In Contention

Tag: Warner Bros. Pictures

  • Tell us your ‘Contagion’ germaphobe stories

    Steven Soderbergh’s “Contagion” opens tomorrow nationwide. We’ll put up the usual “tell us what you thought” post then, but for now, I thought I’d point you all to this interesting behind-the-scenes look at the bacteria-infested billboard Warner Bros. commissioned for advertising the film in Toronto, courtesy of JoBlo. It’s kind of brilliant:

    Meanwhile, I thought it would be a good way to get the discussion going to probe (no pun intended) you all for your own OCD tendencies when it comes to germs and the like. Any Howie Mandels out there? Any Bob Wileys? (Props to you if you caught that reference.) Rattle off your stories in the comments section.

  • ‘Inception’ extended look

    Warner Bros. has passed this along this afternoon.  Interviews with Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Caine, etc.  Way too heavy on the “it’s the bomb!” quotes, though,  More content would have been better, but anyway:

  • ‘Harry Potter’ reviews… like they matter

    “No need for him to take it so seriously,” replied reader KevinK when I Twitter-linked Guardian critic Xan Brooks’s sharp dismissal of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” last night, one in a mixed wave of reviews flooding the net following the film’s London premiere.

    Kevin is both right and wrong. Right, in that the Harry Potter films, with their mostly unvarying construction and vast built-in audience, are the definition of critic-proof; whether attack or defending the films, by this point in the franchise, any critic will find himself preaching to the choir. Wrong, in that any pop-culture phenomenon on this scale merits serious discussion; the fans certainly take the films seriously, so it behoves a good critic to offer more than a rote “if you liked the others…” response.

    No one is going to need a critic to help them decide whether or not to see “Deathly Hallows,” so as this behemoth of a series draws to a close, one may as well use the review space to start debating the films’ legacy.

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  • ‘The Town’ DVD release aimed for prime Oscar frame

    Reader Graysmith alerted me to this yesterday, but it’s worth passing along. Ben Affleck’s “The Town” will be making its way to DVD and Blu-ray on December 17. The film was released in theaters September 17. That makes it three months to the day between release and home video, and to say the least, an incredibly short window.

    I remember Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” having an even shorter window (March 5 theatrical, June 1 home video), but this is more significant because clearly Warner Bros. is angling for prime exposure right in the middle of Oscar season.  And that mid-December stretch is key, bringing the Golden Globe nominations on the 14th and the SAG nominations on the 16th.

    “Inception,” meanwhile, will be hitting stores December 7, so get ready for the buzz to swing back around on both films.

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  • Eastwood’s “spiritual chick flick”

    You’ve probably read the countless link-backs to Geoff Boucher’s Hero Complex item about Clint Eastwood and how the actor turned down roles like Superman and James Bond in the 1970s.  Well, you wouldn’t know it, but those quotes actually came in the context of an interview concerning “Hereafter,” Eastwood’s 32nd directorial effort which is set to play Toronto this weekend.

    It’s a solid, conventional piece that builds up anticipation for what may or may not be an Oscar play for Warner Bros.  There are no screenings set in LA during the fest (or at least that’s what I’ve been told), though Patrick Goldstein saw the film and had vague praise to offer almost a month ago.

    We get an idea of the film’s plot throughout the piece, which also includes quotes from star Matt Damon.  Writer Peter Morgan was also interviewed but not quoted.  I’ll admit that I haven’t been following its production.  Eastwood burn-out, maybe, but I’m beginning to sense a fire of interest lighting up inside.  Then again, I guess that’s what pieces like Boucher’s are meant to do, so, bravo WB publicity.

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  • Vague ‘Hereafter’ praise

    I don’t know much about Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter” and I don’t know why Warner Bros. felt the need to screen it uber early to Big Picture columnist Patrick Goldstein, but if you’re interested in a “first!” reaction to the film, here’s what he had to say:

    On Tuesday, I caught an early screening of Clint Eastwood’s upcoming film, “Hereafter,” and though it’s too early for a mini-review, let’s just say that Eastwood, who turned 80 this year, is still The Man when it comes to making movies, showing off a range and depth that puts him right up there with John Huston, Robert Altman and the other great old masters from past ages.

    “Hereafter” is set for release October 22.  It comes from an original script by Peter Morgan and stars Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jay Mohr.  We’ll see.

