Ioncinema Latest News http://www.ioncinema.com/news 2010-03-17T04:02:30-05:00 http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/css/images/ioncinema_logo_basic.gif text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4960 There are three groups of people that are staying away from Paul Thomas Anderson's next film: a.) Companies afraid to fund a project that can potentially lean to the left, b.) Hollywood players who prefer being on good terms with Tom Cruise, C.) and production companies without deep enough pockets for an auteur film of this stature. Everyone else can apply. While this project won't find a partner in Universal (did they not like the experience funding an auteur film in Basterds?), there is word that the River Road (who backed Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life) are the only ones with the balls or the deep pockets to finance such a project. - There are three groups of people that are staying away from Paul Thomas Anderson's next film: a.) Companies afraid to fund a project that can potentially lean to the left, b.) Hollywood players who prefer being on good terms with Tom Cruise, C.) and production companies without deep enough pockets for an auteur film of this stature. Everyone else can apply. While this project won't find a partner in Universal (did they not like the experience funding an auteur film in Basterds?), there is word that the River Road (who backed Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life) are the only ones with the balls or the deep pockets to finance such a project. Also worth noting, there is no putting to rest the talk that Renner might indeed be a lot closer to signing on as the apprentice to Philip Seymour Hoffman's religious guru, which is surprising if you've been keeping tabs on the project. The Playlist first scooped up the news of Renner would take on the role originally assigned for someone much younger. I speed read the site's script review, trying to stray away from spoilers, and they gave incredible insight into the character which I could picture, only if you wax the stubble off Jeremy Renner's face and bring him closer to the boyish and innocent looking charm a la Zac Efron demo. The Master would see Philip Seymour Hoffman as a founder, a "master of ceremonies" type of charismatic intellectual who hatches a faith-based organization that begins to catch on in America in 1952. The core is the relationship between the Master and Freddie, a twentysomething drifter who becomes the leader's lieutenant. As the faith begins to gain a fervent following, Freddie finds himself questioning the belief system he has embraced, and his mentor. The drama explores the need to believe in a higher power, the choice of which one to embrace and the point at which a belief system graduates into a religion. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4959 Here's hoping that the first purchase out of SXSW receives at least 1/20th of the overwhelming support that Paranormal Activity got in its box office take. After the film's premiere screening at the Austin-based film festival, Magnet didn't waste much time securing the rights to Monsters - the company know for its Six Shooter series have grabbed Gareth Edward's indie film debut which is part road movie, part sci-fi. - Here's hoping that the first purchase out of SXSW receives at least 1/20th of the overwhelming support that Paranormal Activity got in its box office take. After the film's premiere screening at the Austin-based film festival, Magnet didn't waste much time securing the rights to Monsters - the company know for its Six Shooter series have grabbed Gareth Edward's indie film debut which is part road movie, part sci-fi. The film should logically be released after Centurion, a film that I think could be Magnet Releasing's big ticket item and should perform better than a 2 million dollar take that Let the Right One made. Normally a less than 100 grand fate is what we'd expect with Monsters, but I think a doubled effort building off the buzz from SXSW could do a lot for the film. One thing is for sure, Gareth Edward, a BAFTA award-winning and Emmy-nominated visual effects artist might become an in-demand director once the industry realized how much he did with very little. Produced by Allan Niblo and James Richardson of Vertigo Films, Monsters was shot as a road movie, traveling through Guatemala, Mexico and the US, involving local people alongside leads Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able. Here the synopsis and trailer below: Six years ago previously, a NASA probe returning to earth with samples of an alien life form, crashed over Central America. Soon after, new life forms began to appear, and half of Mexico was quarantined as an "INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain "the creatures"... The story begins when a US journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through the infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4956 There's definitely an air of familiarity with the best actor predictions you'll find below - I get buzzing on future film performances based on the already established filmography, but if I use this year's Oscar winner for Best Actor, then I should expect the unexpected. - There's definitely an air of familiarity with the best actor predictions you'll find below - I get buzzing on future film performances based on the already established filmography, but if I use this year's Oscar winner for Best Actor, then I should expect the unexpected. Among the long shots, we find a pair of Colin Farrell films that are tagged for award season kudos, but between London Boulevard where the actor takes on Mitchel, an ex-con's attempt at a normal life, and The Way Back where he portrays Valka with blisters, I prefer the chances of the Weir film. Colin Firth for The King’s Speech where he plays King George VI with a lisp could raise some eyebrows. More perfs in the comedy realm we find Jake Gyllenhaal's character in Love and Other Drugs where he plays Jamie Reidy the pharmaceutical business' Jerry Maguire. Mel Gibson's The Beaver will get talked a lot - he portrays a depressed man who finds solace in wearing a beaver hand-puppet. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's bit might get some laughs and draw some tears for I’m With Cancer - a first person account of a young man with cancer. Finally, I wonder if Matt Damon's blue-collar American in Hereafter is worth considering when you think of the perfs that have won under the classical direction of Eastwood. The Dark Horse Picks: James Franco for 127 Hours Comments: Fox Searchlight will need to lobby hard at the very end of the year with this number – I've heard that some portions of James Franco's performance will be without dialogue – understandably since the real Aron Ralston was stuck underneath a bolder for the better part of a week. This would be a first nom for the actor. Jim Broadbent for Another Year Comments: Leigh brings out the best in his actors. This could be the case for Broadbent. Jeff Bridges for True Grit Comments: Won for Crazy Heart, and John Wayne already won for this character. I doubt whether he'll win again, nomination though is a possibility. Mark Wahlberg for The Fighter Comments: The Supporting Actor nomination for The Departed still hasn't repaired the mistake the Academy made for not nominating him for Boogie Nights. Payback time may come with this character, which could be fitting as I've picked Bale as my Best Supporting Actor pick for The Fighter. Wahlberg plays 'Irish' Mickey Ward. Stephen Dorff for Somewhere Comments: Hollywood loves its down and out characters, Dorff's Johnny Marco – an unfit celeb father fits that bill. For top 5 recognition he'll have a huge hill to climb – but seeing that for a decade he worked on direct to DVD type films, this is a story that many would root for. Brad Pitt for The Tree of Life Comments: Nominated twice before, Pitt unfortunately shares the lead with the film's narrator Sean Penn – but at this point we still don't know how much weight his role carries. Recent reports mention the family man has a nasty side to him. The Five Noms: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4958 You can now refer to Julianne Moore as cinema's Queen of Dystopia. After taking some pretty rough turns in Children of Men and Blindness, she'll now pair with Kirsten Stewart on hubby Bart Freundlich's Backwoods, which should not be confused as a U.S remake of Koldo Serra's The Backwoods starring Gary Oldman. - You can now refer to Julianne Moore as cinema's Queen of Dystopia. After taking some pretty rough turns in Children of Men and Blindness, she'll now pair with Kirsten Stewart on hubby Bart Freundlich's Backwoods, which should not be confused as a U.S remake of Koldo Serra's The Backwoods starring Gary Oldman. THR's blog mentions that this concerns the end of the world - nothing close to the subject matters that we'd find in Freundlich's filmography. He last directed The Rebound (Rom Com starring Catherine Zeta-Jones) which was filmed in 2009 and has failed to find distribution. Backwoods sounds like an ensemble pic and would start shooting sometime during the summer. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4957 The trades report that the Weinstein Co. have melted for the small-town America war of the butter sculptures comedy starring Jennifer Garner and the newly added Kate Hudson. - We all know that the Weinsteins had some financial difficulties trouble and regardless if they are in the red or green, and despite reading headlines such as this one (All Good Things being bought out by Jarecki) today Michael De Luca Productions has agreed to a distribution deal with the distributor looking for a couple of consecutive home runs. The trades report that the Weinstein Co. have melted for the small-town America war of the butter sculptures comedy starring Jennifer Garner and the newly added Kate Hudson.  Butter, scripted by first-time scribe Jason Micallef, is set in a small Midwest town, this follows a young orphan who named Destiny, after being adopted by a Midwestern family, discovers she has an uncanny talent for butter-carving. She eventually finds herself up against the ambitious wife (Garner) of the retired reigning champion in a town's annual butter-sculpting contest. Jim Field Smith is helming the comedy, a 2008 Black List script that is pretty good on paper because of the neurotic nature and obsessiveness of Garner's Laura Pickler character.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4953 Jennifer Garner might have found her friendly competition in Kate Hudson for the upcoming shoot of Butter - the top tier Black List script from first time scribe Jason Micallef that would see Jim Field Smith (She's Out of My League) begin lensing on April 17th in Shreveport. Conflicting reports have Jim Carrey playing "former" butter carving champ Bob Pickler, husband to Garner's Laura Pickler, but Movieline is reporting that he has passed on the project. - Jennifer Garner might have found her friendly competition in Kate Hudson for the upcoming shoot of Butter - the top tier Black List script from first time scribe Jason Micallef that would see Jim Field Smith (She's Out of My League) begin lensing on April 17th in Shreveport. Conflicting reports have Jim Carrey playing "former" butter carving champ Bob Pickler, husband to Garner's Laura Pickler, but Movieline is reporting that he has passed on the project. Set in a small town, this follows a young orphan named Destiny, who, after being adopted by a Midwestern family, discovers she has an uncanny talent for butter-carving. She eventually finds herself up against the ambitious wife (Garner) of the retired reigning champion in a town's annual butter-sculpting contest. Hudson would take on the role of Carol Ann - the unexpected competition, but not as threatening to Garner as the competition from 12 year-old Destiny - a role that could go the way of the Coen's casting of the 14 year-old lead for True Grit - basically going with an unknown. Movieline mentions Will Smith's daughter was once a candidate. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4951 Before I get into my prediction picks and second best choices for Best Original Screenplay, here are some titles that are worth mentioning and that I think are on the outsides looking in. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Biutiful (how will he do without Guillermo Arriaga as his wingman?), Mark Heyman and Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan (I think the Academy will find the title too risque)... - Before I get into my prediction picks and second best choices for Best Original Screenplay, here are some titles that are worth mentioning and that I think are on the outsides looking in. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Biutiful (how will he do without Guillermo Arriaga as his wingman?), Mark Heyman and Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan (I think the Academy will find the title too risqué), Gregory Bernstein and James D. Solomon's The Conspirator (there's going to have to be some blistering court room scenes, and intense dialogue), Will Reiser's I'm with Cancer (might not even be released this year if Summit finds a hit in The Beaver - both are top tier Black List scripts), Michael Arndt's Toy Story 3 (will the voters still be enthusiastic about Woody and Buzz?), Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling's All Good Things (I'm looking forward in seeing which distributor will come and rescue this film), Stuart Blumberg and Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids Are All Right (it'll need a strong critical push just like what happened in Sundance) Norman Snider's Casino Jack (I think there is only one place for a political scandal to be better served by Fair Game), Jason Lew's Restless and I'm not including the Oscar winning scribe Dustin Lance Black's What's Wrong with Virginia - but look forward in seeing how it'll enter into the mix. Again, the image above is my pick for who'll win in the category.  The Five Noms: Mike Leigh for Another Year Comments: As usual, we'll have to wait until the pre-festival synopsis to get word on what this latest Mike Leign entales, so I'm going with his track record of four previous nominations (Secrets & Lies, Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake and Happy-Go-Lucky) with this prediction. If this is a strong improv outing for Leigh, we might as well add a fifth nom. Kyle Killen for The BeaverComments: Top screenplay of 2008's Black List, I'm wondering how Jodie Foster translated a first-timer's script onto film? Will people buy Mel Gibson with a hand puppet? Will it be dismissed as another Lars and the Real Girl? If it hits the right emotional cords, my guess is it'll be a surprise sleeper hit, but Summit has their work cut out for them. Peter Morgan for HereafterComments: Previously nominated for The Queen and Frost/Nixon, it'll be another great year for Morgan who has more behind the scenes Tony Blair  with The Special Relationship, but the script that should receive the most buzz is the year-end thriller directed by Eastwood. Sofia Coppola for SomewhereComments: A previous winner for Best Original Screenplay (Lost in Translation), my thinking is that hotel rooms and celebrity are domains that Coppola knows well. A lot will have to do with the strategy Focus Features has in store for the film.  Terrence Malick for The Tree of LifeComments: I've heard that Malick (who wasn't nominated once before in this category for The Thin Red Line) h Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4949 Come post-Cannes time, ask me about my bottom five nomination predictions I've listed below, and I'll probably want to retract some of my picks - this year's competition in Best Adapted Screenplay is fierce. We have a strong contingent of scribes from the U.K in David Seidler's The King's Speech, Rowan Joffe's Brighton Rock, William Monahan's London Boulevard and Alex Garland's Never Let Me Go. - Come post-Cannes time, ask me about my bottom five nomination predictions I've listed below, and I'll probably want to retract some of my picks - this year's competition in Best Adapted Screenplay is fierce. We have a strong contingent of scribes from the U.K in David Seidler's The King's Speech, Rowan Joffe's Brighton Rock, William Monahan's London Boulevard and Alex Garland's Never Let Me Go. Studio films which I figure have a better than average chance at seeing Ryan Murphy and Jennifer Salt's Eat, Pray, Love, Charles Randolph/Marshall Herskovitz/Edward Zwick's Love and Other Drugs and Ben Affleck/Peter Craig/Sheldon Turner's The Town. Finally these are three heavy hitters that are interchangeable with my picks below: David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole, Bruce Robinson's The Rum Diary and Aaron Sorkin's The Social Network. As usual, my pick for the winner in this category is in the pic above. Rowan Joffe for The American Comments: Based on Martin Booth's 1990 novel A Very Private Gentleman, this is one more great vehicle for a George Clooney solo effort weapons maker. My big concern is the early September date. Anton Corbijn Jez & John Butterworth for Fair GameComments: Based on Valerie Plame Wilson's 2007 memoir Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House, if the Butterworths add enough dramatic weight to an already well-publicized storyline and Doug Liman treats the material as a thinking man's Fahrenheit 9/11, then Oscar will come calling. The film has no distributor yet. Rula Jebreal for Miral Comments: Based on Jebreal's 2004 novel first published in Italian, wrapping the touchy, tensions between Palestine and Israeli in a storyline that will make a point about the pointlessness of the tensions and add the stylistic flourishes of Schnabel and I think we have a solid contender. The film has no distributor, but a Cannes showing can work wonders as it did for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.   Joel & Ethan Coen for True GritComments: Based on a 1968 novel by Charles Portis, the Coen bros. will be basing themselves off the book, instead of remaking the film. Coens are contenders, have been nominated four times before and have won twice for Fargo and No Country for Old Men. I know its unfair, but these guys should win again.  Peter Weir for The Way Back Comments: Based on Slawomir Rawicz's 1995 memoir, The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom, if this is lush as I expect it to be, then Weir can count on more than just a best screenplay nod. It'll be interesting to see who picks this up, and what kind of strategy they employ, as the film could be a tentpole summer pic, which would mean the release could be pushed back to 2011. Weir actually received one Best Screenplay nom for Green Card. Of course, I'd like to know your thoughts & let us know what you think might be missing. Other predictions: Best CinematographyBest Supporting ActressBest Supportin Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4952 A good 6 weeks delayed from the tentative January start date, Alexander Payne's The Descendants will finally begin filming, setting up shop today, and the entire rest of the cast besides the already named George Clooney have been named. Judy Greer, who has just been named to the Duplass bros. new film Jeff Who Lives at Home, will play the wife in a coma role. - A good 6 weeks delayed from the tentative January start date, Alexander Payne's The Descendants will finally begin filming, setting up shop today, and the entire rest of the cast besides the already named George Clooney have been named. Judy Greer, who has just been named to the Duplass bros. new film Jeff Who Lives at Home, will play (in some sequences) the wife in a coma role. Other actors filling the bill include Matthew Lillard playing the "wife's lover", we find Beau Bridges and Robert Forster in supporting roles, and Shailene Woodley, Mary Birdsong, Nick Krause and Amara Miller. Based on the Kaui Hart Hemmings novel, this is set in Hawaii, the unconventional family drama tells the story of a newly widowed father (Clooney) -- the descendant of landowners and one of the richest men on Oahu -- who takes off with his two rebellious daughters to track down his wife's lover on the island of Kauai. I'm not sure what are Fox Searchlight's plans for the picture in terms of a release. Unlike last year, where Crazy Heart became the last minute option, right now they have tons of items in the pipeline including the Duplass bros. film Cyrus, which has a confirmed date and great buzz from both Sundance and SXSW, they have non-dated items such as John Cameron Mitchell's Rabbit Hole, Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go, Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, Danny Boyle's 127 Hours, Miguel Arteta's Cedar Rapids and Oscar bait, Betty Anne Waters. At least three of these pics could end up as part of next year's slate. You get a sense that the second portion of 2010 and parts of 2011 will be vintage years for the distributor. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4950 If you don't know the names mentioned in the headline above then its perhaps time to familiarize yourself with French cinema. Actually, I'm fairly sure all three filmmakers showed their last films at the Cannes Film Festival either a year or two years back. - If you don't know the names mentioned in the headline above then its perhaps time to familiarize yourself with French cinema. Actually, I'm fairly sure all three filmmakers showed their last films at the Cannes Film Festival either a year or two years back. In the case of Mia Hansen-Love, who was recently named one of Variety's Top 10 filmmakers, her Father of My Children is one of those effortless French dramas that takes a series of snap shots of your typical family in a moment of reflection. IFC Films picked up the film and will release it shortly. The National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC) has selected six screenplays to receive some coin - among them we find Raymond Depardon's doc Journal de France which he will film with Claudine Nougaret, Pierre Schoeller who directed Guillaume Depardieu in one of his last performances in Versailles and will be directing L'Exercice de l'Etat (State Exercise) next and finally going back to Hansen-Love, she'll be directing A Youthful Love this summer for producer David Thion. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4946 The character of Dickie Eklund should remind voters that when Bale commits to a role, he really does take it one step further than the rest. Unofficial pics show how much weight he lost for a role that originally had Matt Damon and then Brad Pitt attached. Ecklund, fought Sugar Ray Leonard and then fought drug addiction. Then he helped train his brother to an audience friendly ending. His level of commitment should bring him not only his first nom, but his first win - plus Oscar loves its boxers: Rocky, Jake LaMotta, Hilary Swank. - I don't think this is as much of a crap-shoot than the Best Supporting Actresses category, but I had difficulties in dwindling down, not my top five noms, but separating my six dark horse selections from the clutter. I'll try to be as coherent as possible in outlining those that got the cut. Again, the Mike Leigh and Woody Allen films are headaches, without any character details its hard to put names on the list - I'm more tempted on the leads than the supporting actors. One name that was mentioned at TIFF and which I didn't think was much of a stretch from his previous offbeat character roles was Bill Murray's bit in Get Low. I'm cutting out Aaron Eckhart's third wheel character from The Rum Diary, because he has a more heavier set role in Rabbit Hole. I was thinking that the supporting male Mossad agents in The Debt might also get some attention, but my wild card pick is the sympathetic, road-tripper wing-man that Zach Galifianakis plays in Due Date. Here are my previously mentioned noms for Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actress (tomorrow we begin with the screenplays) and to compare lists, check out IndieWIRE's Peter Knegt's well thought-out Oscar picks. Once again my vote on who I think will win Best Supporting Actor is in the picture above.  Five Noms: Sam Riley for Brighton RockComments: Carey Mulligan Andrea Riseborough's character witnesses a murder, but marries the person who pulled the trigger. That triggerman is going to receive the BAFTA, but it'll be a stroke of luck if this unbought picture does put Riley in the noms circle.  Christian Bale for The FighterComment: The character of Dickie Eklund should remind voters that when Bale commits to a role, he really does take it one step further than the rest. Unofficial pics (scroll down the page) show how much weight he lost for a role that originally had Matt Damon and then Brad Pitt attached. Ecklund, fought Sugar Ray Leonard and then fought drug addiction. Then he helped train his brother to an audience friendly ending. His level of commitment should bring him not only his first nom, but his first win - plus Oscar loves its boxers: Rocky, Jake LaMotta, Hilary Swank. Aaron Eckhart for Rabbit HoleComments: Eckhart plays Howie Corbett, one half of grieving family alongside Nicole Kidman. It would be nice to see the actor receive his first nomination - I still remember him from my screening of In the Company of Men. The nerdcore will make this a Harvey Dent vs. Bruce Wayne fight card on Oscar night. Josh Brolin for True GritComments: The hard working Brolin played the "villain" in Milk (if you want to call him that) and received his first ever nom, he should receive a second supporting nod as the character who kills a 14 year-old girl's father - and the film industry loves its bad guys. Ed Harris for The Way BackComments: Co-stars Mark Strong and Jim Sturgess have legit shots as well, but Harris' Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4948 The first role that comes to mind when I think of Barry Pepper is the punishing his character took in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. I imagine the casting folk might have referenced that raw performance and might have subconsciously chosen Pepper because he fits the bill and the name. - The first role that comes to mind when I think of Barry Pepper is the punishing his character took in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. I imagine the casting folk might have referenced that raw performance and might have subconsciously chosen Pepper because he fits the bill and the name. Pepper has grabbed the last available title role, he'll play "Lucky" Ned Pepper who is the first line of defense safeguarding another outlaw in Josh Brolin's character who is on the run for good reason. So far, True Grit has Brolin, Pepper, newcomer Hailee Steinfeld and this year's Oscar nominated thesps Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon.  More faithful to the Charles Portis novel on which the original film was based, the remake would see Bridges take the role that John Wayne played and Damon would take on the Glen Campbell role of a Texas Ranger tracking the outlaw. The story centers on a 14-year-old girl who tags along with an aging U.S. marshal, Rooster Cogburn, and another lawman to track the outlaw (Brolin) who killed her father. The original told the story from Cogburn's point of view, but the new version will work from the viewpoint of the girl. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4947 THR reports that Focus is potentially tying down Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess for what is described as When Harry Met Sally (I wonder how many pitching sessions in the past two decades use that exact title?) - The Random House Films/Focus Features partnership got off to a shaky start when they released Reservation Road. The John Burnham Schwartz novel was either a poor choice for a first venture or it was one more reason why someone too close to the material shouldn't adapt their own novel. I think I saw this at TIFF a couple of years back, even the stellar cast couldn't save the project. It made a paltry 100 grand at the box office. After carefully selecting their next project, Focus have then secured Lone Scherfig and now the first piece of casting news certainly gives wings to the project. THR reports that Focus is potentially tying down Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess for what is described as When Harry Met Sally (I wonder how many pitching sessions in the past two decades use that exact title?) Hathaway and Sturgess would essentially work with a best friend becomes something more premise. Based on a novel by British author David Nicholls, One Day revolves around Dexter and Emma, who meet for the first time during their graduation in 1988 and proceed to meet one day a year for the next 20 years. The story tracks their lives and loves until they realize they were meant for each other. Color Force's Nina Jacobson whose first producing credit comes in the form of another book to film project (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) will produce. Scherfig is coming off a great 2009, collecting accolades for An Education. Hathaway might have a solid 2010 in store, with the upcoming release of Love and Other Drugs. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4945 Hugh Jackman let slip that he'll be on the side of the "antagonists" in the Paul Webb scripted/Lee Daniels directed Selma. The Aussie will play sheriff Clark and thus becomes the third actor to join the project - Bobby De Niro playing Governor George Wallace, and Lenny Kravitz plays activist Andrew Young, but there are a batch of bigger roles that have yet to be filled including the man of the hour, Martin Luther King. - Hugh Jackman let slip that he'll be on the side of the "antagonists" in the Paul Webb scripted/Lee Daniels directed Selma. The Aussie will play sheriff Clark and thus becomes the third actor to join the project - Bobby De Niro playing Governor George Wallace, and Lenny Kravitz plays activist Andrew Young, but there are a batch of bigger roles that have yet to be filled including the man of the hour, Martin Luther King. Once cast, that role will be deemed as the Oscar bait role for the Oscars in 2012 - around the time where Obama's 1st term will end. On the antagonist's side we have Lyndon B. Johnson and J. Edgar Hoover (this is the second time we mention this historical figure today) and keeping with the three letter abbreviations, we have the folks who wear the white hoods. The Black List script is a solid read, a pace that is in constant movement -- it reminded me of Paul Greengrass' Bloody Sunday -- coincidently both events took place on the last day of the week. It's definitely a rocky boat interpretation of the historical events - I especially like how the tension build-up affects the war room like convos between Hoover and Johnson. Anyone think that this will put Daniels back in the winner's circle? And who would you cast as Hoover circa 1965? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4944 I remember thinking how odd it was when the Weinsteins purchased Derek Cianfrance's Blue Valentine at Sundance. They would now have not one, but two Ryan Gosling films to release this year. If you're a regular reader of the site, then you know that we've been anticipating the release of Andrew Jarecki's All Good Things for a long time now, and the end-product has suffered tremendously because of the Weinsteins' financial woes. - I remember thinking how odd it was when the Weinsteins purchased Derek Cianfrance's Blue Valentine at Sundance. They would now have not one, but two Ryan Gosling films to release this year. If you're a regular reader of the site, then you know that we've been anticipating the release of Andrew Jarecki's All Good Things for a long time now, and the end-product has suffered tremendously because of the Weinsteins' financial woes. Thanks to ThePlaylist for pointing out to this article, which basically says that Jarecki is one more filmmaker that received a shaft but didn't get totally shafted - the filmmaker has bought back the domestic rights to the film and is shopping them around to other distributors which means we could find ourselves in a Gosling vs. Gosling situation in the Fall. Great news for cinephiles, but perhaps more difficult for whoever the Weinstein Co. will face off with the eventual releases of both films.   Written by Marcus Hinchey, Marc Smerling and Jarecki, this unlocks the mystery of a unique man who could have had it all. Set against the extravagance and excess of New York City in the 80s, David Marks (Gosling), the son of a powerful real estate tycoon marries a beautiful working class student, Katie (Dunst). Together they flee the city for idyllic country life in Vermont - only to be lured back by David’s father. Upon their return, Katie goes back to medical school and begins to make a life for herself. But as Katie becomes increasingly independent, David mysteriously turns more violent and controlling. Family secrets are slowly revealed, just as Katie disappears without a trace. Years later, when Katie’s best friend turns up dead, a struggling cop and eager reporter team together to reopen the unsolved case. With David the main suspect, the Marks family’s dark secrets pave the way to a disturbing truth. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4943 Looks like won't be the be all and end all for The Duplass brothers, as Jason Reitman's Right of Way Films and John Malkovich's Mr. Mudd have signed on as producers for Mark and Jay Duplass' new project entitled, Jeff Who Lives at Home. - Looks like won't be the be all and end all for The Duplass brothers, as Jason Reitman's Right of Way Films and John Malkovich's Mr. Mudd have signed on as producers for Mark and Jay Duplass' new project entitled, Jeff Who Lives at Home. Lensing begins next month, with Jason Segel and Ed Helms in the leads and Paramount sniffing around to eventually distribute the film. This follows in the footsteps of Cyrus, the Fox Searchlight project that allowed the Duplass duo from shoestring budget days of The Puffy Chair and Baghead to keep the same directing method but ending up with a better craft services table and name talent.  Written by the Duplass brothers, the pic chronicles a day in the life of two brothers, one a loser (Jason Segel) who lives at home and the other (Ed Helms) more together but overbearing. The role of their mother is being cast; Judy Greer is in talks to play Helms' wife. A Louisiana shoot is set and Right of Way's Helen Estabrook is executive producing. Do you think the Duplass bros. will become permanent fixtures in the studio system with their cost-effective productions? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4942 James Franco digs poetry and filmmaking, and while Howl is the perfect marriage between the two, looks like multi-tasker is set to take on more projects of the same vein. - James Franco digs poetry and filmmaking, and while Howl is the perfect marriage between the two, looks like multi-tasker is set to take on more projects of the same vein. The Playlist found an interesting blurb from Berlin where Howl had its second premiere, mentioning that he and his brother David are adapting the last new poem meant to be published in Hart Crane's life, The Broken Tower and a Charles Bukowski's Ham on Rye. I wonder how much did it cost to option these properties? So far, Franco hasn't managed to really break-out as a filmmaker (modestly budgeted features and shorts have been on the film circuit) but with a name like Bukowski he could get a bit more help with the funding. We should think of these titles as passion projects in the distant future. Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by American author and poet Charles Bukowski. Written in the first person, the novel follows Henry Chinaski, Bukowski’s thinly veiled alter ego, during his early years. This is a coming-of-age in Los Angeles during the Great Depression. The last new poem meant to be published in Hart Crane's life, 'The Broken Tower' (1932) has been widely acknowledged as one of the best lyrics of Crane's last years, if not his career. In keeping with the varieties and difficulties of Crane criticism, the poem has been interpreted widely--as death ode, life ode, process poem, visionary poem, poem on failed vision--but its biographical impetus out of Crane's first heterosexual affair (with Peggy Cowley, estranged wife of Malcolm Cowley) is generally undisputed. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4941 Currently in post-production with The Hereafter, the Warner Bros. thriller that I think has a legitimate shot at a Cannes showing, Clint Eastwood might be turning back the years to another period pic that would would receive the same product value that The Changeling did. The trades report that he is considering making this Dustin Lance Black's penned untitled J.Edgar Hoover biopic as his next project. - Currently in post-production with The Hereafter, the Warner Bros. thriller that I think has a legitimate shot at a Cannes showing, Clint Eastwood might be turning back the years to another period pic that would would receive the same product value that The Changeling did. The trades report that he is considering making this Dustin Lance Black's penned untitled J.Edgar Hoover biopic as his next project. Not sure if Black was in the midst of writing this project while Michael Mann was in the middle of working Public Enemies, he might have actually just began writing the project after completing the filming of his debut film, What's Wrong with Virginia (which I also think has a shot at a Cannes showing) but it'll be interesting to how many years this biopic spans as J. Edgar Hoover career with the FBI spanned several decades, and if the script does cross over into the epic battle he faced with John Dillilnger. I'd personally love to see Billy Crudup get a call back for what would be a meatier role this time out, but seeing as both Milk and Eastwood have connections to Sean Penn, I'd say he is a frontrunner for the role, unfortunately he doesn't look the part.  Who would you cast as Hoover? Would you recast Billy Crudup? Are you hoping that this explores Hoover's intimate life or his epic battles with anti-communist years (also known as the Cointelpro) or would you return to his fight against gangsterism a few decades earlier?    Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4940 I think the Best Supporting categories are the toughest nuts to crack, often a fine performance counts as a rare sympathy vote for a film that isn't nominated in any other category. This year's real wild card are the actresses involved in Woody Allen's latest which employs a trio of supporting ladies in Freida Pinto, Anna Friel and Lucy Punch - but at this point its anyone's guess on how pivotal they become to the assigned male characters. - I think the Best Supporting categories are the toughest nuts to crack, often a fine performance counts as a rare sympathy vote for a film that isn't nominated in any other category. This year's real wild card are the actresses involved in Woody Allen's latest which employs a trio of supporting ladies in Freida Pinto, Anna Friel and Lucy Punch - but at this point its anyone's guess on how pivotal they become to the assigned male characters. Another performance that I would have included is the perfectionist mom character that Annette Benning plays in The Kids Are All Right, but if you wait until I get to the Best actress category you'll figure out why I removed her from the list. Here is yesterday's predictions for Best Cinematography and tomorrow, I'll dig into the Best Supporting Actors predictions. Once again my vote on who I think will win is the picture above - trust me I'm just as surprised as you are.  Five Noms: Amy Adams for The FighterComment: Not sure if Amy Adams' character of Charlene is the equivalent to Rocky's Adrian, but if Paramount book a strategic November or December slot, I'm thinking that period pic will give Adams' her third Best Supporting nod after Junebug and Doubt. Hiam Abbass for MiralComment: Now that the veteran actress is no longer an unknown (I'm thinking that her part in The Visitor brought her more attention than her part in Spielberg's Munich), I think if Miral really takes off on the festival circuit and finds a theatrical release for the late Fall, then Abbass' take as Hind Husseini - the head of the orphanage with find its fan amongst the older voters.  Elle Fanning for SomewhereComment: Safe to say that Coppola writes some unforgettable female characters, I think the younger Fanning has gained enough acting experience in her own bio and mentorship from older sister to pull off a "Tatum O'Neal". Here she plays a Cleo, a daughter who pulls her addicted father out of his slumber. If she arrives a little late in the film, then Fanning looks good for this category.   Melissa Leo for The FighterComment: A matriarch of the two boxer brothers Dickie (Christian Bale) and Micky (Mark Wahlberg), my thinking is Leo's character might be in the forefront, because this is the year the Academy finally invites David O. Russell to the big party. Plus who can forget her in Frozen River, for which she earned her first acting nom for Best Leading Actress. Rebecca Hall for The TownComment: Thank god that not all bank tellers got replaced by ATMs. Those killer freckles swooned plenty in of fans of Vicky Cristina Barcelona, I'm throwing the dice on this film as a whole, my thinking is it might compete with the big guys in September and benefit from a possible TIFF spotlight. Hall will play a bank teller who basically attracts two sets of eyes in which I beleive belong to Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner. Dark horse picks: Jacki Weaver for Animal KingdomComment: At first, Weave Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4939 Recent winner for Best Documentary at the Césars (the French Oscars), Serge Bromberg's and Ruxandra Medrea's Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Inferno has been picked up theatrically for the play in the U.S. (via The Flicker Alley - I never heard of you guys) - I'm imagining a traveling, art-house circuit release for the doc. - Recent winner for Best Documentary at the Césars (the French Oscars), Serge Bromberg's and Ruxandra Medrea's Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Inferno has been picked up theatrically for the play in the U.S. (via The Flicker Alley - I never heard of you guys) - I'm imagining a traveling, art-house circuit release for the doc - or if you can call it that, as its a construction of Clouzot’s original, unfinished vision, filling the gaps with interviews, re-enactments and Clouzot’s own notes and storyboards.   In 1964, Henri-Georges Clouzot chose 26 years-old Romy Schneider and 42 years-old Serge Reggiani, to be the leads of L’ENFER. An enigmatic and original project; an unlimited budget; a film, which was meant to be the cinematographic event at its release. However, after 3 weeks into filming, drama happens. The project is interrupted and the images, which were told to be “incredible”, will never be shown. I have recovered those images that were forgotten for half a century and they are more mind-blowing than the legend predicted. They are telling a unique film, that of madness and jealousy filmed from a subjective point of view, the story of a cursed filming and that of Henri-Georges Clouzot, who had set free his mad film making talent. Romy Schneider has never been so beautiful and magnetic. Never a director has been so close to the hero he invented. Our film shows L’ENFER such as it was shot and tells the emotional story of a magnificent failure. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4937 Zeitgeist Films are partnering once again with the folks that produced Up the Yangtze - returning to the same country but instead of the brown waters of the Yangtze, this journey takes place in and on the sides of the train tracks. - Zeitgeist Films are partnering once again with the folks that produced Up the Yangtze - returning to the same country but instead of the brown waters of the Yangtze, this journey takes place in and on the sides of the train tracks. Once again involving the personal sacrifice that many families most endure to survive in China's new economy,  since it started showing at fests back in November (IDFFA) Last Train Home has collected several awards and will be set as a Summer release -- personally, I'd have gone with a prior to December showing - you'll see why from the synopsis after the jump/trailer below. Every spring, China’s cities are plunged into chaos, as all at once, a tidal wave of humanity attempts to return home by train. It is the Chinese New Year. The wave is made up of millions of migrant factory workers. The homes they seek are the rural villages and families they left behind to seek work in the booming coastal cities. It is an epic spectacle that tells us much about China, a country discarding traditional ways as it hurtles towards modernity and global economic dominance. Last Train Home, an emotionally engaging and visually beautiful debut film from Chinese-Canadian director Lixin Fan, draws us into the fractured lives of a single migrant family caught up in this desperate annual migration. Sixteen years ago, the Zhangs abandoned their young children to find work in the city, consoled by the hope that their wages would lift their children into a better life. But in a bitter irony, the Zhangs’ hopes for the future are undone by their very absence. Qin, the child they left behind, has grown into adolescence crippled by a sense of abandonment. In an act of teenage rebellion, she drops out of school. She too will become a migrant worker. The decision is a heartbreaking blow for the parents. In classic cinema verité style, Last Train Home follows the Zhangs’ attempts to change their daughter’s course and repair their ruptured family. Intimate and candid, the film paints a human portrait of the dramatic changes sweeping China. We identify with the Zhangs as they navigate through the stark and difficult choices of a society caught between old ways and new realities. Can they get ahead and still undo some of the damage that has been done to their family? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4938 Part of a double docu Sundance and New Directors/New Films selected pick-up, Zeitgeist have acquired The Oath from helmer Laura Poitras and have pegged it with a release sometime this May. This makes it two for two between the distributor and Poitras - they last paired on the release of My Country, My Country in 2006. - Part of a double docu Sundance and New Directors/New Films selected pick-up, Zeitgeist have acquired The Oath from helmer Laura Poitras and have pegged it with a release sometime this May. This makes it two for two between the distributor and Poitras - they last paired on the release of My Country, My Country in 2006. This alternates between Abu Jandal in Yemen (repeatedly seen behind the wheel of his taxi) and Salim Hamdan behind bars in Guantanamo, awaiting and then undergoing trial in military court. Since Poitras and D.P. Kirsten Johnson were denied access to Hamdan before and during trial, his story is told through his pained prison letters, accompanied by stark, oddly beautiful exterior shots of Guantanamo prison. Defended by U.S. military attorney Brian Mizer, whose commitment to serving his client is unswerving, Hamdan claims that he was strictly bin Laden’s driver.