NEWS

All the news from film and the world of the gays

Ansel Elgort & Tye Sheridan In The Mix For WarGames Remake

June 25, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Thanks to The Fault In Our Stars Ansel Elgort is the young actor of the moment, ensuring his name is brought up when any new project is looking for somebody his age. That seems true of the planned remake of WarGames, based on the 1983 thriller that starred Matthew Broderick.

TheWrap reports that along with Elgort, MGM is also considering Tye Sheridan, along with several unnamed young actors who are on their shortlist. The project is moving forward though, as it has now got a director in the form of Dean Israelite, along with writer Arash Amel (Grace Of Monaco). Israelite is set to make his directorial debut with the upcoming Project Almanac, which is a found footage time travel thriller about a group of high school kids attempting to fix their lives, but ending up disturbing the space-time continuum.

The original WarGames is about two teenage hackers who inadvertanylu find a back door into the Defense Department’s computer. They start playing what they think is just a game, but what they’re doing could could lead to a real-life nuclear war. It is not known whether the new version will change things, although it’s safe to safe the computer graphics will have improved since 1983.

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ACTORS: Ansel Elgort, Tye Sheridan

Scott Cooper To Helm Granite Mountain Hotshots Firefighting Film

June 25, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Out of the Furnace may have failed at the box office, but its director, Scott Cooper, is now brewing up another film, as he is set to helm a film about the Granite Mountain Hotshots firefighter crew from Prescott, Arizona, according to Variety.

The brave group made headlines last year when 19 of these elite firefighters were killed battling the Yarnell Hill wildfire last June. The incident was the largest single loss of lives on US soil since 9/11 and the greatest loss of wildland firefighters in more than eight decades. The film will focus on this tragedy.

Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down) is writing the script.

Scott Cooper comments, “The heroic and tragic story of the men who gave their lives to protect the community of Yarnell is heartbreaking, compelling and inspiring. I look forward to telling their story with the respect, sensitivity and authenticity that these true American heroes deserve.”

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DIRECTORS: Scott Cooper

Funding Sought For Love Is All You Need? Gay Role-Reversal Feature Film

June 24, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Just over a year ago we posted a 20-minute short film called Love Is All You Need?, which posited a world where gay people rule and straights are vilified. Now an IndieGoGo campaign is in full swing to try and get it turned into a feature film. Unfortunately though while there are only a few days left it’s far from its $250,000 goal.

The original short has 13 film festival awards, and – as a viral video – has been viewed (on various platforms) over 30 million times to date. Based on the premise of the reversed world – where social roles are inverted – gay is straight and straight is gay – the viewpoint allows viewers to ‘walk a mile; in another’s shoes.

The feature film version has the support of GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) and From The Heart Productions – a charity and supporter of independent filmmakers for over 25 years. It also has top Hollywood casting director Mary Vernieu (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, Silver Linings Playbook) to cast the movie.

With the short, the flipping of the anti-LGBT bullying script in Love Is All You Need? has proved to be a powerful teaching tool, with the film translated into astonishing 15 languages in an effort to help spread its important message.

It’s the first time GLSEN has partnered with a production company, but they saw value in the short. The organisation’s Braden Lay-Michaels comments, “When we first saw the short film, ‘Love Is All You Need?’ GLSEN was drawn to this important project. It has always been our mission to ensure that every student in every school is valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation gender identity or gender expression.”

While the short has been broadly welcomed, it has also ignited controversy in the small Florida town of Palatka, where a first year science teacher came under fire for screening the short to his ninth through 12 grade students. Both his contract and that of the school’s principle were not renewed. So it seems its message still has some places to go.

If you want to help fund the feature film version, head over to IndieGoGo. If you need more persuasion, look at the report below about the teacher who was essentially fired for showing the short. [Read more…]

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New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trailer – Plus character posters for the young amphibians

June 24, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

There was a lot of groaning at the first trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a lot of it based around the fact many fans didn’t like the fact the Turtles had flatter faces than we’re used to.

