Nepotism strikes again (but that’s okay): Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt ‘s 4-year-old daughter Vivienne Jolie-Pitt has scored her first movie role. The tot will play a young version of Princess Aurora, later played as a teenager by 14-year-old Elle Fanning, in Disney’s live-action Maleficent , which stars Jolie as the famous evil witch of Sleeping Beauty lore and is in production gearing towards a 2014 release. According to The Sun , it was mama Jolie’s idea: “Ange thought it would be a fun experience for her and Viv to share, and Viv is a natural.” [ The Sun via The Insider ]
There’s a lot of “auto” in Dax Shepard ‘s debut as an auteur. Shepard (who previously co-directed the mockumentary Brother’s Justice ) wrote, co-directed and stars in the action comedy Hit and Run ; he even cast real-life love Kristen Bell to play the role of his cherished girlfriend, but their romance is not at the center of this movie — rather, it’s the deep love between Shepard and the many cars that populate the film that drives Hit and Run . It’s only when these machines rev their engines that the soundtrack fills with sultry ballads and the camera switches to slow mo — all the better for us to admire the sleek undercarriages and sexy lines of the movie’s many four-wheeled stars. But this is far from a good thing. The movie’s human stars can’t compete with such auto-erotica; cartoonish characters and a thin plot are mostly vehicles to get from one stretch of highway to another, in a chase through the kind of cinematic America where fleabag motels have parking lots filled with easily-stolen luxury sports cars and roadways are always adjacent to abandoned airports that provide plenty of space for nifty driving tricks. Shepard stars as Charlie Bronson, a likeable guy living in a non-specific American everytown. Although Charlie doesn’t have a job, he does have a devoted girlfriend, Annie (Bell), and a bumbling U.S. Marshal (Tom Arnold, looking increasingly like a nerdy version of Meat Loaf) to watch over him. Charlie, you see, is in the Witness Protection Program, a fact that is supposed to prevent him from leaving his safe provincial town. But when Annie has the opportunity to interview for a big job at a university in Los Angeles, Charlie decides to chauffer her towards her dreams and away from his own safety. The fact that he decides to do this not in Annie’s inconspicuous sedan but rather in his highly noticeable 1967 Lincoln Continental (complete with expired plates registered to his former identity) is only one of many questionable moments in the thin plot. It’s the plates on the car that allow Gil (Michael Rosenbaum) Annie’s meticulously groomed and spiteful ex-boyfriend, to uncover Charlie’s former identity. And thanks to the wonders of Facebook, where one assumes all dangerous criminals have easily-searchable profiles, Gil is able to track down Charlie’s former bank-robbing associates and tip them off as to his whereabouts. The chase is on, with Annie and Charlie trailed by Marshal Randy and Gil, picking up extra characters (including a pair of extraneous cops and Beau Bridges in a cameo as Charlie’s father, who keeps a fleet of monster ATVs in his big red barn, of course) along the way. Will the baddies from Charlie’s former life catch up with him? Will Annie make it to her interview? Will she discover that Charlie’s story, of only being an innocent witness to a crime, isn’t the whole truth? Will they stay together in the face of shock revelations and inevitable car sickness? ( Will that ATV get to climb a giant staircase?? ) The movie kicks up no real tension in the search for the answers to any of these questions, and when plotlines do swing back around, they come with more of an “Oh right, remember that ?” than with a satisfying snap. One senses that the movie doesn’t quite have the chutzpah to be what it wants to be — a Fast and Furious -like sequence of balletic car chases — so it periodically halts to wedge in some romance. (The charming Bell and Shepard don’t have much to do but enjoy a lovely on-screen chemistry, a rarity for offscreen couples, that rises above their underwritten characters.) Jokes stay mostly in the range of the strictly puerile (naked old people!) with occasional forays into the mystifyingly icky (an extended joke has Charlie obsessed with the nationality of the man who raped Bradley Cooper’s bank-robbing baddie in the prison shower.) The talented cast is game and deserves better, especially Cooper, who is saddled with a dreadlocked fright wig that gives the impression he is performing all his scenes with a spongy blond octopus sitting on his head. But at least he gets to drive, swerving around in his little red