The brand new website for the upcoming motion picture NINE has gone "live" and you can visit it by clicking here.
NINE will have a limited release on December 18th in New York and Los Angeles and will then go on wide release on December 25. Aeroplan members can redeem 5,000 Aeroplan miles for a ticket to an Exclusive Canadian NINE Premiere.
The big screen adaptation of NINE THE MUSICAL stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman. The all-star cast is directed by Rob Marshall, who also helmed critically-acclaimed 2002 musical Chicago - which garnered six Academy Awards. Daniel Day-Lewis replaced the previously attached Javier Bardem in the leading role of Guido Contini, Bardem left the project citing exhaustion. Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson, Sophia Loren and Judi Dench star in the film as well. Nine is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and is based off of Fredrico Fellini's movie 8 1/2. The play tells the story of a highly stressed director living in Venice trying to juggle all of the women in his life.
The Broadway production of Nine, directed by Tommy Tune and choreographed by Thommie Walsh, opened on May 9, 1982 at the 46th Street Theatre, where it ran for 729 performances. The musical won five Tony Awards, including best musical.
Nine revolves around one central character, Guido Contini a film director in the Fellini mold. He is contracted to write and direct a film, but is unable to come up with a suitable plot. After recent box office failures, he finds himself drifting towards a nervous breakdown. Guido finds himself examining his past flawed relationships with the many women who have come through his life and the struggle to act his mature age of 40 as opposed to "nine".
For months we've been dying to know who is cast in the upcoming Guillermo del Toro film, The Hobbit. One Lord of the Rings actor has officially confirmed that he will not return to the new film, and it’s John Rhys-Davies.
Davies starred in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy as Gimli the dwarf, a memorable character. Over at Empire, they caught up with the actor and got him to talk about a possible return to Middle Earth in The Hobbit, a return that he doesn’t consider likely.
“I’ve already been asked and to be honest with you, I wouldn’t. I have already completely ruled it out. There’s a sentimental part of me that would love to be involved again. Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more.”
Even with that clear declaration, they pressed the actor to see if he would even be interested in making a cameo appearance.
“Why would you want to do it if it was just a couple of shots? When you’ve been 1 of 1, why would you want to be 1 of 13?”
But the production did ask if he'd be interested in returning. "It was just a gentle "What would you feel about putting it on again?" But no. I'd be interested in trying to create a different type of persona within... the thing. That is challenging as an actor. I'd really prefer to play something quite different. Maybe an Elf. They've got a different set of problems with The Hobbit because you've got 13 dwarves, a whole band of them... You're trying to represent a whole race... You're trying to do for dwarves what The Lord of the Rings did for hobbits. "
Hmm, so Gimli won't be playing his own father, it seems - but he isn't completely ruling out a return to the world of Middle Earth. Still, we're going to have to put him out of the running in our fantasy casting of Thorin Oakenshielf, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori and Ori.
At the moment the only other actor attached to the film who appeared in the previous LOTR movies is Ian McKellen, who can’t wait to get into his costume again.
Sandra Bullock ("The Proposal"), Tim McGraw ("Friday Night Lights") and Oscar® winner Kathy Bates ("Misery") star in Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures' The Blind Side, which depicts the remarkable true story of All-American football star Michael Oher.
Teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael--wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter--come out of the cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.
Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.
"The Blind Side" is directed by John Lee Hancock ("The Rookie"), who also wrote the screenplay based on the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson produced the film with Molly Smith, Erwin Stoff and Timothy M. Bourne serving as executive producers.
Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw star as Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, and Kathy Bates stars as Michael Oher's dedicated tutor, Miss Sue. Quinton Aaron is introduced in the central role of Michael Oher. The film also stars young actors Lily Collins and Jae Head as the Tuohy children, Collins and S.J., respectively.
The behind-the-scenes creative team is led by director of photography Alar Kivilo, two-time Oscar®-nominated production designer Michael Corenblith ("Apollo 13," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"), editor Mark Livolsi, costume designer Daniel Orlandi and composer Carter Burwell.
"The Blind Side" is a presentation of Alcon Entertainment and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
"The Blind Side" has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.
Actor Christoph Waltz, holding Best Supporting Actor Hollywood Award
Awards Show Host Mary Hart and actress Diane Kruger 13th annual Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony, The Beverly Hilton Hotel, October 26, 2009 in Beverly Hills, CA Photo: John Shearer/LIFE
The festival and awards, presented by Starz, announced this year's winner of the "Hollywood Movie Award" -- J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" -- which was chosen by the public voting online at the Yahoo! Movies website. The voting site received 20 million unique visitors and over 160,000 votes were cast. The nominees for the "Hollywood Movie Award" were: "500 Days of Summer," "District 9," "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," "The Hangover," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Star Trek," "Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen," and "UP."
