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Hadewijch: God What a Beautiful Poster
13 November 2009
- This isn't news per se, just wanted to point out the French poster for Bruno Dumont's Hadewijch - which happened to be my last film screened at Tiff, and for those who have the opportunity, I would suggest a great double bill with Jessica Hausner' Lourdes in the mix. Lourdes takes a very low-key comedic approach to questions of faith with Sylvie Testud playing a demoralized skeptic - you can tell by the look in her eyes, one of the only body movements she can control, that she views religious faith as something abstract and solely for the weak minded. Then you have Dumont's film, a 180 degree switchover with the lead actress Julie Sokolowski in an almost amorous rapport with the one above. The poster artwork (which IFC Films shouldn't bother re-touching or changing) gives a strong sense of that very strong attachment. ... »
Focus Features: Putting A Bad Year Behind Them
13 November 2009
- With all the studio arm indie divisions closing shop, I'm crossing my fingers for the folks at Focus Features - they actually give a sh*t about filmmakers. We don't need to mention what happened with the parent company, and today's press release sort of camouflages the mediocre 2009 year that is still unfolding. When you add filmmaker Henry Selick and Shane Acker's numbers and subtract Ang Lee's and Sam Mendes' box office grosses and all the P&A costs, I'm sure that Focus' "eighth profitable year in a row since their inception" is based on the extra revenue from DVD/Blu-Ray sales and by no clear box office successes. With the half a dozen titles (mentioned below) in the 2010 pipeline, I'm thinking James Schamus' division might have a year with shades of green. Focus commenced the year with an indie film (Sin Nombre) that took in »
IFC Make Up with 'Breaking Upwards'
12 November 2009
- When it comes to release time, Daryl Wein's Breaking Upwards might want to come with the label this ain't Mumblecore. Not that there is a problem with the films, but seeing that IFC Films don't have a problem with inexpensive/low-budget films, I'm afraid that cinephiles might lump this with the Swanberg/Bujalski/Shelton group. Judging by the trailer, this might be low budget and addresses relationship issues head on, but the actors are pro and I'm sure the script was pretty much not invented on the spot. It was announced that IFC Films who've recently picked up the SXSW entry for a springtime, when flowers bloom release of the 2nd of April. Written by Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones and Peter Duchan, 'Breaking Upwards' explores a young, real-life New York couple who, fours years in and battling codependency, decide to intricately strategize their own break up. »
IFC Finds 'Cracks' in the System
12 November 2009
- The consensus among my peers at the Toronto Film Festival was that the Jordan Scott's debut was lacking certain elements to make it a full-fledged thriller worth investing in, but after this trade news announcement, I checked up on the Variety review and I'm loving the cross section of films it mentions it its first pull quote calling it "a cross between "Picnic at Hanging Rock" and "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," shot through with a nasty "Lord of the Flies" streak." IFC Films have picked up the rights to Cracks and are putting it out sometime next year. Written for the screen by Caroline Ip and Ben Court, based on the novel by Sheila Kohler, this is about a group of girls at a boarding school in England in the 1930s, the most elite clique of girls are the illustrious members of the school’s diving team. »
Samuel Goldwyn Brings Justice to 'Harry Brown'
12 November 2009
- Is there such a thing as Kitchen Sink films featuring old men? The young men from the 60's now belong to a different age bracket, so I guess we can point to this post-tiff and now, post-afm film deal as one of them. According to the trades, this year's Gran Torino in the shape of Daniel Barber’s Harry Brown has been smoked out by Samuel Goldwyn Films. The pic which was considered a must see film by many buyers in Toronto just opened in theaters in the U.K.. Scripted by Gary Young, set in modern-day Britain, follows one man’s (Sir Michael Caine) journey through a chaotic world where drugs are the currency of the day and guns run the streets. A modest law-abiding citizen, Harry Brown is a retired Marine and a widower who lives alone on a depressed housing estate. His only company is his »
Mugabe and the White African and Soundtrack for a Revolution Lead 2009 Int. Documentary Ass. Noms
12 November 2009
