On Gear Live: Samsung S95C: The OLED TV You Can’t Afford (to Ignore!)

Cinecast: Leto Gets Really Method, Schwartzman Cast in ‘Jurassic World’?

Lynne Ramsay+ In order to really get a feel for his role as a trans woman in The Dallas Buyers Club, Jared Leto reportedly remained in character for the duration of production. In addition to meeting with people in the trans community, he waxed most of his body hair and learned to apply his own makeup. Perhaps his intense method will pay off in the end, as his performance has attracted some Oscar buzz already.

+ Four theaters in Sweden have applied and displayed the result of the Bechdel Test to their current screening films. Those that pass the test (achieved if the film features two female characters who talk about something other than a man) are screened on Sundays. It may not seem like a lot, but it's more than what we're doing here in the States for better female representation in film.

+ Rumors are going around that Jason Schwartzman is set to appear in the upcoming Jurassic World, which is a relaunch of the Jurassic Park franchise. Schwartzman's rep has yet to confirm (nor deny!) the claim.

Click to continue reading Cinecast: Leto Gets Really Method, Schwartzman Cast in ‘Jurassic World’?


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This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: October 12, 2010

How to Train Your Dragon DVDHere are some of the options available this Tuesday:

  • Arn: The Knight Templar: DVD, Blu-ray
  • The Darjeeling Limited (Criterion Collection): DVD, Blu-ray
  • The Hangover (Extreme Edition): DVD, Blu-ray
  • How to Train Your Dragon: DVD/Blu-ray Combo
  • I Am Love: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Jonah Hex: DVD/Blu-ray Combo
  • Leaves of Grass: DVD, Blu-ray
  • The Magician (Criterion Collection): DVD, Blu-ray
  • Red Dragon: Blu-ray
  • Sex and Lucia: Blu-ray
  • Three Kings: Blu-ray

Make sure to also check out the TV-on-DVD options for this week.

Read More | Amazon

Box Office Breakdown: New Moon Covers Its Blind Side

New Moon

What looked like a possible upset early in the game ended in another win for . Although the film pulled in another $42.9 million over the holiday weekend, the Twilight sequel dropped approximately 70% from its first frame and escaped second place by a mere $2.8 million.

The vampires were given a run for their box office dollars by The Blind Side, the sports drama starring Sandra Bullock. Unlike Moon, the heartwarming film actually saw improvement in its second week. The entry also managed to hold off the Chris Weitz-helmed project on Thanksgiving Day.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: New Moon Covers Its Blind Side

Read More | Variety

In Theaters This Weekend: November 20, 2009

The Blind Side

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

  • The Blind Side (PG-13): starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron (directed by John Lee Hancock)
  • New Moon (PG-13): starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner (directed by Chris Weitz)
  • Planet 51 (PG): starring Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Jessica Biel (directed by Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: November 20, 2009


In Theaters This Weekend: November 13, 2009

2012

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

  • 2012 (PG-13): starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor (directed by Roland Emmerich)
  • Pirate Radio (R): starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans (directed by Richard Curtis)
  • Dare* (R): starring Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Ashleigh Springer (directed by Adam Salky)
  • The End of Poverty?* (NR): starring Martin Sheen (directed by Philippe Diaz)
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox* (PG): starring George Clooney, Jason Schwartzman, Meryl Streep (directed by Wes Anderson)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: November 13, 2009


Jason Schwartzman Eyed Up Clooney

Jason SchwartzmanMegan Fox won’t have to worry about Jason Schwartzman staring at her—he seems to have eyes for George Clooney.

The Rushmore actor said working with George Clooney on animated film Fantastic Mr Fox was a bizarre and amazing experience.

“Typically when you’re working with someone it’s not kosher to just kind of gaze at them because you’re usually on camera as well. But when we were sitting around a table with just a recorder, it was really nice for me to be able to look at George. I admit I might have actually been staring. Obviously, he’s a handsome gentleman, but what I found fascinating was just kind of watching him work. It was like having a front row seat in an acting class.”

