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Forget About Siri. Meet Ava, Your New Personal Assistant
3 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Read More: Alex Garland's "Ex Machina" Delivers a Modern Day Twist on Frankenstein Remember during SXSW when a woman calling herself Ava was catfishing folks on Tinder in order to promote Alex Garland's "Ex Machina," a sci-fi film about artificial intelligence which premiered at the festival? Now Ava, the film's female AI (played by Swedish actress Alicia Vikander), is back in the form of a virtual assistant. A24, the film's distributor, has partnered with x.ai, makers of an AI-powered personal assistant service, Co. Create reports. "Starting today and running thru 4/30, our Beta testers can use Ava as your personal assistant to schedule your meetings. Simply cc: ava@x.ai as you normally would for your beloved Amy (or Andrew). Yup, Ava has to get a job. Welcome to the real world," x.ai wrote on its blog. They're also running a promotional contest involving Twitter in which »
- Paula Bernstein
Obviously: Disney Announces Live-Action 'Mulan'
3 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
"Alice In Wonderland," "Malificent," "Cinderella," "Beauty & The Best," "Dumbo"....Disney has certainly found what they think is a winning live-action formula, and frankly I'm just surprised they haven't tried to cram all of this into one shared universe. Either way, another animated movie from the Disney vault is getting a live-action redo. THR reports that "Mulan" is getting a remake. There's a script in place from Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek, and Chris Bender and J.C. Spink (who both worked on "We're The Millers") are producing. The original movie did decent business in 1998, earning $336 million worldwide, along with a Golden Globe nomination, and it spawned the 2005 sequel, "Mulan II," which went straight to DVD, and that Disney would probably prefer you just forget about. So it's proven itself once, and Disney is betting on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan working again. No word »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Producer Says 'Spectre' Will Have "The Biggest Opening Sequence We've Ever Done"
3 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Late last week, the first trailer for "Spectre" dropped, and it was a lot of moody lighting and people talking in hushed, ominous tones. But don't worry, the actual movie is going to bring the requisite ambition we now expect from a franchise that kissed the billion dollar mark with "Skyfall." You'll know it right from the opening moments of the movie, set during the Day Of The Dead in Mexico, where lensing is currently underway. It will be "the biggest opening sequence we've ever done, maybe the biggest sequence we've ever done," producer Michael G. Wilson told Empire, adding, "We've got 1500 extras in Day Of The Dead costumes and make up and we've occupied the centre of Mexico City for days. The only thing that's come close to it was putting on the carnival in Rio in 'Moonraker,' and I think this is a much bigger operation. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Watch: Eyes (and Windows) are Wide Open in New 'Félix and Meira' Clip
4 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Read More: Exclusive: Oscilloscope Acquires Maxime Giroux's Forbidden Love Story 'Felix and Meira'Sometimes, shutting the blinds is a must. This new clip from Maxime Giroux's "Félix and Meira" is as steamy as it is ominous. The film tells the story of two unsuspecting young lovers, Meira, played by Hadas Yaron, and Félix, played by Martin Dubreuil. Meira is a Hasidic Jewish wife and mother, and Félix is a loner mourning the death of his father. As Félix shows her what she's been missing out on in the world, Meira is forced to choose whether to leave her current life behind. In this clip, Meira gets a glimpse of what a loving partnership could entail. The film won Best Canadian Feature at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. It hit theaters in New York on April 17 and in Los Angeles on April 24. Read More: Exclusive: Trailer And Poster For Tiff-Award »
- Travis Clark
Stephen Colbert, Richard Gere and More Announced for Montclair Film Festival Conversation Series
4 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Read More: Sarasota Film Festival Announces Opening and Closing Night Films The Montclair Film Festival announced today the participants for its 2015 Conversation Series. A notable participant is upcoming "The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert, who will be moderating a conversation with Richard Gere as he discusses his new film "Time Out of Mind," his career and his passions. Other notable discussions will include actor Patrick Wilson, Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple and Emmy-winning MacArthur Fellow Stanley Nelson. The festival takes place May 1-10. Public tickets go on sale April 13 and can be found here. The full list of discussions, descriptions courtesy of the festival, is below. Hunger & Homelessness in Montclair A Community Conversation Saturday, May 2nd 10:00 Am The Audible Listening Lounge Moderated by: Steve Adubato, Emmy Award winning broadcaster (Wnet/ Njtv) and Author It's not as hard as you would think to end up without a »
