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Film Review: ‘Man of Steel’
4 hours ago
There’s nary a mention of kryptonite, the Fortress of Solitude is only an existential locale, and Clark Kent never earns so much as a single Daily Planet byline in “Man of Steel,” director Zack Snyder, writer David S. Goyer and producer Christopher Nolan’s strenuously revisionist Superman origin story, which might more accurately have been titled “Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Spacemen,” given the amount of screen time devoted to exiled Kryptonians body-slamming each other into all manner of natural and manmade structures. Clearly designed to do for DC Comics’ other most venerable property what Nolan and Goyer’s “Batman Begins” did for the Caped Crusader, this heavily hyped, brilliantly marketed tentpole attraction seems destined to soar with worldwide audiences this summer, even if the humorless tone and relentlessly noisy (visually and sonically) aesthetics leave much to be desired — chiefly, a “Steel” sequel directed with less of an iron fist. »
- Scott Foundas
Universal On Board ‘Purge 2′ With Jason Blum
6 hours ago
Universal is developing “Purge 2″ with Jason Blum following the surprise success of Ethan Hawke starrer “The Purge.”
Blumhouse Prods. is in line to receive a $2.25 million tax credit from the state of California. The producer’s “Purge 2″ was one of 31 projects that received a conditional approval on June 3 for California’s Film and Television Tax Credit program.
If it’s cleared by the state, “Purge 2″ will receive the credit covering up to 25% of the budget once production is completed and an audit has established that the production funds were spent in California. The sequel would have to begin shooting by the end of the year and meet several other requirements if it’s to receive the credit.
The opening weekend of “The Purge,” directed by James DeMonaco with a budget of $3 million, dominated the U.S. box office with $34.1 million for Universal — far ahead of Uni’s third weekend of »
- Dave McNary
Following ‘Internship,’ Owen Wilson Eyes Next Project
6 hours ago
Owen Wilson is set to co-star with Jim Carrey in the Relativity black comedy “Loomis Fargo.”
Jared Hess will direct with Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer doing the latest rewrite. Deadline Hollywood broke the news.
Pic follows night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. who organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.
Relativity will produce, finance and handle worldwide distribution. Lorne Michaels and John Goldwyn will produce through their Michaels-Goldwyn banner.
The pic marks the first time the two comics have appeared together in a film. Wilson is repped by UTA. »
- Justin Kroll
Jim Carrey’s ‘Dumb and Dumber’ Sequel Dropped by Warner Bros.
6 hours ago
Warner Bros. has backed off a sequel to New Line’s 1994 comedy hit “Dumb and Dumber” with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.
New Line said Warner Bros. is allowing the project, which has Bobby and Peter Farrelly to return as directors, to be taken out to other studios and financiers. The Farrelly brothers are producing via their Conundrum Entertainment banner.
New Line grossed nearly $250 million worldwide on “Dumb and Dumber.” Its 2003 prequel “Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd” took in less than $40 million without Carrey, Daniels or the Farrelly brothers.
The sequel had been dubbed “Dumb and Dumber To” with Carrey and Daniels reprising their roles and the Farrellys writing.
It’s the second New Line comedy franchise that parent Warner Bros. has dropped in recent months. The studio announced in late April that it was delaying “Vacation,” which had been in pre-production with a July start date in »
- Dave McNary
Film Review: ‘Ugly’
7 hours ago
Neither Mumbai’s streets nor her morally bankrupt citizens are a pretty sight in “Ugly,” the latest crime thriller helmed and written by Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap. Coldly scrutinizing the shadowy motives at play during the investigation of a young girl’s kidnapping, the grittily stylized film boasts a scattershot narrative that frustrates as much as it illuminates. Kashyap’s brilliant five-hour-plus epic “Gangs of Wasseypur” is a hard act to follow, and this more pedestrian outing may well disappoint some critics. Still, as genre films go, it’s punchy enough to enjoy a charmed life on the fest circuit.
