the most anticipated...

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Movie review

From Time Out Online
Let's hope Matt 'Cloverfield' Reeves's melancholic and lightly politicised remake of Tomas Alfredson's ambient Swedish teen-vamp classic 'Let the Right One In' can avoid the horrorphile brickbats that will inevitably be thrown at it. For, taken on its own merits, 'Let Me In' shows exceptional craft. Reeves relocates the story to New Mexico in 1983, a period soundtracked principally and amusingly by David Bowie's 'Let's Dance', and once again the story concerns the pre-teen, winter-light love affair between pallid social outcast Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and his feral, blood-lusting, sad-eyed beau, Abby (Chloe Moretz).

The film juxtaposes with grace the pair's otherness from a society fuelled by Reaganite machismo with the fact that their mutual affection is stymied by bizarre supernatural goings-on. A scrawny Smit-McPhee builds on his vulnerable naïf act from John Hillcoat's 'The Road' with a cruel sense of just why he has no friends – but it's Moretz who runs away with the film, proving she's much more than a one-hit Hit–Girl with a suitably restrained and empathetic performance.

Reeves's direction lunges more resolutely for the mainstream jugular, but that's no bad thing. There are a number of extremely distressing set pieces (including a car crash shot from a fixed-camera inside a vehicle) that make this feel less of an art film than the original. Yet there's no sense that the film has been made to satisfy the more adventurous alumni of the panda-eyed 'Twilight' set: this is just as committed to depicting the disquieting, anti-social particulars of the initial pangs of puberty as the original. It's also interesting that Reeves – unlike Alfredson – chooses to make Abby's victims anonymous: we're not invited to sympathise with her because she's dispatching single-note grotesques. If anything, this makes her situation all the more tragic. These subtle variations aside, 'Let Me In' doesn't strain to differentiate itself from the original, and some major events (including the gore-splashed underwater finale) are staged almost identically.

But perhaps the film's greatest coup (and what makes it – whisper it – better than the original) is that it refuses to romanticise teenage loneliness. It portrays these troubled tweens as a product of their estrangement rather than cute non-confomists blazing their own violent trail against the hatemongers. It makes our relationship with the unfortunately feeble Owen much more complex and – via an extremely troubling and perceptive final shot which suggests that he's still not mature enough to comprehend the realities of his ordeal – deliciously dangerous.

Author: David Jenkins 2010-09-29 14:29:55

Time Out Online 2010 London Film Festival

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Kennedy/Marshall Co. and Flashlight Films have optioned the film rights Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger's memoir "Highest Duty" reports Variety.

Sullenberger is the veteran pilot who shot to news fame early last year when he safely landed U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River after birds flew into the engines and crippled the jet.

Sullenberger landed the plane safely on the river's surface, saving the lives of all 155 passengers on board. He co-wrote the book with Jeffrey Zaslow and will serve as consultant on the project along with his wife.

It's presently unknown if the film could become a theatrical feature or a television movie. The project is now out to writers but no studio is yet attached.

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"Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi and "District 9" producer Bill Block are both in negotiations to produce the alien invasion thriller "E.D.F." for Warner Bros. Pictures reports Vulture.

The story opens with an alien attack to test our defenses in preparation for a larger scale attack coming in ten months time. During that period between attacks, world leaders have to figure out how to fight off the coming invasion.

E.D.F. stands for Earth Defense Force. Andrew Marlowe ("Air Force One") penned the script, while Raimi is not expected to direct.

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Universal Pictures has acquired the film rights to Richard Aleas' 2004 crime novel "Little Girl Lost" reports Entertainment Weekly.

The story centers on John Blake, an NYU dropout-turned-private-investigator who learns his high school girlfriend who he thought went to medical school actually became a stripper and has been murdered.

Jonathan Levine ("The Wackness," "I'm With Cancer") is set to direct while "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" co-writer Michael Bacall is attached to write the screenplay.

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First linked to the role back in May, Steve Carell is now officially set to star in and produce the narrative feature remake of 2008 music documentary "Of All the Things" at Warner Bros. Pictures reports Variety.

The original documentary centred on songwriter-producer Dennis Lambert, one of the top songwriters of pop music from the late 60's to the mid 80's, working with such famous bands as The Four Tops and The Commodores.

In 1972 his attempt to become a recording artist flopped as his debut album "Bags and Things" was virtually ignored upon release. Yet there was a twist - a single from the album, "Of All the Things", became a massive hit in the Philippines and is still played at Filipino weddings to this day.

Lambert was always asked to perform there but he declined until 2007 where he played five dates and managed to sell out a Valentine's Day concert at Araneta Coliseum.

Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are penning the script. The pair recently worked on the script for "Burt Wonderstone" which Carell recently came onboard on.

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Dir: Flavio Frederico. Brazil. 2010. 100mins

The glossily violent Boca ticks all of the boxes in terms of a gangland action drama, with the extra bonus that it is based on the real-life story of a young man who rose to become one of the most dangerous criminals of the area.

    While the film is eminently watchable it offers little original.

The film is the life story of Hiroito de Moraes Joanides (Daniel de Oliviera), a well brought-up young man who was drawn to the prostitutes and bars of Boca do Lixo, a downtown region of Sao Paulo. When his father is murdered mysteriously he is accused of the killing, but there is never any evidence against him.

But before you know it he is easing himself into the gangland environment in the 1950s and '60s, killing off rivals, dealing in drugs and prostitutes and developing him a reputation as a brutal gang boss. He marries, but his violent ways lead to nothing but trouble and he descends into drug abuse and a spiral of violence.

