“If you ride like lightning, you’re going to crash like thunder,” sounds like something Dennis Hopper would have said in the 1970s (and, actually, the 80s, too), but the always-compelling Ben Mendelsohn gets the line in Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond The Pines . Although you only hear Mendelsohn deliver it in voiceover in this trailer for the feature, it’s a warning he delivers to his partner-in-crime motorcycle stuntman-turned-bank robber Ryan Gosling in the film. As you can piece together from the clip below (which comes via Yahoo! ), Gosling turns outlaw to support the surprise son he finds out he has (thanks to a fling with Eva Mendes’ character) and ends up on a collision course with a cop played by Bradley Cooper. (That tear Baby Goose sheds in the church is over his little boy, who’s played by a kid named Anthony Pizza, believe it or not.) But don’t be like the guy in Yahoo! comments section who thinks the trailer gives away the whole movie. The Place Beyond the Pines is way more complex than a heist flick. As the tag line in the trailer reads: “One moment defines your life. One decision becomes your legacy.” I’m curious to see whether Cianfrance has re-edited the film since I saw it at the Toronto International Film Festival . I thought the way he structured the movie was daring and inspired, if a bit unwieldy in places, but there was some grumbling among the crowd that the movie’s three interlocking stories didn’t fit together so well. The movie opens theatrically March 20. RELATED: Ryan Gosling: ‘I’m Not Allowed to Have An Opinion’ About The Media’s Coverage Of My Life The Principals Behind The Pines : Gosling and Cianfrance On Robbing Banks, Fatherhood, Face Tattoos, And More [ Yahoo! ] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Kristen Stewart will star opposite Ben Affleck in a con-artist comedy. Also in Monday’s round-up of news briefs, a Chinese actor will take up a role in Iron Man 3 as the production heads to Beijing; NY Online Film Critics pick their top film for 2012; and Broken wins top British Independent Film prize. Kristen Stewart Confirms Focus with Ben Affleck Stewart says she’ll join Ben Affleck in the con-artist comedy Focus . She’ll play an inexperienced con artist who meets a more seasoned counterpart, played by Affleck. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are directing from their script, Deadline reports . Bradley Cooper to Receive Palm Springs International Film Festival Fete Silver Linings Playbook” star Bradley Cooper will receive the Desert Palm achievement award for acting at the Palm Springs Film Festival’s awards gala. The ceremony will be held Jan. 5 during the 24th edition of the festival taking place January 3 – 14, Variety reports . China’s Wang Xuequi Joins Iron Man 3 Marvel starts filming Iron Man 3 scenes in Beijing and has cast actor Wang Xuequi as a new character, ‘Dr. Wu.’ It was rumored Hong Kong actor Andy Lau would join the pic as an ally of billionaire inventor Tony Stark, but he backed out, Deadline reports . NY Film Critics Online Pick Zero Dark Thirty The New York Film Critics Online gave their kudos to Zero Dark Thirty on Sunday, voting it the year’s best picture and also naming Kathryn Bigelow best director. The film also won an award for Mark Boal’s screenplay, THR reports . Broken Wins Top British Independent Film Awards Prize Broken , the debut feature by theatre director Rufus Norris, also picked up a best supporting actor prize for Rory Kinnear. Psychological thriller Berberian Sound Studio won the most awards including best director for Peter Strickland and best actor for Toby Jones, BBC reports .
