Reports that Target — Target! — will sell a limited-edition $999 Mockingjay pin to coincide with the DVD release of The Hunger Games later this month has visions of P.T. Barnum dancing in my head. If there are movie lovers who are willing to pony up that kind of dough for such a simple bauble, then surely their must be a market for the following memorabilia: 1. Rosebud ( Citizen Kane ) Limited to just 1500 pieces, this lovingly crafted replica of Charles Foster Kane’s beloved childhood plaything is not just a symbol of childhood lost and a mother’s love, it’s a working sled! Manufactured by a noted Bavarian sled maker, this memento from one of the greatest films of all time, features stainless steel runners and a hand-painted, individually numbered Rosebud logo. Price: $1999 . Deluxe Variant Version: Limited to just 100 pieces, the image of Rupert Murdoch is discreetly painted on the sled’s underside. $1499 2. Nicky Santoro’s Vise ( Casino ): An eye-popping conversation piece if ever there was one! An exact 1:1 scale replica of the vise that Joe Pesci’s character used to extract a confession from Tony Dogs (Carl Ciarfalio). The attention to detail in the making of this limited-edition item includes splatters of discarded human blood obtained from cash-strapped hospitals. Just 25 will be made. Price: $595.00 3. Dyson Sentinel ( The Matrix ): Twelve years after this game-changing film was released, fans are still clamoring for Matrix memorabilia. So we turned to one of the most innovative product manufacturers on the Earth’s surface to produce this working 1/20th scale reproduction of the fearsome mechanical squids that menaced Neo and his crew. With its patented Tentacled Ball technology, the Dyson Sentinel is more than just a prop replica: It can also take care of your spot-welding needs and keep your frenemies at bay. Price: $2,000 4. The Gimp ( Pulp Fiction ): Not just a costume! We’ve rounded up a dozen emaciated, self-loathing masochists and fitted them in head-to-toe rubber suits constructed to the exact specifications of the outfit worn by the actual Gimp in Pulp Fiction. All you need to do is find a crawl space or dark, musty place in your basement for the little guy to live. (Oh yes, and you might want to throw him some food and water every once in a while.) Bring him out when you feel like being watched. He’ll obey your every command. Price: $15,000 (Note: Purchaser must also agree to indemnify seller against any injury, death or dismemberment that befalls the purchase. ) 5. Bane Mouth Apparatus ( The Dark Knight Rises) : For your favorite mouth breather! This exact-size replica of the fearsome mouthpiece will make its wearer the focus of any social situation — because no one will be able to understand what the hell he is saying! A limited edition of 100. Price: $799 Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Given author Stephenie Meyer’s close connection to Summit’s Twilight films (she came onboard to produce the final two films), the vampire saga has retained a firm sense of authenticity even as scripter Melissa Rosenberg has tweaked and added details to translate Meyer’s vision for the big screen. But a new EW Breaking Dawn Part 2 preview teases a “pretty big shock” for fans expecting stark faithfulness to the series-ender. What could be more shocking than the all-out vampire/werewolf/baby-loving party that already is Breaking Dawn ? According to EW , who has a slew of new Breaking Dawn Part 2 images including the above look at Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson in happier, more undead times, Rosenberg changed plot elements in the film’s last act that had Pattinson going, “What?” (Seriously. That’s what he says he said.) The good news is, Rosenberg didn’t act alone; she and Meyer supposedly conjured this maybe-huge, probably not-so-earth-shattering deviation together: Even devoted readers of Meyer’s books are in for a pretty big shock in the final third of the film, when the plot strays from the last novel in a sequence dreamed up by Meyer and longtime screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg one night over dinner. “When I first read the script, I got to that part and was like, ‘What?'” Pattinson says. “And then I had to go back a page.” Still, even those averse to change will be more than satisfied, and probably thrilled, by how the series ends. The actors certainly are. Says Pattinson, “It does it a serious justice.” The bad news (for now) is, fans have no idea how major or minor said change is. Since much of Breaking Dawn the novel is spent rallying for an epic final showdown between Edward and Bella’s army of vampire friends and family and the insidious Italian coven fronted by Michael Sheen, there’s a good chance the tweak is related to the X-Men: The Last Stand -like standoff between the two opposing enemies. Then again, since that standoff also happens to be rather anticlimactic — it’s the reason I never thought the book could be adapted easily to the screen — any injection of some new dramatic advancement would be welcome. But hey, who knows? Maybe it’s something as simple as a flashforward to Jacob and Renesmee’s happy future together, which isn’t weird at all . [ EW via CinemaBlend ]