car like he’s in a bumper car ring. From this we know his character is unpredictable but ultimately in control, because the movie’s most complete character developments come through the cars the characters drive. It’s a cinematic stand-in for masculinity that would make Freud proud: We know Arnold’s U.S. Marshal is a mess because he drives a minivan that he can’t even park competently (he also wildly fires off his gun all the time, in case one mishandled phallic symbol wasn’t enough). Dax Shepard’s Charlie, as befits the hero and the part played by the writer/director, gets the broadest spectrum of vehicles, from the kickass black Lincoln to a shiny ATV. It looks like he’s having a great time up there, getting to drive them around. If only he had brought the audience along for the ride. Anika Chapin is an NYC-based dramaturg and writer. She has contributed pieces to The New York Times , and blogs about theater and pop culture at http://bloggledygook.wordpress.com . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Holy Swashbucklers! Rumors are flying that Johnny Depp is considering a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean installment, and the speculation may be overheating. Some international papers including The Sun say the newly single star could make some rather unprecedented cha-ching — to the tune of £60 million (that’s about $95 million at current exchange rates). That would be some crazy treasure even the likes of, well, a pirate, could only dream of… But is the super-star actor worth the stupid money even if the rumors were only say, mostly true? Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed in May that a fifth Pirates script was in the works. He told the Los Angeles Times that he could only make the pic with Depp on board. Who else could play Captain Jack Sparrow after all? “Hopefully, if this one does well, (Depp) will want to come back and play the character again,” Bruckheimer told the L.A. Times. “But it’s going to depend on the screenplay. It always does. He’s maniacal about not wanting to disappoint his audience.” Apparently, Depp is considering another round of Pirates , according to The Wrap. The site also noted last summer Depp cashed had cashed in with the franchise at almost $350 million at the time. OK, so Depp already owns a Bahamian island and likely could seize some more with his current Pirates war chest alone, but is he worth potentially the biggest pay out yet if he takes on a fifth installment? Here’s a breakdown of the franchise’s worldwide grosses: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tide : $1,043,871,802 ($250 million production budget) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End : $963,420,425 ($300 million production budget) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest : $1,066,179,725 ($225 million production budget) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl : $654,264,015 ($140 million production budget) Of course, these are theatrical grosses, never mind all the other tie-ins. So, is a mega-package, whether it’s a cool $90 million — or so — worth the payout? [ Source: The Wrap , Box Office Mojo , The Sun ]
Yes, yes, I know Mr. Eko has a real name. But who doesn’t like imagining Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ‘s LOST alter ego duking it out with Dr. Who (okay, Chris Eccleston) and Thor (FINE, the Huntsman the jock the Wolverine Chris Hemsworth) in an epic Thor 2 Norse space brawl? Per Variety , Akinnuoye-Agbaje has landed the role of Dark Elf bruiser Algrim the Strong in Thor 2 (AKA Thor: The Dark World ). The nerdy details: In the comicbooks, Algrim the Strong was the most powerful of a race of Dark Elves, who is coerced by Malekith to fight Thor. After he’s betrayed by Malekith and injured during a battle, Algrim is healed and transformed into a much more powerful being called Kurse, who is twice as a strong as Thor. Alan Taylor has taken over directing duties from Kenneth Branagh, with cast members Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgard, Rene Russo and Kat Dennings returning. Thor 2 hits theaters November 8, 2013. [ Variety ]