    [Photo: nkohk]

  • COMIC-CON: WB brings ‘Green Lantern,’ ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Sucker Punch’ to San Diego

    One of the most anticipated events at this year’s convention was Warner Bros. Pictures’ presentation of footage from Martin Campbell’s upcoming “Green Lantern” adaptation.  Starring Ryan Reynolds as test-pilot-turned-intergalactic-enforcer Hal Jordan, the film is the first big screen adaptation of the superhero to date.

    Comics writer and head of DC Entertainment Geoff Johns said during the panel discussion, moderated by Hero Complex‘s Geoff Boucher, that there was a time he thought an adaptation would never see the light of day. Working as an intern with Richard Donner over a decade ago, the project had begun to pick up some momentum. When he heard a studio exec ask if the film could be done without the ring, his heart sank and he figured it was a doomed property.

    Today Johns is one of the key architects of the new DC universe on the page, having spent five years re-inventing and streamlining the world of Green Lantern as well, and for him, the film is a dream come true.

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  • The year in FYCs

    Sherlock Holmes For Your Consideration adOne of the best parts of the film awards season, for me, has always been the print advertising artwork of “For Your Consideration” ads in trade publications.  They feature a studio advertising department’s best foot forward on creatively reaching the AMPAS audience and generally make for some striking imagery.

    Though I have to say, I find myself consistently wondering how much longer they will be a mainstay.  The transition to online focus is becoming more and more evident.  After all, Paramount Pictures angled its awards budget mainly toward online outlets this year.  There wasn’t a single trade ad for “Up in the Air” all year long and it has done just fine for itself this season.  I think that’s a first (and an early promise I was surprised to see the studio make good on).  It’ll be interesting to see if other studios follow suit.

    Anyway, sorry for the tangent.  With all this in mind, an annual delight has always been Sasha Stone’s round-up of FYC ads at Awards Daily.  A few years ago the gallery duties were handed over to Dora Kappou of Film-Releases.com, who’s done a fine job of presenting the material in an attractive, easily navigable manner.  So which films were the cream of the FYC crop this year?

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  • 1/19 Oscarweb Round-up

    Robert Downey Jr. at the 2010 Golden Glone Awards• Searching for meaning in Robert Downey Jr’s Stark-esque Globes beard.  Perhaps too much meaning. [CHUD]

    • Roger Ebert dives back into the enigma of Michael Haneke’s “Cache.” [Chicago Sun-Times]

    • Stretching to compare “Avatar” to “Slumdog Millionaire” because of it’s “out of the blue” success. [24 Frames]

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  • 12/29 Oscarweb Round-up

    Stephen Lang in Avatar• John Campea talks to “Avatar” star Stephen Lang. [AMC Entertainment]

    • Scott Feinberg spotlights 50 performances that “shoulda been contendas” in the 2009 Oscar race. [And the Winner Is…]

    • Nikki sez Warner Bros. has broken the studio’s own domestic box office record by crossing $2 billion across the States.  Wowsers. [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

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  • Studio FYC sites on the march

    A Serious ManIt’s that time of year, when studios roll out their awards-centric websites for films in play.  You get screening info, news and notes, reminders of how AMAZING their films are (with critical quotes to back it up), goodies like screenplays and such, etc.  It’s a good way to see how wide the net is cast during the season (since any and everything gets a “For Your Consideration” blurb), but I’ve always found it’s a good way to revisit the year’s films.

    First up, Universal Pictures has put together its standard assemblage hawking “Public Enemies,” “Bruno,” “Funny People” and “It’s Complicated.” Skimming through the “Public Enemies” section I was instantly reminded that Elliot Goldenthal’s score was actually quite wonderful and could be a sleeper to watch in a field that is notorious for its insularity.  You can even skim through tracks in a dedicated section and download the screenplay.

    “Funny People” has a similar set-up, with score toggling, the script, etc., while “Bruno” has no script to offer.  But you can listen to the raved out score again if you wish.  The “It’s Complicated” section has material to come and only mentions “in all categories” as it pertains to FYC business.