The festival also announced this year's winner of the Hollywood World Award -- The White Ribbon (Germany/Austria) directed by Michael Haneke. The winner was selected by a panel of judges. The nominees for the "Hollywood World Award" were: "Bright Star" (UK/Australia) directed by Jane Campion, "I Am Love" (Italy) directed by Luca Guadagnino, "Lourdes" (France/Austria) directed by Jessica Hausner, "A Prophet" (France) directed by Jacques Audiard, and "The White Ribbon" (Germany/Austria) directed by Michael Haneke.
The winners of the festival's film competition were announced Sunday night at the Hollywood Discovery Awards(r) Presentation Ceremony at ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. This year's winners are: "CROSSING" by Kim Tae-kyun -- Best Feature Film; "GARBAGE DREAMS" by Mai Iskander -- Best Documentary; "SCENESTERS" by Todd Berger -- Best Comedy; "STORIES FROM THE PERCH" by Andrew Zimbelman -- Best Animation, "LAMBS" by Stephen Huff -- Best Short Subject, "AS I LAY DYING - THE SOUND OF TRUTH" by Brian Thompson -- Best Music Video.
Special honors for acting went to Robert De Niro, Hilary Swank, Christoph Waltz, Julianne Moore, Jeremy Renner, Carey Mulligan, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Melanie Lynskey, Zachary Quinto, Paul Schneider, and Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe. Other honorees included Bradley Cooper for comedy, Kathryn Bigelow and Lee Daniels for directing; Ryan Kavanaugh for producing; Nora Ephron, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber for screenwriting; "UP," directed by Pete Docter, for animation; Alexandre Desplat for film composing; Roger Deakins for cinematography; Dana Glauberman for editing; Scott Farrar ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen") for visual effects; Rick Carter for production design; and Colleen Atwood for costume design.
In addition, the Hollywood Humanitarian Award was presented to Father Rick Frechette for his devotion to the medical needs of children in the Caribbean and around the world.
Celebrities and Hollywood notables who attended the Hollywood Awards included Bill Myers - President and COO of Starz Entertainment, Stephan Shelanski - Executive Vice President of Starz Entertainment, Ron Meyer - President and COO of Universal Studios, Ed Asner, Kate Beckinsale, Maria Bello, Pierce Brosnan, Sandra Bullock, Diablo Cody, Zooey Deschanel, Morgan Freeman, Nicholas Hoult, Kathleen Kennedy, Diane Kruger, Anthony Mackie, Michael Mann, Ewan McGregor, Michelle Monaghan, Steven Spielberg, Charlize Theron, Marisa Tomei, and Chris Weitz to name a few.
The gala awards presentation Monday evening was hosted by Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight" and attendees were treated to the music of Johnny Crawford and his Orchestra.
Gunnar Hansen's latest fright flick, titled Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre, the first Icelandic horror film is directed by Julius Kemp (a co-producer on the Lordi vehicle Dark Floors). It is about…well, exactly what you’d think it’s about.
“There’s a family in it that really resembles the one in Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” the original Leatherface tells us. “They’re called the Fishbillies, ’cause they’re whale hunters,” and they do indeed massacre a group of whale watchers whose boat, piloted by Hansen’s Captain Pétur, has broken down. Despite the camp-suggestive title, however, the actor assures that the film is “played straight; it’s a hardcore horror movie, and very bloody.”
Clearly, the filmmakers knew what they were doing when it came to pitching the project to Hansen, who was actually born in Reykjavik.
Viggo shed 20 pounds while filming The Road, based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel about a father and son struggling to survive in post-apocalyptic world.
Kodi Smit-McPhee and Viggo Mortensen in John Hillcoat's 'The Road' (Photo by Macall Polay/The Weinstein Company)
The lean actor got even thinner by sticking to a diet of dark chocolate and “a bit of red meat” during the 55-day shoot, director John Hillcoat said following a screening in Los Angeles.
Mortensen’s weight loss is evident in the movie. His ribs protrude noticeably in a couple of shirtless scenes.
Viggo Mortensen, 'The Road' press conference , Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, Mayfair Hotel, October 16, 2009, London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
(L-R) Director John Hillcoat, writer Joe Penhall and actor Viggo Mortensen (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
“He starved himself,” producer Steve Schwartz said. “He was in his role all of the time.”
In the film an unspecified catastrophe leaves the Earth’s soil sterile, forcing survivors to scavenge ruined cities for canned food while dodging cannibals. Mortensen’s character and his son try to maintain their humanity while searching for a safe haven.
The book won McCarthy the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2007 and the film earned Hillcoat a Golden Lion nomination at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
Last month we reported Mortensen was quitting acting after promoting The Road which opens which opens Nov. 25. Oh Viggo, please say it isn't so! I have a feeling we'll be seeing alot more of Viggolicious come awards season!
Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II III IV, Repo! The Genetic Opera), looks like he's got his hands full on the set of Mother's Day, his latest horror film, which was shot right here in Winnipeg, Canada. Bousman pushes co-star Jaime King through an emotionally rigorous scene. The piece closes out with Lyriq Bent on a bloody set being controlled by the film's nasty "brothers."
Shock till You Drop have nabbed an exclusive new behind-the-scenes video, which you can now check out below.
Mother's Day stars Rebecca DeMornay, Briana Evigan, Alexa Vega, Shawn Ashmore, Deborah Ann Woll and Lisa Marcos (in addition to the actors listed above).
SYNOPSIS In this highly-anticipated psychological horror thriller from renowned director Darren Lynn Bousman and producer Brett Ratner, two mothers (Rebecca De Mornay and Jaime King) will give the holiday terrifying new meaning as they battle to protect what is dearest to them.
After a bank robbery gone wrong, three brothers head for home, hoping their "Mother" (Rebecca De Mornay) can provide them with a getaway. The youngest brother, "Johnny" (Matt O'Leary), has been shot and their back-stabbing former partner has gotten away with all the cash.
But when the brothers get home, they find that all their stuff is gone and Mother is nowhere to be found: she lost the house months ago in a foreclosure. The new owners, "Beth" and "Daniel Sohapi" (Jaime King and Frank Grillo) and their guests, gathered for an ill-timed birthday party, become the brothers' unwitting hostages.
Not long after, Mother arrives, along with the boys' sister Lydia (Deborah Ann Woll), and it soon becomes clear that Mother will do absolutely anything to protect her children. In one terrifying evening, she brilliantly takes control of the situation and masterminds her sons' escape from the law.
Sides will be taken, secrets revealed, and sins punished as the hostages struggle to make it through the night alive.
Viggo Mortensen, 'The Road' (left); and Christopher Plummer, 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' (right) to be honored
The complete schedule of the 23rd edition of the AFI Film Fest was announced yesterday. The festival takes place October 20 to November 7th, 2009 in Los Angeles.AFI is making an unprecedented gift to moviegoers: free tickets to all screenings and events at the festival. Screening tickets will available to anyone with a heartbeat and access to a cellphone or the Internet. However, to make sure you get a seat, AFI Patron Passes are also for sale.
Wes Anderson's stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox will be featured at the opening night gala. The indie-minded project, which counts George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray among its vocal cast, will make its North American premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater on the Oct. 30.
Flash forward to Nov. 2 and the U.S. premiere of Terry Gilliam's long-awaited The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, which will serve as the fest's centerpiece screening gala. The elaborate fantasy, about the leader of a traveling theater group who takes his audience on a mind-expanding exploration of their imaginations, stars the late Heath Ledger, whose role is also played at various times throughout the film by Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell. Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits and Verne Troyer also star. It too will screen at Grauman's.
Acclaimed veteran actor Christopher Plummer, will receive a tribute at this year's fest on Nov. 3. A multiple Tony and Emmy winner and the star of films including "The Sound of Music," "12 Monkeys" and "The Insider," Plummer has two films at the fest -- he plays the title role in Parnassus, and Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station. The latter will screen immediately after his tribute, which will take place at Grauman's.
The fest will also pay homage to actorViggo Mortensen with a special screening of The Road on Nov. 4. Mortensen is slated to attend the screening of The Road, which will follow his tribute; co-star Charlize Theron and director John Hillcoat are also expected as guests.
And on Nov. 7, the closing night gala is given over to Tom Ford's A Single Man, starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Ginnifer Goodwin. The film, which marks the directorial debut of fashion designer Ford, is adapted from Christopher Isherwood's novel about a British college professor who attempts to cope with the loss of his partner. A critical success at both the Toronto and Venice festivals, Single Man makes its U.S. premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater.