Production is underway on The Fast and the Furious 6 , director Justin Lin ‘s anticipated follow-up to 2011’s Fast Five and his fourth trip behind the camera in the Fast & The Furious franchise. Yes of course, you should be excited; Fast Five was awesome. Just look at how happy stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are in the first image from the set! This time around in Fast 6 , Dom and Brian’s happy outlaw family are being hunted down by The Rock’s returning agent Luke Hobbs, last seen investigating some very interesting photos with a slinky Eva Mendes. Also back: Michelle Rodriguez (Letty!), Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang (Han!!), and Tyrese, joined by newcomers Gina Carano and Joe Taslim of The Raid . It’s quite a line-up for fans of the franchise and fans of action. I mean, have you seen Haywire ? Have you seen The Raid ? Expect more awesome fistfights than you’ll ever see in the Expendableses .* *This may be a controversial statement, but: I’ll take the cars + brawn action in any Fast & Furious movie over the mind-numbingly repetitive gunfire circuses that are the Expendables movies any day. Anyhow, enjoy. Rejoice! But remember, you’ve still got a long way to go until Fast 6 hits theaters in May 2013. [ @FastFurious ]
Every frame of this simple but mesmerizing snippet of P.T. Anderson’s The Master throbs with an unnatural hum – in this case, punctuated by the animalistic grunting of Joaquin Phoenix as he books it down a pier in the San Francisco Bay, a panting so odd and startling it jarred my cat out of his sleep, the strangest look on his face. Is there something in Phoenix’s by all accounts bravura performance that vibrates on some feline, feral frequency? The new trailer teases another surprise screening of the film, tomorrow in San Francisco at the Castro Theater (which is, incidentally, where I first saw There Will Be Blood when it similarly sneak-debuted five years ago). The Master debuts on September 12. If anyone happens to make it to the Castro screening, do come back and share your thoughts. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Long before Chick-fil-A fried their way into the center of a gay rights firestorm , Compliance director Craig Zobel was searching for the right setting to tell his chilling tale of order and obedience gone terribly wrong at a fast food joint. “In the back of my head, I probably could have told you that they were on the wrong side of history,” said Zobel, who rocked Sundance with the drama, based on incredible true events, in which a telephone prankster manipulates the manager of a fictional chicken restaurant into the increasingly dehumanizing treatment of one of her employees. “I just didn’t want to look at it.” The natural impulse to obey authority, and the all too-human imperative to ignore our own wrong behavior, pulsate through every (often) cringe-inducing moment of Compliance . Veteran actress Ann Dowd is tragically relatable as Sandra, the middle-aged “Chick-Wich” restaurant manager conned by a caller claiming to be a cop ( Pat Healy ) into detaining young cashier Becky (Dreama Walker) on suspicion of stealing from a customer; interrogation by proxy devolves into humiliation and worse as other reasonable-seeming employees and colleagues get involved. It’s an escalation of events you’d think most people would never fall prey to if it hadn’t happened in real life in over 70 reported incidents in 30 states. The subject matter touches such a raw nerve that Compliance ‘s Sundance screenings prompted walkouts and shouting matches in the audience ; as recently as this week the same thing happened in New York. Zobel talked with Movieline about the highs and lows of sparking controversy at Sundance, how the Stanford Prison Experiment and the work of psychologist Stanley Milgram led him to Compliance ‘s incredibly true inspiration, why Cops is a great resource for writing policeman dialogue, and how shades of Chick-fil-A unintentionally made its way into the most debated film of the year. You made quite a splash at Sundance; were you always expecting this kind of divisive reaction from audiences? I knew that the movie would be challenging to certain types of people, and after having made the movie I thought because of the subject matter and decisions that we made, we’d be leaving some people on the table that wouldn’t like it. So I wasn’t 100 percent surprised. But I made the movie not because I knew the answer to something, but to explore — this stuff is weird, it’s not black and white, and none of it really makes a whole lot of sense to me. So I made it as this question. It was intentional to have a dialogue, and the fact that it happened as fast and as big as it did was kind of amazing. I was on the bus going to another screening at Sundance and heard two people who had no idea who I was talking about it. It was pretty great. What did they say? They were talking about the real cases, but hearing people talking as you walked by – “ Compliance !” – was exciting. Isn’t it scary as a filmmaker to ride the bus at Sundance? I could see how it could be, yeah. [Laughs] Mostly it’s just scary because if you’re riding the bus you’re probably late getting somewhere. When you first heard about these real life fast food prank