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  • 10/20 Oscarweb Round-up

    Francis Ford Coppola• Peter Knegt writes up a list of honest-to-God Oscar underdogs, but where’s Tom Hardy? [indieWIRE]

    • Peter Bart and Michael Fleming go back and forth on the new Oscar paradigm. [BF Deal Memo]

    • Francis Ford Coppola chimes in with cheery news: “The cinema as we know it is falling apart.” [Bloomberg]

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  • 9/9 Web Round-up

    Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum• Roger Deakins, Alexandre Desplat and Colleen Atwood added to Hollywood film fest honorees. [Variety]

    • Matt Damon talks “Bourne 4.” [Empire]

    • Viggo Mortensen planning an early retirement after the release of “The Road?” [Cinema Blend]

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  • Steven Soderbergh’s ‘The Informant!’ gets a trailer

    Could be softball fun or could be an ace up WB’s sleeve. Matt Damon looks outstanding.  First time since “Moulin Rouge!” that a movie title features an exclamation point?:

  • ‘Watchmen’ talks show silver lining at the Globes

    Patrick Wilson in WatchmenMichael Cieply, one of the best entertainment reporters in the business for my money, filed this one-off from last night’s Golden Globe festivities at The Carpetbagger:

    From where this reporter sat at the Golden Globes last night, that sure looked like Tom Rothman of Fox and Alan Horn of Warner Brothers down among the superstar seats, smiling and back-patting — each other, not the superstars — just before the show began. A public display of affection between studio chiefs, along with those pricey “Watchmen” ads on the National Football League playoff games this weekend, would add up to a message as big as the Hollywood sign: The talks between hitherto warring Fox and Warner over a settlement of Fox’s lawsuit over rights to “Watchmen” must be on track.

    Fox, remember, had claimed rights to the film and was trying to block Warner’s release of it on March 6 — a breach of the usual etiquette in Hollywood, especially with a movie that costs $130 million. A hearing scheduled for 3:30 this afternoon with Judge Gary A. Feess of the federal court here should tell more.

    Boy I hope this thing settles itself.

  • The reindeer droppings just hit the fan — Fox wins ‘Watchmen’ battle

    Billy Crudup in WatchmenIt won’t be a Merry Christmas in Burbank this year:

    In a surprise ruling, a federal judge in Los Angeles said he intended to grant 20th Century Fox’s claim that it owns a copyright interest in the “Watchmen,” a movie shot by Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures and set for release in March.

    The decision was disclosed in a five-page written order issued on Wednesday. Gary A. Feess, a judge in the United States District Court for Central California, said he would provide a more detailed order soon.

    Fox has been seeking to prevent Warner from releasing the film. The superhero adventure, based on the “Watchmen” graphic novel, is being directed by Zack Snyder (who also directed “300”) and has shaped up as one of most eagerly anticipated releases for next year.

    A Warner spokesman, Scott Rowe, declined to comment on the ruling and the studio’s plans…

    “Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the ‘Watchmen’ motion picture,” the ruling said.

    The rest. And catch up on the story as it’s been reported here and here.

  • New ‘Torino’ poster, original song and other WB FYC updates

    Warner Bros. Pictures\' Gran TorinoI was just perusing the Warner Bros. awards site and was greeted with an array of updates I wasn’t aware of.  First and foremost, there is the new “Gran Torino” poster image to the left here (click for a slightly larger image).  I dig it as much as the first poster, maybe even a little more.

    Second, in the “for your consideration” section for the film I noticed there is an original song in play, written by Jamie Callum.  I have no idea what it’s called yet, but it’s worth keeping an eye on given how painfully weak that race is this season.

    It’s also interesting that Warners is apparently choosing not to push any actor for awards consideration outside of Clint Eastwood.  I would have expected at least a modest push for Bee Vang, who has a great role opposite Eastwood for much of the script.

    I also noticed that Dave Johannson has been added to Nick Schenk with a “story by” credit.  The film’s IMDb page also reflects this.  Apologies if this was already out there, but it’s the first I’m hearing of it.

    Over on the “Dark Knight” side of things, you get a nice sampling of James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer’s kick-ass score, as well as a similar rundown of FYC declarations and even a link to the screenplay.  Very cool.  Soon there will be a “score” section and a “making of” section, but right now there’s a section with scattered images from the film, most of them new to my eyes.  I love this one:

    Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight

    Check out the rest at the official Warner Bros. 2008 awards website.

  • A slew of new awards sites go live

    Take your pick:

    Fox Searchlight
    Overture Films
    Warner Bros.
    Walt Disney
    The Weinstein Company
    Yari Film Group