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4297 I guess this means that the adaptation of Jack Kerouac's On the Road is proving to be more of a perilous project, as Walter Salles appears to be moving onto a Hollywood biopic in the interim. - I guess this means that the adaptation of Jack Kerouac's On the Road is proving to be more of a perilous project, as Walter Salles appears to be moving onto a Hollywood biopic in the interim. Formerly known as "Peaceable Kingdom" and "Elephant Orphanage", Our Wild Life was scripted by Jeff Stockwell, this is based on the life and work of Daphne Sheldrick, who has devoted her life to preventing elephant extinction by endeavoring to save baby elephants left orphaned by war, poaching and culling. Salles would bring his expertise for filming in the outdoors to a family film project which will look to cast a 40 or 50-something actress in the Daphne Sheldrick role, and I'm sincerely hoping that New Line will set up some fund for this project, have a better track record than their parent company Warner Bros recently had with the chimps they used for Speed Racer. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4899 I wanted to change my body. I wanted to be a little bit more masculine and get rid of my female body. I wanted to be more like a boy. I wanted to be able to do all the fighting scenes, so I wanted to go into martial arts training. I trained a lot in Thai boxing and kickboxing with this crazy Serbian guy five days a week. I did a lot of preparation, and I also took motorcycle driving lessons, and I cut my hair and pierced myself. - Sex, Swedes, S&M, nudity, murder, mystery, and snow: these things sound more like Thursday night activities to me, yet I found myself trudging through a blizzard on a Wednesday night in February to attend a screening of “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” in preparation for my interview with Noomi Rapace, who plays female lead and anti-hero, Lisbeth Salander. To describe Lisbeth Salander as “complex” would be like describing the Grand Canyon as “large.” Thus, let me first go into more detail. Lisbeth has the social skills of a celery stick, dresses like a punk rocker, has piercings all over her face, is prone to violence, can more than hold her own in a fight, AND is a former psychiatric patient and current (according to the Swedish government) legal incompetent. However, she’s also a world-class computer hacker, has a photographic memory, believes in justice, and is willing to protect (by any means necessary) herself, her family, and even strangers if they are oppressed or abused. She is one of the most heralded female characters in film or print in recent memory. Thus, the highly complex role of Lisbeth Salander had to be cast perfectly in order for the film to be a success. Enter: Noomi Rapace. On paper, her acting credentials make her seem like a smart choice for the role. She’s studied acting at some of the best theatres in Sweden, including Sweden’s most prestigious theater, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, in Stockholm. She’s had numerous television and film roles, and two years prior to playing the role of Lisbeth Salander (for which she won a Guldbagge, the Swedish equivalent of an Oscar), she took on the warped role of Anna in DAISY DIAMOND, a film about a mother who suffers a nervous breakdown during the course of the film. However, when you meet Noomi, you realize she’s nothing, and I mean NOTHING like Lisbeth Salander. Noomi’s graceful gait differs fully from Lisbeth’s stomping steps; Noomi’s smooth speech cadence clashes completely with Lisbeth’s abbreviated mutterings; Noomi’s face exudes warmth and kindness whereas Lisbeth’s expressions oscillate between “detached iciness” and “I’m going to kill you like for real-for reals” scariness. Thus, my interest was more than piqued about how the transformation from Noomi to Lisbeth took place. Stephen McNamee: Lisbeth Salandar, she’s such a prominent, well fleshed out character in the book, so I was curious about your and [director] Niels Andres Oplev’s collaborative process when you were trying to figure out how to play Lisbeth on screen? Noomi Rapace: I always try to use myself and dig for myself as much as I can. I don’t like to pretend things. I don’t like to fake things. I have to fully understand the person that I’m going to be in a way and then translate experiences and feelings and emotions and things I’ve gone Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4936 Now he returns to Zodiac-lite territory with a script that goes the direction of the mystery comedy sub-genre. Aptly titled Murder Mystery, this project reminds me of how much I hated the Clue film. Screen Daily reports that free-range director Kevin MacDonald will direct. - Thanks to Zodiac, scribe James Vanderbilt made a name for himself, made us forget about his previous scripts for Basic and The Rundown, and he landed what I imagine wasn't a pressure-free job of rejuvenating the Peter Parker character - sending him back to those awkward teen years. Now he returns to Zodiac-lite territory with a script that goes the direction of the mystery comedy sub-genre. Aptly titled Murder Mystery, this project reminds me of how much I hated the Clue film. Screen Daily reports that free-range director Kevin MacDonald will direct -- must say that's an odd choice. Murder Mystery centres on bickering Brooklyn honeymooners who unwittingly become fugitives across Europe when the eighth richest man in the world is murdered in front of them. Sounds like a lame project. Tower Hill Entertainment optioned the screenplay in turnaround from Disney. Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson of ContraFilm are producing with Vanderbilt and Tower Hill’s A J Dix and William Shively. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4014 Now, almost a decade later, those films might have crossed paths, as Despentes has cast Beatrice Dalle (she starred in Trouble Every Day) in the lead role for Bye Bye Blondie. - There was once a time when Virginie Despentes' Baise-Moi and Claire Denis' Trouble Every Day (a pair of films where men meet their demise via the hands of violent women) were often mentioned in the same sentence. Now, almost a decade later, those films might have crossed paths, as Despentes has cast Béatrice Dalle (she starred in Trouble Every Day) in the lead role for Bye Bye Blondie. To be filmed this coming June, the film just received a round of funding, will also see Emmanuelle Béart and Pascal Gregory board the project. Once again working from her own novel that she published in 2004, Gloria (Dalle) lives in Nancy. Unemployed, without a family, and with no permanent address, she wastes her days at a local watering hole. Frances (Béart) lives in Paris - she is a popular figure in television and is married to a novelist. While in the public eye they form the ideal couple, in their private lives, she prefers women and her husband is into boys. On a trip out to Nancy, Frances reunites with Gloria who she hasn't see since 1985. Having met in a psychiatric ward, their big love story also happens to be Gloria's biggest heartbreak. Life continued, but how will these two women from different realities find each other? Any of our readers recall their first encounter with Baise-moi (a.k.a Fuck Me / Rape Me)? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4935 Christoph Waltz will want to make sure that his next moves are the goods ones, or else the good fortune of Inglourious Basterds will wash away. The Austrian actor has according to Deadline.com, dropped out on a chance to play with David Cronenberg’s The Talking Cure for an antagonist role in Francis Lawrence's Water For Elephants. - Christoph Waltz will want to make sure that his next moves are the goods ones, or else the good fortune of Inglourious Basterds will wash away. The Austrian actor has according to Deadline.com, dropped out on a chance to play with David Cronenberg’s The Talking Cure for an antagonist role in Francis Lawrence's Water For Elephants. So who does a desperate Canadian filmmaker call upon when in need of a favor - Viggo of course. I've yet to read the screenplay, but sources close to me mention that this is a solid film on paper - this is an adaptation of Christopher Hampton's play, this follows the founding fathers of psychoanalysis, Carl Jung (Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Mortensen), and their complicated relationships with a brilliant and beautiful patient, Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley). This is Viggo's third time with Cronenberg after A History of Violence and Eastern Promises. Filming begins on May 17th for two and a half months. Looks like this could be a top tier title to look forward to next year - and a hot property for sale at Cannes this year. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4934 That's right folks. The gold dust for the 2010 Oscar winner list has barely settled, and I'm already attempting to figure out the 2011 Oscar nominations might look like. Why? It's more of a curiosity factor than anything else, seeing what's out there, what we can look forward to - so for the next nine days, I'll unveil my predictions in nine categories, beginning with the category for Best Cinematography. - That's right folks. The gold dust for the 2010 Oscar winner list has barely settled, and I'm already attempting to figure out the 2011 Oscar nominations might look like. Why? It's more of a curiosity factor than anything else, seeing what's out there, what we can look forward to - so for the next nine days, I'll unveil my predictions in nine categories, beginning with the category for Best Cinematography. I typically begin these things with what I think will be the 5 noms and then give some educated guesses as to some of the dark horse picks (I'm limiting myself to no more than seven). Hint - the person in the picture above would be my early, odds on favorite for the win. Of course, we love to know your thoughts on what named and more importantly what's missing. Drop a quick name below. Five Noms: Wally Pfister for InceptionComment: I'm expecting there to be a fourth nom for the Pfister and Christopher Nolan partnership that predates to Batman Begins and which also includes The Prestige and The Dark Knight. Pfister is technically apt with the action sequence, and even the tub scene (see trailer) is worth mentioning. This category always has a Hollywood blockbuster type - and this is that film. Eric Gautier for MiralComment: The Into the Wild and Motorcycle Diaries DP has never been nominated -- if Julian Schnabel 's film becomes the "miracle" film at Cannes this year, then this could have enough traction to pull off a first nom for Gautier. Robert Elswit for The Town Comment: Nominated for Good Night, and Good Luck and winner for his gorgeous work in There Will Be Blood, if Ben Affleck's The Town falls in line with the Mystic Rivers and The Departeds and manages to find critical praise upon its release, then Elswit could receive some kudos.  Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of LifeComment: The fifth time should be the charm for Lubezki who reunites with Malick with who he was the DP for The New World. Previous noms includes Alfonso Cuarón's A Little Princess and Children of Men with a nom for working with Burton on Sleepy Hollow. Life sure sounds like an epic and ambitious film -  Roger Deakins for True Grit Comment: Always a bridesmaid, Deakins has received eight nominations and not all were with the Coens. His work in nominated No Country For Old Men gives us a pretty good idea of how this may turn out. Dark horse picks: Anthony Dod Mantle for 127 HoursComment: Forget about Slumdog with Boyle, the stunning beauty behind Antichrist was mouthwatering. Mantle is the man of the hour - the great outdoors is his terrain, but would he be limited by the number of locations? Rodrigo Prieto for BiutifulComment: Nominated once before for Brokeback Mountain, the cobblestone streets in this film better receive a lush treatment for this to get any traction. John Mathieson for Brighton Rock Comment: With Robin Hood also in contention, I' Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4931 After a moment of reprieve in 2009's Hadewijch, it looks as if Bruno Dumont will was again explore the nastier side of the human species with a film that will be featured in the backdrop of the sand dunes of Pas de Calais, France -- which appears to be the northern region above Normandy. - After a moment of reprieve in 2009's Hadewijch, it looks as if Bruno Dumont will was again explore the nastier side of the human species with a film that will be featured in the backdrop of the sand dunes of Pas de Calais, France -- which appears to be the northern region above Normandy. L'Empire, Dumont's sixth film, sees a strange man nestled in near the river and in marshes, where he poaches, prays, and lights fires. He is close to a farmer’s daughter who looks after him and feeds him. By murdering the girl’s father, who is violent towards her, helping a kid who is seized by strange pains and killing a guard, this fellow drives evil away from the hamlet and its inhabitants, in a fight against the Devil, until a miracle occurs. Early comparisons could be made to last year's religious experience and perhaps the violent, tragic denouement in Twentynine Palms - which I thought was extremely difficult to digest. The film will be produced by 3B Productions - which has backed all of Dumont's films. I imagine we'll receive some casting news shortly - we'll keep you updated on whether he once again goes with non-professional actors. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4925 The Berlin Film Festival which took place early last month had a pair of in competition for the Golden Bear entries in Der Rauber (The Robber) and Jud Suss - Film ohne Gewissen (Film without Conscience). Neither films won, but there was some controversy surrounding Jud Suss - Film ohne Gewissen which is Oskar Roehler's latest venture. - Austria walked away with a one out of three count from last night's Academy Awards. While going home empty-handed in the Cinematography (Christian Berger) and Foreign Film categories (Haneke's film was a German produced picture, but our pride in Haneke makes us consider this film one of our own), but Austrian-born Christoph Waltz predictably won for Best Supporting Actor in Q.T's Basterds. And speaking of the Oscars, here are some updates and the whereabouts of recent Austrian Oscar nominees. Austria Film Scene: Local Götz Spielmann, who wrote and directed Revanche, which received a nomination for Best Foreign Pic last year, is seeing his play entitled Imperium receiving an extended theater run. Written by Spielmann, it was first released in Linz 2007 (well before Revanche) and is currently being shown in Graz (Styria). Once again set in with dwellings of the Red Light world, Spielmann mentioned in an interview that the “play revolves around a medium-size brothel owner who’s ruined by his plan for life, which is too narrow and too superficial.” Stefan Ruzowitzky, who won Best Foreign Picture for The Counterfeiters in 08' is moving onto Hollywood film projects. He recently directed a children's film and did some commercial work, but Variety reported that he is in negotiations to direct the horror-thriller The Last Voyage of the Demeter - which is based on a chapter in Bram Stoker's "Dracula" describing the arrival of the vampire count in England on a cargo ship that has crashed into the rocks at Whitby with no crew and the dead captain lashed to the steering wheel. Actor Karl Markovics, the lead in Ruzowitzky's Oscar winner, just received a funding commitment for his first feature as a director. Titled Breathing, Markovics wrote the screenplay is began casting a little more than two weeks ago. A pair of upcoming documentary films to look out for and which are receiving local releases include, Robert Dornhelm's Udo Proksch - Out of Control - which focuses on the man who triggered the largest political scandal in the second Republic of Austria. By the looks of the trailer, it looks like a promising docu offering. Our Daily Bread director Nicolaus Geyrhalter 's latest is called Abendland – it focuses on the nocturnal worlds that exist in setting such as Europe's Airports, Cineplexes, Bank Buildings, etc.      Austria Film Scene: Abroad The Berlin Film Festival which took place early last month had a pair of in competition for the Golden Bear entries in Der Räuber (The Robber) and Jud Süss - Film ohne Gewissen (Film without Conscience). Neither films won, but there was some controversy surrounding Jud Süss - Film ohne Gewissen which is Oskar Roehler's latest venture (see pic above). The Austrian/German co-production, tells fictionalized story about the production of the propaganda movie Jud Süß. While the acting (Moritz Bleibt Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4933 School is now in session. Cannes' La Residence de la Cinefondation, is celebrating its 20th session and this year's lucky "students" well representing South America include the feature debut projects from Yaelle Kayam, Dominga Sotomayor, Franco Lolli and Daniel Joseph Borgman with sophomore projects from Cristian Jimenez and Michel Franco. - School is now in session. Cannes' La Résidence de la Cinéfondation, is celebrating its 20th session and this year's lucky "students" well representing South America include the feature debut projects from Yaelle Kayam, Dominga Sotomayor, Franco Lolli and Daniel Joseph Borgman with sophomore projects from Cristian Jiménez and Michel Franco. Franco is the Mexican filmmaker with who I drew comparisons to Carlos Reygadas and Amat Escalante - his debut film Daniel & Ana, is a gut-wrenching portrait that re-victimizes its victims - a heavy, difficult to watch film about a crime that often goes unreported. The Résidence de la Cinéfondation "welcomes its 6 latest winning candidates to support them in the writing of their first or second feature and help them prepare their film". - #4. Yaelle Kayam (Israel, 31): Providence is a humorous black comedy describing the contradictory behaviours of the settlers. The story takes place in a small village on the West Bank. - #1. Dominga Sotomayor (Chile, 25): De jueves a domingo is the journey of a family towards the north of Chile by car, a trip that may be the last one they do as a family. - #2. Franco Lolli (Colombia, 27): Gente de bien features the reunion of an unemployed father with his 10 years old son. - Daniel Joseph Borgman (New Zealand, 29): The Weight of Elephants follows Jess, 14 age, a newspaper deliverer whose life is about to be shaken upside down following the terrible murder that takes place on his round. - #3. Michel Franco (Mexico, 30): Lucia looks at how Roberto reacts to the ever-present memory of his dead wife and neglects his son. - #5. Cristian Jiménez (Chile, 35): Bonsaï talks about two literature students in Valdivia, Julio and Emilia, and how they evolve. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4909 I remember when The Hurt Locker played at TIFF -- the first screening received little fanfare - that some film distributors didn't even bother showing up. Summit Entertainment did - and took their time with a release strategy and the rest is history. I'm curious to know what kind of exposure did the 10 noms do for the other smaller films, including my favorite of the pack in A Serious Man; this win should make plenty of foreign distributors extremely happy. Indie film triumphs once again! - The Noms:“Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers “The Blind Side” Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson, Producers “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers Who Will Win: “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers Who Should Win: “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers Who Won: The Hurt Locker Commentary: I remember when The Hurt Locker played at TIFF -- the first screening received little fanfare - that some film distributors didn't even bother showing up. Summit Entertainment did - and took their time with a release strategy and the rest is history. I'm curious to know what kind of exposure did the 10 noms do for the other smaller films, including my favorite of the pack in A Serious Man; this win should make plenty of foreign distributors extremely happy. Indie film triumphs once again!   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4912 Weird that the presenters somehow foreshadow the eventual winners. Round one of indiewood versus hollywood goes to the indiewood. Smells like a Best Picture win for The Hurt Locker...? - The Noms: “Avatar” James Cameron “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman Who Will Win: “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow Who Should Win: “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow Who Won: “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow Commentary: Weird that the selection of presenters somehow foreshadow the eventual winners. Round one of indiewood versus hollywood goes to the indiewood. Smells like a Best Picture win for The Hurt Locker...? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4914 Despite the logic and previous award wins, every sign pointed to a Bullock win and yet I've been cringing this moment for about three months now. So glad that Gabbie won on Friday and that Streep has both won and lost before. - The Noms: Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side” Helen Mirren in “The Last Station” Carey Mulligan in “An Education” Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia” Who Will Win: Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia” Who Should Win: Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia” Who Won: Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side” Commentary: Despite the logic and previous award wins, every sign pointed to a Bullock win and yet I've been cringing this moment for about three months now. So glad that Gabbie won on Friday and that Streep has both won and lost before. We'll look back on this as the Erin Brockovich award win - a beloved actress who is liked by the public at large and not cared for by the film snobs.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4913 Love these speeches - thank god they didn't get rid of these presentations from acting peers. Fox Searchlight end up looking like geniuses once again. The Dude abides. - The Noms: Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart” George Clooney in “Up in the Air” Colin Firth in “A Single Man” Morgan Freeman in “Invictus” Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker” Who Will Win: Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart” Who Should Win: Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart” Who Won: Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart” Commentary: Thank god they didn't get rid of these presentations from acting peers. Fox Searchlight end up looking like geniuses once again. Nice to see a speech not get the shaft. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4927 Sony Pictures Classics wins! Wrong film though. - The Noms: “Ajami” Israel “The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada)” Peru “A Prophet (Un Prophète)” France “The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)” Argentina “The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)” Germany Who Will Win: The White Ribbon Who Should Win: A Prophet Who Won: The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) Commentary: Sony Pictures Classics wins! Wrong film though.  Update after the backlashing: I'm happy to see there are so many passionate defenders for The Secret in Their Eyes! For the record: I'm a fan of the film, fan of White Ribbon (though it doesn't rank among my Haneke favorites) and loved Audiard's three past films. Kudos to Campanella, three cheers for films with subtitles, hooray for Argentinean cinema (which this site continues to support!) but my personal favorite (and this is merely the opinion of one cinephile) is that A Prophet is the better film and that the Academy's system for selecting not only the best picture winner but the noms is a faulty one.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4926 Bob Murawski and Chris Innis' skill-set was one of the reasons why The Hurt Locker felt like such an edge-of-your-seat film. Well-deserved award. - The Noms: “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron “District 9” Julian Clarke “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker Who Should Win: The Hurt Locker Who Won: The Hurt Locker Commentary: Bob Murawski and Chris Innis' skill-set was one of the reasons why The Hurt Locker felt like such an edge-of-your-seat film. Well-deserved award. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4924 Zero surprises here, and though I disliked this doc, I'm peeved that Psihoyos got shafted and didn't even get to speak. What's with all this time allocated to butt end jokes opening a category over the actual award winning speeches. Ben Stiller's Na'vi thing could have lengthened three winner speeches, including this one. - The Noms: “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa Who Will Win: The Cove Who Should Win: Burma VJ Who Won: The Cove Commentary: Zero surprises here, and though I disliked this doc, I'm peeved that Psihoyos got shafted and didn't even get to speak - the cut away to the audience in part due to the text message banner that was held up by Ric O'barry. Could have been the night's most touching speech, instead I wonder...what's with all this time allocated to butt end jokes opening a category over the actual award winning speeches. Ben Stiller's Na'vi thing could have lengthened three winner speeches, including this one.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4929 It was in my post-screening thinking of the film that I deemed that among the things that Up got right was the film's score, which I normally don't cue on in in my first viewing of a film. Going up against names such as Horner, Desplat and Zimmer, I think the Academy chose Michael Giacchino because he hasn't won before and that the score was one of the more "obvious strengths" for Up. - The Noms: “Avatar” James Horner “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer “Up” Michael Giacchino Who Will Win: “Up” Michael Giacchino Who Should Win: “Up” Michael Giacchino Who Won: “Up” Michael Giacchino Commentary: It was in my post-screening thinking of the film that I deemed that among the things that Up got right was the film's score, which I normally don't cue on in in my first viewing of a film. Going up against names such as Horner, Desplat and Zimmer, I think the Academy chose Michael Giacchino because he hasn't won before and that the score was one of the more "obvious strengths" for Up. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4921 I wasn't expecting the green-screen giant to win for Cinematography - I guess it just goes to show that complex shots can still be effective with make-believe and beat out pristine B&W in Haneke's Palme D'or winner and the gritty realism via the frames in the low budget The Hurt Locker. - The Noms: “Avatar” Mauro Fiore “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker Who Should Win: The Hurt Locker Who Won: Avatar's Mauro Fiore Commentary: I wasn't expecting the green-screen giant to win for Cinematography - I guess it just goes to show that complex shots can still be effective with make-believe and beat out pristine B&W in Haneke's Palme D'or winner and the gritty realism via the frames in the low budget The Hurt Locker. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4932 The Hurt Locker logically wins in both of these sound categories, it should carry over onto cinematography, and if it does - this mean a sweep of the blue man group. - The Noms: “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle“The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker Who Should Win: The Hurt Locker Who Won: The Hurt Locker Best Sound Mixing  The Noms: “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson Who Will Win: The Hurt LockerWho Should Win: The Hurt LockerWho Won: The Hurt LockerCommentary: The Hurt Locker logically wins in both of these sound categories, it should carry over onto cinematography, and if it does - this mean a sweep of the blue man group.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4923 I was thinking - life of a fashion icon would be a lock for the category, but corsets, multiple noms for The Young Victoria and previous wins for Sandy Powell always seems to be the go-to choice. - The Noms: “Bright Star” Janet Patterson “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme “Nine” Colleen Atwood “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell Who Will Win: “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell Who Should Win: “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier Who Won: “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell Commentary: I was thinking - life of a fashion icon would be a lock for the category, but corsets, multiple noms for The Young Victoria and previous wins for Sandy Powell always seems to be the go-to choice. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4922 Money well spent, means most technical awards will go the Avatar way, but I'm still wondering if The Hurt Locker has a shot at the Best Sound category? - The Noms: “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray Who Will Win: Avatar Who Should Win: Avatar Who Won: Avatar Commentary: Money well spent, means most technical awards will go the Avatar way, but I'm still wondering if The Hurt Locker has a shot at the Best Sound category?  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4916 I caught Precious at the Racquet Club theater in Park City. I'm pretty sure everyone in that audience had the same impression I did - Mo’Nique's character is so ugly, and the performance was so raw that it would easily spread its wings beyond the indie fest - it had gold dust sweat stains spilling out of her pores. - The Noms: Penélope Cruz in “Nine” Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air” Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart” Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air” Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Who Will Win: Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Who Should Win: Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Who Won: Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Commentary: I caught Precious at the Racquet Club theater in Park City. I'm pretty sure everyone in that audience had the same impression I did - Mo’Nique's character is so ugly, and the performance was so raw that it would easily spread its wings beyond the indie fest - it had gold dust sweat stains spilling out of her pores. Mo’Nique' unorthodox anti-campaign was a refreshing f-u to citing her words "the politics" involved with campaigning. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4918 I was so sure that this was Up in the Air's win, but this crazy category also included a dark horse picture in my books with first-timer Geoffrey Fletcher and his reaction at winning pretty much tells me that this was far from being in the bag. - The Noms: “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner Who Will Win: Up in the Air Who Should Win: Up in the Air Who Won: Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire Commentary: I was so sure that this was Up in the Air's win, but this crazy category also included a dark horse picture in my books with first-timer Geoffrey Fletcher... and his reaction at winning pretty much tells me that this was far from being in the bag. Looks like a promising career for the scribe. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4928 I thought they did some great work on aging Toni Servillo's character in this mysterious nomination for Il Divo, but the Academy want to promote the blockbuster film in some fashion. Trekkies all over are high-fiving one another. - The Noms: “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore Who Will Win: Star Trek Who Should Win: Il Divo Who Won: Star Trek Commentary: I thought they did some great work on aging Toni Servillo's character in this mysterious nomination for Il Divo, but the Academy want to promote the blockbuster film in some fashion. Trekkies all over are high-fiving one another.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4930 Caught Logorama at Sundance and when I heard the noms I thought there is no way that this could win - the expletive language is simply too harsh for sensitive ears. Wallace & Gromit felt like an accomplished, polished production - but Logorama gets great grades for originality. - The Noms: “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park Who Will Win: “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park Who Should Win: “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park Who Won: Logorama Commentary: Caught Logorama at Sundance and when I heard the noms I thought there is no way that this could win - the expletive language is simply too harsh for sensitive ears. Wallace & Gromit felt like an accomplished, polished production - but Logorama gets great grades for originality. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4919 When I look at this category I think to myself - weren't War-themed pictures of the military supposed to be box office poison. Matter of the fact is neither The Hurt Locker or The Messenger will rack up the dough, but it shot down the theory that you can't make a such a pic in such times. I thought Basterds was a more lavish screenplay - and that the dialogue would win out on technical details in Boal's screenplay. - The Noms: “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy Who Will Win: Inglourious Basterds Who Should Win: A Serious Man Who Won: The Hurt Locker Commentary: When I look at this category I think to myself - weren't War-themed pictures of the military supposed to be box office poison. Mtter of the fact is neither The Hurt Locker or The Messenger will rack up the dough, but it shot down the theory that you can't make a such a pic in such times. I thought Basterds was a more lavish screenplay - and that the dialogue would win out on technical details in Boal's screenplay. Good for Boal and does this mean the Best Picture award is a lock? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4917 Whenever you have a music-based feature that fully embeds original song content in the lead character and storyline, then I don't think there are that many more options to look elsewhere in the category. This and the other songs gave Crazy Heart its backbone and charm. Looking good for the certified win for Bridges. - The Noms: “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett Who Will Win: “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett Who Should Win: “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett Who Won: “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett Commentary: Whenever you have a music-based feature that fully embeds original song content in the lead character and storyline, then I don't think there are that many more options to look elsewhere in the category. This and the other songs gave Crazy Heart its backbone and charm. Looking good for the certified win for Bridges. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4920 Pixar owns the category - and for good reason. Up isn't the company's crowning achievement, but the film's first act appeared to be solid enough to grab this predictable win. - The Noms: “Coraline” Henry Selick “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore “Up” Pete Docter Who Will Win: Up Who Should Win: Fantastic Mr. Fox Who Won: Up Commentary: Pixar owns the category - and for good reason. Up isn't the company's crowning achievement, but the film's first act appeared to be solid enough to grab this predictable win.    Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4915 Ask me after having seen Basterds for the first time, if Christoph Waltz had a chance at he'd have a chance at an acting award and I would have said "he be lucky to make it in the top 5 noms". Of course he won at Cannes and every single supporting award since then. This win comes as no surprise - you can tell by this speech, which was rehearsed when he won the Golden Globe. - The Noms: Matt Damon in “Invictus” Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger” Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station” Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones” Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds” Who Will Win: Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds” Who Should Win: Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds” Who Won: Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds” Commentary: Ask me after having seen Basterds for the first time, if Christoph Waltz had a chance at he'd have a chance at an acting award and I would have said "he be lucky to make it in the top 5 noms". Of course he won at Cannes and every single supporting award since then. This win comes as no surprise - you can tell by this speech, which was rehearsed when he won the Golden Globe.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4911 Mo’Nique still has one more trophy to pick up this weekend, but the good times for everyone involved in the making of Precious has pretty much come to a close. The film picked up the awards for best feature, best director (Lee Daniels), best actress, best supporting actress and the hard fought category for best first screenplay. The Best Foreign Film vote somehow got mangled up favoring An Education over A Prophet. - Mo’Nique still has one more trophy to pick up this weekend, but the good times for everyone involved in the making of Precious has pretty much come to a close. The film picked up the awards for best feature, best director (Lee Daniels), best actress, best supporting actress and the hard fought category for best first screenplay. The Best Foreign Film vote somehow got mangled up favoring An Education over A Prophet. The three toughest categories to "predict" (see at the bottom of this page) also happen to be the names/films that are worth looking out for in the future: a big congrats goes to Karen Chien, Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Bill Ross & Turner Ross and the folks nominated in their categories. Winners are labeled with ***. Red highlight are the films I had as the winner, blue as what should have won, and purple is a pairing of both. As I had predicted below, Lee Daniels' Precious was the big winner yesterday night,  Red highlighted titles are those that will win. Those in blue, are what should win, and finally, the picks in purple are when "will" and the "should" mix. Look for a brief commentary on each of the categories below. BEST FEATURE “(500) Days Of Summer,” Producers: Mason Novick, Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Steven J. Wolfe “Amreeka,” Producers: Paul Barkin, Christina Piovesan *** “Precious,” Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness “Sin Nombre,” Producer: Amy Kaufman “The Last Station,” Producers: Bonnie Arnold, Chris Curling, Jens Meuer BEST DIRECTOR Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, “A Serious Man” *** Lee Daniels, “Precious” Cary Joji Fukunaga, “Sin Nombre” James Gray, “Two Lovers” Michael Hoffman, “The Last Station” BEST FIRST FEATURE “A Single Man,” Director: Tom Ford, Producers: Tom Ford, Andrew Miano, Robert Salerno, Chris Weitz *** “Crazy Heart,” Director: Scott Cooper, Producers: T Bone Burnett, Judy Cairo, Rob Carliner, Scott Cooper, Robert Duvall “Easier With Practice,” Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Producer: Cookie Carosella “Paranormal Activity,” Director: Oren Peli, Producer: Jason Blum, Oren Peli “The Messenger,” Director: Oren Moverman, Producers: Mark Gordon, Lawrence Inglee, Zach Miller JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Best feature made for under $500,000) “Big Fan” Writer/Director: Robert Siegel; Producers: Elan Bogarin, Jean Kouremetis *** “Humpday” Writer/Director/Producer: Lynn Sheldon “The New Year Parade” Writer/Director: Tom Quinn; Producers: Steve Beal, Tom Quinn “Treeless Mountain” Writer/Director: So Yong Kim; Producers: Bradley Rust Gray, Ben Howe, So Yong Kim, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy “Zero Bridge” Writer/Director: Tariq Tapa; Producers: Josee Lajoie, Hilal Ahmed Langoo, Tariq Tapa BEST SCREENPLAY Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4900 My mentor was Kim Ki-young, a Korean master of the 60's and 70's. His movies are very unique and grotesque. If he were in Spain, he would be like Luis Buñuel. Martin Scorsese presented his "The Housemaid" at the Cannes Classics. - Writer-slash-director Bong Joon-ho (The Host) delivers his most mature work to date, a brilliant character study that revolves around a desperate, valiant mother who attempts to save her only son framed for murder. Joon-ho's films continue to amaze, here, he once again changes up the tone and the mechanics of the common narratives we commonly associate with genre films from Korea, and with Mother, Joon-ho holds the viewer's attention from the very first frame till the very last, fusing dramatic currents with not so common murder mystery elements. At the core of the film lies an astonishing performance by actress Kim Hye-ja, reminding us that greatness comes in the unlikeliest of packages. Yama Rahimi: Tell me how this project came about? Bong Joon-ho: I started the project for the main actress, Kim Hye-ja. I wrote the screenplay for her. Not many outside of Korea knows her but she's an icon in Korea. Growing up, I would always see her on TV from early school years until later. She was always a good mother figure. It might seem weird... but I always thought there was another hidden side to her which I wanted to explore and that's how the project came about. So in 2004 soon after I made "Memories of Murder" I met her for the first time for about 10 minutes. I didn't have full script but pitched my project which she liked it and wanted to explore as well, to do something different. Rahimi: It's interesting you bring up "Memories of Murder" because there are certain elements of that film that reoccur in this film as well. It looked to me as you were going back to the setting of that film but now it makes sense that you were in that mindset from the beginning. Boon-ho: I worked on it before I made "The Host," so you could say I worked on both projects concurrently. Rahimi: Kim Hye-ja was phenomenal in the film - she gives a flawless performance. While I loved the film which was already great, I was very impressed with the ending which blew me away. Even without the ending, the film would have been solid but it takes the film to another level. I think it's easy to have a great beginning but it's rare to have a great ending which I always look out for. Was it in the script from the beginning? Boon-ho: Well I started writing in 2004 and finished it in 2008, so it took me four years to finish it but the ending was always there and it never changed even when I shared the idea with Kim Hye-ja. The goal of the project was to show how far maternal love goes or can go. So it was not as much about the son as it was the mother's reaction to her son's actions. Rahimi: Tell me about the film's submission to Cannes. The sentiment amongst my critic friends and critics in general was that the film should have been in the main competition. What's your opinion? Boon-ho: Of course I was disappointed that the film was not selected for the official competition but there were a lot of masters who had new films that were selected instead like Lars Von Trier, Michael Ha Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4910 Right at Your Door, Chris Gorak's 2006 low budget debut was essentially his calling card, however, the Sundance film got picked up, but it took a while for Hollywood to place the director in the rolodex. Looks like someone at Regency did just that. - Right at Your Door, Chris Gorak's 2006 low budget debut was essentially his calling card, however, the Sundance film got picked up, but it took a while for Hollywood to place the director in the rolodex. Looks like someone at Regency did just that. Deadline.com reports that Gorak will direct The Darkest Hour with the support of producer Timur Bekmambetov. Shooting will take place this June in Mother Russia - Bekmambetov has the same set up as Robert Rodriguez might have in Austin. Regency acquired the spec script by Leslie Bohem (Real Steel) and newbie scribe M.T. Ahern back in 2007, and surprisingly, 20th Century Fox won't be distributing, instead Summit is on board and will be looking at this as possible tentpole pic for 2011. This puts a twist on a classic sci-fi theme and is described as a 28 Days-like thriller about a group of kids struggling to survive in Russia after an alien invasion. My only question is: how is it that some Americans will end up in the country? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4908 Zach Braff is working on a new indie project - Canadian indie. Currently filming in Montreal, the helmer/star of Garden State is the topliner in Deborah Chow's directorial debut - a dark drama that will most likely receive its world premiere at TIFF next September - Zach Braff is working on a new indie project - Canadian indie. Currently filming in Montreal, the helmer/star of Garden State is the topliner in Deborah Chow's directorial debut - a dark drama that will most likely receive its world premiere at TIFF next September. The project was awarded the inaugural Kodak New Vision Mentorship under the guidance of acclaimed director Patricia Rozema (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) to develop the film. Despite the supporting cast of French actors, I don't think The High Cost of Living is a multi-language pic. This tells the story of a young pregnant woman whose world falls apart when she loses her baby in a hit and run accident. It starts with an accident. Henry (Zach Braff) makes a wrong turn and crashes into Nathalie (Isabelle Blais, Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions). In a fit of panic, and over the legal limit, he cuts and runs, leaving Nathalie lying in the street, unconscious, bleeding and eight months pregnant. She wakes up in the hospital only to find her bright future destroyed and the baby she is still carrying, dead. Her husband, Michel (Patrick Labbé) is too unnerved and emotionally bereft to deal with the tragedy. As her life unravels, she stumbles across Henry – who has been searching for his victim. Unaware of what he has done, Nathalie sees him as an unlikely guardian angel, everything Michel is not – compassionate, charming and a little crazy. She finds a welcome relief in the tall, rumpled stranger that seems only too willing to offer her refuge. But Henry has his own problems. His past misdeeds are catching up, and he soon discovers that the police are steadily closing in. The inevitable collision will force both Henry and Nathalie to confront loss, labour and life, and to ultimately decide whether the cost of living is worth the price. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4907 Among the projects in the Shelton's pipeline, we find a project with Sherman Alexie, and now you can add Joshua Ferris’ recent novel Then We Came To An End for Anne Carey and Ted Hope's This is That Productions (their upcoming slate includes James Gunn's Super and Anton Corbijn's The American). - Mumblecore offering Humpday officially put its director on the map - I wonder out loud how world sales went for the film as it was profiled in Cannes as well. Regardless, Lynn Shelton secured her independent filmmaker career in the U.S. and a small blurb mentioned on IndieWIRE confirms she is headed in that direction. Among the projects in the Shelton's pipeline, we find a project with Sherman Alexie, and now you can add Joshua Ferris’ recent novel Then We Came To An End for Anne Carey and Ted Hope's This is That Productions (their upcoming slate includes James Gunn's Super and Anton Corbijn's The American). Playing on Shelton's strength (capturing human-beings jousting between themselves), the book to film adaptation would probably be dialogue friendly and much like Humpday, will spend a lot of time in one location - I imagine the water cooler for this one. The characters in Then We Came To The End cope with a business downturn in the time-honored way: through gossip, secret romance, elaborate pranks, and increasingly frequent coffee breaks. This takes place in a Chicago advertising agency that is experiencing a downturn at the end of the 1990s Internet boom.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4407 For the silver anniversary, the Indie Spirit awards (you can follow them tomorrow night) decided to do the gala thing without the tent and a full 12 hours in advance of their regular Saturday time slot. For the fun of it, I've decided to put my expertise to the test. - For the silver anniversary, the Indie Spirit awards (you can follow them here tomorrow night) decided to do the gala thing without the tent and a full 12 hours in advance of their regular Saturday time slot. For the fun of it, I've decided to put my expertise to the test. Red highlighted titles are those that will win. Those in blue, are what should win, and finally, the picks in purple are when "will" and the "should" mix. Look for a brief commentary on each of the categories below. BEST FEATURE Prior to Jason Reitman's win at TIFF for the audience award, it was Precious that was the lead pick for the Oscars. Daniels' film should be heavily awarded if folks cast their Spirits ballots after the noms were announced. In my opinion, the five noms are all B-level choices, and by a nose I'd say the more imaginative and better crafted 500 Days deserves the win.   “(500) Days Of Summer,” Producers: Mason Novick, Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Steven J. Wolfe “Amreeka,” Producers: Paul Barkin, Christina Piovesan “Precious,” Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness “Sin Nombre,” Producer: Amy Kaufman “The Last Station,” Producers: Bonnie Arnold, Chris Curling, Jens Meuer BEST DIRECTOR The Coens are tops in my books this year, but as mentioned above, this is Precious final coming out party.  Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, “A Serious Man” Lee Daniels, “Precious” Cary Joji Fukunaga, “Sin Nombre” James Gray, “Two Lovers” Michael Hoffman, “The Last Station” BEST FIRST FEATURE I think that the positive buzz out of TIFF for A Single Man will benefit the film during these awards. Overall, I thought it was all style and very little substance. The Messenger hit me like a ton of bricks.  “A Single Man,” Director: Tom Ford, Producers: Tom Ford, Andrew Miano, Robert Salerno, Chris Weitz “Crazy Heart,” Director: Scott Cooper, Producers: T Bone Burnett, Judy Cairo, Rob Carliner, Scott Cooper, Robert Duvall “Easier With Practice,” Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Producer: Cookie Carosella “Paranormal Activity,” Director: Oren Peli, Producer: Jason Blum, Oren Peli “The Messenger,” Director: Oren Moverman, Producers: Mark Gordon, Lawrence Inglee, Zach Miller JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Best feature made for under $500,000) Humpday had Sundance audiences rolling in the aisles and Sheldon has many buds in the business. The more accomplished film is So Yong Kim's little seen drama. “Big Fan” Writer/Director: Robert Siegel; Producers: Elan Bogarin, Jean Kouremetis “Humpday” Writer/Director/Producer: Lynn Sheldon “The New Year Parade” Writer/Director: Tom Quinn; Producers: Steve Beal, Tom Quinn “Treeless Mountain” Writer/Director: So Yong Kim; Producers: Bradley Rust Gray, Ben Howe, Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4898 Nice surprise came via email today. Not one, not two, but three links to trailers for Aurora, a film that we listed in our number 5 spot for the most anticipated films for 2010. Cristi Puiu's second installment in 'six stories from the outskirts of Bucharest' stars Clara Voda, Luminita Gheorghiu, Gelu Colceag, Lucian Ifrim, Gheorghe Ifrim and Puiu in the lead with a character contemplating his options. - Nice surprise came via email today. Not one, not two, but three links to trailers for Aurora, a film that we listed in our number 5 spot for the most anticipated films for 2010. Cristi Puiu's second installment in 'six stories from the outskirts of Bucharest' stars Clara Voda, Luminita Gheorghiu, Gelu Colceag, Lucian Ifrim, Gheorghe Ifrim and Puiu in the lead with a character contemplating his options. Most probably headed to Cannes where The Death of Mr. Lazarescu received wide acclaim, Aurora is the story of Viorel, a 42-year-old technical consultant and engineer in Bucharest who decides to quit his job and put an end to the insecurity that has dominated his life since his divorce. “It is the story of a man who has reached the limits of what it is to be a human being, and who follows his destiny right to the end, without asking himself why he acts one way or another” says Puiu. Check out the trailers below. (Update: First trailer includes English subtitles.)   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4897 Principal photography has just been completed on Jim Loach’s debut feature Oranges and Sunshine starring Emily Watson, Hugo Weaving and David Wenham. The film follows the story of a social worker from Nottingham who uncovers a scandal involving the organised deportation of children in care from the UK to Australia. - Australian Film Scene – Local Principal photography has just been completed on Jim Loach’s debut feature Oranges and Sunshine starring Emily Watson, Hugo Weaving and David Wenham. The film follows the story of a social worker from Nottingham who uncovers a scandal involving the organised deportation of children in care from the UK to Australia. Troy Nixey’s Don’t be Afraid of the Dark is currently in post-production - the pic was shot in Victoria. Produced by Guillermo Del Toro of Pan’s Labyrinth fame, the feature follows the story of a young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend who discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own. The film will star Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes in lead roles. Whoever buys Miramax Films will end up with the title. Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival took place at The Domain in Sydney on the 21st of February with Abe Forsythe’s film Shock taking out the major prize. Celebrity judges for the event included Elijah Wood (who is in town for the Happy Feet sequel, Toni Collette, Michael & Peter Spierig (Director & Writers Daybreakers), and David Michôd. Australian Film Scene - AbroadThere has been a great reaction to Australian films across international film festivals including Rotterdam, Berlin and Sundance over the past two months. A foursome of titles were screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam including 2009 AFI Best Film/Cannes' Camera D'or winner Samson and Delilah, Richard Lowenstein’s 1986 feature Dogs in Space, Kyle Evans’ short animation film Lovely Girl, and Granaz Moussavi’s dramatic My Tehran For Sale. Franswa Sharl, the Hannah Hillard directed short film won the Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film, awarded by the Children’s Jury Generation Kplus. The Berlin jury said, “We couldn’t help laughing when we saw this charming and funny story based on a true story. Nonstop fun! For a moment we forgot the world around us. The actors were simply great.” Franswa Sharl is about a 12-year-old boy who reinvents himself as a French girl while on a family holiday in Fiji so he can enter a competition, much to his father’s dismay.Screening in Berlin (and Sundance) was Rachel Perkins’ musical comedy Bran Nue Dae, Rima Tamou’s short film Fist Contact, and the eagerly anticipated western Red Hill from Patrick Hughes.  David Michôd’s Animal Kingdom (see group pic above) took out the World Cinema Jury Prize in the Dramatic category at the Sundance Film Festival. The film follows the story of seventeen year-old as he navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and of the detective who thinks he can save him. Starring Guy Pearce, Ben Mendelsohn and Joel Edgerton the film wowed audiences and is due in cinemas in June 2010. Ariel Kleima Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4905 Before joining Terrence Malick's untitled romantic drama alongside Christian Bale, Javier Bardem and Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams might be joining Woody Allen's Paris-based film, which could turn out to be a romantic drama as well, since it's being filmed in the city of lights. - Before joining Terrence Malick's untitled romantic drama alongside Christian Bale, Javier Bardem and Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams might be joining Woody Allen's Paris-based film, which could turn out to be a romantic drama as well, since it's being filmed in the city of lights. Just yesterday Marion Cotillard was mentioned, and the week before that so were Owen Wilson and Carla Bruni. I don't think the actress hailing from Ontario will be cast in a bilingual role, but I imagine that the Canadian could be asked to pull out some broken, taught in school French. Malick will probably be setting up shop for his pic in the autumn, so that would allow for the Allen gig this summer for McAdams. THR reports that McAdams' next film, Morning Glory, will actually be released on October 28th -- I had no clue that Paramount had shifted away from its original July slot. Here's an "emotionally fragile" McAdams.     Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4906 After heading towards the exit door from police thriller Son of No One, Robert De Niro is joining yet another thriller, this time opposite Bradley Cooper in the book to film adaptation of The Dark Fields. - After heading towards the exit door from police thriller Son of No One, Robert De Niro is joining yet another thriller, this time opposite Bradley Cooper in the book to film adaptation of The Dark Fields. Regardless where De Niro's career path has taken him, if I'm Cooper, I'm probably pinching myself at the opportunity of working with the legend. Variety reports that De Niro will play a brilliant financial mogul who begins pursuing Cooper's character, which was originally set up with Shia LaBeouf in the lead. Based on Alan Glynn's novel and scripted by Leslie Dixon (she wrote The Thomas Crown Affair), procuring an amazing new designer drug that gives one awesome mental capabilities, a writer (Cooper) takes it regularly and begins to become rich and powerful. Only then he discovers the drug's dangerous side effects and the fact that, if he ever stops taking it, he'll die. Meanwhile, he must elude other takers of the drug who are desperate for his stash. Filming takes place in Philly this May, and despite having not seen The Lucky Ones, I'll be checking this out because I happen to like Neil Burger previous pair of films.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4904 You can be sure that the Sony Pictures Classics folks aren't looking at receipts for Woody Allen's last film, Whatever Works to gauge the potential return for his next picture. With romantic entanglements between Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Freida Pinto and Naomi Watts... - You can be sure that the Sony Pictures Classics folks aren't looking at receipts for Woody Allen's last film, Whatever Works to gauge the potential return for his next picture. With romantic entanglements between Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Freida Pinto and Naomi Watts, SPC will have a lot more ease in marketing this film - which they've already set as a domestic fall release. The croisette-bound film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger revolves around different members of a family, their tangled love lives and their attempts to try to solve their problems. The red carpet in Cannes will also be seeing the faces of Anna Friel, Lucy Punch, Christian McKay, Gemma Jones and Nicolas Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni are supporting players in the pic. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4903 The phasing out of "Scarlett Johansson period" is now complete, as Woody Allen seems logically more into leading ladies whose first language is French. Slowing finding the set pieces for his Paris-based project, Carla Bruni and Owen Wilson were recently announced/attached, and now Allen claimed Oscar winning actress in Marion Cotillard off waivers. - The phasing out of "Scarlett Johansson period" is now complete, as Woody Allen seems logically more into leading ladies whose first language is French. Slowing finding the set pieces for his Paris-based project, Carla Bruni and Owen Wilson were recently announced/attached, and now Allen claimed Oscar winning actress in Marion Cotillard off waivers - she probably jumped on the chance at working with the legend filmmaker without the need to read the script. Shooting is expected to take place during the summer. After previously hitting London and Barcelona, I wonder if Allen would consider hitting the capital cities of Asia - I'm sure he could find financing coin with the same conditions as his European deals. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4896 Based on Law's childhood experience, the story intends to bring out the nostalgia of the Hong Kongers through the portrayal of those good old days. It has yet to premiere in Hong Kong, but is set for a March 11th release and it'll also will be able to be seen during the Hong Kong International Festival. - Hong Kong Film Scene: LocalThe 34th edition of the Hong Kong International Festival will be bookended by homegrown films this year -- Crossing Hennessy, the sophomore feature from Ivy Ho (Claustrophobia) will open the fest alongside Like A Dream starring Daniel Wu. The festival which includes several international titles from last year's Cannes, Toronto and Venice film fests, contains some newer, attention-getting titles such as Love in a Puff -- Pang Ho-Cheung’s first time collaboration with Haiward Mak, who first caught Hong Kong film critics’ attention with her debut feature High Noon. This time, she co-wrote the script with Mak, a romantic drama about how a smoking ban leads to an ambiguous romance between two lonely smokers. Another film, EX, is directed by Haiward Mak herself. Unlike her debut, which had a then largely unknown cast, this time, it has pop stars Gillian Chung and William Chan both hoping to breakthrough with this film. Like its title, it is said to be about exes -- here an ex-girlfriend moves in her ex-boyfriend’s home, it makes her re-think her past relationship with all her former boyfriends. Receiving their world premieres, we have Gallants, by Derek Kwok, which is being described as a reminiscence of the glorious days of Hong Kong action comedies. Girl$, by director Kenneth Bi who made The Drummer, is a shift in genres for the filmmaker - as it focuses on the story of teenage escort girls in Hong Kong. For the closing films, besides EX, one we have Amphetamine which comes to the festival fresh from its Berlin debut. It’s director Scud’s latest ambitious work after City Without Baseball and Permanent Residence. The story itself is a tale mixing love with drugs. We'll have plenty of more updates on the festival later in the month. Hong Kong Film Scene: Abroad Berlin: Alex Law’s Echoes Of the Rainbow (a film that was financed by Hong Kong Film Development Fund) was the winner of the Crystal Bear (for Best Feature Film in the Generation category) at the Berlin Film Festival this year. Starring Simon Yam and Sandra Ng, the film is a family drama set in the 60s of Hong Kong, revolves around the lives of a working class family at that time. Based on Law’s childhood experience, the story intends to bring out the nostalgia of the Hong Kongers through the portrayal of those good old days. It has yet to premiere in Hong Kong, but is set for a March 11th release and it'll also will be able to be seen during the Hong Kong International Festival. Here’s the short "making of" video, shot and edited by actor Simon Yam himself --- and you can watch the trailer here. In Production: Peter Chan Ho-Sun’s latest film started shooting in the early February. Titled as xiá nǚ in Chinese, this happens to be the same title as the Chinese name of 1971 film A Touch of Zen, a film that won Technical Grand Prize award at Can Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4902 Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth's sumptuous looking Altiplano has been picked up by the First Run folks. Since it preemed in the Critic's Week section, the film has followed in the same path as their debut film Khadak - heavy festival play and multi-territory sales. - Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth's sumptuous looking Altiplano has been picked up by the First Run folks. Since it preemed in the Critic's Week section, the film has followed in the same path as their debut film Khadak - heavy festival play and multi-territory sales. War photographer Grace, devastated after a violent incident in Iraq, renounces her profession. Her Belgian husband, Max (played by Olivier Gourmet) is a cataract surgeon working at an eye clinic in the high Andes of Peru. Nearby, the villagers of Turubamba succumb to illnesses caused by a mercury spill from a local mine. Saturnina, a young woman in Turubamba, loses her fiancé to the contamination. Ignorant of its true source, the villagers turn their rage on the foreign doctors, and in the ensuing riot Max is killed. Grace sets out on a journey of mourning to the place of Max's death. Saturnina takes drastic measures to protest against the endless violations towards her people and her land. Grace and Saturnina's destinies merge. Altiplano is a lyrical and probing film about our divided but inextricably linked world.    Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4901 I'm not sure if it was this Iron Man 2 still that reminded casting directors that Mickey Rourke is still hitting the gym, but I'm fully expecting for the actor to flex more than his acting muscles as the villain of choice in Tarsem's War of the Gods. With his inflamed trapezius muscles, Variety reports that he'll be joining the already set Henry Cavill and Freida Pinto, in the role of King Hyperion. - I'm not sure if it was this Iron Man 2 still that reminded casting directors that Mickey Rourke is still hitting the gym, but I'm fully expecting for the actor to flex more than his acting muscles as the villain of choice in Tarsem's War of the Gods. With his inflamed trapezius muscles, Variety reports that he'll be joining the already set Henry Cavill and Freida Pinto, in the role of King Hyperion. Deadline.com broke the news over a week ago that Rourke was taking on yet another bad guy role.  Variety has listed Christian Gudegast as the original writer of the film with a Jason Keller writing the most recent draft, but from what I know it is Charley and Vlas Parlapanides who that first penned this mythological tale that concerns the battles waged by Theseus (Cavill), a warrior from Greek mythology, who leads a fight against the imprisoned titans. Among the hooks is that, unlike some mythological tales, gods fight alongside mortals. That moves it into a different historical time than "300" -- which concerned the battles of King Leonidas against the Persians. Pinto plays Phaedra, an oracle priestess who must join Theseus. Tarsem's commercial work (see his promo reel) should give us an idea of what he is capable of with in this genre of film. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4895 I caught a screening of the doc, a couple of years back at the Toronto Film Festival, and if I remember correctly, this became a Weinstein co. title that never got released - it's finally receiving a release on VOD via Sundance Selects on March 10th. A must see for WWII history buffs and Macdonald fans. - When Patty Jenkins' Monster came out, I'll admit to having been one of the least judgmental folks towards the course that Aileen Wuornos took. When discussing the bad apples in society, I've always tried to be cautious about calling out people for what they are: folks that make bad judgement calls and those who are pure evil. And then you have Kevin Macdonald's My Enemy's Enemy which showcases one very rotten apple at the core. I caught a screening of the doc, a couple of years back at the Toronto Film Festival, and if I remember correctly, this became a Weinstein co. title that never got released - it's finally receiving a release on VOD via Sundance Selects on March 10th. A must see for WWII history buffs and Macdonald fans. Klaus Barbie is the Nazi war criminal known as "the Butcher Of Lyon." Barbie was also the subject of Marcel Ophuls' Oscar winning 1988 documentary Hotel Terminus, but Macdonald's film has a very different focus. The film will chronicle how Barbie worked with the CIA after the war and how the Nazi felon was protected by the US. The documentary will also examine claims that Barbie and the CIA were involved in the 1980 Bologna railway bombing, in which 85 people died.       Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4893 Film Movement have grabbed the rights to the Cannes preemed, TIFF presented sophomore feature from Keren Yedaya. Working once again with actresses Ronit Elkabetz and Dana Ivgy - both were in her 2004 Camera D'or winning feature Or (Mon trésor), Yedaya's latest film titled Jaffa (the name of an old port city that is part of Tel Aviv) once again goes the turbulent route - with a storyline on the difficulties of being a woman in love, in a city where the cultures clash - I think you can guess which ones. - Film Movement have grabbed the rights to the Cannes preemed, TIFF presented sophomore feature from Keren Yedaya. Working once again with actresses Ronit Elkabetz and Dana Ivgy - both were in her 2004 Camera D'or winning feature Or (Mon trésor), Yedaya's latest film titled Jaffa (the name of an old port city that is part of Tel Aviv) once again goes the turbulent route - with a storyline on the difficulties of being a woman in love, in a city where the cultures clash - I think you can guess which ones. In the heart of Jaffa, a city nicknamed "the Bride of the Sea" by the Israelis, Reuven's garage is a family business. His daughter Mali and his son Meir, as well as Toufik and Hassan, a young Palestinian and his father, work there for Reuven. No one suspects that Mali and Toufik have been in love for years. As the two lovers are secretly making their wedding arrangements, tension builds between Meir and Toufik…     Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4892 Kino Lorber (the new venture from Lorber Films and Kino International) have made an EFM pick up, grabbing the theatrical rights to Stéphane Brizé's Mademoiselle Chambon - a recent winner for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Cesars this past weekend. - Kino Lorber (the new venture from Lorber Films and Kino International) have made an EFM pick up, grabbing the theatrical rights to Stéphane Brizé's Mademoiselle Chambon - a recent winner for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Cesars this past weekend. Judging from the trailer, this appears to be distinctly Euro, and by that I mean: long takes, long pauses without dialogue and the human condition. The pic also received noms for actresses Sandrine Kiberlain (Best Actress), and Aure Atika for Best Supporting.  Jean (Vincent Lindon) is an upstanding man: a good builder, a good son, a good father, and a good husband. In his ordinary, placid life, divided between family and work, he crosses paths with Mademoiselle Chambon, his son's teacher. He is a man of few words; she comes from a different world. They become overwhelmed by the obviousness of their feelings.         Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4891 It's one of those years where the great Atom Egoyan's contribution to cinema is totally insignificant (Adoration received 2 noms) and where Denis Villeneuve's Polytechnique, in my books the best Canadian film of the year, grabbed the high count total of eleven nominations for the 30th Genie Awards. - It's one of those years where the great Atom Egoyan's contribution to cinema is totally insignificant (Adoration received 2 noms) and where Denis Villeneuve's Polytechnique, in my books the best Canadian film of the year, grabbed the high count total of eleven nominations for the 30th Genie Awards. What is somewhat odd is how Canada's most internationally celebrated film in I Killed My Mother (J'ai tue ma mere) from Xavier Dolan receive not one single vote, a crime when you consider the textured writing, fluid cinematography and the brilliant performance from Anne Dorval - who plays the neurotic mother who doesn't get her teenage son. The TIFF preemed Charles Officer's Nurse.Fighter.Boy received one nom short of tying Villeneuve's film in the number of noms, and the Inuit-language drama Before Tomorrow, which had a two week stint at the Film Forum for two weeks in December, placed third with nine nominations. The winners are announced on April 12th, when all of these films are collecting dust on videostore shelves. Here are the complete list of categories and noms below.  BEST MOTION PICTURE 3 SAISONS - Maude Bouchard, Jim Donovan, Sandy Martinez, Bruno Rosato BEFORE TOMORROW - Stéphane Rituit FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING - Shawn Williamson, Stephen Hegyes, Peter La Terriere, Kari Skogland NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY - Ingrid Veninger POLYTECHNIQUE - Maxime Rémillard, Don Carmody ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION MARIE-HÉLÈNE COUSINEAU, MADELINE PIUJUQ IVALU - Before Tomorrow KARI SKOGLAND - Fifty Dead Men Walking CHARLES OFFICER - NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY DENIS VILLENEUVE - Polytechnique BRUCE MCDONALD - Pontypool ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY ATOM EGOYAN - Adoration ÉMILE GAUDREAULT, IAN LAUZON - De père en flic / Father and Guns CHARLES OFFICER, INGRID VENINGER - NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY JACQUES DAVIDTS - Polytechnique DAVID BEZMOZGIS - Victoria Day ADAPTED SCREENPLAY MARIE-HÉLÈNE COUSINEAU, SUSAN AVINGAQ, MADELINE PIUJUQ IVALU - Before Tomorrow KARI SKOGLAND - Fifty Dead Men Walking TONY BURGESS - Pontypool PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE JEAN-CARL BOUCHER - 1981 PAUL DYLAN IVALU - Before Tomorrow JOSHUA JACKSON - One Week CLARK JOHNSON - NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY STEPHEN MCHATTIE - Pontypool PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE MADELINE PIUJUQ IVALU - Before Tomorrow KAREN LEBLANC - NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY CARINNE LEDUC - 3 Saisons GABRIELLE ROSE – Mothers & Daughters KARINE VANASSE - Polytechnique PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE PATRICK DROLET - De père en flic / Father and Guns JOHN DUNSWORTH - Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day MAXIM GAUDETTE - Polytechnique RÉMY GIRARD - De père en flic / Father and Guns SCOTT SPEEDMAN - Adoration PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE LIANE BALABAN - One Week MARIE BRASSARD - Les grandes chaleurs / Heat Wave MARTHA BURNS - Love & Savagery ISABEL RICHER - Babine SONIA VACHON – 5150, rue des Ormes / 5150 Elm's Way ACHIE Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4500 On the world cinema front, we have a new film from Aki Kaurismäki (filming in the North of France), we have Lou Ye joining forces with Tahar Rahim, and another auteur in Phillippe Garrel who will be directing Monica Bellucci. - At the beginning of every month, IONCINEMA.com's "Tracking Shot" features a half dozen or so projects that are moments away from lensing and that we feel are worth signaling out. This March, we've got a good grouping - apart from Fox Searchlight's wild card film from Danny Boyle, most of these films will be 2011 releases. On the world cinema front, we have a new film from Aki Kaurismäki (filming in the North of France), we have Lou Ye joining forces with Tahar Rahim, and another auteur in Phillippe Garrel who will be directing Monica Bellucci. In the indie production world, Killer Films will be commencing production on Abe Sylvia's feature debut (Sylvia's bio can be found here). Plum Pictures is backing George Ratliff's next feature - he directed a little seen gem with a Sam Rockwell in excellent Rockwellian form in 2007's Joshua. Finally, Larry Clark is set for a long awaited return in Savage Innocent and Duncan Jones will move from his Moon fame into his sophomore project Source Code, which is being talked about as a great sci-fi film on paper (this was a Blacklist mentioned project in 2007). Day 1 of shooting begins today, so stay tuned to his twitter account for more details during his Montreal shoot. 127 Hours  Director: Danny Boyle Screenwriter: Simon Beaufoy Producer: Christian Colson (Slumdog Millionaire) Cast: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara  Filming in Salt Lake City and Moab, Utah Bitch (Chienne)  Director/Screenwriter: Lou Ye Cast: Tahar Rahim  Paris and Beijing Dirty Girl  Director/Writer: Abe Sylvia  Producer: Christine Vachon, Pam Koffler, Rob Paris, Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen, Charles Pugliese, Michael Lesser Cast: Juno Temple - Sally Hawkins - William H. Macy - Lisa Kudrow - Jeremy Dozier Filming in Los Angeles J'ai Regarde les anges Director/Writer: Phillippe GarrelProducer: Edouard WeilCast: Monica Bellucci, Grégory Fitoussi, Louis GarrelFilming in France Le Havre Director/Screenwriter: Aki Kaurismäki Producer: Haije TulokasCast: André Wilms, Kati Outinen, Elina Salo and Ilkka Koivula Filming in FranceSalvation Boulevard  Director: George Ratliff Screenwriter: Ratliff and Douglas Stone Producer: Cathy Schulman and Celine Rattray Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Ed Harris, Jim Gaffigan Filming in New Mexico - Michigan Savage Innocent  Director: Larry Clark   Screenwriter: Clark and Evan Wiener Producers: Paulo Branco, Hans C. Ritter Cast: Dakota Johnson - Rory Culkin - Ray Liotta Filming in Los Angeles Source Code Director: Duncan Jones  Screenwriter: Billy Ray, Ben Ripley Producers: Mark Gordon, Philippe Rousselet , Jordan Wynn Cast: Vera Farmiga, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Jeffrey Wright Filming in Montreal Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4890 No surprises at the 35th Cesars, as A Prophet cleaned up in all major categories it was nominated in: Best Film, Best Director (Audiard), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Stephane Fontaine), Best Editing (Juliette Welfling), Best Art Direction (Michel Barthelemy) and last but not least, one of my top 5 performance of the year, Niels Arestrup won for Best Supporting... - No surprises at the 35th Césars, as A Prophet cleaned up in all major categories it was nominated in: Best Film, Best Director (Audiard), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Stephane Fontaine), Best Editing (Juliette Welfling), Best Art Direction (Michel Barthelemy) and last but not least, one of my top 5 performance of the year, Niels Arestrup won for Best Supporting -- he of course won best supporting in The Beat that My Heart Skipped. The revelation of the year Tahar Rahim won a pair of awards for Best Male Newcomer (how come the Oscars don't have such a category?) and Best Actor capping off a great run since Cannes.  The only prizes it didn't win in that it was nominated for was for Best Costume which of course went to Coco Before Channel and in the Best Score and Best Sound categories where Radu Mihaileanu's horribly dull The Concert got the nods. Here are the complete list of noms and winners below, and the U.S is not the only country where Avatar will get beat by the comp - French favorite Clint Eastwood won for Gran Torino - whaddaya expect? BEST FILM A L’ORIGINE / IN THE BEGINNING, Edouard Weil and Pierre-Ange Le Pogam; directed by Xavier Giannoli LE CONCERT / THE CONCERT, Alain Attal; directed by Radu Mihaileanu LES HERBES FOLLES / WILD GRASS, Jean-Louis Livi; directed by Alain Resnais LA JOURNÉE DE LA JUPE / SKIRT DAY, Bénédicte Lesage and Ariel Askénazi; directed by Jean-Paul Lilienfeld RAPT, Patrick Sobelman, Diana Elbaum et Sébastien Delloye; directed by Lucas Belvaux UN PROPHÈTE / A PROPHET, Pascal Caucheteux, Grégoire Sorlat et Marco Cherqui; directed by Jacques Audiard WELCOME, Christophe Rossignon; directed by Philippe LiorandBEST FOREIGN FILM AVATAR; directed by James Cameron GRAN TORINO; directed by Clint Eastwood MILK; directed by Gus Van Sant J’AI TUÉ MA MÈRE / I KILLED MY MOTHER; directed by Xavier Dolan PANIQUE AU VILLAGE; directed by Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar THE WHITE RIBBON; directed by Michael Haneke SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE; directed by Danny BoyleBEST DOCUMENTARY L’ENFER D’ HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT; directed by Serge Bromberg and Ruxandra Medrea LA DANSE, LE BALLET DE L’OPÉRA DE PARIS; directed by Frederick Wiseman HIMALAYA, LE CHEMIN DU CIEL; directed by Marianne Chaud HOME; directed by Yann-Arthus Bertrand NE ME LIBÉREZ PAS JE M’EN CHARGE; directed by Fabienne GodetBEST FIRST FILM LES BEAUX GOSSES / THE FRENCH KISSERS; directed by Riad Sattouf, Anne-Dominique Toussaint LE DERNIER POUR LA ROUTE / ONE FOR THE ROAD; directed by Philippe Godeau, Philippe Godeau ESPION(S); directed by Nicolas Saada, Michaël Gentile LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE; directed by Lucien Jean-Baptiste, Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar and Pierre Kubel QU’UN SEUL TIENNE ET LES AUTRES SUIVRONT / SILENT VOICES; directed by Léa Fehner, Jean-Michel Rey and Phili Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4889 We'll be seeing Mesrine: Killer Instinct (the word "death" replaced by "killer") and Mesrine: Public Enemy No.1 released this summer, I just hope that this receives a better fate than Soderbergh's Che films did. I'd hardly call Music Box French film specialists, but two summers back they did an impressive run with Tell No One. - Subtitle friendly distributor Music Box Films have come out and cleaned the mess known as...the theatrical release situation of the Mesrine films. Senator, the division that folded before it could launch its second film, first picked up the pairing in July of 2008. Time elapsed, an early, unfinished film version was presented at 2008's Toronto Film Festival, the economy dipped, and then out of the blue, New American Vision claims that they were giving this an April release this year -- you can see that claim via the artwork. Today's press release confirms that: we'll be seeing Mesrine: Killer Instinct (the word "death" replaced by "killer" -- the Brits released the film with this title) and Mesrine: Public Enemy No.1 released this summer, I just hope that this receives a better fate than Soderbergh's Che films did. I'd hardly call Music Box French film specialists, but two summers back they did an impressive run with Tell No One.   Mesrine (1936 -1979) had the distinction of being Public Enemy No. 1 in two countries on two continents (Canada and France) and became such a political embarrassment that he was essentially assassinated by French police on the streets of Paris. Part I: Introduces us to Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel), a loyal son and dedicated soldier back home and living with his parents after serving in the Algerian War. Handsome and charming, he is soon seduced by the neon glamour of Sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido (Gerard Depardieu) Mesrine soon moves swiftly up the criminal ladder, choosing the high risk life of a gangster over the honest life of the hard working family. After pulling of an audacious heist he and his lover Jeanne (Cecile de France), flee to Canada where the opportunity of one big payout lures him out of hiding and propels him towards international notoriety. Part II: Now back in France, Mesrine is finally in police custody and facing justice for his crimes but he is soon on the run once again. After escaping a courtroom and kidnapping the judge at gunpoint, Mesrine is declared Public Enemy Number One and finds an adversary in his chief and most dogged pursuer, Commander Broussard. Broussard soon corners Mesrine who is condemned to a maximum security prison where he writes his first memoirs, establishing himself as a household name and anti-hero across France. With fellow inmate Francois Besse (Mathieu Amalric) he stages another daring escape and disappears into the lawless underworld, taunting the police and reinventing himself as a celebrity criminal through his savvy manipulation of the media. After such a monumental rise, comes the inevitable fall as Broussard closes in, bringing the life of Jacques Mesrin! e to full bloody circle. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4888 It's official folks, Evan Rachel Wood and Guy Pearce are boarding Todd Haynes' Mildred Pierce miniseries, Production Weekly reports that they'll be filming for a seven-eight week shoot out of Killer Films' backyard of New York, between April 12th to June 1st. - It's official folks, Evan Rachel Wood and Guy Pearce are boarding Todd Haynes' Mildred Pierce miniseries, Production Weekly reports that they'll be filming for a seven-eight week shoot out of Killer Films' backyard of New York, between April 12th to June 1st. Kate Winslet is Mildred, and I believe that Wood will play the youngest daughter Kay, while a dapper Pearce could essentially play the wealthy Monty. This leaves, Bert Pierce, Mildred's husband, their eldest daughter Vera, there is word that Chloë Sevigny might take that role - she has worked on other Killer Films projects (Kids, Boys Don't Cry, Party Monster) and finally, there is one last part in Wally Fay – Bert's former business partner - perhaps a David Strathairn type might fit the part. The HBO miniseries is co-written by Haynes and Jon Raymond (Kelly Reichardt's scribe on her first two films), and is not a remake of the 1945 film, but an adaptation of James M. Cain's classic noir novel, which centers on Mildred Pierce Beragon (Winslet), a proud single mother struggling to earn her daughter's love during the Great Depression in middle-class Los Angeles. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4870 If you notice, the promo poster clearly indicates that there is still some casting work to do on Lynne Ramsey's We Need To Talk About Kevin. Clearly this is a showcase for Tilda, but before it starts lensing in Connecticut next April, there are a pair of "Kevins" to be cast, and the Culkin brothers are all grown up. There is the young boy version - a mean-spirited looking child to cast, a younger sister and finally the adolescent Kevin. - If you notice, the promo poster clearly indicates that there is still some casting work to do on Lynne Ramsey's We Need To Talk About Kevin. Clearly this is a showcase for Tilda, but before it starts lensing in Connecticut next April, there are a pair of "Kevins" to be cast, and the Culkin brothers are all grown up. There is the young boy version - a mean-spirited looking child to cast, a younger sister and finally the adolescent Kevin. I was thinking of some names/faces that could fill the role, not sure about you, but I came up with these guys. Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief) who is being rumored as the next Peter Parker. Lesser known actors in Carter Jenkins (Valentine's Day) and Jake Abel (The Lovely Bones) to more recognized actors who are slowly moving out of their teen roles in Freddie Highmore, Nicholas Hoult and Josh Hutcherson. I think my top two picks might be Skandar Keynes from The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy or Sterling Knight (17 Again) who is perhaps the one that looks closest to Swinton in appearance. Actually the person who cast Alba Rohrwacher as Swinton's daughter for I Am Love made a great match, so maybe someone should give this person a call, and for the younger role you might as well go with the kid in Julia, who sort of looks like he could come from John C. Reilly's family tree.  Based on Lionel Shriver’s novel, through a series of moving and harrowing flashbacks, this examines the role of Kevin’s upbringing in a high school massacre that he carries out as a teenager. Despite seemingly accepting his father (Reilly), Kevin displays an unstinting disdain towards his mother, Eva (Swinton), from the day of his birth. She, in turn, appears indifferent towards her son. After the atrocity, Eva visits Kevin a number of times in prison and, combined with her flashbacks, she begins to discern the vague outlines of a motive for Kevin’s abhorrent crime. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4887 Andrea Arnold, from Fish Tank, Red Road and Wasp fame, will be hitting Wuthering Heights next, but she might be following that up with another original piece called The Cleaner. Peter Strickland (see pic above) who made waves last year with his film Katalin Varga, will be going to Italy for his next project - a horror film called who is developing The Berberian Sound Studio. - Thanks to the workaholic folks at thePlaylist for making this press release "more" public, as there are plenty of noteworthy projects in development mentioned in the UK Film Council from talented filmmakers who've yet to even mention these future films. While we are aware of what Winterbottom, Ramsay, Hirschbiegel and Terry Gilliam, there is some fresh stuff in here to be excited about. Here are a half dozen that are now on my radar, I've include the press release below or you can click on the quicklinks for further info on all of these projects.  Andrea Arnold, from Fish Tank, Red Road and Wasp fame, will be hitting Wuthering Heights next, but she might be following that up with another original piece called The Cleaner. Peter Strickland (see pic above) who made waves last year with his film Katalin Varga, will be going to Italy for his next project - a horror film called who is developing The Berberian Sound Studio. Matt Greenhalgh detailed the lives of John Lennon and Joy Division frontman in Nowhere Boy and Control respectively, his next project will be called Xcalibre. Actor Paddy Considine left a great impression with his festival winning short film Dog Altogether, now he is heading towards his directorial debut with the feature The Journeyman. Another actor will also be getting behind the camera, after about two decades Danny Huston is looking to call the shot again, this time for the Mexican thriller Day of the Dead. And finally, at one point there were a pair of dueling Dusty Springfield projects, one that had Nicole Kidman in the lead and another that saw Kristin Chenoweth circling the lead role. We can now add a third one going by Dancing with Demons - an authorized biography of Dusty that Enda Walsh (Hunger) is penning. Here are the other projects receiving support: Award-winning director Lynne Ramsay (Morvern Callar, Ratcatcher), who is currently developing her upcoming feature We Need To Talk About Kevin; Bestselling author Nick Hornby, Oscar®-nominated for An Education, who is co-writing family animation The Babymakers with Giles Smith; Award-winning author Sadie Jones who is adapting her debut novel The Outcast for John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) to direct; Lee Hall, award-winning writer of Billy Elliot, currently working on For The End of Time about French musical genius, Olivier Messiaen; Oliver Hirschbiegel, director of Five Minutes of Heaven, currently working with the Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade on mafia thriller Corsica 72; Conor McPherson (The Eclipse), who is writing a ghost story Strangers to be directed by Oscar®-winning director James Marsh; Leading British author Jeanette Winterson (Oranges are Not the Only Fruit), writing her screen debut Gertrude and Alice about Gertrude Stein and Alice B Tokles; Hanif Kureishi, the renowned novelist, playwright, screenwriter and filmmaker, who is adapting Aravind Adiga's Man Booker Prize-winning novel The White Tiger; BAFTA-winning screen Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4886 In many ways, Cannes is like Disneyland. It's a lieu where dreams come true, where an actor can be plucked from obscurity, as was the case for Tahar Rahim - whose mind-numbing, break-out performance in A Prophet has landed him a wealth of future acting parts, and it's a place that helps sustain a career in filmmaking when you're banned from pursuing the profession in your own country, as was the case for provocateur Lou Ye. - In many ways, Cannes is like Disneyland. It's a lieu where dreams come true, where an actor can be plucked from obscurity, as was the case for Tahar Rahim - whose mind-numbing, break-out performance in A Prophet has landed him a wealth of future acting parts, and it's a place that helps sustain a career in filmmaking when you're banned from pursuing the profession in your own country, as was the case for provocateur Lou Ye. French trades are reporting that the very busy Rahim, will play the male lead in Bitch, a film that will surely be a hot topic film at the festival in 2011.  A France-China co-production that will be filmed in black and white, Bitch is a 2008 Cannes Atelier project which we reported on here, and is based on Jie Liu-Falin's best-seller book that was banned from publication but made the rounds on the internets. Imagine that. In a nutshell, this is about a young Beijing professor who leaves her job to follow a new love to Paris, who in turn abandons her. Alone in a new city, she encounters another man, and this is where the film will take a serious detour. Casting for the female lead should be announced shortly, with filming to take place in Paris and then relocating to Beijing. Here is a lengthy, marketplace synopsis below...  