In another major awards win for Kathryn Bigelow ‘s latest, Zero Dark Thirty took major nods from the National Board of Review, receiving kudos for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress for Jessica Chastain . [ Related: NY Film Critics Circle Spices Up Oscar Race With ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Best Picture Pick ] Also taking major wins by the group were Bradley Cooper for Best Actor for Silver Linings Playbook , Leonardo DiCaprio (Best Supporting Actor) for Django Unchained , while Michael Haneke’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner Amour took Best Foreign Language Film. Sundance ’12 winner Beasts of the Southern Wild won both Best Directorial Debut for Benh Zeitlin and the Breakthrough Actress prize for Quevenzhané Wallis. Ben Affleck’s Argo received a Special Achievement in Filmmaking mention. Meredith Vieira will host the National Board of Review Gala on January 8th in New York. 2012 National Board of Review Prizes : Best Film: Zero Dark Thirty Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook Best Actress: Jessica Chastain , Zero Dark Thirty Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio , Django Unchained Best Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd , Compliance Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson , Looper Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell , Silver Linings Playbook Best Animated Feature: Wreck-It Ralph Special Achievement in Filmmaking: Ben Affleck , Argo Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland , The Impossible Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis , Beasts of the Southern Wild Best Directorial Debut: Benh Zeitlin , Beasts of the Southern Wild Best Foreign Language Film: Amour Best Documentary: Searching for Sugarman William K. Everson Film History Award: 50 Years of Bond Films Best Ensemble: Les Misérables Spotlight Award: John Goodman (Argo, Flight, Paranorman, Trouble with the Curve) NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Central Park Five NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Promised Land Top Films (in alphabetical order) ARGO BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD DJANGO UNCHAINED LES MISÉRABLES LINCOLN LOOPER THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER PROMISED LAND SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK Top 5 Foreign Language Films (In Alphabetical Order) BARBARA THE INTOUCHABLES THE KID WITH A BIKE NO WAR WITCH Top 5 Documentaries (In Alphabetical Order) AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY DETROPIA THE GATEKEEPERS THE INVISIBLE WAR ONLY THE YOUNG Top 10 Independent Films (In Alphabetical Order) ARBITRAGE BERNIE COMPLIANCE END OF WATCH HELLO I MUST BE GOING LITTLE BIRDS MOONRISE KINGDOM ON THE ROAD QUARTET SLEEPWALK WITH ME
There’s nothing like a good bit of alternate “What if?” casting to make you appreciate a movie whose stars’ chemistry works, so picture what might have been if David O. Russell had made his Oscar contender Silver Linings Playbook a few years back… with Vince Vaughn and Zooey Deschanel . “I wrote this five years ago and I rewrote it 20 times,” Russell told The Huffington Post . “And I thought I was going to make it with Vince Vaughn and Zooey Deschanel before The Fighter . And then it didn’t happen, for any number of reasons that were out of my hands.” Head here to read the full Silver Linings chat, in which Russell big ups stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and offers little hope that we’ll ever see the infamously stalled Nailed . Meanwhile, as awards pundit Anne Thompson notes , Silver Linings is flagging in the crowded Oscar race after enjoying a burst of momentum in previous weeks. Maybe a celebrity endorsement from Oscar-winner Charlize Theron will help? Here’s Theron waxing enthusiastic over Lawrence in EW’s Entertainers of the Year cover story: “How is it that she can just stand there, not saying a word, and make us feel so much? Her talent is undeniable, and she is a force to be reckoned with.” Theron should know; she starred as the older version of a pre-fame, pre- Hunger Games Lawrence (or vice versa — Lawrence starred as the young Theron, opposite Revolution ‘s J.D. Pardo) in 2008’s The Burning Plain . [ Huffington Post , EW , Thompson on Hollywood ]
Bradley Cooper’s past comes back to haunt him in The Silver Linings Playbook . Check out what’s playing at the movie theatre that serves as a backdrop for an emotional confrontation between Cooper and co-star Jennifer Lawrence. It’s Midnight Meat Train , a pre-stardom cult curio in Cooper’s career. It’s a nifty visual in-joke — perpetrated by Silver Linings Playbook director David O. Russell — that may escape those unfamiliar with Cooper’s oeuvre or are too wrapped up in the intense scene to notice. After the jump you’ll find a representative sampling of some you may have missed and things to watch and listen for so you don’t. What’s Playing? Movie marquees and posters have long been handy props for filmmakers to sneak in a visual aside. In Lethal Weapon , a marquee displays the The Lost Boys , (“This summer’s hit”), which director Richard Donner executive produced. The Kiefer Sutherland vampire classic would not be release until four months after Lethal Weapon, however. In Back to the Future Part II , the main attraction in 2015 at Hill Valley’s Holomax theatre is Jaws 19 (“This time, it’s really, really personal”) directed by Max Spielberg, the son of BTTF executive producer Steven. Richard Benjamin paid homage to his wife in Made in America with a theater marquee announcing a Paula Prentiss retrospective. For the “Thriller” music video, John Landis (more on him later) couldn’t resist displaying a poster for his first film, Schlock , at the theatre where Michael Jackson and his date see a horror movie.
