the most anticipated...

[crippled_avenger]

Pascal Laugier ("Martyrs") will direct the horror thriller "Details" for Paramount Vantage and Blumhouse Productions reports Variety.

Based on a short story by China Mieville, the story centers on a daughter who disappears after awakening supernatural forces that inhabit the random patterns of everyday objects.

Dan Kay wrote the original adaptation and Laugier polished the script. Jason Blum and Steven Schneider will produce.

[crippled_avenger]

George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus, Amber Valletta and Katherine Boecher have joined the comedy "The Spy Next Door" for Relativity says The Hollywood Reporter.

The movie centers on a man (Jackie Chan) asked to baby-sit his neighbor's children who must protect them from secret agents after one of the kids accidentally downloads a code.

Lopez is a CIA agent who might not be all that he appears; Cyrus is another agent. Valletta is the kids' mom, while Boecher plays a Russian underworld operative.

Brian Levant is directing, while Robert Simonds and Ryan Kavanaugh are producing. Filming will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[crippled_avenger]

Columbia Pictures is keeping its comedy coffers flush by inking a pair of laffer lit deals.
Studio has acquired an untitled pitch by "Accepted" scribe Mark Perez for Adam Sandler's Happy Madison to produce. Col has also tapped the writing team of Tim and Tom Mullen to adapt Antony Moore's novel "The Swap" for the bigscreen.

Perez's pitch centers on a man in a troubled marriage who figures out a way to create the perfect wife.

Perez is writing the comedy "Early Retirement" for Warner Bros. and the Elizabeth Banks starring vehicle "What About Barb" for Universal.

"The Swap," which was published last year by Harvill Secker, centers on an out-of-shape comicbook dealer who, haunted by the loss of a priceless comicbook, tries to reverse his fortunes at his high school reunion and becomes involved in murder, romance and the unearthing of long-buried secrets.

John Calley, Diana Napper and Lisa Medwid will produce the film for John Calley Prods. The Sony-based shingle's credits include "The Da Vinci Code" and "The Jane Austen Book Club" plus the upcoming "Angels and Demons."

The Mullens are set to direct their teen comedy "Deers and Beers," with Montecito producing. Their other projects include "One of the Guys" at 20th Century Fox, with Sandra Bullock attached to star, and the Mark Waters helming vehicle "Strike" for Par Vantage.

[crippled_avenger]

This is one of those things that almost seems too good to really exist. Did a talented French director really convince Jean-Claude Van Damme to play himself in an arty hostage thriller, giving him his best production values in years, one of his best movies, and definitely the best acting performance and most personal artistic expression of his career (so far)? Okay, I can believe somebody would come up with the idea, I can sort of believe Van Damme would be interested, but it's hard to believe that they really found the money, really made it, really executed it this good. 2008, I love you.

This is the story of Jean-Claude Van Damme (Jean-Claude Van Damme), an action star getting too old to do long takes and depressed because he's in a losing battle for custody of his daughter. The worst part: his daughter says she doesn't want to live with him because everybody makes fun of her every time he's on TV.

Jean-Claude goes home to Brussels, where he plans to stay with his parents and get his life back together. But he needs to get some money to send to his lawyers and just happens to choose a bank that's in the middle of being robbed. So the thieves take him hostage, but instead of seeing him as a threat like they might in most action movies they just think this is surreal - holy shit, that's Jean-Claude Van Damme! One guy in particular is excited and gets him to kick a cigarette out of a guy's mouth. I mean, what would you do if you had Jean-Claude Van Damme hostage? I wonder why he didn't try to get him to do the splits on a wall like he did in CYBORG?

The feel is more art movie than Van Damme, at times it's even kind of pretentious, which you gotta kind of appreciate in a Van Damme movie. Never thought you'd be able to accuse him of being pretentious. The storytelling is very confident, bordering on cocky, some good non-linear tricks and unfolding the story from different perspectives. The soundtrack is nice and soulful, lots of horns used in the score, a throwback to action movies from the pre-Van Damme era.

As you've probaly seen or heard, Van Damme is mistaken as the one robbing the bank, and a crowd forms outside to cheer him on. I'm not sure what this DOG DAY AFTERNOON element of the story is supposed to be saying exactly, but it shows how despite the "washed up" status of a guy like Van Damme there are still people who want to root for him. It might be harder to find them here in the US but I completely believe that he is a hero in Belgium as "the guy who left this shithole" as they say in the movie. And that's exactly what makes this a great movie for Van Damme: it's one that only he could've ever done. As you know I'm more into the Seagal pictures than the Van Dammes, but that's the reason why: he developed his own style, he made his movies personal and weird, he made movies that couldn't have really been recast as Van Damme movies or done legit with Matt Damon or somebody.

And now Van Damme has done that in spades. The movie is fun because of this idea of seeing the life of an aging action star, but the things that really make it great are specific to his life and his movie persona. I don't think he's really had a custody battle, but everything else pretty much comes from his life. There's a great scene that almost seems like it could've come from a documentary where he argues with his agent about the movies he's up for. He can get lots of money but he can't get a role that makes him happy - he wants to take less money for a studio role (he supposedly did JCVD for free).

The part that surprised me most (SPOILER) almost seems like a gimmick out of a Spike Lee movie: suddenly Van Damme floats up above the bank, showing that it's a set. He looks directly into the camera and for several minutes does a heartfelt monologue talking to his fans about his career, his womanizing, his drug problems, his love of karate. Now, alot of non-action fans will claim this is Van Damme's first real acting performance. If you've watched a bunch of his DTV shit though you know he's been trying, for example he was good as a junkie scumbag in UNTIL DEATH. But this is a better movie and a better performance. It turns out he's way more likable when speaking in his native tongue and (I'm guessing) getting to improvise more. And you know what, I knew Van Damme wanted to be a real actor but I didn't know he'd get the chance to do a monologue about not feeling he deserves his success. I didn't think I'd see him cry real tears on film. He even talks about things in his personal life I never knew he got shit about. Some of his defenses aren't exactly convincing, but the fact that he's baring his soul like that puts you on his side.