cases, had you been looking for this kind of crazy real life story for inspiration? I was really interested in the Stanford Prison Experiment, and because of that I started reading about Milgram’s obedience experiments, because at first I was thinking with the prison experiment, that’d be an amazing movie. Then I found out that people are making that movie, that’s happening. Fair enough. By then I was hooked, and it’s hard when you start reading about it; almost anything that’s newer points to real cases and real situations, like the Kitty Genovese case where a woman in the Bronx in the 1970s was attacked in the courtyard of her apartment building and screamed out for help — and it turns out that 24 people heard her and nobody did anything because they thought somebody else would. These kinds of cases just pop up. I heard about these prank phone call cases from that, and I was just reading them because I was fascinated, and I think what made me really consider this as a movie was that days after reading them my first instinct was “I wouldn’t be a guy who’d do that.” Of course — everyone thinks they’d be the one person who would say no, who would feel such a strong sense of right and wrong that they’d stand up to the voice of authority. Right! And of course if it happens 70 times over a 10 year period, and if you look at the Milgram experiments which basically say two-thirds of us would do these kinds of things, how honest am I being? That every time I’ve encountered something I’ve disagreed with in an authority figure I’ve stood up immediately and said what I’ve needed to say? Is it true that you’ve always done that? And people’s relationship with authority, I was like, wow, I don’t see movies like that very much. How close a connection do you feel there is between that sentiment and the ground you explored in Great World of Sound ? I guess in my mind the other film is about rationalizing doing something that deep down you know you shouldn’t be doing, because you need to for one reason or another. In the movies, bad guys are really bad — like, Darth Vader comes out and is just bad as shit. But in real life, nobody thinks they’re a bad guy. Everyone rationalizes that they’re not a bad person, right? But bad things happen, so that can’t totally make sense. In Compliance , you humanize every one of the characters — not just the victim. Watching the film, that eventually the perpetrators of these crimes would eventually pay for their complicity. And then I read about what really happened after the fact. The manager got a settlement out of it, too! It’s hard not to become invested one way or another. The most interesting way to tell the story in my opinion was to be objective about it, and I think that has something to do with the people who reject the film or have conflict with the film who wish that the film was incredibly subjective to Dreama’s point of view, which is a way to do it. But I think that way would have had to have painted everyone else as bad people. And although I think they did something that I definitely disagree with, it was wrong, I guess I have some empathy with the decision making they get into. You start thinking in one direction, and then to back up and say that you made a mistake — for Ann’s character to say she should get out of there — would be to admit that you had done something really dumb. Nobody wants to do that, you know? It was all these human things; I tried to look at all the characters as if you were an alien from outer space. “Why is that happening?” There was one particularly unsettling thing yelled out during the Sundance Q&A… The guy who said the thing about Dreama? I had some interaction with that guy, and — it’s weird, because I’m defending somebody who yelled at me — but I do think that he maybe just didn’t know what he was saying, or said something the wrong way. I think he was reacting to multiple things; the crowd, when the first one yelled “Rape’s not entertainment, this is the year of the woman at Sundance” people were standing up and saying to her, “Well, I want my grandchildren to see this movie!” And he was reacting to the hostility towards her in the room and trying to make her case for her in a weird way. I mean, I think the guy was an idiot and put his foot in his mouth. Do you know what he said after he said that? He said, “Well, your body sure is appealing.” What was going through your head in that moment? I was just worried that Dreama was going to cry. I was like, if I put my arm around you will you just crumple? I was just there. And then [cast member]Ashlie Atkinson grabs the mic and her response is perfect, because she’s smart and has thought about this stuff. And he says, “No, I’m a