It speaks to just how good David O. Russell is at portraying raw, high-strung sincerity that Silver Linings Playbook is able to walk a line between likable and tolerable despite a premise the reeks of quirky bullshit. In addition to its frequently cutesy treatment of mental illness, the movie features a love interest who instantly latches onto and pursues the film’s mess of a hero like she read the script in advance and was assured things will eventually work out. Based on a novel by Matthew Quick and adapted for the screen by Russell himself, Silver Linings Playbook is an unfussy, rambling crowd-pleaser that recalls elements of the filmmaker’s past work: the New Age coachings of the existential detectives in I Heart Huckabees, the back-in-your-childhood-home set-up of Spanking the Monkey and the chaotic regional family flavor of The Fighter . More than any of that, though, the movie brings to mind the leaked videos of Russell having a meltdown in front of Lily Tomlin on the set of Huckabees , pacing back and forth, incensed and out of control. Russell seems, from all accounts, like a man who knows his way around mood swings and wild bursts of emotion. His very apparent ability to empathize with his protagonist in Silver Linings Playbook while allowing him to behave in some ugly ways both grounds the film and, at times, proves problematic. Russell is more generous with his hero than he is with those who live with and love the guy. Pat ( Bradley Cooper ) is a former teacher back from eight months in a Baltimore mental institution, The state-provided treatment he’s receiving for a previously undiagnosed bipolar disorder is part of a plea bargain stemming from his violent reaction to the discovery that his wife Nikki (Brea Bee) had been fooling around with another man. Pat has talked his mother Dolores (Jacki Weaver) into letting him come home against his doctor’s recommendation, and with Nikki having sold their house and secured a restraining order against him, he moves into the attic of his Pennsylvania childhood home and attempts to get his life in order. Despite having embraced a new fitness regimen (he’s rarely dressed in anything other than workout gear, with the occasional addition of a garbage bag-like vest to stimulate sweating) and a garbled but deeply felt set of self-help principles involving finding silver linings, maintaining positivity and the affirmation “excelsior,” Pat’s not doing that well. He isn’t taking his meds, he unapologetically bursts into his parents’ room at four in the morning to complain about the ending of A Farewell to Arms and he’s fixated on how he’s going to prove himself to Nikki and win her back, despite all the evidence that she’s done with him. Cooper’s slippery charm makes him an unexpected and imperfect fit for the role of Pat. He’s great at portraying his character’s utter conviction in his delusions and his enveloping rage when something pushes him over the edge. But, as devoted as he is to the role, Cooper does less well showing the character’s filter-free, no pretense appeal. To put it another way, Cooper tends to get cast as a handsome jerk for a reason, and given the oafish way he reacts to Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) when they first meet in the movie, it’s not easy to see why she would be so instantly and strongly attracted to him. She literally begins chasing him down the street when he goes for runs until he starts spending time with her. Tiffany, who is the widowed sister of the wife (Julia Stiles) of Pat’s friend Ronnie (John Ortiz), has some instability and past tragedy of her own to deal with, but Pat doesn’t want to play reluctant outcasts with her. He is determined to become the upright citizen he thinks Nikki wants. Lawrence imbues this potential (okay, likely) manic pixie dream girl with complexity and heart, showing her as someone who’s unwilling to let Pat push her around or push her away — though aside from Tiffany’s loneliness, Lawrence is given little to indicate why her character feels compelled to try so hard with this erratic new arrival in her life. She enlists Pat as her partner in a dance competition, and slowly begins to win him over as well as his family, which is headed up by a skeptical Robert De Niro as Pat Sr., a football obsessive and