Dismay permeates the film from the very first frame, in which Shalini (Tejaswini Kolhapure), wife to powerful police chief Shoumik (Ronit Roy), contemplates various methods of suicide before she’s interrupted by her 10-year-old daughter, Kali (Anshika Shrivastava). It’s Kali’s scheduled day out with her father, Rahul (Rahul »
- Maggie Lee
Ian McKellen, Adam Driver Among Thesps Set for Palm Springs Short Film Fest Titles
8 hours ago
Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver are among thesps appearing in shorts at the 2013 Palm Springs International ShortFest and Short Film Market. The fest, now in its 19th year, will showcase 330 films including 70 world premieres, 55 North American premieres and 14 U.S. premieres from June 18 to 24 at Camelot Theaters in Palm Springs.
Television stars such as Jason Ritter in “Boats Against the Current” as well as film thesps including Christopher Lloyd in the world premiere of “The Coin” are among the actors whose shorts will be showcased. Other entries include Lauren Ambrose and Driver in “The River,” Brooke Shields and Mireille Enos in “Wild Horses” and Elle Fanning in “Likeness.”
A significant U.K. presence includes Alan Rickman in “Dust” (pictured); Ian McKellen in the world premiere of “The Egg Trick”; and Christopher Eccleston and Felicity Jones in the world premiere of “Emily.” Blanchett provides the voice for “A Cautionary Tale.”
A »
- Michelle Salemi
‘Man of Steel’ Premiere: Watch the Live Stream of Red Carpet
9 hours ago
Warner Bros. is live-streaming red carpet festivities at the New York City premiere of “Man of Steel” with Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe expected to attend.
“Man of Steel,” is set to open Friday in U.S. and U.K. with Cavill as Superman in a rebooting of the story that relies heavily on Shannon’ s portrayal of General Zod from the planet Krypton.
Director Zack Snyder is also expected to attend along with spouse and producer Deborah Snyder. Streaming from the premiere is set to start at 3 pm Pdt. »
- Dave McNary
Ed Helms Set to Ride in ‘Stretch’ With Patrick Wilson (Exclusive)
9 hours ago
Ed Helms is set to co-star with Patrick Wilson in Joe Carnahan’s next movie “Stretch.”
Carnahan would direct with Jason Blum producing through his Blumhouse Pictures.
Story follows a down-on-his-luck chauffeur, played by Wilson, looking to relieve his debt by driving around a mysterious billionaire who drags him to hell and back. Helms will play Wilson’s limo driver colleague.
Blum’s Blumhouse international shopped the film at Cannes and Carnahan will join Blum as a producer. Tracy Falco is executive producing, while Leon Corcos is co-producing.
Helms is repped by CAA and Principato-Young Entertainment and can be seen in “The Hangover Part 3” which is currently in theaters. »
- Justin Kroll
Harry Lewis, Actor and Hamburger Hamlet Founder, Dies at 93
10 hours ago
Harry Lewis, who started as an actor in films such as “Key Largo” and went on to found the Hamburger Hamlet and Kate Mantilini restaurants with his wife Marilyn, died of natural causes Sunday in Beverly Hills. He was 93.
Born in Hollywood, he started acting in the Air Force during WWII and was signed to Warner Bros. when he left the military. He met his future wife Marilyn when she came to see him several nights in a row at the Pasadena Playhouse. In “Key Largo,” he played Edward “Toots” bass, a member of Edward G. Robinson’s gang.
His numerous small film roles included “Gun Crazy” and “Blonde Dynamite” as well as guest appearances on “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “Adventures of Superman.”
The Lewises opened the first Hamburger Hamlet on the Sunset Strip in 1950, with Harry cooking and Marilyn waiting tables, then opened a »
- Pat Saperstein
Shia Labeouf’s ‘Charlie Countryman’ Gets U.S. Distribution
12 hours ago
Millennium Entertainment acquired U.S. rights to the thriller “The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman,” starring Shia Labeouf and Evan Rachel Wood.
Cast includes Mads Mikkelsen, Til Schweiger, Rupert Grint, Aubrey Plaza, James Buckley and Melissa Leo, and was directed by Fredrik Bond. Millennium plans to release the film, which premiered at Sundance and screened in competition at Berlin, later this year.
Producers are Bona Fide Productions’ Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa, Voltage Pictures’ Craig J. Flores and Wonderful Films’ William Horberg. Story centers on the titular character falling in love with the wife of a vicious gangster and entering the Romanian underworld to protect her.