Also in Friday morning’s round-up of news briefs, filmmaker Michael Cimino is set to receive Venice Film Festival honors. Heather Graham will return to The Hangover , while Yancy Butler heads back to one of her former characters. And an Ohio man faces charges for brining a cache of weapons into a theater during a showing of The Dark Knight Rises . Michael Cimino to Receive Venice Honors The American writer/director/producer will be feted with the Venice Film Festival’s Persol 2012 Award, which recognizes a “legend of international filmmaking.” He will be presented with the award at a ceremony August 30th, followed by a screening of Cimino’s 1980 film, Heaven’s Gate . Around the ‘net… Willy Wonka Director Mel Stuart Dies at 83 His family said Mr. Stuart died at his Beverly Hills home after battling cancer. He began his career mainly directing documentaries. the 1971 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was Stuart’s second feature film. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1965 for his documentary, Four Days in November , about the assassination of John F Kennedy, BBC reports . Bourne Legacy Poised to Seize U.S. Box Office The Jeremy Renner starter is trending toward a $35 million weekend opening, enough to eclipse The Dark Knight Rises and outpace two other wide-release openers, Hope Springs and The Campaign , Reuters and The Wrap report . Heather Graham Heads Back to The Hangover Graham will return to her role as the stripper named Jade in The Hangover III from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. The pic will shoot this fall and brings back Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms – plus brings back Ken Jeong. Graham was absent from the franchise’s second installment, THR reports . Yancy Butler to Return to Kick-Ass 2 Butler will return to her role as the mother of Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s character, the villainous Red Mist. Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz are reprising their roles of Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Walls , THR reports . Man Faces Weapons Charges in TDKR Theater Incident Scott A. Smith, 37, is due in court Friday on two counts of carrying a concealed weapon and 19 counts related to carrying weapons “under disability.” He allegedly sat in the back of the theater with a bag that contained 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, two loaded magazine clips and three knives. Another knife was found on his person, CNN reports .
Also in Thursday afternoon’s round-up of news briefs, political drama Knife Fight is heading to U.S. theaters courtesy of IFC Films . Saoirse Ronan will headline a new royal role and Steve Pink is eyeing the director’s chair for a remake of 1986’s About Last Night . Knife Fight Heads to Theaters Bill Guttentag’s political drama Knife Fight starring Rob Lowe,Jaime Chung, Julie Bowen, Richard Schiff, Saffron Burrows, Jennifer Morrison, David Harbour Eric McCormack, and Carrie-Anne Moss will head to theaters presumably before the election. The Tribeca 2012 premiere centers on a political strategist who spins every news cycle and a shrewd reporter (Bowen) on behalf of his clients: a philandering Kentucky governor (McCormack), a blackmailed California senator (Harbour), and an idealistic doctor turned gubernatorial candidate (Moss). The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with WME Independent on behalf of the filmmakers. Around the ‘net… Sean Penn Eyes Crazy for the Storm to Direct Based on the survivor memoir by Norman Ollestad, Crazy for the Storm centers on Ollestad’s relationship with his father who forced him into the world of extreme surfing and competitive downhill skinning beginning at age three. Penn’s last directorial project was 2007’s Into the Wild , THR reports . Billy Crystal Working on a Book About Aging He’s hosted the Oscars and has multiple Emmys to show for it along with his many dozens of film roles. And to mark his 65th birthday next year, Crystal is using the milestone as a segue for a book and perhaps a stage show. He said he hopes to have the book completed by his birthday on March 14, 2013. “There are 77 million of us baby boomers in the country and this book will speak to them and how we look at the world,” he told A.P. Saoirse Ronan Dons Mary Queen of Scots Ronan will play the Scottish monarch in the Working Title project in a script written by Michael Hirst. Mary was crowned the Queen of Scotland at age one and her first husband became King of France. But she ran afoul of her distant relative, England’s Queen Elizabeth, Deadline reports . Steve Pink Eyes Sexual Perversity in Chicago The project is a remake of the 1986 film About Last Night from a script by Bachelorette director Leslye Headland. Michael Ealy is starring in the role originated by Rob Lowe and Kevin Hart is taking on the Jim Belushi role in the Screen Gems project, Deadline reports .
