their decision.”

In order to appeal, TWC is forced to accept the NC-17 rating for now, the first step in the appeals process. Initially TWC sought to go outside of the ratings board, and release the film unrated, however in the last 10 days so much support of the film has been garnered that TWC has decided to move forward with an official MPAA appeal. “Over the past year I have witnessed audiences all over the world personally relating to the story and characters, so brilliantly and bravely performed by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams” states director, Derek Cianfrance. He adds, “The one positive to come out of this miss-directed decision, is the passionate outpouring of support from the industry, the media, and the fans of the film. I have yet to meet someone who has seen the film who agrees with this ultra-conservative decision.”

“Stamping this film with the rarely used NC-17 is a travesty,” says attorney Friedman. “That rating is out of sync with R ratings awarded to films for sexual conduct, where the scenes in question are far less sensitively handled. The scene, consistent with the entire film, like all of BLUE VALENTINE, was shot with great care and tact. In fact, the NC-17 suggests a coarseness of content that is nowhere to be seen. I look forward to providing the appeal board with the chance to correct this mistake by lowering the rating to an R.”

As both films are slated for an end of the year release and are considered by many to be leading awards contenders, TWC hopes to come to a resolution on an expedited timetable.

THE KING’S SPEECH, starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter is directed by Tom Hooper, written by David Seidler and produced by Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, will have an exclusive Thanksgiving release.

BLUE VALENTINE, directed by Derek Cianfrance, produced by Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell and Alex Orlovsky, will be released on December 31 and expands nationwide January 2011.

I am slightly perplexed by their attorney Bert Field’s argument that the rating for The King’s Speech, “violates The Weinstein Company’s right to freedom of speech under the state and US constitution.”  The first amendment protects people from the government prohibiting speech.  The MPAA is a self-governing body and films don’t have to adhere to its rules if they don’t wish.  TWC could theoretically release The King’s Speech without an MPAA rating.  However, it would tank at the box office since most theaters won’t show unrated or NC-17 rated movies.

The Weinstein Company co-chair Harvey Weinstein makes an excellent point in a press release when he says:

“While we respect the MPAA, I think we can all agree that we are living with an outdated ratings system that gives torture porn, horror and ultraviolent films the same rating as films with so-called inappropriate language,”

The problem (other than the MPAA’s perverse leniency on violence while taking a puritanical stand on sex and language) is the limited ratings system.  The MPAA needs to create a new rating that exists between PG-13 and R.  The new rating could function as a minor-R, lowering the age of admission without an adult to 15 on certain films.  The gulf between PG-13 and R is simply too vast and films like The King’s Speech, films whose greatest offense is language, fall in and the Academy errs on the side of caution.

It’s not like it takes an act of congress to create a new rating.  As I said before, the MPAA is a self-governing body and if they want to create a new rating, they can.  This case over The King’s Speech could be the perfect opportunity to do so.

http://www.collider.com/2010/11/18/the-kings-speech-blue-valentine-mpaa-weinstein-company/

 

 

Four New Banners and an International Poster for TRUE GRIT

by Ben Garman    Posted: November 18th, 2010

Excitement surrounding the Coen Brothers’ latest film, True Grit, is building up a head of steam and we’ve now got four new character banners and the international poster. The new posters feature Josh Brolin, Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges looking badass, armed and dangerous, and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, looking not-so-dangerous. For those not yet up to date, the movie sees Bridges as a hardened US Marshal helping a young girl (Steinfeld) track down her father’s killer (Brolin).

Hit the jump to check out the banners and poster.  True Grit opens December 22nd.

Banners via IMDb:

International poster via Empire:

Here’s the official synopsis for True Grit:

Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross’s (Hailee Steinfeld) father has been shot in cold blood by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), and she is determined to bring him to justice. Enlisting the help of a trigger-happy, drunken U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), she sets out with him — over his objections — to hunt down Chaney. Her father’s blood demands that she pursue the criminal into Indian territory and find him before a Texas Ranger named LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) catches him and brings him back to Texas for the murder of another man.

http://www.collider.com/2010/11/18/true-grit-movie-posters-banners-international/