The complete program line-up for AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi is as follows:
GALAS-TRIBUTES
Opening Night Gala -- FANTASTIC MR. FOX (North American Premiere) Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wally Wolodarsky, Eric Anderson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Jarvis Cocker DIR: Wes Anderson PROD: Allison Abbate, Scott Rudin, Wes Anderson and Jeremy Dawson USA
Centerpiece Gala -- THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS (US Premiere) Cast: Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell DIR: Terry Gilliam PROD: Amy Gilliam, Terry Gilliam, Samuel Hadida, William Vince EXEC PROD: Patrice Theroux, David Valleau USA
Gala -- EVERYBODY'S FINE (World Premiere) Cast: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Melissa Leo DIR: Kirk Jones PROD: Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Ted Field, Glynis Murray, Gianni Nunnari EXEC PROD: Craig J. Flores, Callum Greene USA
Tribute -- THE LAST STATION Cast: Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, Paul Giamatti, James McAvoy DIR: Michael Hoffman PROD: Bonnie Arnold, Chris Curling EXEC PROD: Andrei Konchalovsky, Robert Little, Phil Robertson, Judy Tossell UK/Germany
Gala -- PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sheri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz DIR: Lee Daniels PROD: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness EXEC PROD: Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Lisa Cortes, Tom Heller USA
Gala -- THE ROAD (US Premiere) Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Molly Parker DIR: John Hillcoat PROD: Paula Mae Schwartz, Steve Schwartz, Nick Wechsler EXEC PROD: Marc Butan, Mark Cuban, Rudd Simmons, Todd WagnerUSA
Closing Night Gala -- A SINGLE MAN (US Premeiere) Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Ginnifer Goodwin DIR: Tom Ford PROD: Tom Ford, Andrew Miano, Robert Salerno, Chris Weitz USA
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) Cast: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau DIR: Alfred Hitchcock PROD: Herbert Coleman, Alfred Hitchcock USA
SOMETHING'S GONNA LIVE (World Premiere) Subjects: Robert "Bob" Boyle, Haskell Wexler, Henry Bumstead, Harold Michelson, Albert Nozaki DIR: Daniel Raim PROD: Daniel Raim USA
WAKE IN FRIGHT Cast: Gary Bond, Donald Pleasence, Chips Rafferty, Sylvia Kay, Jack Thompson DIR: Ted Kotcheff PROD: George Willoughby, EXEC PROD: Bill Harmon, Howard G. Barnes Australia
NEW LIGHTS COMPETITION
Highlighting first- and second-time filmmakers from around the world.
EASIER WITH PRACTICE Cast: Brian Geraghty, Marguerite Moreau, Jeanette Brox, Jenna Gavigan, Katie Aselton DIR: Kyle Patrick Alvarez PROD: Cookie Carosella USA
FIRST OF ALL, FELICIA (FELICIA INAINTE DE TOATE) Cast: Ozana Oancea, Vasile Mentzel, Ileana Cernat, Adina Andrei DIR: Razvan Radulescu, Melissa de Raaf PROD: Ada SolomonRomania/France/Belgium/Croatia
FISH TANK Cast: Michael Fassbender, Harry Treadaway, Katie Jarvis, Kierston Wareing DIR: Andrea Arnold PROD: Kees Kasander EXEC PROD: Christine Langan, David M. Thompson, Paul Trijbits UK
I KILLED MY MOTHER Cast: Anne Dorval, Xavier Dolan, François Arnaud, Suzanne Clément DIR: Xavier Dolan PROD: Xavier Dolan EXEC PROD: Carole Mondello Canada
THE MESSENGER Cast: Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Ben Foster, Jena Malone DIR: Oren Moverman PROD: Benjamin Goldhirsh, Mark Gordon, Lawrence Inglee, Zach Miller EXEC PROD: Steffen Aumueller, Nathaniel Bolotin, Christopher Mapp, Shaun Redick, Glenn M. Stewart, Matthew Street, David Whealy, Bryan Zuriff USA
THE MILK OF SORROW (LA TETA ASUSTADA) Cast: Magaly Solier, Susi Sánchez, Efrain Solis, Marino Ballón DIR: Claudia Llosa PROD: Antonio Chavarrías, Claudia Llosa, José María Morales Spain/Peru
NORTHLESS (NORTEADO) Cast: Harold Torres, Alicia Laguna, Sonia Couoh, Luis Cárdenas DIR: Rigoberto Perezcano PROD: Edgar San Juan EXEC PROD: Sergio Castro, Hector Hernandez-Pons, Alejandro Martinez-Gallardo Mexico/Spain
POLICE, ADJECTIVE Cast: Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov, Irina Saulescu, Ion Stoica DIR: Corneliu Porumboiu PROD: Corneliu Porumboiu Romania
