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Jerusalem Film Festival Unveils Full Lineup
26 minutes ago
Jerusalem Film Festival has unveiled the lineup of pics which will compete for the Haggiag Awards, Israel’s top movie kudos, at the upcoming 32rd edition.
Mixing socially/politically-engaged movies and high-concept genre features, Jerusalem festival’s roster includes “A.K.A. Nadia,” a U.K./Israeli film directed by Tova Ascher, the helmer of “Lemon Tree” and “The Human Ressources Manager,” Hadar Morag’s “Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me,” Yoav and Doron Paz’s “Jeruzalem,” Evgeny Ruman’s “The Man in the Wall,” Avishai Sivan’s “Tikkun,” Nitzan Gilady’s “Wedding Doll,”
“A.K.A Nadia” centers on Maya Goldwasser who was born into a Muslim family and forged herself a new identity to become a Jewish career woman. But 20 years later, Maya’s past resurfaces, forcing her to face the intolerance and xenophobia within Israeli society.
“Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me” follows the journey of Muhammad, the son of a »
- Elsa Keslassy
Tammy Blanchard, Evan Jonigkeit Join Ellen Page’s ‘Tallulah’
28 minutes ago
“Into the Woods” star Tammy Blanchard and Evan Jonigkeit from “X-Men: Days of Future Past” are joining Ellen Page and Allison Janney in the dramedy “Tallulah.”
Sian Heder is directing from her screenplay about a free spirit who everybody thinks has kidnapped a baby after she rescues the child from her reckless mother. The project was unveiled during Cannes and has started shooting in New York City.
Zachary Quinto, Uzo Aduba, David Zayas and John Benjamin Hickey round out the cast.
Route One Entertainment is financing, and Heather Rae is producing along with Route One’s CEO Russell Levine, Maiden Voyage’s Chris Columbus and Eleanor Columbus, and Todd Traina. Ocean Blue Entertainment is also financing. The production is partnering with Cutting Edge Group and Michael Lloyd to create songs inspired by the screenplay.
ICM Partners is handling domestic rights, while Good Universe is handling foreign rights.
Blanchard is represented »
- Dave McNary
Watch: New Trailer for ‘Hitman: Agent 47′ Finds Its Heroine
55 minutes ago
Rupert Friend’s Agent 47 is a riddle to everyone around him.
Fox has released the action-laden second trailer for “Hitman: Agent 47,” its upcoming video game adaptation starring “Homeland” actor Friend as a genetically engineered assassin. It’s a sequel to 2007’s “Hitman,” which starred Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott and Olga Kurylenko.
High-speed car chases, gunplay and helicopters dominate the trailer, which reveals that the killer agent is protecting a woman named Katia (Hannah Ware) from a corporation that wants to use her DNA to create more assassins.
Zachary Quinto, Thomas Kretschmann and Ciaran Hinds also star in the film, directed by Aleksander Bach.
The movie hits theaters on August 21.
»
- Dave McNary
Is Hollywood Making Too Many Movies?
1 hour ago
Studios aren’t churning out as many films as they produced a decade ago, but there’s a case to be made that there are still too many movies hitting multiplexes.
Lower production costs and the rise of digital technology have lowered the barrier to entering the movie business, making it possible for more people to try to achieve their dream of being the next Steven Spielberg.
In 2004, roughly 490 films were released on fewer than 1,000 screens, according to data compiled by the National Association of Theatre Owners (Nato). Last year, that number ballooned to 563 movies. The only problem is that greater profits didn’t follow the influx of films. In 2004, revenue for films in this sector hit $380 million and admissions topped out at 61 million. Ten years later, revenue stood at $370 million, while admissions sputtered to 45 million.
Frequently, these films are vanity releases or pictures with limited commercial appeal and artistic »
- Brent Lang
Trevor Rabin’s ‘Max’ Score: ‘Emotion Without Being Sappy’
1 hour ago
“Max” (out June 26 via Warner Bros.) is the story of a military dog who loses his Marine handler during the war in Afghanistan, then returns to America where he bonds with the soldier’s troubled brother.
Director Boaz Yakin, who first met Trevor Rabin on “Remember the Titans,” concedes that his is already “a highly emotional movie,” so he needed a composer “who could find emotion without being sappy.”
“I really wanted a score that had a classical movie score quality to it without sounding old-fashioned,” Yakin adds. “He had to carry and sustain the story, and the adventurous aspects of the movie.”
Yakin and Rabin have become close friends since their time on “Titans” 15 years ago. “The movie needed heart, first and foremost, and then pace,” says the composer. It also needed “a lot of tension,” he adds, noting that he kept in mind the image of a stretched »
- Jon Burlingame
Trevor Rabin’s Rousing Scores a Testament to Life After Yes
2 hours ago
Trevor Rabin had no idea that, on Nov. 4, 2008, he was about to be immortalized.