Also in Thursday’s round-up of news briefs, Tim Robbins is set to take on the director role after long absence. Montreal’s genre event the Fantasia Film Festival hands out its awards. And Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal honored at European film event. The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Take That, George Michael Tipped As Olympics Closing Acts Sunday’s Closing Ceremony at the London Olympics will feature over 4,100 performers including a massive showing of Britain’s musical headliners. Among the performers who will apparently play are The Who, Paul McCartney, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, George Michael, Paul Weller, the Spice Girls, Adele, Ray Davies, Liam Gallagher, Annie Lennox, Madness, the Pet Shop Boys, Take That, Muse, One Direction and members of Queen, Deadline reports . Shia LaBeouf Eyes Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac Nymphomaniac revolves around the erotic pursuits of a woman, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, from her youth to 50 as recounted by her husband, played by Stellan Skarsgard. Details about his possible role are still to be determined, THR reports . Tim Robbins to Direct City of Lies After directing three films in the ’90s including Dead Man Walking (1995), Tim Robbins has signed on to direct Endgame Entertainment’s City of Lies about two spies who fall in love while on separate spying mission in Prague, THR reports . Doomsday Book and Toad Road Take Top Fantasia Film Festival Prizes Montreal’s genre event, the Fantasia International Film Festival awarded Kim Jee-woon and Yim Pil-sung’s Doomsday Book its Cheval Noir Award for Best Film, while Jason Banker’s Toad Road took nods for Best Director and Best Actor for James Davidson. Yeon Sang Ho’s The King of Pigs won the Satoshi Kon Award for Achievement in Animation and a special mention from the First Feature Jury, Indiewire reports . Gael Garcia Bernal Honored at Locarno Film Festival “I think I still have a lot of room to grow,” Garcia Bernal told the crowd of more than 8,000 in the Piazza Grande. “Perhaps not in terms of height, but in terms of experience.” Garcia Bernal is one of the youngest honorees to receive the festival’s Excellence Award at 33, BBC reports .
A long time ago in a culture far removed from this one — 1987 to be exact — cinematic satirist Mel Brooks took on box-office game changer George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise and didn’t end up in the Hollywood equivalent of a Sarlacc Pit. Substituting the Schwartz for the Force, Yogurt for Yoda and Pizza The Hutt for Jabba, Brooks gave us Spaceballs and made us laugh harder (intentionally) than Jar Jar Binks ever did. To celebrate the movie’s 25th anniversary, Sony has released a commemorative Blu-Ray edition that mostly does justice to this comedy gem. The Film: Spaceballs (1987) Why It’s An Inessential Essential: Although Life Stinks (1991) was Mel Brooks’ last sturdy feature, the often gut-bustingly funny Spaceballs was his last really inspired comedy. Like many of Brooks’ earlier films, Spaceballs spoofs generic and genre cliches. In this case, the director aimed his blaster at science fiction and fantasy films, Star Wars in particular. Viewed 25 years after its theatrical release, Spaceballs suffers from lopsided structure and occasional laziness, but the movie repeatedly breaks down the fourth wall with such zeal and absurd charm that it’s impossible to resist. (It’s worth noting that the movie was released during the heyday of the Bruce Willis/Cybill Shepherd ABC comedy series Moonlighting , which was heralded for doing the same.) A large part of the movie’s giddy appeal is its game cast, led by SCTV Jedi the late John Candy and Rick Moranis. Candy plays the Wookiee-like Barf and Moranis is particularly hilarious as the clutzy, over-compensating Darth Vader spoof, Dark Helmet — a puny man topped by enormous circumcised headgear. As ringmaster of this circus, Brooks (who also appears in the movie as both President Skroob and Yogurt) is at a point in his career where he’s starting to toss things against the wall out of sheer desperation. And because he’s working with talented comedians and co-writers, most of what he throws sticks. The move is a collection of blisteringly strange and funny sketches, such as the one where Helmet fantasizes about seducing Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) while playing with a set of action figures that includes an even tinier facsimile of himself and the Druish princess. Brooks’ wise-ass, Brecht-by-way-of-Vaudeville sensibility is at the core of the movie’s cantankerous, Yiddish sensibility, and though some of the yucks feel a tad musty, the movie is never tedious. Riffs on cash-in sequels, “Moichandizing” and “turning off the movie” demonstrate that, at that point in his career, Brooks’ cultural comedy mojo was still working. Indeed, Spaceballs doesn’t just hold up as a laugh riot. It’s still highly quotable right down to the characters’ names. (Yogurt! Pizza The Hutt!). “May the Schwartz be with you” still provokes laughter after all these years, as does Barf’s “Funny, she doesn’t look Druish” comment