WOMAN WITHOUT PIANO (LA MUJER SIN PIANO) Cast: Jan Budar, Esperanza De la Vega, Tomás del Estal, Nadia de Santiago DIR: Javier Rebello EXEC PROD: Damián Paris, Stefan Schmitz, María Zamora Spain/France
AFTER.LIFE Cast: Liam Neeson, Christina Ricci, Justin Long DIR: Agnieska Wojtowicz-Vosloo PROD: Brad Michael Gilbert, Bill Perkins, Celine Rattray EXEC PROD: Pamela Hirsch, Edwin L. Marshall, Galt Niederhoffer, James Swisher USA
THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL, NEW ORLEANS Cast: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendez, Val Kilmer DIR: Werner Herzog PROD: Edward Pressman, John Thompson, Alan Polsky, Gabe Polsky, Stephen Belafonte EXEC PROD: Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, Elliot Rosenblatt USA
BELLAMY Cast: Gerard Depardieu DIR: Claude Chabrol PROD: Edward Pressman, John Thompson, Alan Polsky, Gabe Polsky, Stephen Belafonte EXEC PROD: Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, Elliot Rosenblatt France
CASTRO Cast: Edgardo Castro, Julia Martínez Rubio, Alberto Suárez, Carla Crespo, Esteban Lamothe DIR: Alejo Moguillansky PROD: Mariano Llinás, Laura Citarella EXEC PROD: Eduardo Costantini Argentina
CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH Cast: Liu Ye, Gao Yuanyuan, Hideo Nakaizumi, Fan Wei, Jiang Yiyan DIR: Lu Chuan PROD: Han Sanping, Steffen Wild China/Hong Kong
THE HOLE Cast: Chris Massoglia, Haley Bennett, Nathan Gamble, Teri Polo, Bruce Dern DIR: Joe Dante PROD: Robert Skotak EXEC PROD: Gary Michael Waters, Chris Bender, J.C. Spink USA
IN THE ATTIC Cast: Barbora Hrzánová, Boris Hybner, Vladimír Javorsky DIR: Jiri Barta PROD: Milos Smídmajer Czech Republic/Slovakia/Japan
A LAKE (North American Premiere) Cast: Dmitry Kubasov, Natalie Rehorova, Alexei Solonchev, Simona Hülsemann, Vitaly Kishchenko, Arthur Semay DIR: Philippe Grandrieux PROD: Catherine Jacques France
LONDON RIVER Cast: Brenda Blethyn, Sotigui Kouyate DIR: Rachid Bouchareb PROD: Rachid Bouchareb, Jean Bréhat, Mattieu de Braconier, Bertrand Faivre Algeria/France/UK
LOOKING FOR ERIC Cast: Steve Evets, Eric Cantona, John Henshaw, Stephanie Bishop DIR: Ken Loach PROD: Tim Cole EXEC PROD: Rebecca O'Brien UK
MOTHER Cast: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Park Eun-kyo DIR: Bong Joon-ho PROD: Choi Jae-won, Seo Woo-sik EXEC PROD: Miky Lee, Katharine Kim, Yang-kwon Moon South Korea
NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS Cast: Negar Shaghaghi, Askan Koshanejad, Hamed Behdad DIR: Bahman Ghobadi PROD: Bahman Ghobadi EXEC PROD: Roxana Saberi Iran
PERPETUUM MOBILE Cast: Gabino Rodríguez, Teresa Sánchez, Francisco Barreiro DIR: Nicolás Pereda PROD: Nicolás Pereda, Catarina Coyoacan Mexico/Canada
A PROPHET Cast: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Reda Kateb, Hichem Yacoub DIR: Jacques Audiard PROD: Martine Cassinelli, Antonin Dedet France/Italy
RED RIDING TRILOGY (1974, 1980, 1983) Cast: Sean Bean, Andrew Garfield, David Morrissey, John Henshaw, Anthony Flanagan, Rebecca Hall, Peter Mullan DIR: Julian Jarrold, James Marsh, Anand Tucker PROD: Andrew Eaton, Anita Overland, Wendy Brazington EXEC PROD: Liza Marshall, Hugo Heppell, Norman Merry UK
ROOM AND A HALF Cast: Alisa Freindlich, Sergei Yursky, Grigory Dityatkovsky, Artem Smola DIR: Andrey Khrzhanovsky PROD: Artem Vassiliev, Andrey Khrzhanovsky Russia
THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES Cast: Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, Pablo Rago, Javier Godino, Guillermo Francella DIR: Juan José Campanella PROD: Gerardo Herrero, Mariela Besuievsky, Juan José Campanella Argentina/Spain
THE SILENT ARMY Cast: Marco Borsato, Andrew Kintu, Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga, Thekla Reuten DIR: Jean van de Velde PROD: Chris Brouwer, Richard Claus, Paul Brinks The Netherlands/France
SWEET RUSH Cast: Krystyna Janda, Pawel Szajda, Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieslak, Julia Pietrucha, Jan Englert DIR: Andrzej Wajda PROD: Waldemar Dabrowski, Slawomir Jozwik, Michal Kwiecinski, Dorota Rakowska-Kosmicka, EXEC PROD: Katarzyna Fukacz-Cebula Poland
