Latest Video: FilmCrunch 067: Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, Premonition reviewed
Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, and Premonition in this episode of FilmCrunch.Play Video
Box Office Breakdown: Underworld Takes Over Box Office
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Buena Vista, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Classics, Drama, Family, Horror, Period, Political, Science Fiction, Sequels, Thrillers, Box Office, New Releases
Vampire films are still proving to be winning box office material, as Underworld Awakening raked in $25.3 million this past weekend, bumping Kate Beckinsale's other film, Contraband, from its number 1 spot.
Not too far behind was the Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Terrence Howard WWII film, Red Tails, which debuted at number 2 for $18.7 million. Last week's top film, Contraband, was bumped down to number 3 with $12 million while Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close jumped from 36th last week to the number 4 spot -- thanks to the addition of more than 2,000 screens. Lastly, the 3D version of Beauty and the Beast, which came in second last week, secured the number 5 spot with $8.8 million.
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Madonna’s Lonely Script
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Weinstein Company, Drama, Period, Political, Romance, Celeb News, New Releases, Scripts
Madonna wrote a film because she was lonely. The 53-year-old star's fascination with Wallis Simpson - the subject of her new movie W.E. - stemmed from her interest in English history, which she began to research when she first moved to London with former husband Guy Ritchie.
"When I moved to England after I got married, I really didn't have any friends. I didn't know anybody. I found myself in a strange world and I decided that I was going to find out about the history and culture. So I started studying English history and reading about the monarchy. When I got to Edward VIII, I was transfixed by the idea that a man would give up such a powerful position for love. I started reading books about Wallis Simpson, and I found a lot of them to be really negative and one-dimensional. When women have some kind of power, and we don't understand them, we diminish them."
Madonna related to Wallis a lot and thinks that made her the right person to direct the film: "I think I had an insight into her character that possibly other directors wouldn't have, because I know what it's like to be reduced to a sound bite."
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Madonna Asked Guy For Camera Advice
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Weinstein Company, Drama, Period, Political, Romance, Celeb News, Filmmaking, Technology, Upcoming Releases
Madonna asked ex-husband Guy Ritchie for "technical advice about cameras" while shooting W.E..
The singer-turned-director was married to filmmaker Guy Ritchie for just short of eight years, and she admits she was keen to talk to him and pick his brain to make sure her directorial debut was as good as it possibly could be: "I gave the screenplay to Guy and shared the concepts and the stories and the ideas with him because he was interested in it from a historical point of view. Guy would give me technical advice about cameras or using digital versus film or one cinematographer being better than another - just technical things."
Despite the film not yet being released, Madonna - who is currently dating a dancer more than half her age - claims she has already begun considering ideas for future movies. "I'm thinking about possible subjects, but I am a hopeless romantic, so I'm sure that romance and love will be a part of the story."
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James Franco to Play Hugh Hefner?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Biopics, Drama, Period, Casting, Celeb News, Filmmaking, Upcoming Releases
James Franco is in negotiations to play Hugh Hefner in Lovelace.
The 127 Hours actor may portray the Playboy magazine founder in the movie starring Amanda Seyfried as Linda Lovelace - best known for her starring role in porn movie Deep Throat - after passing on the opportunity to play her husband Chuck Traynor.
The role would be a cameo and only require one day of shooting, but talks have not yet been completed to find a date suitable for him, according to The Hollywood Reporter. A heavy-hitting cast including Sharon Stone, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Noth and Juno Temple are already signed on to star.
Production on the project is already underway, with shooting in Los Angeles beginning last week. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman are directing the picture.
James - who earlier this year put in a turn as presenter when he hosted the Academy Awards with Anne Hathaway - has a number of movies coming up, including Wizard of Oz prequel Oz: The Great and Powerful and Spring Breakers.
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Gary Oldman Excited to Play an Englishman
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: FOCUS, Period, Political, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, New Releases
Gary Oldman signed up for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy so he could be an Englishman.
The British actor - best known for his eccentric roles including Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series and Commissioner Gordon in the latest Batman films - was delighted to leave his Hollywood home to head for the UK to work on the project because he felt like it was "proper."