Barack Obama had just been elected president of the United States, and as he finished his acceptance speech, the music that began to play was Rabin’s inspirational theme from the football movie “Remember the Titans.”
For a white South African whose family fought against apartheid when it was not just unfashionable but downright dangerous, this prominent showcase of his music — written for a movie about black and white high-school players learning to get along and win the season — was especially meaningful.
“I was happy I was on the winning ticket,” Rabin says with a laugh.
Yet that’s just one moment in a long, strange trip that began in Johannesburg and ended in Hollywood, where Rabin is now an in-demand film composer with no fewer than 13 Jerry Bruckheimer movies under his belt (including “Titans,” “Armageddon »
- Jon Burlingame
Trevor Rabin Strikes Chord With Collaborators
2 hours ago
“He can do just about anything,” producer Jerry Bruckheimer says of composer Trevor Rabin. “That’s what you want: a composer who’s creative, who understands the musical rhythm and language of scenes, how to bring out the emotion that the director and actors were striving for.”
It was Bruckheimer who discovered Rabin’s facility with sports movies. “He can write those great anthems, those triumphant melodies that every athlete would love to hear as he’s making the last basket or the last goal or the last touchdown. It’s something that’s innate in his talent.”
Bruckheimer is not the only filmmaker to sing Rabin’s praises. Jon Turteltaub, who directed the “National Treasure” films, laughs about their initial musical encounter: “He played us a bunch of music with scenes. I so despised the instrumentation he used, I looked at him and said, ‘This sounds like European porn! »
- Jon Burlingame
Finding ‘Amy’: Director Asif Kapadia’s Journey Into Amy Winehouse’s Tragic Story
2 hours ago
When singer Amy Winehouse died in 2011 of alcohol poisoning at age 27, most people knew her as an inglorious train wreck, having witnessed her steady descent into self-destruction as if in real time.
There was the Kurt & Courtney-like relationship with her lover/enabler Blake Fielder-Civil; those harrowing tabloid clips of her smoking crack in her ramshackle Camden flat; the onstage meltdown in Belgrade when she was too wasted to perform; the steady stream of jokes and pointed commentaries in the media that painted her as a pathetic mess.
With this in mind, David Joseph, chairman and CEO of Universal Music U.K., wanted to set the record straight, or at least present a more rounded portrait of the artist as a young woman. Two and a half years ago, he approached James Gay-Rees, who had produced director Asif Kapadia’s acclaimed documentary “Senna,” about Brazilian Formula One racing legend Ayrton Senna, »
- Steve Chagollan
Film Blogs Grow Up and Go Corporate
2 hours ago
When studios hit Comic-Con next month to talk up “Justice League” movies, “Avengers” spinoffs and “Star Wars” sequels, they won’t be pitching their wares just to the costumed fans in Hall-h. They’ll be dissecting how their presentations play with blogs like Slashfilm, CinemaBlend and Film School Rejects.
How times have changed, both for Comic-Con and the people who cover it obsessively. The San Diego gathering was once viewed as a safe space for nerddom, at a time when geeking out over Captain America and Superman was viewed as a sign of arrested development. Over the past decade, though, comicbook culture has become the dominant form of popular entertainment, and like Comic-Con itself, film blogs have gone mainstream.
This year, three widely read blogs — Collider, Screen Rant and Latino Review — sold to deep-pocketed buyers Complex Media, Valnet, and former Chrysler and Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli, respectively. Meanwhile, more orthodox publications, »
- Brent Lang
‘Mighty Boosh’ Co-creator Julian Barratt, Simon Farnaby Pen Comedy ‘Mindhorn’ for Scott Free
2 hours ago
London — Scott Free is producing comedy “Mindhorn,” which is penned by “The Mighty Boosh” co-creator Julian Barratt and Simon Farnaby, also an alum of the cult British laffer.
Pic centers on former secret agent Bruce Mindhorn, whose eye has been replaced by an optical lie detector. He manages to escape and finds work on the Isle of Man as a sleuth. Acclaimed theater director Sean Foley (“The Play What I Wrote”) makes his feature debut on the pic.
Producers are Jack Arbuthnott and Laura Hastings-Smith. BBC Films developed the project and will co-finance with the Isle of Man and Pinewood Pictures, the BFI Film Fund and Studiocanal, which will release the film in the U.K. and Ireland. Protagonist Pictures is handling international sales.
The news first appeared on Variety‘s sister title Deadline.
»
- Leo Barraclough
Tom Holland Is the New Spider-Man, Jon Watts to Direct
3 hours ago
Marvel and Sony have found their Peter Parker.
