Also in a Monday afternoon round-up of news briefs, doc filmmaker Werner Herzog eyes a fiction project for his next directorial; Robert Zemeckis set for a Chicago Film Festival award; The Austin Film Festival names its winners and the Toronto International Film Festival sets its 2013 dates. Hugh Grant Joins Romantic Comedy Grant will star in the untitled romantic comedy that begins shooting in New York next April. The story revolves around a witty Englishman who wins an Oscar for Best Screenplay. Years later he is washed up and broke. He takes a job teaching screenwriting at an East Coast school. He’s not thrilled by the idea of teaching, but thinks he could make the moves on young co-eds. But then he finds romance with a single mom. This will be the fourth collaboration with writer/director Marc Lawrence. Toronto International Film Festival Sets 2013 Dates The 2012 event boasted 147 world premieres with over 300 attending filmmakers, according to TIFF. The festival said its 38th edition will take place September 5 – 15. Sparrows Dance and Informant Top Austin Film Festival Winners Noah Buschel’s Sparrows Dance and Jamie Meltzer’s Informant took the Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature prize at the 2012 Austin Film Festival. Narrative short went to Bryan Buckley’s Asad , while See The Dirt by Chelsea Hernandez and Erik Mauck took the doc short award. Around the ‘net… Stephen Colbert to Appear in Hobbit Trilogy The Colbert Report host will have his big screen acting debut with a small role in an upcoming Hobbit pic. Details about his role are not known, but he will not appear in the first of the films, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey . Fans will have to wait for the next installment in 2013 or the finale in 2014 to view him on the big screen, Access Hollywood reports . Wener Herzog to Bring Return to Fiction for Vernon God The Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker will return to fiction for an adaptation of DBC Pierre’s 2003 novel, Vernon God Little His last fiction feature was the eccentric My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done in 2009, and he has concentrated on documentaries in recent years, with Cave of Forgotten Dreams , about the Ardèche cave paintings, and Into the Abyss , a study of Texas’s death row, The Guardian reports . Robert Zemeckis Wins Chicago Film Festival Award Robert Zemeckis will be honored with the Founder’s Award at the 48th Chicago International Film Festival on Thursday. His latest film, Flight is his first return to live-action in 12 years. Starring Denzel Washington, the story revolves around an airline pilot who brilliantly lands a crashing plane, but his heroism masks dark secrets, THR reports .
“We’ve been through tough times, but we always bounce back because of our character.” Barack threw a lot of one-liners during tonight’s debate that are sure to go down in history. And on a night when Robney needed to question Barack, he just proved to be a copycat. Money Mitt kept trying to shift the conversation back to education and the high unemployment rate during the entire debate and in the end, Romney adopted Obama’s foreign policy and looked like an amateur who knew nothing about what it really takes to sit in that chair in the Oval Office! Mexico wasn’t mentioned once in tonight’s debate but China came up in regards to trade and finances. Barack didn’t hesitate to call out Romney on his shady relationship with them either when he said, “If it were up to Romney we’d be buying Chinese cars today, not selling cars to the Chinese”… According to CNN: A forceful President Barack Obama put Republican challenger Mitt Romney on the defensive on foreign policy issues on Monday night, scoring a solid victory in their third and final debate just 15 days before Election Day. Obama displayed the experience of a commander-in-chief in explaining U.S. policy under his leadership and attacking the views and proposals of Romney, a former Massachusetts governor with little experience on overseas issues. Romney applauded Obama’s efforts to kill Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders but insisted that “we can’t kill our way of this mess.” Rather, he pushed for “a comprehensive strategy” to curb violent extremism in the Middle East. “The key is the pathway is to get the Muslim world to reject extremism on its own,” Romney said, proposing U.S. policies to promote economic development, better education, gender equity and to help create institutions. However, he was unable to express any significant policy difference with Obama on how that would happen. Obama responded by criticizing his opponent on a host of foreign policy issues — claiming Romney had favored positions that would have hurt the United States or offered sometimes contradictory views. “What we need to do with respect to the Middle East is strong, steady leadership — not wrong and reckless leadership that is all over the map,” the president said. Romney also repeatedly tried to shift the discussion to his strongest issue — the continued high unemployment and slow economic recovery under Obama — arguing that a strong foreign policy and national defense depends on a strong economy. The president shot back that Romney was basing his comparison on military capability on outdated models, saying America had fewer naval ships than years earlier but also has fewer bayonets. “The question is not a game of ‘Battleship’ where we’re counting ships. It’s a matter of capability,” Obama said. Romney’s economic plan seeks trillions in tax cuts while increasing defense spending, which would increase the deficit, Obama said The candidates were at odds as well about how Washington should ultimately respond to the continuing violence in Syria. We’re pretty sure Mitt’s voting for Barack tomorrow! What were your favorite cracks on Mittens that Obama whipped at the GOP candidate tonight? Photos via gettyimages
