Dakota Johnson is a passenger in both life and a yellow taxi cab, seeking connection with whomever is most near. For her, that turns out to be crass driver Clark, played by Sean Penn in the two-hander drama “Daddio.”
Their shared journey is from New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Hell’s Kitchen, with Johnson’s character Girlie determined to get to Clark’s innermost being. He’s not into it. The indie feature written and directed by Christy Hall debuted at TIFF 2023 and will next play at Tribeca 2024.
Johnson produces alongside TeaTime Pictures partner Ro Donnelly, who told IndieWire that Girlie is emotionally “reflective” of the below-the-line team behind the feature itself.
“Because she is our generation of women who are still approaching these men in a nonjudgmental way because it’s fascinating. We’re not threatened by it,” producer Donnelly said. “And that reveals her power,...
Their shared journey is from New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Hell’s Kitchen, with Johnson’s character Girlie determined to get to Clark’s innermost being. He’s not into it. The indie feature written and directed by Christy Hall debuted at TIFF 2023 and will next play at Tribeca 2024.
Johnson produces alongside TeaTime Pictures partner Ro Donnelly, who told IndieWire that Girlie is emotionally “reflective” of the below-the-line team behind the feature itself.
“Because she is our generation of women who are still approaching these men in a nonjudgmental way because it’s fascinating. We’re not threatened by it,” producer Donnelly said. “And that reveals her power,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Though “Daddio” is an intimate chamber piece between Sean Penn as a taxi driver, and Dakota Johnson as a passenger trying to get from John F. Kennedy airport to Hell’s Kitchen, it focuses on a near universal issue, especially coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We don’t talk to each other anymore, and we’re terrified of talking to people that are different from us,” said director Christy Hall to IndieWire.
This love letter to New York, and the power of human connection, was the screenwriter and playwright’s spec script that got her the job running acclaimed Netflix YA series “I Am Not Okay With This,” a job that paired her with executive Ro Donnelly. “‘Daddio’ was forever in my mind, so when I left Netflix I was like, ‘God, that role is so perfect for Dakota.’ We made it happen,” said the producer who runs TeaTime Pictures with the star.
This love letter to New York, and the power of human connection, was the screenwriter and playwright’s spec script that got her the job running acclaimed Netflix YA series “I Am Not Okay With This,” a job that paired her with executive Ro Donnelly. “‘Daddio’ was forever in my mind, so when I left Netflix I was like, ‘God, that role is so perfect for Dakota.’ We made it happen,” said the producer who runs TeaTime Pictures with the star.
- 9/10/2023
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Christy Hall makes a modest but rewarding directorial debut with Daddio, a two-hander starring Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson, the latter of whom also deserves credit for lending support to the offbeat project as producer.
The movie opens with a young woman (Johnson) getting into a taxi at JFK airport. Her cab driver (Penn) seems pleased that she is not in thrall to her cell phone but actually is open to conversation. The remainder of the movie takes place in the cab as both characters let their guard down and reveal secrets that they might not disclose to many others in their lives. The concept of strangers sharing secrets is not unheard-of in drama, and Hall has said she first conceived Daddio as a play. But it works effectively on film, thanks to outstanding performances by the two actors and deft staging by the director.
Before too long, Johnson’s...
The movie opens with a young woman (Johnson) getting into a taxi at JFK airport. Her cab driver (Penn) seems pleased that she is not in thrall to her cell phone but actually is open to conversation. The remainder of the movie takes place in the cab as both characters let their guard down and reveal secrets that they might not disclose to many others in their lives. The concept of strangers sharing secrets is not unheard-of in drama, and Hall has said she first conceived Daddio as a play. But it works effectively on film, thanks to outstanding performances by the two actors and deft staging by the director.
Before too long, Johnson’s...
- 9/4/2023
- by Stephen Farber
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Many gangland parodies fall flat, but not Jonathan Demme’s marvelous combo of high spirits and murder. Mafia spouse Angela de Marco’s story is goofy comedy with an edge of economic reality: how does one newly-impoverished New Yawk dame make a living for her orphaned son, while avoiding the adulterous attentions of the Big Boss who had her husband iced? Michelle Pfeiffer came into her own, Dean Stockwell has his best adult role and Matthew Modine is uniquely charming as an amorous FBI agent. The tonal balance is abetted by a supporting performances that go every which way: Mercedes Ruehl, Alec Baldwin, Oliver Platt and a slew of Demme regulars. Plus a music score by David Byrne. The disc features three new video interviews.
Married to the Mob
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1988 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 104 min. / Street Date September 27, 2022 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome / 39.98
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Modine, Dean Stockwell,...
Married to the Mob
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1988 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 104 min. / Street Date September 27, 2022 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome / 39.98
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Modine, Dean Stockwell,...
- 9/27/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Once upon a time a movie could really send you out of the theater with a smile on your face (Don’t make me explain what a movie theater was). James L. Brooks scores here with another fine entertainment, creating yet another character for Jack Nicholson to hit out of the park. But the generosity of characterization anoints the entire cast, especially Helen Hunt, the most emotionally deserving working woman since Shirley MacLaine’s Fran Kubelik. Nicholson’s miserable curmudgeon is once again a guy who learns how to be a mensch, at least a little bit. It’s an old story but Brooks makes it new again.
As Good As It Gets
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint]
1997 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 138 min. / Street Date September 3, 2021 / Available from / 50.99
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight, Yeardley Smith, Lupe Ontiveros, Bibi Osterwald, Brian Doyle-Murray.
Cinematography: John Bailey...
As Good As It Gets
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint]
1997 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 138 min. / Street Date September 3, 2021 / Available from / 50.99
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight, Yeardley Smith, Lupe Ontiveros, Bibi Osterwald, Brian Doyle-Murray.
Cinematography: John Bailey...
- 10/2/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Hannibal Lecter’s mask is among the most iconic props in movie history, but selecting the ghastly facial restraint was anything but simple. The Silence of the Lambs turns 30 on Sunday (Feb. 14), and to commemorate the Oscar-sweeping horror-thriller, The Hollywood Reporter looks back at one of the most important casting decisions of the film: Dr. Lecter’s mask.
Kristi Zea, production designer of the 1991 Orion film based on the 1988 Thomas Harris novel, called choosing the right mask for the murderous cannibal an “interesting dilemma,” during a making-of feature.
“[Costume designer] Colleen Atwood had a whole host ...
Kristi Zea, production designer of the 1991 Orion film based on the 1988 Thomas Harris novel, called choosing the right mask for the murderous cannibal an “interesting dilemma,” during a making-of feature.
“[Costume designer] Colleen Atwood had a whole host ...
- 2/12/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hannibal Lecter’s mask is among the most iconic props in movie history, but selecting the ghastly facial restraint was anything but simple. The Silence of the Lambs turns 30 on Sunday (Feb. 14), and to commemorate the Oscar-sweeping horror-thriller, The Hollywood Reporter looks back at one of the most important casting decisions of the film: Dr. Lecter’s mask.
Kristi Zea, production designer of the 1991 Orion film based on the 1988 Thomas Harris novel, called choosing the right mask for the murderous cannibal an “interesting dilemma,” during a making-of feature.
“[Costume designer] Colleen Atwood had a whole host ...
Kristi Zea, production designer of the 1991 Orion film based on the 1988 Thomas Harris novel, called choosing the right mask for the murderous cannibal an “interesting dilemma,” during a making-of feature.
“[Costume designer] Colleen Atwood had a whole host ...
- 2/12/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Since any New York City cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.
Metrograph
The director’s cut of Woodstock plays on 35mm this Saturday.
The Pasolini retrospective continues.
The restorations of A Bigger Splash and Audition still screen.
A series on documentarian Kevin Rafferty runs this weekend.
Whale Rider and Max Mon Amour play at opposite ends of the day.
Museum of the Moving Image
“See It Big!
Metrograph
The director’s cut of Woodstock plays on 35mm this Saturday.
The Pasolini retrospective continues.
The restorations of A Bigger Splash and Audition still screen.
A series on documentarian Kevin Rafferty runs this weekend.
Whale Rider and Max Mon Amour play at opposite ends of the day.
Museum of the Moving Image
“See It Big!
- 7/12/2019
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Nancy Meyers Thinks Scrutiny of Her Gorgeous Kitchens Is Sexist, But That’s Only Part of the Problem
Filmmaker Nancy Meyers knows you’re talking about her kitchens, but that doesn’t mean she’s excited about it. Over three decades into her career — which has included half a dozen directorial outings, screenplays for bonafide modern classics like “Private Benjamin” and “Father of the Bride,” and over $600 million in domestic box office receipts alone — Meyers’ films have persistently been called out for one particular element: dazzling sets and lavish production design.