Daniel de Oliviera may well have boyish looks, sporting slicked back hair and large black-rimmed glasses, but his character's enthusiasm for hookers and violence is nicely presented. The era of Boca do Lixo's 1950/60s mean-streets is impressively recreated, though while the film is eminently watchable it offers little original, and seems unlikely to travel far outside Brazil.

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"A Few Good Men" stars Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson may reunite for the comedy "El Presidente" at Warner Bros. Pictures says The Los Angeles Times.

"Parks and Recreation" writer Daniel J. Goor penned the script which centers on a straight-laced Secret Service agent who gets assigned to protect an unsavory ex-President.

The pair end up on the run together when a threat is made on the life of the ex-prez. Cruise is attached to the agent role, while an offer is out to Nicholson for the ex-President role.

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Tom Vaughan ("What Happens in Vegas," "Extraordinary Measures") is set to direct the romantic comedy "Boomsday" for GreeneStreet Films reports Yahoo.

An adaptation of Christopher Buckley's novel, the story follows a young Washington DC publicist who suggests via her blog that all of the senior citizens in the United States commit suicide to solve the Social Security Crisis.

A handsome politician decides to take up her cause, leading to many complications both romantically and politically.

Ronald Bass and Jen Smolka will adapt the screenplay. No actors are yet locked.

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Ridley Scott is set to produce a four-hour mini-series for the BBC based on Philip K. Dick's Hugo Award-winning novel "The Man in the High Castle" reports the trades.

Howard Brenton (TV's "Spooks") will adapt the script of the story which is set in an alternate world where Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan defeated the Allied forces in World War II. The pair are now engaged in a Cold War, playing out in the former United States which each power now owns and governs half of.

The production schedule is presently unknown. Scott turned Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream Electric Sheep" into his 1982 cinematic classic "Blade Runner".

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Robert Downey Jr. is set to star in the heist film "Yucatan" for Warner Bros. Pictures according to Deadline New York.

Anthony Peckham ("Sherlock Holmes") will pen the script, taking over from earlier writer Paul Scheuring ("Prison Break"), and will base it on almost 1,700 pages of decades-old notes and storyboards done by late acting legend Steve McQueen.

The story follows a group of thieves, lead by a deep sea salvage specialist (Downey), who head to Mexico to find Mayan treasure buried underwater for centuries in ruins beneath the Yucatan peninsula.

Dan Lin, Downey and his wife Susan were attached to the project as producers back in June but wasn't sure whether he would be involved on screen. Now he's set for the lead role, but no production schedule has yet been locked in.

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"Breach" and "Shattered Glass" writer/director Billy Ray is set to serve in those capacities on a remake of 2009 Argentinian thriller "The Secret in Their Eyes" says The Hollywood Reporter.

'Secret', which won the foreign language Oscar in March, follows a retired criminal investigator in 2000 Buenos Aires who is writing a novel to try and deal with an unresolved rape and murder from 1974 that still haunts him.

In the process, he re-encounters a female judge with whom he has a long, equally unresolved, history. Warner Bros. Pictures is in negotiations to acquire the remake rights with the new version to be set in the present day United States.

Juan Jose Campanella directed and adapted the original from a novel by Eduardo Sacheri. Mark Johnson ("Donnie Brasco") is producing the remake.

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Earlier this year came reports that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were set to reunite onscreen in the 70's-set baseball player wife-swapping tale "The Trade".

At the time the pair were talking of playing the male leads with Affleck directing. Now, MTV News talked with Affleck who confirmed that the project is still going ahead, but with some role swapping off screen as well. Affleck says his brother Casey has come onboard, while his friend may replace him in the big chair.

"I don't know how it'll come together, acting and directing, but Casey and I have decided to write it together. Once the script's kind of ready, then it's like: Who's doing what? What's the time frame? Matt, me, Casey directing? Particularly for Matt, he's had this extraordinary career where he's worked with these great directors. He's a great director who just hasn't directed a movie" says Affleck.

The story itself deals with New York Yankee teammates Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich who disclosed in 1973 that they were trading wives.

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Vince Vaughn and his "Wedding Crashers" co-star Owen Wilson could be re-teaming for the buddy cop action feature "2 Guns" at Universal Pictures reports Pajiba.

Blake Masters penned the script about two lawmen who go undercover plot to rob a bank together. Catch is both have been assigned to the task by their respective law enforcement agencies and aren't aware that the other person isn't a real crook.

Soon they must learn whom the dirty money belongs to as their respective agencies try to hunt them down. Vaughn is signed to star, while Wilson is considering at present. No director is yet onboard.

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Joe Carnahan ("Narc," "Smokin' Aces") has signed on to re-write and direct the thriller "Umbra" at Endgame Entertainment according to Variety.

Steven Karczynski's script follows a businessman finding a mysterious package in his mailbox, an old audio cassette, and becomes the target of a secret government agency conspiracy.

He's soon on the run for his life and as he tries to learn the truth, he uncovers his unwitting connection to the agency hunting him. The film is the first in a potential franchise and previously had Nicolas Cage attached to star.

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Universal Pictures is set to finance and distribute "Contraband", the English language remake of 2008 Icelandic thriller "Reykjavik-Rotterdam" reports Deadline.

The story centers on a security guard and former smuggler on the Iceland-Netherlands route who is tempted back into illicit business by his wife's brother who botches a run and finds his life threatened. The new version will shift the route to somewhere in North America.

Mark Wahlberg is set to star as the guard and Kate Beckinsale is in negotiations to play the female lead. Universal originally planned to finance the film but balked at the $40 million budget, forcing Relativity Media to step in. When the filmmakers brought the budget back down to $30 million and Relativity opted out, Universal jumped back in.

