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15 articles
‘Lone Ranger’: What Critics Are Saying
5 hours ago
With Disney’s “The Lone Ranger” set to bow on Wednesday, critics have begun weighing in on this summer’s most expensive movies. Here’s what a few have to say about the Johnny Depp Western.
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“A moderately amusing but very uneven revisionist adventure with franchise and theme park intentions written all over it.”
Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter
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“It’s an extravagantly squandered opportunity.”
Stephanie Zacharek, The Village Voice
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“It’s all too much and not enough—a succession of disparate, can-you-top-this episodes inelegantly piling up like skidding cars on a freeway.”
Keith Uhlich, Time Out of New York
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“This over-the-top oater delivers all the energy and spectacle audiences have come to expect from a Jerry Bruckheimer production, but sucks out the fun in the process.”
Peter Debruge, Variety
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“In the end, The Lone Ranger is one hot mess — an entertaining one, to be sure, but still a mess. »
- Justin Kroll
Melissa McCarthy: Comedy’s Hottest Star
5 hours ago
Melissa McCarthy is the hottest name in comedy right now — even hotter than the boys.
With Fox’s “The Heat” scoring an impressive $39 million Stateside debut this weekend, the comedic actress proved she can not only compete in a mostly male-driven genre, she’s capable of dominating it.
“The Heat,” co-starring Sandra Bullock, easily won the weekend’s face-to-face standoff with Sony’s male duo actioner, “White House Down,” which disappointed with $24.9 million. But the comparisons for McCarthy to other comedies and their male stars go much deeper than this weekend’s direct B.O. showdown alone.
Looking at the first few breakout hits for such male stars including Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Jason Bateman, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill, and it’s clear McCarthy is doing it better. The first two films in which she starred — “Bridesmaids,” for which she received an Academy Award nomination, and “The Identity Thief” — became hugely successful Stateside, »
- Andrew Stewart
Sam Rockwell’s ‘A Single Shot’ Gets U.S. Distribution
6 hours ago
Tribeca Film and Well Go USA Entertainment have co-acquired U.S. rights to thriller “A Single Shot,” starring Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Isaacs and Kelly Reilly.
Directed by David M. Rosenthal, “A Single Shot” had its world premiere in February at the Berlin International Film Festival, followed by a North American premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
“A Single Shot” will be released Aug. 20 on video-on-demand, followed by a theatrical release in major markets on Sept. 20.
Keith Kjarval of Unified Pictures produced with Aaron L. Gilbert of Bron Studios and Media House Capital and Chris Coen of Unanimous Entertainment.
The film, written by Matthew Jones from an adaptation of his novel, centers on a gunshot aimed at a deer that hits and kills a young woman in the backwoods of West Virginia. The hunter watches her die before discovering a box of money near her body »
- Dave McNary
Roberta Reardon Heads N.Y. Coalition As SAG-aftra Election Heats Up
6 hours ago
The SAG-AFTRA election is heating up with current SAG-AFTRA co-president Roberta Reardon heading the New York Coalition for Unity as a slate of SAG-AFTRA candidates.
It’s the second New York-based slate to emerge for the first election of the 15-month-old SAG-AFTRA. Ballots go out in mid-July.
Reardon has opted to seek the New York presidency, facing off against current New York president Mike Hodge, who heads the United Screen Actors Nationwide slate. The election will run from mid-July to mid-August.
The new slate is stressing organizing non-union work and the experience of its members, such as Reardon’s role in heading negotiations for the commercial contract. “We have a diversity covering every area of union membership,” she added.
Reardon was president of AFTRA from 2007 to 2012 and became co-president when the union merged with SAG. She was a strong advocate for the merger.
Ken Howard, Reardon’s SAG-AFTRA co-president, »
- Dave McNary
Comic-Con: Peter Jackson A No-Show Due to ‘Hobbit’ Lensing
6 hours ago
Peter Jackson has opted out of Comic-Con this year, citing the time crunch of shooting “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”
The director posted a 10-minute video from the set on his Facebook page, noting that he told Warner Bros. a few days ago that he would not have time to prepare a presentation for the July 18-21 event in San Diego.
“It would be hours spent away from the vital job,” said Jackson, clutching a coffee cup.
He also noted that many of the “Hobbit” actors would not be available to show up in San Diego.
“We are working six days a week to get these pickups done,” he added. “I’m sure you’ll understand.”
The video consisted of an assemblage of shots from the past several weeks, leading off with scenes of Ian McKellen’s Gandalf and Orlando Bloom’s Legolas characters.