During a Saturday afternoon conversation with Mindy Kaling at the PGA’s Produced By conference, Variety reports that Meyers was “asked how she feels about the attention paid to material objects in her women-centered films,” especially in films like “Something’s Gotta Give” and “It’s Complicated,” which feature dreamy kitchen sets.
“I don’t love when a journalist or critic will pick up on that aspect, because they’re missing why it works,” Meyers said. “It...
During a Saturday afternoon conversation with Mindy Kaling at the PGA’s Produced By conference, Variety reports that Meyers was “asked how she feels about the attention paid to material objects in her women-centered films,” especially in films like “Something’s Gotta Give” and “It’s Complicated,” which feature dreamy kitchen sets.
“I don’t love when a journalist or critic will pick up on that aspect, because they’re missing why it works,” Meyers said. “It...
- 6/10/2019
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
HBO enters 2018 without its signature series, “Game of Thrones,” which isn’t expected to return for its last hurrah until 2019. But that’s fine — the premium cable network has plenty of other new and returning shows to look forward to. Here’s a roundup of the 18 most anticipated series that HBO subscribers have to look forward to in the coming months.
“Divorce” Season 2
Release Date: January 14, 2018
Creator: Sharon Horgan
Showrunner: Jenny Bicks
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon, Tracy Letts
After a mixed reception for Season 1, “Divorce” is getting a creative shake-up in Season 2. Jenny Bicks, who wrote on “Sex and the City” and “The Big C,” has stepped in as the new showrunner, and — if you can believe it — Thomas Haden Church shaved his mustache. It’s unclear which will have a bigger impact on series’ eight new episodes, but Sarah Jessica Parker’s return to...
“Divorce” Season 2
Release Date: January 14, 2018
Creator: Sharon Horgan
Showrunner: Jenny Bicks
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon, Tracy Letts
After a mixed reception for Season 1, “Divorce” is getting a creative shake-up in Season 2. Jenny Bicks, who wrote on “Sex and the City” and “The Big C,” has stepped in as the new showrunner, and — if you can believe it — Thomas Haden Church shaved his mustache. It’s unclear which will have a bigger impact on series’ eight new episodes, but Sarah Jessica Parker’s return to...
- 12/27/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
A lively and affectionate tour through an art career that, storied as it was, ended too soon, Kristi Zea's Everybody Knows...Elizabeth Murray finds a graceful balance between the personal, the political and the professional. Its subject's easy charm and the accessibility of her color-crammed, playful paintings make this an engaging documentary even for viewers who know nothing of Murray's work, but the film will play best in art-savvy cities before having a long life on video.
Murray, who died of cancer in 2007, often made pictures on cracked-up surfaces or non-rectangular constructions that stretched off with jagged, bulbous arms. She...
Murray, who died of cancer in 2007, often made pictures on cracked-up surfaces or non-rectangular constructions that stretched off with jagged, bulbous arms. She...
- 11/4/2017
- by John DeFore
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Films focus on production designer Kristi Zea and artist John Berger.
Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights from UK outfit Taskovski Films to documentary Everybody Knows… Elizabeth Murray, directed by acclaimed production designer Kristi Zea known for her work on The Silence Of The Lambs and The Departed.
The film follows painter Murray’s struggle to break through establishment art world barriers.
Meryl Streep and art world luminaries Roberta Smith, Paula Cooper, Jennifer Bartlett and Vija Celmins read journal entries from single mother Murray. Philip Glass composed the score.
Taskovski Films has finalised a deal with Curzon Artificial Eye for UK rights to Berlinale 2016 selection The Seasons In Quincy: Four Portraits Of John Berger, directed by Tilda Swinton.
Swinton, Colin MacCabe, Christopher Roth and Bartek Dziadosz worked more than five years on the profile of the late art critic, writer and painter Berger.
Meanwhile, the company is closing a deal for North America on [link...
Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights from UK outfit Taskovski Films to documentary Everybody Knows… Elizabeth Murray, directed by acclaimed production designer Kristi Zea known for her work on The Silence Of The Lambs and The Departed.
The film follows painter Murray’s struggle to break through establishment art world barriers.
Meryl Streep and art world luminaries Roberta Smith, Paula Cooper, Jennifer Bartlett and Vija Celmins read journal entries from single mother Murray. Philip Glass composed the score.
Taskovski Films has finalised a deal with Curzon Artificial Eye for UK rights to Berlinale 2016 selection The Seasons In Quincy: Four Portraits Of John Berger, directed by Tilda Swinton.
Swinton, Colin MacCabe, Christopher Roth and Bartek Dziadosz worked more than five years on the profile of the late art critic, writer and painter Berger.
Meanwhile, the company is closing a deal for North America on [link...
- 5/23/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Director Series, Storytellers, Virtual Reality and Master Classes to run during festival, April 19-30.
Tribeca Film Festival heads announced on Monday the Tribeca Talks series of on-stage conversations and masterclasses.
Tribeca Talks: Directors Series includes on-stage conversations between Jon Favreau and Scarlett Johansson, in which the former will discuss feature films ranging from Swingers to Iron Man to The Jungle Book, and his foray into Vr with Gnomes & Goblins.
Alejandro González Iñárritu – one of three directors to win back-to-back Oscars and the only person to do so in 65 years – will talk about his career, while Dustin Hoffman will interview The Squid And The Whale director Noah Baumbach about his work.
The Tribeca Talks: Storytellers series features Bruce Springsteen in conversation with longtime friend Tom Hanks, and a live performance from Common following a conversation with filmmaker Nelson George.
The series includes a session between basketball great Kobe Bryant and animator Glen Keane, Girls creator...
Tribeca Film Festival heads announced on Monday the Tribeca Talks series of on-stage conversations and masterclasses.
Tribeca Talks: Directors Series includes on-stage conversations between Jon Favreau and Scarlett Johansson, in which the former will discuss feature films ranging from Swingers to Iron Man to The Jungle Book, and his foray into Vr with Gnomes & Goblins.
Alejandro González Iñárritu – one of three directors to win back-to-back Oscars and the only person to do so in 65 years – will talk about his career, while Dustin Hoffman will interview The Squid And The Whale director Noah Baumbach about his work.
The Tribeca Talks: Storytellers series features Bruce Springsteen in conversation with longtime friend Tom Hanks, and a live performance from Common following a conversation with filmmaker Nelson George.
The series includes a session between basketball great Kobe Bryant and animator Glen Keane, Girls creator...
- 3/20/2017
- ScreenDaily
Tribeca Film Festival unveiled its conversation lineup, and it includes chats with Noah Baumbach, Kathryn Bigelow, Kobe Bryant, Common, Lena Dunham, Jon Favreau, Bruce Springsteen, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Barbra Streisand.
The Tribeca Talks: Directors Series sees Favreau in conversation with Scarlett Johansson, Baumbach with Dustin Hoffman, as well as a chat with Inarritu.
The Tribeca Talks: Storytellers Series puts Common in conversation with Nelson George, Bryant and legendary animator Glen Keane with Michael Strahan, Springsteen with Tom Hanks, and Streisand with Robert Rodriguez, as well as a chat with Dunham and Jenni Konner.
Additionally, Bigelow will speak with Imraan Ismail as part of the fest’s first Vr chat. Ellen Kuras, Imogen Heap and Kristi Zea also will lead master classes. The fest...
The Tribeca Talks: Directors Series sees Favreau in conversation with Scarlett Johansson, Baumbach with Dustin Hoffman, as well as a chat with Inarritu.
The Tribeca Talks: Storytellers Series puts Common in conversation with Nelson George, Bryant and legendary animator Glen Keane with Michael Strahan, Springsteen with Tom Hanks, and Streisand with Robert Rodriguez, as well as a chat with Dunham and Jenni Konner.
Additionally, Bigelow will speak with Imraan Ismail as part of the fest’s first Vr chat. Ellen Kuras, Imogen Heap and Kristi Zea also will lead master classes. The fest...
- 3/20/2017
- by Ashley Lee
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Tribeca Film Festival announced today its full slate of panels and discussions with industry leaders for the 16th annual festival.