Will you be watching tonight? President Obama And Mitt Romney To Square Off In Final Presidential Debate With 2 weeks until election day and the race to the White House as close as its ever been between President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney , tonight’s final presidential debate could very well give one of the candidates the lead needed to claim a victory in November. via NBC News With fifteen days left in a deadlocked presidential contest, ninety minutes on Monday night could prove pivotal. When President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney meet in their third debate tonight in Boca Raton, Fla., it will be their final chance to show a side-by-side comparison to millions of Americans in an election that appears to be teetering delicately in the balance. The candidates have faced off primarily over domestic issues in their two previous encounters but tonight’s debate, moderated by CBS News’ Bob Schieffer, is supposed to focus on foreign policy and the next president’s role as Commander-in-Chief. Meanwhile in Mitt-world , word on the street is that the GOP goons are continuing to do all that they can to keep minorities, women, and anyone else most likely to vote democrat as far away from the polls as possible. So pay attention, get to the polls, and don’t let anyone block your vote ! Images via WENN
As a tough Detroit cop in Rob Cohen’s Alex Cross Rachel Nichols ( G.I. Joe , Conan ) hunts a maniacal serial killer ( Matthew Fox ) alongside Tyler Perry , who attempts to crossover from his niche following to the mainstream with the James Patterson crime thriller. But it’s not the first time the co-stars shared a scene, as Nichols recalled with a laugh: “It took me four days to say, ‘You know what’s really funny? We were in Star Trek together!'” Nichols, down to earth and vivacious in person, has built a career of primarily dramatic roles in film and television since making her feature debut in the comedy prequel Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd . Proving herself both game and capable for an array of physical demands has invited an action heroine streak to sneak into her filmography; between the survival horror P2 , 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra , and last year’s sword-and-sandals adventure Conan (not to mention a guest turn on Criminal Minds and her ongoing lead role as a cop from the future in the 12 Monkeys -esque Continuum ), Nichols is a short list of Hollywood actresses with believable action chops. (As if that wasn’t awesome enough: Nichols also stars in and executive produces the upcoming Raze , an indie film also starring Zoe Bell that she describes as ” Hostel meets Fight Club meets Gladiator ,” with women.) Read on for Nichols’ chat with Movieline about her work in Alex Cross , her Tyler Perry- Star Trek connection, and nerding out over the role that kick-started her action career: J.J. Abrams ‘ Alias . Tyler Perry is the big draw and fascination in this film, stepping out of his comfort zone, but how familiar were you with him and his work before working on this movie? I had seen a bunch of the Madea movies and I’ve always contended that anybody that can do comedy, and can do comedy well, can do anything in the entertainment realm. I think comedy is the most demanding and difficult and the most harshly criticized, and Tyler has this presence about him; as soon as I shook his hand the first day on set I knew he could do this. No problem. He’s got this presence, and he’s very approachable, and he’s very kind — he’s got these really expressive eyes, and then we were doing the tactical training and spitballing and laughing and I thought to myself, he could really do this. And I thought it was a really interesting choice, because I do like it when people step out of their comfort zone. And I’m sure that for years people have been saying, “Tyler, do this — or Tyler, do that project,” and I thought it was really cool that he chose this one. The movie opens in the middle of an action sequence, with you, Tyler, and Ed Burns chasing down a perp. Tyler eventually catches him first, but I’ve seen you in enough action roles to second guess that outcome. In real life who would win in a foot race? Hmm. I’ve never been particularly fast. I don’t know! I’ve never seen the man run. That’s a really good question. He got in great shape for the movie. But I bet Matthew [Fox] would beat all of us. His physical transformation was astounding. I know! What he created and what he did… when I saw him on set I didn’t work with him, but I saw him at dinners and out and when I saw the film and really watched what he did, I was blown away. I’ve known Matthew – we have the same manager, I’ve met him a bunch of times, I loved Party of Five like every other woman in