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Laff 'Venus Vs.' Review: Venus Williams Fights for Gender Equality at Wimbledon in Ava DuVernay's Rousing Sports Doc
2 hours ago
Ava DuVernay’s skilled documentary “Venus Vs.,” which had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, charts Venus Williams’ two-year battle from 2005 to 2007 for equal prize money among genders at Wimbledon. In the film, sports journalist Howard Bryant explains that it takes a certain collision of factors for someone to be the right and most effective person to champion a cause. In 1973, it was Billie Jean King. In this millennium it’s Williams, a superstar in the world of tennis who also understands acutely what it is to be an outsider in that sport -- racially, economically and in terms of gender.Though King eventually pressured the Us Open to agree to equal compensation, at the time it was the only one of the four tournaments to change, with the European and Australian Opens holding their macho ground for subsequent decades. King is one of the pro tennis player interviewees in the documentary, »
- Beth Hanna
'Fifty Shades of Grey' Gets a Woman Director--And a Possible Leading Man?
9 hours ago
Yes, Universal Pictures and Focus Features have chosen a woman director, Brit Sam Taylor-Johnson ("Nowhere Boy"), to direct the film adaptation of E.L. James' global bestseller “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing the film. The book has sold over 70 million ebooks and printed copies worldwide. The trick with hiring the right director was finding someone who could handle the delicate sexual nuances of a highly erotic story on film without making audiences wriggle with discomfort. Weinstein Co. picked up 2009's BAFTA-nominated "Nowhere Boy," which tells the story of John Lennon (played by the filmmaker's husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in Liverpool, where he met the teenage Paul McCartney. But the movie did not pick up much traction in the U.S. Taylor-Johnson also directed the short "Love You More" which was nominated for the Palme D’Or in 2008. She is currently in development on a film for. »
- Anne Thompson
Emmy Watch: Noah Emmerich Talks TV vs. Movies, 'The Americans'
10 hours ago
Noah Emmerich pops in "The Americans." Best-known for his serious film work, no matter how small the role, Emmerich always stands out, from Todd Field's "Little Children" and Peter Weir's "The Truman Show" to Gavin O'Connor's "Pride and Glory." Perhaps because of that film he keeps getting calls to play Irish cops, even though he's a New York Jew, he told me. (His brother Toby Emmerich runs New Line Cinema.) When Emmerich, 48, first read the description of his character in the pilot script for the FX Reagan era series "The Americans," he didn't want to play yet another FBI agent, a man with a gun and a badge, he admits. When his friend O'Connor brought it back up to him, he read the pilot again and signed on after a long meeting with show creator Joe Weisberg, who has a CIA background. It was leap of faith »
- Anne Thompson
Buzzy Indie Documentaries 'Blackfish,' 'Code Black' and 'The New Black' -- Which Is Which? (Trailers)
10 hours ago
Yes, it's true. We keep getting confused by three similar-sounding documentaries in the indiesphere right now: "Code Black," "The New Black" and "Blackfish." They each deal with vital but very different subjects (the La County Hospital emergency room, assumptions about homophobia in the African-American community, and killer whales, respectively). Herewith, our mini-guide to each film, plus all three trailers. "Blackfish": This buzzy Sundance doc, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, looks at Sea World's much-publicized killer whale Tilikum, who swallowed its trainer whole in 2010. Using never-before-seen footage and exclusive new interviews, the film exposes the scandal while also calling into question the practices of keeping whales in captivity. It hits theaters July 19, via Magnolia Pictures. Make sure to watch the pulse-pounding, viscerally terrifying trailer below. "Code Black": World premiering at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Ryan McGarry's documentary follows a team of »
- Beth Hanna
Confessions of a Trailer Editor, from Online Trailers and Spoilers to Finding the Right Song (Trailers)
11 hours ago
Wired has a fascinating interview with trailer editor maestro Mark Woollen. Never heard of him? Well, maybe you remember being enraptured by the trailers for "The Tree of Life," "The Social Network," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," and Nicolas Winding Refn's upcoming "Only God Forgives," all of which Woollen expertly constructed. Highlights from the interview below. Read the entire interview at Wired. On the online trailer phenomenon: When I began, trailers were not on the Internet. That’s changed dramatically over the past several years, especially with fan participation. We have instant critiques, for better or for worse. Everything has gotten faster... I was in a meeting with a director a couple of years ago. We had cut something that was on the short side, and he made a crack about it feeling like a trailer for a trailer. It’s bizarre that a year later, that’s »