Under the Tribeca Talks banner, the festival presents a talent-filled roster in discussion with leading creative voices across the entertainment industry. That includes conversations with big name directors such as Kathryn Bigelow, Noah Baumbach, Lena Dunham, and Jon Favreau, as well as crossovers from the music and sports industries like Common, Kobe Bryant, and Bruce Springsteen. They will be joining previously announced participants Alejandro González Iñárritu and Barbra Streisand.
Read More: Tribeca 2017 Lineup: New Films From Alex Gibney, Azazel Jacobs and Laurie Simmons Lead the Eclectic Mix
Scarlett Johansson will interview Jon Favreau as part of the Directors Series, and Dustin Hoffman will do the same with Noah Baumbach. The Storytellers Series will feature “Girls” creator Lena Dunham in conversation with longtime collaborator Jenni Konner, as well as a...
Under the Tribeca Talks banner, the festival presents a talent-filled roster in discussion with leading creative voices across the entertainment industry. That includes conversations with big name directors such as Kathryn Bigelow, Noah Baumbach, Lena Dunham, and Jon Favreau, as well as crossovers from the music and sports industries like Common, Kobe Bryant, and Bruce Springsteen. They will be joining previously announced participants Alejandro González Iñárritu and Barbra Streisand.
Read More: Tribeca 2017 Lineup: New Films From Alex Gibney, Azazel Jacobs and Laurie Simmons Lead the Eclectic Mix
Scarlett Johansson will interview Jon Favreau as part of the Directors Series, and Dustin Hoffman will do the same with Noah Baumbach. The Storytellers Series will feature “Girls” creator Lena Dunham in conversation with longtime collaborator Jenni Konner, as well as a...
- 3/20/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Team Experience is at the Tribeca Film Festival. Here's Manuel on 'Everybody Knows...Elizabeth Murray.'
There are many things to love about Everybody Knows...Elizabeth Murray, Kristi Zea's documentary on the iconoclastic visual artist: its impassioned chronicle of sexism in the upper echelons of the art establishment which long kept Murray out of the big leagues in the art world; its playful visual aesthetic which both borrows and reflects Murray's own, turning the screen into a malleable canvas; its understanding of space as mirror and echo of Murray’s personality (unsurprising given Zea’s Oscar-nominated work as a production designer); and then, of course, there's Meryl Streep's narration of the artist’s journals.
Murray died in 2007 of lung cancer and Zea had clearly begun working on this project before she passed: we get to see her talk about her long career as well as working on what would become her last piece,...
There are many things to love about Everybody Knows...Elizabeth Murray, Kristi Zea's documentary on the iconoclastic visual artist: its impassioned chronicle of sexism in the upper echelons of the art establishment which long kept Murray out of the big leagues in the art world; its playful visual aesthetic which both borrows and reflects Murray's own, turning the screen into a malleable canvas; its understanding of space as mirror and echo of Murray’s personality (unsurprising given Zea’s Oscar-nominated work as a production designer); and then, of course, there's Meryl Streep's narration of the artist’s journals.
Murray died in 2007 of lung cancer and Zea had clearly begun working on this project before she passed: we get to see her talk about her long career as well as working on what would become her last piece,...
- 4/24/2016
- by Manuel Betancourt
- FilmExperience
Michael Shannon stars with Kevin Spacey in Liza Johnson's Elvis & Nixon Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai's look at Benjamin Millepied (Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan choreographer) in Reset; Everybody Knows...Elizabeth Murray by Kristi Zea (two-time Oscar nominee for Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road and James L. Brooks' As Good As It Gets), with journals performed by Meryl Streep; Christian Tafdrup's Parents (Forældre) with Søren Malling (Nikolaj Arcel's A Royal Affair) and Bodil Jørgensen (Cæcilia Holbek Trier's Agnus Dei) soon in Anders Thomas Jensen's Men & Chicken with Mads Mikkelsen; Elvis Presley (Shannon) and Richard Nixon (Spacey) meeting in Liza Johnson's Elvis & Nixon, co-written by Joey Sagal, Cary Elwes and Hanala Sagal (seen in Ferne Pearlstein's The Last Laugh) are some of the highlights of this year's Tribeca Film Festival.
Bart Freundlich's Wolves and Robert Scott Wildes' Poor Boy,...
Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai's look at Benjamin Millepied (Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan choreographer) in Reset; Everybody Knows...Elizabeth Murray by Kristi Zea (two-time Oscar nominee for Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road and James L. Brooks' As Good As It Gets), with journals performed by Meryl Streep; Christian Tafdrup's Parents (Forældre) with Søren Malling (Nikolaj Arcel's A Royal Affair) and Bodil Jørgensen (Cæcilia Holbek Trier's Agnus Dei) soon in Anders Thomas Jensen's Men & Chicken with Mads Mikkelsen; Elvis Presley (Shannon) and Richard Nixon (Spacey) meeting in Liza Johnson's Elvis & Nixon, co-written by Joey Sagal, Cary Elwes and Hanala Sagal (seen in Ferne Pearlstein's The Last Laugh) are some of the highlights of this year's Tribeca Film Festival.
Bart Freundlich's Wolves and Robert Scott Wildes' Poor Boy,...
- 4/4/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
From writer/director Nancy Meyers (It’S Complicated, Something’S Gotta Give), watch the new trailer for The Intern starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway.
De Niro stars as Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old widower who has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Hathaway).
The film’s cast also features Rene Russo (“Thor”), Anders Holm (“Workaholics”), Andrew Rannells (“Girls”), Adam Devine (“Pitch Perfect”), Celia Weston (“No Reservations”), Nat Wolff (“The Fault in Our Stars”), Linda Lavin (“Wanderlust”), Zack Pearlman (“The Inbetweeners”), newcomer Jason Orley, and Christina Scherer (“Living with Uncle Charlie”).
Meyers also produced the film, with Suzanne Farwell. Celia Costas served as executive producer.
Meyers’ behind-the-scenes creative team is headed by Oscar-nominated director of photography Stephen Goldblatt (“The Prince of Tides,...
De Niro stars as Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old widower who has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Hathaway).
The film’s cast also features Rene Russo (“Thor”), Anders Holm (“Workaholics”), Andrew Rannells (“Girls”), Adam Devine (“Pitch Perfect”), Celia Weston (“No Reservations”), Nat Wolff (“The Fault in Our Stars”), Linda Lavin (“Wanderlust”), Zack Pearlman (“The Inbetweeners”), newcomer Jason Orley, and Christina Scherer (“Living with Uncle Charlie”).
Meyers also produced the film, with Suzanne Farwell. Celia Costas served as executive producer.
Meyers’ behind-the-scenes creative team is headed by Oscar-nominated director of photography Stephen Goldblatt (“The Prince of Tides,...
- 5/14/2015
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Academy Award winners Robert De Niro (“Raging Bull,” “Silver Linings Playbook”) and Anne Hathaway (“Les Misérables,” “The Devil Wears Prada”) star together in Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Intern, which began filming today in New York. Oscar-nominated and award-winning filmmaker Nancy Meyers (“It’s Complicated,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “Private Benjamin”) is directing the comedy from her own screenplay.
The director posted the photo on her Instagram account. (instagram.com/nmeyers)
Meyers is also producing the film, together with Scott Rudin and Suzanne Farwell. Celia Costas is serving as executive producer.
The film’s multi-generational cast also features Rene Russo (“Thor”), Andrew Rannells (“Girls”), Adam DeVine (“Pitch Perfect”), Nat Wolff (“The Fault in Our Stars”), Anders Holm (“Workaholics”), Linda Lavin (“Wanderlust”), Zack Pearlman (“The Inbetweeners”), Reid Scott (“Veep”), newcomer Jason Orley, and Christina Scherer (“Living with Uncle Charlie”).
In The Intern, De Niro stars as Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old widower who...
The director posted the photo on her Instagram account. (instagram.com/nmeyers)
Meyers is also producing the film, together with Scott Rudin and Suzanne Farwell. Celia Costas is serving as executive producer.
The film’s multi-generational cast also features Rene Russo (“Thor”), Andrew Rannells (“Girls”), Adam DeVine (“Pitch Perfect”), Nat Wolff (“The Fault in Our Stars”), Anders Holm (“Workaholics”), Linda Lavin (“Wanderlust”), Zack Pearlman (“The Inbetweeners”), Reid Scott (“Veep”), newcomer Jason Orley, and Christina Scherer (“Living with Uncle Charlie”).
In The Intern, De Niro stars as Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old widower who...
