Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more
Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more
General movie news courtesy of Movie Muser (www.moviemuser.co.uk)
The World Premiere of Skyfall took place last night at the Royal Albert Hall (they’re sidestepping its usual Odeon Leicester Square home for this one), in the presence of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla. If you missed the red carpet action on the livestream, you can catch up with this video from the event, featuring all the stars of the movie talking up the film. Take a look.
The first images have arrived on the likes of Michael Cera and Emily Browning in a film which until very recently was going by the title Magic Magic but currently doesn’t have a name. Despite the lack of a title, the makers are keen to show off the movie at the American Film Market, so the film pics and a poster for the film have been released via ShockTilYouDrop.
The site says, ‘Sebastian Silva writes and directs the film which concerns a young American traveler named Alicia (Juno Temple) who, while in the spectacular Chilean lake district, begins seeing disturbing images visible only to her. Her best friend Sarah (Emily Browning) suddenly returns to Santiago, leaving Alicia in an unfamiliar country surrounded by strangers (Michael Cera and Catalina Sandino Moreno). More and more she unravels, seeing darker visions and hearing chilling noises that send her running into the woods. In this disturbing landscape, she experiences crushing terror and knows that she must escape. A destabilizing, psychological thriller recalling the best works in the genre, this film entices viewers into a world they won’t be able to forget.’
Ever since it was published in 2003 and won the Booker Prize, there’s been talk about turning DBC Pierre’s novel Vernon God Little into a movie. However it’s never happened, partly because of the sensitive subject matter – it’s set in the wake of a school shooting.
However now Variety reports Rescue Dawn and Fitzcarraldo helmer Werner Herzog is set to direct a movie version of the book. The Texas-set novel follows the titular teenager, who is the chief focus of scorn in a horrendous high school shooting that’s left 17 dead, including Vernon’s best friend, Jesus Navarro.
It was Jesus who was the killer, but as his final act was suicide, the mourning town needs someone to blame and so Vernon becomes the target. Fearing he’ll be roped in as an accomplice to this heinous act, Vernon hightails it to Mexico, where he hopes to find salvation on the beach in a cabin he once saw in a movie. But as he dashes across the border, the police and voracious TV news crews are on his tail.
With the book having a tone that’s described as satirical and as critical of a materialism obsessed America as it is the violent acts it believes that spawns, it’s been a tricky prospect to turn that into a film. However German-born Herzog has never been one to shy away from a tough challenge. Andrew Birkin (Perfume) is on screenplay duties.
Tate Taylor scored a huge hit and lots of critical acclaim for The Help, but he’s been taking his time developing follow-up projects. Now it looks like he may take on a major biopic, as Deadline reports he’s in talks to direct a movie about legendary musician James Brown.
This semi-official biopic has been in the works a long time, as Brown himself was involved until his Christmas 2006 death, working with scriptwriter Steve Baigelman and director Spike Lee. Since then Lee has left the movie behind and the screenplay went into the hands of Jezz and John-Henry Butterworth.
Now Brown’s friend Mick Jagger in onboard to produce, alongside Brian Grazer, who’s been spearheading the movie since its earliest days. If the openly gay Taylor does sign on he needs to find somebody to play the Godfather of Soul, with the movie covering Brown’s turbulent early life, his battles with drink and drugs, his four marriages and his growing musical legend.
We don’t know when it might shoot, but as it’s been in the works for six years already, dont’ expect it any time soon.
Anna Kendrick has had success in the States turning to music with the a capella comedy Pitch Perfect (which reaches the UK in December), and it seems she’s sticking to tunes with the romantic comedy musical The Last Five Years.
Moviehole reports she’s signed up for the movie, which Richard LaGravenese is planning to direct, based on Jason Robert Brown’s acclaimed stage version. The film is looking for buyers at the American Film Market.
The site says, ‘The show, inspired by the playwright’s own personal life, used a form of storytelling in which the young woman’s story is told in reverse chronological order (beginning the show at the end of the marriage), and the male’s is told in chronological order (starting just after the couple have first met). The characters did not directly interact except for a wedding song in the middle as their timelines intersect. It was all quite genius.’ It’s not clear if the film will follow the same structure.
Kendrick will play struggling young actress Cathy, while her novelist husband Jamie is yet to be cast. The film chronicles the duo’s relationship, all through comedic songs sung by the actors.
Craig Gillespie had a big indie success with Lars & The Real Girl in 2007, but his feature film follow-up, Fright Night, wasn’t so popular. Now he’s plotting another movie as Variety reports that he is in talks to join Disney’s real-life baseball drama Million Dollar Arm.
Back in May Jon Hamm signed up to star in the movie, playing sports agent J.B. Bernstein, who discovered professional pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel through a reality show in India. The two imports became the first Indian players to get signed by pro baseball teams when they got contracts with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Tom McCarthy (Win Win) penned the script with Mark Ciardi, Gordon Gray, Palak Patel and Joe Roth producing. It isn’t clear when the movie might shoot.