faggot, I’m not even…” and I’m like, please be quiet. You’re making me uncomfortable not because of what you’re saying, but now I feel weird about you! [Pause] I know how that reads, but I don’t think a lot of people are lasciviously looking at this movie. I think it’d be hard to. We tried as hard as we could to make those scenes not feel comfortable. That was sort of the point; I felt it was important to have nudity in the film and go to a certain degree so the gravity of how insane it was would be there, but it was not meant to paint a picture that was sexy at all. It was actively attempting not to do that. Do you feel like the controversy has been a benefit? The controversy has certainly helped in helping people know about the movie, and it’s helped kickstart discussions that have become really interesting. I’ve had more interesting discussions about gender politics than I’d even hoped people would go as far with. We’ve had super interesting conversations. So in the sense that it legitimized having questions about this movie, the controversy was great. Even if you totally reject the movie and felt like I did a bad job, it’s still interesting to talk about. Was it hard to find Dreama, to find the right actress for this? It was. It was good in that Dreama was as interested in the root story as I was — all the actors were, honestly. Nobody was doing this movie because it was a great paycheck, they were doing it because they were fascinated by the questions that it raised. It wasn’t a super long process; in some ways a lot of people would be uncomfortable with this type of movie. But immediately Dreama and I clicked and she seemed to be picking up what I was putting down. The press notes emphasize how uncomfortable you were directing her in her nude scenes. [Laughs] I was! There was a lot of showing her playback and asking, “Is this okay with you?” But it’s funny, the actual screen time of how much [nudity] you see in the thing is less than you think. I think because of the subject matter it feels like that when you watch the movie. It’s because you’re in that experience with her, her nakedness and vulnerability dominates your brain . Which is really interesting. I wouldn’t say that I knew that would read like that quite to the extent that it has. I just got back from Locarno from the international premiere, and the foreign sales company that is handling our movie is also handling a movie about children during the Holocaust. And I found it funny that they were talking to some distributor in Europe and the European distributor said to Memento, the sales company, “We saw your really heavy movie.” And they were like, “Oh, you mean the one about children in the Holocaust?” And they said, “No, the one about the fast food restaurant!” Heavier than the Holocaust — now there’s a tagline. [Laughs] I don’t think I ever saw that coming. You cast the terrific Pat Healy as your phone caller, and to prepare you had him watch episode of Cops ? I was trying to figure out how to write that cop dialogue, and you quickly start realizing that most of your understanding of cops has to do with TV shows. Law & Order , that kind of thing? Yeah, stuff like that where it’s like your whole understanding of cops is through this media interpretation of them. I was like, how does a cop talk? That’s why I started watching Cops . To Pat I was like, look — it’s all about being passive aggressive. Cops are incredibly passive aggressive! That’s why I sent him the series. You hear them being like, “Okay, ma’am.” The quiet authority. It’s like your entire relationship in any conversation is from a place where you’re a little better. But you wrote the dialogue not knowing what was actually said in these real life phone calls? There are some parts that I’ll just never understand. I didn’t write the scene that gets them to the full-on assault, because I didn’t know. What would they say? It’s also like, who cares? True — you don’t need to hear the exchange leading up to the big assault to believe it. Now, you made Compliance long before the recent Chick-fil-A controversy, but rather presciently set this story within a fast food chicken restaurant. What is it about the insidiousness of chicken? [Laugh] Fried chicken sandwiches! The timing is strangely perfect. It is amazing! It’s bizarre. I’m from Atlanta, where Chick-fil-A is headquartered. I really wanted it to be a regional chain — I didn’t want it to be like, McSwiggins! I hate that in movies. It’s so distracting. Even Fast Food Nation does it, where they’re like, “Mickeys!” I’m like, Mickeys, really? So I was like, what if it’s not a famous one — what if it’s more like one where if you went to your aunt’s house in another state you