- 6/24/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In the upcoming action comedy Tower Heist, Alan Alda plays a corrupt Wall Street investor who is placed under house arrest after swindling people out of billions of dollars. But if you’ve seen the trailer for the flick or visited ArchitecturalDigest.com today, you’d argue immediately that staying in those digs hardly qualifies as any sort of punishment. (Of course, Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, and their band of fellow vengeance-seekers are scheming to serve him with their own special brand of justice. I’m assuming they let the Occupy Wall Street kids have at him, but I’ll...
- 10/31/2011
- by Aly Semigran
- EW.com - PopWatch
Oliver Stone's attempt to tackle financial excess falls prey to an inconvenient truth
The Great Financial Calamity has left everyone feeling cheated. Bad guys doing bad things brought disaster upon us. We rescued them from the consequences of their misdeeds only to see them return triumphantly to their wicked ways. Our leaders rebuke them feebly but insist on sustaining their mastery. We need someone to make sense of what's befallen us, to nail the guilty men and to bring us closure. But who?
Oliver Stone sounds like just the chap. He knows how to mythologise epic events, and has the Oscars to prove it. He wrapped up the Vietnam tragedy and provided the big screen's best take yet on the disaster that was Bush. His suck-up to Hugo Chávez implied encouragingly lefty leanings. Above all, he gave us Wall Street, that nonpareil of movies about money. Now that we really need him,...
The Great Financial Calamity has left everyone feeling cheated. Bad guys doing bad things brought disaster upon us. We rescued them from the consequences of their misdeeds only to see them return triumphantly to their wicked ways. Our leaders rebuke them feebly but insist on sustaining their mastery. We need someone to make sense of what's befallen us, to nail the guilty men and to bring us closure. But who?
Oliver Stone sounds like just the chap. He knows how to mythologise epic events, and has the Oscars to prove it. He wrapped up the Vietnam tragedy and provided the big screen's best take yet on the disaster that was Bush. His suck-up to Hugo Chávez implied encouragingly lefty leanings. Above all, he gave us Wall Street, that nonpareil of movies about money. Now that we really need him,...
- 10/11/2010
- by David Cox
- The Guardian - Film News
Derrick Borte made his feature directorial debut with The Joneses which he also wrote and produced. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Borte began his career as a graphic artist for surf companies such as Billabong, Gotcha and Rip Curl. He graduated from Old Dominion University with a B.F.A. in painting, and quickly achieved success as an artist, showing work on both coasts. He earned an Ma from the media studies program at The New School in New York, and joined the production staff at Sony Music Studios, where his fine arts background evolved with his indoctrination to film and video. Prior to making The Joneses, Derrick honed his skills by directing commercials, as well as corporate and institutional films. Next up, he will be directing The Zero, based on an adaptation of Jess Walter’s novel, in late 2010 [from thejonesesmovie.com].
CW: Can you tell me what inspired you to make The Joneses?...
CW: Can you tell me what inspired you to make The Joneses?...
- 4/9/2010
- by Charlie Wachtel
- The Film Crusade
Check out the poster below for Roadside Attractions' "The Joneses," starring Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard, Ben Hollingsworth, Gary Cole, Chris Williams, Lauren Hutton and Catherine Dyer. The comedy/drama is helmed and written by Derrick Borte. Doug Mankoff, Andrew Spaulding, Kristi Zea and Derrick Borte produce. Demi Moore and David Duchovny star as a seemingly perfect couple who, along with their equally perfect teenagers -- Amber Heard (Zombieland, Pineapple Express) and Ben Hollingsworth (The Beautiful Life) -- move into an upscale gated community. The Joneses have better goods and game than any other family in town. The only problem is they’re not a family – they are employees of a stealth marketing organization, and they know how to make everyone else want what they’ve got.
- 2/25/2010
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Roadside Attractions is keeping up with "The Joneses," having acquired U.S. theatrical rights to Derrick Borte's comedy, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The movie stars Demi Moore and David Duchovny as a seemingly perfect couple who, along with their teenagers, played by Amber Heard and Ben Hollingsworth, move into an upscale gated community where they work as the secret employees of a stealth marketing organization.
The film was produced by Doug Mankoff, Andrew Spaulding, Borte and Kristi Zea and exec produced by Sheetal Talwar, Tom Luse, Paul Young and Peter Principato.
"Writer/director Derrick Borte's first film wrings great comedy from a central truth about Americans – we have an on-going love affair with our stuff," Roadside co-president Howard Cohen said.
A spring theatrical release is planned. The producers have not yet struck a deal for ancillary rights.
The deal was negotiated between Cohen and Icm and attorney Andrew Hurwitz,...
The movie stars Demi Moore and David Duchovny as a seemingly perfect couple who, along with their teenagers, played by Amber Heard and Ben Hollingsworth, move into an upscale gated community where they work as the secret employees of a stealth marketing organization.
The film was produced by Doug Mankoff, Andrew Spaulding, Borte and Kristi Zea and exec produced by Sheetal Talwar, Tom Luse, Paul Young and Peter Principato.
"Writer/director Derrick Borte's first film wrings great comedy from a central truth about Americans – we have an on-going love affair with our stuff," Roadside co-president Howard Cohen said.
A spring theatrical release is planned. The producers have not yet struck a deal for ancillary rights.
The deal was negotiated between Cohen and Icm and attorney Andrew Hurwitz,...
- 11/4/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Disclaimer: This article may contain sarcasm, irony and “LOLs”; proceed with caution.
It’s time once again for horror at the Oscars. Sunday’s festivities were filled with folks who have worked in the genre and per usual, I feel if it’s a win for Danny Boyle, it is a win for rage-zombie fans everywhere. Seems like a lot of folks this year are veterans of Exorcist: The Beginning, Amityville: A New Generation and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Of course, the most important genre win would be Greg Cannom, a staple of 80’s horror effects; he worked on such films as Fright Night Part 2, The Lost Boys and The Howling.
Now some movies on this list might be “kinda horror.” These thrillers or genre-friendly frameworks are on the ghoulish cusp and are marked with an asterisk. Some flicks on the list are there because, what the fuck,...
It’s time once again for horror at the Oscars. Sunday’s festivities were filled with folks who have worked in the genre and per usual, I feel if it’s a win for Danny Boyle, it is a win for rage-zombie fans everywhere. Seems like a lot of folks this year are veterans of Exorcist: The Beginning, Amityville: A New Generation and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Of course, the most important genre win would be Greg Cannom, a staple of 80’s horror effects; he worked on such films as Fright Night Part 2, The Lost Boys and The Howling.
Now some movies on this list might be “kinda horror.” These thrillers or genre-friendly frameworks are on the ghoulish cusp and are marked with an asterisk. Some flicks on the list are there because, what the fuck,...
- 2/24/2009
- by Heather Buckley
- DreadCentral.com
List Source: Variety
Okay, so another year and now it's the final show of the awards season. I don't know why but I'm not that enthuastic about the Oscars this year. Maybe it was last year's underwhelming show or maybe it's because The Dark Knight isn't nominated this year, probably both, but never-the-less the show is done and I want to put up the post of how the show went. Time for the ultimate post-oscar show breakdown...
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Best Motion Picture Of The Year
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
"Frost/Nixon" (Universal)
"Milk" (Focus Features)
"The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight)
Best Picture was a major disappointment. Less said about The Dark Knight - the better. For me, Milk is the most deserving of best picture this year. It's issues are more relevant and more original than all films on the list this year.
Okay, so another year and now it's the final show of the awards season. I don't know why but I'm not that enthuastic about the Oscars this year. Maybe it was last year's underwhelming show or maybe it's because The Dark Knight isn't nominated this year, probably both, but never-the-less the show is done and I want to put up the post of how the show went. Time for the ultimate post-oscar show breakdown...
<!--break-->
Best Motion Picture Of The Year
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
"Frost/Nixon" (Universal)
"Milk" (Focus Features)
"The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight)
Best Picture was a major disappointment. Less said about The Dark Knight - the better. For me, Milk is the most deserving of best picture this year. It's issues are more relevant and more original than all films on the list this year.
- 2/23/2009
- by admin
Fox Searchlight Pictures' "Slumdog Millionaire" has almost completely swept the Oscars® with awards including Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Picture and both original song and score music categories. Other notable wins included: - Sean Penn who took home the Best Actor award, his second after 2004's "Mystic River."- Heath Ledger for his astounding performance in Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Dark Knight"- Kate Winslet - Once again for her work in "The Reader" after a two Golden Globe's earned for "Revolutionary Road" and "The Reader"- Penelope Cruz - In Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" comedy As announced, here are the winners (noted in bold) of the 2009 Academy Awards which were announced on Sunday, February 22nd. Performance by an actor in a leading role Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films) Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal) Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features) Brad Pitt in...