Aaron Guzikowski ("Prisoners") is adapting the script while the original film's producer/star Baltasar Kormakur will direct the remake (Oskar Jonasson helmed the original). Kormakur, Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing.

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Johnny Galecki ("The Big Bang Theory") has signed on for a role in Andrew Niccol's latest untitled sci-fi feature for 20th Century Fox, New Regency and Strike Entertainment says Deadline.

Previously titled "I'm.mortal", the story is set in a society where people engineered to stop ageing at 25-years-old and time has become the currency of the realm. The wealthy are practically immortal while the majority of the populous struggles to bank what extra time they can.

Justin Timberlake plays a ghetto rebel wrongly accused of murder who is forced to go into hiding with a beautiful and rich hostage (Amanda Seyfried). They soon begin a steamy romance.

Galecki plays the best friend of Timberlake's character. Vincent Kartheiser, Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy and Collins Pennie also star.

Niccol ("Gattaca," "S1m0ne") directs from a script he wrote and hopes to begin production before the year ends. Eric Newman and Marc Abraham will produce.

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Argentine director Juan Jose Campanella ("The Secret in Their Eyes") will helm his first animated feature reports Variety.

"Metegol" (Foosball) follows an underdog who, with the help of foosball figures that come to life, must take on a star soccer pro to save their village. Pablo Rago ("Secret"), Fabian Gianola ("The Super Agents: New Generation"), Miguel Angel Rodriguez ("Dad for a Day"), Horacio Fontova ("Goodbye, Dear Moon") and David Masajnik ("Son of the Bride") will all lend their voices to the production.

Despite a quite low $9.75 million budget, Campanella hopes to find "a visual style that we haven't seen before in an animated movie." A 2012 release is being planned.

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It would seem that Johnny Depp is not only in a remake mood, but has also been enjoying working aboard Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with director Rob Marshall. Why so? Because he's apparently pestering him to work on a new version of The Thin Man for Warner Bros.

Dashiell Hammett wrote the detective novel in 1934, which finds private eye Nick Charles giving up his hard-boiled life to settle down into a world of dedicated alcoholism after marrying wealthy socialite Nora. But his old job comes calling when he's drawn into investigating a murder, with his wife along for the ride.

While the novel itself never generated a sequel, it became the source material for a series of movies from Warners, with William Powell as Nick and Myrna Loy as Nora. And NBC turned it into a short-lived TV show in the 1950s.

The role of heavy-drinking, easy-quipping Nick sounds like a natural fit for Depp, and while there's no script in place yet, Vulture reports that the actor is looking to develop it via his Infinitum Nihil production company, and he's thinking Marshall could be the man to make it.

Interesting trivia point here: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who recently directed Depp in The Tourist, is on record as saying that one of the big influences on that film as it developed was the Thin Man movies. Sounds like Depp got a little extra inspiration...
James White

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Australian filmmaker John Hillcoat ("The Road," "The Proposition") has dropped out of the period revenge tale "The Revenant" for Anonymous Content reports Pajiba.

Based on the novel by Michael Punke, the story follows solider/adventurer Hugh Glass who, after being attacked by a bear along the Missouri River and left for dead by his friends, sets out to hunt them down for leaving him behind.

Hillcoat isn't the first name to leave the project as Park Chan-Wook was slated to direct years ago. With Hillcoat no longer attached, filmmaker Jean Francois-Richet ("Mesrine," "Assault on Precinct 13") is being lined up to replace him. Mark L. Smith ("Vacancy") is penning the script.

In news of other drop outs, indie filmmaker Larry Fessenden spoke to The Playlist in more detail about why he left the proposed remake of "The Orphanage" at Warner Bros. Pictures.

Fessenden says the filmmakers couldn't land the A-List star they were looking for, and he had misgivings about the production plans - "I was very excited about it. I was going to do it as a New England Gothic, truly shot in New England, and it didn't pan out. WB wanted to shoot it in South Africa or something nutty. I mean, why do you remake a foreign film in another foreign land?"

At last report, "The Mothman Diaries" helmer Mark Pellington was attached to direct the remake.

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Ben Affleck is looking into an adaptation of Ken Grimwood's dramatic fantasy novel "Replay" as his potential next directorial project at Warner Bros. Pictures says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story centers on a 45-year-old man who has a fatal heart attack trying to prevent the murder of a jogger in New York's Central Park.

He awakens to find himself and the jogger stuck in a loop - replaying his life from age 18 in Brooklyn to dying, along with the jogger, at 45. Together their pair try to break the cycle of their repeating lives.

Affleck has met for the project, but no official offer is out. The project has spent over two decades in development hell with the likes of Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts not to mention scribes like Peter Hyams and Richard LaGravenese.

Jason Smilovic penned the most recent draft which has resurrected interest in the project.

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Jonathan Demme and Matt Reeves have emerged as the most interested potential directors of the film adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's comedic revisionist novel "Pride, Prejudice & Zombies" reports The Wrap.

The net has been cast wide it would seem as the likes of comedy helmer Mike White and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller have expressed interest in the project, while Mike Newell was reported as a candidate the other day.

At present though, Demme has read the script and wants to direct. There's also talk he could land his "Rachel Getting Married" star Anne Hathaway to play Elizabeth Bennett, but either way an announcement is not due until the end of the month.

David O. Russell was previously attached to direct before leaving to helm "Old St. Louis" and later "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune". Shooting on 'Pride' aims to get underway towards the year's end.