TO DIE LIKE A MAN Cast: Fernando Santos, Alexander David, Goncalo Ferreira de Almeida, Chandra Malatitch, Jenny Larrue DIR: Joao Pedro Rodrigues PROD: Maria João Sigalho, Judith Nora Portugal/France
A TOWN CALLED PANIC Cast: Stéphane Aubier, Jeanne Balibar, Veronique Dumont, Bruce Ellison, Frederic Jannin DIR: Stephane Aubier, Vincent Patar PROD: Philippe Kauffmann, Vincent Tavier Belgium/France/Luxembourg
YOUTH IN REVOLT Cast: Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Long, Steve Buscemi, Jean Smart, Fred Willard, Mary Kay Place DIR: Miguel Arleta PROD: David Permut EXEC PROD: Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Nan Morales USA
DOCUMENTARY
THE ART OF THE STEAL; DIR: Don Argott PROD: Sheena M. Joyce EXEC PROD: Lenny Feinberg USA
LOS HEREDEROS; DIR: Eugenio Polgovsky PROD: Camille Tauss Mexico
ICONS AMONG US; Subjects: Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Olu Dara, Ravi Coltrane, Medeski Martin and Wood DIR: Michael Rivoira/Lars Larson/Peter J. Vogt PROD: John W. Comerford, Theo N. Ianuly USA
LA DANSE: THE PARIS OPERA BALLET; DIR: Frederick Wiseman PROD: Pierre-Oliver Bardet, Frederick Wiseman, Francoise Gazio France/USA
MOSCOW; DIR: Eduardo Coutinho PROD: Beth Pessoa EXEC PROD: João Moreira Salles, Mauricio Andrade Ramos, Guilherme Cezar Coelho Brazil
NE CHANGE RIEN; With: Jeanne Balibar DIR: Pedro Costa PROD: Francisco Villa-LobosPortugal/France
NEIL YOUNG TRUNK SHOW Subject: Neil Young DIR: Jonathan Demme PROD: Jonathan Demme, Elizabeth Hayes, Mark Kamine EXEC PROD: L.A. Johnson USA
REPORTER; With: Nicholas D. Kristof DIR: Eric Daniel Metzgar PROD: Mikaela Beardsley, Steven Cantor EXEC PROD: Ben Affleck USA
SWEETGRASS; DIR: Lucien Castaing-Taylor/Ilisa Barbash PROD: Ilisa Barbash USA
TRANSCENDENT MAN; DIR: Robert Barry Ptolemy PROD: Barry Ptolemy, Felicia Ptolemy EXEC PROD: Joe DiSanto, John Ramsay, Wren Waters, Doobie White, Drew Dowdle, John Erick Dowdle USA
THE TWO HORSES OF GENGHIS KHAN; DIR: Byambasuren Davaa PROD: Byambasuren Davaa, Beatrix Wesle Germany/Mongolia
ALT CINEMA Movies that push the boundaries of culture and cinema.
THE ANCHORAGE Cast: Ulla Edström, Marcus Harrling, Elin Hamren, Bengt Ohlsson DIR: C.W. Winter/Anders Edström PROD: C.W. Winter, Anders Edström USA/Sweden
BEST WORST MOVIE; DIR: Michael Paul Stephenson PROD: Lindsay Rowles Stephenson, Michael Paul Stephenson, Brad Klopman, Jim McKeon, Mary Francis Groom, Ace Goerig EXEC PROD: Alan Hunter, Hugh Hunter USA
GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH Cast: Bernard Chazelle, Desiree Garcia, Jason Palmer, Frank Garvin, Sandha Khin DIR: Damien Chazelle PROD: Jasmine McGlade EXEC PROD: W.A.W. Parker USA
THE LOVED ONES Cast: Xavier Samuel, Robin McLeavy, John Brumpton, Victoria Thaine, Jessica McNamee DIR: Sean Byrne PROD: Mark Lazarus, Michael Boughen EXEC PROD: Christopher Mapp, Matthew Street, David Whealy, Bryce Menzies Australia
MODUS OPERANDI Cast: Randy Russell, Danny Trejo, Mark Borchardt, Michael Sottile, Barry Poltermann DIR: Frankie Latina PROD: Shalyse Dominique, Laurie Foote, Mark Foote, Jon Krill, Zebedee LeTendre, Andrew Swant EXEC PROD: Bobby Ciraldo USA
TRASH HUMPERS Cast: Rachel Korine, Brian Kotzue, Travis Nicholson, Harmony Korine DIR: Harmony Korine PROD: Charles-Marie Anthonioz, Amina Dasmal, Robin Fox EXEC PROD: Amina Dasmal, Robin Fox, agnès b USA/UK
Anna Kendrick, 'Up in the Air' Red Carpet Arrivals, 2009 TIFF Photo: WireImage.com (Jeff Vespa)
Festival Awards Gala to be Held Tuesday, January 5, 2010 Hosted by Entertainment Tonight's Mary Hart
Anna Kendrick and George Clooney, 'Up in the Air'
The 21st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will honor Anna Kendrick with the Rising Star Award for her performance in Up in the Air at the Festival’s annual Awards Gala. Festival chairman Harold Matzner made the announcement at a private event at the historic Charlie Chaplin home of Patricia Barry in Beverly Hills, CA hosted by Festival board member Stephen Breimer. The Awards Gala, presented by Cartier, will kick-off the 2010 Awards Season on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at the Palm Springs Convention Center, and will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight’sMary Hart. The Festival will be held January 5-18, 2010.