- While I've yet to see the doc myself (I reference Claire Denis' White Material when I think of what the film might hold narratively), when the Cinema Eye Honor Noms were released I was surprised to see that, despite the positive buzz, Lucy Bailey and Andrew Thompson's Mugabe and the White African only manage to grab one nomination. Clearly the film is a favorite for the 2009 edition of the Ida Awards - it picked up three nominations in the Feature Documentary, ABCNews VideoSource Award an the Pare Lorentz Award categories. Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman's Soundtrack for a Revolution also faired well, nabbing three nominations, while philanthropic docs such as Food, Inc and Earth Days have found praise in the shape of a pair of nominations each. Here's the complete list of nominations and categories which also includes Documentary television. Honors Career Achievement Award: Errol Morris Pioneer »
The Annual Black List: Steady Growth Leads to New Portal
11 November 2009
- The creator behind the yearly Black List (best of unproduced screenplays and "a snapshot of the collective taste of the people who develop, produce, and release theatrical feature films in the Hollywood studio system and the mainstream independent system") has gone portal, which basically means I'll probably won't be viewing the list as I once did in the past: a passed around email via industry folks I know on the "inside". Click here to visit the site. With a botched domain name, a clean interface and a background image that reminds us that despite a paper-less friendly society, people still like to receive their scripts on actual pulp, for the time being the site functions as a "cast your vote" system and which will probably be an information friendly source on those who get on the list. For those who don't know it, this thing is big. It has »
Peering into 2010: 1st Pics of Greenberg, Somewhere, All the Good Things, Blue Valentine
11 November 2009
- This was originally hoping to have this up much earlier this morning until my server decided to act funny...Collider.com have uncovered some of the riches of the American Film Market and among the first images we have are some first looks at some highly anticipated 2010 titles. The first shot we have is of Clooney in sniper mode in The American. The Rowan Joffe-scripted adaptation of the Martin Booth novel A Very Private Gentleman with Anton Corbijn directing and which I believe is still currently in production. Other photos of interest from the Focus Features and Weinstein vaults include Andrew Jarecki's All Good Things, Derek Cianfrance's Blue Valentine, David O. Russell's The Fighter, Noah Baumbach's Greenberg, Sofia Coppola's Somewhere and the next project from Mike Leigh. You might want to take a peak here and here for the other pics. All Good Things »
Art of the Movie Poster #3: The Messenger
11 November 2009
- You'd almost think with the smudged out, charcoaled choice in colors that the makers of this poster art didn't want to credit the talents of Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster, when in fact, the artwork captures the tone of the film and what would look like a random two head shot composition is in fact the stance taken prior to a car wreck moment of impact. With an ash-like contrast that foreshadows the psychologically difficult zone that members of the military experience on the home-front, Oren Moverman's directorial debut profiles the functions of one of the military's least desirable jobs: Casualty Notification officer. After learning the ins-and-outs of running a grassroots marketing campaigns in their inaugural year of operations, Oscilloscope Laboratories are certainly poised to support the troops that are the make up The Messenger, which opens this Friday. We had a chance to speak to Zoe Chan, »
NeoClassics into Belgium Films...and Probably Waffles and Beer Too
11 November 2009
- With back-to-back pick ups at the Afm, plus last year's distribution of Moscow, Belgium, I think NeoClassics Films (the small indie distribution co. from Culver City) have a thing for Belgian cinema. This past weekend they picked up the U.S. rights to Felix van Groeningen's The Misfortunates, Belgium's Foreign Oscar submission and they followed this up with the worldwide rights pick-up of a film I've never hard of in Geoffrey Enthoven's The Over The Hill Band - a dramedy that has been compared to Young@Heart. The Misfortunates will get released in December for nomination consideration, while Over the Hill Band should be released in 2010 and geared towards a very specific audience. The Misfortunates sees Gunther Strobbe, 13, share's his grandmother's roof with his father and three uncles. Daily, Gunther is steeped in ambiance of frenzied binges, shameless womanizing and unending bumming around...Gunther looks likely to suffer the same fate. »