about Princess Vespa. And when the Spaceballs and Dark Helmet land on the Planet of the Apes, one of its denizens grouses; “Oh shit, there goes the planet.” How the Blu-Ray Edition Makes the Case for the Film: The best special features on Sony’s25th anniversary release are the least serious ones. New interviews with a doddering and-haughty Brooks don’t contribute much. (“We were looking for a new genre to destroy,” he exclaims at one point). Much more satisfying is a very funny list of continuity errors in the film, including, a scene in which Dot Matrix (Joan Rivers playing a droid even bitchier than Anthony Daniels’ C-3P0) appears to stop leaving a trail behind her in one desert scene. The film’s gag audio commentary tracks are also suitably ridiculous. One is in “Mawgese,” presumably the native language of Barf, another, in “Dinkese,” the mother tongue of the Jawa-esque Dink Dinks. Unfortunately, the Blu-Ray edition does not markedly improve the picture quality that was found on the 2005 DVD release of Spaceballs . There are still notable visual blemishes, including artifacts that resulted from poor video compression. Still, the dual Blu-Ray/DVD package is worth buying if only because the menus included on the new DVD release are more interactive and the features they include are more impressive than the last time around. Other Trivia: The new 25th anniversary Spaceballs Blu-Ray is loaded with new special features. If you’re a dedicated Mel Brooks fan — even one who lost faith or interest after Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Dracula: Dead and Loving It — you’ll probably get a big kick out of the jokey introduction he recorded to the film’s original trailer. Brooks’ audio commentary track is also worthy, even if he is more than a little full of himself after the wild (and not entirely deserved) multi-platform success of The Producers . Compared to the meager 2005 DVD release, which came with a making-of featurette and a skimpy souvenir booklet, Sony’s 25th anniversary Blu-Ray release is a much more comprehensive presentation of the film. Simon Abrams is a NY-based freelance film critic whose work has appeared in The Village Voice, Time Out New York , Vulture and Esquire . Additionally, some people like his writing, which he collects a t Extended Cut . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Filmmaker and actress Julie Delpy won accolades at the Berlin International Film Festival back in 2007 with her hilarious 2 Days In Paris , in which she starred opposite Adam Goldberg as a couple who stop off in Paris for a short visit, staying with her parents en route back to the U.S. Delpy, who wrote and directed the feature that did solid numbers in release jiggered the formula for a sequel, 2 Days In New York , which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January. This time, she stars opposite Chris Rock , and similarly to Paris her family factors into the dialog-heavy plot that’s riddled with eccentricity, social commentary and crazy mishaps. In the film, Delpy’s character Marion is now living with her boyfriend Mingus (Chris Rock) in a New York apartment with their cat and two children from their previous relationships. Marion’s father (played by her real-life dad, Albert Delpy), her sister and her over the top boyfriend suddenly decide to pay a visit from France, unleashing another 48 hours of family drama. Similarly to 2 Days In Paris , Marion’s family is sometimes unnervingly open in their discussions about sexuality and other topics most would consider crosses social boundaries. The French-American cultural disconnect only amplifies the gulf and the result is laugh out loud funny. Julie Delpy and Chris Rock chatted with ML about the film at Sundance. Initially Rock was about to leave, but sat down for a few minutes before heading out of Park City. Delpy, who first acted in none other than French-Swiss maestro Jean-Luc Godard’s Détective in 1985 and has since gone on to do many roles including Before Sunset , has since taken on the director’s hat herself and is a steadfast filmmaking convert. She talks about making films outside the studio system, though she said she’d like to try it sometime and would consider it another welcome challenge. In fact, she would like to try almost everything – almost… Similarly to 2 Days In Paris , you pulled together financing through Europe, can a dialog-driven film exist within Hollywood or is this the only way to put together a film like your latest, 2 Days In New York ? Julie Delpy: I never even thought of going to a studio. It’s just the way I do things. I put the financing together through a European financing system and it’s not easy – it’s a struggle. It might be easier in a way to go to a studio Chris Rock: I think it depends on who you are as a filmmaker. JD: I’m sure if it was through a studio, I wouldn’t be able to do this film exactly the way it is. Though I’m not really sure because I’ve never really been approached by a studio. I’m not sure if they know who I am or know I’m a filmmaker. They don’t even know I’m an actress – trust me [laughs]. CR: I think it depends on who you are as a filmmaker determines how much control