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People Find New Way to Rag on Avatar; Film Reportedly Cost Over a Half-Billion Dollars
1 hour ago
It looks like James Cameron’s Avatar is being setup to fail by every metric possible except the one that counts: “Is it a good movie?” Set up for a fall by unreasonable expectations brought on by intense secrecy, Avatar has already been derided for lackluster CG (even though Cameron said at Comic-Con that it was Gollum back in 2002 which confirmed that Avatar was possible) and a New York Times piece which applauded Cameron as a craftsman but one completely oblivious to the needs of actors or a rich story.
Now another damaging story has appeared in the NY Times, this time reporting that the cost of production and marketing for Avatar, spread out over multiple investors, is $500 million dollars. Hit the jump for details and remember that you’ve decided to be disappointed no matter what.
The New York Times reports on the details of the financial transactions involved »
- Matt Goldberg
Geek Gifts: Two Disney Blu-ray’s for $30 Including Pixar’s Up; Buy Up and Monsters, Inc. Together for $32.98
2 hours ago
As I said last week, with the holiday’s approaching and everyone trying to save money, we’re keeping our eyes open for “geek gifts”. And thanks to Amazon, if you haven’t already pre-ordered Up on Blu-ray, they have a great deal that ends tomorrow. If you buy Up for $19.99, you can get a second Disney Blu-ray for an additional $10 dollars. Since the retail price for the four disc Blu-ray of Up is over $40 dollars, this is a great deal as you get two Blu-ray movies for $30 dollars with free shipping and no sales tax (depending where you live). While the list of choices is limited, they do have the Blu-ray’s of Bolt, Snow White, and Cars. Click here to check it out.
However, the best part of the deal for the Pixar fanatics out there is getting Up and Monsters, Inc. (both directed by Pete Docter) together »
- Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub
Matt Damon and George Clooney’s Hamdan V. Rumsfeld May Not Go to Court until 2011
3 hours ago
It seems a bit unfair for me to whine about how George Clooney’s next directing gig, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld starring Matt Damon will probably be pushed back until 2011. These two actors have done outstanding work throughout most of the decade and it’s selfish of me to demand this movie when they’ll each be so busy working on other projects throughout next year that they simply won’t have time to do it. But I will continue to selfishly whine because it’s such an exciting combination and potentially powerful story. Hit the jump to find out why you’re losing your right to a speedy trial (and a laywer and habeus corpus and protections afforded by the Geneva Convention).
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld is the true story of Osama Bin Laden’s chauffeur Salim Ahmed Hamdan capture in Afghanistan, his incarceration in Guantanamo Bay, and how the United »
- Matt Goldberg
Man On Wire Director James Marsh Presses Play on The Vatican Tapes
4 hours ago
After wrapping up on “Red Riding: 1980″, James Marsh, the Oscar-winning director of “Man on Wire”, will move straight to the supernatural thriller “The Vatican Tapes”. According to THR, the film centers on a series of events that unfold after a tape gets leaked from the Vatican displaying an exorcism that goes wrong. It sounds like a solid premise and even though I haven’t seen his 2005 film, “The King” starring Gael Garcia Bernal, I’m excited to find out how Marsh will handle non-documentary films.
But back to “The Vatican Tapes”, I have a question: has there ever been an exorcism gone right? Like the priests finish exorcising the demon, the little girl smiles, the priests high-five, and then everyone goes out for ice cream? Wouldn’t the Catholic Church film a successful exorcism, post it on YouTube, and then say, “Let’s see your Protestantism do that, fuckers! »
- Matt Goldberg
Jamie Foxx and Martin Lawrence to Star in Crossover of 90s Characters Sheneneh And Wanda
13 hours ago
In what I can only pray is a kind of “That would be fun, we should make that movie someday,”-story because I can’t fathom why Jamie Foxx would want to go back and make a movie starring his stand-up/”In Loving Color” character, Wanda Wayne. You don’t see Jim Carrey angling for a Fire Marshall Bill movie and Foxx has far more respect and critical appreciation than Carrey.