Interview: The Messenger's Oren Moverman
11 November 2009
- [Editor's Note: This was originally published during the 25th edition of the Sundance Film Festival.] Eric Lavallee: Originally, there were a couple of directors attach to direct this film – what finally propelled you to step out of the shadows and make a run at it yourself?Om: I was brought out of the shadows. Producer Mark Gordon wanted me to direct the film and, quite frankly, I didn't jump at it. Not because I didn’t want to direct, quite the opposite, I was on my way to directing another film, but because I didn’t think I was experienced enough to take it on. We had Sydney Pollack, Roger Michel, and then Ben Affleck attached as directors along the way, and I thought, as the co-screenwriter, ‘who is this Oren guy to come in and make our brilliant script into a movie with no proven directing skills?’ I was thinking like a screenwriter should. But it didn’t take that long to convince me. »
Spc to Unveil 'The Secret In Their Eyes'
10 November 2009
- In a move that sees them fill out their early 2010 slate and in the same measure, add to their chances at owning more than half of the Best Foreign Picture category for the upcoming Oscars, Sony Pictures Classics have grabbed Juan Jose Campanella’s The Secrets in their Eyes. This is Argentina's official selection. Screen Daily mentions that this is the second time that the filmmaker works with the distribution company - they previously teamed on his 2001 film, Son of the Bride. The Variety review (see a portion below) makes this a film that seems custom designed for Spc's market. A deeply rewarding throwback to the unself-conscious days when cinema still strove to be magical, "The Secrets in their Eyes" is simply mesmerizing. While it packs two generation-spanning love stories, a noirish thriller, some delicious comedy, a pointed political critique and much food for thought into more than two hours’ compelling, »
Eastwood's 'Hereafter' Moves to France
10 November 2009
- Clint Eastwood's Hereafter is circling "France". The one who charmed the art-house circuit with her Jean Seberg coiffe and introductory performances to world auds in L'auberge espagnole and High Tension will be making her official Hollywood studio film debut as one of the three central characters in the globe-trotting supernatural drama. Along with Matt Damon, Cecile de France is part a storyline of a trio of people who are touched by death in different ways. De France will portray a French journalist who has a near-death experience. Filming will take place in Paris, London, Hawaii and San Francisco and like his previous films with WB, Eastwood's pic is already slated for a December release next year.... »
Strand Practices 'Year Without Sex'
10 November 2009
- Looks like it'll be two for two for Sarah Watts in the U.S. After seeing her debut feature Look Both Ways (a film that dealt with issues of death with spurts of animation and humor) receive a moderate release via the folks at Kino, her sophomore film My Year Without Sex has found a home with the folks from Strand who are currently beefing up their 2010 slate (view here). The pic will receive a Spring release. The film was presented at Tiff this year and is one among several that drifted to end of the year Afm purchases. Described as a love story about a family dealing with all the big questions and even more of the small ones. Set over one messy year, Ross and Natalie and their two kids, Louis and Ruby, navigate nits, faith, Christmas, job insecurity, footy practice, more nits, and whether they will ever have sex again. »
Genius to Dismember 'Tell-Tale' in Theaters
9 November 2009
- Mystery fans will get their Edgar Allan Poe fix on the big screen sometime in 2010. Screen Daily reports that Genius Products (the Weinstein Co.'s home vid label) have picked up the U.S. rights to Tell-Tale and they might bring it to the cinephile market. Michael Cuesta is still a little know filmmaker with L.I.E. (2001) and Twelve and Holding (2005), but "Dexter" fans would most certainly recognize the name. Written by Dave Callaham, this is a modern-day reimagining of the Edgar Allan Poe classic "The Tell-Tale Heart". This sets Poe's haunting tale against the backdrop of modern science made his money in the real estate business. Josh Lucas will play a single father whose recently transplanted heart leads him on a frantic search to find the donor's killer before a similar fate befalls him. Also starring is Lena Headey and Brian Cox (with whom Cuesta worked with on »
IFC and Sundance take Assayas's 'Carlos' Hostage