America, I loved LOST — and when I saw him in this, I found him incredibly scary, which is a testament to the job that he did because he’s not incredibly scary. Was it scary to see him around on set, living in the skin of Picasso? I saw him around and he seemed very much into it but it wasn’t like he was Method all the time, that guy the entire time day in and day out. But obviously the diet and the fighting and the training, he was so dedicated. It was interesting to watch knowing what he had put into it. I find it interesting that you and Tyler share a Star Trek connection. I know! It’s really funny. I had never met Tyler before, and when I met him, immediately he was so disarming and so easy to be around that it took me four days to say, “You know what’s really funny? We were in Star Trek together!” It was this one big scene where they’re at the hearing for the Kobayashi Maru test and I’m the one green girl in this sea of cadets and he’s this high commander. It was really funny — I briefly met him then, I think I shook his hand – and it seems like a lifetime ago. But yeah, Tyler Perry and I share our Star Trek connection. You’ve had a history of unlucky characters who don’t quite make it very far, so to speak, but you’ve also done a number of really big projects. What’s your perspective on how your career’s shaken out so far? [Laughs] I’m lucky [knocks on wood] — I’ve been able to do some really fun things, whether it’s G.I. Joe or Conan , huge movies… And Alias ! Alias ! Alias was awesome. I do a show now called Continuum which is going to come to the States, fingers crossed. It just premiered in the U.K. and it was a big hit in Canada, now we’re going to do season two so that’s super awesome. But Alias was my first taste — I watched Jen [Garner] , pregnant at the time, do this lead role on this show and I just thought, gosh, this job is insane! And now I’m clearly not pregnant but doing the lead on this show, and I love it. I want to try to do anything, though you’ll never see me sing in a movie. I warn people that I’m tone deaf, so that’ll never happen. But I don’t mind when I make an interesting exit from a film, that’s totally fine. [Laughs] My parents would prefer not, but this was such a fun role and I love the twist. I love how this thing that we’re talking about but we’re not talking about right now, it’s such a surprise. You mentioned that your parents would like to see you in a rom-com or something like that, but things don’t quite work out that way. I would love to see myself in a rom-com! I did an edgy little one a couple of years ago called A Bird Of the Air with Jackson Hurst and we had the best time. It was really fun, and it was emotional and it had its sad moments, but it would be great to have a co-star like Jackson who you get along with, which makes it so easy to have fun. How did you find yourself falling into so many action roles? I love the action stuff, and it started with Alias . Alias is the first time I ever had to do a fight scene. Had you trained in that world before? No! It was all very new to me, and I was obsessed with the show. When they hired me I didn’t tell them I was a crazed fan because I thought they might decide not to hire me. I had seen every freaking episode. I lied and said, “Oh, I’ve seen a few — it’s a really good show.” But I was obsessed! You were like, Rambaldi, what? I was like, “Oh my god, is that an artifact? Can I touch it? Can I put it in my purse?” [Laughs] I was madly in love with the show so that’s where it started. Then, you know, I think it’s really cool because Jen Garner has always known she could do action. She could pick up a sword and go do a big action movie and people will say she’s totally believable as a woman and a fighter. When you get to the point where you’re established enough that people link you with something, especially being an action hero babe, it’s awesome. Because then you can fight the battles and have the crossbows and wrestle with swords and ride the horses because you’re already believable, people see you in that genre. Then it’s even more fun to kick ass. There’s also the strong female character aspect that I like about it. And it also keeps me in good shape; if I’m doing an action movie, I’m staying in good shape. Action heroines remind me of that Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire line; she could do everything he could do, only backwards and in high heels. And so often in action roles actresses are also required to be glammed up while kicking ass. It’s one of those things, and learning a fight is like learning a dance. You have the training, you know the moves, and you put it all together. Sienna Miller and I had an epic fight scene in G.I. Joe , and that stuff’s just fun to do. Then when you see it on the screen and you look like such a bad ass you think, “Alright, I’m just going to sit back and rest on my laurels and look awesome!” What else is on the horizon for you beyond returning to Continuum ? I’m going to go back and do Continuum and I did this movie called Mechanic in Philly that a friend of mine directed, with David Morse and Mike Vogel. And I also executive produced and am also acting in this film called Raze , which we’re editing right now. It’s sort of Hostel meets Fight Club meets Gladiator , but it’s all women. That may be the best description of any film, ever. Oh, yeah. Check it out online ! Alex Cross is in theaters now. Read more here . Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