you will have and, you know, if you want more control, you’re better off not going through a studio, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. JD: Some things in this movie may not have been their whole thing. They may have wanted a different ending, though honestly, I don’t know what they would want because I haven’t worked with them. For me, I just do it in the way I know how. How did you both come together for this project? CR: I saw 2 Days in Paris and I Loo-oooved 2 Days in Paris . JD: I’d seen his work and have always loved his work. I met him briefly once and he stuck in my mind. The minute I thought of doing a sequel to 2 Days in Paris , I knew I was going to be in a relationship with Mingus who is going to be Chris Rock, so he just came to my mind How has this contrasted with your most recent work Chris? CR: It’s fun, but the French thing – you have to get used to the fact you don’t understand what people around you are saying, but other than that it wasn’t much different than any other movie. I found working with the star and director was easy because you’re always talking to the boss. It’s harder when you’re talking to different people about different things. Because normally when you’re doing a movie, the star is kind-of half-way the director anyway… If the star doesn’t like what’s happening, you’re going to do what the star wants 90% of the time anyway. I hope I get to work with more star-directors… I read that when you were writing this story, you said you wanted to build on “real ground,” what did you mean by that? JD: I spent a lot of time with [Krzysztof] Kieslowski after we did White (1994) talking about movies and writing and everything. He’d tell me that I’m such a movie buff and I was obsessed. He’d tell me, ‘I haven’t seen this, or I haven’t seen that,’ and I’d say, ‘what have you seen?’ and he’d tell me, ‘real life.’ And that stuck with me. What can be more true than take some truth and build something from that. Obsession with death for instance – so something like that – and build from there into a story. 2 Days in New York is grounded in reality. There’s a couple with kids re-constructed and brought together… [ Chris Rock is pulled out of the room at this point and they say their good byes ] [ Continuing ]: I like to base my stories on simple things. It could have been a drama, but I love comedy so that’s what I did. But for this, I like to incorporate things that I know. So in it, I talk about my mother’s death. She actually passed away three years ago. She was in 2 Days in Paris and she was a wonderful actress. So she couldn’t be in this film obviously, so I had to find a way to talk about it… Your father is in this film as he was, of course, in 2 Days in Paris. Are his antics in the film similar to how he is in real-life? Yeah he’s very crazy. He’s very funny and very light, but also a very profound person. He’s not a superficial person at all. He’s fun and he likes to laugh and loves life, but he also has profound problems. He’s not happy all the time, but if we’re at a festival and the film’s playing well then we’re all happy. For me it was great to write parts for my parents in the first film and in this film for my father. It’s wonderful to be able to do that. They gave me so much by exposing me to film. My father gave me directing education through his past direction of plays. They gave me so much, so I’m glad I could give back a little bit. He keys a Hummer in this film in one memorable NYC street scene, and I was thinking it’s his almost child-like rebellious way of perhaps lashing out about global warming… Yeah exactly, that is a stand on global warming. Is he like that in real life? No, but my dad hates cars. They’re all over the place in Paris and they park on sidewalks and have no respect. As he ever keyed a car? No, but he’s joked about it for years so I let him have his fantasy in the film. I mean, I hate cars too. I live in L.A. so of course I have a car, but it’s the only real way we have for transport. But we’re polluting every moment of the day and we’ll pay for it. We’ll be gone [some day]… But Earth will be ok, but it’ll shake us out. So what do you think about Sequels? What about a 2 Days in L.A. or 2 Days in Tokyo ? I think the franchise is going to stop there. I’m not a James Bond kind of girl. I think it stops here at 2 Days in New York . But I’d certainly like to direct more films and will if given the opportunity to do it…I have a lot of friends who are directors and they call me to ask if I’d like to be in them – people like Richard Linklater etc. or maybe not someone who’s my friend but just someone I really like, but I think my first desire is filmmaking. What other kinds of stories do you want to do? Everything. Just everything from sci-fi to dramas – but maybe not sports movies. It’s not that I don’t like sports movies, but it’s just that I don’t get it. I don’t really understand sports, but everything else I’d like to do. I’d like to do a thriller, though I don’t know if I’d be good at it, but I’d like to try it. Maybe it’s pretentious and I’m crazy and all that, but I think I will do a thriller one day. It’s such a struggle to make movies. With this