9 November 2009
- Who knew that (in 2010) I'd be psyched for a pair of mini-series. I'm looking forward in seeing Todd Haynes adapt Mildred Pierce, but before that, we'll collectively be looking for Olivier Assayas’ Carlos - which I imagine should hit the tube in France and then hit the U.S., first presented as a 3-part mini series on the Sundance Channel, and then as a theatrical release in the fall via IFC. Co-written by Olivier Assayas and Dan Franck, Carlos the Jackal traces the life of Carlos (currently serving a life sentence in a French prison) from 1973-1994. Full of violence and secret-service manipulation, the story includes the 1974 bomb attack on the Publicis Drugstore in Paris, the 1975 hostage-taking of 11 Opec ministers in Vienna and several planned assassinations. All this unfolds against a geopolitical backdrop encompassing the Plo, Japanese Red Army, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, the Ussr, East German Stasi, Hungary, »
Duncan Jones Sticks to Sci-Fi 'Source'
9 November 2009
- Duncan Jones might be pinned down to the sci-fi genre from Moon on onwards. After being attached to a finger-full of projects since his Sundance launch pad, the helmer has signed onto direct the 2007 Black List script (high on that list and tops on ScriptShadow's recent poll) with Jake Gyllenhaal in the running to topline the pic. Originally written by Ben Ripley, Source Code got a revision from Billy Ray (this writer-director has his DNA on tons of screenplays) and it basically looks at an experimental government program set up to investigate a terrorist incident, when a soldier wakes up in the body of an unknown commuter and is forced to live and relive a harrowing train bombing until he can determine who is responsible for it. In short we are looking at Groundhog Day in space. Before landing on Summit's lap, the project was set up at Universal, »
James Marsh to Record 'Vatican Tapes'
9 November 2009
- I include myself among those who was impressed by his dark, direct blow to the role of religion and the church in The King (a show of hands for those who feel the same). Now Marsh is going after the top dogs of the Catholic Church with The Vatican Tapes. Reading some of the Telluride coverage, I was under the impression that James Marsh' re-introduction to fiction (Red Riding: 1980) form didn't go as well as the tons of accolades he received for perhaps the most well-liked doc film in the past decade (Man on Wire). Red Riding was shown to the Brits on the tele. Marsh takes on the supernatural thriller genre for Lionsgate and Lakeshore. Scripted by Chris Borrelli (Whisper), the story centers on a series of events that unfold after a tape gets leaked from the Vatican displaying an exorcism that goes wrong. Gary Lucchesi, »
Cassel, Ryder and Hershey Trio Added to Aronofsky's 'Black Swan'
9 November 2009
- After reminding cinephiles that Rourke and Tomei can play "washed up" but are far from being washed up in their careers, taking a page from Quentin Tarantino's book, today's golden scoop (courtesy /film.com) informs us that Darren Aronofsky has added vets Winona Ryder, Barbara Hersey and Vincent Cassel are the supporting cast to the already announced Kunis and Portman duet. Apparently, Ryder will play Beth, Nina’s “sorta friend” who has been the school’s running lead in all the productions, but who is nearing the end of her career. All the dancers are aiming to take her place as Odette, the Swan Queen, in the next big ballet: Swan Lake. Cassel will be playing the ”handsome but sinister Yevna,” the director of the new stage production. And Hershey will play Nina’s mother. Personally I wonder how Cassel feels about playing bad Russian-like figures. The film »
Cinema Epoch Had 'Hidden Love' for Huppert-Laurent Drama
9 November 2009
- Cinema Epoch proves that it's never too late to show some love for some lost festival films - the trades report that the Alessandro Capone directed drama which received its world premiere at Tiff all the way back in 07' has been picked up and will be set with a January release date next year. The pic would be released around the same time that Melanie Laurent in Q.T's Basterds receives its home vid release. By the looks of the trailer below, L’Amour Cache (Hidden Love) look like an uncomfortable film and though it sees Isabelle Huppert in the lead, according to Variety she "is ideally cast as an emotionally entombed mother haunted by memories of her only daughter, director Alessandro Capone’s conception (working in his non-native French) is studied, with a gummy pace and an inability to reach emotional catharsis that leaves just a hint »
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