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
Brad Pitt, Edward Norton Reunion A Bust
Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories:
Universal,
Adaptation,
Drama,
Political,
Casting,
Filmmaking,
Upcoming Releases
It was probably one of the most buzzed about reunions since Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were brought back together again. Now it looks like we might have to wait another 8 years to see it happen.
Back in September, it was announced that Brad Pitt and Edward Norton would join forces for the political drama, State of Play. The two, last seen together in 1999’s Fight Club, were next set to spar in the political arena. Pitt was cast as former campaign manager-turned-reporter while Edward was scheduled to play a congressman whose research assistant is murdered. I use the word ‘was’ because Play’s two core stars have since dropped out.
Unhappy with the final script, Pitt eventually backed out of the film. Although Russell Crowe had agreed to step in, his late arrival pushed the starting date from November to January. This change unfortunately posed a scheduling conflict for Norton, who was then forced to exit as well. It is now hoped that Ben Affleck will slide in his place. (I for some reason doubt the Crowe/Affleck chemistry could even come close to the original pairing’s.)
Assuming no other last minute changes are made, the movie - an adaptation of a British mini-series - will also feature Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn and Jason Bateman.
Read More 
| Variety
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Golden Globe Nominations (Film)
Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories:
Action,
Adaptation,
Animation,
Drama,
Family,
Foreign,
Foreign Language,
Independent,
Music,
Musicals,
Period,
Political,
Romance,
Comedy,
Thrillers,
Awards,
Lists
Assuming the ongoing writers’ strike doesn’t put a wrench into everyone’s plans, the 65th Annual Golden Globes ceremony is scheduled to air on Sunday, Jan. 13th. (The NBC telecast will come just 9 days prior to the Academy Award nominations.)
Here are the most notable omissions/additions in this year’s list of film honorees:
- Atonement led the nominations with seven; Charlie Wilson’s War came in second with five.
- Musicals (Sweeney Todd, Across the Universe, Hairspray) dominated the Comedy/Musical category.
- Cate Blanchett received two acting nominations (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, I’m Not There).
- Philip Seymour Hoffman was also a double-nominee (The Savages, Charlie Wilson’s War)
- Hoffman’s Savages co-star, Laura Linney, was not nominated for her performance.
- The Kite Runner was nominated in the Foreign Film category.
- Javier Bardem was the only actor nominated from No Country for Old Men.
- Into the Wild was left out of all major categories.
(Click below for the full list of film nominees; click here for the TV nominations.)
Click to continue reading Golden Globe Nominations (Film)
Read More | Hollywood Foreign Press Assocation
In Theaters This Weekend (12/7)
Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories:
Fox Searchlight,
New Line,
Action,
Adaptation,
Adventure,
Documentary,
Drama,
Foreign,
Independent,
Music,
Period,
Romance,
Comedy,
Sports,
Thrillers,
Lists,
New Releases
Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:
- The Golden Compass (PG-13): starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue (directed by Chris Weitz)
- Atonement* (R): starring Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saorise Ronan (directed by Joe Wright)
- Billy the Kid* (NR): (directed by Jennifer Venditti)
- Dirty Laundry* (PG-13): starring Loretta Devine, Rockmond Dunbar, Jenifer Lewis (directed by Maurice Jamal)
- Grace is Gone* (PG-13): starring John Cusack, Marisa Tomei, Zach Grey (directed by James C. Strouse)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend (12/7)
In Theaters This Weekend (11/30)
Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories:
Fox Searchlight,
Weinstein Company,
Adaptation,
Documentary,
Drama,
Foreign,
Independent,
Mystery,
Period,
Political,
Science Fiction,
Comedy,
Thrillers,
Lists,
New Releases
- Awake (R): starring Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard (directed by Joby Harold)
- Badland* (R): starring Jamie Draven, Linda St. George, Linda Naney (directed by Francesco Lucente)
- Chronicles of an Escape* (R): starring Rodrigo De La Serna, Pablo Echarri (directed by Adrian Israel Caetano)
- Divine Intervention* (R): starring Wesley Jonathan, Jazsmin Lewis, James Avery (directed by Van Elder)
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly* (PG-13): starring Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner (directed by Julian Schnabel)
- Oswald’s Ghost* (NR): (directed by Robert Stone)
- Protagonist* (R): starring Hans-Joachim Klein, Mark Pierpont, Joe Loya (directed by Jessica Yu)
- The Sasquatch Gang* (NR): starring Jon Gries, Jeremy Sumpter, Justin Long (directed by Tim Skousen)
- The Savages* (R): starring Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco (directed by Tamara Jenkins)
- Sex and Breakfast* (R): starring Macaulay Culkin, Alexis Dziena, Eliza Dushku (directed by Miles Brandman)
- Teeth* (R): starring John Hensley, Jess Weixler, Hale Appleman (directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein)
*limited and/or gradual release
Don’t Rush to Theaters for ‘August Rush’
Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories:
Warner Bros,
Drama,
Family,
Music,
New Releases
From the first time I saw the trailer, I had a bad feeling about the dramatic, music-themed August Rush, which doesn’t seem to have a strong cast or even a believable storyline. Early reviews are in, and so far the criticism isn’t good.