- Beth Hanna
Review and Roundup: Stakes are High on Brad Pitt's 'World War Z' Update
11 hours ago
The stakes have never been higher for the Hollywood studios as Paramount finally releases Brad Pitt and Marc Forster's beleaguered $200 million zombiepocalypse epic "World War Z" (June 21). Critics are divided (see below). Some find it a limp addition to the zombie genre, lacking "strong meat" and bogged down by "elaborate uselessness." Meanwhile, others are impressed, calling the film a "total rush," admiring Pitt's "stoic grace" and Forster's handling of an "impressive horde of flesheaters." Now that a release schedule rests on more high-risk tentpoles that statistically yield more returns than smaller bets, and viral word-of-mouth can kill a movie no matter how much a studio pummels the public with marketing, it's essential to deliver the goods. (THR lays out the logic for why studios are more willing to push their dates around, from "Where the Wild Things Are" to "G.I. Joe: Retaliation."). Yes, they're making the movies better. But add in global. »
- Anne Thompson
First Look: Six New Images for Steve McQueen's 'Twelve Years a Slave,' Starring Ejiofor, Fassbender, Cumberbatch and More
12 hours ago
Fox Searchlight has released the first official images for Steve McQueen's highly anticipated "Twelve Years a Slave," starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Solomon Northrup, Sarah Paulson and Lupita Nyongo. No sightings yet of Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Michael K. Williams or Paul Dano, who also have roles in the film. An unofficial image of pint-sized Quvenzhane Wallis in costume is here.Here's what we know so far about the film: Written by John Ridley from the book by Solomon Northrup, it centers on his true story. Northrup (Ejiofor), a freed black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War United States. Fassbender plays Northrop's malevolent slave owner, and Pitt a Canadian abolitionist.McQueen previously directed Fassbender in "Shame," acquired by Searchlight, and "Hunger." The film is set to hit theaters on December 27, just in time for awards season. »
- Beth Hanna
Relativity Makes Aggressive Awards Season Push for 'Out of the Furnace,' Starring Bale, Affleck and Harrelson
12 hours ago
Distributors are starting to actually sit down and watch movies that may or may not be awards worthy. Disney moved "Saving Mr. Banks" into a limited platform release before the holidays; Oscar mavens the Weinsteins are lining up their ducks, from "Fruitvale Station"'s summer launch to likely fall fest entries "August: Osage County" and "Mandela: Walk to Freedom." But are we ready for B-movie purveyor Relativity to enter the Oscar derby? The distributor is making a significant change in its release plan for Scott Cooper's gritty drama "Out of the Furnace," starring Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Sam Shepard, Zoe Saldana and Willem Dafoe. Previously scheduled for October 4, the film will now have a limited release on November 27, expanding on December 6, at the height of awards season. This bespeaks confidence, whether deserved or misplaced. Relativity has reason to believe, as Cooper's last feature, "Crazy Heart," won Jeff Bridges an Oscar. »
- Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
Trailer Watch: Brit Comedy 'I Give It a Year' Stars Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall as Newlyweds Facing the One Year Itch
13 hours ago
Check out the new trailer for Dan Mazer's Brit comedy "I Give It a Year," starring Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall ("Life of Pi") as newlyweds who may have rushed to the altar a little too quickly. Anna Faris, Minnie Driver and Simon Baker also star. Director Mazer ("Borat") penned the script, with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner ("Love, Actually") producing. Here's the official synopsis:Since they met at a party, ambitious high-flyer Nat (Rose Byrne) and struggling novelist Josh (Rafe Spall) have been deliriously happy despite their differences. Josh is a thinker, Nat’s a doer, but the spark between them is undeniable. Their wedding is a dream come true, but no one — family, friends and even the minister who marries them — is convinced that they will last. Josh’s ex-girlfriend, Chloe (Anna Faris), and Nat’s handsome American client Guy (Simon Baker) could offer attractive alternatives. With their first anniversary approaching, »
- Beth Hanna
Trailers from Hell: Mick Garris on David Cronenberg's 'Scanners'
14 hours ago
Mick Garris' House of Horrors continues at Trailers from Hell with director Garris introducing David Cronenberg's Canadian telekinetic thriller, "Scanners.""10 Seconds: The Pain Begins. 15 Seconds: You Can't Breathe. 20 Seconds: You Explode." Heads exploded at Avco Embassy Pictures when Cronenberg's film grossed an unexpectedly hefty $14 million, setting the company on a course of profitable genre pix throughout the early '80s. Two sequels (The New Order, The Takeover) and two spinoffs (Scanner Cop 1 and 2) appeared in the following decade. In 2007 a remake was announced but hasn't happened. »
