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  • Salvaging ‘The Burning Plain’ across the pond

    Charlize Theron in The Burning PlainA couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the tortuous release schedule that Guillermo Arriaga’s directorial debut “The Burning Plain” has endured since making a respectable bow at Venice almost a year ago. The film’s buzz has fluctuated wildly over the months, but it was never softer than in March, when it opened in the UK to an alarmingly weak response.

    The hard numbers make for shocking reading: opening on a meager six screens, the film earned a humiliating $10, 626 in two weeks, before disappearing altogether. (For the sake of comparison, another humble Arriaga-penned effort, “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,” grossed over 11 times that amount.)

    As one of the few people who contributed to that gross, I may have had some reservations about the film — but there’s no question it deserved much better. Perhaps spring wasn’t the right season for a small prestige item like this.

    More than that, I suspect a film as intrinsically American as this one needed to arrive in the UK with some Stateside critical momentum behind it to prod the local press into giving it more coverage. Wrong time, wrong place.

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  • Is it May-December again?

    As usual with Woody Allen’s projects, we have little idea what the film he’s currently shooting in London — with Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin and Freida Pinto, among others — is actually about, but this snap from the set, of Anthony Hopkins and 31 year-old British comedienne Lucy Punch (who stepped in when Nicole Kidman bailed), gives us at least one clue.

    Allen’s preoccupation with generational disparity in relationships has surfaced in many of his films over the years — from “Manhattan” to “Hannah and Her Sisters” to “Husbands and Wives” to, most recently, “Whatever Works” — and it looks like it will again here.

    Anthony Hopkins and Lucy Punch on the set of Woody Allen's latest

  • More re-imagined movie posters from TCM

    You might recall the dozen or so classic films that were re-imagined with new movie posters by Turner Classic Movies a few weeks back.  The network has now cooked up loads more in celebration of its Summer Under the Stars series.  You can check them all out over at the official site, but the top two keepers, for me, are the following one-sheets for “The Conversation” and “North by Northwest”:

    The Conversation North by Northwest

  • One more award for ‘WALL-E’

    Fans of Pixar’s multi-lauded 2008 film “WALL-E” can keep the partying going a little longer.  The film just beat out four easy targets at the Hugo Awards to claim yet another trophy, this one for Best Science-Fiction Film of 2008.  Thought I’d pass it along.

  • A.O. Scott on ‘Streetcar’

    I linked to this in a round-up a few days ago, but seeing as there isn’t much going on today, and it’s one of my favorite movies, I figured I’d spotlight this Critics Picks segment A.O. Scott did for The New York Times on Eliza Kazan’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”:

  • 8/14 Web Round-up

    Redbox• Drew McWeeny sits down with animation legend Hayao Miyazaki. [Motion/Captured]

    • Desperate to get theirs, Warner Bros. imposes a 28-day waiting period on its titles for Redbox kiosks and plans the same for Netflix unless the studio can squeeze some money out of it. [Company Town]

    • Anna Faris gets hitched. [CNN]

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  • Nathaniel Rogers boards the Mulligan express

    Carey Mulligan“An Education” and its breakout star Carey Mulligan continue to slay bloggers wherever they go. Chief cheerleader Jeff Wells hasn’t stopped talking about the film since its Sundance bow in January, and you’ll remember that Kris joined the fan club (with added props for Alfred Molina) in June.

    Sasha Stone was sufficiently dazzled by Mulligan’s work to place her at the top of a list of today’s finest young actresses. Now The Film Experience’s Nathaniel Rogers, the guy for whom Best Actress is the most holy of all award categories, has seen the film, and is rendered virtually speechless by Mulligan’s performance:

    just… WOW

    We’re still five plus months away from nominations but, for the moment, it looks like a Carey vs. Meryl showdown on March 7th, 2010.

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  • The collected shorts of Neill Blomkamp

    “District 9” opens tomorrow. We’ve done our part to get the word out around these parts, and even spotlighted the film’s talented young star. But in due time, you’ll all make your mind up as to whether it’s a new staple of the science-fiction genre or a victim of its own hype.