Freddie Highmore plays a young boy with innate musical talent, who embarks upon a quest to find his parents. That, in a nutshell, is the plot. There is one scene were the young boy stands in a field and hears music on the breeze, which inspires him to head to the big city of New York to find his mom and dad (because that’s a highly likely thing for a boy under fifteen to do). His parents are played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers (you know, Henry VIII), and Keri Russell (I know, who?), both musicians themselves, who meet and conceive a baby. The mother’s father has the resulting baby (Highmore) given up for adoption, telling his daughter the baby died. But don’t let this soap operatic plot be the thing that deters you – be deterred by over-the-top acting instead.
Click to continue reading Don’t Rush to Theaters for ‘August Rush’
Read More | MSNBC
British Film About John Lennon Comes to U.S.
Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories:
IFC Films,
Documentary,
Drama,
Music,
New Releases
IFC Entertainment is planning to distribute three movies in the U.S., new to States viewers but already old hat to British audiences. Two are comedies, but one is a thought-provoking documentary-style flick that focuses on one of the terrible events in American (and British) history.
The Killing of John Lennon focuses on Mark David Chapman’s actions in 1980 which robbed the world of a beautiful musical genius. Even two decades after his death, John Lennon is still rich fodder for movie makers of all kinds.
The flick is set to be released stateside January 8, exactly twenty-seven years and one month after the former Beatles member was assassinated.
Read More | Yahoo! News
In Theaters This Holiday Weekend (11/21)
Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories:
20th Century Fox,
Disney,
MGM,
Sony,
Warner Bros,
Weinstein Company,
Yari Film Group Releasing,
Action,
Adaptation,
Adventure,
Animation,
Drama,
Family,
Foreign,
Horror,
Music,
Period,
Comedy,
Thrillers,
Lists,
New Releases
Here are some possible suggestions for your holiday enjoyment:
- August Rush (PG): starring Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard (directed by Kirsten Sheridan)
- Enchanted (PG): starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon (directed by Kevin Lima)
- Hitman (R): starring Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko (directed by Xavier Gens)
- No Country for Old Men (R): starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin (directed by Joel Coen)
- Stephen King’s The Mist (R): starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden (directed by Frank Darabont)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Holiday Weekend (11/21)
2007 Holiday Movie Guide
Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories:
20th Century Fox,
Columbia Pictures,
DreamWorks,
Disney,
Yari Film Group Releasing,
Animation,
Drama,
Family,
Romance,
Comedy,
Box Office,
Casting,
Upcoming Releases
The music, the décor, the treats…the weather. The holidays are drawing near, and that can only mean one thing: lots of sappy heart-wrenchers are going to start appearing in our movie theaters. Even the films couched as comedies are sure to evoke a deeper meaning, all in an effort to open our holiday hearts.
Whether you want tears, laughter, or good old-fashioned family entertainment, this year Hollywood is running the gamut on movies designed to tempt you away from the malls and into the theaters. But will you actually see any of them? Get the scoop on all the upcoming movies being released this holiday season.
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
I saw the trailer and immediately dismissed this movie out of hand. Never mind that it has Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman (a big star cast if ever there was one); this is a movie about a magic toy shop. HUH? Who actually got Hoffman and Portman to agree to this? Designed especially for kids and family, Magorium is about an inventor (Hoffman) and his manager’s (Portman) attempts to keep the shop open, despite intervention from an accountant (Jason Bateman).
This one’s for the little tykes, people. Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium comes to theaters November 16.
Click to continue reading 2007 Holiday Movie Guide
Read More | AOL Movies
Review: ‘American Gangster’
Posted by David Onda
Categories:
Universal,
Action,
Drama,
Period,
Political,
Thrillers,
New Releases,
Theatrical Reviews
American Gangster is based on the true story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), an African American drug kingpin in 1970s Harlem who smuggles heroin in the caskets of dead soldiers returning from Vietnam. Lucas buys the drug wholesale from the source and sells a more purer form at half the price, effectively putting his competition out of business and making him one of the most powerful men in New York. Russell Crowe plays Detective Richie Roberts, a straight-laced cop who is assigned to solve the city’s drug problem.
Bottom line: Ridley Scott turns a spellbinding American story into a riveting three hours of cinema. I foresee Oscar nominations abound for this flick.
Check out my detailed review after the jump and find out which Goonie put out one hell of a performance.
Click to continue reading Review: ‘American Gangster’
Box Office Breakdown: A Gangbusters Weekend for Washington, Crowe
Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories:
DreamWorks,
Disney,
Miramax,
Lionsgate,
New Line,
Sony,
Touchstone,
Universal,
Warner Bros,
Action,
Animation,
Drama,
Family,
Horror,
Romance,
Comedy,
Thrillers,
Box Office,
Lists,
New Releases
Combine Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington’s star-wattage and you’re bound to get a hit. But did anyone expect a $43 million debut for American Gangster? Why did these Oscar-winners do so well when others have only done okay? How did an R-rated film beat out an animated PG flick? Why didn’t the movie’s long running-time (157 minutes) turn people away?
Gangster’s #1 spot was just one of the film’s many weekend achievements. The movie also marked the biggest opening weekend for both lead actors (Russell’s Gladiator earned $35 million; Washington’s Inside Man grossed $29 million). It also had the 2nd best debut for a drama in November (right behind 2002’s 8 Mile).
Unfortunately, all this good news was lost on comedian Jerry Seinfeld—the hardest working self-promoter of 2007. Even though NBC spent countless hours of airtime sucking up to its former Golden Boy, Seinfeld’s Bee Movie was stung with a 2nd place finish. Although $38 million take is nothing to complain about, I expect next week’s Fred Claus will slide right in to become the week’s best-grossing comedy.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: A Gangbusters Weekend for Washington, Crowe
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