- Trailers From Hell
Laff: 'Short Term 12,' 'Crash Reel,' Indiewire Influencers Rock the Regal
18 June 2013 4:54 PM, PDT
I'm getting used to schlepping downtown on Olympic to Laff and laying down my 8 bucks for parking at La Live. The theaters at Regal Cinemas were packed for two fest hits, Destin Cretton's SXSW prize-winner "Short Term 12" and Lucy Walker's Sundance entry "Crash Reel," which brought a standing ovation for snowboarder Kevin Pearce. At the "Short Term 12" dinner at Church and State, I met John Gallagher, star of "The Newsroom," who jumped on board Cretton's superb movie on the strength of the script. For the most part he and co-star Brie Larson, who breaks out in this role, stuck to Cretton's screenplay, which was expanded from his short film, although they both credit their young co-stars for keeping them on their toes. Our interview with Cretton is here. Gallagher says that during the first season on "Newsroom," there was little awareness about the way women were treated on the series. »
- Anne Thompson
Obit: Documentary Filmmaker Dennis O'Rourke (1945-2013)
18 June 2013 11:54 AM, PDT
The great Australian documentary filmmaker Dennis O'Rourke has died at 67. His often controversial documentaries on the human condition include "Half Life: A Parable for the Nuclear Age" (1985) "Cannibal Tours" (1988) and "The Good Woman of Bangkok" (1991) and "Cunnamulla" (2000), see trailers below. Many of his films, often dealing with decolonization, were shown on the international festival circuit, including the Sundance Film Festival. Pat Fiske, a fellow Australian documentarian, posted on her Facebook page a brief obit written by Stefan Moore, Martha Ansara, Ruth Cullen and Tracey Spring: The friends and colleagues of Dennis O’Rourke are deeply saddened by the death of one of the greatest documentary makers of his generation. Dennis died of cancer on June 15 in his home in Cairns surrounded by his partner Tracey Spring and his five children, Bill, Davy, Celia, Xavier and Sophie. His unique cinematic style defied »
- Anne Thompson
AFI Docs Announces Policy Engagement Program; Documentary Filmmakers Meet with Policy Makers to Maximize Impact
18 June 2013 11:12 AM, PDT
AFI Docs presented by Audi (formerly Silverdocs) has announced their inaugural Policy Engagement Program, where filmmakers making social-issues documentaries connect with policy makers to maximize their impact on the issues their films cover. The program will take place in Washington D.C. on June 20; panelists and full schedule below.Filmmakers have the opportunity to schedule one-on-one meetings with Congressional Members and staff from regions and committees as well as Federal agencies related to their films. The filmmakers of "Gideon's Army," "I Learned America," "Best Kept Secret," "The Crash Reel" and "Lost for Life" were selected for personalized, targeted pro bono advocacy support by leading advocates.The Bi-partisan panelists include former and current staffers from the house, senate, administration and prominent NGOs, most of whom have experience working with filmmakers.June 20, 2013 Schedule:10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. Film and Politics Boot camp10:00 a.m. Campaigns and »
- Beth Hanna
Laff Review: Joe Burke's 'Four Dogs' Is Breezy Buddy Showbiz Comedy with Bite (Trailer)
18 June 2013 11:01 AM, PDT
While micro-budget, plotless indies about sad sack dudes and their lonely lives are old hat at a time when anyone can pick up a camera and shoot, Joe Burke's "Four Dogs," a narrative competition Laff world premiere, stands a cut above as a portrait of two emotionally impotent man-children.A prolific director of short films for nearly a decade, Burke makes his theatrical feature debut with this easy, breezy comedy about a pair of hapless guys drifting aimlessly through existence. Moving at a leisurely, episodic pace, the film captures the meandering sway of life as an low-on-luck actor in Los Angeles. Burke funded the film via family and friends and shot it at the San Fernando Valley home of leading man Oliver Cooper (who played a pervy party animal in "Project X"). He's well-cast as adrift and astray 22-year-old Oliver, who leads a deadbeat life at his chain-smoking aunt's house, »
- Ryan Lattanzio
Watch: Young Natalie Portman's Original Audition Tape for Luc Besson's 'Leon: The Professional'
18 June 2013 10:18 AM, PDT
Check out Natalie Portman's original audition tape for Luc Besson's "Leon: The Professional." In the video, an 11-year-old Portman reads a number of the lines that she would eventually say in the 1994 film as Mathilda, the pre-teen taken in by assassin Leon (Jean Reno) after the murder of her family in a police raid. Watch below. Hat tip: The Playlist. »
- Beth Hanna
Will Movie Star James Franco Face Blowback for Seeking $500,000 in Crowdfunding to Adapt His Short Stories to Film?