As a tough Detroit cop in Rob Cohen’s Alex Cross Rachel Nichols ( G.I. Joe , Conan ) hunts a maniacal serial killer ( Matthew Fox ) alongside Tyler Perry , who attempts to crossover from his niche following to the mainstream with the James Patterson crime thriller. But it’s not the first time the co-stars shared a scene, as Nichols recalled with a laugh: “It took me four days to say, ‘You know what’s really funny? We were in Star Trek together!'” Nichols, down to earth and vivacious in person, has built a career of primarily dramatic roles in film and television since making her feature debut in the comedy prequel Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd . Proving herself both game and capable for an array of physical demands has invited an action heroine streak to sneak into her filmography; between the survival horror P2 , 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra , and last year’s sword-and-sandals adventure Conan (not to mention a guest turn on Criminal Minds and her ongoing lead role as a cop from the future in the 12 Monkeys -esque Continuum ), Nichols is a short list of Hollywood actresses with believable action chops. (As if that wasn’t awesome enough: Nichols also stars in and executive produces the upcoming Raze , an indie film also starring Zoe Bell that she describes as ” Hostel meets Fight Club meets Gladiator ,” with women.) Read on for Nichols’ chat with Movieline about her work in Alex Cross , her Tyler Perry- Star Trek connection, and nerding out over the role that kick-started her action career: J.J. Abrams ‘ Alias . Tyler Perry is the big draw and fascination in this film, stepping out of his comfort zone, but how familiar were you with him and his work before working on this movie? I had seen a bunch of the Madea movies and I’ve always contended that anybody that can do comedy, and can do comedy well, can do anything in the entertainment realm. I think comedy is the most demanding and difficult and the most harshly criticized, and Tyler has this presence about him; as soon as I shook his hand the first day on set I knew he could do this. No problem. He’s got this presence, and he’s very approachable, and he’s very kind — he’s got these really expressive eyes, and then we were doing the tactical training and spitballing and laughing and I thought to myself, he could really do this. And I thought it was a really interesting choice, because I do like it when people step out of their comfort zone. And I’m sure that for years people have been saying, “Tyler, do this — or Tyler, do that project,” and I thought it was really cool that he chose this one. The movie opens in the middle of an action sequence, with you, Tyler, and Ed Burns chasing down a perp. Tyler eventually catches him first, but I’ve seen you in enough action roles to second guess that outcome. In real life who would win in a foot race? Hmm. I’ve never been particularly fast. I don’t know! I’ve never seen the man run. That’s a really good question. He got in great shape for the movie. But I bet Matthew [Fox] would beat all of us. His physical transformation was astounding. I know! What he created and what he did… when I saw him on set I didn’t work with him, but I saw him at dinners and out and when I saw the film and really watched what he did, I was blown away. I’ve known Matthew – we have the same manager, I’ve met him a bunch of times, I loved Party of Five like every other woman in America, I loved LOST — and when I saw him in this, I found him incredibly scary, which is a testament to the job that he did because he’s not incredibly scary. Was it scary to see him around on set, living in the skin of Picasso? I saw him around and he seemed very much into it but it wasn’t like he was Method all the time, that guy the entire time day in and day out. But obviously the diet and the fighting and the training, he was so dedicated. It was interesting to watch knowing what he had put into it. I find it interesting that you and Tyler share a Star Trek connection. I know! It’s really funny. I had never met Tyler before, and when I met him, immediately he was so disarming and so easy to be around that it took me four days to say, “You know what’s really funny? We were in Star Trek together!” It was this one big scene where they’re at the hearing for the Kobayashi Maru test and I’m the one green girl in this sea of cadets and he’s this high commander. It was really funny — I briefly met him then, I think I shook his hand – and it seems like a lifetime ago. But yeah, Tyler Perry and I share our Star Trek connection. You’ve had a history of unlucky characters who don’t quite make it very far, so to speak, but you’ve also done a number of really big projects. What’s your perspective on how your career’s shaken out so far? [Laughs] I’m lucky [knocks on wood] — I’ve been able to do some really fun things, whether it’s G.I. Joe or Conan , huge movies… And Alias ! Alias ! Alias was awesome. I do a show now called Continuum which is going to come to the States, fingers crossed. It just premiered in the U.K. and it was a big hit in Canada, now we’re going to do season two so that’s super awesome. But Alias was my first taste — I watched Jen [Garner] , pregnant at the time, do this