- Travis Clark
Contest: Win 'The Rewrite' Poster & Blu-Ray Signed By Hugh Grant, Chris Elliott & Director Marc Lawrence
4 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Hugh Grant returned to screens earlier this year in the low-key, amiable rom-com "The Rewrite." The movie reteamed him writer/director Marc Lawrence ("Two Weeks Notice," "Music And Lyrics," "Did You Hear About The Morgans?") for their fourth movie together, and results were a breezy charmer. If you missed the film, or are a fan, today we've got a special prize. But first, here's what the movie is about... Co-starring Marisa Tomei, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons, Bella Heathcote, and Chris Elliott, the movie follows Keith Michaels, an Award-winning Hollywood screenwriter, who has hit a personal and professional rut. So when his agent arranges a job as a guest screenwriting professor at a remote university in upstate New York, a desperate Keith can’t say no. Initially hoping to give minimal effort to actual teaching so he can focus on his next script, Keith unexpectedly finds himself becoming invested in his students lives, »
- Edward Davis
Open The Pages Of 'Far From The Madding Crowd' Starring Carey Mulligan With New Featurette, Images, Poster & More
4 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
This summer you'll have all kinds of explosions to choose from, but very few of the emotional kind. That's where "Far From The Madding Crowd" steps in. A starry cast and an acclaimed arthouse director team up to take on a literary classic, and the results look to be expectedly sumptuous. And today some new looks at the movie have arrived. The most substantial is a featurette titled "Bathsheeba," which says it all. It's a thorough look at the character, played by Carey Mulligan, who finds herself the object of affection of three very different men, and, of course, lots of drama ensues. After that you can preview the score by Craig Armstrong, which arrives in stores on April 28th, check out a handful of new pics from the Thomas Vinterberg-directed movie, and look at an autumnal poster. Also starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge, Michael Sheen, Juno Temple, and more, »
- Kevin Jagernauth
'The X-Files' Returns: What To Expect, Plus NBC's Plans For David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson
5 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Read More: 7 New Netflix Shows to Binge Watch in April 2015 (And the Best Episodes of Each) News broke last week that "The X-Files" would be returning in the form of a six-part event series, resulting in utter chaos within Indiewire's La office. Fox's confirmation of the long-rumored revitalization sent the TV team into a tizzy, translating to what's hopefully a feeling of palpable excitement via the new episode of Indiewire's Very Good TV Podcast. Either way, this week's episode focuses on all things "X-Files" before jumping into an NBC summer schedule that features both original stars in new, separate series. David Duchovny picks up the badge again for the hotly-anticipated crime thriller "Aquarius" while Gillian Anderson joins the cast of "Hannibal." Both series debut this summer — likely while "The X-Files" is shooting its new episodes — but what else does the Peacock have on the docket? Where do they stand without a. »
- Indiewire
'The Mortal Instruments' TV Series 'Shadowhunters' Heads To ABC Family
5 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
So, "The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones" didn't become the next big Ya franchise hit when it opened in 2013, taking in a meager $90 million worldwide. That effectively killed the mooted sequel, "The Mortal Instruments: City Of Ashes," which was originally planned to shoot last year, but there's no such thing as a dead brand anymore. Last fall, word arrived that Cassandra Clare's book series would make its way to television, and indeed, the wheels are very much in motion. THR reports that ABC Family has given a straight-to-series order for "Shadowhunters." Ed Decter ("Helix," "Unforgettable," "The Client List") will be the showrunner and executive producer for the thirteen-episode first season, and it sounds like they will be starting the story over and pretending the movie never happened. So yes, you'll learn all about human-angel hybrid Clary Fray who has to fight demons with Jace and Simon all over again. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Exclusive: Aubrey Plaza Is Capable Of Anything In Clip For Hal Hartley's 'Ned Rifle'
5 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
