"It's important to think. It's what separates us from lentils." --Richard Lagravanese, The Fisher King
He did it the hard way, like David battling Goliath this past Valentine's Day. Yes, Richard Lagravanese's latest effort, The Last Five Years, a romantic musical of sorts with next to no spoken dialogue, opened against the whip-wielding Fifty Shades of Grey, a syrupy soft core melodrama with perhaps too much dialogue.
The battle's result so far, at least as of this past Monday: $137,945 versus a worldwide take of $485,791,785. Well, at least David got the better reviews.
Yes, Richard Lagravanese, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of such acclaimed titles as The Fisher King, Behind the Candelabra, The Bridges of Madison County, and Unbroken, which he co-wrote with the Coen Brothers, and the intermittent director of such fare as Living Out Loud and Freedom Writers, is a survivor of numerous Hollywood battles, many won, some lost. Beloved, for example,...
He did it the hard way, like David battling Goliath this past Valentine's Day. Yes, Richard Lagravanese's latest effort, The Last Five Years, a romantic musical of sorts with next to no spoken dialogue, opened against the whip-wielding Fifty Shades of Grey, a syrupy soft core melodrama with perhaps too much dialogue.
The battle's result so far, at least as of this past Monday: $137,945 versus a worldwide take of $485,791,785. Well, at least David got the better reviews.
Yes, Richard Lagravanese, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of such acclaimed titles as The Fisher King, Behind the Candelabra, The Bridges of Madison County, and Unbroken, which he co-wrote with the Coen Brothers, and the intermittent director of such fare as Living Out Loud and Freedom Writers, is a survivor of numerous Hollywood battles, many won, some lost. Beloved, for example,...
- 3/3/2015
- by Brandon Judell
- www.culturecatch.com
Tertiary students in Australia would rather watch online. documentaries such as John Pilger.s Utopia and Gilliam Armstrong.s Love, Lust & Lies and Aussie features than Hollywood blockbusters. That.s apparent from a list of the most popular videos streamed in 2014 on Kanopy, an online platform for universities, colleges and their students.
Excluding instructional videos, 20 of the 30 most watched titles in Australia last year were local productions. Silver Linings Playbook is the only recent Hollywood film to figure in the top 30.
.Students have access to hundreds of Us blockbusters yet they are choosing to watch videos like Utopia, Freedom Writers or Samson & Delilah more regularly than the mainstream Us blockbusters,. Kanopy CEO Olivia Humphrey tells If.
.Crossing the Line, Samson & Delilah, Ten Canoes, Muriel.s Wedding, Looking for Alibrandi, Head On, Lantana and My Brilliant Career all outperform even The Hunger Games.
.It's surprising because student viewing behaviour on Kanopy...
Excluding instructional videos, 20 of the 30 most watched titles in Australia last year were local productions. Silver Linings Playbook is the only recent Hollywood film to figure in the top 30.
.Students have access to hundreds of Us blockbusters yet they are choosing to watch videos like Utopia, Freedom Writers or Samson & Delilah more regularly than the mainstream Us blockbusters,. Kanopy CEO Olivia Humphrey tells If.
.Crossing the Line, Samson & Delilah, Ten Canoes, Muriel.s Wedding, Looking for Alibrandi, Head On, Lantana and My Brilliant Career all outperform even The Hunger Games.
.It's surprising because student viewing behaviour on Kanopy...
- 1/8/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Is your concept of development work defined by Brad Pitt? Brendan Rigby argues it's time to deconstruct the aid worker's professional identity
Position title: Special investigator P-5, Un
Duty station: Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean
Contract type: Short-term consultancy (or until the world ends)
Job level: P-5
Purpose of the position: Special investigator and inter-agency lead in the area of (i) evidence-based responses to global pandemic codenamed 'Z'; (ii) ... to promote wellbeing of children and women consistent with the ... Convention Against Zombies (2013) ...(iii) advise on the mechanisms to prevent and treat the global pandemic, and how best to eliminate the infected hosts. Axe or baseball bat?
I am not sure if Brad Pitt's character, Gerry Lane, in World War Z received 'terms of reference' before taking on a contract to investigate the source of the pandemic spiralling out of control across the world. (Or if blackmail is part of...