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Author Chuck Hogan has signed to pen a script for an untitled Boston crime drama about the Winter Hill Gang for GK Films reports Deadline.

The story will chronicle the reign of the notorious gang run by James "Whitey" Bulger and the ensuing court case which exposed corruption between the mob and the Boston FBI. John Martorano, the gang's main enforcer, served as the government's main witness and will be a major character in the film.

Hogan penned the novel Prince of Thieves, which was adapted into the recent acclaimed hit "The Town", and co-wrote the vampire novel trilogy that began with "The Strain" and was co-authored by Guillermo del Toro. Graham King and Tim Headington will produce the new film.

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EXCLUSIVE: In a high-six figure deal, Warner Bros. and Akiva Goldsman's Weed Road has acquired Dark Moon, a spec script drama that was written and will be directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. The spec explores the possibility that manned moon missions did not stop with Apollo 17. Using found footage, it makes the case for a black ops post-Apollo mission sent to the moon to explore previously classified discoveries and its unintended and disturbing consequences. Goldsman and Kerry Foster will produce for Weed Road. Osunsanmi is best known for 2009's The Fourth Kind, which was released by Universal. He's also attached to direct The Commuter for Gold Circle and he adapted the Robert Buettner novel The Orphanage for Davis Entertainment. He was also once Joe Carnahan's assistant. He's repped by CAA and Caliber.

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Sljedeći film M. Night Shyamalana zove se One Thousand A.E. i prvi je njegov film za koji nije sam napisao scenario. Olovke se prihvatio scenarista filma The Book of Eli. Ovo će biti veličanstveno!

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Jason Rothenberg ("Body Politic") has been hired to pen a script for a feature film reboot of Rod Serling's classic TV series "The Twilight Zone" at Warner Bros. Pictures reports Deadline.

The original anthology series ran from 1959 to 1964 and told numerous stand alone stories featuring elements of serious science fiction, horror, suspense and fantasy. Some episodes featured adaptations of classic novels and short stories, while others were penned by genre writing greats like Richard Matheson, Ray Bradbury and Harlan Ellison.

The franchise was successful enough that it was revived as a series twice, once as a syndicated seres in the 80's and once briefly as a series on UPN in 2002. Spin-offs including magazines, comics and a radio series have run for over five decades.

Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way will produce this new feature which is speculated to likely resemble the previous film adaptation in 1983 which combined four separate 20-25 minute segments, each helmed by different directors (Steven Spielberg, John Landis, George Miller, Joe Dante) and all of which were either direct remakes or variations on previous episodes of the series.

A 2012 release is planned for the project. Rothenberg is also penning the script for a remake of "Colossus: The Forbin Project" which Ron Howard will direct and Will Smith is tipped to star in.

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Danish filmmaker Ole Bornedal has signed on to direct horror thriller "Dibbuk Box" at Lionsgate according to Heat Vision

A feature film spin on LA Times writer Leslie Gornstein's article "Jinx in a Box", the film follows a woman who mistakenly purchases a cursed relic and must solve the mystery behind it to save her family from evil spirits tied to it.

Juliet Snowden and Stiles White ("Knowing") have penned the script while Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert will produce. Filming kicks off in January.

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"The Shield" creator Shawn Ryan has signed on to adapt Tom Clancy's 1993 best-seller "Without Remorse" for Paramount Pictures reports Vulture.

The 1971-set book follows John Kelly (aka. John Clark), a former Navy SEAL returned from Vietnam, taking charge in two operations - an official military rescue of POWs, and a personal vendetta against the drug runners who raped, tortured and killed the first woman he became involved with since his wife's death.

Clark has been portrayed on-screen twice before by Willem Dafoe in "Clear and Present Danger" and Liev Schrieber in "The Sum of All Fears". Attempts have been made to translate this book to film before, but have failed each time.

Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and David Ellison will produce.

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Wesley Snipes is getting involved in the 1960's-set true story thriller biopic "Code Name Zorro" reports Deadline.

The film centers on the final moments in the life of William Sullivan, the man who headed up the Zorro project - a super-covert program initiated by J. Edgar Hoover to destroy Martin Luther King's credibility. From wiretapping to fraud, the group set up numerous illegal schemes and Sullivan intended to air all of the dirty laundry about the project to a journalist. Sullivan was killed in a "hunting accident" shortly thereafter.

Justin Stamm penned the script and Snipes has received endorsement from Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, Martin Luther King III. Snipes will produce, be involved in selecting cast and director, and will likely play a role though which one is presently undetermined.

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Ovaj film je u jednom trenutku nuđen Urošu Stojanoviću:

Dakota Fanning is in negotiations to join the supernatural thriller "If I Star" at Summit Entertainment reports Variety.

Based on Gayle Forman's young adult novel, the story revolves around a gifted musician (Dakota Fanning), and her boyfriend, a rising indie rock star.

Mulling the choice between her art and her relationship, things get tougher when a fatal car accident leaves her stuck considering the choice between life and death.

Brazilian filmmaker Heitor Dhalia helms from a script by Shauna Cross. "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke was originally slated to helm before she opted out to shoot "Red Riding Hood" instead.

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Jack Black and "Hot Tub Time Machine" director Steve Pink have optioned Daniel H. Wilson's novel "How to Survive a Robot Uprising" reports io9.

Pink is writing a new draft of the screenplay, but it isn't sure if he will direct or if Black will star. 'Survive' is described as a comedic look at what would happen if there were a robotic uprising against mankind.

Mike Myers previously signed to star in an earlier attempt to adapt 'Rising' back in 2006 from a script by "Reno 911!" creators Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant.

