Judging by the turnout and the cool vibe in the room today’s annual luncheon for the AFI Awards has risen
to the top of favorite , must-attend award season events. The crush to get into the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom was well worth it since the people “crushing” were the likes of Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg , Brad Pitt, Viola Davis, George Clooney, Leonardo Di Caprio, Martin Scorsese, David Fincher and many others including executive honchos like Jim Gianopulos, Brad Grey, Stacey Snider and of course AFI Chairman Sir Howard Stringer who had some choice remarks in his closing speech.
This event , devoid of thank you speeches or dividing up “winners and losers” is just an old fashioned get-together in which filmmakers, execs and actors can connect, have some fish and watch some killer clip reels of what AFI deems the ten best in both movies and TV. This year’s honorees in film were: Bridesmaids, The Descendants, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Help, Hugo, J. Edgar, Midnight In Paris, Moneyball, The Tree Of Life and War Horse. The top 10 television programs were Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Homeland, Justified, Louie, Modern Family and Parks and Recreation.
After lunch AFI’s President and … Read More
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AFI Awards Lunch Brings Out A-List Of Contenders
Chris Hemsworth Grabs Lunch With Wife Elsa Pataky, Up For BAFTAs Rising Star Award [PHOTOS]
After running errands yesterday (January 12th) in Hollywood, Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky grabbed lunch at French Cafe.
James Franco Trucks Through LAX, Will Play Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe [PHOTOS]
Sporting facial hair that made him look a bit like Jason Ritter and a trucker hat, James Franco landed at LAX yesterday (January 12th) with some friends.
Emily Blunt’s New Film “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
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By Martin in Las Vegas
Emily Blunt was seen shopping in Beverly Hills this week and taking it easy and casual.
Emily’s been busy promoting her new film, the romantic comedy “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” which you can watch the trailer below:
Sundance Opening Night Docu ‘Queen Of Versailles’ Sparks Lawsuit By Resort Developer
The 2012 Sundance Film Festival has sparked controversy little more than a week before it launches January 19th. The Sundance Institute has been hit with a lawsuit over one of the festival’s opening night films, The Queen Of Versailles, directed by Lauren Greenfield. Alleging defamation, the federal lawsuit filed by Florida developer David A. Siegel and his Westgate Resorts targets Sundance Institute, Greenfield and her husband, executive producer Frank Evers. According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune, the lawsuit seeks $75,000 in damages from the Institute and another $75,000 from the filmmakers plus “unspecified punitive damages.”
The controversy arises from press and marketing material distributed by Sundance. The festival’s online material describes the film as having “epic dimensions of a Shakespearean tragedy” with the non-fiction feature following “billionaires Jackie and David’s rags to riches story to uncover the innate virtues and flaws of the American dream.” The film opens with the construction of the biggest house in America, inspired by France’s Versailles. The Sundance info described the construction as being financed by a “booming time-share business” that went south following the financial crisis.
An insider connected with the film told Deadline that hardly anybody has seen it, let alone David Siegel and his Westgate Resorts. Deadline called Westgate seeking comment but a voicemail message was not returned. A Sundance statement said only: “Sundance Institute maintains its long-held and firm commitment … Read More
Jerry Garcia Back From The Grateful Dead
Renowned music documentary filmmaker Malcolm Leo and veteran personal manager John Hartmann have secured an agreement to produce a feature length documentary on music icon Jerry Garcia. After a lengthy pursuit of the rights, Leo will direct and also produce with Hartmann. The Leo/Hartmann Productions pic will be built around a 3-hour conversation that Leo conducted with Garcia in 1987. The historic interview was shot on negative film with studio quality sound and lighting. The footage presents a compelling portrait of the cult hero at the height of his success. Leo intends to blend an unprecedented amount of never-before-seen performances, documentary footage, and rare home movies.
The project has great bonafides: Leo’s previous work includes films on Elvis Presley, Crosby Stills & Nash, and The Beach Boys. Hartmann, the brother of the late comedian Phil Hartmann, was formerly personal manager of Peter Paul & Mary, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Eagles, America, Poco, and others. The pair want a completed docu will be ready for release in the spring of 2012 and currently are finalizing financing and distribution with the help of Jeff Silberman of Century City law firm King Holmes Paterno & Berliner.