- 2/23/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Here are the results from the 81st Annual Academy Awards. Winners are marked in red.
Best Picture
'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
'Frost/Nixon'
'Milk'
'The Reader'
'Slumdog Millionaire'
Best Director
Danny Boyle for 'Slumdog Millionaire'
Stephen Daldry for 'The Reader'
David Fincher for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Ron Howard for 'Frost/Nixon'
Gus Van Sant for 'Milk'
Best Actor
Richard Jenkins for 'The Visitor'
Frank Langella for 'Frost/Nixon'
Sean Penn for 'Milk'
Brad Pitt for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Mickey Rourke for 'The Wrestler'
Best Actress
Anne Hathaway for 'Rachel Getting Married'
Angelina Jolie for 'Changeling'
Melissa Leo for 'Frozen River'
Meryl Streep for 'Doubt'
Kate Winslet for...
Best Picture
'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
'Frost/Nixon'
'Milk'
'The Reader'
'Slumdog Millionaire'
Best Director
Danny Boyle for 'Slumdog Millionaire'
Stephen Daldry for 'The Reader'
David Fincher for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Ron Howard for 'Frost/Nixon'
Gus Van Sant for 'Milk'
Best Actor
Richard Jenkins for 'The Visitor'
Frank Langella for 'Frost/Nixon'
Sean Penn for 'Milk'
Brad Pitt for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Mickey Rourke for 'The Wrestler'
Best Actress
Anne Hathaway for 'Rachel Getting Married'
Angelina Jolie for 'Changeling'
Melissa Leo for 'Frozen River'
Meryl Streep for 'Doubt'
Kate Winslet for...
- 2/23/2009
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
Did your favorite movies and stars win? Read on to find out! Performance by an actor in a leading role: Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal) Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features) Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight) Performance by an actor in a supporting role: Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features) Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount) Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax) Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.) Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage) Performance by an actress in a leading role: Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics) Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal) Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics) Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax) Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company) Performance by an actress in a...
- 2/23/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Looks like I predicted all the winners yesterday, except for “Best Foreign Language.” Maybe I should have seen one of those before guessing in that category. What did you think? Did they get it right? Who should have won? Post below!
Here are the winners from one of the best Academy Awards ceremonies I can remember:
Best Motion Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Richard Jenkins in The Visitor
Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn in Milk
Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie in Changeling
Melissa Leo in Frozen River
Meryl Streep in Doubt
Kate Winslet in The Reader
Achievement in directing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Fincher
Frost/Nixon,...
Here are the winners from one of the best Academy Awards ceremonies I can remember:
Best Motion Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Richard Jenkins in The Visitor
Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn in Milk
Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie in Changeling
Melissa Leo in Frozen River
Meryl Streep in Doubt
Kate Winslet in The Reader
Achievement in directing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Fincher
Frost/Nixon,...
- 2/23/2009
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
Click here for the 2009 Academy Award winners! This year I opted not to break down every category and discuss the merits of each individual nominee. Mostly because it takes a ridiculous amount of time, but also because there doesn’t seem to be as much excitement as in previous years. Maybe it’s the fact that the populist picks of the year (Dark Knight, for example) were snubbed in the major categories and replaced with little seen films like The Reader. Or maybe because many of the categories are foregone conclusions.
Either way, I wanted to post my favorites/predictions and hopefully get some discussion going on what you think will win and why. I’m posting my picks here, but included the full list of nominations below.
Best Picture
Slumdog Millionaire - It’s clearly the favorite going into the ballot counting having swept every major awards ceremony leading up to the Oscars.
Either way, I wanted to post my favorites/predictions and hopefully get some discussion going on what you think will win and why. I’m posting my picks here, but included the full list of nominations below.
Best Picture
Slumdog Millionaire - It’s clearly the favorite going into the ballot counting having swept every major awards ceremony leading up to the Oscars.
- 2/21/2009
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
Chicago – This 19-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” which was directed by P.J. Hogan and features Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, John Lithgow, Kristin Scott Thomas, Leslie Bibb, Fred Armisen, Julie Hagerty, Krysten Ritter, Robert Stanton, Christine Ebersole, Clea Lewis, and Wendie Malick. The Touchstone Pictures release opens on Friday, February 13th, 2009.
Synopsis: “In the glamorous world of New York City, Rebecca Bloomwood is a fun-loving girl who is really good at shopping - a little too good, perhaps. She dreams of working for her favorite fashion magazine, but can’t quite get her foot in the door - until ironically, she snags a job as a columnist for a financial magazine published by the same company. As her dreams are finally coming true, she goes to ever more hilarious and extreme efforts to keep her past from ruining her future.
Synopsis: “In the glamorous world of New York City, Rebecca Bloomwood is a fun-loving girl who is really good at shopping - a little too good, perhaps. She dreams of working for her favorite fashion magazine, but can’t quite get her foot in the door - until ironically, she snags a job as a columnist for a financial magazine published by the same company. As her dreams are finally coming true, she goes to ever more hilarious and extreme efforts to keep her past from ruining her future.
- 2/4/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
On Thursday morning, January 22, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have unveiled to the world their selection of nominees for the 81st Annual Academy Awards. Announced by Academy president Sid Ganis and Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, the nominations were dominated by "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".
Having been shunned away from any kudos at the 66th Golden Globe Awards, the David Fincher's drama has picked up 13 nods, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson and Best Leading Actor for Brad Pitt. The movie about a man born in his eighties has landed a Best Original Score nomination for composer Alexandre Desplat, and received seven gongs for technical categories as well.
The success of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in collecting multiple nominations was followed by "Slumdog Millionaire", "The Dark Knight...
Having been shunned away from any kudos at the 66th Golden Globe Awards, the David Fincher's drama has picked up 13 nods, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson and Best Leading Actor for Brad Pitt. The movie about a man born in his eighties has landed a Best Original Score nomination for composer Alexandre Desplat, and received seven gongs for technical categories as well.
The success of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in collecting multiple nominations was followed by "Slumdog Millionaire", "The Dark Knight...
- 1/23/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Brad Pitt's The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is the film to beat at the 2009 Academy Awards after scooping an astounding 13 Oscar nominations.
The Hollywood superstar is nominated in the Best Actor category for his portrayal of a man who ages backwards.
The film also received nods for Best Picture, Best Director for David Fincher, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Taraji P. Henson.
It is an impressive haul of nominations for the movie - only 1997 blockbuster Titanic and Bette Davis' 1950 classic All About Eve have achieved more, with 14 nods each.
Other actors competing with Pitt for the Best Actor prize include Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) and Richard Jenkins (The Visitor).
Kate Winslet picked up her sixth Oscar nomination, recognised in the Best Actress category for The Reader, and will battle against Pitt's partner Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Meryl Streep (Doubt), and Melissa Leo (Frozen River) for the award.
Late star Heath Ledger won a nomination for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight exactly a year after his tragic death.
He will compete in the Best Supporting Actor category against Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), and Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road).
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader, Frost/Nixon and Milk will all vie for the coveted Best Motion Picture gong at the forthcoming ceremony on 22 February.
And each of the film's directors - David Fincher, Danny Boyle, Stephen Daldry, Ron Howard and Gus Van Sant respectively - are up for the Achievement in Directing prize.
The award nominations were announced at a press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday morning by Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker, who took home the Best Actor Oscar in 2007 for his role in The Last King Of Scotland.
The full list of nominations is as follows:...
The Hollywood superstar is nominated in the Best Actor category for his portrayal of a man who ages backwards.
The film also received nods for Best Picture, Best Director for David Fincher, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Taraji P. Henson.
It is an impressive haul of nominations for the movie - only 1997 blockbuster Titanic and Bette Davis' 1950 classic All About Eve have achieved more, with 14 nods each.
Other actors competing with Pitt for the Best Actor prize include Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) and Richard Jenkins (The Visitor).
Kate Winslet picked up her sixth Oscar nomination, recognised in the Best Actress category for The Reader, and will battle against Pitt's partner Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Meryl Streep (Doubt), and Melissa Leo (Frozen River) for the award.
Late star Heath Ledger won a nomination for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight exactly a year after his tragic death.
He will compete in the Best Supporting Actor category against Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), and Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road).
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader, Frost/Nixon and Milk will all vie for the coveted Best Motion Picture gong at the forthcoming ceremony on 22 February.
And each of the film's directors - David Fincher, Danny Boyle, Stephen Daldry, Ron Howard and Gus Van Sant respectively - are up for the Achievement in Directing prize.