The news comes on the same day that it has been confirmed that Steven Spielberg would direct a film based Wilson's other robot-themed novel "Robopocalypse".

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Plan B has acquired film rights to James Keene's "In With the Devil" which Brad Pitt is considering starring in reports The Chicago Sun Times.

The project is the true story of Keene, a handsome football player turned big-time drug dealer and sentenced for ten years. The FBI offered him a quick release, in exchange however he had to go undercover as a patient in a sanatorium where he had to befriend a serial killer and get him to admit to his crimes.

An Oscar-winning screenwriter is penning the script, but the paper doesn't reveal which one.

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EXCLUSIVE: Francis Ford Coppola has begun quietly directing his next feature. I'm told that Coppola is shooting Twixt Now And Sunrise, a thriller with overtones of horror, and that his star is Val Kilmer. Also in the cast are Elle Fanning (Super and Bruce Dern (who long ago starred in the Coppola-scripted The Great Gatsby). But the picture's fulcrum is Kilmer, who plays a horror novelist. The film is based on a short story written by Coppola. It is shooting in Napa, on Coppola's property. Coppola hasn't tackled the horror genre since early in his career, when he directed Dementia 13, and of course Bram Stoker's Dracula. And some might consider Apocalypse Now to be horror.

While the internet has been buzzing about the possibility of a Top Gun sequel and whether Tony Scott and Tom Cruise will return to it (neither is attached), it is interesting to see Cruise's costar Kilmer catching a second career wind.  Kilmer was pretty good in The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call--New Orleans, but it has been a long time since great turns in films like Heat and Tombstone. Sometimes it's nice to see veterans get another shot and I'm told Coppola sought out the actor. Coppola, who'll be presented the AMPAS Governors Award on November 13, has picked up his directing pace. Taking nearly a decade off after The Rainmaker, Coppola returned with more personal, indie-flavored efforts. He directed the 2007 Tim Roth-starrer Youth Without Youth, followed by 2009's Tetro. I'm told that Coppola has funded the picture independently and hasn't yet sought out distribution.

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Dir: John Landis. UK. 2010. 91mins

John Landis shakes hands with the Ealing comedy in Burke & Hare, a period pratfall-athon for the commercially-minded born-again UK studio. With a cast headed by Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis alongside a raft of Brit cameos, this defiantly silly dark comedy could connect with a UK crowd and it certainly has the feel of a Christmas TV staple. International travel is a challenge, however, as audiences try to figure out what's so funny about Ronnie Corbett as the head of the Edinburgh militia.

    There's a certain air of fun here that gives Burke & Hare a charm which other recent Ealing offerings have lacked.

What Burke & Hare lacks in St Trinian's sex department – it's surprising producer, Trinians' co-director and Ealing co-head Barnaby Thompson didn't draft in some more girl power - is compensated with some surreal anachronistic touches (Wordsworth and Coleridge queue to get past a bouncer into 1828 Edinburgh's hottest "club").  Isla Fisher is spirited and may help overseas sales, but for the home market Burke & Hare could have benefited from a Cheryl Cole-style cameo to amp up Pegg's and Serkis's pulling power.

"This is a true story," boast the opening titles. "Except for the parts that are not".  In an old-fashioned rupture of the third wall, the town's hangman (Bill Bailey) sets the scene for the arrival of William Burke (Pegg) & William Hare (Serkis), ne'er do wells from Donegal who conceive a scam to supply progressive surgeon Dr Knox (Tom Wilkinson) with fresh cadavers for his anatomy classes. Unfortunately, however, the scam quickly leads to murder to ensure the chain of supply.

Hare, with his conniving boozehound wife Lucky (Jessica Hynes), is driven by an entrepreneurial streak, while Burke is motivated by love for hooker-turned-actress Ginny (Isla Fisher) and a desire to finance her first all-female production of Macbeth. Meanwhile, across town, traditional surgeon Dr Monro (Tim Curry) will stop at nothing to scupper his rival's progress.

Burke & Hare flings so many Brit cameos on screen that it quickly begins to feel like a Saturday night TV variety show – Hugh Bonneville, Ronnie Corbett, Christopher Lee, Paul Whitehouse, Michael Winner, Stephen Merchant, David Hayman – the list goes on. Even Greyfriars Bobby gets a bark. Apart from Jenny Agutter, it's a very old boy roster, however, for a film that comes across as the love-child of Benny Hill and Mel Brooks.

Shot in Edinburgh and Ealing, Burke & Hare isn't terribly Scottish and seems almost deliberately studio-bound, as if in homage. The accents are hilarious, in particular from Serkis, allegedly playing an Irishman, with Australian actress Fisher probably delivering the most consistent vocal performance. Admittedly, it's all a trifle: silly, and commercial, and not very scary at all, but there's a certain air of fun here that gives Burke & Hare a charm which other recent Ealing offerings have lacked.

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Tom Hardy ("Inception," "Bronson") is nearing a deal to star in "Snow White and the Huntsman" for Relativity Media reports The Playlist.

Scribe Evan Daugherty, director Rupert Sanders and producer Joe Roth are all attached to this version which expands the role of the Huntsman in the fairy tale.

Ordered to take the evil Queen's stepdaughter Snow White into the woods and kill her, Eric instead lets her go and becomes something of a mentor who teaches her how to fight and survive.

Angelina Jolie is being sought to portray Ravenna, the evil queen and is reportedly interested in the project. However it is unclear if she will be available.

If set, Hardy would film this between the currently shooting "This Means War" and his role in the upcoming third Chris Nolan-directed "Batman" feature.