Position title: Special investigator P-5, Un
Duty station: Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean
Contract type: Short-term consultancy (or until the world ends)
Job level: P-5
Purpose of the position: Special investigator and inter-agency lead in the area of (i) evidence-based responses to global pandemic codenamed 'Z'; (ii) ... to promote wellbeing of children and women consistent with the ... Convention Against Zombies (2013) ...(iii) advise on the mechanisms to prevent and treat the global pandemic, and how best to eliminate the infected hosts. Axe or baseball bat?
I am not sure if Brad Pitt's character, Gerry Lane, in World War Z received 'terms of reference' before taking on a contract to investigate the source of the pandemic spiralling out of control across the world. (Or if blackmail is part of...
- 9/20/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
We've all seen or heard about the cliché-ridden movies about a teacher who makes a difference whether it's Mr. Holland's Opus , Dead Poets Society , Freedom Writers and countless others, but there's something about Daniel Barnz's Won't Back Down that seems like it's coming out at just the right time to address very real problems in our current school system while setting out to be an entertaining movie rather than being preachy. The movie takes place in and around the Adams Elementary School in Pittsburgh where a concerned mother realizes her dyslexic daughter can't get the help she needs to read within the current public school system, so she starts putting together a plan to takeover the school with a group of teachers and try to turn things around. Last week,...
- 9/27/2012
- Comingsoon.net
Schools are closing, absentee rates are high and graduation rates are plummeting. Let's face it, folks, education in America is failing.
How do we know this? Because we watch a lot of news. We mean movies.
Here at NextMovie, we're usually all about making you forget about the harsh realities of the world in favor of providing entertainment as a diversion, but we couldn't resist involving ourselves in this vital issue, especially in light of this Friday's new release on the subject, "Won't Back Down," starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis.
Please enjoy the public service announcement above, and pass it on. The children are counting on you.
Movies Included (Click to Stream or Buy):
High School High | Freedom Writers | World's Greatest Dad | Never Been kissed | Clueless | Stand and Deliver| Teachers| Summer School | Lean on Me | Dead Poet's Society | Teen Wolf | Not Another Teen Movie | Donnie Darko | Fast Times At Ridgemont High...
How do we know this? Because we watch a lot of news. We mean movies.
Here at NextMovie, we're usually all about making you forget about the harsh realities of the world in favor of providing entertainment as a diversion, but we couldn't resist involving ourselves in this vital issue, especially in light of this Friday's new release on the subject, "Won't Back Down," starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis.
Please enjoy the public service announcement above, and pass it on. The children are counting on you.
Movies Included (Click to Stream or Buy):
High School High | Freedom Writers | World's Greatest Dad | Never Been kissed | Clueless | Stand and Deliver| Teachers| Summer School | Lean on Me | Dead Poet's Society | Teen Wolf | Not Another Teen Movie | Donnie Darko | Fast Times At Ridgemont High...
- 9/24/2012
- by Kevin Polowy
- NextMovie
This week on DVD/Blu-ray: Canada's moving Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film; a horror flick from the guy that brought you "The Blair Witch Project"; The Who's classic rock opera; a cool and brutal Scandinavian thriller; and the latest comedy from the director of "The Big Chill." #1. "Monsieur Lazhar" For better or worse, the teacher/classroom genre is a Hollywood staple. From "Dangerous Minds" and "Freedom Writers" to "Mr. Holland's Opus" and "Dead Poets Society," these films tend to follow a standard plot formula (and often reap considerable box office and Oscar nominations anyway). Quebecois import "Monsieur Lazhar" -- fresh off an Academy Award nomination for foreign language film -- manages to transcend the genre with a moving, realistic take on student-teacher relations. Directed by Philippe Falardeau, the film follows Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag), an Algerian...
- 8/28/2012
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
While the following films have all been simmering quietly on the burner while we usher in the major tent poles of the summer movie season, their trailers promise that once the explosions and action die down, we can get back to normal (for the most part).
First up is “What Maisie Knew,” featuring the likes of Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård and Steve Coogan in a Henry James-derived dramedy that is set to explore the complexity of modern marriage and family happenings, and it looks as if it could be a charming little indie from the directing team of “Suture” helmers Scott McGehee and David Siegel. In this contemporary reworking of James' novel, young Maisie spends life being shuffled around between her irresponsible divorced parents, and watches as they start to pick out new partners – all while their new partners fall in love with each other. The impressive ensemble seems to be on point here,...