Holy shit, this is a real movie! They really made this!

This is a miracle of a movie but to be honest I don't think it's the action fan's dream you might expect. There's only one serious action sequence, the classic opening set to Baby Huey's "Hard Times." Van Damme is filming a war movie and it's a CHILDREN OF MEN style continuous shot. Man, I only wish he was doing movies like that these days. The only thing that shot has in common with his real movies is the crappy skipped frames and the director who doesn't seem to be paying attention.

There's a scene where a lawyer lists off acts of violence in Van Damme's movies - hopefully somebody who knows his filmography better than me can tell me if those are specific references or not. But I don't get the impression director Mabrouk El Mechri has an undying love for action genre, just a European's admiration for Van Damme. In the movie Van Damme talks about his movies with embarrassment, the fictional movies they mention don't seem very believable, and my apologies but it is my duty as the author of SEAGALOGY to point out that the Seagal running joke doesn't make sense (it has to do with him cutting off his ponytail for the first time, but he doesn't actually have one in many movies including some of the more iconic ones like UNDER SIEGE and ABOVE THE LAW.) There's some funny discussion of John Woo, which I loved, but it made me wonder if El Mechri would only admit to watching a John Woo movie and not, say, a Sheldon Lettich.

I don't really take offense though because the movie clearly presents Van Damme as an underdog character for you to root for, and I respect that it's not a comedy. The laughs it gets out of worshipful fans are relatable, not mean-spirited. You get a kick out of seeing some dudes from a video store freak out over seeing Van Damme cross the street. Shit, that's how I felt when I saw Seagal playing guitar. But it's too bad El Mechri isn't more of an action fanatic, because the one thing that would take this from an A to an A+ would be a kickass action setpiece at the climax. We've seen what he did on the set, we've seen the cigarette trick, and after the monologue we know what he has to prove to himself. It's the perfect setup for the mechanics of a serious action movie to kick in. And then they don't.

But oh well, this is still a very unique and entertaining movie and I'm thankful for its unlikely existence.

--Vern

[crippled_avenger]

Four Christmases
By TODD MCCARTHYRead other reviews about this film

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Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon's holiday trip is canceled and they end up at their parents' homes in the laffer 'Four Christmases.'

A Warner Bros. release of a New Line Cinema presentation, in association with Spyglass Entertainment, of a Birnbaum/Barber, Wild West Picture Show/Type A Films production. Produced by Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Jonathan Glickman. Executive producers, Toby Emmerich, Michael Disco, Richard Brener, Mark Kaufman, Guy Riedel, Peter Billingsley. Co-producers, Derek Evans, Udi Nedivi. Directed by Seth Gordon. Screenplay, Matt R. Allen, Caleb Wilson, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore; story, Allen, Wilson.

Brad - Vince Vaughn
Kate - Reese Witherspoon
Howard - Robert Duvall
Paula - Sissy Spacek
Creighton - Jon Voight
Denver - Jon Favreau
Marilyn - Mary Steenburgen
Pastor Phil - Dwight Yoakam
Dallas - Tim McGraw
Courtney - Kristin Chenoweth
Susan - Katy Mixon
Aunt Donna - Colleen Camp
 The biggest artistic challenge facing first-time feature helmer Seth Gordon in "Four Christmases" was how to photograph co-stars Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon in the same frame, as he's about a foot and a half taller than she is. It's a dilemma the director never really solves in this oddly misanthropic, occasionally amusing but thoroughly cheerless holiday attraction that is in no way a family film, but will no doubt be mistaken for such by many unsuspecting patrons. Given the cast and comic expectations, commercial results should be moderately bright, at least initially, for this New Line venture inherited by Warner Bros.
Parents will know they've walked into the wrong film right away, as the opening scene has lovers Brad (Vaughn) and Kate (Witherspoon) pretending not to know each other and enacting a pick-up scene at a trendy bar before slipping into the bathroom for some quick shtupping. Remainder of the script by a foursome of writers spins on the view held by these two smug, self-satisfied San Francisco professionals that family visits over Christmas are to be avoided at all costs.

With their planned trip to Fiji canceled by fog, the couple have the misfortune of being shown on TV stranded at the airport, resulting in instantaneous parental calls to come visit. As each has divorced parents, that makes four households to stop by -- something of a challenge for a twosome who have sworn off marriage and kids, for reasons that shortly become obvious.

Format thus sets up an episodic structure that would seem to demand that each visit top the last in excruciating, hilarious awfulness. But nothing outdoes the spectacle of the first family encounter, with Brad's grumpy redneck father (Robert Duvall) and his muscle-bound brothers, Denver and Dallas (Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw), cage wrestlers both. Sequence unquestionably makes fun of these lower-class yahoos and ends in catastrophe.

Next up are Kate's mom (Mary Steenburgen) and assorted offspring, notably including Kate's sister Courtney (Kristin Chenoweth, an excellent sibling match-up with Witherspoon). As happened with Brad at the initial stop, beans get spilled about Kate here that she'd rather keep in the deep freeze. As Mom has taken up with a good ol'-time-religion preacher (Dwight Yoakam), everyone heads off to a Christmas pageant in which the visitors are embarrassingly drafted to portray Joseph and Mary.

Visiting Brad's rich old hippie mother (Sissy Spacek), her son must endure the company of Ma's boyfriend, who just happens to be one of his own former buddies.

By the time they get to the home of Kate's father (Jon Voight, also aptly cast opposite Witherspoon), she's so bummed she packs off Brad, for whom the main lesson of the day has been "the dangers of procreating." Kate is in a different state of mind, a rather odd one given the calamities of the day, and one that sets up a momentary conflict quickly solved.

Vaughn is his usual motor-mouthed, preoccupied self, although less antic and vulgar and more polite and considerate than his norm. Breaking type here is Witherspoon, who abandons her perky, upbeat image for the brittle, somewhat chilly piece of work that is Kate. With all the scripts doubtless at her doorstep in the wake of her "Walk the Line" triumph, it's a wonder she chose this one, which in no way relies upon her special talents and does her no particular favors.