John Anderson said in his Variety review at Sundance: “A profoundly unnecessary movie, ‘The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman’ stars Shia Labeouf as a Ratso Rizzo-impersonating American tourist bumbling through the Romanian netherworld in search of Evan Rachel Wood, whose accent and demeanor suggest »
- Dave McNary
‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Gets First Poster
12 hours ago
Half a year before its theatrical opening, New Line and MGM have unveiled the first poster for Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”
The poster — portraying Martin Freeman’s Bilbo Baggins in front of a massive mountainside — was revealed on film’s Twitter account @TheHobbitMovie. The first trailer for the second film is set to be released Tuesday.
“The Desolation of Smaug” will open Dec. 13 and follow Baggins, 13 dwarves and Gandalf to in their quest to fight the dragon Smaug. The first film, “An Unexpected Journey,” grossed $1.02 billion worldwide after its December 2012 U.S. release, and the third film “The Hobbit: There And Back Again” will open on Dec. 17, 2014.
All three films were shot in 3D at 48 frames-per-second and will be released in a variety of formats — High Frame Rate (Hfr) 3D, other 3D formats, IMAX and 2D.
»
- Dave McNary
‘Final Girl’ Director Tyler Shields Sets Up Next Film (Exclusive)
12 hours ago
Celebrity photographer Tyler Shields is on board to direct the indie thriller “Outlaw” with “American Reunion” actress Ali Cobrin set to star.
Ashley Bell is also attached to star with Eric B. Fleischman producing through his Ebf Productions banner.
Story follows the dangerous life of a rogue photographer played by Shields. Production is set to begin this fall.
Shields is repped by ICM Partners, who is packaging the project. Cobrin is repped by Gersh and can be seen next in Universal’s “Townies.” »
- Justin Kroll
Los Angeles Film Fest Kicks Off Thursday with Almodovar Preem
13 hours ago
The Los Angeles Film Festival kicks off Thursday, with Pedro Almodovar’s “I’m So Excited!” raising the curtain, and Nat Faxon and Jim Rash’s “The Way, Way Back,” bringing it down. In between, the sprocket opera will include a mix of top talent (David O. Russell is the fest’s guest director), masterclasses and panels, as well as a special focus this year on women editors.
Stephanie Allain, in her second year as the festival director, says the fest aims to celebrate the contributions of women each year, with 2013 featuring the accomplishments of female editors, including a luncheon for editors to share ideas with each other and with the public.
“Every year we’re going to put the spotlight on a different group of women in the business: composers, cinematographers, costume designers, you name it,” says Allain, who adds that next year, “we’re getting Wendy (Melvoin) and »
- Carole Horst
James Wan’s ‘Conjuring’ to Debut at L.A. Film Festival
14 hours ago
New Line’s horror-thriller “The Conjuring” will debut June 21 at the Los Angeles Film Festival, a month ahead of its wide release.
James Wan (“Insidious”) directed the haunted-house story, starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor. The festival will hold two screenings, both followed by a Q&A with Wan.
Exhbitors at CinemaCon in April gave strong positive response when Warner Bros. showed several particularly scary minutes of “The Conjuring.” Warner had originally planned a domestic launch in January but opted instead for July 19.
Pic is based on the Perron family, who claimed they “lived among the dead” in the 1970s as spirits — both friendly and sinister — inhabited their Rhode Island farmhouse. Farmiga and Wilson are playing the investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren while Taylor and Livingston portray the Perrons.
Wan directs from a screenplay by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes. Pic is produced by Tony DeRosa-Grund, »
- Dave McNary
‘White House Down’ Extended Trailer Debuts
14 hours ago
Sony has released an extended trailer to tout its biggest summer entry, “White House Down,” with a mix of explosions and laugh lines.
The 4-minute trailer contains plenty of action plus several humorous exchanges between Jamie Foxx as President Sawyer and Channing Tatum playing a Secret Service agent who leaps into action to defend the president when a paramilitary group takes over the White House.
The trailer features what’s already been established as Foxx’s signature laugh line to a terrorist — “Get your hands off my Jordans!”
The June 28 release, directed by Ronald Emmerich, opens against Fox’s cop comedy “The Heat,” starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.