It started with the Cannes Screenplay prize winning "Henry Fool" in 1997, continued with "Fay Grim" in 2006, and now the story wraps up with "Ned Rifle." Hal Hartley's trilogy that started with a garbageman turned novelist, inspired to greatness by his friend Henry whose ego was bigger than his talent, features all of his trademark wit, dry humor and distinct tone. And just as the film heads into limited release, the director's works — which include "Trust," "Surviving Desire," and "The Book Of Life" — are getting a retrospective courtesy of Cinefamily in Los Angeles. "Hal Hartley's name is synonymous with 'independent filmmaking' since the golden age of Sundance. He's been writing, directing, producing his own films his own way — even playing the music or marketing them himself. It's been too long since he's been to Los Angeles, and with his newest 'Ned Rifle' — the completion of the trilogy that started with 'Henry. »
- Edward Davis
Five Questions with God Bless the Child Directors Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
5 hours ago | Filmmaker Magazine - Blog | See recent Filmmaker Magazine news »
Winner of the Best Narrative Feature award at the Atlanta Film Festival over the weekend, Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck’s God Bless the Child is a naturalistic, quotidian portrait of five children roaming the streets and marshes of Davis, California after their mother skips town. Machoian and Ojeda-Beck capture their characters with both formal remove and striking intimacy, as their interplay suggests the nature of young bodies left to their own devices. Though the Grahams — Harper, Elias, Arri, Ezra, and Jonah — exist in the film without any parental supervision, all five happen to belong to co-director Machoian, a relation which the pair were […] »
- Sarah Salovaara
An Overdue Statement
5 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Last week was one of the most distressing in this blog’s history. By now you may have heard that one of our former contributors, Gabe Toro, recently pleaded guilty to some unspeakably awful crimes. We were deeply shaken by these revelations and have been at a loss for the past several days. Our thoughts go out to the victim, to her family and her friends. Like all the outlets he was affiliated with, we are trying to find our own way to deal with a now painful association. After careful consideration we have elected not to remove his historical contributions from the site, however, as to do so would feel like an attempt to deny acknowledging that his work ever appeared here. On a personal note, I would like to apologize for the lateness of this statement. I have been struggling to form a cogent response, and the failure »
- Rodrigo Perez
39th Cleveland International Film Festival Winners Announced, Including Debra Granik's 'Stray Dog'
6 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Read More: Laff Review: Debra Granik's Doc 'Stray Dog' A Sensitive Portrait of Memory, Trauma, and Biker Culture Showcasing 196 feature films and 234 short subjects from 60 countries, the 39th Cleveland International Film Festival offered local and global perspectives on a vast array of topics over its 12 days of programming. The Ciff welcomed 100,204 attendees, including Indiewire's Managing Editor Nigel M. Smith, who served on the Documentary Competition Jury, to its 500+ screenings, which were held in Tower City Cinemas in downtown Cleveland and 11 other neighborhood locations. The winners of the competitions and awards were announced at the Closing Night Ceremony last night, and they include: Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award For Best Film Sponsored by the Callahan Foundation "Becoming Bulletproof," directed by Michael Barnett (USA) $10,000 cash prize George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Competition Presented with generous support from The »
- Zack Sharf
Watch: Here's How to Create the Magic Behind Cloud Tanks
6 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Read More: Attention, Filmmakers: Here's How to Re-Create the 'Interstellar' Black Hole What do "Poltergeist," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Cocoon" and "Independence Day" all have in common? Aside from alien storylines, each feature predominantly uses cloud tank magic in order to depict supernatural weather. You may not have known it by its formal name, but you have no doubt come across cloud tank magic if you have seen any movie in the past several decades, including "Star Trek," "Total Recall," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and dozens more. In a new web video courtesy of PBS Digital Studios and Shanks FX, special effects guru Joey Shanks highlights the process behind cloud tanks. A cloud tank consists of a bottom layer of salt water and a top layer of fresh water; clouds are produced when various forms of liquid are injected into tank. The technique was the Hollywood standard for depicting. »
- Zack Sharf
'Tron 3' Reportedly Gets A Title, Production Starts This Fall
6 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
We've been pontificating today on shared universes, and mega-franchises, and why Hollywood loves them so. One of the main reasons you seen new spins on old material is that it's just less risky than trying to make an original property work. No one may have been asking for a "Tron: Legacy" sequel, but at least audiences know what it is versus trying to do something new. Or in other words, it's easier to sell "Tron" in a shiny new package, with enticing new ingredients, than the more monumental task of selling moviegoers on a whole new idea. So, hence, "Tron 3." And now the brewing project has a title. According to Production Weekly, the three-quel will be called: "Tron: Ascension." It's a similar title to the short-lived animated series "Tron: Uprising," but maybe Disney just likes that kind of wording for the next iteration. Again, this isn't official. Meanwhile, following up on a previous report, »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Watch: A Guide to Stanley Kubrick’s Lenses