18 June 2013 9:33 AM, PDT
James Franco, ever the multi-tasker willing to try something new, has latched on to the crowdfunding trend. He's seeking $500,000 from backers on Indiegogo to adapt his own book of short stories, entitled "Palo Alto," into a trilogy of films. It's important to note that Indiegogo allows for "flexible funding" -- i.e. a project receives whatever is raised by its deadline, regardless of whether it meets its fundraising goal. Franco has enlisted several emerging filmmakers (including Nina Ljeti, Vladimir Bourdeau, Bruce Thierry Cheung and Gabriel Demestree) to turn the book of short stories into a series of films. No word on whether Franco will direct. So the question is: Will Franco receive the same negative reaction as fellow famous crowdfunder Zach Braff? The argument can be made--Emily Best of Seed and Spark made it Monday night at the Los Angeles Film Festival's Indiewire Influencers reception-- that it's not the »
- Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
Watch: First Full Episode of Showtime's New Series 'Ray Donovan,' Starring Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight
18 June 2013 9:29 AM, PDT
Showtime's new original series, "Ray Donovan," debuts on June 30 following the series finale of "Dexter." But the cabler is giving you the option of watching the first episode right now. The show stars Liev Schreiber as a fixer for L.A.'s upper class whose life is thrown into turmoil when his father (Jon Voight) is released from prison. "Southland" creator Ann Biderman is behind the new series, with Allen Coulter ("Hollywoodland," "The Sopranos") helming the pilot. Based on the first episode, does "Ray Donovan" look promising? It didn't fare so well on Entertainment Weekly's Bullseye feature in the June 21 issue ("The only thing professional fixer Ray Donovan should be repairing is his new TV show"); yet the Hollywood Reporter has given it a score of 100 on Metacritic. »
- Beth Hanna
Laff: Forest Whitaker's JuntoBox Films Announces Greenlight of Fifth Feature, 'The Driver'
18 June 2013 9:00 AM, PDT
Tuesday at the Los Angeles Film Festival, JuntoBox Films, a collaborative film studio chaired by Forest Whitaker, announced the greenlight of the company's fifth feature film: "The Driver." Whitaker was recently named one of Indiewire's Influencers for his founding of JuntoBox and Significant Productions. Alex Ardenti is attached to direct. Penned by George Richards, the film centers on a down-on-his-luck boxer who agrees to be the driver for a heist. Things go wrong, and he's left with a dead partner and a bag full of cash. The boxer unwisely decides to keep half of the take for himself, but is found out by his employer, who gives him the ultimatum: Kill or be killed. The concept behind JuntoBox is for fans and filmmakers to connect and create films, merging the collobaration of a social platform with traditional in-house film production. It will be selecting its next slate of films from »
- Beth Hanna
Laff Review: Lake Bell's 'In a World' a Hilarious Feminist Comedy About the Power of Voice
17 June 2013 5:12 PM, PDT
What’s in a voice? Power, for one thing. The power to tell people things -- anything from an update on a global crisis to the general gist of a young adult movie franchise. This idea is at the center of Lake Bell’s hilarious, sincere and boldly feminist comedy “In a World,” which she wrote, directed and stars in. Carol (Bell) is a vocal coach eking out a living in Los Angeles. She’s in the shadow of her father, Sam Soto (Fred Melamed), one of the bigwigs in the field of movie-trailer voiceovers, a profession Carol would love to break into if it weren’t so male-dominated and if Dad weren’t so offhandedly unsupportive of her ambitions. But when she wins a gig voicing the preview for a “children’s romantic comedy” (ha!), and then another and another, Carol starts to think she might have some traction »
- Beth Hanna
Review: Tragi-Comedy 'Act of Killing' Confronts the Killer Inside (Trailer)
17 June 2013 11:43 AM, PDT
With his documentary festival hit "The Act of Killing," which just screened at Laff, Joshua Oppenheimer has reset the bar for tragi-comedy. As in, don’t even bother trying, Hollywood. Ever again. In fact, why don’t we just dispense with next year’s Oscar race right now and give both the best documentary and the best feature award to this film? It even has a musical within it, so it could take that category at the Globes, too. Drafthouse opens the movie limited on July 19. "The Act of Killing" is so disturbing on so many levels, it’s difficult to know where – and how -- to begin. It opens with one of the most beautiful images you’ll ever see, a building in the shape of a fish with a line of Indonesian women in fluorescent pink dancing out of its mouth. Two intense hours later the film ends »
- Tom Christie
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