    In the meantime, however, there is a nice playlist featured over at YouTube collecting the short works of director Neill Blomkamp. Have a look and come back tomorrow to let us know your thoughts on the film (we’ll definitely have a thread available):

  • IFC to bring ‘Fish Tank’ to U.S. screens

    Katie Jarvis in Fish TankI mentioned last week how much Andrea Arnold’s Cannes-garlanded Brit beauty “Fish Tank” has grown in my esteem over the weeks — I’m really starting to think the 3½ stars I gave it in my review was too cautious.

    I wrote then that the film was still awaiting a Stateside distributor, and while I suspected its American premiere in Toronto would remedy that, it turns we didn’t even have to wait that long. ScreenDaily reports that, unsurprisingly, it is once more IFC who have come to the rescue:

    IFC Films has acquired US rights to Andrea Arnold’s second feature Fish Tank following its world premiere in Cannes where it shared the special jury prize.

    IFC’s vice-president of acquisitions Arianna Bocco brokered the deal with UTA and Jamie Carmichael of ContentFilm International. Arnold is represented by Matthew Bates at Sayle Screen Ltd in the UK and Gersh in the US. IFC Films will release through its IFC In Theaters theatrical and VOD day-and-date platform.

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  • In praise of the studio suits

    Kevin Spacey in Swimming With SharksIt’s a few days old, but I only just got to this excellent Guardian piece in which Danny Leigh wonders whether Hollywood studio executives are done a disservice by the widespread perception of them as ruthless corporate shills with little sense of artistic responsibility. (An image best typified in semi-fictional form, of course, by Kevin Spacey’s Scott Rudin-inspired honcho in “Swimming With Sharks.”)

    Arguing that the media is complicit in the dominance of auteur theory, by championing only the directors of critical hits while vilifying the backers of cynical commercial drek in the “Transformers” vein, Leigh fears that a number of dedicated studio heads — several of whom put a lot of time and resources into nurturing new, offbeat filmmaking talent — are getting the short end of the stick.

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  • INTERVIEW: ‘District 9’ star Sharlto Copley

    Sharlto CopleyWhen actor Sharlto Copley first pops up on screen in Neill Blomkamp’s “District 9,” it isn’t a grand movie moment in the style of John Wayne’s arrival (albeit out of focus) in John Ford’s “Stagecoach” by any means.  In fact, viewers might instinctively expect Copley’s character, Wikus Van De Merwe, to be a supporting player, what with his unassuming demeanor and character actor appearance.

    By the end of the film, however, audiences will have witnessed one of the most controlled, authentic portrayals of the year.  And this humble viewer’s prediction is that, down the line, the upcoming weekend’s wide release will ultimately be seen as the coming out party for an exciting new acting talent.

    At the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills recently, Copley winds down at the end of a lengthy press day for the film.  Fielding wall-to-wall questions from broadcast and print media can leave a person numb to the talking points, but as he hungrily chomps down on an apple, he still maintains focus on what it is about the project that interested him from the outset.

    “I guess I was always interested in films that either had a comedic edge or a depth to them, an intelligent aspect,” he says, staring off toward the downtown Los Angeles skyline as he searches for the words.  “As much as it could be exciting or whatever, that was always important to me.  And I think what Neill’s done with this film is combine those things really well.  You’ve got satire, you’ve got drama, so it’s a pretty unique situation.”

    Indeed, “District 9” is seen in some quarters as indicative of a human interest science-fiction story in a genre that has increasingly lost its grounded footing.  It makes for a nice sister film to Duncan Jones’s “Moon” in that way, sci-fi that interests itself with tangible emotional beats more so than the high concept science of it all.

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  • LA Times: Socially conscious cinema cock-blocked by summer blockbuster fare

    The CoveAt this point, my advocacy for the documentary “The Cove” knows no bounds.  So you’ll have to forgive the seemingly unprofessional manner with which I trumpet its artistic and activist success in this space.  Now in limited release, the film has apparently failed to find an audience while other socially-conscious films like “Food, Inc.” have found their stride.

    This is an important issue worth bringing to the pages of the LA Times, but I have to say, the by now tiresome argument that audiences’ interest in popular entertainment is such a drag on society is not the way to go.  John Horn snidely remarks in this article that “audiences would rather hug Transformers than trees,” but even with a personal interest in “The Cove” and an understanding that audience disinterest in these films is a problem, I’m getting really tired of journalists taking the easy way out and tossing nuance out the window in this manner.