Set in the Bay Area, the pic has modest production values that could have used a little of the coin that no doubt went to pay the 11 producers. Director Gordon parlayed his documentary success with "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters" into this narrative gig, and his work is not without promise, although he had even more trouble setting up over-the-shoulder shots with his two stars than he did with the two-shots.

Camera (FotoKem color, Deluxe prints), Jeffrey L. Kimball; editors, Mark Helfrich, Melissa Kent; music, Alex Wurman; additional music, John O'Brien; music supervisor, Bob Bowen; production designer, Shepherd Frankel; art directors, Mike Atwell, Oana Bogdan; set designers, Daniel Bradford, Dawn Snyder; set decorator, Jan Pascale; costume designer, Sophie de Rakoff; sound (SDDS/Dolby Digital/DTS), Jeffrey S. Wexler; supervising sound editor, Elmo Weber; co-supervising sound editor, Russell Farmarco; re-recording mixers, Weber, Brad Sherman; associate producer, Mary Rohlich; assistant director, Rip Murray; casting, Juel Bestrop, Seth Yanklewitz. Reviewed at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Nov. 19, 2008. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 88 MIN.

[crippled_avenger]

Paul Schrader, writer of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull and director of American Gigolo and The Walker, is to quit Hollywood for Bollywood after a scathing attack on the US film industry.

Schrader has signed on to write and direct the India-set action flick Extreme City, a decision he puts down to his increasing frustration with the state of American movie-making.

"I take a good look around and what I see is a barren, barren place," he said. "In terms of the financial community, in terms of audiences, in terms of distribution. It's cold out there."

Schrader's recent experiences in the US may have been more trying than his counterparts'. In 2005 he was fired from a prequel to The Exorcist after virtually completing the film - only the soundtrack was not in place. Warner Bros replaced him with Renny Harlin, who produced a completely different movie.

Extreme City sounds as if it might carry some box-office weight in the US, despite being shot in India. It centres on an American man who travels to the subcontinent to help resolve a kidnapping case for his father-in-law, only to get caught up in a gangster plot.

Bollywood has been crossing over with Hollywood more often in the past year. Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks is now backed by India-based firm Reliance Entertainment and Will Smith's production company is producing two films with Indian counterpart UTV.

[Ghoul]

go, šreder, go!

[crippled_avenger]

Dolph Lundgren's career may get a resurgence thanks to one of his old co-stars - Sylvester Stallone.

Talkign with Review Nation, Stallone revealed at the Las Vegas premiere of "Transporter 3" that he was close to signing Lundgren for his new action feature "The Expendables".

Jason Statham and Jet Li have already signed on the project about three mercenaries tasked with infiltrating a South American country and liberating the population from a ruthless dictator.

Shooting kicks off in February in Costa Rica and Louisiana.

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French musician Johnny Hallyday and French actress Sylvie Testud have joined the Hong Kong-set crime thriller "Vengeance" reports Variety.

Scripted by Wai Ka-fai, the story is about a French assassin-turned-chef who comes to Hong Kong to avenge a murder. Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Lam Suet and Lam Ka Tung also star.

Johnnie To directs the project which has begun shooting in Hong Kong and will be released next Summer.

[crippled_avenger]

Tykwer's The International to open 59th Berlin Film Festival

Martin Blaney in Berlin
28 Nov 2008 14:11

 


The world premiere of Tom Tykwer's The International, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts has been named as the opening film of the 2009 Berlinale on February 5.

The action thriller also stars Armin Mueller-Stahl, Brian F. O'Byrne, Ulrich Thomsen and Jack McGee.

The International will be presented 'out of competition' in the festival's Official Competition programme.

The film is a Mosaic Media Group production, co-produced by the UK's Rose Line Productions Ltd and Siebente Babelsberg Film.

The International spent nine of its 13 weeks shoot at Babelsberg or on location in the German capital in autumn 2007, as well as shooting at locations in New York, Istanbul and Milan.

Sony Pictures Releasing will release The International theatrically in Germany a week later on February 12.

This is Tom Tykwer's second film to open the Berlinale; his first international production, Heaven, starring Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, kicked off the first festival under Dieter Kosslick's direction in 2002.

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Adam Shankman recently talked to Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming sequel to last year's hit musical movie.

"We just got an outline and some ideas from John Waters, and now we're going out to writers" says Shankman. A July 2010 release is planned.

The story will follow Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) and her pals as they navigate the "next era of music," the late '60s.

"That period was superpolitical, it was a time of serious change. We're trying to track, in a comedic way, the historical elements" says Shankman.

To that extent, he confirms the film's heartthrob Link (Zac Efron) will become swept up in the British Invasion trend (expect a Beatles/Austin Powers look).

[crippled_avenger]

"Superbad" and "Juno" star Michael Cera and his real-life girlfriend Charlyne Yi have teamed for the unconventional indie comedy "Paper Hearts" which is already the hot ticket item at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival in January.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is a part-documentary, part-scripted comedy about the real-life relationship between the pair with music playing a key theme.

Nicholas Jasenovec, another person tied to Judd Apatow's productions, makes his directing debut with the film.

[Milosh]

Want a peek into the mind of Jodorowsky's KING SHOT?

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39290

[crippled_avenger]

John Brownlow ("Sylvia," "The Hero") is set to pen the remake of 1935 pirate feature "Captain Blood" for Warner Bros. Pictures reports the trades.

Based on Rafael Sabatini's novel and set in the 1600s, it tells the story of a doctor who is convicted for treason, sold into slavery and escapes to the high seas as a pirate.

Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland and Basil Rathbone starred in the Oscar-nominated original.

Phillip Noyce is attached to direct the remake, a U.K.-Australia co-production that Bill Gerber is producing.

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Mark Romanek ("One Hour Photo") is set to direct a big screen adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 novel "Never Let Me Go" reports Production Weekly.