First up is “What Maisie Knew,” featuring the likes of Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård and Steve Coogan in a Henry James-derived dramedy that is set to explore the complexity of modern marriage and family happenings, and it looks as if it could be a charming little indie from the directing team of “Suture” helmers Scott McGehee and David Siegel. In this contemporary reworking of James' novel, young Maisie spends life being shuffled around between her irresponsible divorced parents, and watches as they start to pick out new partners – all while their new partners fall in love with each other. The impressive ensemble seems to be on point here,...
- 5/17/2012
- by Benjamin Wright
- The Playlist
For better or worse, the teacher/classroom genre is a Hollywood staple. From "Dangerous Minds" and "Freedom Writers" to "Mr. Holland's Opus" and "Dead Poets Society," these films follow a pretty standard plot formula time and time again (and often reap considerable box office and Oscar nominations anyway). But this weekend, Quebecois import "Monsieur Lazhar" -- fresh off an Oscar nomination -- transcends the genre with a moving, realistic take on student-teacher relations. Directed by Philippe Falardeau, the film follows Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag), an Algerian immigrant who is hired to replace a teacher at a Montreal elementary school who kills herself. Honest and sincere in a manner rare to its Hollywood counterparts, "Lazhar" is a powerful little film that effectively takes on a multitude of issues permeating today's society. In honor of "Lazhar," Indiewire thought we'd offer 8...
- 4/12/2012
- by Austin Dale, Steve Greene, Peter Knegt, Eric Kohn and Nigel M. Smith
- Indiewire
Adrien Brody stars as Henry Barthes, a substitute teacher and lost soul grappling with a troubled past, in Detachment. Barthes finds himself at a public school where an apathetic student body has created a frustrated, burned-out administration. Barthes inadvertently becomes a role model to his students, while also bonding with a runaway teen who is just as lost as he is.
Called a "harrowing depiction of the American educational system" by The Hollywood Reporter, Detachment is the long-awaited movie from director Tony Kaye (Amercian History X). Its stellar ensemble cast includes Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, William Petersen, Bryan Cranston, Tim Blake Nelson, Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, James Caan, and newcomers Sami Gayle and Betty Kaye.
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 2/21/2012 by reelz
Adrien Brody | Lucy Liu | Marcia Gay Harden | Christina Hendricks | Lean on Me | Music of the Heart | October Sky | Freedom Writers | The Class | Detachment | Half Nelson | Stand and Deliver...
Called a "harrowing depiction of the American educational system" by The Hollywood Reporter, Detachment is the long-awaited movie from director Tony Kaye (Amercian History X). Its stellar ensemble cast includes Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, William Petersen, Bryan Cranston, Tim Blake Nelson, Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, James Caan, and newcomers Sami Gayle and Betty Kaye.
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 2/21/2012 by reelz
Adrien Brody | Lucy Liu | Marcia Gay Harden | Christina Hendricks | Lean on Me | Music of the Heart | October Sky | Freedom Writers | The Class | Detachment | Half Nelson | Stand and Deliver...
- 2/21/2012
- by reelz gustafson
- Reelzchannel.com
Los Angeles—Alcon Entertainment will finance and produce the supernatural thriller “Beautiful Creatures,” based on the New York Times best selling novel of the same name–the first of a hugely popular series written by authors Kami Carcia and Margaret Stohl–it was announced by Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. Film will be released by Warner Bros via Alcon’s output deal. Alcon, which has film rights to all three books in the series published by Little Brown Books–including Beautiful Darkness, and Beautiful Chaos–is looking at “Creatures” to kick off a possible franchise at WB. Erwin Stoff (“The Matrix,” “I Am Legend”) will produce along with Kosove and Johnson (“The Blind Side, “The Book of Eli”), and Molly Smith (“Something Borrowed,” “P.S. I Love You”). Lagravenese will direct from his adaptation. Lagravenese, director of Alcon’s “P.S. I Love You,” “Freedom Writers,” among others,...