movie, we stopped two weeks before we started shooting and the film fell apart and then we put it all back together and then four weeks into the shoot we stopped. It was really, really hard. Was it harder than 2 Days in Paris ? In a way it was. There was more money involved with shooting in New York. I thought Paris would be more expensive. No, Paris is much less expensive. New York is… I think $3 million went into trucks, so I mean it’s really expensive. I mean like basically it’s very very expensive. And it’s fine if you have the money, and we had the money, but when the money fell apart at the last minute, it was just drama. It was the most painful experience to think you’re about to shoot and then everything just stops. Would you consider going a different route when tackling some of the other stories and genres you’re interested in doing down the line – maybe even the studios? I think I would do it if given the opportunity. But I’m also interested in working within limitations. I have limitations with my films which is typically major financial limitations, but having a studio tell you what to do would be a limitation too, but it would be manageable. I think the only thing that’s not manageable is death. People dying or people who are sick is not manageable. Everything else is nothing. You know I consider in life, people in movies lose perspective because it becomes so important… I’m not like that. It’s life, there are people dying around you, there’s craziness – that’s serious. A studio telling me what to do, that’s manageable. That’s just a boss telling you what to do and that’s fine, I’ll do my best within my limitation… So if that opportunity came along, then you’d do it? Yes, it’s almost fun to me, it would be a fun thing to do.
U.K. born actor Bob Hoskins said Wednesday he is retiring following a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. A representative announced the actor’s retirement. His career spanned four decades, most recently appearing in Snow White and the Huntsman . “Bob Hoskins wishes to announce that he will be retiring from acting, following his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease last autumn,” his representative said in a statement. “He wishes to thank all the great and brilliant people he has worked with over the years, and all of his fans who have supported him during a wonderful career. Bob is now looking forward to his retirement with his family, and would greatly appreciate that his privacy be respected at this time.” Hoskins received a Best Actor Oscar-nomination in 1987 for his starring role in Neil Jordan’s crime-drama Mona Lisa . He won the BAFTA and a Golden Globe nomination for that role in addition to wins ranging from Cannes to the Boston Society of Film Critics and the European Film Awards. He also received nods the following year for his role in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and later for parts in Made in Dagenham (2010), Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005), Twenty Four Seven (1997) and The Street (2006). He also appeared in Hook (1991), Brazil (1985) and Enemy at the Gates (2001). [ Which is your favorite Bob Hoskins film? ] [Source: Hollywood Reporter ]
In a move that should cause some shockwaves through the indie filmmaking world, one of independent film’s most recognizable producers, Ted Hope, will takeover as Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society. The organization annually produces the April San Francisco International Film Festival – the oldest such event in the Americas – in addition to other year-round programming events and filmmaker support services. A long-time figure in New York where he produced films through his companies Good Machine, This Is That and Double Hope Films, he will head west to San Francisco where he will take on the position beginning September 1st. Hope succeeds fellow indie veteran Bingham Ray , who tragically died January early in his tenure at SFFS. Hope has produced dozens of films that are among the staples of any year’s indie stars, eagerly watched by film festival attendees including industry, press and beyond. Recent work includes Todd Solondz’s Dark Horse , Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene and Greg Mottola’s Adventureland . In 1990 he cofounded with James Schamus the production and sales powerhouse Good Machine, which was sold to Universal in 2002. Hope’s films are regularly among the year’s most honored at award ceremonies and throughout the festival circuit. The Savages (2007) received two Oscar nominations as did 21 Grams in 2001. He also holds a Sundance record with three of his 23 Sundance entries ( American Splendor [2003], The Brothers McMullen [1995] and What Happened Was… [1994]) winning the Grand Jury Prize at the festival. It is not immediately clear if Hope’s new role at SFFS will mean he’ll end his role as a producer, though any step back will leave a significant vacuum that will not easily be filled. In recent years Hope has lamented through his blog Hope for Film the challenges facing indie film while also proposing possible remedies. He alluded to the industry’s evolution in commenting about his new position at