“The Impossible” actor Tom Holland is set to play the web-slinging superhero in the next “Spider-Man” franchise, sources confirm to Variety.
The actor is first expected to make an appearance in “Captain America: Civil War” in order to properly introduce him into the Marvel film universe, with standalone films to follow.
In February, Sony announced a new partnership with Marvel Studios that brings the popular superhero into the Marvel universe and added that the first standalone would bow on July 28, 2017.
Former Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal is producing along with Kevin Feige.
Holland is repped by Wme and can be seen next in “In the Heart of the Sea” opposite Chris Hemsworth.
»
- Justin Kroll
‘American Sniper,’ ‘Modern Family’ Honored for Accurately Portraying Military & Veterans
3 hours ago
“American Sniper” and an episode of “Modern Family” are among the first projects feted — as part of the Got Your 6 campaign — for accurately depicting veterans in the media.
The formal recognition is part of the “6 Certified” initiative, started by Got Your 6 to challenge Hollywood executives to create more considerate narratives surrounding the military and their families. The initiative was highlighted by First Lady Michelle Obama at an event earlier this year.
“Through ‘6 Certified’ we can battle the stereotypes and misconceptions about veterans that so often dominate popular culture, while drawing attention to projects that portray veterans reasonably and accurately,” said Chris Marvin, executive director of Got Your 6. “Each of the selected projects helps to craft a new cultural narrative with an asset-focused view of veterans.”
In order to become “6 Certified” a program must adhere to at least one of the following six rules:
1. Research or consult with real veterans, »
- Seth Kelley
Jeff Bridges, Olivia Munn, Adrian Grenier Join Sierra Club’s New Arts & Entertainment Council
3 hours ago
Jeff Bridges, Olivia Munn and “Entourage” star Adrian Grenier are among the inaugural class tapped for the Sierra Club’s arts and entertainment council — a network of Hollywood talent and execs.
The grassroots environmental organization formed the council to raise awareness and finance future campaigns. The group has set a goal to eliminate fossil fuels and achieve a clean energy economy by 2050.
“We’re very fortunate when our entertainment partners are able to shine their powerful spotlight on our work to explore, enjoy and protect the planet,” said Melissa Sun, Sierra Club’s director of entertainment partnerships. “Whether they want to help get kids and veterans outdoors or combat climate change, we collaborate to ensure that moment makes an impact.”
Other notable names include filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, Jennifer Connelly and noted actress and activist Susan Sarandon.
Complete list of members:
Amber Valetta
- Seth Kelley
Ricky Gervais’ ‘Office’ Movie Spinoff Bought by Open Road
4 hours ago
Open Road has bought U.S. rights to “Life on the Road,” Ricky Gervais’ spinoff movie from his British TV series “The Office.”
“Life on the Road” will be directed, written by and star Gervais. It will be centered on a documentary crew catching up with Gervais’ David Brent character — now working as a traveling salesman — as he chases his dream of rock stardom by self-financing a U.K. tour with his band Foregone Conclusion.
“David Brent getting a big U.S. theatrical release?” Gervais said. “He can die happy now.”
eOne Features, which handles worldwide rights said the “Life on the Road” will open in the U.K. on Aug. 19, 2016, with Open Road planning for a wide theatrical release in the U.S. shortly thereafter.
“Ricky Gervais is a comic genius and we can’t wait to see where he takes this beloved character,” Open Road CEO Tom Ortenberg said. »
- Dave McNary
Dick Van Patten, ‘Eight Is Enough’ and ‘Love Boat’ Star, Dies at 86
4 hours ago
Dick Van Patten, who played the paterfamilias on the 1980s TV dramedy “Eight Is Enough,” died on Tuesday morning. He was 86.
Patten died at Saint John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. due to complications from diabetes.
The always-genial, round-faced actor also appeared in Disney films including “Freaky Friday” (the original, Jodie Foster version) as well as Mel Brooks comedies “High Anxiety,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” and “Space Balls.”
Though long associated with television and film comedies, the actor spent a great deal of time onstage, making the first of his two dozen or so appearances on Broadway as a child back in 1937, in Kurt Weill’s “The Eternal Road.”
He had most recently appeared onscreen in a guest role as Lester on TV Land’s “Hot in Cleveland.” Other relatively recent credits include “7th Heaven” in 2004, “Arrested Development” in 2005, “That ’70s Show” in 2006 and “The Sarah Silverman Program »
- Carmel Dagan
Dolph Lundgren Starring in Thriller ‘Larceny’
5 hours ago
Dolph Lundgren will star in the action-heist thriller “Larceny,” Variety has learned exclusively.