Producer Martin Shafer has announced that Hugh Grant is set to star in writer/director Marc Lawrence’s new untitled romantic comedy, which is set to shoot in New York in April 2013.
Lawrence and Grant have a longstanding relationship, as this will be the fourth collaboration between the duo, after Two Weeks Notice, Music and Lyrics, and Did You Hear About the Morgans? Indeed Lawrence has never directed a movie that didn’t have Grant in it (although he did write the likes of Miss Congeniality).
The movie starts out in 1998, and follows Ray Michaels (Grant) who is on top of the world – a witty, sexy, Englishman in Hollywood who had just won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. 15 years later, he’s creatively washed up, divorced, and broke. With no other options, he takes a job teaching screenwriting at a small college on the East Coast. Although the idea of teaching is less than thrilling, he hopes to make some easy money and enjoy the favours of impressionable young co-eds. What he doesn’t expect to find is romance with a single mom who’s gone back to school. (Source: Variety)
Last month Hilary Swank signed up to star in the disability drama, You’re Not You, which sounds a bit like a female version of Untouchable. Now THR reports she’s got some company in the form of Shameless star Emmy Rossum.
Rossum will portray a selfish college student who gets a new purpose in life when she takes a job caring for a woman (Hilary Swank) afflicted with ALS, aka Motor Neurone Disease. George C. Wolfe (Nights in Rodanthe) is directing from a screenplay by Shana Feste and Jordan Roberts, based on Michelle Wildgen’s debut novel.
It isn’t clear when the movie might shoot. Rossum will next be seen in Warner Bros.’ Beautiful Creatures, which arrives in cinemas early next year.
After a brief tease yesterday, the first full trailer for Iron Man 3 is here and it’s keen to ensure we know this ain’t going to be an easy one for Tony Stark and there will be a lot of explosive action. We get to see Bem Kingsley’s devious Mandarin, our first proper look at Iron Patriot (who’s the star-spangled Iron Man) and Tony’s cliff-side house beating the dust. There have also been a slew of images and the first poster released, so you can take a look at those here too.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test hismettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his owndevices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest tohim. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?
‘Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley,“Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.’ It’ll reach the UK next April.
After Sundance London earlier this year, it was a little tough to tell whether this would be a one-off event or if we could expect the festival to return to the Capital next year. Now its been confirmed it will be coming back, not just in 2013 but in 2014 as well, for an extended run at the O2 in London.
Here’s the press release confirming the events: The O2, London, 22 October 2012 – Robert Redford, Sundance Institute and AEG Europe announced today that following the success of the first-ever Sundance London film and music festival in April 2012, the event will return to the world famous London venue, The O2, for a further two years, in 2013 and 2014. Passes and ticket packages for the 2013 event will go on general sale on 9 November at www.sundance-london.com.
The second Sundance London will take place from 25-28 April, 2013, and host the international and UK premieres of American independent films fresh from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A., as well as live music performances, panels and events. The 2013 programme will continue its 2012 focus on presenting new work by American filmmakers and music artists. Sundance Institute, which annually presents the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A, will select the films and related programming.
The first Sundance London featured screenings of 27 films, including many European premieres, and performances by 17 musical acts. Highlights included the Royal Premiere of HARMONY: A New Way of Looking at Our World attended by HRH, The Prince of Wales; an intimate performance by Rufus and Martha Wainwright following the world premiere of Lian Lunson’s film about the music of their mother; the Opening Night event An Evening With Robert Redford And T Bone Burnett; Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird performing Maxinquaye; and screenings of 14 feature-length and eight short films from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Audiences were also treated to several thought-provoking panels featuring industry experts and artists discussing topical film and music issues.
Robert Redford, President & Founder of Sundance Institute, said: “Sundance was warmly welcomed to London last year, by engaged and adventurous audiences eager to take a chance on independent film, and this makes a second year all the more exciting for us.”
“The vibrant arts community in London has informed this decision as much as anything,” continued Redford. “Seeing what comes of nurturing a broader global community for new voices and varied perspectives in American independent film and music, seems a worthy 21st Century endeavour.”
Alex Hill, Chief Finance and Strategy Officer at AEG Europe said: “The O2 has long been known for hosting some of the world’s most exciting music acts and sports spectacles, and our growth into film with the hugely successful Sundance London film and music festival is a perfect complement to our current calendar. We’re thrilled to be hosting Sundance London again in 2013 and 2014, building even further on the achievements of our inaugural year.”
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said: “In addition to exposing European audiences to American film and music, we will continue connecting with the UK and European filmmaking community through workshops, panels and conversations designed to create a forum for identifying commonalities of independent filmmaking as well an exchange of best practices and new ideas.”