Mathieu says, if she were a prostitute, for sure Flower would make a lot of money. He says she’s a born bitch. Any profession other than a prostitute would indeed be a waste of her gifts. Maybe he’s had few numerable women in his life, even though he boasts himself a veteran of love affairs; or maybe he just says it as a compliment to her, even though his flattering always goes too far, but no matter how, she can never be a prostitute. It’s not that she has a substantial prejudice against this ancient profession, but because she would never choose an occupation that completely has nothing to do with the past 30 odd years of her life and experience. She had her dreams before. But, what could a thirty-something Chinese woman possibly do in Paris? Get married, have babies and be an indifferent housewife? It seems there’s never such a possibility for her. Maybe she’s had similar chances, but she keeps missing them one after another. Continue her study to get a doctor’s degree? But what can piles of diploma help with a wretched lonely old woman? She’s always been trying to motivate herself to be tough, but she is never a superwoman. In her dictionary, superwoman is a woeful and helpless word, which will chill her to the bone. You can’t blame her for that. She just believes in a woman’s life, there should be something closer to the heart other than vanity, or at least to a woman like her. She could go through all the hardships to come and study in France, but study is not her one and only purpose, or we could say not her real purpose. She comes to France just to follow a man, a man who had brought surges to her heart. Bu Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4885 Not sure how much time after world preems in Venice and TIFF that the IFC Films folks scooped up the rights to Claire Denis' White Material, but if you are like me, both a fan of Denis and this film, or you run Fin de Cinema, you'd have noticed that next month's BAMcinématek presents Focus on IFC Films contains a surprise selection that hadn't been yet announced as an IFC pick-up. - Not sure how much time after world preems in Venice and TIFF that the IFC Films folks scooped up the rights to Claire Denis' White Material, but if you are like me, both a fan of Denis and this film, or you run Fin de Cinema, you'd have noticed that next month's BAMcinématek presents Focus on IFC Films contains a surprise selection that hadn't been yet announced as an IFC pick-up. With the film, Denis returns to familiar terrain, not necessarily in thematic terms, but actual setting, and the film sees Isabelle Huppert's central character with her head cut off. A plantation owner in the minority, she is so engrained with her own set of values and perception of what constitutes a real threat to her business, that she becomes oblivious to the, life-threatening drama unfolding around her and her family members -- it was a viewing experience that in many ways is engaging, infuriating and there aren't many dull moments.  Scripted by novelist Marie Ndiaye, the regular army is preparing to reestablish order in the country. To clean up. To eliminate the rebel officer also known as the Boxeur and rid the countryside of roving child soldiers. All the expatriates have gone home, getting out before things turn nasty. Of the Vials, coffee planters who have lived here for two generations, Maria stands firm. She’s not about to give in to rumors or abandon her harvest at the first sound of gunfire. Just like her father-in-law and her ex-husband who is also the father of her son (a little too much of a slacker in her opinion) she is convinced that Cherif, mayor of the neighboring town, will protect them. If she asks him, he will save the plantation. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4884 You get a sense that if you had to choose a crowning piece in Magnet Releasing's 2nd edition of the ‘Six Shooter’ series that you'd want to end on a high note such as in today's pick-up announcement. Despite only playing in market screenings, Neil Marshall's Centurion may be a major coup for Tom Quinn. - You get a sense that if you had to choose a crowning piece in Magnet Releasing's 2nd edition of the ‘Six Shooter’ series that you'd want to end on a high note such as in today's pick-up announcement. Despite only playing in market screenings, Neil Marshall's Centurion may be a major coup for Tom Quinn. Perhaps I'm overhyping the swords and no sandals pic here, but I think they got themselves an ideal summer tentpole pic - and if I were Magnet I'd reverse their usual release order by putting a theatrical run in first and then go the VOD route. All eyes, including Quinn's will be on the B.O return and critical reaction in the weeks after the April 23rd release in the UK.     Written by Marshall, this takes place in the breathtaking Scottish highlands and is set during the war between Roman soldiers and Pict tribesmen during the 2nd century Roman conquest of Britain. Fassbender stars as Quintus Dias, Roman centurion and son of a legendary gladiator who leads a group of soldiers on a raid of a Pict camp to rescue a captured general (Dominic West). The son of the Pict leader is murdered during the raid, and the Romans find themselves hunted by a seemingly unstoppable group of the Pict’s most vicious and skilled warriors, led by a beautiful and deadly tracker (Olga Kurylenko), who are hell bent on revenge. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4883 Last week in my Cannes predictions, I attached a first glimpse of the Lee Jeong-jae and Jeon Do-yeon (who won Best Actress in Cannes for Secret Sunshine) pairing we'll find Im Sang-soo's remake of The Housemaid, and now we have a sweet first look at a Jeon Do-yeon again in a pic that gives us a vague idea of the subservient, domesticated nanny persona she embodies before the problems start to mount. - Last week in my Cannes predictions, I attached a first glimpse of the Lee Jeong-jae and Jeon Do-yeon (who won Best Actress in Cannes for Secret Sunshine) pairing we'll find Im Sang-soo's remake of The Housemaid, and now we have a sweet first look at a Jeon Do-yeon again in a pic that gives us a vague idea of the subservient, domesticated nanny persona she embodies before the problems start to mount. Coming to us in the 50th year anniversary of Kim Ki-young's classic, the 1960 original tells of how a factory music teacher’s family is thrown into nightmare chaos when they take in a strange girl as a housemaid – she seduces him, is coerced into having an abortion, and then turns into revenge mode. Scripted by Gina Kim (who was originally slated to direct while the project was being shopped around for funding), the new version sees the housemaid being slightly older than the perky wife - which is being played by Seo Woo.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4882 With principle set pieces of the dramedy already secured in Rogen, McAvoy, Kendrick and Dallas Howard, Variety reports that we now we have vets Anjelica Huston and Philip Baker Hall filling out the secondary roles in Jonathan Levine's (please don't re-title it) I'm With Cancer. - With principle set pieces of the dramedy already secured in Rogen, McAvoy, Kendrick and Dallas Howard, Variety reports that we now we have vets Anjelica Huston and Philip Baker Hall filling out the secondary roles in Jonathan Levine's (please don't re-title it) I'm With Cancer. Having read the screenplay, I'm seeing Huston playing one more mother role to McAvoy's Adam character, and in all logic, I see Hall in the white lab coat role -- as the deliverer of bad news. A 2008 BlackList mentioned screenplay, and a Top 100 Most Anticipated film for 2010 on this site, based on the autobiographical spec written by Reiser, this is his personal account of his struggle to beat cancer, with the story centering on a 25-year-old (McAvoy) who finds out he has the disease. Anna Kendrick will play a psychologist assigned to a young man who learns he has cancer. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4881 While Production Weekly had this listed as "Dawn of War", Variety is calling this one War of the Gods, it looks Pinto will be joining this new Tarsem film in the lead female role of Phaedra. Production begins in Montreal this April. - Freida Pinto is now four films into her filmmaking career and so far, her curriculum vitae reads as such: worked in Danny Boyle's Oscar winning film, acted for Woody Allen and starred in a Julian Schnabel drama (both You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and Miral are looking primed for premieres in Cannes where buyers are already eagerly awaiting both titles). While Production Weekly had this listed as "Dawn of War", Variety is calling this one War of the Gods, it looks Pinto will be joining this new Tarsem film in the lead female role of Phaedra. Production begins in Montreal this April.  Jason Keller who had a BlackList script mention with A Willing Patriot (2005) which became The Devil's Throat with José Padilha attached to direct and did some non-credited rewrite work for Marcel Langenegger's Deception, was hired to rewrite Charley and Vlas Parlapanides script - a mythological tale that concerns the battles waged by Theseus (Henry Cavill), a warrior from Greek mythology, who leads a fight against the imprisoned titans. Among the hooks is that, unlike some mythological tales, gods fight alongside mortals. For sand and swords fans, this moves it into a different historical time than "300" -- which concerned the battles of King Leonidas against the Persians. Here is our interview with Tarsem (during the promotion of The Fall) - he was previously involved in a pair of other projects before joining this project for Universal Pictures. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4880 David Gordon Green has traded in his days as an indie filmmaker in favor for the better craft services tables and chilling out with the Apatow crowd. Although it certainly appears as if he has switched sides, Green hasn't entirely sold out to Hollywood as he acts as a producer on indies, and as a filmmaker who probably grew up with a steady diet of films from the 80's, is just doing his thing. - David Gordon Green has traded in his days as an indie filmmaker in favor for the better craft services tables and chilling out with the Apatow crowd. Although it certainly appears as if he has switched sides, Green hasn't entirely sold out to Hollywood as he acts as a producer on indies, and as a filmmaker who probably grew up with a steady diet of films from the 80's, is just doing his thing. The trades have Green directing Jonah Hill in The Sitter -- a comedy being dubbed as a mix between "Superbad" (not much of a stretch for Hill) and "Adventures in Babysitting" (a film I viewed one too many times when Beta was around). With a slated fall start date, this means Green will have enough time in post with Your Highness, and knowing his worth ethic, can work on a half dozen screenplays as he preps for this production. Penned by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka (the pair had written Speedo and had set it up at WB), this follows a college student (Hill), suspended for the semester and living at home with his single mom, who has a night to remember when he gets talked into baby-sitting the eccentric kids next door: two boys and a wild 8-year-old girl. What do you think about this project? Would you "sit" this one out? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4877 It's been almost one year since we last reported on Apichatpong Weerasethakul and him wanting to transform his multi-platform project "Primitive" into an eventual feature film project. For a buck, you can watch the short on TheAuteurs in preparation for Uncle Bonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, which is officially in the can. - It's been almost one year since we last reported on Apichatpong Weerasethakul and him wanting to transform his multi-platform project "Primitive" into an eventual feature film project. For a buck, you can watch the short on TheAuteurs in preparation for Uncle Bonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, which is officially in the can (thanks to Twitchfilm for the update) and in all likelihood will be presented in Cannes where Weerasethakul's Blissfully Yours won the prize Un Certain Regard in 2002, and where Tropical Malady received the Jury's Prize in 04'. Here's the lengthy synopsis. Uncle Boonmee is suffering from kidney failure. As an avid practitioner of Yoga, he is well aware of his body. He knows that he will die in 48 hours. He feels his illness must be related with his bad karma. He has killed too many communists, he says. Boonmee calls his distant relatives to take him back from hospital to die at home, a longan farm. There, they are greeted by the ghost of his deceased wife who has re-appeared to take care of him. His lost son also returns from the jungle in an ape-like form. The son has mated with a creature known as a 'monkey ghost' and has lived in the trees with her for the past 15 years. On the first night, Boonmee talks about his past lives that he remembers. On a second night, while the ghost wife is doing his kidney dialysis, Boonmee has a sudden urge to visit a place she has mentioned. So the group takes a journey into the jungle at night. It is full of animals and spirits. They finally reach a cave on top of the hill. Boonmee realizes that this is the cave in which he was born in the first life that he can remember. Then he passes away, taking with him tales that span hundreds of years. Note: Weerasethakul is supposed to shoot his next film, Utopia not in Thailand, but in Canada. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4878 Having received big film festivals premieres at both Sundance and Berlin, it's now time for Exit Through the Gift Shop to receive a warm, homecoming welcome in a place that is naturally more in tune with where the artist produces some of his canvas work. Forget about the multiplex, The Guardian reports that "a tunnel beneath Waterloo train station in London" is the lieu of the London premiere... - Having received big film festivals premieres at both Sundance and Berlin, it's now time for Exit Through the Gift Shop to receive a warm, homecoming welcome in a place that is naturally more in tune with where the artist produces some of his canvas work. Forget about the multiplex, The Guardian reports that "a tunnel beneath Waterloo train station in London" is the lieu of the London premiere - here's a look at where Banksy's film will be shown. Despite all the buzz behind the so-called doc, it has yet to find a U.S distributor. Perhaps the logistics of not knowing how to market the film is something that the Cinetic folks are hearing from prospective buyers.        Banksy is a graffiti artist with a global reputation whose work can be seen on walls from post-hurricane New Orleans to the Palestinian segregation wall in the West Bank. Fiercely guarding his anonymity to avoid prosecution, Banksy has so far resisted all attempts to be captured on film. Exit Through the Gift Shop is the story of how an eccentric French shop keeper and amateur filmmaker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner with spectacular results. Billed as ‘the world’s first street art disaster movie’ the film contains exclusive footage of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Invader and many of the world’s most infamous graffiti artists at work. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4879 Apart from having to cast an infant in Raising Arizona and boys with braces in Fargo and A Serious Man, having to cast a teenage girl is an official first for the Coen brothers. Earlier today, Deadline Hollywood put out the news that Hailee Steinfeld has effectively been plucked from obscurity and can add a Coen bros. film to her career resume. - Apart from having to cast an infant in Raising Arizona and boys with braces in Fargo and A Serious Man, having to cast a teenage girl is an official first for the Coen brothers. Earlier today, Deadline Hollywood put out the news that Hailee Steinfeld has effectively been plucked from obscurity and can add a Coen bros. film to her career resume. The teen beat out the equivalent to a near sold out show at Madison Square Garden for the role of Mattie Ross. More faithful to the Charles Portis novel on which the original film was based, the remake would see Bridges take the role that John Wayne played and Matt Damon would take on the Glen Campbell role of a Texas Ranger tracking the outlaw. The story centers on a 14-year-old girl who tags along with an aging U.S. marshal, Rooster Cogburn, and another lawman (Jeff Bridges) to track the outlaw (Josh Brolin) who killed her father. The original told the story from Cogburn's point of view, but the new version will work from the viewpoint of the girl. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4867 One 'hell' of a good throwback to the horrors of the 1970s and early '80s. Highly recommended! - The House of the Devil Movie: Disc: Click here to read the dvd review! One 'hell' of a good throwback to the horrors of the 1970s and early '80s. Highly recommended! Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4871 I spent all of last week divulging some of films that I expect to be in Cannes this year, and Screen Daily happened to do the same. There are a good number of films that are mentioned of both sites' lists, but I mention about twenty films that the trade makes no mention of, and of course they have got a long list as well of films that I either passed on as potential selections or I was totally oblivious as to their existence. - I spent all of last week divulging some of films that I expect to be in Cannes this year, and Screen Daily happened to do the same. There are a good number of films that are mentioned of both sites' lists, but I mention about twenty films that the trade makes no mention of, and of course they have got a long list as well of films that I either passed on as potential selections or I was totally oblivious as to their existence. Here are the three batches, the first two are my pics were comp and sidebar possibilities and the final list are Screen Daily's choices I skipped or overlooked. The handful of titles with one of these * denotes films whose chances are extremely slim due to the production status. Another Year -- Mike Leigh, Aurora -- Cristi Puiu, Biutiful -- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, *Le Bruit des glaçons (The Clink of Ice) -- Bertrand Blier, Carancho -- Pablo Trapero, The Certified Copy -- Abbas Kiarostami, Challenges of Reconciliation -- Michael Henry Wilson, Crazy Horse -- Frederick Wiseman, The Exodus – The Fortress: Burnt By The Sun 2 -- Nikita Mikhalkov, Fair Game – Doug Liman, Faust - Aleksandr Sokurov, The Frankenstein Project - Kornel Mundruczo, The Grand Master - Wong Kar-Wai, *Habemus Papam - Nanni Moretti, Hereafter - Clint Eastwood, Hors-la-loi - Rachid Bouchareb, The Housemaid - Im Sang-soo, Im Keller – Ulrich Seidl, Lope - Andrucha Waddington, Miral - Julian Schnabel, Neds - Peter Mullan, Les Petits Mouchoirs - Guillaume Cantet, Poetry - Lee Chang-dong, Potiche - François Ozon, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - Mike Newell, Rabbit Hole - John Cameron Mitchell, Restless - Gus Van Sant, The Revenge (Hævnen) - Susanne Bier, Robin Hood – Ridley Scott, Room in Rome - Julio Medem, Route Irish – Ken Loach, The Rum Diary - Bruce Robinson, Shrek Goes Fourth - Mike Mitchell, Somewhere - Sofia Coppola, The Tree Of Life - Terrence Malick, The Turin Horse - Bela Tarr, The Way Back – Peter Weir and You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger – Woody Allen. 22nd of May - Koen Mortier, At Ellen's Age (Im Alter von Ellen) - Pia Marais, Black Heaven (L'autre Monde) Gilles Marchand, Fuga Mortis - Kirill Mikhanovsky, Gigola - Laurence Charpentier, Here - Braden King, Home for Christmas - Bent Hamer, Incendies - Denis Villeneuve, In Your Hands (Sous ton Emprise) - Lola Doillon, La vida util - Federico Veiroj, Kaboom - Gregg Araki, Love, Imagined (Les Amours imaginaires) - Xavier Dolan, Meek's Cutoff - Kelly Reichardt, Memoria - Henning Carlsen & Ricardo Del Rio, Morgen - Marian Crisan, Naufragio - Pedro Aguilera, Norwegian Wood - Tran Anh Hung, Our Grand Despair - Seyfi Teoman, Post Mortem - Pablo Larrain, Pr Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4876 Universal Pictures are effectively pushing the eventual theatrical release of Asger Leth's debut in feature filmmaking to a highly probable 2011 date. Production Weekly's twitter update states that the project formerly know as "Cartel", and that'll see Josh Brolin toplining, is now called "Waterbug" and has a shooting in the sweltering month of May in the cards. - Universal Pictures are effectively pushing the eventual theatrical release of Asger Leth's debut in feature filmmaking to a highly probable 2011 date. Production Weekly's twitter update states that the project formerly know as "Cartel", and that'll see Josh Brolin toplining, is now called "Waterbug" and has a shooting in the sweltering month of May in the cards. I was curious to know what type of insect family the waterbug is part of, and apparently it is also known as an American cockroach, this may explain how Brolin's character is perceived by his neighbors from the South. Looking for more casting announcements in the weeks to come.  Written by Peter Craig, who penned Jonathan Jakubowicz's Southbound (another bordertown exposé), this is based on the 1993 Italian film "La scorta" and follows Ed Marker (Josh Brolin) as he journeys to protect his son after his wife is brutally murdered in the gritty world of Mexican cartels. Here's a trailer for the original, which I assume with have very little resemblance to the remake     Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4875 Déborah François, Abe Hiroshi (Still Walking) and Nishijima Hidetoshi (Dolls) just completed principle shooting for Audrey Fouché Memories Corner -- a Canadian-France production that just wrapped up shooting in Japan. - Déborah François, Abe Hiroshi (Still Walking) and Nishijima Hidetoshi (Dolls) just completed principle shooting for Audrey Fouché Memories Corner -- a Canadian-France production that just wrapped up shooting in Japan. François from Dardenne bros.' L’Enfant fame replaced Clemence Poesy (In Bruges, Lullaby for Pi) who was originally attached for the lead role -- a reporter who has been dispatched by her editor to cover the ceremonies for the 10th anniversary of the Kobe earthquake. The city has healed after the catastrophe but the victims still suffer. The reporter becomes the mouthpiece for their stories, uncovering a Japan little troubled by the phantoms of its past. The occult-themed picture filmed from mid January until February with Jérôme Vidal's Noodles Productions and Luc Châtelain et Pierre Beaudry's Films Zingaro producing. I like the premise and the cast, so I'll be keeping tabs on the project, which I imagine will be prepped for a Fall festival release. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4874 Masochist indie distributor First Independent Pictures will once again have their work cut out for them, as they board a coming-of-age tale about an Hasidic Jew who turns into a drug mule. I use the term masochist, because last year Gary Rubin's FIP took on the difficult to market Big Fan (the story of an obsessed stay-at-home NY Giants fan) and Gigantic (a bed and mattress salesmen in Paul Dano who desperately wants to adopt a child). - Masochist indie distributor First Independent Pictures will once again have their work cut out for them, as they board a coming-of-age tale about an Hasidic Jew who turns into a drug mule. I use the term masochist, because last year Gary Rubin's FIP took on the difficult to market Big Fan (the story of an obsessed stay-at-home NY Giants fan) and Gigantic (a bed and mattress salesmen in Paul Dano who desperately wants to adopt a child). Holy Rollers, a Sundance Dramatic Comp selection is going to be pegged with a Summer release -- look for it to make several stops in U.S indie and Jewish film festivals beforehand. We have a lengthy interview with helmer Kevin Asch discussing the kind of work that went into the making of the film -- you can read that here. and below you have a thick film synopsis. Inspired by actual events in the late nineties, when Hasidic Jews were recruited as mules to smuggle ecstasy from Europe into the United States. Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg), a young Hasid from an Orthodox Brooklyn community, is following the path his family has chosen with a pending arranged marriage and becoming a Rabbi. A charming neighbor, Yosef Zimmerman (Justin Bartha), senses Sam’s resistance and propositions him to transport ‘medicine’ for Jackie (Danny Abeckaser), an Israeli dealer, and Rachel (Ari Graynor), Jackie’s girlfriend. Sam quickly demonstrates his business acumen to his bosses, who instantly take Sam under their wing, and into the exciting worlds of Manhattan and Amsterdam nightlife. Sam falls deeper into their cavalier lifestyle, even experimenting with ecstasy, and falling for Rachel. As the business grows, Sam’s double life begins to rip his family apart, while the community starts to suspect his illegal activities. Sam slowly comes to realize the façade behind the easy money and parties. Caught between life as a smuggler and the path back to God, Sam goes on the run, forced to make a fatal decision that could bring the entire operation crashing down. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/3431 There's a history that I want to forget because I used to be somebody else that I want to put behind me. It happens to be the history that my brother Marc wants to hold onto. He's very nostalgic and sentimental person. One of the things that was surprising to me is the extent Marc was holding to our childhood instead of latching into being the grandson of Welles. - A spellbinding documentary that's proves that life is indeed stranger than fiction, when filmmaker Kimberly Reed decided to attend her 20th high school reunion as a woman after a gender change, she thought it would be an exploration of self and her journey of self-discovery. She found out that her troubled adopted brother traced his family tree, linking himself as the grandchild of Hollywood legends Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. Prodigal Sons is an uncensored rollercoaster ride of emotions that unfolds for all members of the family and acts as a docu portrait that painfully reminds how Reed had to confront and document her own family falling apart.  I met with director Kimberly Reed at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Yama Rahimi: When did you decide to become a filmmaker?Kimberly Reed: I wanted to become a filmmaker since I can remember. In fact in our film there's a lot of super8 films that I made when I was young. I always wanted to be behind the camera and you see my adopted brother Marc in front of the camera. When he found that he was the grandson of Orson Wells, it made sense because he always wanted to be in the spotlight. Rahimi: Did Marc ever wanted to be in the arts?Reed: He had an head injury when he was 21 years old, so he hasn't worked much. Before that he never wanted to be an artist per se but my mom detected that in him that she put him in play that he liked a lot. Rahimi: How did this project came along and why did you want to tell this story?Reed: It took a long time for me to figure out that I wanted to make this film. The genesis was when I decided to go back home for my High School reunion. I'm transgender and I changed a lot since High School. I was about to go back to all this people I went to school with.  So it was a very difficult decision for me but it was something I did want resolve for my life. A year before that my father died and my close friends found out about me, so I knew that the whole town knew about me.  So it was time for me to resolve that. So when I went home that was the first step. Then when you also consider that not only did I had a new identity but also my brother Marc had a new identity when he discovers he's the grandson of Orson Welles. Rahimi: Did you find out that during the documentary?Reed: It was earlier than it appears in the documentary but we wanted the audience to know more about Marc and the history of the family before we brought out. Rahimi: When did you decided to collaborate with the producer and cinematographer?Reed: When I decided to go back I called an old friend Bob Hawk and he recommended John Keitel who did a short film about coming out when going back to his college reunion with his boyfriend. That's where the collaboration started. Rahimi: Of course your story is intriguing but the big shock for the film world is Marc being the grandson of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. How his life would have been if he were with Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4723 Back in January, I published a comprehensive Top 100 Most Anticipated Films list for the upcoming year, I thought I'd wrap it up stats with a checklist below. - Back in January, I published a comprehensive Top 100 Most Anticipated Films list for the upcoming year, I thought I'd wrap it up stats with a checklist below. Overall, the list is about fifty/fifty in world cinema versus U.S. product, but I didn't think that there'd be such a significant number of biopics, which just goes to prove that real people, from 19th century slave Saartjie Bartman (Black Venus) to a martial arts instructor (The Grand Master) to renowned terrorists (Carlos the Jackal) are of interest cinematically speaking. When you include the Joaquin Phoenix mockumentary, the number of biopic items comes in at a whopping dozen count - the exact same total for book to film adaptations which also totals a firm twelve. Sticking to multiples of 12, there happens to be an impressive twelve projects from first time filmmakers -- the highest ranking title is Palme d'Or winning short filmmaker Marian Crisan. There are tons of second and third efforts as well. Here are other stats and the full top 100 list below. Number of "Black List" projects: 6 Number of Television projects: 3 Number of Focus Features films: The Kids Are All Right, It's Kind of a Funny Story, The American, Greenberg, Biutiful, Somewhere Number of Fox Searchlight films: 127 Hours, Never Let Me Go, Rabbit Hole, The Descendants, Black Swan Number of Sony Pictures Classic films: Please Give, Animal Kingdom Number of Weinstein Co. films: All Good Things, Blue Valentine Number of Paul Dano films: 3 -- Meek's Cutoff (13), For Ellen (53) and The Extra Man (93) Number of Marton Csokas Films: 3 -- The Debt (38), Alice in Wonderland (50), The Tree (80)Number of Mark Ruffalo films: 3 -- Shutter Island, The Kids Are All Right, Sympathy for Delicious (83)Number of Mia Wasikowska films: 3 -- Alice in Wonderland (50), The Kids Are All Right (81), Restless (88) Number of Ewan McGregor films: 3 Beginners (31), Knockout (73), The Last Word (76)Number of Michelle Williams films: 3 -- Meek's Cutoff (13), Blue Valentine (27) and Shutter Island (39)Number of John C. Reilly films: 3 - We Need to Talk About Kevin (10), Cedar Rapids (48) and The Extra Man (93) Number of Helen Mirren films: 4 The Tempest (30), The Debt (38), Brighton Rock (51) and Love Ranch (52). Film Remakes: 3 -- Room in Rome, Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark, The Housemaid (see pic above)Made into films beforehand: 5 -- True Grit, Mildred Pierce, The Frankenstein Project, Faust, Alice in Wonderland 99. Untitled Joaquin Phoenix Mockumentary 98. Lullaby For Pi 97. Les Petits Mouchoirs 96. You Don't Know Jack 95. Easy A 94. Svinalängorna 93. The Extra Man 92. Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark 91. 127 Hours 90. Hesher 89. Pieds Nus sur les Limaces 88. Restless 87. Barney's Version 86. London Boulevard 85. Please Give 84. Jack Goes Boating 83. Sympathy for Delicious 82. Inception 81. The Kids Are All Right 80. The Tree Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4834 Screen Daily made up their own Tips list with some surprise titles that I don't think will make it to Cannes (although I badly want to see Abdellatif Kechiche's Black Venus, I think he might return to Venice), and some titles that have a good shot which I did not mention (John Cameron Mitchell's Rabbit Hole) and plenty of their list mimics my picks - such as Julie Bertucelli's The Tree. - And here's the final part to my Cannes predictions, a couple of days back Screen Daily made up their own Tips list with some surprise titles that I don't think will make it to Cannes (although I badly want to see Abdellatif Kechiche's Black Venus, I think he might return to Venice), and some titles that have a good shot which I did not mention (John Cameron Mitchell's Rabbit Hole) and plenty of their list mimics my picks - such as Julie Bertucelli's The Tree - see pic above. Le Roman de ma femme - Tadjik Djamshed UsmonovHaving been to Cannes three previous times in the past decade (most recently To Get To Heaven First You Have to Die), if Usmonov is currently filming or in post production then he'll be a welcomed addition to the fest this year (actually if any readers now the status of this film please let me know). The film opens with the disappearance of Michel, who leaves behind his distraught wife, Eve, and enormous debts. Fortunately, she receives support from her friend Chollet, a lawyer like her husband, who pays off the debts and helps her to start enjoying life again. Lea Seydoux and Olivier Gourmet topline.Shit Year - Cam ArcherI could very much see this in the Director's Fortnight section: the story about a woman who has given up her passion, only to find that she really can't stand herself, or others, without it. Colleen West (Ellen Barkin), a once renowned actress, comes unhinged as she confronts retirement and life at the twilight of her career. Svinalangorna - Pernilla August The projects was announced at the festival last year, and is currently in post and stars Noomi Rapace who is one of the hottest names in Europe right now. Based on Susanna Alakoski's August-prize winning novel, Svinalängorna tells of Leena, a 34 year-old woman, living in Stockholm with her husband and two daughters. When she receives a phone call informing her of her mother's death in Ystad, her troubled past as a young girl, raised by Finnish/Swedish alcoholic parents, comes back to haunt her.Tuesday, After Christmas - Radu MunteanPart of what should be a strong Romanian presence at the fest, Muntean who showed off Boogie in the Director's Fortnight in 2008, and here he continues with the adultery theme seeing Paul and Adriana, who've been married for 10 years and have an 8-year-old daughter. Paul decides to leave his wife for his mistress.The Tree - Julie Bertucelli Bertucelli has the benefit of having hit it out of the park with her first film (Since Otar Left) a Critic's Week selection in 2003, and she returns with Best Actress winner Charlotte Gainsbourg as the film's lead - adapted from Judy Pascoe’s novel Our Father Who Art in a Tree, this tells the story of a family in mourning after the death of their father.Two Gates of Sleep - Alistair Banks GriffinFrom the same production house (Borderline Films) as the Un Certain Regard selection Afterschool, this debut sees Brady Corbet in the role of Jack, who sees mot Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4406 No surprises at the WGA's - as Oscar front-runners The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air won in their respective categories for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay. Mark Boal's work beat out "500 Days of Summer," "Avatar," "The Hangover" and my favorite original screenplay of the year in "A Serious Man" while Jason Reitman will have to consider getting an award speech strategy ready for Oscar night, as he and Sheldon Turner have even better odds in their category. - No surprises at the WGA's - as Oscar front-runners The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air won in their respective categories for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay. Mark Boal's work beat out "500 Days of Summer," "Avatar," "The Hangover" and my favorite original screenplay of the year in "A Serious Man" while Jason Reitman will have to consider getting an award speech strategy ready for Oscar night, as he and Sheldon Turner have even better odds in their category. For the WGA, they bet out "Crazy Heart," "Julie and Julia," "Precious" and "Star Trek." Oscar night, Up in the Air is going up against dark horse favorite In the Loop, District 9, An Education and is once again facing off against Precious. Hurt Locker is going up against A Serious Man again, and won't find much of a threat from Inglourious Basterds, The Messenger and Pixar's Up.Variety pulled out some recent stats good for Oscar poolers to know: winners of original screenplay trophies have matched in 10 of the last 15 years, while the adapted screenplay awards have matched in 11 of the last 15 years. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4869 What do Central Station (1998), The Thin Red Line (1999) and Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia (2000) all have in common? They were awarded the top honor at the Berlin Film Festival and you can add Honey, the final leg in Semih Kaplanoglu's trilogy which commenced with Egg and last year's Milk, to that grouping. - What do Central Station (1998), The Thin Red Line (1999) and Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia (2000) all have in common? They were awarded the top honor at the Berlin Film Festival and you can add Honey, the final leg in Semih Kaplanoglu's trilogy which commenced with Egg and last year's Milk, to that grouping. Florin Serban's If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle, which won Alfred Bauer Prize, also claimed 2nd place prize in the Silver Bear - The Jury Grand Prize - thus continuing the wave of film festival winning Romanian cinema. Roman Polanski won for Best Director - but there are a couple of ways we can read into why he received the award. Here's the entire batch of winners below. Golden Bear: “Bal” (Honey), directed by Semih Kaplanoglu (Turkey/Germany)Silver Bear - The Jury Grand Prize: “Eu Cand Vreau Sa Fluier, Fluier” (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle), directed by Florin Serban (Romania/Sweden)Silver Bear - Best Director: Roman Polanski for “The Ghost Writer” Silver Bear - Best Actress: Shinobu Terajima in “Caterpillar” Silver Bear - Best Actor (shared): Grigori Dobrygin and Sergei Puskepalis in “Kak Ya Provel Etim Letom” (How I Ended This Summer) Silver Bear - Best Screenplay: “Tuan Yuan” (Apart Together), written by Wang Quan’an and Na Jin Silver Bear - Artistic Contribution: “Kak Ya Provel Etim Letom” (How I Ended This Summer), cinematography by Pavel Kostomarov (Russia)Alfred Bauer Prize (shared): “Eu Cand Vreau Sa Fluier, Fluier” (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle), directed by Florin Serban (Romania/Sweden)Best First Feature Award: “Sebbe,” directed by Babak Najafi (Sweden)Other awards at the 2010 Berlinale: Panorama Audience Award 2009“Waste Land,” directed by Lucy Walker, Joao Jardim & Karen Harley2nd place: “Budrus,” directed by Julia Bacha3rd place: “Daniel Schmid - Le chat qui pense,” directed by Pascal Hofmann, Benny JabergEcumenical Jury Prize:Competition: “Bal” (Honey) directed by Semih KaplanogluPanorama: “Kawasakiho ruze” (Kawasaki’s Rose) directed by Jan HrebejkForum: “Aisheen [Still Alive in Gaza]” directed by Nicolas WadimoffFIPRESCI Prizes:Competition: “En Familie” (A Family) directed by Pernille Fischer ChristensenPanorama: “Parade” directed by Isao YukisadaForum: “El vuelco del cangrejo” (Crab Trap) directed by Oscar Ruiz Navia“Label Europa Cinemas”:“Die Fremde” (When We Leave) directed by Feo AladagTeddy - Queer Film Award:Best Feature Film: “The Kids Are All Right” directed by Lisa CholodenkoBest Documentary Film: “La bocca del lupo” (The Mouth of the Wolf) directed by Pietro MarcelloBest Short Film: “The Feast Of Stephen” directed by James FrancoTeddy Jury Award: “Open” directed Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4833 What do Juan Antonio Bayona, Bernardo Bertolucci, Guillermo del Toro, Ken Loach, Jacques Audiard, François Ozon and Wong Kar-Wai have in common? They all got their starts at the far-end of the Croisette in the smallest of the sections called Critic's Week. The section specializes in mostly first time, and sometimes sophomore films from new talent. - What do Juan Antonio Bayona, Bernardo Bertolucci, Guillermo del Toro, Ken Loach, Jacques Audiard, François Ozon and Wong Kar-Wai have in common? They all got their starts at the far-end of the Croisette in the smallest of the sections called Critic's Week. The section specializes in mostly first time, and sometimes sophomore films from new talent. There are a couple of names below that could fit that bill. Love, Imagined (Les Amours imaginaires) - Xavier DolanDolan was the big winner at last year's Director's Fortnight section claiming a trio of prizes, he set up shop for his sophomore project which is in post production right now. This is the story of three friends which include Francis and Marie (Monia Chokri). Meek's Cutoff - Kelly Reichardt Reichardt visited the festival before with Wendy & Lucy, I thinking we can perhaps see her return to the same section once again with a pic set in 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, where a wagon team of three families has hired the mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Memoria - Henning Carlsen & Ricardo Del RioCarlsen has been to the festival on five different occasions between 59 and 75, and if this is finsihed on time we could see him return with a pic based on the adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's short novel "Memoria de mis putas tristes" and scripted by Carlsen and Jean Claude Carriere - this looks at a journalist who decides to celebrate his 90th birthday buying the services of a young prostitute, with whom he falls in love, for the first time in his life.Morgen - Marian CrisanWinner of the Palme for Best Short Film, Crisan should find room for his feature length debut at this fest with the story of a man living by the Romanian-Hungarian border who likes to fish but whose catch one day is a Kurdish immigrant.Naufragio - Pedro AguileraI'm a fan of Aguilera's oddball debut film La influencia - which appeared in the Director's Fortnight, so I'm hoping that this picture - a POV from the perspective of the immigrant worker.   Norwegian Wood - Tran Anh HungHaving shown three pictures at the fest, we haven't see Anh Hung at the fest for about a decade, but with Rinko Kikuchi toplining the project based on Haruki Murakami's famed Japanese novel, which this tells the story of a businessman reminiscing about the intense romances of his university days, set against the turbulent student riots of the late 1960s.Our Grand Despair - Seyfi TeomanThis Turkish film was part of the L'Atelier - it tells the tale of Ender and Cetin, two men in their late thirties, have been close friends since high school. After being away for many years, Cetin returns to Ankara, moves in with Ender, and as such, the two realize their childhood dream.Post Mortem - Pablo LarrainTony Manero - one of my favorite finds at the 2008 edition, will be a major reason for the festival to pull out the welcome matt for Larrain's latest working once again thesp Alfredo Ca Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4868 Natalia Smirnoff, an art director-turned casting director-turned filmmaker will see her debut film, what appears to be a Berlin Film Festival favorite, get a theatrical run via the IFC folks. Smirnoff, who's worked with Lucrecia Martel and Pablo Trapero, saw her debut film Puzzle receive a Films In Progress screening at the San Sebastian Film Festival, just prior to landing a main comp spot in Berlin. - Natalia Smirnoff, an art director-turned casting director-turned filmmaker will see her debut film, what appears to be a Berlin Film Festival favorite, get a theatrical run via the IFC folks. Smirnoff, who's worked with Lucrecia Martel and Pablo Trapero, saw her debut film Puzzle receive a Films In Progress screening at the San Sebastian Film Festival, just prior to landing a main comp spot in Berlin. IFC is planning to release the film in the Fall, in my estimation a Toronto Int. Film Festival showing should be in the cards. Smirnoff who cast Maria Onetto in Lucrecia Martel's La mujer sin cabeza and Arturo Goetz in The Holy Girl used the two vet actors for her pic - which sees Maria del Carmen (Onetto) is a forty-something housewife whose only concern over the past twenty years has been the well-being of her husband and of her now grown-up kids. But when she is offered a puzzle for her birthday, she suddenly discovers she hasa very special gift: she can assemble puzzles really fast! Intrigued by an ad “Looking for Partner for Puzzle Competitions” in her local store, she decides to live her new addiction fully, no matter how unsupportive her family is.Together with the author of the ad, a magnetic millionaire bachelor (Goetz), she realizes she is a genius for solving puzzles, which doesn't resolve her personal issues. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/3720 In many ways, Cannes' parallel sidebars (Director's Fortnight, Critic's Week and I'm including Un Certain Regard here) are the hardest sections to forecast - the high volume of films from all corner of the globe and the actual number of available slots makes it perhaps more difficult to predict than the actual Main Competition predictions.. - In many ways, Cannes' parallel sidebars (Director's Fortnight, Critic's Week and I'm including Un Certain Regard here) are the hardest sections to forecast - the high volume of films from all corner of the globe and the actual number of available slots makes it perhaps more difficult to predict than the actual Main Competition predictions (Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV). Like other major film festivals, Cannes has their own labs, promoting new talent and I'm expecting to see some of the Atelier names to preem their work at the festival - the same goes for filmmakers who've presented at the fest before and are poised to return with their latest work (e.g. Federico Veiro's La Vida Util (see pic above). Such as last year's Precious and Amreeka, I'm expecting to see at least a trio of titles from Sundance make an appearance...perhaps Animal Kingdom...maybe Blue Valentine? Here are eleven pics that we might see at all theaters on the Croisette. 22nd of May - Koen MortierMortier has seen his work win at Cannes on three separate occasions but he hasn't yet presented a film there -- it's his commercial work that brought him there. The Ex Drummer director appears to have made yet another diverse work with an aptly titled date for the eventual premiere. This depicts the various victims of a suicide bombing. Sam (played by Sam Louwyck), a rather dreary-looking 40 year old, works as a security guard at a shopping mall. His life is plunged into turmoil the day a young man carrying a backpack blows himself up in the mall. At Ellen's Age (Im Alter von Ellen) - Pia MaraisPart of Cannes' Résidence, this stars Va Savoir's Jeanne Balibar as a 43-year-old flight attendant whose life takes a shattering turn into the unknown. In her charming but occasionally over-strung way, she is inclined to compensate in an adventurous fashion her fear of intimacy and commitment to relationships.Black Heaven (L'autre Monde)