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Several minor studios are in a bidding war for a $50 million 3D horror film based on the Michael Jackson's legendary music video "Thriller" reports Deadline.

GK Films, Fox 2000, Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment are all in contention to pick up the project from Real Effects Entertainment where it is setup, with GK leading the charge.

Story details are being kept secret, though it will look into the folklore of the song and involve the hometown of classic horror actor Vincent Price whose distinctive voice narrates part of the song.

Kenny Ortega ("This Is It") directs from a screenplay by Jeremy Garelick ("The Break-Up").

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Peter Segal ("Get Smart") has set the boxing movie "Grudge Match" at Warner Bros. Pictures as his next project reports Deadline.

The story follows two retired boxers approaching their 70's who are lured back into the ring for a rematch fifty years after their first title fight.

Tim Kelleher penned the script while Mark Steven Johnson and Bill Gerber are producing. Segal's involvement means the long delayed sequel to 2008's "Get Smart" will likely be delayed again.

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Christopher Smith, Joe Dante join Paris I'll Kill You

28 October, 2010 | By Sarah Cooper

The horror portmanteau feature is a spoof of 2006's Paris Je T'Aime

Brit director Christopher Smith (Creep), Gremlins director Joe Dante and REC director Paco Plaza are among the directors who have signed up for horror portmanteau feature Paris I'll Kill You, a spoof on the 2006 romantic omnibus Paris Je T'Aime.

The film, which is due to go into production in spring/summer 2011, will feature ten story segments which promise to delve into the underbelly of Paris.

Also signed up to direct are Vincenzo Natali (Splice), Xavier Gens (Hitman), Ryuhei Kitamura (The Midnight Meat Train), French duo Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, and German music video director Joern Heitmann.

Darryn Welch and Mathieu Robinet will produce the feature, with Chris Ouwinga executive producing along with Oliver Simon, Daniel Baur and Carl Clifton of K5 Film.

K5 has picked up international sales rights and will be tempting buyers at the upcoming American Film Market next week.

The producers are also billing the project as a potential franchise. "Today Paris, tomorrow New York, Moscow, London," said K5's Carl Clifton.

[Mark]

SUCKER PUNCH Trailer

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Simon West ("Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," "Con Air") is in talks to direct the action thriller "Medallion" reports 24 Frames.

The story follows a father who has a few hours to locate his daughter who has been kidnapped and locked in the trunk of an unidentified New York City cab.

No actor is yet attached, though Clive Owen and Nicolas Cage have been discussed for the role. David Guggenheim ("Safe House") penned the script while McG will produce.

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CBS Films is in negotiations to obtain the remake rights to Daniel Monzón's Spanish language action thriller "Celda 211" ("Cell 211") reports Deadline.

The story follows a newly hired prison guard who turns up at his job a day early to tour the facility. Unfortunately the same day a brutal prison riot commences, and he is forced to assume the role of a prisoner alongside the most dangerous killers alive.

He must try to quell the insurrection and escape the prison to get back to his pregnant wife before the other prisoners realise the truth about him.

Paul Haggis is in talks to adapt and direct the English-language version. The original dominated the Goya Awards last year, winning eight categories including best film, director and script.

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Relativity Media has signed Tarsem Singh to direct its upcoming untitled Snow White feature based on the Brothers Grimm story.

Singh is currently in post on Relativity's big ticket production The Immortals, which is scheduled to open on November 11 2011 through Universal.

Principal photography is set to begin in March 2011 on the Snow White project, which is billed as an edgy retelling of the classic fairy tale in which the evil stepmother kills her father and destroys the kingdom. Snow White rallies together a gang of seven quarrelsome dwarves to reclaim what is rightly hers. Melissa Wallack (MeetBill) wrote the screenplay.

"Working with Tarsem on The Immortals, I have never been involved with a more visceral director," Relativity head Ryan Kavanaugh said. "The footage on TheImmortals has been above and beyond all of our highest expectations.

"To do Snow White correctly, attention to detail is key, and no one will create a more fulfilling experience of this beloved story that we all know and love than Tarsem."

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Kruzer u opasnoj igri parkura.

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Synopsis: Jessica Biel stars in this suspense thriller about a woman trying to track the figure of The Tall Man who has kidnapped her child.

Director: Pascal Laugier

Writers: Pascal Laugier

Producers: Lionel Uzan of SND (France) Clement Miserez of Radar Film (France) and Kevin DeWalt of Minds Eye International (Canada)

Cast: Jessica Biel

Budget: $15m

Financing: SND, pre sales to Alliance Films in Canada, tax credits from British Columbia and Saskatchewan, Canadian federal tax credit.

International Sales: SND

Distribution: SND (France), Alliance Films (Canada)

Language: English

Filming location: Nelson,Canada

Status: Production

Release date: Autumn 2011

Pascal Laugier's third feature − following the 2004 House Of Voices and the 2008 horror Martyrs − is a suspense thriller starring US actress Jessica Biel, which is currently shooting in the small town of Nelson in Canada. It is the French writer/director's English language debut feature. So how is he coping with the transition?

"It's not that difficult because it was always supposed to happen in North America. I wrote it in French but it was a very natural process because I heard the movie in my head in English," says Laugier. "But as a French movie buff, of course it is a challenge to come to work with someone of the caliber of Jessica Biel, an American star with a North American crew. Once in a while I step back and think whoa...you are realizing a childhood dream!"

Laugier had originally been developing a remake of a 70's French movie with Clement Miserez of Radar Films and Lional Uzan of SND, who signed on to work with the French director after being impressed by his two previous features.

But when that project fell through, Laugier showed them the script for The Tall Man, about a woman whose son has been kidnapped, which he had written several years before.