Alex Garland ("The Beach," "28 Days Later") penned the adaptation of the book by the "Remains of the Day" and "When We Were Orphans" author which was named one of TIME's 100 Best Novels since 1923.

The story follows 31-year-old Kathy whom years ago was raised at Hailsham, a private school in the English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world and were told their well-being was crucial for the dystopian society they would eventually enter (they were often subjected to medical checkups).

When two former Hailsham students, her female best friend and the boy she had a crush on, come back into her life - the trio uncover the truth about both their childhood and their lives now.

[crippled_avenger]

"Punisher: War Zone" director Lexi Alexander tells Latino Review that she was sent the script for "Jonah Hex" and "really liked it".

She tells the site "I like it even more that Mr. Josh Brolin is still attached. Who knows if he'll stay, but it's more exciting than I thought. You get a story like this you think, "Oh God, I'm going to be doing the same thing over and over again." but it's really, really interesting."

She acknowledges however that she "would change some things in the script." However she's not in anyway attached just yet - "It's not there yet. I'm sure there's many, many directors up for the same thing."

[crippled_avenger]

It seems as if Sherlock Holmes' arch-nemesis Moriarty does appear in Guy Ritchie's new feature film take on the character - but not in person.

"You don't really see him. I think he's there because if the franchise carries on, there's a possibility that he will appear in a larger guise" British thesp Mark Strong told IGN UK.

Shades of Blofeld from the Connery-led 007 films? Strong himself plays the film's antagonist Lord Blackwood who's "a cultist/Satanist lord who is the ultimate cad."

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law play Holmes and Watson in the Warner Bros. Pictures production scheduled to open November 20th 2009.

[crippled_avenger]

Guy Ritchie's more action-packed take on "Sherlock Holmes" has suffered a few bizarre accidents of late reports The Sun.

Robert Downey Jr. was knocked out accidentally by seven-foot British actor Robert Maillet after catching a thundering hook to the chin.

Downey "went flying and was out cold...he didn't want to go to hospital and kept trying to get up" says a source on the set in Kent, England. Revived by medics, Downey needed stitches inside his mouth.

There's also reports that the set was closed for two hours when a tanker making a delivery to the set burst into flames.

[crippled_avenger]

Talking with Empire Online, Alfonso Cuaron confirms that he's serving only as a producer on the new film version of Roald Dahl's "The Witches".

"I'm excited about it - I really hope we can put it together...I've always wanted to do a version of Roald Dahl's very naughty Uncle Oswald" says Cuaron who adds that his friend Guillermo del Toro "wrote this amazing screenplay really quickly" for the project which will be more faithful to the book than the previous adaptation.

Don't expect this new take to share much of a similarity with that 1990 live-action adaptation starring Anjelica Huston, Brenda Blethyn and Rowan Atkinson. "It won't be like the original Nicholas Roeg version, which was a beautiful film - because Guillermo wants to do it completely in stop-motion animation."

Cuaron's next film is the road movie "A Boy and his Shoe" which begins filming next Spring in England, Scotland and France.

[crippled_avenger]

Ray Winstone has been cast as Julius Caesar in Steven Soderbergh's musical based on the life of Cleopatra reports MTV News.

Talking with the director himself, Soderbergh explained why he wanted to do the film - "I wanted to do a real rock n roll musical like 'Tommy.' During my research it appeared that most were female driven. So I started thinking about female protagonists. I was thinking about Catherine. It doesn't take too long to think about Catherine and famous female historical figures to get to get to Cleopatra."

Catherine Zeta-Jones is set to play Cleopatra and Hugh Jackman is almost locked for Mark Antony. Reports of the film being set in the 1920's have been refuted - "it's a period story all the way" but all of it will be done on backlots rather than on-location.

James Greer, a former member of indie band Guided by Voices, penned the script "He went away for like six weeks and wrote this great script! It's like an Elvis musical in a way. It's not serious. I mean it's historically pretty accurate but its sort of like 'Viva Las Vegas' meets 'Tommy'". GBV's music will be used throughout.

Filming is slated to commence in April.

[crippled_avenger]

Overture Films and A Bigger Boat are developing an untitled anthology feature consisting of two dozen short comedy films reports Variety.

Peter Farrelly, John Penotti and Charles Wessler will produce the project said to be in the vein of "The Groove Tube" and "Kentucky Fried Movie".

Brett Ratner, Todd Phillips, Mike Judge, Josh Gordon and Will Speck are already in talks for the project, and Farrelly himself will also direct two of the shorts. Pre-production is underway with shooting scheduled to begin in January.Previous Article       Submit a Scoop

[crippled_avenger]

Ashton Kutcher is attached to the romantic comedy "American Neurotic" for Sony Pictures says Cinema Blend.

The story follows a New York womanizer with commitment issues. He confesses the details of his female conquests to his psychiatrist, and then shortly thereafter meets his dream girl.

One problem: His dream girl is his shrink's daughter.

Kutcher and his love interest get closer while Kutcher's best friend and the girl's father do everything they can to keep them from getting together.

A director is currently being sought.

[crippled_avenger]

ScreenDaily Home > Story  

Hilary Swank to star in Antti J. Jokinen's The Resident
Audrey Ward
04 Dec 2008 00:18

 

Academy Award winner, Hilary Swank, is to star in psychological thriller The Resident.

Antti J. Jokinen is directing the film from a script he co-wrote with Robert Orr (Savior) and re-written by Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary, Fur). Originally from Finland, Jokinen is the co-founder of the production company, Solar Films.

Jokinen said "The Resident is a modern version of Fatal Attraction and Polanski's The Tenant. To collaborate with Hilary Swank as a first time writer/director is mind-blowing. It was a ray of clarity when I met with her. She is fantastic."

Simon Oakes, Nigel Sinclair and Guy East of Hammer are producing the film. Hammer's Tobin Armbrust and Alex Brunner are executive producers along with Tom Lassally of 3 Arts Entertainment. Hilary Swank will also serve as an executive producer.