»
- Dave McNary
Film Review: ‘The Prey’
15 hours ago
The ironies keep piling up alongside the dead bodies in the pacey and preposterous man-on-the-run thriller “The Prey.” Gallic helmer Eric Valette (“State Affairs”) invests this giddily implausible crime yarn with a propulsive sense of energy, much of it derived from Albert Dupontel’s impressively physical turn as a bank robber whose escape from prison sets off an unpredictable whirlwind of violent mayhem. A 2011 French release making a belated Stateside bow, the film seems unlikely to travel much farther but could snare quite a few fans as a vigorous VOD item; remake potential is considerable.
“I don’t do trust,” Franck Adrien (Dupontel) says more than once, and it serves not only as a handy bit of character description but a clue as to how to watch “The Prey.” Almost every character in this harrowing story — good, bad or somewhere in between — has at least one occasion to hide the »
- Justin Chang
‘Oggy’ Movie Pre-Sells to Several Territories
15 hours ago
Annecy — “Oggy and the Cockroaches: The Movie,” the bigscreen adaptation of the international hit toon franchise, has pre-sold to a raft of territories in the run up to its world preem at Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival.
Repped by Nicolas Brigaud-Robert at Films Distribution, “Oggy” has found a home in the Mideast (Italia Film), Poland (Kino Swiat), Czech Republic (Hollywood Classic), South Korea (Green Narae Media), Israel (Shoval), Thailand (Lh Moviefusion), Russia Cis (Premium Film) and the Baltic states (Acne).
“Oggy” is produced by well-established producer Marc du Pontavice at Paris-based Xilam. Penned and directed by Oliver Jean-Marie, the 15-year-old Tex-Avery inspired slapstick comedy skein centers on a lazy but friendly cat who is being tormented by three mad cockroaches.
Comprising more than 270 episodes, the series still airs in 150 countries, including in the U.S. and South America (on Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney Channel), as well as in Europe and Asia. »
- Elsa Keslassy
Champs Elysees Film Fest Showcases American Pics in France
18 hours ago
France, the land that coined the term “auteur,” is a welcoming market for U.S. arthouse fare. There’s even an event — the Champs-Elysees Film Festival, soon to unspool its second edition along the grand boulevard of the same name — dedicated to promoting American indie films in France.
As can be expected, American studio pics still dominate. Last year, a mix of releases from the majors — Sony’s “Skyfall,” Fox’s “Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D” — and mainstream local comedies dominated Gallic B.O. At 42.7%, U.S. movies’ market share just edged French movies’ 40.3%, per France’s Cnc film board.
But some low- to mid-budget American arthouse and niche movies also caught box office fire, thanks often to local distribs, which handled 69% of U.S. films releases, according to figures from the Cbo box office tracking service.
Distributor Arp Selection scored well with both Margin Call and Beasts of the Southern Wild »
- Emiliano De Pablos
Ford’s Mustang Races to ‘Need for Speed’
18 hours ago
When the producers of DreamWorks’ “Need for Speed” cast Aaron Paul as the lead in their film version of Electronic Arts’ racing videogame franchise, they found themselves with another major role to fill: the hero car.
Ford Motor Co.’s Mustang has won that coveted role with Paul set to drive the American muscle car in the movie, out March 14, 2014.
The automaker will serve as the exclusive automotive partner on the film that is lensing now around northern California and Georgia under the direction of Scott Waugh (“Act of Valor”).
As part of the deal, Ford will back the release of the film around the world through a considerable worldwide marketing campaign that will involve traditional and online media buys. Film’s release coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Mustang, taking place a month later on April 17, 2014.
“We can use a movie like this to celebrate what Mustang has »
- Marc Graser
Hykade to Lead Efa Animation Masterclass
18 hours ago
London — The European Film Academy will make animation the focus of its annual masterclass, which will be led by German animator Andreas Hykade. The masterclass program, titled “Animation Today,” will run Sept. 9-15.
Participants will form a team and create a film from original idea to completed film. Participants can come from any field, be it independent movie animation, vidgames or commercials animation, and can use a variety of techniques.
In a mix of group sessions, screenings, case studies and lectures, but with a focus on hands-on exercises, the workshop will allow participants to gain an in-depth knowledge of the creative process, covering all stages of production: idea, story, design, project bible, storyboard, animatic, layout, animation, scoring and exploitation.
Hykade will be accompanied by different filmmakers, who will share their individual approach to the respective topic of the day.
Hykade’s pics include “We Lived in Grass,” which won the »
- Leo Barraclough
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