"It belonged to another producer, who wanted to shoot the movie in French. So I went to this guy and asked him if I could buy the rights to make the film in English and he agreed. And one year later we are shooting the movie, " says Miserez.

When it came to finding a partner in North America, Miserez turned to Kevin DeWalt of Canadian conpany Minds Eye Entertainment, who he had already co-produced the 2009 film Walled In with. "Since the beginning, we were thinking we wanted to do this as a French Canadian movie and Canada was very close to what Pascal had in mind," explains Miserez.

With The Tall Man qualifying as an official Canadian-French co-production, the producers have been able to benefit from the Canadian tax break system. The arrangement seems to be working well for all parties. "It's almost impossible to finance a movie of this level without co-producing with Europe or another country. That's been quite a shift for us, but it's great because we share the risk and the rewards," says DeWalt, who set up his company in 1986 making commercials, before moving into features in the 90s.

"It's quite a new thing for France, they realise that this is an opportunity to do an English language movie that still qualifies as French, but they can sell it to the rest of the world," adds DeWalt.

Finding the right location for the shoot was a key part of the preparation, with the team trawling through thousands of photos of different towns in Canada to try and find the place that most coincided with Laugier's vision, before finally settling on the isolated town of Nelson in British Columbia.

"There are only two roads into town, so you can imagine that has been a bit of a challenge in terms of bringing crew and equipment in. But it's such a beautiful place, it makes it well worth it," says DeWalt.

When it comes to the look and feel of the film, Laugier says that he has taken inspiration from author Stephen King. "It's a film set in autumn in North America and it's very linked to a Stephen King-type atmosphere...trying to combine elements of fantasty/suspense with real people – the social Americana – you typically find in Stephen King's books."

SND are currently tempting buyers with a teaser at AFM, and Uzan is confident that the film will have international appeal, thanks to the star power of Jessica Biel and the directing skills of Laugier.

"Pascal is someone who really understands what a commercial movie is. But he has also got a voice. So I think the mix of the film should provide a film that is easy to sell from a distributor's point of view," says the producer.

Going forward, Uzan is keen to bring more French directors to the international marketplace. "We find many talented directors in France who don't fit with French speaking movies, which are often comedies. For Pascal, this is a good transition, rather than just jumping into the Hollywood system, where the creative control is not so obvious," says Uzan.

With an international career beckoning, will Laugier be turning his back on France for good? "I still would love to shoot a film in my country, but it hasn't happened yet. My tastes don't make me the regular classical French director. I am more driven by dark films, thrillers, horror films and it is very difficult to drive films to the French market when you have my tastes."

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French producer Samuel Hadida has joined forces with Don Carmody to kick-start Michael J. Bassett's Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, scheduled to shoot this year in Toronto.
Related Topics
•AFM

The duo are back in business after recently teaming on Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D. Hadida's Davis Films also produced Bassett's Deathwatch and Solomon Kane movies.

The 3D sequel to Christophe Gans' Silent Hill, based on the Konami video game franchise, is being touted to international buyers at AFM by Lionsgate.

"We have high expectations for this continuation of the franchise with our reunited Silent Hill production team," Hadida said. "Michael was our natural choice to write and direct. He understands the genre, is passionate about the Silent Hill franchise, and will bring his considerable action picture skills to a fresh and thrilling insight of the Silent Hill 3D world."

Gaming company Konami is also on board with the plans.

Hadida often wears two hats at AFM as, along with brother Victor, he also runs French indie distributor Metropolitan FilmExport in addition to heading up L.A.- and Paris-based production banner Davis Films.

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Buried director Rodrigo Cortes told a room full of heavy-hitting buyers at AFM what his follow-up film, Red Lights, is all about.

The UTA-packaged movie, produced by Adrian Guerra and Cortes and starring Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver and Robert De Niro, is being sold internationally here by GK Films' third-party pickup sales imprint Parlay Films.

Cortes first discussed his vision for the script before introducing Murphy to executives.

Red Lights revolves around a pair of skeptical investigators (Weaver, Murphy) on a mission to reveal practitioners (De Niro) of psychic arts as phonies.

"The main role character dies in the middle of the film," Cortes teased. "That will shock the audience I hope and put them on edge."

At the end of his enthusiastic explanation, Cortes encouraged buyers at the private Viceroy breakfast to step up.

"Are there any questions?" he said before the silent room. "Good, so simply buy it then."

The charm offensive is working with the presale title -- it's not due to begin shooting until next year -- flying off the shelves.

Samuel and Victor Hadida's Metropolitan, Wild Bunch Germany, Dutchfilmworks for Benelux, Eagle for the Middle East and Pinema in Turkey have all stepped up to the deal memo plate.

Parlay Films, headed by sales veteran Lisa Wilson, expects it to be sold out by the end of the market with offers on the table for the U.K. and Italy. UTA's Independent Film Group, along with Guerra's Barcelona based Versus Entertainment structured the financing for the title.

Newly formed production and finance banner CSe Entertainment, run by Cindy Cowan and Soo Mi Kim, will co-finance the picture in association with Seoul-based Blue Storm Prods. with Versus. UTA reps domestic rights to the project, while Versus retains Spanish rights. South Korea rights are also retained by the producers.

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Cinematographer Christopher Doyle will dive through the 3D looking glass for the first time, right into The Rabbit Horror, director Takashi Shimizu's upcoming multimillion-dollar film about a boy and his scary stuffed toy, producer and sales agent Fortissimo Films said Friday.