Oakes said "We are very excited to have the incredibly talented Hilary Swank on board for the first US Hammer production in over three decades."

Exclusive, Hammer's recently launched sales and distribution arm, will be handling worldwide sales of the film.

Other upcoming Hammer projects include The Wake Wood, which is currently in post-production, The Quiet Ones, to be directed by Jesse Dylan (Kicking & Screaming) and Let the Right One In, to be adapted and directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield).

The Resident follows a young doctor (Swank), who is settling into a new life and a new loft in Brooklyn when mysterious occurrences lead her to suspect that she is not alone in her home.

[crippled_avenger]

Largo Winch
Lisa Nesselson in Paris
02 Dec 2008 12:45

 


Dir: Jerome Salle. France/Belgium. 2008. 109mins.

A fun slice of escapism, neatly packaged for international consumption, Large Winch falls just a sliver short of creating a new action-adventure franchise, although a sequel is apparently at script stage. Lanky French stand-up comic Tomer Sisley isn't conventionally movie-hero rugged as the titular protagonist but, playing a rebellious Yugoslav orphan adopted as a baby by a billionaire tycoon, he's appealing enough to keep this comic book-inspired romp rolling.

Director Jerome Salle (Anthony Zimmer) tells his complicated tale energetically in a logical blend of French and English dialogue and gives the seemingly-ubiquitous Kristin Scott Thomas a particularly juicy role as well. Local returns should be encouraging on Dec 17 release for this all-action story, which is based on the first four instalments of the 16 hard-back comic books to date about a casually-cool young man who isn't sure he wants the headaches of bottomless wealth thrust upon him.

When self-made billionaire Nerio Winch (Manojlovic) dies unexpectedly in Hong Kong, his empire appears to be up for grabs and his board of directors is frantic. But there's a secret heir in the wings - so secret that even temporary acting director Ann Ferguson (Scott Thomas), Nerio's close collaborator of 20 years, knew nothing of his existence until her boss's sudden death.

But Largo (Sisley), who will be the fifth wealthiest person on earth if and when he successfully takes possession of his late father's 65 percent stake in Winch International, is being held prisoner in a cockroach-infested jail in Brazil on trumped up drugs charges.

As an emergency shareholders' meeting looms, antics set in the present and well-integrated flashbacks introduce a range of characters from loyal to mercenary. Freddy (Melki, with an impressive facial scar) works as Nerio's chauffeur and aide-de-camp. Marcus (Waddington) is in charge of security. Korsky (Roden), a wealthy Georgian arms dealer, is planning a hostile takeover bid on Nerio's holdings. Naomi (Thierry) is Korsky's nubile mistress.

Korsky actually says "I am the story's bad guy"-- but there just may be a worse baddie out there.

Enigmatic control freak Nerio - whose presence is so strong he even speaks to Largo once from the grave – has set up a challenging labyrinth for Largo and his enemies to navigate, building to multiple twists throughout.

Anthough Largo Winch offers nearly non-stop action across a pleasing range of exotic locations, it's an almost restful, emotionally coherent alternative to the pumped-up likes of Quantum of Solace and Transporter 3. In a National Treasure – but not quite so silly – way, there's no futuristic technology or weaponry on display here, just brains, guts, cars, boats, planes and cell phones, intelligently employed. And that's refreshing.

Production companies

Pan-Europeenne

Wild Bunch

TF1 Films Production

Casa Productions

International sales

Wild Bunch,Paris

+33 1 53 01 50 20

Producer

Nathalie Gastaldo

Screenplay

Jerome Salle

Julien Rappeneau

Based on the graphic novels by Jean Van Hamme and Philippe Francq

Cinematography

Denis Rouden

Production design

Michel Barthelemy

Editor

Richard Marizy

Music

Alexandre Desplat

Main cast

Tomer Sisley

Kristin Scott Thomas

Miki Manojlovic

Gilbert Melki

Melanie Thierry

Anne Consigny

Karel Roden

Steven Waddington

Rasha Bukvic

[crippled_avenger]

Atlas, Relativity pact on film six pack
'Season of the Witch' is first title under deal
By TATIANA SIEGEL
Alexander


Roven


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More than one option(Film) The Dark Knight
L Zharkova, Oleg Kovalov
(Film) The Dark Knight
Atlas Entertainment, the production company behind "The Dark Knight," has pacted with Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media to produce at least six films over the next three years.
Steve Alexander, who recently joined Atlas from CAA, will oversee all the projects on behalf of Atlas and serve as producer on some of the films.

The first title covered under the new arrangement is the supernatural thriller "Season of the Witch," which reteams Nicolas Cage with "Gone in Sixty Seconds" director Dominic Sena. Produced by Atlas' Charles Roven and Alex Gartner, the film began shooting Nov. 6 in Austria and Hungary.

"Chuck is a unique producer in that he looks at films from a creative perspective, but he also is very attentive to the bottom line profitability," Kavanaugh said. "There are few producers who have the amazing visceral talents Chuck and the Atlas team have and still look at the overall package from an investor's standpoint."

Relativity most recently worked with Roven and Gartner on last year's heist pic "The Bank Job," which proved to be a modest box office hit earning $63 million worldwide.

"'The Bank Job' was such a great experience," Roven said. "When Relativity decided to expand their single-picture business, we were delighted that Ryan asked us to increase our output with them."

As part of its slate financing business, Relativity has a long-term co-financing deal in place with Sony Pictures. Atlas also is in business with Sony, having signed a first-look deal with the Culver City studio earlier this year. Relativity and Atlas say the new arrangement will present greater opportunities to partner with Sony.

"As a former agent and producer, I have experienced that the key to success is pairing great talent with smart people on both the business and creative side," Alexander said. "You combine Chuck's reputation for making quality films with Ryan, who is one of the smartest financial minds in Hollywood, and the end result is an unstoppable partnership."

Atlas, which also produced last year's "Get Smart," is in post-production on the Sony thriller "The International," starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, which bows Feb. 13.