Jason, 29, said director Wes Anderson got the cast to spend lots of time together, so he could capture audio of them interacting: “He also took us to this farm on a field trip where we ran around and played in the dirt and did all sorts of crazy things. I was like, ‘I can’t believe my life has come to this moment where I’m on the ground digging with George Clooney.’ It was so bizarre and amazing.”


Animated Wes Anderson Film to Open AFI Fest

Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr. Fox to open AFI Fest

The Royal Tenenbaums writer-director Wes Anderson is already garnering positive attention for his first stop-motion animated film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, as it has been picked to open the American Film Institute’s Film Festival.

It was at this same gala last year that Juno was chosen as the centerpiece film, impressing critics and prompting movie buzz.

The film stars the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and many more familiar vocals (check out the trailer after the jump).

Click to continue reading Animated Wes Anderson Film to Open AFI Fest

Read More | The Hollywood Reporter

Wes Anderson’s ‘Hotel Chevalier’ Free on iTunes

Hotel Chevalier balconyA 13-minute prequel to Wes Anderson’s new film, The Darjeeling Limited, has just become available as a free download on iTunes. The short film, entitled Hotel Chevalier, has been released over the internet in what seems to be a cross-promotional move by Anderson, who screened the short on the festival circuit but will not include it with the theatrical release. It appears to be a precursor to the situation which Jason Schwartzman’s character finds himself in at the beginning of Darjeeling. Knowing Wes Anderson, however, the two could have little to no relation at all.

The short involves Schwartzman and Natalie Portman as two former lovers in an uncomfortable first encounter after an apparent falling-out. As an added bonus, the two share a steamy moment in which Portman removes all of her clothes and mounts Schwartzman on a hotel bed; sadly, to the chagrin of many a fanboy, the sly camera work leaves much to the imagination. But Hotel Chevalier is classic Anderson—humorous, charming and unabashedly awkward. Look for The Darjeeling Limited in limited release this weekend—if you can bear to watch a post-trauma Owen Wilson, that is.

Read More | Cinematical

In Theaters This Weekend (9/28)

The Kingdom

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

  • The Game Plan (PG):  starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Madison Pettis (directed by Andy Fickman)
  • The Kingdom (R):  starring Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner (directed by Peter Berg)
  • The Darjeeling Limited* (R):  starring Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson (directed by Wes Anderson)
  • Feast of Love* (R):  starring Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear (directed by Robert Benton)
  • Lust, Caution* (NC-17):  starring Tony Leung, Tang Wei (directed by Ang Lee)
  • Outsourced* (PG-13):  starring Larry Pine, Asif Basra (directed by John Jeffcoat)
  • Trade* (R):  starring Kevin Kline, Cesar Ramos (directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner)


*limited or gradual release


Will Owen Wilson’s Troubles Make ‘Darjeeling’ Hard To Watch?

Darjeeling Limited

While at the theaters this weekend, I caught my first glimpse of The Darjeeling Limited trailer. The movie from Wes Anderson (the Royal Tenenbaums) centers around three brothers who try and bond during a train trip through India.

I’m not one who would typically turn away from a movie based on events in the news—I still watched Apocalypto despite Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic remarks—but I must admit I squirmed a bit watching Darjeeling.  This was the film Owen Wilson was scheduled to promote around the time of his suicide attempt.

Again, I realize Owen’s personal issues should not affect my opinion of what could otherwise be a good movie.  But how could I not be distracted if I tried to sit through this film?  I’d have to stare at a character whose face is bandaged up! (Yes, I realize that’s not the part of his body I should be concerned with).  But in just that short segment, I found myself feeling very uncomfortable and sad every time he came on screen.  I felt like a voyeur studying the moments before he hit bottom.

I’m not saying I won’t watch Darjeeling—I’m just admitting that Wilson’s troubles could color my decision.  Tell me—am I being ridiculous?  Should I be making an extra effort to watch this film as a show of support?  Or am I not alone in feeling this way?

The movie, also starring Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody, opens in limited release on September 29.


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