would be like, there’s some weird fast food restaurant here that I’ve seen three times that I’ve never heard of, you know? And I’m from Atlanta; what is a regional fast food chain that I know? We have two big chains — one is Waffle House which I guess is more of a diner, but we’re proud of it, and the other is Chick-fil-A. It should be a southern fried chicken sandwich place! Maybe you subconsciously tapped into something there. I wonder! It’s funny when you think about it. I knew that Chick-fil-A was super Christian, and was kind of ignoring that because it’s really good food! But it’s that same thing where in the back of my head, I probably could have told you that they were on the wrong side of history. [Laughs] I just didn’t want to look at it. Compliance is in limited release. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Mark your calendars, movie nerds: November’s “An Academy Salute to Stanley Kubrick” event, hosted by Malcolm McDowell, will kick off a film retrospective accompanying LACMA’s exhibition dedicated to the films and work of Stanley Kubrick : “Kubrick’s films will be represented through a thoughtful selection of archival material, annotated scripts, photography, costumes, cameras and equipment, set models, original promotional materials, and props. The interdisciplinary exhibition draws attention to Kubrick’s fixation with historical research and his visionary adaptations of influences from the fine arts, design, and architecture, and enables visitors to experience the cinematic journey of one of the great artists of the twentieth century.” [ Deadline ]
It is Christmas in August when Summit Entertainment releases more photos from the final installment of the Twilight Saga , Breaking Dawn – Part 2 . And it just so happens that one of the photos depicts Bella ( Kristen Stewart ), Jacob (Taylor Lautner) and Renesmee, the half-vampire progeny of Bella and Edward rocking around the Christmas tree with some, um, traditionally human appetizers. Apparently, the half human side of Suri, I mean, Renesmee still digs Ritz crackers and Hershey Christmas Kisses. I’m guessing the summer sausage is for Jacob. Okay, so enough about the holidays. Let’s just get to the pictures, which you can find after the jump. Breaking Dawn Part 2 , which reportedly will have at least one big plot surprise that does not follow the book from which its adapted, opens on Nov. 16. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
I’m sure Channing Tatum ‘s real life high school reunion was just like yours: Equal parts awkward, fun, and harrowing, with a few Step Up -style dance-offs. Watch Tatum and a deep cast of fellow millennials like Anthony Mackie, Justin Long, Kate Mara, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Ari Graynor, Rosario Dawson, and Jenna Dewan in 10 Years and be thankful that your totally ’90s yearbook photos are safely tucked away in a dark, safe place and not being put on blast in a movie trailer. Ten Years marks the directorial debut of writer Jamie Linden ( We Are Marshall , Dear John ) and is produced by Tatum and his Magic Mike partner Reid Carolin. With Tatum and offscreen wife Dewan playing his onscreen girlfriend, this is a Step Up reunion of sorts… and a Mackie/Brian Geraghty Hurt Locker reunion… and a We Are Marshall reunion… and a What’s Your Number reunion… and a Dear John reunion… Verdict: Vicariously living through other people’s high school reunion > attending your own? Synopsis (via Yahoo ): In this ensemble comedy, 10 Years follows a group of friends on the night of their high school reunion who, a decade later, still haven’t quite grown up. Channing Tatum plays Jake, who is deeply in love with his girlfriend (Jenna Dewan-Tatum) and ready to propose—until he runs into his high school flame (Rosario Dawson) for the first time in years. Jake’s friend Cully (played by funnyman Chris Pratt) married his cheerleader girlfriend (Ari Graynor), and has been looking forward to the reunion so he can finally apologize to all the classmates he bullied in high school. However, after a few too many drinks, the jock-turned-family man ends up reverting back to his old ways instead. Meanwhile, longtime rivals Marty (Justin Long) and A.J (Max Minghella) spend the night picking up right where they left off, vying to impress the hottest girl in class (Lynn Collins). The famous one of the group, Reeves (Oscar Isaac) is now a rock star, but is still too shy to talk to his high school crush (Kate Mara.) Written and directed by Jamie Linden, and produced by Channing Tatum, 10 Years also stars Brian Geraghty, Ron Livingston, Anthony Mackie, Aubrey Plaza, Scott Porter, Aaron Yoo and Nick Zano. 10 YEARS hits theaters September 14, 2012 .