As the biggest player in Hollywood's slate financing world, Relativity has produced nearly two dozen films this year with Sony and Universal Pictures, including "Hancock," "Wanted" and "Mamma Mia!" The company's one-off picture business has spawned such pics as "3:10 to Yuma" and "The Forbidden Kingdom." Last year, Relativity also struck 13 output deals covering more than 100 territories worldwide.

[crippled_avenger]

David R. Ellis will direct "Six Days Till Midnight," a Mark Bacci-scripted thriller set for an April start.
Pic is about a wealthy businessman who encounters a stranger who says he has six days to answer one question. For each day he doesn't get the answer, a loved one will be killed, ending with the businessman's death at the end of the sixth day.

The $25 million pic is being financed by Oceana Media and produced through Emmett/Furla Films. Randall Emmett, Arianne Fraser, Ksana Golod and George Parra are producing.

Ellis had a long career as a stuntman before moving to second unit director and then helming the fright films "Final Destination 2," "Snakes on a Plane," and most recently "Final Destination 4," which he shot in 3-D and which New Line/Warner Bros. releases in August.

"I've been doing high-concept B movies, and this is the best script I've been associated with, a thriller with a great twist," Ellis told Daily Variety.More than one option(Co) Daily Variety
Filmography, Year, Role
(Co) Daily Variety

Oceana Media's Myles Nestel and George Furla will be executive producers. Ellis' daughter, Tawny Ellis Lehman, will be co-producer.

Oceana Media most recently financed the remake "13," the Ashton Kutcher starrer "Spread," the upcoming Hilary Swank starrer "Betty Anne Waters" and "The Greatest," the Pierce Brosnan-Susan Sarandon starrer that will debut at Sundance.

Emmett/Furla just wrapped the Werner Herzog-directed "Bad Lieutenant" with Nicolas Cage.

[crippled_avenger]

Unlike most zombie movies about a small group of survivors fending off undead hordes, scribe J. Michael Straczynski tells MTV News that his adaptation of Max Brooks' "World War Z" will emphasize that book's global events.

"The scale of what we're doing here is phenomenal...it has that international feel to it" he says. One example? "You're in India with hundreds of boats trying to get out of there with a tidal wave of zombies." He says the film is "[just as] political as the book was."

Straczynski says he completed the first draft of the screenplay in the Spring and has been waiting for a director for several months before Marc Forster ("Quantum of Solace") was attached. "Now that Marc is here, I'm working with his notes to make one final pass on the script. Our hope is to get it moving into production by the first of the year" he says.

The book was told in the format of a United Nations investigator taping interviews with around two dozen survivors from different regions around the globe who were affected by a zombie pandemic. The scribe has kept that approach for the film.

"We follow this guy all over the world as he goes on these interviews, and he has his own personal story as well. You're cutting between the past and the present, how he got to this point" he says. The approach also allows him to cherry-pick his favorite moments in the book, and move the narrative throughout different points in time.

[Tex Murphy]

Stracinski će uvijek u mom srcu imati mjesto kao scenarista najbolje serije na svijetu.

[crippled_avenger]

Keanu Reeves will star in "47 Ronin," an epic period film for Universal Pictures based on the true tale of a band of samurai swordsmen who avenged the death of their master in 18th century Japan.
Chris Morgan, who co-wrote "Wanted" and penned the upcoming "Fast and Furious" for Universal, is writing the script. Scott Stuber will produce through his Stuber Prods. banner.

Reeves stars in sci-fi remake "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which Fox bows Friday.

In "47 Ronin," he will play one of the swordsmen; the group and their master are revered in Japan for their revenge attack on Dec. 14, 1702.

The film will tell a stylized version of the story, mixing fantasy elements of the sort seen in "The Lord of the Rings" pics, with gritty battle scenes akin to those in films such as "Gladiator."

Morgan is writing the script and tailoring it so that Reeves -- who's half-Asian -- can fit the role as one of the swordsmen. The intention is to begin shooting next year after a director is hired.

Walter Hamada and Chris Fenton will be exec producers.

Under his U-based shingle, Stuber is shooting the Vince Vaughn starrer "Couples Retreat" and is preparing for the release of the Joe Johnston-directed "The Wolfman," the Jennifer Aniston starrer "Traveling" and "Repossession Mambo." Stuber is prepping "Your Highness," with David Gordon Green to direct and Danny McBride to star.

[crippled_avenger]

Frequent "Entourage" helmer Julian Farino is set to direct the indie comedy "Oranges" says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story focuses on a man who has a romantic relationship with the daughter of a family friend, turning his life and everyone else's in the family upside down.

Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer penned the script and Anthony Bregman is producing. Shooting begins next year.

[crippled_avenger]

HBO will air a live telecast in the spring of Will Ferrell's Broadway show "You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W. Bush."
The cable net's special will be directed by Marty Callner, who also has helmed HBO comedy segs starring Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams and George Carlin. Exec producers are Callner for Funny Business as well as Ferrell, Adam McKay and Jessica Elbaum for Gary Sanchez Prods.

HBO is now a producing partner of the stage show itself, joining a team that includes Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and Steve Traxler, who count plays "August: Osage County" and "Speed-the-Plow" among their Rialto credits.

An exact date for the HBO airing has not been confirmed, although it seems likely it would come toward the end of the run of "You're Welcome America" to prevent the telecast from cannibalizing ticket sales for the Broadway engagement. Limited Rialto stint is slated to end March 15.

Politically themed comedy "You're Welcome America," structured as a parting address from outgoing President Bush, will be Ferrell's first solo special for HBO.

Stage production is helmed by McKay, the writer-director with whom Ferrell has collaborated on pics including "Step Brothers," "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

Ferrell and McKay also are exec producers of HBO skein "Eastbound and Down," bowing Feb. 15.

"Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush" begins previews at the Cort Theater on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, ahead of a Feb. 5 opening.