"It is always a lot of fun coming back to England and doing things like Harry Potter and Batman, but really they are fantasy worlds, so it is nice to come and do something like Tinker Tailor, something proper. Actually, it was also nice to come back and play an Englishman."
He also admits another reason he was glad to play the role of spy George Smiley in the film was because of the all-star cast: "I was just very flattered to be asked to play George Smiley at all. I mean, really, just to be involved in a film like this would've been fantastic. You've got John Hurt, Colin Firth, Kathy Burke, all these terrific actors, and it's just a delicious part."
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Steven Spielberg Driven by Fear
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: DreamWorks, Touchstone, Adaptation, Drama, Period, Celeb News, Filmmaking, New Releases
Steven Spielberg is "driven" by fear. The director admits he likes to take on projects which intimidate him, and he admits he is always nervous when he is on the set of a new movie.
"Fear is what drives me. Every movie is scary for me and every day I shoot the movie is scary. And I need fear because it drives me to explore things. It keeps me looking for a new variation on constant themes."
He admits, however, he did not struggle with working with horses on his new movie War Horse - about a boy whose beloved pet is sold by his father to work in the trenches of World War I - because he has always been around them thanks to his children.
"I'd never made a movie where a horse was the star. Or, indeed, any animal was the star. My daughter, who's 14, is a competitive jumper. And my wife just started doing dressage. So I've been living with horses for the past eight years, and they've been part of my life for the past 16 to 17 years. Based on directing a movie with horses, I now feel very strongly that they're the most intelligent animals I've ever come across."
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Sacha Baron Cohen Joins Les Miserables
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Universal, Adaptation, Classics, Drama, Musicals, Period, Celeb News, Rumors, Upcoming Releases
Sacha Baron Cohen is set to star in Les Miserables.
The Hugo actor - who is best known for comedy roles in films including Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan and Bruno - will play Monsieur Thenardier in the forthcoming musical, which will be directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Tom Hooper.
Sacha rounds of a huge cast for the film, which includes Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Russell Crowe. Glee actress Lea Michele is also in the frame for a part, playing Eponine, although Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson are also said to be vying for the character.
Tom - who won an Academy Award last year for his work on The King's Speech - recently confessed the movie would be shot in 2-D instead of 3-D, although he had flirted with the idea.
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Helen Mirren to Play Hitchcock’s Wife?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Adaptation, Classics, Drama, Horror, Period, Casting, Celeb News, Filmmaking, Rumors, Scripts
Dame Helen Mirren is set to play Alfred Hitchcock's wife in a new biopic.
The Arthur actress looks likely to join the cast of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho as Alma Reville alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins, who has been attached to play the legendary filmmaker for around a year, though insiders told the Hollywood Reporter that negotiations are still in the early stages.
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Les Miserables to Be 2-D
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Universal, Adaptation, Classics, Drama, Musicals, Period, Filmmaking, Technology, Upcoming Releases
Les Miserables will be shot in 2-D so viewers don't "physically struggle."
Director Tom Hooper - who won an Oscar for his work on The King's Speech - was "tempted" to use 3-D technology in the forthcoming blockbuster but decided against it because he wanted to make a film that would "connect with everyone."
"I can definitely announce it's good old-fashioned 2-D. I did test 3-D and I was very tempted - I think it is a very interesting new form. One of the things I'm most proud of with The King's Speech is how it managed to connect with everyone, whether you're eight or 80 years old. So I slightly worry with 3-D that some people will physically struggle with it. If you have a certain type of eyesight it can be more demanding than watching a normal movie. With a two-and-a-half hour film, I didn't want to make something that anyone might think 'That's not for me, because I don't like the medium.'"
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Box Office Breakdown: Breaking Dawn Still Sparkling
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Buena Vista, DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, New Releases
With no new major releases this past weekend, the Twi-hards were again able to secure the coveted box office top spot for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. At $16.9 million, the penultimate Twilight film has earned more than its predecessors in the third week.
The Muppets held on to its #2 spot at $11.2 million while Martin Scorcese's Hugo jumped from #5 to the #3 spot this week at $7.6 million after having been screened at an additional 500+ theaters. Holiday animated film Arthur Christmas maintained its #4 position with $7.3 million, and Happy Feet Two fell from #3 to #5 with $6 million.
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