The award nominations were announced at a press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday morning by Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker, who took home the Best Actor Oscar in 2007 for his role in The Last King Of Scotland.
The full list of nominations is as follows:...
- 1/22/2009
- WENN
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected the nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards ceremony, airing live on ABC February 22, 2009. The awards will be handed out at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.
Hugh Jackman has been hired to host the Oscars, the first time for the Australian actor, but more importantly the first time since 1989 a comedian hasn’t hosted. The producers (Laurence Mark and Bill Condon) have also made formal statements saying they do not plan to announce the presenters for the awards, hoping the surprise will drive viewership.
The telecast last year was the least watched in the 30-year history of the rating system. The industry had hoped a “Best Picture” nomination for The Dark Knight or Wall-e would help bridge the gap between popular, massive movies and lesser seen art house films. A poll by USA Today and Fandango showed 71% of respondents...
Hugh Jackman has been hired to host the Oscars, the first time for the Australian actor, but more importantly the first time since 1989 a comedian hasn’t hosted. The producers (Laurence Mark and Bill Condon) have also made formal statements saying they do not plan to announce the presenters for the awards, hoping the surprise will drive viewership.
The telecast last year was the least watched in the 30-year history of the rating system. The industry had hoped a “Best Picture” nomination for The Dark Knight or Wall-e would help bridge the gap between popular, massive movies and lesser seen art house films. A poll by USA Today and Fandango showed 71% of respondents...
- 1/22/2009
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
Read my griping and complaining below.
But tally time -- "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" received 13 nominations, and "Milk" got 8! Yay!
Oh, and my lovely "Wall-e" received an Original Screenplay nomination! Woo Hoo!
Read the Complete List by clicking, Read More.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Richard Jenkins in .The Visitor. (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in .Frost/Nixon. (Universal)
* Sean Penn in .Milk. (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in .The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in .The Wrestler. (Fox Searchlight)
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Josh Brolin in .Milk. (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in .Tropic Thunder. (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in .Doubt. (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in .The Dark Knight. (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in .Revolutionary Road. (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)
Performance by...
But tally time -- "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" received 13 nominations, and "Milk" got 8! Yay!
Oh, and my lovely "Wall-e" received an Original Screenplay nomination! Woo Hoo!
Read the Complete List by clicking, Read More.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Richard Jenkins in .The Visitor. (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in .Frost/Nixon. (Universal)
* Sean Penn in .Milk. (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in .The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in .The Wrestler. (Fox Searchlight)
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Josh Brolin in .Milk. (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in .Tropic Thunder. (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in .Doubt. (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in .The Dark Knight. (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in .Revolutionary Road. (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)
Performance by...
- 1/22/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Nominations for the 81st Academy Awards were announced Thursday morning at Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.) in Beverly Hills by Sid Ganis and Forest Whitaker. Paramount Pictures' "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" edged ahead of competitors in the number of awards nominated for this years offering of films with a total of thirteen nominations. These included, among others Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Other contenders in the Best Picture category included Focus Features’ “Milk,” Universal’s “Frost/Nixon,” the Weinstein Co.’s “The Reader” and Fox Searchlight’s “Slumdog Millionaire.” "Aint nothin' but a thang" - Robert Downey Jr. secured an Oscar® nomination for his hilarious supporting role in Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder." As announced by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, here are the nominees: Performance by an actor in a leading role Richard Jenkins...
- 1/22/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
As predicted, "Slumdog Millionaire" leads the pack of nominees for the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards. The Danny Boyle-directed film has 11 nominations total.
The BAFTA Film Awards 2009 will be held on February 8th at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. Click Read More to see the complete list of nominees:
Best film
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Best British film
Hunger
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Man On Wire
Slumdog Millionaire
Leading actor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Leading actress
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Kristen Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
Kate Winslet - The Reader
Supporting actor
Robert Downey Jr -...
The BAFTA Film Awards 2009 will be held on February 8th at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. Click Read More to see the complete list of nominees:
Best film
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Best British film
Hunger
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Man On Wire
Slumdog Millionaire
Leading actor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Leading actress
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Kristen Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
Kate Winslet - The Reader
Supporting actor
Robert Downey Jr -...
- 1/15/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The 2009 BAFTA Award nominees have been announced and Slumdog Millionaire, along with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, leads the way with 11 nominations with The Dark Knight close behind with nine. However, at the top of the pile it is immediately noticeable that The Dark Knight did not get a Best Film nomination as all the usual suspects are there, but The Reader is added to the pack as one of its five nominations. Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) is considered a lead actor at the BAFTAs and earns a nomination in the category while he is competing Stateside for a Supporting nom. I believe he is more of a lead actor than a supporting, but Fox Searchlight obviously sees the supporting category as the easier place to get him a nomination and has pushed him in the category as a result. Other than that, the usuals are there with Brad Pitt earning a nomination,...
- 1/15/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Revolutionary Road Reviewby Steve Ramos, Writer 'Revolutionary Road' is a glossy, engrossing tale of mad men and suffering wives They fill Grand Central twice a day these 1950s Manhattan salary men in their gray flannel suits. They disembark from commuter trains in the morning, then, return to the platforms at day's end for trips back to their suburban homes and families. Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) is one of them, working at Knox, the same office machinery company where his father worked. It's not the life Frank planned for himself or his pretty wife April (Kate Winslet). The Wheelers see themselves as different from the people around them, worldlier, less vulgar. So Frank and April plan to relocate their family to Paris and begin a new bohemian chapter. But when their plans go awry, cracks begin to quickly appear in their comfortable lives. The Wheelers are not as happy as they think.
- 1/8/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Thank God we have Martin Scorsese back. After a couple of films where one of the best directors ever seemed more intent on pleasing Academy voters than millions of admirers, Scorsese returns to contemporary crime fiction with a hugely satisfying bang.
"The Departed" is a robust piece of storytelling and his best film since "Casino" in 1995. Everything is rock solid: Top actors with meaty roles that let them go to the edge without toppling over that edge, a story that keeps upping the tension and emotional ante every few minutes, Michael Ballhaus' gliding camera and shadowy lighting, Kristi Zea's atmospheric sets and Thelma Schoonmaker's tight, rhythmic editing all conspire to take us into a heart of urban darkness.
Best of all, Scorsese's relaxed energy infuses the film with excitement in every frame, thus elevating a gangster story to the level of tragedy. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg top-billed, "The Departed" should attract a sizable audience, though men certainly will outnumber women.
The film, written by William Monahan ("Kingdom of Heaven"), derives from "Infernal Affairs", a hugely popular 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller co-directed by Alan Mak and Andrew Lau Wai Keung and written by Mak and Felix Chong. That too was a doozy of tight construction and breathtaking suspense. The story remains remarkably intact despite its transfer from cops and criminals in Hong Kong to a war between state police and a tough Irish mob in south Boston.
The genius of both films is to focus on two moles on opposite sides of the law. Each has risen to a position of authority and responsibility, making him a lethally effective spy. Only by this time, each has wearied of the constant deceptions and lies, of the loneliness and terror of being stranded in a no-man's-land between good and evil. Indeed the Chinese title, "Mo-gaan-do", refers to the lowest level of hell in Buddhism.
Mob boss Frank Costello (Nicholson) hand-picks young Colin Sullivan (Damon) at an early age to mentor then slip into the ranks of the state police. Colin swiftly rises through the ranks to a spot in the Special Investigation Unit, whose main focus is to take down Frank Costello.
Meanwhile, another police rookie, Billy Costigan (DiCaprio), is asked by two powerful men in that unit -- the caustic Sgt. Dignam (Wahlberg) and his level-headed superior Capt. Queenan (Martin Sheen) -- to live down to his reputation of a street hothead. For credibility's sake, he is very publicly busted out of the state police, does a stint in prison and gets tossed onto the streets, where he can infiltrate the Costello gang. After a recruitment by Frank's right-hand man, Mr. French (Ray Winstone), and a brutal interrogation by Frank himself, he's in.
It's only a matter of time before these parallel careers crisscross at a dangerous intersection. In a sequence that fans of the original film will quickly recognize, during an illicit transaction between Frank's gang and Chinese government agents over the sale of military parts, both cops and criminals recognize that a mole exists within their respective camps. Pressure mounts excruciatingly as each mole must find ways to communicate via cell phone during the operation. Then, afterward, each races against time to discover the identity of the other man to save himself.