[crippled_avenger]

Alain Goldman ("La Vie en Rose") is set to produce while Guy Nattiv and Erez Tadmor ("Offside," "Strangers") are set to write and possibly direct an untitled project that centers on the Mossad, the Israeli external intelligence service says The Hollywood Reporter.

The film will follow the true story of the investigation into the disappearance of a 9-year-old boy from the streets of Jerusalem in the early 1960s.

The case, known as the Yossele Case, took on major importance in Israel -- still in its nascent stages as a country -- which was making its mission to be seen as a country that would provide a safe haven for Jews throughout the world.

The police proved to be ineffectual, and the prime minister called on the Mossad to step in. Filming is aiming to commence in the Spring.

[crippled_avenger]

Halcyon Co. and director McG are developing a fifth installment of the "Terminator" franchise for release in 2011 reports Variety.

McG, who directs the upcoming fourth film installment "Terminator Salvation", made the announcement at the Dubai International Film Festival this week.

Christian Bale has signed on in the role of John Connor for all three films in the newly planned trilogy.

No decision has been made in regards to filming locations, though the Middle East was mentioned as a locale.

Halycon's Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek were originally going to wait until the release of 'Salvation' next summer before moving forward with a fifth film but have been encouraged by fan and studio reaction to move ahead of schedule.

[crippled_avenger]

With word yesterday of "The Phantom" coming back to the silver screen, many questions were raised as to what this new film will entail. Today I briefly chatted with the film's writer Tim Boyle who graciously answered them for me.

First up this is a REBOOT ala "Batman Begins" and NOT a sequel to Simon Wincer's 1996 feature film as has been previously reported.

There are two main villians in this - one from the comic, the other an original but as to which ones they can't be disclosed for now. The Phantom himself and Diana Walker will be in it of course, "oh and their kids..." he adds.

The tone is described as "real world gritty" and is set both in and out of the jungle. "It will have some elements of the original comic, but we are making it work for the screen" says Boyle.

Don't expect a purple leotard outfit either - "Like Batman Begins, where he takes a high tech spelunking suit and turns it into the basis of his costume - we're looking at making it a real world costume. Think of what Bryan Singer did with the blue and yellow Wolverine costume - that's what we have to do. Make it accessible to the public without annoying the fans too much."

Things are still very early in the production process, there'll be more information on the way soon.

[crippled_avenger]

Acclaimed scribe Peter Morgan ("Frost/Nixon," "The Queen") has lined up "The Special Relationship", the third movie in his Tony Blair trilogy as his directorial debut effort reports Variety.

Morgan, director Stephen Frears and actor Michael Sheen teamed for the 2003 British TV movie "The Deal" which tracked the rise of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The trio reunited for the feature film "The Queen" in 2006.

This third film will deal with the intimate political relationship between Blair and President Bill Clinton between 1997 and 2000. Morgan initially planned to focus the pic on George W. Bush as well as Bill Clinton, but decided to narrow its scope.

Sheen will reprise his role as Blair, and Kathleen Kennedy will produce. No word on Frears involvement as yet.

[crippled_avenger]

Vikas Swarup, the author of "Q&A" on which multiple award winner "Slumdog Millionaire" was based, has had his new second novel "Six Suspects" optioned by Starfield Productions and BBC Films says The Hollywood Reporter.

Described as "Agatha Christie meets Elmore Leonard in Delhi" by producer Paul Raphael ("Under the Bombs"), the story follows six independent narrative strands that interlock as each of the lead characters in each subplot have the motive and opportunity to kill a high-profile thug.

Raphael, who has an 18-month option on the newly published novel, has begun a search for a "heavy-hitting" scriptwriter.

Raphael and his father, the screenwriter and novelist Frederic Raphael ("Eyes Wide Shut"), are teaming to pen an adaption of Ivo Stourton's Cambridget-set novel "The Night Climbers." The "dangerous love story" will mark the first time father and son have worked together on a film.

[crippled_avenger]

Screenwriter Hossein Amini ("The Four Featheers," "The Wings of the Dove") has been hired to pen a new Jack Ryan movie for Paramount Pictures says The Hollywood Reporter.

The character, created by novelist Tom Clancy, was played by Alec Baldwin in "The Hunt for Red October", Harrison Ford in "Patriot Games" and "Clear and Present Danger", and by Ben Affleck in "The Sum of All Fears".

Amini's new Ryan film is planned as an origin story, not derived from Clancy's novels and will feature a new, younger star.

Mace Neufeld and Lorenzo Di Bonaventura are producing. Sam Raimi ("Spider-Man") was previously attached to direct but left due to scheduling conflicts.

[crippled_avenger]

Much maligned director Paul WS Anderson tells IGN that the "Resident Evil" franchise is set for another sequel.

"I'm writing a script right now. The script side is happening. It's going to be difficult what's happening when until the whole SAG [strike] thing is resolved. But that's something I'm working on right now. Everyone at [game developer] Capcom has had their input into the idea and they're all very excited. I don't want to tell you what it is but it's very exciting."

He added, "Once again we're doing it completely with the blessing of the videogame company. We got a lot of flack [on the sequels] for, 'Why isn't the movie set in the mansion just exactly like the very first videogame?' That's just not progression for me. As the Resident Evil videogames themselves have developed in leaps and bounds -- it's like when we did the last movie people were like, 'Resident Evil doesn't take place in the desert. What the f*ck is this?' Well, where does Resident Evil take place? Does it take place in Raccoon City exclusively? Well, I don't think so because the game has been in Antarctica, in Raccoon City, now it's in Africa. We're doing it very much in conjunction with the developers of the videogame to give the audience something fresh but something that fits within the world of the videogame."

Meanwhile what about his long-awaited adaptation of the "Castlevania" video game? "We still want to make the movie, but I can't say we're going into production in January or anything like that. It's a project that everybody likes. I love the videogame. I think the script is really strong" he says.

He added "Everyone is really enthusiastic about it, but we're still in the process of deciding when the movie gets shot. Not many movies can afford to take the hit of putting the cast and crew on hiatus for months while the strikes gets resolved. So I think in terms of anything we're developing there won't be any sort of priority until the SAG strike is resolved."