Gilles MarchandMarchand has seen his debut film Qui a tué Bambi? (2003) and a pair of co-written screenplays with Dominik Moll be selected for the fest in the Un Certain Regard section - but logically this coming-of-age story about a teenager seduced by the unlimited possibilities of the dark, virtual world of online gaming could receive a Main Comp entry. Fuga Mortis - Kirill MikhanovskyWinner in the International Critic's Week competition for 2006's Sonhos de Peixe, if Mikhanovsky's latest project (selected for Cannes' Atelier in 2006) is indeed in the post-production phase, then I could easily see this in one of the three sections. This is a film about modern-day Havana, in which a personal drama of a young Cuban intertwines with the drama of his country. The new generation of Cubans has lost faith in the ideas of revolution and equality, and puts more value in material things. Gigola - Laurence CharpentierThis directorial debut features Lou Doillon in the role of a lesbi Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4866 How many office Oscar pools are won by the wise ass who happens to know the competition in the often neglected short film categories? This year's winner could be you, but all joking aside, Magnolia Pictures has, for the past five years, made watching Oscar nominated short films in both the animated and live action categories easier than pie. - How many office Oscar pools are won by the wise ass who happens to know the competition in the often neglected short film categories? This year's winner could be you, but all joking aside, Magnolia Pictures has, for the past five years, made watching Oscar nominated short films in both the animated and live action categories easier than pie. Starting today until the big day, you can see two double short film bills. Each feature length program includes all of this year’s nominated films, and the animated program includes three additional titles, all shortlisted for this year’s awards. I've included the trailer Logorama - the short appeared in the Shorts Program I at Sundance last month, imagine a cross between Michael Mann's Heat and the thousands of impressionable, bright-colored corporate symbols/logos/characters that have polluted our lives. It all begins at the IFC Center in Manhattan, expanding to 100 cities (see list) in the coming weeks. Animated Program – total running time 97 min. “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert (France, 8 min.) “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell (Ireland, 6 min.) “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia (Spain, 8 min.) “Logorama” H5 (France, 17 min.) “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park (U.K., 29 min.) “Partly Cloudy” Pixar (USA, 6 min.) – ADDITIONAL FILM “The Kinematograph” Tomek Baginski (Poland, 12 min.) – ADDITIONAL FILM “Runaway” Cordell Barker (Canada, 9 min.) – ADDITIONAL FILM    Live Action Program – total running time 94 min  “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn (Ireland (in Russian), 17 min.) “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström (Sweden, 18 min.) “Kavi” Gregg Helvey (India/U.S.A., 19 min.) “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey (Australia, 18 min.) “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson (U.S.A./Denmark, 20 min.) Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4865 Sony Pictures Classics have finally made a Sundance pick-up - and let me tell you, they've pretty much landed themselves a masterwork in David Michôd's debut -- and trust me, I don't use a word like masterwork lightly. Animal Kingdom was perhaps the biggest title that had yet to find a high bidder, and almost one month to the date that it premiered in Park City's Egyptian theater, SPC have grabbed the all US and Latin American rights to the pic. - Sony Pictures Classics have finally made a Sundance pick-up - and let me tell you, they've pretty much landed themselves a masterwork in David Michôd's debut -- and trust me, I don't use a word like masterwork lightly. Animal Kingdom was perhaps the biggest title that had yet to find a high bidder, and almost one month to the date that it premiered in Park City's Egyptian theater (here is my coverage of the screening), SPC have grabbed the all US and Latin American rights to the pic. If you haven't yet seen the trailer, I suggest you check it out the teaser here and I'll warn you ahead of time: you might find yourself humming the Air Supply song hours from now. Here's the synopsis and a New York Times piece on the Blue Tongue Films - the Aussie posse that Michod has been a part of.   Welcome to the jungle known as the Melbourne underworld. Animal Kingdom uses this edgy locale to unspool a gripping tale of survival and revenge. Pope Cody, an armed robber on the run from a gang of renegade detectives, is in hiding, surrounded by his roughneck friends and family. Soon, Pope's nephew, Joshua "J" Cody, arrives and moves in with his hitherto estranged relatives. When tensions between the family and the police reach a bloody peak, "J" finds himself at the center of a cold-blooded revenge plot that turns the family upside down. Pearce plays a troubled cop and is the one who thinks he can save him the 17 year-old.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4832 It's always fun to guess how the jury might end up voting and whether the head of juror will indeed sway the final vote. Last year The White Ribbon won and the wave of reactions obviously pointed to Huppert and Haneke's well-known rapport. The previous year, Sean Penn gave the Palme d'Or to The Class, not a politically-themed picture, but a social drama that represents a common pandemic. This year we have Tim Burton as the master of ceremonies -- knowing him he has a taste for noir and fantasy. - It's always fun to guess how the jury might end up voting and whether the head of juror will indeed sway the final vote. Last year The White Ribbon won and the wave of reactions obviously pointed to Huppert and Haneke's well-known rapport. The previous year, Sean Penn gave the Palme d'Or to The Class, not a politically-themed picture, but a social drama that represents a common pandemic. This year we have Tim Burton as the master of ceremonies -- knowing him he has a taste for noir and fantasy. Here are the final batch of titles that I'm predicting could make the final cut. Room in Rome - Julio MedemMedem has only been to Cannes twice before with La ardilla roja (1993) and Tierra (1996) and somehow despite its spicy premise, I'm not sure if this would receive a main comp slot or non comp presence. This is a remake of Chilean Matias Bize’s “En la cama” with a Spanish girl who indulges in a night of casual sex in Rome - two strangers (Elena Anaya and Natasha Yarovenka) meet and spend a passionate physical encounter in a hotel room.Route Irish – Ken LoachPerhaps the most celebrated director of the upcoming edition, Palme d'Or winning Loach will most likely show off the story of the most dangerous stretch of road in Baghdad where a British mercenary soldier is killed under mysterious circumstances. The Rum Diary - Bruce RobinsonIt would be a shame if Tim Burton (head of the jury) is celebrated and the France-based Johnny Depp doesn't show up for the party and doesn't come packing this project. This is the adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's classic The Rum Diaries and features a love triangle in the tale of a washed-up, hard-drinking journalist named Paul Kemp (Depp).Shrek Goes Fourth - Mike MitchellThe first two Shreks actually made it to the festival before, so I'd be surprised to not see the animated green ogre, especially since Dreamworks releases this on the 21st.   Somewhere - Sofia CoppolaHaving already presented Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicide, Coppola has a member's only jacket which Focus will want to exploit for the promotion of her latest film, about a bad-boy A-List actor stumbling through a life of excess while living at Hollywood’s legendary Chateau Marmont Hotel. The Tree Of Life - Terrence MalickThe most sought after upcoming film release on the planet will receive a big red carpet premiere - so my biggest question is: will the camera shy Malick accompany the film? The Turin Horse - Bela TarrHaving presented a film at Cannes on three separate occasions, Tarr will get to present his rumored last film --  the freely inspired by an episode that marked the end of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s career.The Way Back – Peter Weir It's been a long time no see for Weir at Cannes (he showed Witness in 1985 and The Year of Living Dangerously in 1983) I think he has the potential for an in comp showing of the fact-based story of the escape of soldiers from a Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4864 Come to think of it, Ben Foster not only has a beach blond fro, but he could have the same temperament that Cobain had. If you happen to see Foster switch from an army buzz cut to something a tad bit longer then you could begin the rumor mill -- as Universal is looking to hire Oren Moverman to rework the draft that David Benioff filed in three years back. - Come to think of it, Ben Foster not only has a beach blond fro, but he could have the same temperament that Cobain had. If you happen to see Foster switch from an army buzz cut to something a tad bit longer then you could begin the rumor mill -- as Universal is looking to hire Oren Moverman to rework Kurt Cobain biopic draft that David Benioff filed in three years back. If Moverman's debut film The Messenger proved anything, it's his ability to "hold" a scene and make his players flex their dramatic muscles - exactly what one might need for such a complex, tragi-biopic. THR's Risky Business reports that a film project based on “Heavier Than Heaven” may be the filmmaker's sophomore project. Partly based on the biography written by Charles Cross - the author had access to Cobain’s unpublished diaries as well as Cobain’s friends and family members, this is about Cobain at the time he formed Nirvana in 1987 with bassis Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl. Led by Cobain’s growling delivery, inventive guitar work and lyrics that appealed to a disaffected young generation, Nirvana ushered in the Seattle grunge music movement in the early ‘90s with hits like “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Cobain’s life was marked by depression and drug use, and he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1994, leaving behind his wife and a daughter. Gus Van Sant and A.J. Schnack have both contributed to exploring some of the demons that ate away at Cobain, but this would be the first film to feature some of his music in the forefront. On a different topic, Ryan Gosling was once attached to the project. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4857 Larry Clark isn't dropping projects, but instead switching up titles, adding Dakota Johnson and is going to finally get back into the director's chair for a five week shoot in Los Angeles next March 15th according to Production Weekly's twitter feed. - Larry Clark isn't dropping projects, but instead switching up titles, adding Dakota Johnson and is going to finally get back into the director's chair for a five week shoot in Los Angeles next March 15th according to Production Weekly's twitter feed. Dakota Johnson (daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith) who has landed parts in Daniel Barnz's Beastly and in Fincher's The Social Network is joining Rory Culkin and Ray Liotta.  Savage Innocent sees a suburban American family adopt a boy after being found in the middle of a road. The relations he establishes with each member of this family and the many social surroundings he goes to, are the beginning of a plot that will reveal the savageness that exists in every human being. This will be Clark's first film since Wassup Rockers.   Do any of you still care about what Clark can bring to the table? Would you have liked to have seen him direct the Mona Lisa remake instead? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4856 I'm still in awe of and can imagine a film version of yesterday's news item where a team of assassins played dress up, staked out a swanky hotel and took out a leader of the Hamas...if that headliner has got me thinking of a better version of Munich, then I have every reason to believe that despite not knowing the film's true villain, that Alexander Litvinenko's true life story might translate well on screen with the Cold War, spy vs spy elements - I'm still in awe of and can imagine a film version of yesterday's news item where a team of assassins played dress up, staked out a swanky hotel and took out a leader of the Hamas...if that headliner has got me thinking of a better version of Munich, then I have every reason to believe that despite not knowing the film's true villain, that Alexander Litvinenko's true life story might translate well on screen with the Cold War, spy vs spy elements. Word is, we won't be seeing Paul Greengrass or Kevin MacDonald taking the reins of this studio project, instead Mike Newell and David Scarpa from The Day the Earth Stood Still are on board and the project is being developed by Warner Bros. The Guardian reports that this twosome are on tap and that there won't be a conflict of "Litvinenko" projects as the one announced by Columbia Pictures (Michael Mann was once attached to direct Death Of A Dissident: The Poisoning Of Alexander Litvinenko And The Return Of The KGB" co-written by Litvinenko's widow Marina) is a no-go. Currently with Johnny Depp attached, this is based book on Alan Cowell's The Terminal Spy, which is described as "the definitive story of the assassination and of the profound international implications of this first act of nuclear terrorism". It claims to trace the path of the polonium from Russia's closed nuclear cities through Moscow and Hamburg to the Millennium Hotel in central London where the substance may have been slipped into Litvinenko's tea. A postmortem found that he died as the result of imbibing a tiny amount of the poisonous radioactive isotope polonium-210, but attempts by British authorities to extradite a Russian national thought to be responsible for the killing, Andrei Lugovoi, were thwarted by Moscow. Do you think that Newell is/or could be the right man for the job? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4855 At the end of the day, the goal of IONCINEMA.com is to celebrate and promote the process, and this is why Ismailos' Great Directors might interest our readers - she interviews such auteurs as Bernardo Bertolucci, Stephen Frears, Agnes Varda, Ken Loach, Liliana Cavani, David Lynch, Catherine Breillat, Richard Linklater, Haynes and Sayles. - I was stoked when I received an invite for a market screening of this film in Cannes - I regretfully couldn't make it but wished that one day I'd get to see this via some channel - I'm especially glad that the doc film which played in Venice (see pic of John Sayles, helmer Angela Ismailos and Todd Haynes above) will actually see the day of light in theaters this Spring via Mark Urman's Paladin Films. At the end of the day, the goal of IONCINEMA.com is to celebrate and promote the process, and this is why Ismailos' Great Directors might interest our readers - she interviews such auteurs as Bernardo Bertolucci, Stephen Frears, Agnes Varda, Ken Loach, Liliana Cavani, David Lynch, Catherine Breillat, Richard Linklater, Haynes and Sayles. Here's the doc synopsis: These interviews more than just chronicle Ismailos’ encounters with ten remarkable men and women. Extensively illuminated by clips and historical archives from the subjects’ works, they also reveal the distinctive personalities who created the timeless images that have long inspired Ismailos—and all of us. Intercutting among the filmmakers in a freely associative way, Ismailos explores each director’s artistic evolution; the role of politics and history on their work; their feelings about the other great directors who inspired them (with Bertolucci paying homage to Pasolini, Breillat to Bergman, and Haynes to Fassbinder, etc.); and the agony and ecstasy of being an artist in a medium that is, paradoxically, also an industry. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4854 If you're a small indie company such as Lorber films you need for titles to fall through the cracks to fill up a theatrical slate. Hence, a lot of time has lapsed on Robert Guediguian's The Army of Crime since it preemed as an out of comp title at Cannes. A Spring/Summer release is in the works. - If you're a small indie company such as Lorber films you need for titles to fall through the cracks to fill up a theatrical slate. Hence, a lot of time has lapsed on Robert Guediguian's The Army of Crime since it preemed as an out of comp title at Cannes. A Spring/Summer release is in the works. One more pic takes place in Paris during the German Occupation, this is about an ill-assorted group of resistance fighters commits disorganized attacks. Missak Manouchian (Simon Abkarian), an Armenian exile, is ready to help but is reluctant to kill; for him, being ready to die but not to kill is an ethical matter. However, circumstances lead him to abandon his reluctance. Under his leadership, the group structures and plans its actions and thus the Manouchian network is born. The film traces the story of this group, from its shaping to the execution of its members in 1944.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4852 Variety reports that the Bergman project will be filmed as a four-part mini series with a feature film in mind. Shooting begins in the fall of next year, which means if Bier really wants to, she could finish off The Revenge, bring it to the festivals and follow up with Which Brings Me to You. - The next question is: what behind the scenes re-enactments, what actors will sign up for this series/feature film? A female filmmaker who can direct drama in Susanne Bier will touch upon bigger than life material in a biopic series on Sweden's master filmmaker, Ingmar Bergman. Variety reports that the Bergman project will be filmed as a four-part mini series with a feature film in mind. Shooting begins in the fall of next year, which means if Bier really wants to, she could finish off The Revenge, bring it to the festivals and follow up with Which Brings Me to You. The Bergman project should of course include his beginnings (perhaps his first film in 46'), and other menu items should include: some behind the scenes of his more popular string of films from the 50's, 60's and 70's, his process, his time on island of Fårö and his rapport with women - both on and on the screen. Sveriges (Swedish) Television (SvT) will produce, with Gunnar Carlsson exec producer and Christian Wikander as producer. The mini is written by Swedish author Henning Mankell, who is married to Bergman's daughter Eva. He's completed the first two episodes and named them after Bergman films. The first is called "Frenzy" and the second "Sawdust and Tinsel." Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4853 Strand Releasing will have their work cut out with their latest acquisition -- kind of hard to feel sorry for a fourteen year-old making more in a couple of hours of modeling work than what most people make in a full year. - Strand Releasing will have their work cut out with their latest acquisition -- kind of hard to feel sorry for a fourteen year-old making more in a couple of hours of modeling work than what most people make in a full year. The doc film, about the daily grind of being a fashion model is much more than that from what I gather in the doc's trailer - imagine a child being thrown in a very adult world and industry were people are easily disposable commodities takes some major adjusting. It may actually be as bad as child actors. Filmed by Ole Schell, Picture Me follows model Sara Ziff for several years documenting her rise from a fresh face to one that adorns billboards and magazines around the world. In the process, Ole and Sara go behind the scenes and chronicle the glitzy world of high fashion modeling, from photo shoots with celebrated photographers to runway shows in New York, Milan, and Paris. This intimate account features in-depth interviews with noted photographers and designers, but also relies on footage shot by the models themselves, giving voice to those who are often seen, but rarely heard. With appearances by Gilles Bensimon, Karl Lagerfeld, Nicole Miller and more. Strand is looking to release the doc this summer. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4831 First time filmmakers rarely get the chance to showcase a first film in the main comp - its the sidebars that handle plenty of first works and I think it'll be the same this year, but even Un Certain Regard section can be stingy on first time efforts (last year only a pair of films made it in that sidebar). Below we have a handful of filmmakers who have previously directed films but have never showcased the most prestigious film fest...example Golden Lion winning Peter Mullan - First time filmmakers rarely get the chance to showcase a first film in the main comp - its the sidebars that handle plenty of first works and I think it'll be the same this year, but even Un Certain Regard section can be stingy on first time efforts (last year only a pair of films made it in that sidebar). Below we have a handful of filmmakers who have previously directed films but have never showcased the most prestigious film fest...example Golden Lion winning Peter Mullan (see pic of his next film). Here are a few more predictions. Miral - Julian SchnabelSchnabel won for Best Director for the Diving Bell and the Butterfly - so you know he is just itching to come back with his latest -- This is based on Rula Jebreal's book about the real-life Palestinian woman Hind Husseini, who started the Dar Al-Tifl orphanage in Jerusalem in the wake of the 1948 partition of Palestine and the creation of the state of Israel. Jerusalem, 1948.Neds - Peter Mullan As a player in front of the camera, Mullan won Best Actor in My Name is Joe, so it be nice to see him skip Venice and present a first film as a director at the fest -- it could come via Neds, short for Non-Educated Delinquents, which is set in the late 1970s in Glasgow.Les Petits Mouchoirs - Guillaume Cantet Hard to believe that as an actor he has only recently been to the fest for Joyeux Noel, so perhaps fter the success of Tell No One might led to an Out of Competition slot for a pic filled with popular French actors. The set up sees a group of friends spend the month of August together at one of their holiday homes on the Cap Ferret.Poetry - Lee Chang-dongPeppermint Candy and Secret Sunshine have officially put Lee Chang-dong on the "Cannes" map - I think critics will call Poetry this year's Bong Joon-ho's Mother - this is a drama about a lonely woman (Jeong-hie Yun) in her 60s, who is searching for a new meaning at the end of her life.Potiche - François OzonHaving presented five features dating back to 1996's Une robe d'été, Ozon has a stellar cast of French actors which is lwys welcome on the Croisette, plus the film is distinctly French - dealing with the French bourgeois province in 1977. Suzanne (Deneuve) is the submissive wife of rich industrialist Robert Pujol (Luchini), who runs his umbrella factory with an iron hand and turns out to be just as nasty and tyrannical with his workers as he is with his mistress (Viard), children (Renier and Godrèche) and “trophy” wife. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - Mike NewellA possible out-of-comp selection, Universal releases the pic on 14th of May. This is based on the popular game and stars Jake Gyllenhaal.Restless - Gus Van SantVan Sant is a Cannes regular, but this one belongs to Columbia Pictures - so a showing t the fest should be consider a long-shot, too bad since this appears to be small in scale. This is about a teenage boy (Henry Hopper) and girl (Mia Wasikowska) who sh Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4830 I don't normally associate remakes, trilogies, biopics or adaptions with films from the Croisette, but this year we could receive a little bit of all four if Aleksandr Sokurov's Faust, Kornel Mundruczo's The Frankenstein Project, Wong Kar-Wai's The Grand Master and Im Sang-soo's The Housemaid make the cut. Here are the second batch of predictions. - I don't normally associate remakes, trilogies, biopics or adaptions with films from the Croisette, but this year we could receive a little bit of all four if Aleksandr Sokurov's Faust, Kornel Mundruczo's The Frankenstein Project, Wong Kar-Wai's The Grand Master and Im Sang-soo's The Housemaid make the cut. Here are the second batch of predictions. Fair Game – Doug LimanBill Pohlad's River Road might show up with pair of films - both have Sean Penn on board. Like Eastwood, the French have an appreciation for Penn - who was a recent head of juror for the fest. This would be Doug Liman's first film at the fest - the true story nature of the film might be a trump card for the official comp. This is based on the lives of Valerie Plame and Ambassador Joseph Wilson, the married couple drawn into a D.C. firestorm. Faust - Aleksandr SokurovWith Moloch (1999), Taurus (2001), Russian Ark (2002) and Alexandra (2007) all selected for the main comp, we should see Sokurov's latest in the cards -- inspired by the German legend of a man who makes a pact with the devil in return for knowledge.The Frankenstein Project - Kornel Mundruczo The Hungarian filmmaker has been to the fest for Little Apocrypha N°2 (Cinéfondation), Johanna (2005), and a favorite of mine in Delta in 2008. Inspired by Mary Shelley's classic book, this is a re-interpretation of the story with the monster being replaced by a child, who returns home from a boarding school, struggling for the love of his family. The Grand Master - Wong Kar-WaiIt's been a long term marriage for the filmmaker and the fest dating back to 1989's As Tears Go By. I cross my fingers that this would be at the fest, but then I think of the five years of post that WKW took for 2046 and I think that the chances are slim even more since he is handling sensitive material: the relationship between Bruce Lee and his master (Tony Leung) Ip Man.Habemus Papam - Nanni MorettiIf you include short in To Each His Own Cinema, Moretti has been to the south of France on nine occasions as a filmmaker - he won for Best Director in 94 for Caro Diario and the Palme d'Or for The Son's Room (2001), so this should land at the fest...if ready (last word is this is still in pre-production). This is about a Pope (Michel Piccoli) who decides he doesn’t want the job as soon as he’s elected. Moretti will play a psychiatrist called in by the Vatican to resolve the problem. Hereafter - Clint EastwoodNot sure if Warner Bros. would consider showing off the film extra early, but this tells the story of three people who are touched by death in different ways.Hors-la-loi - Rachid Bouchareb Bouchareb's Indigènes was actually his third film at the festival, Rachid uses pretty much the same clan for a pic set in 1945 about five men set to rob a bank and finance the war of independence against the French.The Housemaid - Im Sang-sooSang-soo broke out of the Director's Fortnight with&n Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4851 Philippe Claudel's change in disciplines (he went from novelist to filmmaker) was extremely well-received if you consider the number of international film festival awards and film critic prizes that I've Loved You So Long racked up. Looks like we won't have to wait too long for Claudel's sophomore project. - Philippe Claudel's change in disciplines (he went from novelist to filmmaker) was extremely well-received if you consider the number of international film festival awards and film critic prizes that I've Loved You So Long racked up. Looks like we won't have to wait too long for Claudel's sophomore project. Screen Daily reports that his next project will be set in Strasbourg, and works as a dramedy centering on a widowed music teacher. Euro actor Stefano Accorsi plays the lead in Silence d'Amour (Silence of Love). Filming begins in May, and could be ready for Berlin 2011 - the lieu where I've Loved You So Long won three awards. UGC YM's Yves Marmion who produced Claudel's debut, with produce once again with TF1 Intl. holding foreign sales rights. Sony Pictures Classics released ILYSL and might want to keep tabs on this project. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4845 It appears that the cinephile in Michael Haneke is the reason for the scrapping of his "old age project" titled Ces Deux. The premise of a deteriorating, aging body but a youthful mind my have been too close to Sarah Polley's Away From Her... - It appears that the cinephile in Michael Haneke is the reason for the scrapping of his "old age project" titled Ces Deux. The premise of a deteriorating, aging body but a youthful mind my have been too close to Sarah Polley's Away From Her, the wholesome tale about tight twosome who break away from one another due to Alzheimer's disease or as the folks from ThePlaylist suggested could be Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions - which saw its lead character, an eternal skirt-chaser with a zest for life be trumped by a losing battle with cancer. Isabelle Huppert and Jean-Louis Trintignant would have paired in that project. Screen Daily reports that Haneke will instead work towards the completion of a script that is “about the internet” and will shoot around the world, in locations ranging from Japan to the US. My suggestion to Haneke is to avoid another Canadian film in Atom Egoyan's Adoration which looks at how the transgressions of the online world. The untitled project is currently being scripted and the screenplay should be delivered by September. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4822 I'll first begin with the titles that should be part of the Main Competition, Out of Competition and Special Screenings, and commencing Friday, I'll detail the harder to predict titles that we could find in the Un Certain Regard, Quinzaine (Director's Fortnight) and Critic's Week sections. - We are in week 2 of the Berlin Film Festival, and I can think of no better time than to highlight the shape and form that the Cannes Film Festival might look like three months from now. Starting today, and moving all the way into Sunday, I'll share my thoughts on the films that I think stand a better than fair chance at being part of the parallel line-ups. I'll first begin with the titles that should be part of the Main Competition, Out of Competition and Special Screenings, and commencing Friday, I'll detail the harder to predict titles that we could find in the Un Certain Regard, Quinzaine (Director's Fortnight) and Critic's Week sections. Today's first batch includes names such as Mike Leigh, Cristi Puiu, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Abbas Kiarostami and Nikita Mikhalkov (see pic for his latest film above). Another Year -- Mike LeighLeigh has presented only three film in Cannes, won Best Director for Naked and the Palme d'or for Secrets & Lies and though. I think there might be a better chance for this to be ready for Venice, his latest could slip in. Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, David Bradley, Lesley Manville, Philip Davis and Karina Fernandez -- the Flamenco Teacher in Happy-Go-Lucky star in this situational drama. Aurora -- Cristi PuiuIn 2001, Puiu presented his first film, the prize-winning Stuff and Dough in the Directors' Fortnight, and then of course 2005 was his banner year with The Death of Mr. Lazarescu. Here Puiu plays a police inspector working in the Homicide Department. Biutiful -- Alejandro Gonzalez InarrituAlready included in the "Cannes Club", he has presented Amores Perros and Babel (Best Director) here. Javier Bardem stars in a story about a man embroiled in shady dealings who is confronted by a childhood friend, now a policeman.  Le Bruit des glaçons (The Clink of Ice) -- Bertrand BlierCame to the festival several times as an actor, and presented four films so far with Les Côtelettes in 2003. Not sure at what point Blier is at in production, but this would see Jean Dujardin as an alcoholic writer is visited by an incarnation of his cancer. Update: this is still in pre-production. No chances at Cannes this year. Carancho -- Pablo Trapero Trapero brought El Bonaerense to the fest in 2002 and competed in the Main Comp in 2008 with Lion's Den. If the main comp section is overbooked, then this could be bumped into the Un Certain Regard section. Martina Gusman plays a jailed woman who gives birth in prison and struggles to bring up her son with dignity. The Certified Copy -- Abbas KiarostamiGranddaddy of the festival, he won the Rossellini Prize at Cannes for his career and got the Palme for 1997's "The Taste of Cherries". This sees French thesp Juliette Binoche paired up with an English author (William Shimell) who finds himself in Italy to promote his latest book and give a lecture on the subject of the relationship between originals and copies in the w Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4850 In pure Kaurismaki tradition, Le Havre as reported by Screen Daily, falls in his usual "dramatic comedy" territory and is about a shoeshiner who tries to save a refugee. Fitting since the city is a port town in the North of France. - Finnish master filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki will be heading to the port city of Le Havre for his next project aptly titled, Le Havre. The French -- the biggest supporters of auteur cinema will be co-producing on a project that received development funding from The Finnish Film Foundation. In pure Kaurismaki tradition, Le Havre as reported by Screen Daily, falls in his usual "dramatic comedy" territory and is about a shoeshiner who tries to save a refugee. Fitting since the city is a port town in the North of France. Haije Tulokas will produce and the great news is that the film will shoot in the spring. Kaurismaki last directed 2006’s Lights In The Dusk. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4844 Ray Winstone is reteaming with his Sexy Beast and 44 Inch Chest scribe David Scinto for the screenwriter's directing debut - which is being called not a gangster film, but a "terrifying romantic thriller". Night Flower would obviously involve a female lead of some sorts and word is that a pair of young, talented Brit actors Ben Whishaw (Bright Star) and Andrew Garfield (Never Let Me Go) are also in talks to join the cast. The pic is expected to go into production in the fall. - Ray Winstone is reteaming with his Sexy Beast and 44 Inch Chest scribe David Scinto for the screenwriter's directing debut - which is being called not a gangster film, but a "terrifying romantic thriller". Night Flower would obviously involve a female lead of some sorts and word is that a pair of young, talented Brit actors Ben Whishaw (Bright Star) and Andrew Garfield (Never Let Me Go) are also in talks to join the cast. The pic is expected to go into production in the fall. Scinto will be producing alongside Bobby Allen and Jade Bell. James Wilson is the exec producer. The project is being sold at the EFM. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4849 Not sure if a nation that is constantly reminded of imminent fear (the airports and color alert levels are a joke) will want to hit the movie theaters and watch a film about the current nuclear threat that is bubbling up, but Magnolia Pictures are teaming up with Participant Media once again, grabbing Lucy Walker's documentary film that was just showcased at Sundance. - Not sure if a nation that is constantly reminded of imminent fear (the airports and color alert levels are a joke) will want to hit the movie theaters and watch a film about the current nuclear threat that is bubbling up, but Magnolia Pictures are teaming up with Participant Media once again, grabbing Lucy Walker's documentary film that was just showcased at Sundance. Countdown to Zero starts at the fall of the Iron Curtain point and when the bomb became a symbol of another era. But in recent years, the threat of nuclear proliferation has grown more urgent, and the political will to eliminate nuclear weapons is greater than ever. This traces the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present state of global affairs: nine nations possessing nuclear weapons capabilities with others racing to join them, with the world held in a delicate balance that could be shattered by an act of terrorism, failed diplomacy, or a simple accident. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4847 Hawke and career hotter than an iron Kristin Scott Thomas will take on the lead roles in a film that should signify the return of Pawel Pawlikowski (he has been dabbling on many projects that never came to fruition (see here). Shooting is set to start in April for The Woman in the Fifth. - I still remember when Ethan Hawke took a sabbatical from acting and took on writing - his next role might not be much of stretch. Hawke and career hotter than an iron Kristin Scott Thomas will take on the lead roles in a film that should signify the return of Pawel Pawlikowski (he has been dabbling on many projects that never came to fruition (see here). Shooting is set to start in April for The Woman in the Fifth. Sounds like the real deal folks! Based on Douglas Kennedy’s novel - a set in Paris supernatural thriller, Hawke plays an American writer in Paris named Harry Ricks who arrives in the city on a bleak January morning he is a broken man. He is running away from a failed marriage and a dark scandal that ruined his career as a film lecturer in a small American university. With no money and nowhere to live, Harry swiftly falls in with the city’s underclass, barely scraping a living while trying to finish the book he’d always dreamed of writing. He embarks on an affair with an elegant and mysterious widow named Margit Kadar (Thomas) and who might have something to do with the murders that start taking place around him. Memento Films is in Berlin with the film - which will be produced by Haut Et Court and co-financed by Film4. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4848 Screen Daily reports that Dominic Cooper, Julie Christie and Imogen Poots are currently attached to Hello Darkness -- which has Bobby Allen and Alexandra Stone producing, with Steve Golin, one of my favorites Todd Haynes and Adam Shulman acting as executive producers. - For every Cary Fukunaga and Marc Webb, there are about a dozen examples of filmmakers who've made it big with their first film at Sundance only to find themselves sludging through the same growing pains in the second time out. You might say this was the case for the working Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer tandem. They made a decent sized splash in Park City with Quinceañera (it got picked up by SPC), only to be stuck in gestation/financing period that is finally changing for the better (I'm guessing vampires truly are the big thing. Screen Daily reports that Dominic Cooper, Julie Christie and Imogen Poots are currently attached to Hello Darkness -- which has Bobby Allen and Alexandra Stone producing, with Steve Golin, one of my favorites Todd Haynes and Adam Shulman acting as executive producers. Here's a long form synopsis and I'm thinking the trio of actors actually fit the characters fairly well: Mark Cooper (played by Cooper) is an ordinary working-class man who became a vampire. He reached his prime in the early sixties and as a result of his conversion, never left it. Eternally young, he is the Angry Young Man preserved in amber. He lives in Newcastle, a town famed for its drunken excess, providing ideal feeding grounds. But the accidental death of a girl ends with a manhunt for a “Vampire Killer.” Cooper lives with Rachel (Christie), his support for almost four decades, in an uneasy role somewhere between wife and mother. Long ago Cooper proposed to convert Rachel, but she chose to grow older while he remains eternally twenty-five. News that he’s a wanted man brings the tension in the house to breaking point. On the prowl for victims, Cooper meets a beautiful posh student, Lucy (Poots). Entranced by her vivacity, he gets his overpowering first taste of blue blood. But the union between Cooper and Lucy brews trouble; it brings out the staunch territorialism of Rachel and the snobbishness of Lucy’s friends. Meanwhile, the search for the Vampire Killer is intensifying. Cooper is driven into a crisis as he stares bleakly into eternity, and Lucy is forced to choose between the light moneyed world of her peers and the dark working class reality of her lover. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4846 Having worked with him twice before, Glenn Close is taking a beloved play she starred in, perhaps wore a fake beard for and is shepherding the project for Rodrigo Garcia to direct for a silver screen translation. Close has already worn many hats (she co-produces and co-wrote) The Singular Life Of Albert Nobbs, which is being prepped to shoot in July... - Having worked with him twice before, Glenn Close is taking a beloved play she starred in, perhaps wore a fake beard for and is shepherding the project for Rodrigo Garcia to direct for a silver screen translation. Close has already worn many hats (she co-produces and co-wrote) The Singular Life Of Albert Nobbs, which is being prepped to shoot in July and by the time it is finished, Garcia will probably be hitting the pavement to promote what might be a highlight in his, and Annette Bening's career with Mother and Child (the pic received some flattering reviews in the acting department at TIFF last September, and I've yet to see if it gathered more steam from playing at Sundance a couple of weeks back. Also on board we find, Orlando Bloom, Michael Gambon and Janet McTeer. Set in a luxury hotel in Dublin, Albert Nobbs is a Gosford Park-style “below stairs” drama featuring Close as a woman in Nineteenth Century Ireland who disguises herself as a man in order to survive. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4843 Strand Releasing are once again teaming up with the prolific French filmmaker (they last worked with Francois Ozon on Time to Leave). Plans are for a Spring release. Looking back on this title, I wouldn't call it your typical comeback moment for Ozon, but sometimes a simple, one note number can make waves and Le Refuge certainly did back at Fall film festivals such as San Sebastian and Toronto. Mousse and Louis are young, beautiful, rich and in love. But drugs have invaded their lives. One day they overdose, and Louis dies. Mousse survives, but soon learns she’s pregnant. Feeling lost, she runs away to a house far from Paris. Several months later, Louis’ brother joins her in her refuge. - Strand Releasing are once again teaming up with the prolific French filmmaker (they last worked with Francois Ozon on Time to Leave). Plans are for a Spring release. Looking back on this title, I wouldn't call it your typical comeback moment for Ozon, but sometimes a simple, one note number can make waves and Le Refuge certainly did back at Fall film festivals such as San Sebastian and Toronto.I went into the film thinking that it was an addiction drama, but as I mentioned back at TIFF, "Le Refuge is about solitude and finding comfort in a human touch. Simply constructed, without no large, sweeping emotional cues, a behind a big pair of shades Isabelle Carré effortlessly runs a gamut of emotions in minor keys. This is a rich character-study without whistles and bells, but pauses and meditation." Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4839 Firth will now reunite with the filmmaker on a completely different blend - The Promised Land political crime thriller set in British-ruled Palestine at the end of World War II - circa 1948 when the partition of Palestine and the subsequent creation of the state of Israel. Basically, this could be an explosive indie film. Written by Laurence Coriat (who wrote pair of Winterbottom projects in Genova and Seven Days), Firth and Matthew Macfadyen will join the already cast Jim Sturgess. - Michael Winterbottom's Genova was a little seen family drama that played out in the cobblestone streets of the touristy, beach town. If my memory serves me right, Thinkfilm owned the title and the indie unit capsized without ever releasing it -- I caught it at TIFF and thought it was an interesting mix of a teen dealing with loss and leaving her teen life behind with the worried look of her father, played by Colin Firth. Firth will now reunite with the filmmaker on a completely different blend - The Promised Land political crime thriller set in British-ruled Palestine at the end of World War II - circa 1948 when the partition of Palestine and the subsequent creation of the state of Israel. Basically, this could be an explosive indie film. Written by Laurence Coriat (who wrote pair of Winterbottom projects in Genova and Seven Days), Firth and Matthew Macfadyen will join the already cast Jim Sturgess. As I often mention, Winterbottom is probably the hardest working filmmaker around -- easily on a one film per year pace for the past two decades.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4842 Fox Searchlight have made their first "public appearance" with Betty Anne Waters - a simple send out to all the media with the pic below and a mention of a fall release. As I mentioned before, I think they are hedging their bets early underlining that they thought they had a leader of the pack pick with Hilary Swank in Amelia and are looking to make amends with a picture that fans of Crazy Heart and The Blind Side might like. - Fox Searchlight have made their first "public appearance" with Betty Anne Waters -  a simple send out to all the media with the pic below and a mention of a fall release. As I mentioned before, I think they are hedging their bets early underlining that they thought they had a leader of the pack pick with Hilary Swank in Amelia and are looking to make amends with a picture that fans of Crazy Heart and The Blind Side might like. Tony Goldwyn directed the picture and his early career is filled with torment-friendly family drama films such as A Walk on the Moon (99) and Someone Like You... (01). Here is the synopsis you can find on our preview page for the film - spoilers included. Scripted by Pamela Gray, this is based on the true story of a high school dropout (Swank) who represented her brother in a murder case. It tells how Waters, an unemployed single mother of two, saw her brother (Rockwell) begin serving a life sentence in 1983 for murder and robbery. Convinced that he was innocent, she spent the next 12 years taking the steps to earn a law degree, and in 1995 she began focusing on her brother's case. Challenging the conviction with DNA evidence, she proved her brother's innocence, and in March 2001, Kenneth Waters walked out a free man. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4841 It was pretty much set in stone since it was announced that Todd Haynes would be turning to television that Killer Films "Mildred Pierce" would be housed at HBO. The deal is done and they have the house keys. The network has confirmed that the five-hour miniseries will be co-produced with MGM, Killer Films and John Wells Prods. Production begins in April, in New York and while no other cast have been mentioned, I imagine it won't be a major problem to find some gents to play alongside Kate Winslet who is of course playing the film's tragi-queen, and I'm looking forward in seeing who'll be cast as the troublemaking daughter Veda. - It was pretty much set in stone since it was announced that Todd Haynes would be turning to television that Killer Films "Mildred Pierce" would be housed at HBO. The deal is done and they have the house keys. The network has confirmed that the five-hour miniseries will be co-produced with MGM, Killer Films and John Wells Prods. Production begins in April, in New York and while no other cast have been mentioned, I imagine it won't be a major problem to find some gents to play alongside Kate Winslet who is of course playing the film's tragi-queen, and I'm looking forward in seeing who'll be cast as the troublemaking daughter Veda. Any guesses folks?     More of an adaptation of James M. Cain's classic noir novel than a remake of the 1945 film, the series (which I placed as my number seven most anticipated project of the year - it could be on HBO's autumn slate) centers on Mildred Pierce Beragon, a proud single mother struggling to earn her daughter's love during the Great Depression in middle-class Los Angeles. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4840 Looking to make the pre-sales in Berlin, Celluloid Dreams will be pitching a project without having not worry about pitching a project with voice talent as Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, the duo behind Persepolis are set to embark on their second collaboration - and this time they'll be using the Satrapi's graphic novel source material as the basis for a live-action film. - Looking to make the pre-sales in Berlin, Celluloid Dreams will be pitching a project without having not worry about pitching a project with voice talent as Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, the duo behind Persepolis are set to embark on their second collaboration - and this time they'll be using the Satrapi's graphic novel source material as the basis for a live-action film. Going by the title of Waiting for Azrael, this is based on Satrapi's 2006's Chicken with Plums and judging from the official book synopsis there are four main roles: a husband and wife team who've grown apart, the same protagonist but this time younger with a young looking woman who got away for flashbacks and quite possibly, Sophia Loren - who in the minds of many was and perhaps still is, the ultimate fantasy. The novel appears to revolve around the notion of escapism. We are in Tehran in 1958, and Nasser Ali Khan, one of Iran’s most revered tar players, discovers that his beloved instrument is irreparably damaged. Though he tries, he cannot find one to replace it, one whose sound speaks to him with the same power and passion with which his music speaks to others. In despair, he takes to his bed, renouncing the world and all its pleasures, closing the door on the demands and love of his wife and his four children. Over the course of the week that follows, his family and close friends attempt to change his mind, but Nasser Ali slips further and further into his own reveries: flashbacks and flash-forwards (with unexpected appearances by the likes of the Angel of Death and Sophia Loren) from his own childhood through his children’s futures. And as the pieces of his story slowly fall into place, we begin to understand the profundity of his decision to give up life. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4838 Joan Jett and Cherie Currie aren't the only female frontman to receive the big screen treatment this year (The Runaways), as Lodge Kerrigan has "secretly" filmed a story on Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick - the film is actually already in the can and filmed last May. It's Kerrigan's first film since the anxiety-filled 2004 film Keane, which starred bite-sized Abigail Breslin and Damian Lewis in his best work to date. Currently on Wild Bunch's film slate, Kerrigan's Rebecca H. was funded with French coin and the film stars Géraldine Pailhas (Ozon's 5X2) as Slick. - Joan Jett and Cherie Currie aren't the only female frontman to receive the big screen treatment this year (The Runaways), as Lodge Kerrigan has "secretly" filmed a story on Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick - the film is actually already in the can and filmed last May. It's Kerrigan's first film since the anxiety-filled 2004 film Keane, which starred bite-sized Abigail Breslin and Damian Lewis in his best work to date. Currently on Wild Bunch's film slate, Kerrigan's Rebecca H. was funded with French coin and the film stars Géraldine Pailhas (Ozon's 5X2) as Slick. It needs to be confirmed, but the story would probably take place in the psychedelic 60's portion of Slick's career and when the band was known as Jefferson Airplane. Formerly titled Return to the Dogs, Kerrigan will zone in a portion of Slick’s life where she had a relationship with a woman who becomes fascinated by the rock star. Slick went on record that she had a non-romantic rapport with Jim Morrison at the time. Pascal Greggory also stars in the film, while Blame It on Fidel!'s Sylvie Pialat produced the pic. I'm curious to know if Kerrigan was able to grab music rights to the music - I imagine the Coens had to shell out for it.  Apparently, the project is part of a yearly mentorship type program: Olivier Assayas invited Betrand Bonello and Kerrigan to makes films in the French capital.        Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4837 Screen Daily reports that Silverstone and Heckerling will work in a sub-genre that shall become stale once the Twilight series is over and done with. Silverstone will join the well cast Krysten Ritter in Vamps - a modern-day tale of two female vampires who live it up in New York until love enters the picture, when each has to make a choice that will jeopardise their immortality. - You can be forgiven if you feel that you've lost track of the Clueless pairing Alicia Silverstone and Amy Heckerling. They were once at the top of the film world, the year was 1995 and then both filmographies would eventually include television work (here's a retro Charlie Rose clip of Heckerling). The filmmaker tried a comeback, not to long ago -- but got screwed over by the distribution company in charge of 2007's I Could Never Be Your Woman. Screen Daily reports that Silverstone and Heckerling will work in a sub-genre that shall become stale once the Twilight series is over and done with. Silverstone will join the well cast Krysten Ritter in Vamps - a modern-day tale of two female vampires who live it up in New York until love enters the picture, when each has to make a choice that will jeopardise their immortality. Production is set to begin in April is backed by Ben Stiller's Red Hour Films alongside Lucky Monkey Pictures' Lauren Versel and Maria Teresa Arida, and Molly Hassell producing. Despite the easy sell of girls with fangs in comtempo, romantic New York, I have a feeling that it'll take some pushing and shoving for a studio to pick this up.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4836 Paul Federbush and former Warner Independent Pictures's head Laura Kim are starting up a new distribution company going by the name of Red Flag Releasing and they'll get the business started with a Sundance doc that ruffled many feathers before anyone even laid eyes on the film. Much like how people invest in the stock market, perhaps the best time for new distribution companies to get into the action is when the industry is at low point, and they'll release a doc film with bite this Spring in Reed Cowan's 8: The Mormon Proposition. - Paul Federbush and former Warner Independent Pictures's head Laura Kim are starting up a new distribution company going by the name of Red Flag Releasing and they'll get the business started with a Sundance doc that ruffled many feathers before anyone even laid eyes on the film. Much like how people invest in the stock market, perhaps the best time for new distribution companies to get into the action is when the industry is at low point, and they'll release a doc film with bite this Spring in Reed Cowan's 8: The Mormon Proposition. Here's the synopsis:... 8:TMP follows the stories of many LGBT citizens seeking marriage equality and never-before revealed Mormon efforts to stop them. The stories of Tyler Barrick and Spencer Jones, two gay Mormon men, are the marquis players in 8:TMP. Barrick is the direct descendant of Mormon polygamist Fredrick G. Williams. The Barrick-Jones family history tells tales of Mormon ancestors chased from state to state because of their own practice of alternative marriage (polygamy). Now, decades later, the Barrick-Jones family is experiencing cultural and governmental discrimination of the same kind that haunted their ancestors. Only now, they're at war with their own religion of Mormonism and the people their religion seduced into voting against their union. "When 8 passed, I called my mother crying--why did the Mormons do this to us? Why would our own people do this to us? They have turned their backs on us," says Tyler Barrick. Here is more from IndieWIRE on the motivations behind the upstart:..  Red Flag Releasing (RFR), was created—in the words of an official announcement today—“out of a desire to create new paths and opportunities for independent filmmakers in this age of ubiquitous technological change.” The company reiterated, in their Wednesday release, that they will, “operate with agility and innovation, taking advantage of every available platform to customize a release that is organic to the needs of each film.” RFR intends to acquire completed films at festivals in its first year, and also pursue projects for which it can provide finishing funds. The new outfit will not shy away from politically themed or issue oriented movies, Federbush said today. Yet, they certainly don’t want to be pigeon-holed. He added that the company will grow organically, is well capitalized and will pursue releases with breakout potential. They are working with Ron Stein to raise additional capital to support the future growth of the new company. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4835 After a lengthy career in genre cinema, Denmark's Nicolas Winding Refn is finding himself in the driver's seat. With a couple of Hollywood options available to him, the filmmaker is now doing donuts around Drive - a Universal project that once had Neil Marshall on board to direct and had Hugh Jackman manning the wheel. Another bit of interesting news is that the helmer will be teaming with Ryan Gosling... - After a lengthy career in genre cinema, Denmark's Nicolas Winding Refn is finding himself in the driver's seat. With a couple of Hollywood options available to him, the filmmaker is now doing donuts around Drive - a Universal project that once had Neil Marshall on board to direct and had Hugh Jackman manning the wheel. Another bit of interesting news is that the helmer will be teaming with Ryan Gosling - the actor who blew way audiences at Sundance for his perf in Blue Valentine hasn't touched mainstream movies since Fracture back in 2007. Scripted by Hossein Amini, this is based on the James Sallis' novel which is set in the seamy underside of Southern California and Arizona and centers on a stuntman who moonlights as a wheelman during robberies and discovers that a contract has been put on him. I've still got the scruffy-looking, sunglass wearing Gosling from Derek Cianfrance's Blue Valentine in mind, so would he stick to the non-shaven look for a noir film with seedy hotel rooms and nocturnal world filled with crime? This character might be the most interesting driver since Clive Owen's no questions asked type in the BMW films?    Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4829 The buyers at Summit Entertainment must be fans of the annual Black List of the Best in Unproduced screenplays as they have just added their third in a little less than half a year. After picking up the top of 2008's list in The Beaver (at the very beginning of production) and setting up shop for Duncan Jones' forthcoming Source Code (a 2007 top 20 spec), the indie distributor which was able to bankroll of three projects due to the Twilight films has bought the North American rights to the (currently in pre-production) film once going by the excellent title of I'm with Cancer. - The buyers at Summit Entertainment must be fans of the annual Black List of the Best in Unproduced screenplays as they have just added their third in a little less than half a year. After picking up the top of 2008's list in The Beaver (at the very beginning of production) and setting up shop for Duncan Jones' forthcoming Source Code (a 2007 top 20 spec), the indie distributor which was able to bankroll of three projects due to the Twilight films has bought the North American rights to the (currently in pre-production) film once going by the excellent title of I'm with Cancer. The project to be lensed by Jonathan Levine will see Seth Rogen, James McAvoy, Anna Kendrick, maybe an actor from M*A*S*H (a very specific actor) and Bryce Dallas Howard who just joined the project - she plays one of the love interests - I'm guessing it will be the role of "Rachel". Based on the autobiographical spec written by Will Reiser, this is his personal account of his struggle to beat cancer, with the story centering on a 25-year-old who finds out he has the disease. Kendrick will play a psychologist assigned to a young man who learns he has cancer. Summit’s president of production Erik Feig said “it’s rare to find a script that has you laughing and crying in equal measure or a cast and director as perfectly suited to get the tone of this unique and moving film as perfectly right.” My wish is for the Summit folks to keep the title. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4828 With the EFM & Berlin in full prep mode, the very believable news that Penelope Cruz would be joining the greatest director in the world is good news for art-house patrons. Lars von Trier humorlessly referred to himself as the best -- I'll defend the Dane by saying he was simply having fun with the media frenzy in Cannes, and if Cruz follows the same mental concourse that Charlotte Gainsbourg might have endured in the filming of Antichrist, then we can be hopeful that Planet Melancholia resembles something closer to Tarkovsky/Pasolini than dystopian examples such as Blindness or The Road. - She has braved about two decade's worth of horrible English language films and became the renowned actress that she is thanks to Pedro Almodóvar pushing her beyond her comfort zone, so if today's great piece of casting news from the Euro trades does pan out, we can expect the actress to truly venture into unchartered waters. With the EFM & Berlin in full prep mode, the very believable news that Penelope Cruz would be joining the greatest director in the world is good news for art-house patrons. Lars von Trier humorlessly referred to himself as the best -- I'll defend the Dane by saying he was simply having fun with the media frenzy in Cannes, and if Cruz follows the same mental concourse that Charlotte Gainsbourg might have endured in the filming of Antichrist, then we can be hopeful that Planet Melancholia resembles something closer to Tarkovsky/Pasolini than dystopian examples such as Blindness or The Road. Update: Call it a problem in translation, but thanks to thePlaylist, we can file this under (producer was hoping to get the starlet but it doesn't look like its going to happen.     Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4827 Survival in the favelas by way of the ballet? That's what the Film Movement folks are proposing this summer as they become the official dance partners with Beadie Finzi's favela-set documentary film which appears to contain a rags-to denouement and could easily mimic the popularity of Mad Hot Ballroom. - Survival in the favelas by way of the ballet? That's what the Film Movement folks are proposing this summer as they become the official dance partners with Beadie Finzi's favela-set documentary film which appears to contain a rags-to denouement (see the well-crafted trailer) and could easily mimic the popularity of Mad Hot Ballroom.         Only When I Dance follows two young teenagers, Isabella and Irlan as they strive to realize an extraordinary dream. One girl, one boy. Both black and poor and living in a lawless community on the outskirts of Rio. Irlan and Isabella both want to dance - to dance ballet and their ambition is to leave Brazil to join one of the great companies in the North. On our very first shoot, the pair won the Brazilian national championships and qualified to compete in Switzerland & the USA where the major talent scouts would be waiting to select their new young apprentices. We would be with them and their families the whole way, on what would prove to be a life-changing year. ‘Only When I Dance’ is ‘Billy Elliot’ meets ‘Mad Hot Ballroom’, set in the favelas of Rio. A story where the gulf between success and failure would be everything, a story demonstrating both the privilege and price of talent. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4824 Basing itself on the 60's experiment which showed how most people would give unbearable electric shocks to others when encouraged by an authority, Christophe Nick and Thomas Bornot’s documentary The Game Of Death, applies the same approach in the mock form of a TV game show. Adjectives such as amusing, compelling and disturbing come to mind. - Everyone has pretty much heard of the Milgram Experiment. As wiki describes it, this was the famous study from "Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram, which measured the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience." If genocides still occur today, I often cite this study - where participants basically followed orders without much thought, and "zapped" the hell out of some pretty good actors. A new doc is applying the above mentioned theory and will be making the rounds at next week's European Film Market. Basing itself on the 60's experiment which showed how most people would give unbearable electric shocks to others when encouraged by an authority, Christophe Nick and Thomas Bornot’s documentary The Game Of Death, applies the same approach in the mock form of a TV game show. Adjectives such as amusing, compelling and disturbing come to mind.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4825 We're only a little past the one week point the apres portion of the Sundance Film Festival so I'm expecting some keys deals to still come trickling in, however there are fivesome of high profile, critically well-received titles that have yet to find a U.S. distribution deal that I thought are worth mentioning. - We're only a little past the one week point the apres portion of the Sundance Film Festival so I'm expecting some keys deals to still come trickling in, however there are fivesome of high profile, critically well-received titles that have yet to find a U.S. distribution deal that I thought are worth mentioning.#1. At the top of this list, and a favorite among critics, we find David Michôd's Animal Kingdom -- winner of the World Cinema Jury Prize, Dramatic this family crime drama, a two hour saga is engrossing, seeping in beauty and artifice and only confirms what we had a hunch with in his short film work: that the Aussie filmmaker is the real deal with the bold narrative and aesthetic choices. I'm not sure how many territories already own the film, but this should be on its way of being sold and picked up worldwide. E1 Entertainment are either still fielding more than one offer, or fine-tuning the North American rights package.  #2. Next up, we have a doc that was the last minute entry of the festival and pretty much won over all critics. The post-modern, difficult to categorize, re-invention of the doc Exit Through the Gift Shop (judge for yourself) is a "non-look" look at a street artist. Big question will a doc film that discusses notions of "selling out" sell out to a buyer. Cinetic certainly hopes so.  #3. Speaking of blurring the lines, the form that opening night film Howl took might pan out to be a risk-worthy title if the eventual marketing team can sell the drama/documentary as a unique hybrid and if sales agent team Cinetic can convince the eventual buyer that despite what critics thought of the film, that many were mentioning James Franco and Oscar-worthy nom in the same breath. #4. It was only a blip on the radar until pre-fest buzz and the comedy's successful first screening officially put this on the map. The one thing working against Christopher Morris' Four Lions in terms of an eventual domestic pick-up is how much of an audience will warm up to a comedy that isn't distinctly Brit, but not enough Bruno or Borat. Without any recognizable faces, Wild Bunch have their work cut-out, but the subject matter in the color-alerted States, Morris' comedic visual style, the moronic and somehow endearing characters offer a easier mix than a recent film such as In the Loop. #5. There is a slew of other unsold films with better known casts (e.g. The Romantics, The Extra Man, The Company Men, Sympathy For Delicious, Welcome to the Rileys, Night Catches Us, happythankyoumoreplease and 3 Backyards) but Anthony Burns' debut Skateland, a coming-of-age film sticks out because of the filmmakers' skill set. CAA should be able to sell the film on soundtrack and visual look alone.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4826 Oranges has television director Julian Farino attached to helm and now, three actors known for their work on the tele might be joining the dark comedy as well. Hugh Laurie might be taking on his first leading role in film - as the patriarch/adulterer in an American Beauty-esque role and might possibly star alongside either or both Mila Kunis and Leighton Meester. L.A Times reports that the trio of actors are attached to the 2008 Blacklist favorite (it was the runner-up to first place The Beaver, currently in post). If this goes into production anytime soon, this should be a hot title for buyers in Cannes. - Oranges has television director Julian Farino attached to helm and now, three actors known for their work on the tele might be joining the dark comedy as well. Hugh Laurie might be taking on his first leading role in film - as the patriarch/adulterer in an American Beauty-esque role and might possibly star alongside either or both Mila Kunis and Leighton Meester. L.A Times reports that the trio of actors are attached to the 2008 Blacklist favorite (it was the runner-up to first place The Beaver, currently in post). If this goes into production anytime soon, this should be a hot title for buyers in Cannes.    Written by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer, this focuses on a Terry Bass, (played by Laurie) who has a romantic relationship with the daughter of a family friend, turning the lives of the man and the family upside down. The lead role of Vanessa, the twenty-something girl who has the affair with her former best friend's father would either be filled by Kunis or Meester. My guess is that Kunis (who's stock will rise significantly with her co-lead part in Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan) would play Vanessa, while Meester would be assigned to play the carefree, Nina Bass. In all, the casting director has a total of seven roles partitioned between two households. The Times points out that this would be second pairing of the two actresses: Meester and Kunis had roles in Shawn Levy's Date Night. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4823 Scripted by Delpy, 2 Days in New York centres again on French woman Marion (Delpy), who has broken up with Jack and now lives in New York with their children. Her Parisian family come to visit her, but the cultural differences between her eccentric father and new American boyfriend will turn out to be explosive. Meanwhile, her sister has had the "good" idea of bringing an ex-boyfriend from Paris and there is the pressure of an upcoming photography exhibition. - Those patiently awaiting the second reunion for Linklater's Jesse and Celine storyline may have a consolation prize waiting for them in 2011. After all, Julie Delpy is part of the writing team on the Before Sunset film, and now she'll be picking up where the characters in 2 Days in Paris have left off: not France but New York City. Polaris Films Productions are producing the pic which would see Delpy lensing sometime near the end of the year. Here's the synopsis being used for the upcoming European FIlm Market... Scripted by Delpy, 2 Days in New York centres again on French woman Marion (Delpy), who has broken up with Jack and now lives in New York with their children. Her Parisian family come to visit her, but the cultural differences between her eccentric father and new American boyfriend will turn out to be explosive. Meanwhile, her sister has had the "good" idea of bringing an ex-boyfriend from Paris and there is the pressure of an upcoming photography exhibition. Samuel Goldwyn Films might want to grab the sequel, as it brought in over 4 million in art-house B.O. Here is our interview with Delpy back in 2007, when she was doing press for 2 Days in Paris. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4819 I never wanted to make a biopic about Tolstoy. The film I saw was about the tragic comedy about marriage, about the difficulty living with love and impossibility of living without love. - With a pair of Best Supporting Oscar noms in the bank, writer/director Michael Hoffman (Restoration) makes a smashing comeback with this breath of fresh air take on the last days of celebrated Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and his wife Sofya. An examination of the complexities of love and marriage that excels -- Hoffman brings out the best in thesps Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, Paul Giamatti and James McAvoy by allowing the foursome to delve into a full range of emotions that afflict the human condition. Simply put, The Last Station is an accurate portrait of one the greatest writers in literature as he deals with his legacy and what has come between him and the love of his life. Yama Rahimi: This film marks sort of "comeback" for you, not that you were gone entirely. Michael Hoffman: I was kind of gone. After the Emperor's Club, I got involved in a project that didn't came together and that's the risk you take when you get involved with independent films which was two and half years. I was passing on projects I shouldn't because I thought this movie was coming together and it didn't. Then I did a little movie with this company I formed called Serenade, where we made six movies with 500K a piece that got released but in a very tiny way. Then I started working on this, which took five years and in that time there were opportunities and studio movies that I could have done but I thought I should do it and stick with. If it hadn't worked, I mean that's a terrifying thought to me. Back in September we didn't have American distribution and we were nowhere and I was depressed. Then we went to the Telluride Festival and Toronto which was great but still very late in the game because the deal with Sony Picture Classics wasn't done till October. YR: Well it was a scary year because a lot of the films at major festivals didn't get distribution right away or still don't have. MH: It's a difficult market. In Toronto only eight films got sold, of course some had distribution from the beginning. YR: So how did this project came to you? MH: Well I read the novel in train when I was travelling from Siena to Paris and it was the only novel in English but didn't see a movie. Then I reread the novel in 2004 and saw immediately a film about marriage which I experienced since first reading the book. I never wanted to make a biopic about Tolstoy. The film I saw was about the tragic comedy about marriage, about the difficulty living with love and impossibility of living without love. Although I wrote a first draft of the screenplay and didn't like it, I went to read the four great plays of Checkov such as "The Seagull," "The Cherry Orchard," "Three Sisters" and "Uncle Vanya." where I saw how to make the tone work. How to incorporate something of the way the absurd and the sublime of Checkov with all that proximity of the tragedy and comedy. After I had the script, I went to find the cast which was extraordinary. YR: Was it difficult to get the cast? MH: No. I ne Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4821 The Weinsteins' grabbed the best film in the U.S Dramatic field in Blue Valentine (if you ask IndieWIRE pollsters) and now they've grabbed U.S. theatrical, DVD and pay TV rights, as well as all rights in English language territories rights to a doc film that many were buzzing about in Park City. Probbing - I think that this is the case of a post-Sundance deal has been signed late in the game and has more to do with Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary film being a hotly pursued title, than it suffering from "devaluation". The Weinsteins' grabbed the best film in the U.S Dramatic field in Blue Valentine (if you ask IndieWIRE pollsters) and now they've grabbed U.S. theatrical, DVD and pay TV rights, as well as all rights in English language territories rights to a doc film that many were buzzing about in Park City. The Tillman story has been well-covered in the media (60 Minutes did a good piece on the friendly fire cover-up) so it may be an uphill battle to get people re-interested in the well-publicized cover-up job, however this doc film combines the probing with a more personal approach - from the POV of Tillman's mother - who did her own groundwork to separate fact from fiction. We can expect a more personal journey.     The Tillman Story depicts gave up his professional football career to join the Army Rangers in 2002 and became an instant symbol of patriotic fervor and unflinching duty. But the truth about Pat Tillman is far more complex, and ultimately far more heroic, than the caricature created by the media. And when the government tried to turn his death into war propaganda, they took on the wrong family. From her home in the Santa Cruz mountains, Pat’s mother, Dannie Tillman, led the family’s crusade to reveal the truth beneath the mythology of their son’s life and death. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4820 There were a couple of little birdies at last year's TIFF that told me about a gorgeous little film from Mexico from helmer Pedro González-Rubio -- since the Toronto preem it has hit Rotterdam this year and will roll out at Berlin shortly. Back then it was going by the title of To the Sea, but we should get comfy with the title of Alamar -- as the Film Movement folks (who also got behind another small Mexican film in Lake Tahoe - a Top 20 film of mine from last year's theatrical releases) have picked up the rights to the film via France's MK2. - There were a couple of little birdies at last year's TIFF that told me about a gorgeous little film from Mexico from helmer Pedro González-Rubio -- since the Toronto preem it has hit Rotterdam this year and will roll out at Berlin shortly. Back then it was going by the title of To the Sea, but we should get comfy with the title of Alamar -- as the Film Movement folks (who also got behind another small Mexican film in Lake Tahoe - a Top 20 film of mine from last year's theatrical releases) have picked up the rights to the film via France's MK2. The import will play at the Film Forum on July the 14th. Here's the synopsis:  Jorge and Roberta have been separated for several years. They simply come from opposite worlds: he likes an uncomplicated life in the jungle, while she prefers a more urban existence. He is Mexican and she is Italian, and she has decided to return to Rome with their five-year-old son, Natan. But before they leave, Jorge wishes to take young Natan on a trip, hoping to teach him about his Mayan origins in Mexico. At first the boy is physically and emotionally uncomfortable with the whole affair, and gets seasick on the boat taking them to their destination. But as father and son spend more time together, Natan begins a learning experience that will remain with him forever. Here's a look at his previous film...apologies for the nasty content.       Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4818 My big discovery of 2009 in terms of an emerging new talent haphazardly occurred during the post-award screening of the Un Certain Regard section's winning film -- Yorgos Lanthimos gave us every reason to worry about parental guidance with his sophomore film Dogtooth and has pretty much got himself a instant following from several cinephiles outside of his native Greece. - My big discovery of 2009 in terms of an emerging new talent haphazardly occurred during the post-award screening of the Un Certain Regard section's winning film -- Yorgos Lanthimos gave us every reason to worry about parental guidance with his sophomore film Dogtooth and has pretty much got himself a instant following from several cinephiles outside of his native Greece. Now comes word that his next project, titled Alpis (Alps), has received a round of local funding, will probably be an item of interest in Berlin for distinctly art-house distributors because it sounds as bizarre as his previous film. Here the synopsis:..  Written by Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou (co-writer on Dogtooth), this is the story of a hospital night nurse who provides peculiar services to families that have lost their loved ones. She is part of a group called Alpis, whose members offer, for a certain fee, to replace the recently deceased in their random everyday exchanges with the mourning families. Haos Film's Athina Rachel Tsangari and Matt Johnson will produce. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4817 I hate that nagging feeling of having attended a film festival and having missed out on the buzz film -- as was the case with my trip to Sundance and my unattainable quest to see Catfish. The hype and build-up for Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman's documentary was established on day one of its world premiere, and its been odd to see the a bidding war breakout and media questioning the truthfulness of the doc whose punch line I can guess at but would rather not know until I see it for myself. - I hate that nagging feeling of having attended a film festival and having missed out on the buzz film -- as was the case with my trip to Sundance and my unattainable quest to see Catfish. The hype and build-up for Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman's documentary was established on day one of its world premiere, and its been odd to see the a bidding war breakout and media questioning the truthfulness of the doc whose punch line I can guess at but would rather not know until I see it for myself. Here's an interview with the filmmakers that won't divulge much either. Screen Daily reports that the winning bid comes from Relativity, via the mention and cheerleading from Brett Ratner and will be distributed by Universal Pictures -- shouldn't this be a Focus Features release instead? Capturing the Friedman's Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling produced and Kavanaugh, Tucker Tooley and Brett Ratner will serve as executive producers. Nev, a 24-year-old New York–based photographer, has no idea what he’s in for when Abby, an eight-year-old girl from rural Michigan, contacts him on MySpace, seeking permission to paint one of his photographs. When he receives her remarkable painting, Nev begins a friendship and correspondence with Abby’s family. But things really get interesting when he develops a cyber-romance with Abby’s attractive older sister, Megan, a musician and model. Prompted by some startling revelations about Megan, Nev and his buddies embark on a road trip in search of the truth. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4816 Selected as one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces, Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo will get to see her directorial debut go the theatrical release route - what is of interest here is that she penned and directed a horror thriller (a rarity of sorts for a female filmmaker) that landed at the AFI last November --- a showcase that eventually panned out to the deal for After.Life. - Selected as one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces, Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo will get to see her directorial debut go the theatrical release route - what is of interest here is that she penned and directed a horror thriller (a rarity of sorts for a female filmmaker) that landed at the AFI last November --- a showcase that eventually panned out to the deal for After.Life.  Based on the Wojtowicz-Vosloo’s script, this chronicles a young woman (Christina Ricci) in a transitional state between life and death who fights to avoid being buried alive by the funeral director (Liam Neeson) who holds her fate in his hands. Ricci replaced Bosworth who was originally attached. Neeson recently proved with Taken that he could bring in box office dollars, so perhaps Anchor Bay have themselves an investment on their hands. A spring release is planned. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4814 The trades report that he'll be re-teaming with The New World's Christian Bale, Rachel McAdams who could use a film of this stature in her filmography, Javier Bardem and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko. Nicolas Gonda, Sarah Green and Bill Pohlad are producing, which means Apparition would be the logical distributor to come onboard for the U.S. - I'm huge Malick fan and by nature like many cinephiles out there, have had to be extremely patient over the years -- so Malick-wise, 2010 is turning out to be a great year, but I wasn't expecting this news - not in a million years. With The Tree of Life (the one or two-film release pegged for this year, now comes word that he is prepping his next feature film. Nikki Finke gets a whole bunch of industry firsts that I could care less about, but today's news is huge when you consider that the man and info on his films are scarce of the Woody Allen and Mike Leigh realm. Apart from the casting news, expect a logline to trickle out of Berlin this month. Today's announcement means that The Tree of Life will most undoubtedly receive a Cannes premiere, and the untitled film pegged as a romantic drama means that his next work might contain subtitles (international cast) and it's officially not The Moviegoer - a book to film adaptation that he has been tied to in the past. The trades report that he'll be re-teaming with The New World's Christian Bale, Rachel McAdams who could use a film of this stature in her filmography, Javier Bardem and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko. Nicolas Gonda, Sarah Green and Bill Pohlad are producing, which means Apparition would be the logical distributor to come onboard for the U.S. FilmNation Ent. are repping the film for international sales at Berlin this month - a great buzz title for the newly formed co.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4815 The Fox Searchlight titled tanked at the B.O., but an important lesson was learnt - the "beat the system type" characters can be positioned for Oscar - I'm citing The Blind Side and Crazy Heart, another Searchlight film that was thrown into the hat late, and managed to grab a pair of acting noms as an example. Something tells me that today's deal for Betty Ann Waters - a David vs. Goliath biopic will ensure that the indie division remains relevant/profitable/award-proof in market. - Hilary Swank, the two-time Oscar winning actress got pummeled last year for her work on Amelia. The Fox Searchlight titled tanked at the B.O., but an important lesson was learnt - the "beat the system type" characters can be positioned for Oscar - I'm citing The Blind Side and Crazy Heart, another Searchlight film that was thrown into the hat late, and managed to grab a pair of acting noms as an example. Something tells me that today's deal for Betty Ann Waters - a David vs. Goliath biopic will ensure that the indie division remains relevant/profitable/award-proof in market. Directed Tony Goldwyn, an actor who moonlighted as a director and has pretty much alternated between professions, this true story is scripted by Pamela Gray with a rewrite from Richard LaGravenese, and is based on the true story of a high school dropout (Swank) who represented her brother in a murder case. It tells how Waters, an unemployed single mother of two, saw her brother begin serving a life sentence in 1983 for murder and robbery. Convinced that he was innocent, she spent the next 12 years taking the steps to earn a law degree, and in 1995 she began focusing on her brother's case. Challenging the conviction with DNA evidence, she proved her brother's innocence, and in March 2001, Kenneth Waters walked out a free man. Sam Rockwell plays the brother.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4813 NeoClassics Films has acquired the rights to a political thriller that if marketed right, could be the profitable title that this indie company is been waiting for. A Telluride and TIFF selection, L'Affaire Farewell has a gripping narrative that'll remind viewers that thriller elements don't need to be exaggerated into a Bourne domain - it's a thinking person's post-cold war storyline with an intriguing, not so splashy perf from filmmaker, sometimes actor Emir Kusturica. - NeoClassics Films has acquired the rights to a political thriller that if marketed right, could be the profitable title that this indie company is been waiting for. A Telluride and TIFF selection, L'Affaire Farewell has a gripping narrative that'll remind viewers that thriller elements don't need to be exaggerated into a Bourne domain - it's a thinking person's post-cold war storyline with an intriguing, not so splashy perf from filmmaker, sometimes actor Emir Kusturica. Helmed by Christian Carion who works once again with Guillaume Canet (Joyeux Noel), Alexandra Maria Lara, Willem Dafoe and Diane Kruger who has a stopwatch presence in the film - literally less than two minutes. A May release is planned, and hopefully this will do the kind of box office that another Cantet film did for Music Box Films. Based on real events, Moscow, 1981… A KGB colonel, disgusted with what Soviet policy has become, decides to break with the system. With the help of a French engineer he will play a part in one of the key events in world history, the collapse of the Soviet bloc. In his own way, Farewell managed to change the world, by avoiding traditional espionage methods too well known to the KGB and by not asking for any financial compensation whatsoever – much too capitalist for his taste. He simply followed his desting, so that a new world might dawn on his fellow Russians, but especially for his son. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4812 Before signing up on Star Trek and the forthcoming Thor, Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth took on a low budget indie along with Sean Bean -- Ca$h, a film destined for greatness on the homevid front is going to receive a theatrical release via Roadside Attractions in late March. - Before signing up on Star Trek and the forthcoming Thor, Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth took on a low budget indie along with Sean Bean -- Ca$h, a film destined for greatness on the homevid front is going to receive a theatrical release via Roadside Attractions in late March.  Described as a “character-driven action thriller that explores the all-encompassing power of money and the extreme lengths desperate people will go to get it and keep it.” With a stroke of good luck, a struggling couple find a suitcase full of money, but it turns lethal for Sam Phelan (Hemsworth) and his wife Leslie (Victoria Profeta). The money fulfills their fantasies, but also brings strange and sinister Pyke Kubic (Bean) to their doorstep. Pyke leads Sam and Leslie on a frenetic and violent adventure through the streets of Chicago and forces them to play by his rules. But they play the game better than anyone expected.  Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4805 With the 4.4 million dollar haul Black Book (Zwartboek) made back in 2006, Sony Pictures Classics are hoping that lightning strikes twice grabbing one more Dutch pic set during the war in Martin Koolhoven's Winter in Wartime. - With the 4.4 million dollar haul Black Book (Zwartboek) made back in 2006, Sony Pictures Classics are hoping that lightning strikes twice grabbing one more Dutch pic set during the war in Martin Koolhoven's Winter in Wartime. I'm sensing Empire of the Sun-like similarities with The Netherland's entry for Best Foreign Language -- Oorlogswinter hasn't been on my radar but this was an entry in film festivals in Pusan and Rome. No date has been set.  Based on a popular young adult novel by Jan Terlouw, near the end of World War II, WINTER IN WARTIME shows how 13-year-old Michiel becomes involved with the Resistance after coming to the aid of a wounded British soldier. With the conflict coming to an end, Michiel comes of age and learns of the stark difference between adventure fantasy and the ugly realities of war.     Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4811 Scripted by the "Coen-sisters", Jill and Karen Sprecher (sister and creative partner), The Convincer will feature a trio of vet indie actors in Billy Crudup, Greg Kinnear and Alan Arkin (who was also featured in Sprecher's 13 Convos...) in a story about a desperate insurance salesman who devises a plot to obtain a rare violin. - 13 Conversations About One Thing has the distinction of being a rare "Matthew McConaughey film" that I've actually cared about (Lone Star and Dazed and Confused are the other two), but Jill Sprecher's sophomore film also happens to have been a Top 20 film of mine back in 2002. The pic received a long theatrical run from the SPC folks, was shown at Venice, TIFF and Sundance, but apart from producing about a dozen shows of Big Love, the film didn't culminate into full fledged filmmaking career for Sprecher. That inactivity is officially finished with as of now.Screen Daily reports that Mary Frances Budig (Final), Werc Werk Works' Christine Walker and Elizabeth Redleaf are producing the Fargo-esque tale (the crime plotline and winterscape backdrop makes this comparison apropos) with filming set to begin next week in Twin Cities, Minnesota.  