- 2/2/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Cameron Diaz gets failing grades as Chicago teacher Elizabeth Halsey in Bad Teacher, which opens in theaters everywhere today. Elizabeth swears at her students, drinks heavily and does drugs when she's not busy trying to charm the pants off a wealthy substitute teacher, played by Justin Timberlake. There are plenty of inspirational movies featuring teachers— Mr. Holland's Opus, Dead Poets Society, Dangerous Minds, Blackboard Jungle and Freedom Writers, to name a few—but this writer's favorites are the educators with some serious extracurricular—and street—cred. Before you see Bad Teacher, study up on these memorable bad-ass teachers—there may be a quiz. Mr. Hand in Fast Time at Ridgemont High: Ray Walston plays Mr. Hand, a history teacher...
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- 6/25/2011
- by Movies.com
- Movies.com - Celebrity Gossip
Cameron Diaz gets failing grades as Chicago teacher Elizabeth Halsey in Bad Teacher, which opens in theaters everywhere today. Elizabeth swears at her students, drinks heavily and does drugs when she's not busy trying to charm the pants off a wealthy substitute teacher, played by Justin Timberlake. There are plenty of inspirational movies featuring teachers— Mr. Holland's Opus, Dead Poets Society, Dangerous Minds, Blackboard Jungle and Freedom Writers, to name a few—but this writer's favorites are the educators with some serious extracurricular—and street—cred. Before you see Bad Teacher, study up on these memorable bad-ass teachers—there may be a quiz. Mr. Hand in Fast Time at Ridgemont High: Ray Walston plays Mr. Hand, a history teacher...
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- 6/25/2011
- by Movies.com
- Movies.com
I really couldn't believe the recent spread in Vanity Fair heralding the next generation of Hollywood starlets.
Kimberly Allers: It was bad enough that they couldn't (or didn't try) to find at least one person of color to include in their annual "New Hollywood" spread in the March issue. They've been taking a little heat for this ridiculous oversight. What about Gabourey Sidibe from "Precious" and Zoe Saldana? Even as an Avatar, she was still in one of the highest grossing movies of the year.
I could have stomached the photo spread; I'm pretty much used to African Americans being excluded from mainstream Hollywood. But they really went too far with the descriptive language in the accompanying story with each waiflike actress getting her respective props for "downy-soft cheeks," a "button nose," "patrician looks and celebrated pedigree," "dewy, wide-eyed loveliness," or "Ivory-soap-girl features." Ivory soap-girl features???
But is this Vanity...
Kimberly Allers: It was bad enough that they couldn't (or didn't try) to find at least one person of color to include in their annual "New Hollywood" spread in the March issue. They've been taking a little heat for this ridiculous oversight. What about Gabourey Sidibe from "Precious" and Zoe Saldana? Even as an Avatar, she was still in one of the highest grossing movies of the year.
I could have stomached the photo spread; I'm pretty much used to African Americans being excluded from mainstream Hollywood. But they really went too far with the descriptive language in the accompanying story with each waiflike actress getting her respective props for "downy-soft cheeks," a "button nose," "patrician looks and celebrated pedigree," "dewy, wide-eyed loveliness," or "Ivory-soap-girl features." Ivory soap-girl features???
But is this Vanity...
- 2/8/2010
- Momlogic
After a whopping eight Harry Potter films, Warner Bros. is just now beginning to envision an upcoming film slate that doesn't include a Harry Potter movie. So what do they do? Well, they look around for another coming-of-age property – perhaps one that would entice some of those Twilight fans to fork over their dollars. Variety tells us that the studio has officially begun the Harry Potter Replacement Project by acquiring Beautiful Creatures, the first book in a five-novel series. Richard Lagravanese (P.S. I Love You, Freedom Writers) has signed on to write and direct the film that, if successful, will probably spawn a new franchise. What's it about, you ask? Well, we've got teenagers from small towns and star-crossed lovers – it's sorta like Twilight, but wrapped in...
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- 12/2/2009
- by affiliates@fandango.com
- Fandango
Warner Brothers has acquired Beautiful Creatures, the first of a five-novel southern Gothic fantasy series by authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The book is technically being released today, but the many positive reviews over at Amazon shows that it's been available to some for a few months. Richard Lagravanese (P.S. I Love You, Freedom Writers) is scripting and directing. An excerpt from the book description, via Amazon: Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into...
- 12/1/2009
- by Devindra Hardawar
- Slash Film
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