Anderson also stated that Rogue Pictures is no longer involved with "Castlevania," but director Sylvain White is still attached.

[crippled_avenger]

Scribe Christopher McQuarrie ("Valkyrie," "The Usual Suspects") is working on three projects that are being tailored as star vehicles for Tom Cruise reports Variety.

McQuarrie and Mason Alley will co-write New Regency's "Flying Tigers" based on the volunteer fighter squadron formed to help the Chinese fight the Japanese during early WW2.

McQuarrie will write and produce United Artists' adaptation of the British television series "The Champions" about a team of government agents rescued from a plane crash in the Himalayas by an advanced civilization and given superhuman abilities. Guillermo del Toro will produce.

Most urgent though is Spyglass' espionage drama "The Tourist", a remake of the 2005 French thriller "Anthony Zimmer". McQuarrie is rewriting the Bharat Nalluri-directed feature for Cruise to star with Charlize Theron.

[crippled_avenger]

"Men in Black" and "Get Shorty" director Barry Sonnenfeld is attached to direct and produce "The How-To Guide for Saving the World" for MGM Films says the trades.

BenDavid Grabinski's action comedy script tells the story of a loser who discovers a book on how to prevent an alien invasion and then has to put that knowledge to use when one actually occurs.

Grabinski's script made this year's unofficial Black List of "most liked" screenplays.

[Tex Murphy]

Much maligned director Paul WS Anderson tells IGN that the "Resident Evil" franchise is set for another sequel.

"I'm writing a script right now. The script side is happening. It's going to be difficult what's happening when until the whole SAG [strike] thing is resolved. But that's something I'm working on right now. Everyone at [game developer] Capcom has had their input into the idea and they're all very excited. I don't want to tell you what it is but it's very exciting."

He added, "Once again we're doing it completely with the blessing of the videogame company. We got a lot of flack [on the sequels] for, 'Why isn't the movie set in the mansion just exactly like the very first videogame?' That's just not progression for me. As the Resident Evil videogames themselves have developed in leaps and bounds -- it's like when we did the last movie people were like, 'Resident Evil doesn't take place in the desert. What the f*ck is this?' Well, where does Resident Evil take place? Does it take place in Raccoon City exclusively? Well, I don't think so because the game has been in Antarctica, in Raccoon City, now it's in Africa. We're doing it very much in conjunction with the developers of the videogame to give the audience something fresh but something that fits within the world of the videogame."

Meanwhile what about his long-awaited adaptation of the "Castlevania" video game? "We still want to make the movie, but I can't say we're going into production in January or anything like that. It's a project that everybody likes. I love the videogame. I think the script is really strong" he says.

He added "Everyone is really enthusiastic about it, but we're still in the process of deciding when the movie gets shot. Not many movies can afford to take the hit of putting the cast and crew on hiatus for months while the strikes gets resolved. So I think in terms of anything we're developing there won't be any sort of priority until the SAG strike is resolved."

Anderson also stated that Rogue Pictures is no longer involved with "Castlevania," but director Sylvain White is still attached.

Yeah!  

[Milosh]

New JUDGE DREDD Film Is Greenlit For Production By DNA FILMS!!

Rebellion and 2000 AD are proud to announce that Judge Dredd is coming to a cinema near you soon!

Together with DNA Films, the movie production company behind such great sci-fi movies such as Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later, Judge Dredd will go into production in 2009.

Jason Kingsley, CEO and Creative Director said, "We can't give away too many details at this point, but we're looking forward to working with DNA Films to bring Judge Dredd back to the big screen."

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39529

Još kad bi Verhoeven režirao...  

[mafija_x]

A sequel to Richard Kelly's cult hit Donnie Darko will begin shooting this month, Screen Daily reports.

Titled S. Darko, the film takes place eight years after the events of the first film and follows Samantha Darko (Daviegh Chase), the younger sister of the first movie's lead character, as she travels across America with her best friend Corey. On the road trip the pair start to witness strange visions.

Chris Fisher (Nightstalker) will direct the film. Kelly, who wrote and directed 2001's Donnie Darko, is not involved in the sequel.

"I am a great admirer of Richard Kelly's film and hope to create a similar world of blurred fantasy and reality," said Fisher.

Donnie Darko starred Jake Gyllenhaal as a teenager who, after a near death experience, is told by a giant bunny that the world will end in 28 days.

Fisher added: "Donnie's not in [the new film] but there are meteorites and rabbits."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dczcw0aNMEo

[Tex Murphy]

Kuku majko, kad sam vidio ovu sliku za trenutak sam pomislio da je u pitanju nekakav Asylumov atak na Donija Darka, kad ono stvarno rade sequel  

[zakk]

kuku, mafijo, pa ovo ne da nije za most anticipated, ovo je za poseban fear and loathing topic...

[taurus-jor]

Joj...

[Ghoul]

kuku, mafijo, pa ovo ne da nije za most anticipated, ovo je za poseban fear and loathing topic...

kao da do sada već niste zapazili pravilo:
ono što je jednome 'anticipacija' drugome je - 'konstipacija'!  

[Tex Murphy]

kuku, mafijo, pa ovo ne da nije za most anticipated, ovo je za poseban fear and loathing topic...

kao da do sada već niste zapazili pravilo:
ono što je jednome 'anticipacija' drugome je - 'konstipacija'!  

Ja, ali kad se radi o nastavku Donija Darka, to bi trebalo da bude nepodijeljena konstipacija.

[mafija_x]

Nemojte da gresite dusu.

[crippled_avenger]

Sylvester Stallone is after his old "Demolition Man" co-star Sandra Bullock to join him in his new action film "The Expendables" reports JoBlo.

Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Forest Whitaker and Randy Couture star in the story of a team of mercenaries on a mission to overthrow a South American dictator.

Bullock would play a government agent (paired up with Whitaker) on the hunt for Stallone's crew of hired guns. Stallone co-stars and directs.