Jackson unveiled the 48 frames per »
- Dave McNary
Christian Bale: My Batman Days Are Over
6 hours ago
Sorry, fanboys, but Christian Bale is no longer Batman — this according to Bale himself.
In an interview just published by Entertainment Weekly, the “Dark Knight Rises” actor discussed (and quickly nixed) the idea of returning for another Batman feature, as well as Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Justice League” feature.
“We were incredibly fortunate to get to make three. That’s enough. Let’s not get greedy,” he said.
Bale and Nolan had repeatedly stated that “The Dark Knight Rises” was their last Batman movie but given the recent success of “Man of Steel,” the rumor mill naturally began to spin online.
See Also: Henry Cavill Talks ‘Justice League’ Movie
“Chris (Nolan) always said he wanted to make it one film at a time. And we ended up sitting there looking at each other, saying ‘We’re about to make the third.’ We never really knew if we were going to get to be there, »
- Stuart Oldham
‘Way Way Back’ premiere brings memories
9 hours ago
Since the story behind the coming-of-age film “The Way Way Back” is about an awkward teen on vacation, its makers and guests had adolescent angst in mind at a June 29 screening in the Hamptons, followed by a barbeque afterparty.
“Everyone’s gone through things like bullying,” said 15-year-old Liam James at Goose Creek in East Hampton.
Helmed by writers Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, the Fox Searchlight pic stars James, Sam Rockwell, Steve Carell and Allison Janney.
“I collated newspapers one summer on Nantucket Island with five elderly women,” Faxon said.
Producer Tom Rice recalled vacationing on Myrtle Beach, S.C., but his biggest regret was being the mascot at football games in high school. “It seemed cool at the time but in the photos I’m wearing a hot Patriot costume with a big foam head,” Rice said. »
- Juliette Fairley
Kevin Costner Running with Disney’s ‘McFarland’
9 hours ago
Currently in “Man of Steel,” Kevin Costner has closed a deal to star in Disney’s sports drama “McFarland,” that Niki Caro will direct for the studio.
Based on a true story, Costner will play a coach living in a predominantly Hispanic California town who creates a high school track team that must overcome social and physical hurdles to become champions during the 1980s.
The lower-budgeted film, which will be produced for around $17 million, is the latest sports drama from Disney after pics like “Miracle,” “Invincible” and “Remember the Titans.”
Disney began negotiating with Costner to star in the film last summer.
The drama will be produced by Mayhem Pictures’ Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, both behind “Invincible” and “Secretariat.”
Costner is no stranger to the sports drama, of course, having already headlined “Field of Dreams,” “Tin Cup” and ”For the Love of the Game.” He is currently starring in the indie “Black and White, »
- Marc Graser and Justin Kroll
Tribeca Awards Funds to Six New Media Projects
12 hours ago
Six interactive docu projects from creatives including Gael Garcia Bernal have been awarded a total of $400,000 from the Tribeca Film Institute New Media Fund.
The nonprofit Tfi and the Tribeca Film Festival, the fest with which Tfi is loosely affiliated, have both positioned themselves as champions of transmedia and multiplatform works in recent years. It’s the third year Tfi has handed out coin from its new media fund to support such work, and the 2013 fest was the first to incorporate interactive projects, grouped under the subheading Storyscapes, as part of the festival’s main slate of titles.
Bernal teams with Marc Silver and Lina Srivastava on “Who is Dayani Cristal?,” a cross-platform look at poverty, immigration and human rights all pegged on the discovery of an unidentified body in Arizona.
Also among the projects snagging funds are “Chasing the Sun,” Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simon’s interactive online tale »
- Gordon Cox
Helen Mirren and Manish Dayal Set to Make ‘Journey’ for DreamWorks
12 hours ago
Helen Mirren and Manish Dayal are set to star in the DreamWorks pic “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” which is based on the Richard Morais novel.
Lasse Hallstrom will direct from a script by Steven Knight. Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Juliet Blake are producing.
Pic revolves around an Indian family that moves to Southern France and opens an Indian restaurant a hundred feet across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant, and a culinary battle ensues.
Pic will bow on Aug. 8, 2014.
The CAA-repped Mirren can be seen next in the Summit pic “Red 2.” Past credits for Dayal, who is repped by by Innovative Artists and Industry Entertainment, include “90210″ and “The Good Wife.” »
- Justin Kroll
Sandie Don Upped To Head Of Distribution At Hopscotch/eOne
12 hours ago
London — Entertainment One has upped co-founder Sandie Don to head of distribution for its Aussie film biz Hopscotch/eOne.