One other intersection in their lives that stretches coincidence pretty thinly is psychologist Madolyn (Vera Farmiga), who specializes in both cops and criminals. Colin strikes up a flirtation with her, and before long she moves in with him. Billy, as part of his parole, is forced to see Madolyn professionally. At first he does so reluctantly, then discovers she is his sole lifeline to the normal life he desperately craves. That this highly charged relationship would also turn sexual is more than far-fetched. But Madolyn's dual relationship with these men lets each reveal vulnerabilities he is unable to show elsewhere.
Costello is a familiar piece of acting from Nicholson -- part demented caricature, part tongue-in-cheek flamboyance. But the actors surrounding Nicholson rise to the occasion so that he neither dominates the movie nor wastes away in buffoonery.
DiCaprio brings a level of emotional intensity and maturity missing so far in his adult roles. His Billy has a tough soul, but the inner core is about to crack and the fissures are becoming too evident. Damon is a walking contradiction: He looks and acts more like a cop than anyone else in the movie, yet he's a phony. Damon doesn't let us inside his character the way DiCaprio does; instead his Colin buries emotions in a place he discovered so many years ago in Frank's service.
Wahlberg is nasty and coarse as Dignam, knowing full well his partner, Sheen's Queenan, offsets his corrosiveness. Theirs is a good cop/bad cop routine -- only directed not at criminals but fellow cops.
Winstone as the emotionless killer and Alec Baldwin as the crime unit's captain are loyalists to the system who work opposite sides of the street. Farmiga -- a fine actress coming into her own in this role and in Anthony Minghella's "Breaking and Entering" -- not only provides a welcome breath of femininity but as the only character not a cop or a crook, she becomes the moral center of the film.
"The Departed" is a ferociously entertaining film.
THE DEPARTED
Warner Bros. Pictures
A Plan B/Initial Entertainment Group/Vertigo Entertainment production in association with Media Asia Films
Credits:
Director: Martin Scorsese
Screenwriter: William Monahan
Based on the film "Infernal Affairs" directed by: Alan Mak and Andrew Lau Wai Keung
Producers: Brad Pitt, Brad Grey, Graham King
Executive producers: Roy Lee, Doug Davison, G. Mac Brown, Kristen Hahn, Gianni Nunnari
Director of photography: Michael Ballhaus
Production designer: Kristi Zea
Music: Howard Shore
Co-producers: Joseph Reidy, Michael Aguilar, Rick Schwartz
Costume designer: Sandy Powell
Editor: Thelma Schoonmaker
Cast:
Billy: Leonardo DiCaprio
Colin: Matt Damon
Costello: Jack Nicholson
Dignam: Mark Wahlberg
Mr. French: Ray Winstone
Madolyn: Vera Farmiga
Brown: Anthony Anderson
Ellerby: Alec Baldwin
Running time -- 152 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
"The Departed" is a robust piece of storytelling and his best film since "Casino" in 1995. Everything is rock solid: Top actors with meaty roles that let them go to the edge without toppling over that edge, a story that keeps upping the tension and emotional ante every few minutes, Michael Ballhaus' gliding camera and shadowy lighting, Kristi Zea's atmospheric sets and Thelma Schoonmaker's tight, rhythmic editing all conspire to take us into a heart of urban darkness.
Best of all, Scorsese's relaxed energy infuses the film with excitement in every frame, thus elevating a gangster story to the level of tragedy. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg top-billed, "The Departed" should attract a sizable audience, though men certainly will outnumber women.
The film, written by William Monahan ("Kingdom of Heaven"), derives from "Infernal Affairs", a hugely popular 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller co-directed by Alan Mak and Andrew Lau Wai Keung and written by Mak and Felix Chong. That too was a doozy of tight construction and breathtaking suspense. The story remains remarkably intact despite its transfer from cops and criminals in Hong Kong to a war between state police and a tough Irish mob in south Boston.
The genius of both films is to focus on two moles on opposite sides of the law. Each has risen to a position of authority and responsibility, making him a lethally effective spy. Only by this time, each has wearied of the constant deceptions and lies, of the loneliness and terror of being stranded in a no-man's-land between good and evil. Indeed the Chinese title, "Mo-gaan-do", refers to the lowest level of hell in Buddhism.
Mob boss Frank Costello (Nicholson) hand-picks young Colin Sullivan (Damon) at an early age to mentor then slip into the ranks of the state police. Colin swiftly rises through the ranks to a spot in the Special Investigation Unit, whose main focus is to take down Frank Costello.
Meanwhile, another police rookie, Billy Costigan (DiCaprio), is asked by two powerful men in that unit -- the caustic Sgt. Dignam (Wahlberg) and his level-headed superior Capt. Queenan (Martin Sheen) -- to live down to his reputation of a street hothead. For credibility's sake, he is very publicly busted out of the state police, does a stint in prison and gets tossed onto the streets, where he can infiltrate the Costello gang. After a recruitment by Frank's right-hand man, Mr. French (Ray Winstone), and a brutal interrogation by Frank himself, he's in.
It's only a matter of time before these parallel careers crisscross at a dangerous intersection. In a sequence that fans of the original film will quickly recognize, during an illicit transaction between Frank's gang and Chinese government agents over the sale of military parts, both cops and criminals recognize that a mole exists within their respective camps. Pressure mounts excruciatingly as each mole must find ways to communicate via cell phone during the operation. Then, afterward, each races against time to discover the identity of the other man to save himself.
One other intersection in their lives that stretches coincidence pretty thinly is psychologist Madolyn (Vera Farmiga), who specializes in both cops and criminals. Colin strikes up a flirtation with her, and before long she moves in with him. Billy, as part of his parole, is forced to see Madolyn professionally. At first he does so reluctantly, then discovers she is his sole lifeline to the normal life he desperately craves. That this highly charged relationship would also turn sexual is more than far-fetched. But Madolyn's dual relationship with these men lets each reveal vulnerabilities he is unable to show elsewhere.
Costello is a familiar piece of acting from Nicholson -- part demented caricature, part tongue-in-cheek flamboyance. But the actors surrounding Nicholson rise to the occasion so that he neither dominates the movie nor wastes away in buffoonery.
DiCaprio brings a level of emotional intensity and maturity missing so far in his adult roles. His Billy has a tough soul, but the inner core is about to crack and the fissures are becoming too evident. Damon is a walking contradiction: He looks and acts more like a cop than anyone else in the movie, yet he's a phony. Damon doesn't let us inside his character the way DiCaprio does; instead his Colin buries emotions in a place he discovered so many years ago in Frank's service.
Wahlberg is nasty and coarse as Dignam, knowing full well his partner, Sheen's Queenan, offsets his corrosiveness. Theirs is a good cop/bad cop routine -- only directed not at criminals but fellow cops.
Winstone as the emotionless killer and Alec Baldwin as the crime unit's captain are loyalists to the system who work opposite sides of the street. Farmiga -- a fine actress coming into her own in this role and in Anthony Minghella's "Breaking and Entering" -- not only provides a welcome breath of femininity but as the only character not a cop or a crook, she becomes the moral center of the film.
"The Departed" is a ferociously entertaining film.
THE DEPARTED
Warner Bros. Pictures
A Plan B/Initial Entertainment Group/Vertigo Entertainment production in association with Media Asia Films
Credits:
Director: Martin Scorsese
Screenwriter: William Monahan
Based on the film "Infernal Affairs" directed by: Alan Mak and Andrew Lau Wai Keung
Producers: Brad Pitt, Brad Grey, Graham King
Executive producers: Roy Lee, Doug Davison, G. Mac Brown, Kristen Hahn, Gianni Nunnari
Director of photography: Michael Ballhaus
Production designer: Kristi Zea
Music: Howard Shore
Co-producers: Joseph Reidy, Michael Aguilar, Rick Schwartz
Costume designer: Sandy Powell
Editor: Thelma Schoonmaker
Cast:
Billy: Leonardo DiCaprio
Colin: Matt Damon
Costello: Jack Nicholson
Dignam: Mark Wahlberg
Mr. French: Ray Winstone
Madolyn: Vera Farmiga
Brown: Anthony Anderson
Ellerby: Alec Baldwin
Running time -- 152 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 10/2/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In a year rife with remakes, the 2004 version of "The Manchurian Candidate" had particularly intimidating shoes to fill.
Not only does the 1962 John Frankenheimer original retain much of its unsettling power, but its place in Hollywood lore -- it's said to have been pulled from release by distributor United Artists in the wake of the Kennedy assassination -- makes for fairly daunting remake material.