Scripted by the "Coen-sisters", Jill and Karen Sprecher (sister and creative partner), The Convincer will feature a trio of vet indie actors in Billy Crudup, Greg Kinnear and Alan Arkin (who was also featured in Sprecher's 13 Convos...) in a story about a desperate insurance salesman who devises a plot to obtain a rare violin. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4810 The noms are in folks (see full list below) and apart from the love that The Blind Side has received (the backlash has officially began around 9 eastern this morning), there are very little surprises -- which only means status quo on films and people that officially received the cold shoulder months ago. - The noms are in folks (see full list below) and apart from the love that The Blind Side has received (the backlash has officially began around 9 eastern this morning), there are very little surprises -- which only means status quo on films and people that officially received the cold shoulder months ago. I'm compelled to underline those that failed to be distinguished for their work today, but before I crack out that a list of worthy mentions that didn't receive an early morning phone call, I'd like to mention that I'm down with the Foreign Oscar noms - Haneke and Audiard are both in.  Apology #1: Category: Best Picture Snub: Fantastic Mr.Fox Commentary: The Academy might have made amends by ballooning the Best Picture category to ten and finally including a Pixar film this year, but two rights are still making a wrong: Wes managed to meticulously craft a superb film out of a children's classic novel. A rare feat.   Apology #2: Category: Directing Snub: Coen Bros (A Serious Man)Commentary: How did the Coen bros. top No Country for Old Men? By directing a film that was so intensely brilliant because of a screenplay and an ensemble of characters that are so rich in design. Having already awarded the Coens for NCFOM, the Academy probably decided to spread the wealth instead.  Apology #3: Category: Actor in a Leading Role Snub: Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) Commentary: I have no clue as to how performances in foreign languages receive nominations in this category (I remember being puzzled has to how Roberto Benigni claimed his Best Actor win for Life is Beautiful), but for me the best perf from an actor in 2009 was, hands down found in Rahim's take of a man stripped of his rights but not his smarts. He also speaks in three tongues. Another worthy mention is Ben Foster's part in The Messenger.  Apology #4: Category: Actress in a Leading Role Snub: Tilda Swinton (Julia) Commentary: Not to worry folks, something tells me she'll return to the winner's circle for We Need to Talk About Kevin in the distant future. Other actresses that were top of the year were Abbie Cornish in Bright Star and Charlotte Gainsbourg in Antichrist. Apology #5: Category: Adapted Screenplay Snub: Jane Campion (Bright Star) Commentary: Not sure if "inspired by" counts towards a Best Adapted consideration, but the manner in which Campion served of Andrew Motion's biography on Keats to explore a love story that failed to materialize is poetic, emotionally relevant and comes across as an accurate portrait of time and place. Another snub: Noah Baumbach and Wes Anderson's work for Mr Fox. Apology #6: Category: Cinematography Snub: Roger Deakins (A Serious Man) Commentary: NASA have the Canadianarm and the Coens have Deakins' eye. Deakins framing and use of natural light indoors was obviously overshadowed because of the size of the picture. Greig Fraser's work on Bright Star also merits a mention.   Apology #7: Category: Costume Design Snub: Arianne Phil Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4808 A tight pshychological thriller whose only problem, if you can call it that, may be that it is too clever by half. Highly recommended. - Triangle (Blu-ray) Movie: Disc: Click here to read the dvd review! A tight pshychological thriller whose only problem, if you can call it that, may be that it is too clever by half. Highly recommended. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4807 The most promising item from Sundance's NEXT section in terms of commercial prospects has been picked up for distribution by the Phase 4 Films folks with a perfectly fitted Summer release in the works. Katie Aselton's The Freebie, a no budget indie film that shot in eleven days has Dax Shepard in the co-lead. - The most promising item from Sundance's NEXT section in terms of commercial prospects has been picked up for distribution by the Phase 4 Films folks with a perfectly fitted Summer release in the works. Katie Aselton's The Freebie, a no budget indie film that shot in eleven days has Dax Shepard in the co-lead. No mention has been made as to how much the pic got picked up for, but I imagine its a low six figures. As I mentioned here, the mumblecore-ish project is cute, simple in design and is highly likable thanks the on-screen chemistry between the leads - fans of Humpday will want to check the film out as well.      The rom-com/drama centers on Darren (Shepard) and Annie (Aselton), a young married couple with an enviable relationship built on love trust and communication. Darren and Annie still enjoy each other’s company and laugh at each other’s jokes, but, unfortunately, they can’t remember the last time they had sex. When a dinner party conversation leads to an honest discussion about the state of their love life, and when a sexy bikini photo shoot leads to crossword puzzles instead of sex, they begin to flirt with a way to spice things up. The deal: one night of freedom, no strings attached, no questions asked. Could a "freebie" be the cure for their ailing sex life? And will they go through with it? Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4806 Mr. Bjarnfredarson, the darkly comic culmination of Iceland's most popular TV series, The Night Shift, The Day Shift and The Prison Shift opened on December 26th and became the biggest opening ever for a local film. It has so far sold over 60.000 tickets. After holding behemoth Avatar at bay for two weeks (probably the only film in the world to do so), it's still going strong and has the potential to pass the current box office champion, Baltasar Kormakur's Jar City (84.000+). - Iceland Film Scene – Local: Business: Two stories dominated the past month; the amazing box office success of Ragnar Bragason‘s film Mr. Bjarnfredarson and the 23% cut in public funding for films. It‘s still unclear how the cuts will affect projects, but it looks likely that film production will slow substantially down this year, resulting in fewer Icelandic films in 2011. Ironically 2010 looks like a bumper year for Icelandic movies; at least 10 films are heading for the big screen in the coming months. There has never been that many in a single year. The government has indicated that further cuts are on the cards for next year and public broadcaster RUV is also in trouble; a big industry player, it has now to deal with major downsizing (over 25% in total for the past 14 months) which will very much affect its capacity to finance films, series and docs. RUV‘s Head of Programming has just resigned, citing personal reasons. The Icelandic film industry‘s struggle was the subject of CNN‘s Screening Room at the end of December. The episode can be seen here. On the positive side, box office was up 12% in 2009. Icelandic films kept their market share at 10% and production was up (hence the number of films this year). For the lowdown visit these numbers. New Releases: Mr. Bjarnfredarson, the darkly comic culmination of Iceland’s most popular TV series, The Night Shift, The Day Shift and The Prison Shift opened on December 26th and became the biggest opening ever for a local film. It has so far sold over 60.000 tickets. After holding behemoth Avatar at bay for two weeks (probably the only film in the world to do so), it‘s still going strong and has the potential to pass the current box office champion, Baltasar Kormákur‘s Jar City (84.000+). Critics response can be gauged here and The ICN TV Interview with director Bragason can be viewed here.  Veteran Fridrik Thór Fridriksson premiered his new film, Mamma Gógó, on January 1st to glowing reviews, however the film has been unable to compete with blockbusters Mr. Bjarnfredarson and Avatar. The film is a bittersweet look at a film director’s struggle with his career as he has to deal with his mother’s Alzheimer condition and features autobiographical elements which the director discusses in an ICN TV Interview here. The latest teaser trailer is out for Valdís Óskarsdóttir‘s much anticipated King‘s Road, starring Daniel Bruhl and Gisli Örn Gardarsson. Iceland Film Scene - Abroad: The Finnish public broadcaster YLE has bought the successful Channel 2 series The Night Shift, The Day Shift and The Prison Shift. The Shift series have been optioned by production company Reveille, the producers of The Office and Ugly Betty and plans are under way to film a US pilot of The Night Shift. Sony Pictures and Fox TV are on board the project. Ásgr Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4543 This February we are keeping tabs on So Yong Kim, Tom McCarthy and Dito Montiel who are all filming their third films which happen to all be set in the state of New York. Outside of the U.S, I'm with Cancer sets up shop in Vancouver, Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod will lense the adaptation of Guy De Maupassant's classic novel's Bel Ami which will film in Budapest, and finally Ana Katz will film Los Marziano in her native Argentina. - At the beginning of every month, Ioncinema.com's "Tracking Shot" features a half of a dozen or so projects that are moments away from lensing and that we feel are worth signaling out. This February we are keeping tabs on So Yong Kim, Tom McCarthy and Dito Montiel who are all filming their third films which happen to all be set in the state of New York. Outside of the U.S, I'm with Cancer sets up shop in Vancouver, Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod will lense the adaptation of Guy De Maupassant’s classic novel's Bel Ami which will film in Budapest, and finally Ana Katz will film Los Marziano in her native Argentina. Bel AmiDirector: Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod Screenwriter: Rachel BennetteProducer: Uberto Pasolini (The Full Monty)Cast: Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, Christina Ricci, Kristin Scott Thomas and Colm Meaney Filming in Budapest, HungaryFor EllenDirector/Screenwriter: So Yong KimProducer(s): Jen Gatien and Bradley Rust GrayCast: Paul Dano, Jon HederFilming in upstate New York. I'm with Cancer Director: Jonathan Levine. Screenwriter: Will ReiserProducer(s): Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin and Seth RogenCast: Anna Kendrick, James McAvoy, RogenFilming in Vancouver, B.C Los Marziano Director/Screenwriter: Ana KatzProducer(s): Oscar Kramer and Hugo Sigman's K&S Films Cast: Guillermo Francella, Mercedes Morán and Arturo PuigFilming in Argentina Son of No One Director/Screenwriter: Dito MontielProducer(s): Gary Howsam and Richard Rionda Del CastroCast: Channing Tatum, Robert De Niro, Terrence Howard and James Gandolfini Filming in New York City, New York Win WinDirector/Writer: Tom McCarthy Producer: Uberto Pasolini (The Full Monty)Cast: Paul Giamatti Filming in New York and New Jersey Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4673 Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of filmmakers? As part of our monthly IONCINEPHILE profile (read here), we ask the filmmaker the incredibly arduous task of identifying their top ten list of all time favorite films. This month we profiled Zeina Durra who saw her debut feature The Imperialists are still Alive! receive its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. She gave us her top ten as of January 2010. - Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of filmmakers? As part of our monthly IONCINEPHILE profile (read here), we ask the filmmaker the incredibly arduous task of identifying their top ten list of all time favorite films. This month we profiled Zeina Durra who saw her debut feature The Imperialists are still Alive! receive its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. She gave us her top ten as of January 2010. Cléo de 5 à 7 - Agnès Varda (1962) "Genius directing on every level. You're there with the characters experiencing the space, moment, mood and at the same time she manages to balance this with a sense of humour with both her juxtapositions of scenes = e.g looking at hats right after she has been crying about her scary news. It influenced me greatly because I could relate to how Varda was showing the world and her female character." L'avventura - Michelangelo Antonioni (1960) "Again this is a mix of social satire/observation and great shot structure. I learn something new from it each time I watch it and I'm amazed at how much he gets from shooting on a boat with such limited space!" Le mépris - Jean-Luc Godard (1963) "His film language and dialogue merge effortlessly to give you every detail of this couples experience on a subconcious level. Perfect filmmaking. So much is being said and it's in every detail from the brilliant production design, to the costume, wardrobe, acting, shot structure. He captures how a relationship can go sour without you even realising it and then you wonder where it went." The Battle of Algiers - Gillo Pontecorvo (1966) "I love everything about this film, but I am always in tears when I watch it. My grandfather fought the French Imperialists in the 20s in Lebanon and was jailed and so it's a very personal film. Every time I watch it I think that someone somewhere in the world that moment is fighting for their basic human rights and freedom, especially in the context of Iraq or the West Bank or Gaza where you know this is probably happening as you're watching. Also, how did he manage to get such great performances from all the extras, who actually seemed to be engaged? Something hard to do in the Middle East! If you watch Lawrence of Arabia, the bedouin extras look really bored! (not to say it's not an excellent film)." Nights of Cabiria - Federico Fellini (1957) "This film makes me happy. When she goes into the nightclub with the famous actor and gets lost through the curtain at the entrance, the way the doorman sticks to protocol and opens and closes the car door when the famous actor is fighting with his lover- brilliant directing. I am always obsessed with these details, as that's what makes a film stand apart." La dolce vita - Federico Fellini (1960) "The scenarios, the shot structure, the details. Note when the waiter brings back the actresses' shoe after they got thrown into the air when she's dancing Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4804 The Freebie, like many films in the low-fi, no budget section works with a premise and milks it for all it's worth. It relates to a couple giving each other a free "pass", in this case the opportunity to break away from monotony of a long term relationship for one night only - a propositional concept not unlike what we saw with Humpday. - Sorry for the long wait folks -- film festivals tend to zap the energy and usual available time I have to write dwindles down to very little especially when one is trying to see as many films as possible -- but I'm back on track and shall be back-tracking on some of my coverage that I'll yet to upload. Today was my final day at the fest, grabbed a trio of films and regret having left the festival missing out on a handful of titles: e.g. Catfish and a couple of docs. I'll flash back to the world preem for Katie Aselton's debut The Freebie - a relationship comedy (among the eight films selected in the NEXT section) which also happens to be a mumblecore offering -- it's no wonder since Aselton's significant other happens to be one of the Duplass brothers (they managed to stamp their name on several films at the fest this year).... ....The Freebie, like many films in the low-fi, no budget section works with a premise and milks it for all it's worth. It relates to a couple giving each other a free "pass", in this case the opportunity to break away from monotony of a long term relationship for one night only - a propositional concept not unlike what we saw with Humpday. But Aselton sees an opportunity to explore legal adultery with both a comedic and dramatic tone and I was left with the impression that mumblecore does indeed have more place for growth and that adding established actors to the mix helps overcome some of the trappings that I often complain about. What I liked best from the rom com/drama, is the instantly likable Dax Shepard and Aselton pairing - doing what couples do best: deep-seeded 1-on-1 convos that reveal our incapacity to handle uncharted situations, and the more mature subject matter which is not discussed enough between long term couples. Full Review Coming Soon. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4803 A love story that explores the beginning of the beginning and the beginning of the end of a relationship (with seamless transitions that reflect on the past and the present), Derek Cianfrance's debut might have taken more than a decade to make, but it was worth the wait. - A love story that explores the beginning of the beginning and the beginning of the end of a relationship (with seamless transitions that reflect on the past and the present), Derek Cianfrance's debut might have taken more than a decade to make, but it was worth the wait. Today (officially day 6) I had the chance to meet up with Derek for an interview (look for it post fest), so I'm sorta of going full circle here reporting on the moment where I was floored from my first viewing of the film - the world premiere screening of Blue Valentine at the Eccles on the 24th....(here is Cianfrance with the love child in the film - in miniscule Faith Wladyka) ....I'm in awe of the film's textures (Cold Souls' dp Andrij Parekh and Cianfrance devised a different plan for both the past and present sequences of their relationship) and I'm enamored by the duel tones of the film (the raw supply of ranging emotions perforates the screen - Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams offer gut-wrenching performances (there is a reason for why they attain such levels of authenticity). This is the film to beat. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4802 So I grabbed a midnight showing to the second official screening to Habib Azar's Armless, and I've got to say that the NEXT section is what it is - small films that are a little rough around the edges but manage to deliver the goods. Here we have an original story idea, that takes on a disturbing subject matter with a generous dose of comedic strokes -- think Downloading Nancy with taboo comedy - I'm thinking daytime soaps certainly influenced Azar's approach. - I'm about to begin Day 6, and I'm still in the process of finishing Day 3 coverage on the site. Fact is, there is only a limited available amount of time each day to write out something before crashing and waking up 6 hours for the next day of screenings. So I grabbed a midnight showing to the second official screening to Habib Azar's Armless, and I've got to say that the NEXT section is what it is - small films that are a little rough around the edges but manage to deliver the goods. Here we have an original story idea, that takes on a disturbing subject matter with a generous dose of comedic strokes -- think Downloading Nancy with taboo comedy - I'm thinking daytime soaps certainly influenced Azar's approach. ....I took a pic of the poster and deliberately worked it to reflect the larger theme of the film - how one person's "distorted" view manages to derail any sensible future plans with the wife. Daniel London (Old Joy) gets some surprisingly great support from supporting actors Janel Moloney, Matt Walton and a sassy Zoe Lister Jones. Full review coming post-fest. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4405 I'm dubbing Casino Jack & The United States of Money as a marathon-telethon, Jack Abramoff's track record of greed and raising money (greed is something that we also saw in the Enron doc) spans back a couple of presidents and is so extensive that Gibney takes 120 minutes to reveal the blueprint. - My first ever screening at the Temple theater (or the Doc Temple as they call it), a place I avoided like the plague because it seemed far off the map...and who do I see walking out of the Tilmann Story screening which showed just prior to mine was Michael Moore. I would have liked to have seen Amir Bar-Lev's film but I was there for Alex Gibney's latest. I'm dubbing Casino Jack & The United States of Money as a marathon-telethon, Jack Abramoff's track record of greed and raising money (greed is something that we also saw in the Enron doc) spans back a couple of presidents and is so extensive that Gibney takes 120 minutes to reveal the blueprint.  I couldn't help but think during the lengthy doc that if its money that turns capitol hill into a farce, how come there isn't a salary structure like professional sports with assigned watch dogs keeping tabs on each member of congress like their life depended on it. This is a fairly complete portrait - the roots of evil spread from country to country and from senate seat to neighboring senate seat - and yes, even the Democrats have been found to stick their hands to long in the cookie jar. Read my full review coming soon. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4801 Responsible for putting Farmiga on the map, Granik's ode to Missouri's backwood might just do the same for Jennifer Lawrence - I've identified the actress as someone to watch out for after seeing her in her breakout role from Guillermo Arriaga's The Burning Plain. - I'm always flabbergasted when films depict kids playing the parent role, essentially taking care of their younger siblings. Usually, its in a street, urban setting, not in the backwoods where essentials such as a roof over your head, food on the table and chopped firewood. I was looking forward in seeing Debra Granik make her sophomore feature splash, and despite some reservations at first, Winter's Bone should have been retitled Tough as Bones for the resilience, bravery and desperation of the young heroine in the white trash backdrop that seems inviting only when you don't cross the lines. I had thoughts of David Gordon Green's George Washington, Michael Schorr's Schultze Gets the Blues and last year's Sundance entry White Lightnin' - where setting is as much a character, as the film's lead. Responsible for putting Farmiga on the map, Granik's ode to Missouri's backwood might just do the same for Jennifer Lawrence - I've identified the actress as someone to watch out for after seeing her in her breakout role from Guillermo Arriaga's The Burning Plain. John Hawkes also stars. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4189 While I think Wells' The Company Men will have no problems in getting picked up (it isn't a complete downer and it will draw comparisons to Jason Reitman's film), I'm somewhat surprised that a commentary on corporate downsizing didn't provide more of an emotional whiplash. - Early morning Eccles screening to a packed crowd (which means cast weren't in tow) industry vet John Wells gave some well explained cues in the post screening Q&A as to the origins of his project - a well researched tale on white collar firings. The screenplay was initially shopped around when it was reflecting what occurred in Silicon Valley - the dot.com bubble burst was yesterday's news and by the time the screenplay was complete, no one was interested, however the nucleus was there and would eventually take shape in Bush's economic downturn. While I think Wells' The Company Men will have no problems in getting picked up (it isn't a complete downer and it will draw comparisons to Jason Reitman's film), I'm somewhat surprised that a commentary on corporate downsizing didn't provide more of an emotional whiplash. With three POVs of proud men with a lump in their throats, Wells safely guides his players, some of the performances are underwhelming and the score has one too many emotional cues. I couldn't help but feel that he flirted with the possibilities, gave up on scenes to quickly - the more complex character portrayed by Chris Cooper deserved more focus. Full review coming soon. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4722 I also made popcorn up at the Directors and Screenwriters Labs. This was probably the best job any aspiring filmmaker could have - it was like auditing the most progressive and exclusive grad school. I was able to sit in on every advisor meeting, I was right there observing the development of some incredible filmmakers. - In One Too Many Mornings, director Michael Mohan intelligently explores the nuances of friendship and responsibility and keeps it charming. The hilarious film perfectly illustrates the complex problem of wanting to be loved while refusing to make yourself attractive. The acting is great, the characters are real, and the story’s challenge asks you personally—this is your life; what are you gonna do about it? - Sundance Festival Guide Eric Lavallee: Can you discuss the lead up to One Too Many Mornings (your background as a filmmaker, your previous three shorts /collaborations with Stephen) and can you discuss the genesis of this project – how did the initial idea come about and how did this become a story you wanted to tell? Finally were screenwriting duties partitioned between you, Anthony and Stephen? Michael Mohan: Absolutely. I think pretty much everything I've done has really paved the way for this feature. When I got out of film school in 2002, I really just wanted to keep making short films. I was working as an assistant at Fox Searchlight Pictures, and on nights and weekends would keep cranking out shorts. I was able to do this by working with first time actors who needed material for their reels. So anyone who approached me, if they would pay for the budget of the short, I would make it, and work for free. These shorts were definitely of varying quality, but it allowed me to just keep working that muscle, and figure out a lot of the technical aspects of low budget filmmaking. Eventually the program I was working for at Fox closed down, and I was fortunate enough to start working at the Sundance Institute, in their Feature Film Program. I answered the phones and scheduled meetings for Michelle Satter, who helped creatively develop the careers of almost all of my favorite filmmakers (PT Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Miranda July). I also made popcorn up at the Directors and Screenwriters Labs. This was probably the best job any aspiring filmmaker could have - it was like auditing the most progressive and exclusive grad school. I was able to sit in on every advisor meeting, I was right there observing the development of some incredible filmmakers. This it really forced me to look at my own work - which up to that point had not been nearly personal enough. The epiphany happened in a screenwriting workshop that Stewart Stern (Rebel Without A Cause) leads. Anthony Deptula, Stephen Hale, and I were about to make a low budget horror comedy script. A producer/financier had contacted us to write it, and we were ready to pull the trigger to make it happen. During that workshop, I realized that while I was intellectually interested in that story, I simply wasn't emotionally invested. And in looking at the year ahead of us, I didn't want make something our heart wasn't 100% in. The three of us decided to pull the plug. We'd rather not make a movie that year, than make this one. That's not fair to us, or to our audience. So we re Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4702 Today must have been a fairly special day for David Michod -- the filmmaker saw two of his works receive their world preem debuts. First Hesher was shown midday (he receives a co-screenwriter cred) and he directed my most anticipated film in Animal Kingdom - a crime drama that only confirms what I discovered with in his shorts films: we've got a major talent on our hands from Down Under. - Today must have been a fairly special day for David Michod -- the filmmaker saw two of his works receive their world preem debuts. First Hesher was shown midday (he receives a co-screenwriter cred) and he directed my most anticipated film in Animal Kingdom - a crime drama that only confirms what I discovered with in his shorts films: we've got a major talent on our hands from Down Under. Now if only I could get this Air Supply song outta of my head. I have plenty to say about the pic, but I'll keep key details for further installments. Here are pics - we find veteran Australian actress Jacki Weaver is a card  a role which is important in the overall denouement of the film and which I won't divulge here - but let's just say her character is a trump card, potentially a joker in the deck, while Guy Pearce is a detective but not L.A. Confidential type mode - he almost plays against type... ...supporting players Ben Mendelsohn and Joel Edgerton add to the film's tense tonality - I've yet to put my finger on just how this edginess is maintained - perhaps its how violence is depicted in the film....  Animal Kingdom marks James Frecheville's big screen debut - he beat out another 500 applicants for the title role of J - where he plays a young adult who almost lives outside his own skin - what I can say is that our interest in the character increases as the timeline progresses.    Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4798 I've yet to know if this is two films (what's the deal with the IMAX rumor?)...which would only be an added bonus, but from what I do know, this is an ambitious, all encompassing project with major talents working side by side Malick in Alexandre Desplat (score) and Emmanuel Lubezki (cinematography). - #01. The Tree of Life/Voyage of Time Director/Writer: Terrence MalickProducers: Dede Gardner, Sarah Green, Grant Hill and William PohladDistributor: Apparition. The Gist: This is about the evolution of a young man (Brad Pitt) in 1950s Midwest to his disillusioned adult adulthood. We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, Jack, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvelous to the child. He sees as his mother does, with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world's way, of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth. Framing this story is that of adult Jack (Sean Penn), a lost soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme of which we are a part...(more) Cast: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Fiona Shaw, Joanna Going and Jessica Chastain Why is it on the list?: I've yet to know if this is two films (what's the deal with the IMAX rumor?)...which would only be an added bonus, but from what I do know, this is an ambitious, all encompassing project with major talents working side by side Malick in Alexandre Desplat (score) and Emmanuel Lubezki (cinematography).  Release Date/Status?: The major reason why I'm looking forward to Cannes 2010 is because of this film. Not sure what Apparition has in store.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4872 IONCINEMA.com is a webzine dedicated to world cinema - we feature and furiously promote it on our site. We are looking in adding new voices that will ultimately help us discover & uncover new films from established and up-and-coming directors. We are currently looking for writers to cover these territories: - IONCINEMA.com is a webzine dedicated to world cinema - we feature and furiously promote it on our site. We are looking in adding new voices that will ultimately help us discover & uncover new films from established and up-and-coming directors. We are currently looking for writers to cover these territories: Argentina Brazil Canada (Anglo) Canada (Quebec) China Denmark France Germany Israel Italy Japan Mexico Norway Romania Spain Sweden Who does this apply to?: If you are enthusiastic about film, are confident about your writing style/voice, and you are knowledgeable on films and filmmakers that are the make-up of film business in their respective native country, then we would like to have you on board our team or writers. YOU will let our readers know about the movies and filmmakers that are worth discovering. What if English is not my first language?: You will write a minimum of one article (in your best English possible) in a clear and easy to read format. The editor-in-chief will assist in helping out with any difficulties. What kind of coverage is IONCINEMA.com looking for?: In a nutshell, your article consists of two portions: News from YOUR country at home and on the international scene. This includes news on new releases, new film productions, international film festival news, international awards, national awards, set visits, film festival reports, interviews, special event coverage, etc…  If a local filmmaker is heading to Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, Venice etc...we want to know about them! and you will include links to websites, links to trailers, links to film festivals, links to anything relevant, pictures etc.. Here is a sample of what it might look like: click here.  What kind of experience do I need?: By preference you have a film studies, film production, journalism, artistic or writing background or you are a cinephile at heart and know your sh*t.  How much time will this take me?: The position consists of less than 1 to 3 hours per month with a deadline that needs to be respected. Basically you assemble the piece and slowly but surely we find yourself with a comprehensive look at what is happening in the  Are you offering any $$$ for the gig? Unfortunately, there is no compensation (no pay) in terms of money, but we can help expand your network and add to your resume.  If one of the open positions interests you, please drop me a quick email and introduce yourself: eric@ioncinema.com  [Updated Jan 2nd] Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4635 A downright delicious, dark film that is equal parts comedy and drama, this throws a molotov cocktail to your standard film that deals with sorrow and grief -- at first I was thinking that Spencer Susser's Hesher was set to describe the bully rapport between victimizer and victim, but it plunges its set of characters on this uneasy course of mayhem and destabilization.... - A downright delicious, dark film that is equal parts comedy and drama, this throws a molotov cocktail to your standard film that deals with sorrow and grief -- at first I was thinking that Spencer Susser's Hesher was set to describe the bully rapport between victimizer and victim, but it plunges its set of characters on this uneasy course of mayhem and destabilization.... ....despite the language, the well appreciated foul joke thrown in for good measure (what is green and slimy and smells like bacon...?) the crowd on hand for the world preem at the Eccles reacted especially well to the film - I'm thinking that'll take a distributor with more than one testicle to make an offer on it - and you'd think that a film starring (500) Days' Gordon-Levitt and features Nathalie Portman (she didn't make the preem - she is in New York shooting Darren Aronofsky's latest) would be an easy sell but its actually far from that .... ....My thinking is that there is a very thin connection to Little Miss Sunshine's mantra of family coming together - here the reunion isn't the focal point, but an almost afterthought - and instead of a yellow VW we have the main character's obsessive nature towards an accidented flaming red family car. As much as Hesher is a showcase for a different kind of Gordon-Levitt, this is actor Devin Brochu's spotlight - who a couple of months back I had originally mistaken him for Max from Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are. With both Brochu and Gordon-Levitt as his canvas, Susser examines separation anxiety in some doses - it both fails and succeeds sometimes not providing enough depth to the child's sense of bewilderment or loss - perhaps that is due to the many bullying events in his life. Here are the two main players plus Susser's brother, Morgan the cinematographer of the film. Full review coming post-festival. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/3344 I remember sitting in Danny's apartment five years ago hearing him tell this true tale and his desire to make it into a Jewish-type "Goodfellas" and an ecstasy-esque "Blow" but I was immediately struck with the image of a naïve Hassid lost in the bright lights of a nightclub, plus me being Jewish and coming-of-age during the nineties in New York City, I instantly felt a personal connection. - Director Kevin Asch fleshes out the disparate outer worlds of Brooklyn’s Hasidic community and the drug scene in Amsterdam, while revealing the complex interior lives of his characters and the taut dynamics among them. - Sundance Festival Guide Eric Lavallee: You had the benefit of having Jesse (Eisenberg) and Justin (Bartha) join the project very early on, I was wondering how you went about fleshing out these characters with them? And how much of an advantage is it for Antonio and you to have an established figure when conceiving the roles. Finally, what is your fav. performance from Jesse's filmography? Kevin Asch: Antonio and I spent a year on the script before Jesse first got attached, and Justin 6 months after that, so the characters were conceived before they were involved, but having them on early was a blessed benefit. It wouldn’t have been the same shooting script with other actors since they were so instrumental in pushing the material further along, and finding ways to enhance the story through character over plot. As a director, I am open and available to every idea, and trust my actor’s fully, and hopefully earn their trust early on. Once Jesse was attached, I flew out to New York (where I’m from), and had the privilege of spending a lot of time with him workshopping scenes. He’s so funny and truly the kind of guy who makes you into a better person being around him. We’d talk endlessly about the film, but also about other things, just getting to know one another, and sniffing each other out creatively. We both took the subject matter very seriously, since it's rooted in reality, but there is a lot of dramatic irony that comes with a fish out [of] water type story. We’re both big believers that great drama has comedy and vice versa. Levity allows the audience to relate to our complex characters and the extreme situation they’re in. When I was back in LA we would email and chat on the phone to discuss new pages and life. That went on for about two years and are, without question, some of my best memories of development. Justin and I had less personal time together, but the few times we’d meet to discuss the character, he came armed with fantastic ideas about the overall script. By the time pre-production started, their voices were cemented in the material, but we continued to the push forward — as an example, Jesse and I went out to Boro Park, Brooklyn a few times for research, and the details we’d pick up would make their way into material; Justin and [he] also went a few times when I was location scouting and they came back extremely enthusiastic with more script ideas. These guys are also brilliant at improvisation and during rehearsals I gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted, then made notes of the sessions and would put a lot of those improvisations into the revised shooting script. As the cast grew, I also kept Jesse involved in every decision, an Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4598 Working with probably his largest budget to date, Kechiche touches upon the immigrant narrative once again, but inside the context of a biographical, historical approach - Baartman is perhaps this year's most unusual choice for a biopic treatment. - #02. Black Venus Director: Abdellatif KechicheWriter(s): Kechiche and Ghalya LaroixProducers: MK2's Charles Gillibert, Marin and Nathanaël KarmitzDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: Inspired by the true story of Saartjie Baartman, a South African slave whose unusually oversized features brought her to 19th century Europe, where she found fame (born with physical deformities, she ended up being exhibited as a circus freak in Paris) and fought for her own freedom. Cast: Known for working with non-actors, the lead actress was chosen via an open-casting call. Olivier Gourmet stars. Why is it on the list?: Working with probably his largest budget to date, Kechiche touches upon the immigrant narrative once again, but inside the context of a biographical, historical approach - Baartman is perhaps this year's most unusual choice for a biopic treatment.  Release Date/Status?: Currently filming, in all likelihood this should preem in Venice.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4626 The notion of an untold Jacques Tati story finally being revealed is enough to put this high up on the list, but then factor in the amazing work in Triplets of Belleville -- easily among the decades' best films up there with the Pixar work and Hayao Miyazaki 2d brilliance. I wouldn't be surprised if Chomet's stylishly told, highly inventive brand pushes The Illusionist to the top of the animated field next year. - #03. The Illuionist Director: Sylvain Chomet Writer(s): Chomet & Jacques TatiProducers: Bob Last and Sally ChometDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: The Illusionist is one of a dying breed of stage entertainers. With emerging rock stars stealing his thunder, he is forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theatres, at garden parties and in bars and cafes. However, while performing in a village pub off the west coast of Scotland, he encounters Alice, an innocent young girl, who will change his life forever...(more) Cast: If this is truly inspired by Tati, then we can expect no voice talent attached to the film. Why is it on the list?: The notion of an untold Jacques Tati story finally being revealed is enough to put this high up on the list, but then factor in the amazing work in Triplets of Belleville -- easily among the decades' best films up there with the Pixar work and Hayao Miyazaki 2d brilliance. I wouldn't be surprised if Chomet's stylishly told, highly inventive brand pushes The Illusionist to the top of the animated field next year.    Release Date/Status?: This is probably very close to being ready, and if this hadn't been pulled out at the last minute would have premiered at TIFF in 2009. More time means more fine-tuning, giving it ample time to show up in Cannes, where Belleville got its launch. A sale should occur during the festival.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4631 We commenced the 00 decade with In the Mood for Love and ended with the Blueberry blemish - an uncharacteristic low point in an otherwise bullet proof filmography. Now the big question and curiosity is what kind of aesthetic and tonal treatment is planning for a film with two WKW firsts: biographical and martial art elements. - #04. The Grand Master Director/Screenwriter/Producer: Wong Kar-WaiDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: This will be a kung-fu movie about the life of Bruce Lee. The film will be set in the 1950's and will focus on the relationship between Bruce Lee and his master (Tony Leung). Gong Li will play the head of a martial-art clan. Zhang Ziyi - will play the wife of Ip Man.....(more) Cast: A who's who in: Tony Leung, Ziyi Zhang, Gong Li, Chen Chang, Brigitte Lin and Benshan Zhao Why is it on the list?: We commenced the 00 decade with In the Mood for Love and ended with the Blueberry blemish - an uncharacteristic low point in an otherwise bullet proof filmography. Now the big question and curiosity is what kind of aesthetic and tonal treatment should we expect for a film with two WKW firsts: biographical and martial art elements? Release Date/Status?: Currently in production, this is expected to finish in April. Knowing that this is extremely sensitive material with a huge fan-base, we might have to wait until 2011's Cannes for the very first look.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4624 Puiu's examination of a broken system in Un Certain Regard Award winning The Death of Mr. Lazarescu wasn't economical in design (running over the 150 minute mark) but I'm hoping that Puiu can offer both a sturdy character study and make a social commentary as he did with the fascinating treatment of a man's final hours. Puiu will appear in front of the camera this time. - #05. Aurora Director: Cristi PuiuProducers: Bobby Paunesca and Anca PuiuDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: The second installment in his "Six Stories from the Outskirts of Bucharest" series, I think this is about... a police inspector working in the Homicide Department. He is married to Violeta, has a daughter in the third grade at the Music High School and, for over a year now, he has lived with Lulia, a divorced nurse ten years younger than himself, with a child. Eventually, marital, professional and extra-conjugal duties overwhelm him. He is in the position of making a major decision...(more) Cast: Cristi Puiu. Why is it on the list?: Puiu's examination of a broken system in Un Certain Regard Award winning The Death of Mr. Lazarescu wasn't economical in design (running over the 150 minute mark) but I'm hoping that Puiu can offer both a sturdy character study and make a social commentary as he did with the fascinating treatment of a man's final hours. Puiu will appear in front of the camera this time.   Release Date/Status?: Commencing with Cannes in May, the film festival circuit will receive this Romanian import with open arms.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4800 Just before the opening press conference of the festival, the journos are invited to what has become a permanent installation (over the course of the fest of course) display of some installation set-ups that use various forms of the moving image. This year's group (see names above and the family picture below with curator Shari Frilot) includes actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt Orwellian side project.... - Just before the opening press conference of the festival, the journos are invited to what has become a permanent installation (over the course of the fest of course) display of some installation set-ups that use various forms of the moving image. This year's group (see names above and the family picture below with curator Shari Frilot) includes actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt Orwellian side project.... Tracey Snelling's series of of playmobil sized maquettes could easily be the mapping of a modern grid of Orson Welles' Touch of Evil. ....Gordon-Levitt's project began same time last year - you can surf the web to see what he is up to or simply press the red button and participate.... ....Iceland's Ragnar Kjartansson's five-channel project reminds us that no matter how far we look that music has its place regardless of the setting.... ....one panel of his film shows a gigantic piano in what appears to be the middle of nowhere.... Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4799 Tomorrow I'll wake up early for Shorts Program II with a pair of films that have caught my interest in 2nd place Cannes Best short in Mark Albiston & Louis Sutherland's The Six Dollar Fifty Man and Sean Durkin's Mary Last Seen - which comes from the same team that gave us Afterschool and which will give us Two Gates of Sleep (featured in my top 100 most anticipated films for 2010 list). - On my Park City's main street reconnaissance mission where I mostly RE-familiarize myself with one portion of the festival's surroundings, I noticed bits and pieces of the RE-juvenated film festival which comes with the Sex Pistols' album cover pink clashing with black..... Besides Sundance's organized coffee shop talks with directors and creators, among the cooler things on Swag street are the concerts and some book signing gigs - The Taqwacores will be well represented for the fest - here Michael Muhammad Knight co-writer for Eyad Zahra's film going by the same name will do some Sharpie marker dedications sometime this week. ...The legendary 300 or so capacity theater is where I'll be seeing the world premiere for David Michod's Animal Kingdom (friday night) - a top 5 must see pic in my coverage this year - he was just nominated as Variety's top 10 directors to look out for.... What looks like the mysterious object from Kubrick's 2001 film is actually a mid-level main street places to post flyers for your Sundance/Slamdance film. I've ready a couple of do's and dont's and personally, its just extra eye candy which might help ticket sales - no harm to it and the cost is probably minimal. While I'll be officially beginning my festival with Shorts Program 1 (Spike Jonze's I'm Here is part of the program) tonite, tomorrow I'll wake up early for Shorts Program II with a pair of films that have caught my interest in 2nd place Cannes Best short in Mark Albiston & Louis Sutherland's The Six Dollar Fifty Man and Sean Durkin's Mary Last Seen - which comes from the same team that gave us Afterschool and which will give us Two Gates of Sleep (featured in my top 100 most anticipated films for 2010 list). Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4757 Lucky is the reverse. An exploration of that other American Dream, getting something for nothing. I’m sure the emotions it will conjure will be utterly different than what Spellbound inspired. - Veteran director Jeffrey Blitz (Spellbound, Rocket Science—2007 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award winner) has skillfully crafted a revealing look at the way one’s identity is undoubtedly turned upside down after the big payout. Thoroughly involving, Lucky cleverly strips off the veneer and shatters our perceptions about the ultimate American dream. - Sundance Film Guide Eric Lavallee: Can you discuss the genesis of this project – how did the initial idea come about and at what point did you know that you wanted to commit to the idea of making this? Jeffrey Blitz: After Spellbound, I was rummaging around for my next documentary. Sean Welch and I would pitch one another potential movies by sending emails with the subject header of simply, “Number 2.” We probably sent forty “Number 2” ideas before I happened to get an email from Rebecca Morton. We didn’t know Rebecca at the time. Since then I’ve said it was like an “over the transom” email. She just wrote an impassioned letter suggesting that I make my next movie about lottery winners. It instantly clicked for me. Like with Spellbound, it felt like a subject that was generally thought of (if at all) in a superficial light, but that had the potential to reach deep into a complex cultural thicket. Here was a subject that by revealing innermost dreams might thrust questions of identity and fate onto a handful of people plucked from anonymity. Seemed like a good place to start digging. Once we did enough research on the subject and I was satisfied it was a rich one, Sean and I looped in CAA to help us look for partners. We met Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub from Big Beach and we had an immediate sense that they were the kind of executives we would mesh well with. They just got it from the start; they understood the potential appeal and understood our vision for it. With that, we were off and running. We eventually had Rebecca move temporarily out to LA and we collectively began our first months of work on it. EL: Back in late 2007, Big Beach joined the project, making it the first and so far only documentary project they produced. What was in the original pitch that got them interested and did you have any footage to show at that point? JB: Shortly after I started working on Lucky, I remember talking to Jehane Noujaim (Control Room) about her filmmaking process and how she felt it was critical to start shooting on her own before bringing on any outside support for a doc. She felt it was appropriate that the initial burden of proof--proof that there was indeed the possibility of a film--had to satisfied by a director before anyone also could join in the risk. I think she’s probably right that this is the most sane and most proper approach. Anyway, by the time this sage advice had been shared, we had already begun production. And the funny thing is, had I approached it Jehane’s way, we never would have made Lucky. T Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4797 You've got to hand it to them, if you reference No Country for Old Men, they sure know how to work in cowboy country, but this may be closer to Fargo than NCFOM in tone. The Coens know a thing or two about revenge-plots tied in with dark humor - plus they've got the Dude, Jeff Bridges lined up. Sweet package. - #06. True Grit Directors/Writers: Coen Bros.Producers: Coens, Rudin and SpielbergDistributor: Paramount Pictures The Gist: Based on the novel by Charles Portis, and revolved around a young girl hiring Cogburn to track down the man who killed her father. Jeff Bridges will play U.S. marshal Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne in the original) while Matt Damon would play the lawman and Josh Brolin is up for the role of the killer....(more) Cast: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin Why is it on the list?: You've got to hand it to them, if you reference No Country for Old Men, they sure know how to work in cowboy country, but this may be closer to Fargo than NCFOM in tone. The Coens know a thing or two about revenge-plots tied in with dark humor - plus they've got the Dude, Jeff Bridges lined up. Sweet package. Release Date/Status?: Still in pre-production and yet to cast the female lead or leads, the brothers are known for working at a rapid pace – you can be sure they won't be stuck in post-production for long – so I'm hopeful for an end of the year release. Update: Xmas present for fans. Dec.25th folks - mark it on your calendars.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4796 When the project was announced, I started thinking of the Far From Heaven melodrama type, and when Kate Winslet's name is tossed around I think of her in Revolutionary Road. Other than Pedro, there is no better director out there directing women. - #07. Mildred Pierce Director/Writer: Todd HaynesProducers: Christine VachonDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: This is a mini-series adaptation of James M. Cain’s classic noir novel Mildred Pierce, with Kate Winslet taking on the role that Joan Crawford played in the 1945 film. This is about a woman struggling to survive the depression and protect her daughter amidst a complex set of betrayals and even murder. ....(more) Cast: Kate Winslet Why is it on the list?: When the project was announced, I started thinking of the Far From Heaven melodrama type, and when Kate Winslet's name is tossed around I think of her in Revolutionary Road. Other than Pedro, there is no better director out there directing women. Release Date/Status?:The project is still listed as in development but this should logically go into production midway this year, I'll try and bump into Haynes at Sundance where he is showing his 2nd breakout film after Supserstar in Poison.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4612 Fincher has made us afraid of the dark (Zodiac), afraid of growing old (Button) and now, perhaps afraid of becoming filthy rich. Should be interesting to see how Fincher visually and tonally treats a drama about how "fake" online friendships lead to the demise of real friendships. - #08. The Social Network Director: David FincherWriter(s): Aaron SorkinProducers: Dana Brunetti, Ceán Chaffin, Michael De Luca, Scott RudinDistributor: Columbia Pictures. The Gist: The film will focus on the evolution of Facebook from its 2004 creation on the Harvard campus by sophomore Mark Zuckerberg to a juggernaut with more than 60 million members. The film will cover how these unimaginable overnight riches changed the lives of Zuckerberg and his Facebook cohorts.....(more) Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Brenda Song, Joseph Mazzello, Rooney Mara, Rashida Jones Andrew Garfield and Max Minghella. Why is it on the list?: Fincher has made us afraid of the dark (Zodiac), afraid of growing old (Button) and now, perhaps afraid of becoming filthy rich. Should be interesting to see how Fincher visually and tonally treats a drama about how "fake" online friendships lead to the demise of real friendships.  Release Date/Status?: Columbia have slotted this as an October 15th release and might want to add a festival pre-release either at TIFF or BFI London.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4649 I'm very curious in seeing how poeticized and politicized this picture will turn out to be. I think the filmmaker really found his grove with Diving Bell, and he certainly has a knack for capturing real people with a void for sentimentality. Expectations are also high on the visual treatment of this biography. - #09. Miral Director: Julian Schnabel Writer(s): Rula JebrealProducers: Jon Kilik (Babel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)Distributor: Rights Available. The Gist: This is based on Rula Jebreal's book about the real-life Palestinian woman Hind Husseini, who started the Dar Al-Tifl orphanage in Jerusalem in the wake of the 1948 partition of Palestine and the creation of the state of Israel. Cast: Willem Dafoe, Freida Pinto, Alexander Siddig, Hiam Abbass. Why is it on the list?: I'm very curious in seeing how poeticized and politicized this picture will turn out to be. I think the filmmaker really found his grove with Diving Bell, and he certainly has a knack for capturing real people with a void for sentimentality. Expectations are also high on the visual treatment of this biography. Release Date/Status?: Pathe holds the rights and should find a winning bid before the end of Cannes, where Schnabel enjoyed critical acclaim for Diving Bell.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4795 Besides the fact that its been almost a decade since we last visited with the filmmaker (Morvern Caller has had time to grow on me), I'm drawn to the intimate nature in which Ramsay chooses to explore both the prelude and the aftermath of death – plus you get the feeling that Swinton will be stellar in this one. - #10. We Need To Talk About Kevin Director/Writer: Lynne RamsayProducers: Jennifer Fox and Luc RoegDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: This is an adaptation of Lionel Shriver's prize-winning book which follows Kevin and his mother, Eva (Swinton). After Kevin goes on a killing spree just days before his 16th birthday, Eva is forced to question whether she ever loved her son and how much she is to blame for what he did...(more) Cast: Tilda Swinton with casting of Kevin to be announced shortly. Why is it on the list?: Besides the fact that its been almost a decade since we last visited with the filmmaker (Morvern Caller has had time to grow on me), I'm drawn to the intimate nature in which Ramsay chooses to explore both the prelude and the aftermath of death – plus you get the feeling that Swinton will be stellar in this one. Release Date/Status?: Still in pre-production, lensing with commence this year and a best case outcome is a Venice release followed by North American film fests in the fall. With Swinton on a winning streak this could find a U.S distributor perhaps even before premiere.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4301 A handful of 80's pictures including Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and American Graffiti were used for reference but the overall 'look' and 'feel' is very contemporary. Our story is universal in time and place and the aesthetics of the film do dilute that. - Without the benefit of a studio budget or name casting, Anthony Burns and Brandon and Heath Freeman capture the '80s in startling detail. The result: a cinematic scrapbook of a time and place, a visceral visual, and an aural experience that reclaims the decade for those of us lucky enough to have lived through it once. While the atmosphere is time specific, the themes of the joys and pains of growing up are universal. - Sundance Festival Guide Eric Lavallee: You're a new name in the filmmaking scene breaking out at a fest that heavily promotes new talents. I'd like to get a sense of where you're coming from. Can you discuss your filmmaking/directing background (your previous experiences or pivotal experiences) that eventually led to Skateland. Anthony Burns: I come from a heavy writing background; in fact, besides a few film criticism classes I didn’t enjoy anything else in school. Fortunately, after a magazine I was editing, in Austin, went under I made the move to LA. There I got involved with some strong producers working in television and film. This led to numerous projects including a featurette I co-wrote and produced titled ‘The Smoking Compartment’ in early 2008. The director Taylor Vandegrift, producer Chris Anasatas and I worked closely during the entire process and I was able to learn a great deal on the job in all aspects of filmmaking. After we wrapped I became obsessed, in a healthy way, with directing and the opportunity presented itself soon after to direct “Skateland.” EL: Can you discuss the genesis of this project – from the credits this appears to be a collaboration with the Freemans. I was wondering how did the initial idea come about, how did this become a story you wanted to tell and how were the screenplay duties shared? AB: Heath Freeman was the lead in ‘The Smoking Compartment’ and his brother Brandon Freeman spent a lot of time on set during the shoot. A few months later the brothers pitched an idea to me for ‘Skateland’ and I was hooked. We made the move back to Austin and began writing. There were many days when we worked side by side and some days alone. I’ve co-written numerous scripts and I’ve found every partnership to be unique, but equally dynamic and productive. EL: Can you elaborate on what kind of work went into the pre-production process (how long you’ve been working on this project prior to pre-production and what specifically you did to prepare, and were there specific people involved in this process that are worth signaling out? AB: From script to wrap was approximately 8 months. Scouting was intense and at times we didn’t think we were going to find our locations, but our final trip landed us in Shreveport and ultimately our shooting home. The script itself was evolving well into production but we went out with it to crew and cast sometime in July. The first draft was complete in a May. In my opinion (hopefully everyo Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4794 No one from Hollywood has managed to get the elusive Carlos jus right, I think might get him right. I'm glad this is going to Assayas -- whose picture-perfect and poignant Summer Hours has officially converted me into a fan of his once again. - #11. Carlos the Jackal Director: Olivier AssayasWriter(s): Dan Franck and AssayasProducers: Daniel Leconte and Jens MeurerDistributor: IFC Films The Gist: Carlos the Jackal traces the life of Carlos (currently serving a life sentence in a French prison) from 1973-1994. Full of violence and secret-service manipulation, the story includes the 1974 bomb attack on the Publicis Drugstore in Paris, the 1975 hostage-taking of 11 OPEC ministers in Vienna and several planned assassinations. All this unfolds against a geopolitical backdrop encompassing the PLO, Japanese Red Army, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, the USSR, East German Stasi, Hungary, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and, finally, Sudan where Carlos was arrested.....(more) Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Farid Elouardi, Alexander Beyer and Anna Thalbach Why is it on the list?: No one from Hollywood has managed to get the elusive Carlos jus right, I think might get him right. I'm glad this is going to Assayas -- whose picture-perfect and poignant Summer Hours has officially converted me into a fan of his once again (I had issues with a trio of his films). Release Date/Status?: The three-part TV movie (for French audiences) then turned into a 2 hour theatrical film. Not sure what the plans are for IFC - they have something pegged for March.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4611 After exploring how sexuality and gender converge in Hedwig... and Shortbus, this will be a notable departure for l'enfant terrible not only in theme and budget size, but it'll be a first for Cameron Mitchell as he is working from the contours of someone else's screenplay. - #12. Rabbit Hole Director: John Cameron MitchellWriter(s): David Lindsay-AbaireProducers: Kidman, Gigi Pritzker, Per Saari, Leslie Urdang, Dean VanechDistributor: Fox Searchlight The Gist: Based on David Lindsay-Abaire's Broadway play, the story concerns a happily married couple, Becca (Kidman) and Howie (Eckhart), trying to cope with the death of their only child, a four-year-old who was killed in an auto accident....(more) Cast: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Sandra Oh. Why is it on the list?: After exploring how sexuality and gender converge in Hedwig... and Shortbus, this will be a notable departure for l'enfant terrible not only in theme and budget size, but it'll be a first for Cameron Mitchell as he is working from the contours of someone else's screenplay. Release Date/Status?: Searchlight will want to show off such dramatic on the film festival circuit and will likely show this during the autumn, Oscar-bait season.    Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4563 Reichardt's modest and economical explorations of America's Western landscapes are a breath of fresh air. - #13. Meek's Cutoff Director: Kelly ReichardtWriter(s): Jon RaymondProducers: Neil Kopp (Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy)Distributor: Rights Available. The Gist: The year is 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, and a wagon team of three families has hired the mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Claiming to know a short cut, Meek leads the group on an unmarked path across the high plain desert, only to become lost in the dry rock and sage....(more) Cast: Paul Dano, Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton, Shirley Henderson, Zoe Kazan.  Why is it on the list?: Reichardt's modest and economical explorations of America's Western landscapes are a breath of fresh air.  Release Date/Status?: In post-production, Wendy and Lucy preemed at Cannes, and if a French distributor is in place, then I'm thinking this should find itself on the Croisette as well.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4625 Payne tried on the producer's hat and thankfully he put that aside to focus on what he does best. The source material and the screenplay (a very good read I might add) will only bring out his strong suit - as no one is more agile at poking fun at the middle-life crisis of upper middle-class America. - #14. The Descendants Director: Alexander PayneWriter(s): Nat Faxon and Jim RashProducers: Payne, Jim Burke, Jim TaylorDistributor: Fox Searchlight. The Gist: Based on the Kaui Hart Hemmings novel, this is set in Hawaii, the unconventional family drama tells the story of a newly widowed father -- the descendant of landowners and one of the richest men on Oahu -- who takes off with his two rebellious daughters to track down his wife's lover on the island of Kauai.....(more) Cast: George Clooney. Why is it on the list?: Payne tried on the producer's hat and thankfully he put that aside to focus on what he does best. The source material and the screenplay (a very good read I might add) will only bring out his strong suit - as no one is more agile at poking fun at the middle-life crisis of upper middle-class America.  Release Date/Status?: Production begins in January. Look for this to be Searchlight's Oscar bait for 2011.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4793 A discovery I made at Cannes two years back, 2008's Delta's combined sheer beauty and poetic ugliness demonstrating the Hungarian filmmaker's unique voice and Malickian approach. Love the idea of making a teen out to be a classic monster, of course in a nonliteral sense. - #15. The Frankenstein Project Director/Writer: Kornel MundruczóProducers: Viktória Petrányi (Delta)Distributor: Rights Available. The Gist: Inspired by Mary Shelley's classic book, this is a re-interpretation of the story with the monster being replaced by a child, who returns home from a boarding school, struggling for the love of his family.....(more) Cast: Rudolf Frecska, Kornél Mundruczó, Lili Monori, Miklós Székely B. and Kitty Csikos Why is it on the list?: A discovery I made at Cannes two years back, 2008's Delta's combined sheer beauty and poetic ugliness demonstrating the Hungarian filmmaker's unique voice and Malickian approach. Love the idea of making a teen out to be a classic monster, of course in a nonliteral sense.  Release Date/Status?: Depending on how cutthroat the class of 2010 is for Cannes, this will either be featured in the main comp or fall into the Un Certain regard selection. If this receives rave reviews then this may find distribution in the U.S - but chances are slim.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4700 This year I've decided to not include titles that were introduced in 2009 and are having their theatrical release this year: they include top of the list we find A Prophet and Fish Tank, a pair of cream of the crop titles showcased in Cannes, and films such as Dogtooth, Hadewijch, Tales From the Golden Age, Father of My Children, City of Life and Death, I Killed My Mother (J'ai tue ma mere), Mother, Mother and Child, Lebanon, Micmacs à tire-larigot are all worthy titles to look out for. - Welcome to the official landing page for where the 2010's top 100 most anticipated list begins. Now in year three, I started putting the list together in an attempt to keep tabs on the projects that matter the most to the site – it acts on some occasions as an F-U to the year in film previews that fail to include important films and when we're lucky we provide a more “robust” profile – gaining access to official first looks of the film (I personally would like to thank the foreign and local production companies, distributors, producers and filmmakers for their participation). To commence the countdown, press on the arrow.   I've attempted to be as accurate as possible with the info (some of those synopsis's are a tough find) and my predictions should be received as educated guesses. I don't feel the need to explain how I come up with the list, but for the curious you can find my criteria below, as to why particular film is included on the list, why its at the number 1 or 100 spot, or why a film has purposely been left off the list, I usually commence with a starting list of 150 and narrow it down to a sweet one hundred. Some names/titles that didn't make the cut include: James Gunn' Super, Andrucha Waddington's Lope, Alexandre Aja's Piranha 3-D, Jennifer Lynch's crazy looking Hisss, Greengrass' Green Zone, Paul Scheuring's The Experiment, Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez's Machete, Rodrigo Cortés' Buried (playing at Sundance), doc film Freakonomics, Olivier Dahan's My Own Love Song, Andrew Meieran's Highland Park, Roger Donaldson's The Hungry Rabbit Jumps, Djamshed Usmonov's Le Roman de Ma Femme, a pair of Winterbottom films, Kick Ass, Three Stooges (looking more like a 2011 pic), Xavier Dolan's sophomore film (which I found out was completed way too late in the game), and finally Kevin MacDonald's Eagle on the Ninth.   This year I've decided to not include titles that were introduced in 2009 and are having their theatrical release this year: they include top of the list we find A Prophet and Fish Tank, a pair of cream of the crop titles showcased in Cannes, and films such as Dogtooth, Hadewijch, Tales From the Golden Age, Father of My Children, City of Life and Death, I Killed My Mother (J'ai tue ma mere), Mother, Mother and Child, Lebanon, Micmacs à tire-larigot are all worthy titles to look out for. Sight unseen, I'd add the "Mesrine" films, Mid-August Lunch, Everyone Else, Videocracy, Welcome and Alain Resnais' Herbes Folles. and least we not forget the troubled films, which we keep an ongoing vigil for: Nailed, Black Water Transit and Margaret.Exclusive still from Denis Villeneuve's INCENDIES.   Criteria: I first look at who is directing and/or who wrote the project and consider their body of work and how it might have faired in my judgement. This is followed by all the early industry buzz on the film, the quality of the script when available and much of Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4754 One of the keys to the look of the movie was that Zak used some old camera lenses that he’d picked up in the flea market, and they just give it this dreamy quality, totally not what you expect from HD! - Diane Bell’s soft-spoken, profound, and disarmingly charming debut feature engages these fateful issues of our time with a warm, sparkling sense of beauty, sincerity, and compassion. Obselidia offers a rare and humane lens through which we can view a world increasingly preoccupied with and inhabited by extinction. - Sundance Festival Guide. Eric Lavallee: This is your first film – can you give us an idea of what your background as an artist and how this eventually lead to Obselidia? Diane Bell: From the moment I learned to write, I have always scribbled down stories and thoughts. As a young adult, I studied philosophy and was involved with the university theater group, mostly as an actor. During this time, I really discovered film. I was living in Edinburgh, Scotland, and they had these two great art-house cinemas, as well as a great film festival every year, and for the first time I had the chance to see all these classic movies – by the likes of Bresson, Ozu, and Tarkovsky. I watched everything that I could; during the festival I’d watch four movies a day. I started co-writing scripts in my twenties, and began to learn the craft. Then some five years ago, I wrote my first solo screenplay, which brought me to LA when it got optioned. After relocating to LA I wrote a number of scripts, including a rewrite of terrorist thriller with the director John McTiernan (Die Hard), but I soon discovered the meaning of “development hell”. Despite getting paid jobs, nothing was being made. I also felt disheartened by some of the scripts I was working on. To put it truthfully, I wouldn’t have paid to see them. So I decided to devote time to writing something just for me, something that I loved with no concern of commercial viability. That script was Obselidia. When I finished writing it, I knew that I would direct it. It was small enough in scale that I could imagine doing it. I had written it with certain people and locations in mind, and without being arrogant, I didn’t think anyone could do it better than I could, it was so close to me. So I set about raising money to do it. EL: This may very well be the first film to discuss climate change, the extinction of habits, things and society from a glass half full perspective. Can you discuss the genesis of this project, how did the initial idea come about and then why did this become a story you wanted to tell? DB: It began with me reflecting on the rate of change in our society – when I was a kid, I would have loved nothing more than to have a set of encyclopedias in the house, but like most people, we couldn’t afford them. Now they actually give them away for free in my local library! And that set me to thinking about how we deal with the fact that things we love and value today become worthless and discarded very quickly – and on a deeper level how everything we love, including people and our own good health, will come to an end. How do Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4652 With this, Coppola confirms her fascination for living spaces and perhaps fills us in on a social scene that isn't accessible. The reason why we love this director is for her ability to integrate modern soundtracks within the tonality of her films and her exploration of the search of self themes are far from boring. - #16. Somewhere Director/Writer: Sofia Coppola Producers: Sofia and Roman Coppola and G. Mac BrownDistributor: Focus Features. The Gist: Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) is a bad-boy A-List actor stumbling through a life of excess while living at Hollywood’s legendary Chateau Marmont Hotel. His days are a haze of drinks, girls, fast cars and fawning fans. Cocooned in this celebrity-induced artificial world, Johnny has lost all sense of his true self. Until, that is, his 11-year-old daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) unexpectedly shows up and unwittingly begins to anchor him. ....(more) Cast: Michelle Monaghan, Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Laura Ramsey and special appearance from Benicio Del Toro Why is it on the list?: With this, Coppola confirms her fascination for living spaces and perhaps fills us in on a social scene that isn't accessible. The reason why we love this director is for her ability to integrate modern soundtracks within the tonality of her films and her exploration of the search of self themes are far from boring.  Release Date/Status?: Look for Focus to launch this in Cannes and from there, a release date strategy should be laid out.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4792 For a while now, Kiarostami's contribution to the world cinema scene has been limited to philanthropy and little seen docs and shorts -- this film represents a new direction for the filmmaker as its the first film shot outside of his homeland, and the discourse will be a lot less politicized. Added bonus: my silver screen crush Juliette Binoche stars. - #17. Certified Copy Director/Writer: Abbas KiarostamiProducers: Angelo Barbagallo, Charles Gillibert, Marin Karmitz, Nathanaël Karmitz and KiarostamiDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: This tells the story of an English author (William Shimell) finds himself in Italy to promote his latest book and give a lecture on the subject of the relationship between originals and copies in the world of art. At the lecture he meets a French gallery owner (Binoche) and they decide to waste a couple of hours in the alleyways of a village in the southern parts of Tuscany...(more) Cast: Juliette Binoche and William Shimell.  Why is it on the list?: For a while now, Kiarostami's contribution to the world cinema scene has been limited to philanthropy and little seen docs and shorts -- this film represents a new direction for the filmmaker as it's the first film shot outside of his homeland, and the discourse will be a lot less politicized. Added bonus: my silver screen crush Juliette Binoche stars. Release Date/Status?: Cannes will have the red carpet all prepped up. This could go to a SPC or IFC type of company.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4791 While The Fountain is one that is up for debate, Aronofsky can tackle all genres and all stories and even switch up the look of the film and he'll usually get it right - he is also someone who gave instant cred to the Wayans name, reminded us that Ellen Burstyn needs more work and resuscitated Mickey Rourke's career. Looking forward to this picture only because of the vision behind the lenses and not the storyline or most of the cast attached. - #18. Black Swan Director: Darren AronofskyWriter(s): Aronofky and Mark HeymanProducers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer and Brian OliverDistributor: Fox Searchlight The Gist: Set in New York City, this centers on a veteran ballerina (Portman) who finds herself locked in a competitive situation with a rival dancer, with the stakes and twists increasing as the dancers approach a big performance. ....(more) Cast: Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, Vincent Cassel, Sebastian Stan and Barbara Hershey Why is it on the list?: While The Fountain is one that is up for debate, Aronofsky can tackle all genres and all stories and even switch up the look of the film and he'll usually get it right - he is also someone who gave instant cred to the Wayans name, reminded us that Ellen Burstyn needs more work and resuscitated Mickey Rourke's career. Looking forward to this picture only because of the vision behind the lenses and not the storyline or most of the cast attached. Release Date/Status?: Crystal ball says maybe Fox will be interested in a TIFF showcase and Fall release.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4790 The characters in Mike Leigh's films linger on several hours after viewing - its a testament to a directing style that brings out the best of the actor and that never gets old. - #19. Untitled Mike Leigh Project Director/Writer: Mike LeighProducers: Simon Channing Williams and Georgina LoweDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: TBA. Cast: Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville. Why is it on the list?: The characters in Mike Leigh's films linger on several hours after viewing - its a testament to a directing style that brings out the best of the actor and that never gets old.  Release Date/Status?: 2010 Cannes, Venice and/or TIFF. Autumn release.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4789 The combo of Depp, the novel on which this film is based on, and the guy who made cult film Withnail & I is enough for me to be psyched for Robinson's long gestating project (Depps was throwing hints at us way back when he was filming 2003's Secret Window). - #20. The Rum Diary Director/Writer: Bruce RobinsonProducers: Christi Dembrowski, Graham King, Robert Kravis, Anthony Rhulen and DeppDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: The adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's classic The Rum Diaries, this is about love, treachery and lust amid the palm tree-lined setting of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the 1950s. This is about a love triangle in the tale of a washed-up, hard-drinking journalist named Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp)...(more) Cast: Johnny Depp, Giovanni Ribisi, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart, Amaury Nolasco and Richard Jenkins Why is it on the list?: The combo of Depp, the novel on which this film is based on, and the guy who made cult film Withnail & I is enough for me to be psyched for Robinson's long gestating project (Depps was throwing hints at us way back when he was filming 2003's Secret Window). I think this makes Robinson the official comeback kid for 2010? Release Date/Status?: Look for this to fetch a distributor after a big film festival release such as Cannes.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4788 There are big question marks as to how Inarritu will do in his post-Guillermo Arriaga portion of his career. I imagine that we'll have less intricate plots (no mapped out threaded connections between characters and grand themes explored through various POVs), but Inarritu's true calling card is human drama and those emotionally charged sequences that rotate between despair and relief. - #21. Biutiful Director: Alejandro González IñárrituWriter(s): Armando Bo, Nicolás Giacobone and Iñárritu Producers: Guillermo del Toro, Jon Kilik, Fernando Bovaira, Alfonso Cuarón, IñárrituDistributor: Focus Features. The Gist: This is about a man embroiled in shady dealings who is confronted by a childhood friend, now a policeman.....(more) Cast: Javier Bardem, Blanca Portillo and Rubén Ochandiano Why is it on the list?: There are big question marks as to how Iñárritu will do in his post-Guillermo Arriaga portion of his career. I imagine that we'll have less intricate plots (no mapped out threaded connections between characters and grand themes explored through various POVs), but Iñárritu's true calling card is human drama and those emotionally charged sequences that rotate between despair and relief.  Release Date/Status?: This will be showcased in Cannes, beyond that I'm not sure what Focus Features has in store for it. Perhaps a December release?   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4787 I have this sense of euphoria every time Baumbach presents us a a whole new batch of idiosyncratic characters and from the looks of the trailer, it'll be interesting to see Reality Bites star and filmmaker Ben Stiller continues holding the torch for all Generation X'ers. - #22. Greenberg Director/Writer: Noah BaumbachProducers: Jennifer Jason Leigh and Scott RudinDistributor: Focus Features. The Gist: Meet Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller): a dysfunctional 40-year-old at a crossroads in his life. Roger wants to “do nothing” for a while, so he agrees to housesit for his younger and more successful brother, giving him a free place to stay in L.A. While in town, he tries to reconnect with his old friends and band mates but times have changed, and old friends aren’t necessarily still best friends...(more) Cast: Ben Stiller, Dave Franco, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Juno Temple, Chris Messina, Brie Larson, Merritt Wever, Mark Duplass and Greta Gerwig Why is it on the list?: I have this sense of euphoria every time Baumbach presents us with a whole new batch of idiosyncratic characters and from the looks of the trailer, it'll be interesting to see Reality Bites star and filmmaker Ben Stiller revisiting the Generation X life woes. Release Date/Status?: A March 26th release.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4639 Like his mentor Reygadas, Escalante favors a brute force aesthetic realism that goes a long way in describing the realities of modern day Mexico. - #23. HELI Director/Writer: Amat EscalanteProducers: Jaime Romandia (producer for Carlos Reygadas' films)Distributor: Rights Available. Photo Exclusive: Featuring filmmaker Amat Escalante. The Gist: In a small Mexican town, where most citizens work for an automobile assembly plant or the local drug cartel, Heli is confronted with police corruption, drug trafficking, sexual exploitation, love, guilt and revenge in the search for his father who has mysteriously disappeared. Cast: None mentioned so far, but I imagine he'll use non-actors who might have experienced some of the realities proposed in the screenplay.     Why is it on the list?: Like his mentor Reygadas, Escalante favors a brute force aesthetic realism that goes a long way in describing the realities of modern day Mexico.  Release Date/Status?: Update: this is still in pre-production and should begin filming in the summer, so perhaps earliest would be Cannes in 2011...where Escalante showcased Los Bastardos and Sangre.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4786 My enthusiasm is pretty much based on the material - Kyle Killen's screenplay was the top vote-getter in 2008's Black List of unproduced screenplays. - #24. The Beaver Director: Jodie FosterWriter(s): Kyle KillenProducers: Steve Golin and Keith RedmonDistributor: Summit Entertainment. The Gist: Gibson will play a depressed man who finds solace in wearing a beaver hand-puppet. On top of helming, Foster will play the role of the man’s wife.....(more) Cast: Mel Gibson, Anton Yelchin, Jodie Foster and Jennifer Lawrence. Why is it on the list?: My enthusiasm is pretty much based on the material - Kyle Killen's screenplay was the top vote-getter in 2008's Black List of unproduced screenplays. Release Date/Status?: No release date has been set yet, but expect Summit to open wide and perhaps as early as the summer.      Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4785 Jarecki made one of the best doc films of the past decade, looking forward to this debut which eerily feels close to the disintegration found in his brilliant doc film. - #25. All Good Things Director: Andrew JareckiWriter(s): Marcus Hinchey and Marc SmerlingProducers: Michael London, Bruna Papandrea, Marc Smerling and Jarecki Distributor: The Weinstein Company. The Gist: This unlocks the mystery of a unique man who could have had it all. Set against the extravagance and excess of New York City in the 80s, David Marks (Ryan Gosling), the son of a powerful real estate tycoon marries a beautiful working class student, Katie (Kristen Dunst).....(more) Cast: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Kristen Wiig and Frank Langella. Why is it on the list?: Jarecki made one of the best doc films of the past decade in Capturing the Friedmans, looking forward to this debut which eerily feels close to the family disintegration found in his brilliant doc film.    Release Date/Status?: March release is planned - needs to be confirmed.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4784 Corbijn's Control was a passion project - and everything about it was tailor-fitted, so it'll be interesting to see how the filmmaker evolves into a full-time filmmaker bringing his distinct style and sensibility to all sorts of material, including angry hitman. - #26. The American Director: Anton CorbijnWriter(s): Rowan JoffeProducers: This Is That Productions' Anne Carey and Smoke House's George Clooney and Grant HeslovDistributor: Focus Features. The Gist: Based on the Rowan Joffe-scripted adaptation of the Martin Booth novel A Very Private Gentleman, Jack (Clooney) is an artful assassin with a lengthy track record, constantly on the move and always watching his back. When an assignment goes wrong and a lover ends up dead, he vows that the next job will be his last.....(more) Cast: George Clooney Why is it on the list?: Corbijn's Control was a passion project - and everything about it was tailor-fitted, so it'll be interesting to see how the filmmaker evolves into a full-time filmmaker bringing his distinct style and sensibility to all sorts of material, including angry hitman.   Release Date/Status?: September 1st.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4783 A project that has been gestating for a while, this commercials (and short film Brother Tied) director has an urban, fly-on-the wall, intimate approach which should work wonders as Half Nelson's cinematographer Andrij Parekh and actor Ryan Gosling re-team. - #27. Blue Valentine Director: Derek CianfranceWriter(s): Joey Curtis, Cami Delavigne and CianfranceProducers: Lynette Howell , Alex Orlovsky and Jamie Patricof Distributor: Rights Available. The Gist: Written by Cianfrance with Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis, this follows a couple whose relationship is jeopardized when they find themselves in different places in their lives.....(more) Cast: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. Why is it on the list?: A project that has been gestating for a while, this commercials (and short film Brother Tied) director has an urban, fly-on-the wall, intimate approach which should work wonders as Half Nelson's cinematographer Andrij Parekh and actor Ryan Gosling re-team.  Release Date/Status?: Sundance will provide ideal showcase for a quick sale. We could see this in theaters six months from now.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4782 After three decades worth of documentaries film, I'm really curious as to how the Friedman and Epstein plan to document the beatnik generation's rich real life characters and how Franco will do Ginsberg. Expect some vivid period pic photography from Ed Lachman. - #28. Howl Director/Writer: Jeffrey Friedman and Rob EpsteinProducers: Elizabeth Redleaf, Christine K. Walker, Epstein and FriedmanDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: Based on Allen Ginsberg's beatnik book of poetry Howl, this focuses on the obscenity trial launched to censor Ginsberg's groundbreaking book-length poem. Among the real-life characters featured in the film are prosecuting attorney Ralph McIntosh (David Strathairn), Judge Clayton Horn (Alan Alda), prosecution witness Professor David Kirk (Jeff Daniels), radio personality and prosecution witness Gail Potter (Mary Louise Parker).....(more) Cast: James Franco, Mary-Louise Parker, Jon Hamm, Jeff Daniels, Alessandro Nivola and David Strathairn. Why is it on the list?: After three decades worth of documentaries film, I'm really curious as to how the Friedman and Epstein plan to document the beatnik generation's rich real life characters and how Franco will do Ginsberg. Expect some vivid period pic photography from Ed Lachman.   Release Date/Status?: Sundance Film Festival - should be first deal out of the gate. Fall release seems most logical.    Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500 text/html http://www.ioncinema.com http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4781 It'll be interesting to see how indie pairing Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden adapt someone else's material, as Half Nelson and Sugar demonstrated a style that seems so organic, ad lib and script-less. Fleck and Boden will ensure quality control with Dp Andrij Parekh. - #29. It's Kind of a Funny Story Director/Writer: Ryan Fleck, Anna BodenProducers: Ben Browning and Kevin MisherDistributor: Focus Features The Gist: Based on Ned Vizzini's young-adult novel, this is about a 16-year-old Craig (to be played by Keir Gilchrist), stressed out from the demands of being a teenager, checks himself into a mental health clinic. There he learns that the youth ward is closed - and finds himself stuck in the adult ward. One of the patients, Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), soon becomes both Craig's mentor and protégé. Craig is also quickly drawn to another 16-year-old, Noelle (Emma Roberts)...(more) Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Lauren Graham, Aasif Mandvi, Viola Davis, Zoë Kravitz, Jim Gaffigan, Daniel London and Keir Gilchrist. Why is it on the list?: It'll be interesting to see how indie pairing Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden adapt someone else's material, as Half Nelson and Sugar demonstrated a style that seems so organic, ad lib and script-less. Fleck and Boden will ensure quality control with Dp Andrij Parekh. Release Date/Status?: Currently filming, Focus is looking at a November release.   Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:02:30 -0500