In the role, Don will oversee theatrical distribution for Hopscotch/eOne including acquisitions, sales and marketing.
Don, who previously held the role of marketing and acquisitions director, will continue to focus on both the acquisition and distribution of local and international productions as well as the lineup from eOne output partners including Summit and Lakeshore.
Don formed Hopscotch Films in 2002 with partners Troy Lum and Frank Cox. The outfit grew to become one of Australia’s leading indie distribs and was subsequently acquired by eOne in 2011.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Sandie for many years and I’m delighted to announce her promotion,” said Lum, managing director of Hopscotch/eOne. “Sandie has an unparalleled understanding of our market and outstanding relationships with the talented creative community in Australia. »
- Diana Lodderhose
Snowden YouTube Film Delivers Digital Snapshot
12 hours ago
Hong Kong–The team of Hong Kong film makers who last week delivered “Verax”, a short film about fugitive former Nsa operative Edward Snowden, say they were propelled by an urge to get beyond the media headlines.
The picture was made by a quartet of semi-professionals comprising Jeff Floro (謝夫發露), Edwin Lee (李健恩), Shawn Tse (謝兆龍) and Marcus Tsui (崔正傑), and was posted to YouTube late last week. It was scripted by Tsui and Lee.
“First it was a snapshot in time. When Snowden popped up in Hong Kong he got so much attention that it really got people talking. We wanted to give an alternative view on the situation, beyond the media chase for where he was and what he knew,” Lee, a former TV and multimedia journalist with Hong Kong’s Atv and the South China Morning Post, told Variety.
Others on the team see “Verax” in more political terms. »
- Patrick Frater
DreamWorks Animation Gives ‘Turbo’ Boost to Macau
30 June 2013 9:00 PM, PDT
New DreamWorks Animation feature “Turbo” will have its Asian regional premiere in Macau on July 13, a few days ahead of its North American commercial release on July 17.
The picture will be screened at a special event at the Venetian Theater, within the giant Venetian Macao casino resort complex, as part of the ongoing launch of The DreamWorks Experience at Cotai Strip Resorts.
Opening on July 1, The DreamWorks Experience is a family-oriented attraction featuring characters from the Dwa movie stable.
The Experience is a joint venture between Dwa and Hong Kong stock market-listed casino operator Sands China. It will include daily parades and meet-and-greets with characters, including Po from “Kung Fu Panda”; Shrek, Fiona and Puss in Boots from “Shrek”; Alex the lion, King Julien and the penguins from “Madagascar”; and Toothless and Hiccup from “How to Train Your Dragon.” From the fourth quarter of 2013, a sound and light show and »
- Variety Staff
Film Review: ‘The Lone Ranger’
30 June 2013 9:00 PM, PDT
In classic Westerns, the hero rides off into the sunset, but in “The Lone Ranger,” it’s Tonto we see shambling off toward Monument Valley as the credits roll. No longer simply the sidekick, Tonto gets top billing in Disney’s extravagant but exhausting reboot, whose vaguely revisionist origin story partners a heavily face-painted Johnny Depp with the blandly handsome Armie Hammer. Directed by “Pirates of the Caribbean’s” Gore Verbinski, this over-the-top oater delivers all the energy and spectacle audiences have come to expect from a Jerry Bruckheimer production, but sucks out the fun in the process, ensuring sizable returns but denying the novelty value required to support an equivalent franchise.
See Also: Will ‘Lone Ranger’ Make Armie Hammer a Superstar?
It’s a testament to Depp’s Lon Chaney-like ability to reinvent himself from role to role that so much of Bruckheimer’s quarter-of-a-billion-dollar gamble rides on »
- Peter Debruge
New L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti Vows to End Runaway Production, Hire ‘Film Czar’
30 June 2013 7:06 PM, PDT
Los Angeles’ newly inaugurated mayor, Eric Garcetti, pledged to be a “salesman-in-chief” for the city, including “ending runaway film and TV production for good.”
After being sworn in at a ceremony on the steps of City Hall on Sunday evening, Garcetti announced a series of goals for his term, much of them focusing on the city’s business climate. The flight of production from the Los Angeles area — from major feature films to NBC’s “Tonight Show” — was part of his focus during the campaign for mayor.
“I’ll lobby hard in Sacramento, and at the county level … and I’ll set an example in L.A., by working to eliminate the tangle of fees and rules that make filming here more like ‘Les Miserables,’ instead of ‘Fast and Furious’ like it ought to be,” Garcetti said, before quipping about the showbiz references in his prepared speech, “We were going to go with ‘Happy Feet, »
- Ted Johnson
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