Commenting on the selection, Matzner said, "Anna Kendrick is an extremely gifted young actress. At age 12, she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Dinah in High Society. Now in her mid-20s, she has gone from strength to strength with each succeeding screen role. Given her striking, multifaceted performance in Up in the Air, we are delighted to present her with the Festival's Rising Star Award." Past recipients of the Rising Star Award include Adam Beach, Jessica Biel, Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch, Bryce Dallas Howard, Terrence Howard and Scarlett Johansson.
Up in the Airis a dramatic comedy from Jason Reitman, the Oscar® nominated director of Juno. The film stars Oscar® winner George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened by a young, upstart efficiency expert (Kendrick) just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles. The film also stars Vera Farmiga and Jason Bateman. Paramount Pictures will release the film on December 4, 2009.
Actress Anna Kendrick notably starred in PictureHouse's Rocket Science directed by Jeffrey Blitz. Her performance as an ultra-competitive high school debate team member garnered critical acclaim and the film received a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Anna was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in the film.
In 2008, Kendrick was seen in the blockbuster feature film Twilight. She will also star in the sequel, New Moon, which will be released to theatres nationwide on November 20, 2009. Currently, Kendrick is on location filming the third installment of the popular Twilight Saga, entitled Eclipse.
Kendrick made her feature film debut in Todd Graff's Camp, a darling of the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. Her performance in the cult hit earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination as well as a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Annual Chlotrudis Awards. Most recently, Kendrick wrapped production on the Universal film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World opposite Michael Cera.
An accomplished theater veteran, Kendrick began her career as Dinah Lord in the 1997 Broadway musical production of High Societyfor which she received a Tony® Award nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical. At 12 years old, the honor made her the second youngest Tony nominee in award history. Kendrick also garnered Drama League and Theatre World awards as well as Drama Desk and FANY award nominations. Kendrick's additional theater work includes a featured role with the New York City Opera's production of A Little Night Music, starring Jeremy Irons, My Favorite Broadway/The Leading Ladies: Live at Carnegie Hall, and Broadway workshops of Jane Eyre and The Little Princess.
Host Mary Hart arrives on the Red carpet of the 20th Anniversary Palm Springs International Film Festival (below) in an exquisite Rose Taft gown accented by a set of stunning Cartier jewels.
Mary Hart and Honoree Director Ron Howard, Red Carpet Arrivals 20th Anniversary PSIFF Annual Awards Gala
Celebrating its 21st anniversary PSIFF was founded in 1990 by then Mayor Sonny Bono. The festival, scheduled from January 5-18, 2010, will include over 400 screenings of more than 200 films from approximately 60 countries. The Festival presents a majority of the films submitted for consideration in the Best Foreign Language category for the Academy Awards, as well as a large number of American independent and international features and documentaries marking their world, North American or U.S. debuts. Screenings are held on 15 screens throughout Palm Springs.
The PSIFF 21st Annual Awards Gala is presented by Cartierand sponsored by Mercedes Benz and "Entertainment Tonight." Tickets for this Stellar Five Star Awards Gala are on sale now!
Empire caught up with Sir Ian McKellen who was at the San Sebastian Film Festival to pick up a lifetime achievement award. Here's the latest scoop on: The Hobbit and the X-Men franchise.
Firstly The Hobbit: It’s been known for some while now that Sir Ian would be reprising his role as Gandalf (the Grey variety this time) for Guillermo del Toro’s Lord of the Rings prequel. But he had a few additional titbits to spill this time around.
"The scripts for the two films will be delivered very soon," he said. "Then they'll be budgeted, and then they'll be cast. And they'll be going when they've always said they would be, which is next spring -- March or April. Guillermo even told me at one point, 'We're going to film for 383 days.' He's got that artistic autism!
"Jackson's the same; they're very, very, very alike. They are also very different, but they've so much in common. They both can't stand Hollywood and have wonderful imaginations, and they're both obsessed with gore and fantasy. Both of them laugh a great deal. Guillermo's one of the most brilliant men I've ever met. His English vocabulary is way superior to mine!”