SFFS in a statement: “The film world – be it in content, creation, business or audience — has changed significantly over the last twenty years and we all must change with it,” said Hope. “It’s time that the film industry looked not just to Hollywood but instead to the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, and San Francisco Film Society is a major artistic voice positioned right in the heart of this vibrant cultural location. This unique opportunity to work with the Film Society’s diverse communities is an extension of producing in the fullest of ways – allowing me to engage with the art form as a whole, at every level of activity. I am deeply honored and humbled to continue the extraordinary legacy of Bingham Ray and Graham Leggat, which is evident in SFFS’s dedication to empowering artists to get their work not just made but also truly appreciated, and by their support for the complete cinematic enterprise, process and community.” Hope will be the third person to hold the Executive Director title at SFFS within the span of just over a year. The organization’s head Graham Leggat served from 2005 to 2011 until his death last August from cancer. Bingham Ray, also a prominent figure in the indie film space in his own right, succeeded him last October until his untimely death during this year’s Sundance Film Festival. “Ted is obviously as engaged as we are in thinking about how movies can continue to thrive and be a vital, dynamic force moving forward and has the knowledge and expertise to ably lead us into the future.” said SFFS Director of Programming Rachel Rosen. “It’s been an incredibly sad and challenging year for the Film Society, so we’re especially excited to enter the next stage of the organization working with someone who clearly shares our sense of mission about this art form that we all love.”
Ben Affleck ‘s come a long way since his 1998 Oscar co-win for Good Will Hunting , arguably the first time Hollywood stood up and took notice of the multi-hyphenate as more than just an actor; according to Variety, he’s now being sought after to direct WB’s Justice League , DC’s answer to Marvel’s billion-dollar rival franchise starter The Avengers . But even after the successes of modest-scale thrillers Gone Baby Gone and The Town , and with his buzzed-about forthcoming picture Argo poised for awards season, is the writer/producer/actor/director the right filmmaker to helm the superhero studio tentpole? Sources tell Variety that Affleck has been given the Justice League script as WB approaches him to direct, speculating further that he could additionally star in the pic. But take it all with a healthy grain of salt: Insiders tell Movieline that the report, while plausible, “is ridiculously vague and early.” That’s pretty much what the report sounds like, coming conspicuously just a day after Disney’s Bob Iger spilled the news that Joss Whedon will be coming back to helm Avengers 2 . So somebody out there wants to gauge public opinion, generate a little Justice League buzz, stir the pot. Given the mixed reaction rippling through the blogosphere today, consider that pot stirred. The question is, would Affleck make a good choice for the Justice League movie? Notwithstanding the possibility that he’d star while simultaneously helming an epic megamillion-dollar production with billions of box office, a multi-film franchise, and the fiscal fate of the studio on the line — really, would he? Would anyone? — maybe he’d only take one job at a time in this case. Just maybe. What Gone Baby Gone did to put Affleck on the map as a bona fide seriouspants filmmaker to be taken seriously — if emphasized moreso because nobody really expected it of the guy who starred in Gigli — The Town amplified with its gritty genre leanings. Argo looks to be his most ambitious directing project to date, advancing from tidy Boston-set thriller to multinational historical-political drama. Project by project, Affleck is fine-tuning his sensibilities, widening his reach and skillset with each progressive (and well-chosen) film. Based on his two features to date, Affleck’s a decent but promising director, adept at balancing ensembles and gritty material and great with his actors. The critical and commercial success of The Town most recently demonstrates what any studio with most superhero movies in the post- Batman Begins age is aiming for — the ability to deliver complex, acclaim-worthy material while satisfying audiences. Variety’s report adds more ambiguity to the mix by noting that Affleck is also considering an offer to topline Greg Berlanti’s Replay at Warners, a Groundhog Day -esque sci-fi drama about a man who dies only to wake up, able to live out different potential life paths over and over. Back in 2010 Affleck was reported to be mulling the project, based on Ken Grimwood’s 1987 novel, only then — on the heels of The Town — he was looking to direct. I see Affleck more likely to continue along this route, building a directing resume out of smaller, character-driven dramas for grownups. Then again, he’s already brought Superman to the big screen once before, donning the spandex for Hollywoodland . Should he do it again? [ Variety ]