lead role on this show and I just thought, gosh, this job is insane! And now I’m clearly not pregnant but doing the lead on this show, and I love it. I want to try to do anything, though you’ll never see me sing in a movie. I warn people that I’m tone deaf, so that’ll never happen. But I don’t mind when I make an interesting exit from a film, that’s totally fine. [Laughs] My parents would prefer not, but this was such a fun role and I love the twist. I love how this thing that we’re talking about but we’re not talking about right now, it’s such a surprise. You mentioned that your parents would like to see you in a rom-com or something like that, but things don’t quite work out that way. I would love to see myself in a rom-com! I did an edgy little one a couple of years ago called A Bird Of the Air with Jackson Hurst and we had the best time. It was really fun, and it was emotional and it had its sad moments, but it would be great to have a co-star like Jackson who you get along with, which makes it so easy to have fun. How did you find yourself falling into so many action roles? I love the action stuff, and it started with Alias . Alias is the first time I ever had to do a fight scene. Had you trained in that world before? No! It was all very new to me, and I was obsessed with the show. When they hired me I didn’t tell them I was a crazed fan because I thought they might decide not to hire me. I had seen every freaking episode. I lied and said, “Oh, I’ve seen a few — it’s a really good show.” But I was obsessed! You were like, Rambaldi, what? I was like, “Oh my god, is that an artifact? Can I touch it? Can I put it in my purse?” [Laughs] I was madly in love with the show so that’s where it started. Then, you know, I think it’s really cool because Jen Garner has always known she could do action. She could pick up a sword and go do a big action movie and people will say she’s totally believable as a woman and a fighter. When you get to the point where you’re established enough that people link you with something, especially being an action hero babe, it’s awesome. Because then you can fight the battles and have the crossbows and wrestle with swords and ride the horses because you’re already believable, people see you in that genre. Then it’s even more fun to kick ass. There’s also the strong female character aspect that I like about it. And it also keeps me in good shape; if I’m doing an action movie, I’m staying in good shape. Action heroines remind me of that Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire line; she could do everything he could do, only backwards and in high heels. And so often in action roles actresses are also required to be glammed up while kicking ass. It’s one of those things, and learning a fight is like learning a dance. You have the training, you know the moves, and you put it all together. Sienna Miller and I had an epic fight scene in G.I. Joe , and that stuff’s just fun to do. Then when you see it on the screen and you look like such a bad ass you think, “Alright, I’m just going to sit back and rest on my laurels and look awesome!” What else is on the horizon for you beyond returning to Continuum ? I’m going to go back and do Continuum and I did this movie called Mechanic in Philly that a friend of mine directed, with David Morse and Mike Vogel. And I also executive produced and am also acting in this film called Raze , which we’re editing right now. It’s sort of Hostel meets Fight Club meets Gladiator , but it’s all women. That may be the best description of any film, ever. Oh, yeah. Check it out online ! Alex Cross is in theaters now. Read more here . Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
MTV News visit set of band’s latest video, which Jack Antonoff says will show fans the ‘harsher realities’ of what their lives are like. By Emily Blake Nate Ruess of fun. on the set of their video for “Carry On” Photo: MTV News
The Wanted, Ne-Yo and Ed Sheeran will also perform December 7 at New York’s Madison Square Garden By Christina Garibaldi One Direction Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
NFL teams with a need in the kicking department? Meet Austin Rehkow. The Central Valley (Wash.) High School Bears senior attempted a 67-yard field goal last night to tie his team’s game at the end of regulation – and made it! Austin Rehkow 67-Yard Field Goal The record-breaking kick sent his team into overtime, where the Bears beat Shadle Park 62-55 in a stingy defensive battle. Good thing CV has the BEST KICKER EVER! Austin Rehkow’s feat sent his teammates into pandemonium and left the Highlanders stunned, while making ESPN’s Top 10 highlights. Well done Austin. Well done. Don’t sign with an agent, man. Big recruiting no-no.
NFL teams with a need in the kicking department? Meet Austin Rehkow. The Central Valley (Wash.) High School Bears senior attempted a 67-yard field goal last night to tie his team’s game at the end of regulation – and made it! Austin Rehkow 67-Yard Field Goal The record-breaking kick sent his team into overtime, where the Bears beat Shadle Park 62-55 in a stingy defensive battle. Good thing CV has the BEST KICKER EVER! Austin Rehkow’s feat sent his teammates into pandemonium and left the Highlanders stunned, while making ESPN’s Top 10 highlights. Well done Austin. Well done. Don’t sign with an agent, man. Big recruiting no-no.