On the other hand, I completely understand Martin Lawrence digging his stand-up/”Martin” character, Sheneneh Jenkins for a movie since Lawrence has shown he has no interest in expanding beyond the “College Road Trip”/”Big Momma’s House”-type films he’s done for the past several years. But regardless of their career trajectories, Lawrence and Foxx are planning to star in a feature film crossover of their 90s, ugly women character, “Sheneneh and Wanda”. Hit the jump for details. »
- Matt Goldberg
Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder, and Barbara Hershey Join Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan Starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis
13 hours ago
I thought casting on Darren Aronfosky’s upcoming film, “Black Swan” was finished. You had Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as rival ballet dancers. Audiences wouldn’t mind seeing the two of those women in leotards for two hours so why waste money hiring other actors. I mean, sure the story might demand other characters but I think that’s overkill. But if more actors have to come on board, you could do far worse than Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder, and Barbara Hershey who have now joined the cast. Hit the jump for details.
For those just tuning in, Portman plays ballet dancer Nina who is competing with a rival dancer, Lilly (Kunis) for the role of Odette, the Swan Queen, in the upcoming production of “Swan Lake”. There’s only one slight problem: Lilly may just be a figment of Nina’s imagination or a supernatural apparition. Either way, »
- Matt Goldberg
From Seven to The Reincarnation Of Peter Proud - David Fincher and Andrew Kevin Walker Reunite
15 hours ago
Can two former collaborators once again create the movie magic where a film builds to a point of having Brad Pitt cry, “What’s in the box?! What’s in the fucking box?!” I think “Seven” is a highly entertaining film but what will director David Fincher and screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker create 15 years later? It looks like we’re going to find out. The two have re-teamed to adapt the supernatural thriller “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud”. Hit the jump for more details.
According to Heat Vision, David Fincher is attached to direct the new adaptation of the Max Ehrlich novel, “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” which will be penned by Andrew Kevin Walker. Fincher will produce with Michael De Luca. De Luca is also part of the reunion as he was the president of production over at New Line when Fincher and Walker made “Seven”.
“Proud” was originally »
- Matt Goldberg
Michael Sheen (Aro), Jamie Campbell Bower (Caius), Dakota Fanning (Jane), Cameron Bright (Alec) - The Volturi Press Conference - Twilight: New Moon
17 hours ago
As most of you know, this weekend was the press junket for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” here in Los Angeles. Since so many of the cast were in attendance, Summit Entertainment divided up the actors by who they played in the movie. Since Michael Sheen (Aro), Jamie Campbell Bower (Caius), Dakota Fanning (Jane), and Cameron Bright (Alec) played the Volturi in “New Moon”, it made sense they would share a press conference. So if you’d like to read or listen to what they had to say about their characters and being in “New Moon”, hit the jump.
As always, you can either read the transcript below or click here to listen to the audio. Finally, look for my one on one video interview with Michael Sheen in a few days. It was a great interview that you’ll really enjoy.
Question: Dakota, as such a fan of the series, »
- Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub
Director Duncan Jones Cracks The Source Code with Jake Gyllenhaal; Jones Also Puts Moon Props and Costumes Up for Auction
18 hours ago
For the moment, it looks like “Moon” writer-director Duncan Jones is hitting the pause button on development for his upcoming film, “Mute”. The film is currently struggling through the financial phase because it’s going to be a sci-fi film with a higher budget than the critically acclaimed “Moon” and since it’s an original idea that may not appeal to every single demographic, “Mute” is in a holding pattern. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait for Jones to make a return to directing as he’s signed on to helm “The Source Code” written by Ben Ripley, revisions by Billy Ray, and starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
In addition to this great news, Jones has announced that he will auction off around 70 items from “Moon” starting tomorrow at noon Eastern/9am Pacific. Hit the jump for details on both endeavors.
According to Screen Daily, “The Source Code” is the story »
- Matt Goldberg
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