As it turns out, director Jonathan Demme has risen to the challenge, delivering a "Candidate" that simultaneously brings the original Cold War scenario bracingly up to date with a story line that pulses with a topical resonance while paying respectful homage to the late Frankenheimer's artistic vision.
While a few too many bumps and lags prevent it from being mistaken for a masterwork, it's certainly a vast improvement over Demme's previous remake effort, which turned "Charade" into "The Truth About Charlie".
The Paramount release has much going in its favor, including a literate script and strong performance after strong performance by a cast of consummate pros, including Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight.
With Washington's presence usually assuring a built-in audience, the foundation should be laid for solid midlevel numbers, followed by an equally respectable voter turnout in the home video arena.
Washington, in the role originally played by Frank Sinatra, is Bennett Marco, a U.S. Army major who has been plagued by nightmares dating back to the time his Gulf War platoon was ambushed in the Kuwaiti desert.
Although Marco has since been giving motivational speeches detailing the heroics of Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Schreiber, in the Laurence Harvey role), who won the Medal of Honor for saving his men, those dark dreams swirling with images of torture and brainwashing would suggest the actual events may not have transpired as officially recorded.
When a troubled vet from his platoon (the always interesting Jeffrey Wright) corroborates Marco's nagging doubts, Marco's determined to talk to Shaw, but getting to him proves tricky. Thanks to the masterful manipulation of his smothering mother, Sen. Eleanor Prentiss Shaw (Streep in the Lansbury role), Raymond's Gulf War hero status has been parlayed into a vice presidential candidacy bid, and Streep's piranha in pearls isn't prepared to let anyone or anything block his path to the White House.
Mining a competent script by Daniel Pyne ("The Sum of All Fears") and Dean Georgaris ("Paycheck") that retains the claustrophobic feeling of paranoia key to the original Richard Condon novel and George Axelrod screenplay, Demme compensates for a less than dynamic opening by expertly building the suspense, piling on a series of clinical, bizarre, squirm-inducing incisions and extractions.
And while a conscious attempt has been made not to align Raymond with any particular political party, a number of the film's plot points, including the concept of a manufactured presidential candidate and a compliant media in an era of heightened terrorist activity, will likely bring a smirk to Michael Moore's face.
Ironically, things begin to sag when the remake comes closest to emulating the original's political convention climax, leading to an epilogue that also comes up short of satisfying.
But the performances are flawless.
Streep is clearly enjoying every screen second of one of her meatiest roles in years, while Washington and Schreiber turn in quietly powerful performances. The scenes in which they have the camera to themselves are particularly electrifying.
Also doing fine work is Kimberly Elise (taking up where Janet Leigh left off 40 years ago) as a sympathetic supermarket checkout girl who meets Washington on a train, and Voight as a competing vice presidential candidate and Streep's longtime nemesis.
Giving it all the desired top-drawer look is Demme's longtime cinematographer Tak Fujimoto and production designer Kristi Zea, while Rachel Portman and Wyclef Jean collaborate on a symphonic low rumble of a score that sets the uneasy tone.
The Manchurian Candidate
Paramount
Paramount Pictures presents a Scott Rudin/Tina Sinatra production in association with Clinica EsteticoA Jonathan Demme Picture
Credits:
Director: Jonathan Demme
Screenwrites: Daniel Pyne, Dean Georgaris
Producers: Tina Sinatra, Scott Rudin, Jonathan Demme, Ilona Herzberg
Executive producer: Scott Aversano
Director of photography: Tak Fujimoto
Production designer: Kristi Zea
Editors: Carol Littleton, Craig McKay
Costume designer: Albert Wolsky
Music: Rachel Portman, Wyclef Jean. Cast: Army Maj. Ben Marco: Denzel Washington
Eleanor Prentiss Shaw: Meryl Streep
Raymond Shaw: Liev Schreiber
Thomas Jordan: Jon Voight
Rosie: Kimberly Elise
Al Melvin: Jeffrey Wright
Col. Howard: Ted Levine
Richard Delp: Bruno Ganz
Dr. Atticus Noyle: Simon McBurney
Jocelyn Jordan: Vera Farmiga
Laurent Tokar: Robyn Hitchcock
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 130 minutes...
Not only does the 1962 John Frankenheimer original retain much of its unsettling power, but its place in Hollywood lore -- it's said to have been pulled from release by distributor United Artists in the wake of the Kennedy assassination -- makes for fairly daunting remake material.
As it turns out, director Jonathan Demme has risen to the challenge, delivering a "Candidate" that simultaneously brings the original Cold War scenario bracingly up to date with a story line that pulses with a topical resonance while paying respectful homage to the late Frankenheimer's artistic vision.
While a few too many bumps and lags prevent it from being mistaken for a masterwork, it's certainly a vast improvement over Demme's previous remake effort, which turned "Charade" into "The Truth About Charlie".
The Paramount release has much going in its favor, including a literate script and strong performance after strong performance by a cast of consummate pros, including Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight.
With Washington's presence usually assuring a built-in audience, the foundation should be laid for solid midlevel numbers, followed by an equally respectable voter turnout in the home video arena.
Washington, in the role originally played by Frank Sinatra, is Bennett Marco, a U.S. Army major who has been plagued by nightmares dating back to the time his Gulf War platoon was ambushed in the Kuwaiti desert.
Although Marco has since been giving motivational speeches detailing the heroics of Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Schreiber, in the Laurence Harvey role), who won the Medal of Honor for saving his men, those dark dreams swirling with images of torture and brainwashing would suggest the actual events may not have transpired as officially recorded.
When a troubled vet from his platoon (the always interesting Jeffrey Wright) corroborates Marco's nagging doubts, Marco's determined to talk to Shaw, but getting to him proves tricky. Thanks to the masterful manipulation of his smothering mother, Sen. Eleanor Prentiss Shaw (Streep in the Lansbury role), Raymond's Gulf War hero status has been parlayed into a vice presidential candidacy bid, and Streep's piranha in pearls isn't prepared to let anyone or anything block his path to the White House.
Mining a competent script by Daniel Pyne ("The Sum of All Fears") and Dean Georgaris ("Paycheck") that retains the claustrophobic feeling of paranoia key to the original Richard Condon novel and George Axelrod screenplay, Demme compensates for a less than dynamic opening by expertly building the suspense, piling on a series of clinical, bizarre, squirm-inducing incisions and extractions.
And while a conscious attempt has been made not to align Raymond with any particular political party, a number of the film's plot points, including the concept of a manufactured presidential candidate and a compliant media in an era of heightened terrorist activity, will likely bring a smirk to Michael Moore's face.
Ironically, things begin to sag when the remake comes closest to emulating the original's political convention climax, leading to an epilogue that also comes up short of satisfying.
But the performances are flawless.
Streep is clearly enjoying every screen second of one of her meatiest roles in years, while Washington and Schreiber turn in quietly powerful performances. The scenes in which they have the camera to themselves are particularly electrifying.
Also doing fine work is Kimberly Elise (taking up where Janet Leigh left off 40 years ago) as a sympathetic supermarket checkout girl who meets Washington on a train, and Voight as a competing vice presidential candidate and Streep's longtime nemesis.
Giving it all the desired top-drawer look is Demme's longtime cinematographer Tak Fujimoto and production designer Kristi Zea, while Rachel Portman and Wyclef Jean collaborate on a symphonic low rumble of a score that sets the uneasy tone.
The Manchurian Candidate
Paramount
Paramount Pictures presents a Scott Rudin/Tina Sinatra production in association with Clinica EsteticoA Jonathan Demme Picture
Credits:
Director: Jonathan Demme
Screenwrites: Daniel Pyne, Dean Georgaris
Producers: Tina Sinatra, Scott Rudin, Jonathan Demme, Ilona Herzberg
Executive producer: Scott Aversano
Director of photography: Tak Fujimoto
Production designer: Kristi Zea
Editors: Carol Littleton, Craig McKay
Costume designer: Albert Wolsky
Music: Rachel Portman, Wyclef Jean. Cast: Army Maj. Ben Marco: Denzel Washington
Eleanor Prentiss Shaw: Meryl Streep
Raymond Shaw: Liev Schreiber
Thomas Jordan: Jon Voight
Rosie: Kimberly Elise
Al Melvin: Jeffrey Wright
Col. Howard: Ted Levine
Richard Delp: Bruno Ganz
Dr. Atticus Noyle: Simon McBurney
Jocelyn Jordan: Vera Farmiga
Laurent Tokar: Robyn Hitchcock
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 130 minutes...
- 8/25/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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