6 hours ago | Filmmaker Magazine - Blog | See recent Filmmaker Magazine news »
In this 12-minute video, legendary British camera innovator Joe Dunton (you can read up on him here) identifies every lens used by Stanley Kubrick and how they work. Learn about the Angénieux zoom lens that was the most popular in the world from 1966 to the early ’70s, more about the difficulties of shooting natural light on Barry Lyndon and many other aspects of the director’s technically meticulous productions. »
- Filmmaker Staff
Why Hollywood Is Obsessed With Shared Universes, And Why Many Are Doomed To Fail
6 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Everything is connected. That’s the message that’s coming out of Hollywood these days, if the constant stream of headlines from industry trade publications is to be believed. The end of the last week saw the revelation that Paramount is stepping up their “Transformers”-movie related plans, with “Batman & Robin” and “Lost In Space” writer Akiva Goldsman being tapped to head up a brain trust around the franchise, to develop “a potential multi-part ‘Transformers’ sequel” as well as “potential spinoff films.” In other words, the first step towards turning the “Transformers” films into a so-called "shared universe." Perhaps the only surprising thing about this is that it hasn’t happened earlier. The past three years have seen the major studios become increasingly interested (and obsessed) with the idea of connected, interlinked franchises, with spin-offs and team-up movies embellishing their additional properties, inspired by the monumental success of Disney and. »
- Oliver Lyttelton
Why 'Mad Men' is Really All About Being Jewish
6 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
At its core, "Mad Men" is about intersectionality; the hierarchy of oppression — be it gender, race or class — that each character attempts to break from. There are different levels of it. Peggy Olson is a white, middle class, Catholic-raised woman fighting for power in a male-dominated industry. But then there’s Rachel Menken, a department store owner who’s not only marginalized for her gender and rare position of power, but also for being Jewish. Sunday evening, in anticipation of the final seven episodes, "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner sat down with Rogerebert.com editor-in-chief and New York Magazine TV critic Matt Zoller Seitz at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York to discuss the role Jewish identity has played in the crafting of "Mad Men." And surprisingly enough, it appears to be one of Weiner’s greatest influences. Read More: 7 Clips That Define 'Mad Men' & What »
- Eric Eidelstein
Rumor: Bryan Singer Could Be Involved In A New 'Star Trek' TV Series
7 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Here's a new rumor that's sort of an old rumor, but let's go with it. Quite a few years ago, "Star Trek: Federation" was put into development as a possible CBS series, with big names like Robert Burnett, Bryan Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie producing, and Geoffrey Thorne writing it. Then J.J. Abrams rebooted the franchise, and the TV series was effectively killed. But in this era of shared universes, nothing stays dead for long. Latino Review reports that CBS is back at work on a "Star Trek" series, and that Singer is once again being tossed around to take on the gig in some capacity. But that's about it. io9 adds that whatever is being developed is probably new, and has nothing to do with the previous 'Federation' series, which makes a lot of sense, because we'd imagine Skydance will probably want to tie it into the movie series in some manner. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Random Media Acquires Out-of-This-World Musical 'Bang Bang Baby'
7 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Read More: Watch: Exclusive Trailer for Tiff Entry ‘Bang Bang Baby’ Looks Insane (In a Good Way) Random Media has acquired all domestic rights for Jeffrey St. Jules' debut feature, the sci-fi musical "Bang Bang Baby," which won the Canadian First Feature Film Award at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Jane Levy stars as Stepphy, who lives in a 1960s town with her alcoholic father and dreams of escaping to a life of stardom on the stage and screen. Justin Chatwin stars as Bobby Shore, a rock star who may hold the key to making those dreams a reality. However, a dangerous chemical spill that causes human mutations puts a pause on all that. A theatrical release for "Bang Bang Baby" is planned for later this year. Read More: Random Media Acquires 'Camilla Dickinson' and 'The Jokesters' at 2015 Berlinale »
- Travis Clark
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