Tracking Shot June 2011: Assayas, Brougher and Paul Thomas Anderson

At the beginning of every month, IONCINEMA.com’s “Tracking Shot” features a handful of projects that are moments away from lensing and that we feel are worth signaling out. This June, we are keeping tabs on nine projects including the untitled, aka The Master from master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.

A View from the Bridge
Director: Robert Connolly – Screenwriter: Andrew Bovell
Producer(s): Anthony LaPaglia, Marion Pilowsky, Natalie Stevenson
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Mia Wasikowska, Sam Neill, Sebastian Stan, Anthony LaPaglia
Filming in New York and Melbourne, Australia

Comments: Aussie-born actor Anthony LaPaglia wears the producer hat, returns to a character that is familiar to him: the jealousy husband/father in a 1950’s New York borough. The helmer behind the TIFF selected Balibo directs this Arthur Miller play which was the basis for Kazan’s On the Waterfront. Farmiga will look great in the eras’ garb. Ray Lawrence was originally attached to direct.

Innocence
Director: Hilary Brougher – Screenwriter: Tristine Skyler
Producer(s): Killer Films’ Pamela Koffler and Christine Vachon
Cast: Abigail Breslin, Julianne Moore
Filming in New York City.

Comments: I’ve lost count on how many times Julianne Moore pinch hits for the Killer Films crew, but we haven’t lost sight of Hilary Brougher. We have some minor complaints, but for the most part thought her sophomore film, Stephanie Daley was a strong sample of making what’s on paper dramatically poignant and the filmmaker framed the subject matters with gusto. Indie-finananced, vampire-themed films in teenagehood/school settings might be cluttering the market right now, but we’re fine with them since we look forward to the future Let Me Ins. We’re waiting for more production info on the Jane Mendelsohn book adaptation.

Just Like A Woman
Director/Screenwriter: Rachid Bouchareb
Producer(s): Allen Bain, Jesse Scolaro and Bouchareb
Cast: Sienna Miller, Golshifteh Farahani, Roschdy Zem
Filming in New Mexico

Comments: After making what I believe was his English language debut with 2009’s London River and warming up to U.S critics by having a stake in the Best Foreign film category at this year’s Oscars with Outside the Law, Rachid Bouchareb makes a curious leap to a Chicago housewife who runs off to Las Vegas to compete in a belly dancing competition. By the brief synopsis we’d think this is a comedy, but it’s listed as a drama.

Liberal Arts
Director/Screenwriter: Josh Radnor
Producer: Jesse Hara
Cast: Josh Radnor, Richard Jenkins, Elizabeth Olsen, Elizabeth Reaser and Allison Janney
Filming in (we imagine) New York City

Comments: With Happythankyoumoreplease behind him (the ugly side of the distribution business weighed down the picture), Radnor returns behind/in front of the camera, pairs up again with Richard Jenkins and grabs the “it” actress of the hour in Elizabeth Olsen. This is a bout a thirty-something guy and a coed spark due to their mutual love of books and music, though their age difference complicates their fledgling relationship.

Loft (remake)
Director: Erik Van Looy – Screenwriter: Wesley Strick
Producer(s): Hilde De Laere, Matt DeRoss, Steve Golin, Paul Green, Adam Shulman
Cast: Patrick Wilson, James Marsden, Wentworth Miller, Isabel Lucas
Filming in New Orleans

Comments: Anonymous Content folks are getting behind a remake — the English language $15 million pic. I’m always weary of a filmmaker directing his own remake, which is the case for Belgium helmer Erik Van Looy. This tells the story of five friends who share a loft for their extramarital affairs begin to question one another after the body of an unknown woman is found in the property.

Lola Versus
Director: Daryl Wein – Screenwriter: Zoe Lister Jones and Wein
Producer(s): Groundswell Productions’ Jocelyn Hayes and Michael London
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Greta Gerwig, Zoe Lister Jones
Filming in New York City

Comments: Fox Searchlight hopped onto the Wein-Lister Jones train early on and if you haven’t taken notice of Greta Gerwig yet, you will now with this tale about a 29-year-old woman who has to reevaluate her life after her longtime boyfriend calls off their wedding at the last minute. Happens to the best of us.

The Master
Director/Screenwriter: Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer(s): Megan Ellison, Daniel Lupi, JoAnne Sellar and Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Filming in California

Comments: Recently saved by some deep pockets (including the Weinsteins), the project is moments away from lensing with all the casting news that keeps trickling in with Amy Adams, Lena Endre and Laura Dern as possible additions to Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights and Magnolia). This might just be our most anticipated film for the 12′ campaign.

Something in the Air
Director/Screenwriter: Olivier Assayas
Producer: MK2’s Nathanaël Karmitz
Cast: Casting news should be made sometime soon
Filming in Italy, France and England.

Comments: Projected for a Cannes 2012 showing, this French, English and Italian film will be set in the 60’s and will feature a young actor (18 year-old-ish male) in the lead.

War of Buttons
Director: Christophe Barratier – Screenwriter: Stéphane Keller and Barratier
Producer(s): Thomas Langmann and Emmanuel Montamat
Cast: Guillaume Canet, Laetitia Casta, Kad Merad, Gérard Jugnot
Filming in Auvergne, France

Comments: A well promoted project at Cannes (we know kids with slingshots are involved in some capacity), the adaptation of the Louis Pergaud novel (author died while serving in the First World War) features a strong cast including Barratier’s fetish actor Gérard Jugnot.