There’s been fervent speculation about the possible return of other Rings cast members, with the likes of Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom would return as Aragorn and Legolas in the frame for cameos, but Sir Ian isn’t convinced. "Unfortunately, there won't be many of the actors going back," he said, "unless they're going to put masks on and be disguised as dwarves! Andy Serkis is, at the moment, I think, the only other actor who's doing this film."
Of course, we fully expect Hugo Weaving to pop up as Elrond, but that announcement will doubtless come in due course.
X-Men Origins: Magneto is still in a state of flux. Rumour has it that the script would call for a McKellen appearance to bookend the prequel action, but the actor says he’s heard nowt.
“There's meant to be a Magneto script floating around, but I've not read it, so I suspect it wouldn't involve me,” he said. “I think it would be about the younger Magneto, and the most I could hope for would be to top and tail that. They can't have someone whose face is as lined as mine any longer!”
Empire, of course, reminded him about the sudden appearance of a mysteriously de-aged Patrick Stewart in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, prompting a hearty guffaw.
“Ooh, he was very pleased with himself that he was going in to be in Wolverine,” cackled Sir Ian. “It was only an hour's work! We were working on Waiting For Godot at the time!”
Marc Bernardin of PopWatch.Ew.com was at the event and reports that "watching it with a crowd who knew every beat (and some of whom were dressed as their favorite elves or wizards), applauded at every major character introduction (it was a loudness-tie between Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn and Orlando Bloom’s Legolas) and minor cameo (like Jackson’s), and knew when to laugh and then shut up was a hoot and a half."
Add to this the spectacle of a live orchestra and choir and this event was an over-the-top treat for LOTR fans! Wish I had been there!
"After the two-and-a-half hours of Fellowship came to an end and the orchestra took their final bows, composer Howard Shore walked out on stage, accompanied by two special guests: Elijah Wood and Billy Boyd. They looked just as tickled by the evening as the audience was." Great news - for those of you who missed this epic LOTR event, the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers will be screened in the same fashion at Radio City on Oct. 9, 2010. I'm there! Who wants to join me for a LOTR weekend in NYC?
Keep abreast of The Two Towers Radio City Music Hall 2010 event by signing up on the RadioCityLOTRConcert.com site. The signup field is located at the top right hand corner of the site.
In just two weeks Lars Von Trier's sensational horror film hits theaters in NY, LA, Chicago, D.C., Boston, and San Francisco.
After its U.S. Premiere at the 2009 New York Film Festival, Antichrist is causing an incredible stir among critics, horror fans, and just about everyone else. Whether a source of outrage, awe, confusion or inspiration, the controversy surrounding the film is certainly creating interesting discussion.
Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg co-star in courageous performances that take enormous chances. Gainsbourg won Best Actress and von Trier was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes.
When nature turns evil, true terror awaits. . .
SYNOPSIS A couple lose their young son when he falls out the window while they have sex in the other room. The mother's grief consigns her to hospital, but her therapist husband brings her home intent on treating her depression himself. To confront her fears they go to stay at their remote cabin in the woods, "Eden", where something untold happened the previous summer. Told in four chapters with a prologue and epilogue, the film details acts of lustful cruelty as the man and woman unfold the darker side of nature outside and within.
Visit the official Antichrist website for international release dates.
Variety reports Barcelona's Rodar y Rodar has just started principal photography on Guillem Morales' $10 million thriller Julia's Eyes (Los ojos de Julia) which is produced by Joaquin Padro, Mar Targarona and Guillermo del Toro and financed by Rodar, Focus Features Intl., Spanish broadcasters Antena 3 and TV3 and Catalan state investment org Messfilms.
Guillermo del Toro (top), with Belén Rueda & Lluis Homar
Belén Rueda(The Orphanage) and Lluis Homar (Broken Embraces) star in the psychological thriller.
SYNOPSIS Julia returns to Bellevue with her husband to visit her sister Sarah, who is near blind due to a degenerative illness for which she has unsuccessfully undergone surgery. When they arrive, Julia finds that Sarah has taken her own life and none of her mysterious neighbors seem to be all that surprised. Julia has to confront not only the loss of her sister, but also the loss of all hope halting her own impending blindness, as she suffers from the same illness and would appear to be destined for the same end as her sister.
Alternate synopsis: The film tells the story of a woman slowly going blind as she investigates the mysterious death of her twin sister. "Eyes" is shot from Julia's POV, so the scare tactics include panic attacks as the protag's sight fails. Says [producer] Padro, "The thriller's an excuse to talk about a woman who overcomes her limitations; it's a journey of self-discovery."
"Julia's Eyes" reps a re-teaming of del Toro with Focus. The filmmaker's shingle Cha Cha Cha, which he founded along with fellow Mexicans Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, has a five picture deal with Focus.
"Eyes" is set for a 2010 Spanish release date. No word on North American release dates yet.
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Penelope Cruz as "Carla" in NINE