Boarding Rabbit as executive producer and picking up worldwide rights excluding Japan at AFM, Fortissimo chairman Michael Werner said the film, which bows in the summer, represents a return to Shimizu's classic horror style, evoking hits like The Grudge.

"We are thrilled to be part of this amazing collaboration between one of the world's masters of the horror genre and one of the world's most visual and inspirational cinematographers," said Werner, who negotiated world rights with Rabbit producer Satoru Ogura.

Rabbit is the first collaboration between Shimizu and Doyle and marks Doyle's first use of 3D.

Set against the backdrop of a boy's crumbling family, the film explores the his dangerous relationship with a stuffed toy animal that comes to life.

Currently in postproduction, Rabbit is was written Sotaro Hayashi, Daisuke Hosaka and Takashi Shimizu and stars Hikari Mitsushima (The Villain) and Teruyuki Kagawa (Tokyo Sonata).

Esther Yeung, Fortissimo's director of marketing and Asian acquisitions and sales, also helped close the rights deal and also will executive produce.

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Bruce Willis is in talks to star opposite Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson in heist actioner "Set Up," which Hannibal Films is shopping to foreign buyers at AFM.

Pic is the first title from a recently announced $200 million fund that Jackson and Randall Emmett's Cheetah Vision banner is teaming on with George Furla's Hedge Fund Film Partners. Entrepreneur Richard Jackson is providing much of the equity for the 10-picture deal. Grindstone Entertainment/Lionsgate will release the films domestically.

Fred Malmberg ("Conan") is exec producer on "Set Up."

Paul Walker has been in ongoing talks to board the pic, written and to be directed by Mike Gunther.

"Set Up" revolves around a group of friends who are catapulted into the middle of a diamond heist that turns deadly.

Project continues the relationship between Willis, Curtis Jackson, Emmett and Furla. Jackson and Emmett/Furla Films, a separate banner, are producing Willis' upcoming actioner "Catch .44" in association with Megan Ellison. Richard Jackson is providing financing.

Willis is currently in theaters in Summit Entertainment's "Red," starring alongside Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich. Film has grossed $65.5 million at the domestic box office to date. It's still rolling out overseas, where it has already cumed $14.1 million.

This summer, Willis starred in Nu Image/Millennium and Lionsgate's sleeper hit "The Expendables," which grossed $103.1 million domestically and $158 million internationally.

Jackson's previous acting credits include "Righteous Kill," which grossed $40.1 million domestically, and "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," which cumed $31 million.

Emmett/Furla Films has produced dozens of films, including "Righteous Kill," "16 Blocks" and "Street Kings."

Cheetah Vision has named Brandon Grimes to handle productions coming out of the new fund.

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Oren Peli's long-awaited (?) follow-up to PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, AREA 51, hasn't hit theaters yet but the director is already turning his attention to his latest project. Peli has signed on to direct the thriller ELIZA GRAVES based on a short story by Edgar Allen Poe. An adaptation of GRAVES has been in the works since 2001 and at various times has had Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger and Natalie Portman attached to star (at this point none of those names are attached to the film).

Mel Gibson is producing the film but he's been involved with the production since its early days and it's unclear exactly how involved he is with the current iteration of the project.

The film follows a recent Harvard grad who travels to Maine for a residency at psychiatric hospital. Shortly after arriving he discovers that the patients have taken over and are disguising themselves as the staff. (The inmates are running the asylum! Get it!)

No word on when exactly filming might begin or if Peli will return to any of the "found footage" tricks he used in both PARANORMAL and AREA 51.

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"Cars" and "Bolt" screenwriter Dan Fogelman will make his directorial debut with "Imagine," a Warner Bros. comedy he wrote on spec that has Steve Carell set to produce and co-star, the actor's publicist has confirmed to TheWrap.

The story follows a 60-something Bruce Springsteen-type rocker who is inspired to live his life differently after reading a long-unopened letter written to him by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The past-his-prime musician sets out to find his biological son (Carell) who he never knew existed.

Fogelman and Carell's reps at WME packaged the project, which is expected to be fast-tracked at Warner Bros., where Carell's production company, Carousel, has a deal. Carousel's Vance DeGeneres and Charlie Hartsock will join Carell as producers, and they'll likely be joined by Jessie Nelson and Denise DiNovi, who recently produced Fogelman's spec script "Crazy. Stupid. Love."

As writer-director, Fogelman will earn more than $3 million for "Imagine," which tops the $2.5 million he received from WB for "Crazy. Stupid. Love.," a comedy that stars Carell, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.

Fogelman's next movie to hit theaters is Disney's animated film "Tangled," while "Crazy. Stupid. Love" is set to open on April 22.

Fogelman is also represented by Industry Entertainment, and news of "Imagine" was first reported by Vulture.

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Channing Tatum is being lined up to star in the period swashbuckling espionage drama "Love and Honor" says Vulture.

A fictional spin on real life historical figures, the story is set in 1774 when a young Virginian cavalryman named Kieran Selkirk (Tatum) is sent to Russia by Benjamin Franklin. His assignment? Persuade the Tsarina, Catherine the Great, to not send support troops to aid the British in their efforts to suppress the rebellion of their American colonies.

Posing as a British mercenary, he promises to satiate her sexual appetites and help her in her fight against the rebellious Cossacks. The adventure piece is filled with bawdy romps, bloody swordfights, political machinations, and exotic locales.

Randall Wallace ("Secretariat") adapted the script from his own 2005 book. The project was previously setup at Disney Pictures and had Angelina Jolie slated to star as Catherine. That's no longer the case, though an offer is out to Anne Hathaway to play a princess' attendant and main love interest to Tatum's character.