Now a new promo is here and to be honest it’s looking like it might be quite fun and as Michael Bay produced it, it’s not too surprising there’s plenty of hyperbolic action. Alongside the trailer we’ve also got four new characters posters, so you can take a look at the Turtles and decide if you like the new faces.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘The city needs heroes. Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April (Megan Fox) and her wise-cracking cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.’

We’ve still got a while to wait a little while for this one though, as the Jonathan Liebesman directed movie doesn’t hit US cinemas until August, while the UK currently has to wait until October.

Take a look at the trailer and three more character posters below. [Read more…]

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DIRECTORS: Jonathan Liebesman FILMS: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Iron Man 3’s Shane Black Set To Reboot Predator

June 24, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

After a couple of badly received Alien Vs. Predator movies and Robert Rodriguez’s Predators, many had thought the Predator franchise had finally run out of steam. However it seems Fox doesn’t think so as THR reports they’re planning a reboot.

They’ve also hired a good man to oversee it, as Iron Man 3 director and Lethal Weapon creator Shane Black in onboard to write a treatment for the project and direct. As Black is busy putting together The Nice Guys and Doc Savage, he won’t actually write the film himself. Instead those duties will be handled by his old friend Fred Dekker, with whom he wrote 1987’s Monster Squad.

It’s an interesting way of things coming full-circle, as when the original Predator was in the works, the studio continually tried to get Black to take a look at the script, but he refused. They even gave him a small role in the movie in the hope he would give the screenplay a polish, but he still wouldn’t do it. Now though he’s taking the reins completely.

There’s no news on exactly what direction the reboot will take, or whether it will return us to the jungle where Arnie first encountered the alien bounty hunter.

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DIRECTORS: Shane Black

Channing Tatum, Ralph Fiennes & Tilda Swinton Will Hail, Caesar! Alongside George Clooney

June 24, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

The Coen Brothers are going for star power with their upcoming Hail Caesar!, as they already George Clooney and Josh Brolin attached, and now THR reports they’re set to be joined by Channing Tatum, Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton.

The film is about Eddie Mannix, a 1950s fixer who works for major Hollywood studios. His job is to try and keep the movie stars in line and also cover up their indiscretions.

Tatum will be ‘a Gene Kelly-type star while Fiennes would play Laurence Lorenz, a studio director, and Swinton will portray a powerful Hollywood gossip columnist’ It’s still now 100% who George Clooney and Josh Brolin are portraying at this time, although it’s believed Clooney will be Mannix.

Many of the Coens’ earlier movies harked back to Hollywood’s Golden Age and this would appear to be a return to their love of Tinsel Town in the 40s and 50s. It’s also suggested there are plenty more colourful characters in the script the Coens can find some great actors to play.

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ACTORS: Channing Tatum, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, George Clooney, Josh Bolin DIRECTORS: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen FILMS: Hail Caesar

Brad Pitt Looks Exhausted In The First Fury Poster

June 24, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

It doesn’t look like Brad Pitt’s character in Fury is going to be overfilled with joy about commanding a tank in Fury, as in the first poster for the World War II movie he’s looking pretty exhausted and upset.

Starring Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal, Fury ‘is set at the very end of World War II, in April 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theater, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy (Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

‘Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.’

David Ayer directs the movie, which is due out at the end of the year.

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ACTORS: Brad Pitt DIRECTORS: David Ayer FILMS: Fury

LGBTQueerstory Wants To Tell Gay History In Stop Motion, And It Needs Your Help

June 23, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

There is an ever-increasing stream of LGBT-themed projects looking for funding via crowdsourcing, but it’s always nice when something a little different comes along. So how about a stop-motion animated short film series about queer history?

That’s what we’ve got with LGBTQueerstory, which has launch a campaign to raise $4,700 via Kickstarter.