bookie whose superstitious beliefs feed into his OCD. The glorious mess that is Pat’s family and community is the warmest, funniest aspect of Silver Linings Playbook , from Dolores’ continual preparation of “crabby snacks and homemades” to the earnest but panicked Ronnie and the repeated arrivals and subsequent reclaimings by police of Pat’s friend from the hospital Danny (Chris Tucker). De Niro, showing uncharacteristic (for his recent work) signs of life, is downright wonderful as Pat Sr., channeling his fondness and hope for his wayward son into an insistence that Pat watch Eagles games with him because he brings good luck. Pat isn’t as lovable as the filmmaker seems to find him, and sentiments like the one expressed by Danny that the mentally ill might “know something you don’t know” come cloyingly close to suggesting Silver Linings Playbook believes mood disorders to be a gift. The tangible details of the town and its supporting characters are anything but saccharine, however, and when the film takes time and indulges in them, it creates a sense of place you don’t want to leave behind. Follow Alison Willmore on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
It was Divas Night on The X Factor Wednesday, as contestants took to the stage and belted out songs by famous women. But which female contestant will enjoy the most success once Season 2 is said and done? We’ve already asked readers to compare the young adults managed by Britney Spears. Are you on Team Jennel, Paige or CeCe ? Now we’re back with the youngest remaining singers: Diamond White, Carly Rose Sonenclar, Beatrice Miller and Arin Ray. Compare the charges of Demi Lovato now and cast your vote… Diamond White – “Halo” Beatrice Miller – “Time After Time” Carly Rose Sonenclar – “My Heart Will Go On” Arin Ray – “Crazy For You” Which performance did you like best? Arin Ray – “Crazy For You” Beatrice Miller – “Time After Time” Carly Rose Sonenclar – “My Heart Will Go On” View Poll »
Yesterday, People anointed Channing Tatum Sexiest Man Alive . Without a doubt, 2012 was Tatum’s year, with three successful movies in The Vow, Magic Mike , and 21 Jump Street . But People has its share of critics just the same. The main complaint? With a singular exception – Denzel Washington in 1996 – the magazine has picked a square-jawed white guy (usually an actor) EVERY year. In 2008, Hugh Jackman took the top honor. In 2009, Johnny Depp was selected for a second time. Last year, Bradley Cooper walked away with the crown. The year before that, it was Ryan Reynolds, perhaps in anticipation of his film Green Lantern . Should they rename it Sexiest Milquetoast White Man Alive? Asks the Daily Beast: Where are the Blair Underwoods, the Taye Diggses, the Morris Chestnuts? The Terrence Howards, the Jesse Williamses, the Idris Elbas? Inside. And if you believe People ’s official line, it is what’s inside that counts. A representative for the magazine wrote: “ People is sensitive to representing people of color in its pages; our Sexiest Man Alive issue is no exception. Every section in this year’s issue includes a diverse group of men.” Brett R. Johnson, associate editor of The Root, said, “That response is expected … They can’t come out and say black men don’t sell magazine covers.” Though there are some sports celebrities, most of the picks skew toward Hollywood, and actors rather than musicians. Perhaps that’s part of the issue. Jay-Z, Kanye West, Kobe Bryant, or Michael Jordan during their primes would’ve been fine cover stars, no? A rep for People explained of the criteria: “Is he hot at the moment? Is he sexy? Is his career on fire this year? Channing Tatum fits that criteria this year, which is why he was named 2012 Sexiest Man Alive.” The list, then, said Jezebel ‘s Jessica Coen, isn’t truthfully the “sexiest man in general, just – ‘handsome man who’s getting the most work right now,’ “And what makes that so strange is that People is not a trade mag.” “People’s response places the blame on Hollywood. That’s a copout. They have a lot of power as a media outlet, but their response is akin to throwing up their hands.” “Hollywood and the media – and that includes People – have a highly symbiotic relationship.” “Putting a man of color on the inside is like saying, ‘He’s hot, sure, but just not hot enough for the cover. Only a white man can be number one.’” “Which is kind of how the world has worked for the past couple centuries.” What do you think? Share your comments and vote in our survey below: Channing Tatum: Sexiest Man Alive? Yes, look at him! Nah, but he ain’t shabby! Not even close! View Poll »