Leo/Hartmann provided a short film clip to the San Francisco Giants for Jerry Garcia Day last summer seen by 42,000 fans. The entire celebration was captured on film by co-producer Justin Kreutzmann and will be included in the Leo/Hartmann movie. The producers were given full access to film Annabelle Garcia, Jerry’s eldest daughter, throwing out the … Read More
Oscars Best Documentary Nominees (We Think)
Here is a list of the likely five nominees for Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Academy Awards. Too bad you probably won’
Likely Best Foreign Language Film Nominees
Though most mainstream moviegoers will never see them and most Hollywood insiders and Academy members will never admit it, the best movie of the year is usually not made in Hollywood, but overseas. And more often than not ‘
Deadline Hires New Los Angeles Film Editor Brian Brooks, Formerly Top IndieWire Editor
Deadline Hollywood continues expanding staff to further position us as the primary 24/7 breaking news entertainment business website. Today we are announcing another important addition: new Los Angeles Film Editor Brian Brooks (brian@deadline.com). He will work closely with New York Editor & Film Editor Mike Fleming to cover both the major studio and indie film business and festival scene. A veteran of indiieWIRE since 1996 and Managing Editor since 2007, Brooks was integral in the execution of daily editorial news and feature content about the movie biz. He was a regular at the Sundance, Toronto, LAFF, SXSW, Tribeca, Cannes, Berlin, Hamptons, Sarajevo, AFI, IDFA, Pusan, Reykjavik festivals and more. He has moderated and produced events and panels in New York, Toronto, and Austin and served on numerous festival juries. A California native and UCLA grad, Brian is relocating from NYC to Los Angeles to join Deadline in mid-January – just in time to cover Sundance with Fleming. “I want to thank all the amazing and brilliant people on indieWIRE’s editorial team with whom I’ve worked over the past 12 years,” Brooks said. ”Now I join a truly fantastic team at Deadline. I’m honored that Nikki Finke and Mike Fleming wanted me to work with them. And I look forward to covering the film business and its talented people from my new base in Los Angeles.”
Hammond: ‘Bridesmaids’ A Serious Oscar Contender? Universal Chiefs Say Yes
If anyone were to have told you back on May 13 when Universal’s raunchy female comedy, Bridesmaids opened that we would seriously be discussing its Best Picture Oscar nomination prospects a week before Christmas, the status of their mental health would been called into question. But even though it remains a
long shot Oscar pundits are online actively debating its Best Pic potential. Universal is ratcheting up its campaign with an eye on the prize it never dared dream about, and kudos for the Judd Apatow produced film directed by Paul Feig keep piling up as this awards season gets curiouser and curiouser.
For your consideration:
Bridemaids was recently named one of the year’s top 10 films by the American Film Institute, a prestigious and sought-after honor by awards merchants. It received two key SAG award nominations (a prime indicator of industry sentiment) for Outstanding Cast of a Motion Picture (SAG’s version of Best Picture) and Best Supporting Actress for Melissa McCarthy. She also won the Boston Film Critics Supporting Actress and was named in the same category by the Critics Choice Movie Awards (which also nominated the film for Best Comedy and Ensemble). The Golden Globes nominated Bridesmaids for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy and for lead actress Kristen Wiig. Both Entertainment Weekly critics named the film one of their top three of the year, it made the “Best Of” lists of both A.O.Scott and Manohla Dargis at … Read More
Sony Classics Acquires Woody Allen’s ‘Nero Fiddled’
NEW YORK (December 21, 2011) ‘
“Dragon Tattoo” Girl Rooney Mara Covers W & Vogue Magazines
Photo Credit: W & Vogue Magazines
26-year-old actress Rooney Mara has gone from a somewhat obscure Hollywood existence to potentially winning an Oscar for her role in the film “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” And of course, in order to properly promote her new film, which hits theaters today, she’s on the cover of numerous magazines at the newsstands.
Trailer:
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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – Film Review
Literary purists be damned (and I used to be one when I was an English major at Northwestern), but Guy Ritchie has done it again: take a Victorian classic about a middle aged British detective and hyper-masculinize it by incorporating as much action-adventure-gunfire-explosion-adrenaline-supereffects as possible. Blame it on Hollywood? Nah, I blame the director. Or credit, rather.
Yes, the story has very little to do with the original literary classic by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Indeed, apart from the coincidence of names, there exists almost no resemblance between the original story and the celluloid bastard children starring Robert Downey, Jr.
Still, I enjoyed the film, probably because I took it for it was: an attempt to tell a fun, adventurous, old-time mystery story inspired by rather than based on the classic duo of Holmes and Watson. The original film from Ritchie, as I recall, met with rather tepid, mixed reviews. This new sequel will surely fare no better and probably a good deal worse . . . and yet I can’
L.A. Red Carpet: Charlize Theron & Others @ “Young Adult” Premiere
Photo Credit: WENN
Charlize Theron stars as Mavis Gary in the Diablo Cody-written & Jason Reitman-directed film “Young Adult.” Charlize already visited Letterman & attended a premiere in NYC to promote her new film, so check those pics here. Besides that, the film is getting great reviews from critics & audiences alike, so it’s definitely worth dough if you’re looking to not waste time on other cookie-cutter affairs at the theaters. Rotten has it at 82% and Metacritic currently stands at 73, with audiences rating it 9/10.