The idea is that ‘This will be an ongoing, educational web series done in stop motion and various other animation styles that focuses on teaching LGBTQ history. Each episode is currently about 5 minutes long. The target audience is early to mid-20s. It will cover topics ranging from Stonewall to the decriminalization of homosexuality in the US to people of interest/ importance (Alan Turing, RuPaul, Billie Jean King, etc) to anything in between. It is meant to be an intro to LGBTQ history of sorts and is meant to inspire independent study. Discussion of each episode’s topic will be encouraged and suggestions for future topics or topics to cover in more detail will be welcome and considered.

‘My main goal with this project is to show the positive ways the LGBTQ community has impacted the world and to show young LGBTQ persons the triumphs and struggles that led us to where we are now, hopefully inspiring the next generation to keep up the fight for equality. That is it in a nutshell.’

Take a look at the pitch video below and then head over to Kickstarter to help out. [Read more…]

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Benedict Cumberbatch Is Gay Codebreaker Alan Turing In New Imitation Game Pics

June 23, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Benedict Cumberbatch & Charles Dance in The Imitation Game

While some are still angry that Benedict Cumberbatch is playing Alan Turing in The Imitation Game, early buzz says it could be the strongest performance of the his career so far (although many Leo DiCaprio fans will never get over the fact he was supposed to star at some point).

Now a couple of new pics have arrived via Empire, which may not convince anyone he look anything like Turing, but we’re sure his fans will be excited.

The film is a biopic of Turing, a pioneer of modern-day computing who is credited with helping crack the fiendish German codes, such as Enigma, during the Second World War. The film chronicles the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team at Britain’s top-secret code-breaking centre, Bletchley Park. Turing, whose contributions and genius significantly shortened the war, saving thousands of lives, was the eventual victim of an unenlightened British Establishment.

Tragically in the 1950s Turing admitted to the police he was gay while reporting a robbery, believing they would protect him and catch those who’d stolen from him. Instead it was him who found himself in court. After he was convicted he was shunned by the establishment and despite his incredible mind he found himself pushed to the sidelines. He committed suicide (although some say it was an accident) not too long afterwards.

Director Morten Tyldum says of what drew him to the film, “It is such a complex story. It was the gay rights element, but also how his ideas were kept secret and how incredibly important his work was during the war, that he was never given credit for it.”

Cumberbatch stars alongside Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Mark Strong, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance, Allen Leech and Matthew Beard. The film currently has an Oscar-bait November release date set.

Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley & Mark Strong in The Imitation Game

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ACTORS: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Mark Strong, Charles Dance DIRECTORS: Morten Tyldum FILMS: The Imitation Game

New Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For Poster Shows Off Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Co.

June 23, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

With the marketing for Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For it really does seem that they’re trying to suggest that if you liked the first one you’ll be getting more of the same for the second. Indeed if you didn’t read the full title, you could easily think this was a poster for the first movie – except this time the comic book noir world will be in 3D.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it did give us a sense of deja vu.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Nine years after the box-office smash SIN CITY, the stories of the notorious city dwellers resume in the hugely anticipated sequel SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR. Boasting an all-star cast led by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises), Eva Green (Dark Shadows), Juno Temple (Killer Joe), Jessica Alba (Sin City, Fantastic Four), Bruce Willis (Looper) and Josh Brolin (Old Boy), this next installment promises to take audiences on a visceral ride into the twisted minds of Frank Miller’s unforgettable characters.

‘Co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite to bring Miller’s visually stunning “Sin City” graphic novels back to the screen in SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR. Weaving together two of Miller’s classic stories with new tales, the town’s most hard boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more reviled inhabitants. SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR is the follow-up to Rodriguez and Miller’s 2005 ground-breaking film, FRANK MILLER’S SIN CITY.’

The film’s due to hit UK cinemas on 25th August 2014 (which oddly enough is a Monday).

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ACTORS: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Eva Green, Josh Brolin DIRECTORS: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller FILMS: Sin City: A Dame To Kill For