    Regardless, there is a moment in the piece that strikes at, I think, the heart of what could keep audiences away from the film: the perception that “The Cove” is a wall-to-wall dolphin slaughter.  I can’t say it loudly or enough: the footage of dolphins being killed in this film is brief, comes at the end, isn’t as brutal as you might expect and is served perfectly by the structure of the film.  Please, if you have an interest in this material, don’t be one of those people who shies away because you don’t want to be upset by what you see.

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  • The ‘real’ Ferris Bueller mourns John Hughes

    Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day OffIf anything good can be said to have from such a sad event, the premature passing of John Hughes has at least inspired an unusually high standard of obituary-writing. The personal connection still felt by an entire generation with his films has manifested itself in a number of heartfelt, idiosyncratic tributes from a wide range of voices.

    As someone too young to have experienced the Hughes teen phenomenon first-hand — I was in diapers when he made his directing debut with “Sixteen Candles” — I’ve gained a lot of understanding this week as to why his work means so much to so many, and why that makes him an important filmmaker. While I’ve enjoyed several of his films, I’m looking forward to revisiting them from this perspective.

    Meanwhile, the most interesting tribute I’ve read yet comes from an unlikely source: Washington lawyer Edward McNally, who grew up and attended high school with Hughes, and is rumored to be the inspiration for Hughes most beloved creation, Ferris Bueller.

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  • TECH SUPPORT: Best Film Editing — Volume I

    (from left) Leonardo DiCaprio and Michelle Williams in Shutter IslandBest Achievement in Film Editing.  It’s a difficult phrase to define.  To a large extent, excellence in film editing can be editing which blends into the film, allowing the director’s vision, screenwriter’s story and actors’ performances to shine without interference.  But equally, a film that stands out as a showcase for flashy but motivated construction deserves recognition as well.

    What is certain, however, is that in the absence of editors, our films would all be more than three hours long, largely incoherent and/or tremendously boring.

    This category has historically displayed a strong correlation to the Best Picture line-up.  Last year marked a return to a typical situation – four of the five films nominated for Best Film Editing were also nominated for Best Picture, with the fifth being an action film.

    From 2005 through 2007, however, things were a bit shaken up with a two-to-five ratio.  At the end of the day, however, Best Picture contenders, thrillers and actions films always do quite well here.

    The other genre that frequently finds a home in this category is musicals.  Cutting dance numbers coherently and blending between dialogue and songs consistently clearly impresses this branch.  In light of this, I’d call “Nine”’s Claire Simpson the early favorite.  A past winner for “Platoon,” she returned to the game after a 19 year absence two years ago with “The Constant Gardener.”  Barring the film flopping, I’d say Simpson is good to go.

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  • R.I.P. Les Paul

    A break from our regularly scheduled programming.  For the music fans.  Slash will be bummed.

    Gibson-Les Paul

  • ‘The Road’ and others set for TIFF

    (from left) Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee in The RoadRight now, all is right with the world.

    The Toronto International Film Festival has confirmed that John Hillcoat’s “The Road,” the film I am looking forward to most this year, is going to be here in the Special Presentation Program.

    Yes!! I have been waiting for this film since reading that amazing book in three days a year ago.

    Along with the Viggo Mortenson, Charlize Theron and Robert Duvall starrer will be new films featuring Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Colin Firth, Omar Sharif, Jeff Bridges and countless others, making for another star-studded Toronto line-up.

    Among the films announced today in addition to The Road are, “Mother and Child” from director Rodrigo Garcia, a study of three women and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters. Annette Bening, Naomi Watts and Kerry Washington star in the film.

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  • Aaron Sorkin on why he wanted to write ‘The Social Network’

  • Economy pushes indie filmmakers to DIY marketing, distribution

    Steve Ludlow in Anvil! The Story of AnvilThere has been some discussion in the comments sections here lately about the state of independent cinema.  Many feel, perhaps rightly, that with the closures of indie wings like Picturehouse, Warner Independent and Paramount Vantage that there is little asylum for independent films and filmmakers in Hollywood.

    However, while it is easy to see things as somewhat disastrous, I have actually become more and more positive with the influx of “DIY cinema,” both from a production and a marketing perspective, not to mention day-and-date and video on demand distribution strategies that can connect audiences to fringe titles quicker than the traditional system.

    That is just the world Michael Cieply is digging into in this New York Times article, indicating the economy as a culprit in this growing trend and films like “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” as successful examples.

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