Hollywood.TV is your source for all the latest celebrity news, gossip and videos of your favorite stars! bit.ly – Click to Subscribe! Facebook.com – Become a Fan! Twitter.com – Follow Us! “Silver Linings Playbook,” starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, had its premiere Monday night in NYC and Hollywood.TV was on the red carpet. “Silver Linings Playbook” stars Cooper as a former teacher who moves back in with his parents after a stint in a mental institution and finds a kindred spirit in a young widow played by Jennifer Lawrence. It debuted at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this fall, where it earned the festival’s audience award.The film will be released in theaters on Nov. 21. Hollywood.TV is the global leader in capturing celebrity breaking news as it happens. We cover all the major Hollywood events including The Golden Globes, The Oscars, The Screen Actors Guild Awards, The Grammy’s, The Emmy’s and the American Music Awards, as well as all the red carpet movie premiers in Los Angeles and New York. HTV is on the streets 24/7, at all the industry events and invited by the stars to cover their every move in Hollywood, New York and Miami. Hollywood.TV is currently the third most viewed reporter channel on www.youtube.com YouTube with almost 400 million views, and our footage is seen worldwide! Tune in daily for all the latest Hollywood news on www.hollywood.tv and http like us on Facebook!
Also in Tuesday’s early round-up of news briefs: Sean Penn is boarding an action thriller; Merchant Ivory composer dies at 71; The Hamptons International Film Festival ‘s head makes an exit; And Future Weather wins top jury prize at Napa Valley Film Festival. Ben Affleck to Receive Santa Barbara Film Festival Honors Affleck will receive the Modern Master Award, its highest honor, at the 28th edition of the festival taking place January 24 – February 3. “Affleck has come into his own as a multi-dimensional artist with Argo ,” commented Santa Barbara International Film Festival executive director Roger Durling, Deadline reports . Ridley Scott to Pursue Bruce Springsteen Documentary Scott is asking fans of the Boss to contribute footage to Springsteen & I . Scott and team will use the model from last year’s Life in a Day which collected footage on a single day, July 24, 2010 by people around the world who captured a moment of their lives on camera. Directed by Baillie Walsh, the project is billed as “an open invitation to people all over the world to share stories that celebrate one of the greatest lyrical storytellers of our generation.” THR reports . Sean Penn to Star in Action Thriller Prone Gunman The story revolves around an international operative named Martin Terrier (Penn) who is betrayed by the organization he works for and must go on the run in a relentless game of cat-and-mouse across Europe, THR reports . Hamptons Film Festival Head Exits Karen Arikian served as Executive Director of the festival for five years. The festival just held its 20th anniversary edition in October and will leave her post at the end of November to pursue other interests. She continues to be the U.S./East Coast delegate for the Berlin International Film Festival and U.S. consultant for European Film Promotion, Deadline reports . Merchant Ivory Composter Richard Robbins Dies at 71 Richard Robbins, the US composer who scored such Merchant Ivory films as A Room with a View , Howards End and The Remains of the Day, has died aged 71. The two-time Oscar nominee died on 7 November of Parkinson’s disease at his home in Rhinebeck, New York, BBC reports . Future Weather Wins 2nd Napa Valley Film Festival The film by Jenny Deller won the jury’s Best Narrative Feature prize, while Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself took the jury award for Best Documentary. Travis Fine’s Any Day Now received the Audience’s choice for Best Narrative Feature while Rising from Ashes took Favorite Documentary in the category.