R. Ellis Frazier (“Misfire”) is directing from a script by Benjamin Budde (“Misfire,” “Dead Drop”), which follows a former-operative-turned-professional-thief (Lundgren) contracted by the CIA to break into the safe at Mexico’s top secret Guantanamo Bay-style prison facility and steal sensitive information being stored there.
All hell breaks loose when the local cartel boss, whose millions in confiscated cash is also being stored in the safe, sends waves of thugs and professionals to siege the facility and steal back the money.
Producers are R. Ellis Frazier, Justin Nesbitt and Geoffrey Ross for Badhouse Studios Mexico. Executive producers are Michael Tadross Jr. of Tadross Media Group, Danny Roth and Damiano Tucci of Parkside Pictures, and Richard Rionda Del Castro of Hannibal Pictures, which has acquired the worldwide sales rights to the project.
Lundgren appeared most recently in “The Expendables 3″ and “Shark Lake. »
- Dave McNary
Geena Davis to Speak at London’s Global Symposium on Gender in Media
5 hours ago
London — Geena Davis will deliver the opening speech at the Global Symposium on Gender in Media on Oct. 8, which is hosted by the Geena Davis Institute, the BFI London Film Festival and Women in Film and Television. The event takes place the day after the festival opens with Sarah Gavron’s “Suffragette,” which focuses on the campaign to win votes for women in the U.K.
The Geena Davis Institute is a research body that works within the media and entertainment industry to “engage, educate, and influence the need to dramatically improve gender balance, reduce stereotyping and create diverse female characters in entertainment.” At the London symposium, it will present new research that investigates the influence of international films on audiences in the U.K., India, Nigeria, France and Brazil.
Davis said in a statement: “Media images have a huge impact on our perceptions, and on our social and cultural beliefs and behaviors. »
- Leo Barraclough
Lionsgate Promotes Tim Palen to Shepherd Post-Hunger Games Franchises
6 hours ago
Underlining its commitment to franchises, Lionsgate has promoted senior marketing exec Tim Palen to the posts of chief brand officer and president of worldwide marketing.
Palen has played key roles in the promotion and expansion of the company’s lucrative Hunger Games franchise, which has brought in $2.3 billion in worldwide box office. With the final film, “Mockingjay – Part 2,” launching in November, the new long-term agreement locks in a well-respected marketing executive for the studio.
Palen will continue to serve as the top film marketing executive, running worldwide theatrical marketing operations including marketing campaigns and strategy, media, creative advertising and digital media initiatives. He reports to CEO Jon Feltheimer in his capacity as chief brand officer and to Motion Picture Group Co-chairs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger in his capacity as president of worldwide marketing.
Liosngate’s Hunger Games Exhibition nationwide tour will launch in Times Square next month, its Hunger »
- Dave McNary
Laura Antonelli, Italian Actress and Sex Symbol, Dies at 73
7 hours ago
Rome — Actress Laura Antonelli, who became an Italian sex symbol in the 1970s and worked with masters Luchino Visconti, Dino Risi, and Ettore Scola, proving her true thesping talent over a career spanning 45 movies during almost four decades, died Monday at her home in Ladispoli near Rome. She was 73.
Antonelli died of a heart attack in modest housing provided by Ladispoli social services in 2009. Her career had taken a tragic turn in the 1990s after cocaine-related charges were pressed against her in 1991. She was cleared of the charges in 2006.
Born Laura Antonaz in 1941, in Pola, which is now in Croatia but was then part of Italy, Laura Antonelli grew up in Italian post-World War II refugee camps before her family subsequently relocated to Naples.
After starting out making TV commercials for soft drinks and bedsheets she landed minor roles in Italian erotic genre movies and comedies, including Mario Bava’s »
- Nick Vivarelli
James Horner, ‘Titanic’ Composer, Dies in Plane Crash
15 hours ago
Composer James Horner, who won two Oscars for the music of “Titanic” and scored such other blockbusters as “Avatar,” “Braveheart,” “Apollo 13″ and “A Beautiful Mind,” has died, Variety has confirmed. He was 61.
Horner was one of the most popular film composers of the last 30 years, and his “Titanic” soundtrack – with its hit Celine Dion song, “My Heart Will Go On,” written with Will Jennings – became the biggest-selling movie-score album of all time, selling an estimated 30 million units worldwide.
He scored more than 100 films in all and was often in demand for big popcorn movies. Most recent were “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Karate Kid” remake, but he also scored “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “The Perfect Storm,” “Clear and Present Danger,” “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” and “Aliens.”
He was born Aug. 14, 1953 in Los Angeles, the son of production designer Harry Horner. He spent his formative years in London, »
- Jon Burlingame
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