Here’s more info about the film:
Charlize Theron plays Mavis Gary, a writer of teen literature who returns to her small hometown to relive her glory days and attempt to reclaim her happily married high school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson). When returning home proves more difficult than she thought, Mavis forms an unusual bond with a former classmate (Patton Oswalt) who hasn’t quite gotten over high school, either. [Source]
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Madonna Comeback In Music, TV, And Film: 3-Album Deal With Interscope Worth $40M; First Album In 5 Years Coming Early March; Single Timed To ‘W.E.’ Film And Superbowl
EXCLUSIVE DETAILS: Hollywood knows that, when it comes to Madonna, never count her down and out. Because few performers are as shrewd about their careers as this 53-year-old multi-hyphenate singer, actress, producer, and now film writer and director who has stayed buzz-worthy for three decades. I’ve learned that Interscope Records is releasing her new CD in late March – her first album in 5 years. And “Gimme All Your Luvin”, the first single, is coming out the last week in January just prior to her upcoming Superbowl XLVI halftime appearance on February 5th. I’ve learned that’s the same week her upcoming Weinstein Company film, W.E., is now scheduled for a wide release on February 3rd. So it becomes clear why Harvey Weinstein delayed Madonna’s movie from December 9th in NY and LA: to take advantage of the early 2012 promotional hype which will surround her and provide him with free marketing. That’s especially useful after reviews of the film she directed and co’
NYC: Olivia Wilde @ “The Iron Lady” Premiere
Photo Credit: WENN
Olivia Wilde doesn’t appear in The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher but since we don’t plan to do any posts with Meryl, we might as well plug the movie here. The film is basically about former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Look for it in limited release on December 30th and a wide release in the UK on January 6th and in the US on January 13th. For more info, visit The Iron Lady official website.
The film will be narrated through a series of flashbacks, including the 17 days leading up to the Falklands War in 1982. [Wiki]
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STUNNER! Legendary Pictures Postpones January Start Of Alex Proyas-Directed ‘Paradise Lost’
EXCLUSIVE: Legendary Pictures has halted plans to begin production early next year on Paradise Lost, the epic-sized Alex Proyas-directed film about the battle between good and evil that is inspired by the John Milton poem. Bradley Cooper had been set to play Lucifer, Benjamin Walker to play the archangel Michael, and Diego Boneta playing Adam and Camilla Belle Eve, with a host of other actors lined up for the action epic. I’m told that the film isn’t scrapped; rather, Legendary’s Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and producer Vincent Newman will continue developing it to rework a budget that had passed the $120 million mark by 10% or 15%. The picture has crewed up for an Australia shoot and the talent and below the line is learning about the postponement right now. Films including Moneyball and American Gangster had their plugs pulled within a month of production and bounced back, but it is always a shock when a large film has its start date scratched so close to production, even if it is temporary.
I’m told by insiders that this process is being likened to The Lone Ranger, which Disney had originally scheduled to begin production last fall, until Deadline revealed last August that it had been unplugged abruptly, with Disney threatening to scrap it because the studio feared the budget would turn into a runaway train … Read More
Charlize Theron Promotes Young Adult
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By Reese in LA
Charlize Theron usually keeps a pretty low profile but she’s been out and about promoting her new film “Young Adult.” The film is a dark comedy that brings together director Jason Reitman with Juno screenwriter, Diablo Cody. Charlizee Theron stars as 40-year-old Mavis Gary, a writer of teen fiction who sees a chance to return to her small hometown as a way to relive her glory days and recapture her high school sweetheart, Buddy (Patrick Wilson). We snapped the star leaving The New York Times Building in New York yesterday.
Red Carpet Ladies: “Young Adult” Premiere in NYC
Photo Credit: Joy Scheller/iPhoto/WENN
These were snapped at last night’s “Young Adult” premiere at the Zigfield Theater in NYC. Charlize Theron, who stars in the film, was also at the premiere. The film is getting great reviews all around w/ a 74% rating at Metacritic & 77% at Rotten Tomatoes. I think I’ll be checking it out this weekend.
The film, which is directed by Jason Reitman & written by Diablo Cody (of “Juno” fame), is out in theaters now. Here’s more juice:
Charlize Theron plays Mavis Gary, a writer of teen literature who returns to her small hometown to relive her glory days and attempt to reclaim her happily married high school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson). When returning home proves more difficult than she thought, Mavis forms an unusual bond with a former classmate (Patton Oswalt) who hasn’t quite gotten over high school, either. [Source]
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Red Carpet: “War Horse” World Premiere in NYC
Photo Credit: WENN
Premiere held at the Avery Fisher Hall in the Lincoln Center.
Looks like Daddy Spielberg brought along a couple of his daughters for the big premiere of his new film “War Horse” last night in NYC (Dec. 4). The Hollywood bigwig directed & co-produced the film. Here’s more juice about the movie:
In Devon at the outbreak of World War I, Joey, young Albert Narracott’s beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. He serves in the British and German armies, which takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before being alone in no man’s land. [Source]
Photo Credit: WENN
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