This should be interesting: Variety’s Gregg Goldstein reports from Berlinale that Billy Bob Thornton is working on a script for an “‘ethereal’ road movie” entitled And Then We Drove . Based partly on experiences from his time with ex Angelina Jolie , Thornton says “[it’s about] a guy who’s on a road trip and picks up this girl along the way, and what happens to them. It’s about the question of life: ‘What is this? Where do I fit in?'” Or, maybe: Honey, Have You Seen My Vial of Blood? Thornton, who premiered his latest directorial effort Jayne Mansfield’s Car in Berlin, will also direct. [ Variety ]
Speaking with MTV, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura confirmed general details on a fourth planned movie in Paramount’s Oscar-nominated Transformers series, which will indeed see Michael Bay returning behind the camera. (First, however, he may finally shoot his bodybuilding crime pic Pain & Gain .) Though it’s expected we’ll see main robot characters like Optimus Prime return, summer of 2014’s Transformers 4 — Trans4mers ? Tr4nsformers ? — will be a reboot, di Lorenzo says, because of course we need a Transformers reboot already. Of course. [ MTV ]
File under “Duh”: Summit and new overlords Lionsgate say they’d totally be interested in making a sixth Twilight movie , y’know, if author Stephenie Meyer is into it. I get it! It’s hard to pass up another shot at making hundreds of millions of dollars, not to mention fortunes in merchandising. And it’s not like we didn’t see this coming; with a first trailer for Breaking Dawn Part 2 set to be attached to Lionsgate’s Hunger Games in theaters next month, the studio’s pushing hard to make the most of its newfound YA synergy. How can it not try and keep the Twilight cash train rolling? Well, for starters, there’s a very good reason that a sixth, post- Breaking Dawn Pts. 1 & 2 sequel hasn’t been developed yet: With the exception of a supplemental novella ( The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner ) written to coincide with events of the third film, Eclipse , Meyer moved on to other properties like The Host , which is also being made into a film. A fifth Twilight novel, Midnight Sun , was once set to retell Twilight from Edward’s point of view, but Meyer herself spiked it when portions of her manuscript leaked online. (Meyer then posted it here .) Ever since then she’s kind of seemed done with writing more Twilight , even if the door has never been closed completely . And with Meyer so intrinsically linked to the film franchise, a sixth Twilight film would necessarily have to involve Meyer writing a fifth story (her fourth and final Twilight novel, Breaking Dawn , was split into a two-part film adaptation, the second of which hits screens this year). But even if Meyer agrees to a fifth book and sixth film, the motivation of continuing an otherwise concluded series might seem terribly transparent, and opportunistic, to a fanbase that adores the author as much for her vampire fantasy as for her openness with them over the years. Would Twilight fans eat up another chapter of Bella Swan’s life? Without a doubt, especially given the events that conclude the series in Breaking Dawn . But would it somehow cheapen the billion dollar franchise and the dedicated fandom that drives it? The question becomes less about the studios chasing sequels and more about how much Meyer is willing to risk signing off on, and how much her fans will care about the integrity of the franchise if it means they get another Twilight book and film. For many, I’m sure, the series could happily go on forever, manga-style, until the end of time. But as much as Lionsgate could conceivably milk Twilight for years and years to come, I’d like to think Twi-hards, who’ve had to defend themselves from global scrutiny for years and have been gleefully marketed to and squeezed of cash by savvy suits ever since 2008, would draw the line at some point. It’s a debate that J.K. Rowling faces, too, now that the Harry Potter saga has ended, on page and screen. But just as Daniel Radcliffe and Co. are moving on with their careers, so too do the Twilight kids seem ready to spread their wings. The end, it’s seemed for a while, is welcome in many regards. Their time with the franchise has been good — and has made stars of them all, considering that even previously unknown actors like Ashley Greene , for example, are now fronting their own films — but you get the feeling even the actors might dread another go-round (not to mention the fact that some of them are aging past the point of believable onscreen immortality). And so there are new franchises ready to follow the Twilight pattern of success, which brings us to The Hunger Games . Suzanne Collins only wrote three novels in her dystopian bestseller series, and yet, as confirmed last summer , Lionsgate plans on making four films from the series. Unlike Breaking Dawn , which contained a fairly obvious plot break at which the story could be divided, the third Hunger Games book, Mockingjay , seems less conducive to being split into two parts. I’d rather see it all go down in one part, personally, but here Lionsgate’s thinking is more conspicuous. Now that Summit has been slurped up by Lionsgate, I’ll be even less surprised if that cash-grabbing thought process is applied to Twilight . (Incidentally, Breaking Dawn Part 1 hits DVD and Blu-ray tonight.) Let’s just hope someone up there shows some restraint, sooner or later, whether it’s the suits, the stars, or Stephenie Meyer herself. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Film festivals have emerged as one of the best, most fertile grounds for discovering new voices in genre filmmaking, so much so that just about every fest these days has a midnight sidebar for edgier, darker fare. Among the just-announced midnight selections at this year’s SXSW Film Festival (held March 9-17 in Austin, TX): Tales of killer lady bartenders, faceless spooks, space-traveling Nazis, a deadly virus, VHS tapes , and the most evil kind of nightmare-inspiring villain imaginable, feral children. (Shudder.) Let’s rundown the freakiest-sounding offerings of the SXSW Midnight slate! 1. Intruders (Spain, UK) “The haunting story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them.” –> “Faceless being.” Not scary sounding enough to you? JUST LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID TO CLIVE OWEN’S FACE . 2. [REC] ³ GENESIS (Spain) “Koldo and Clara’s wedding is horrifically interrupted when some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness. Before they know what’s happening, the bride and groom find themselves in the middle of a hellish ordeal, as an uncontrollable torrent of violence is unleashed on the wedding.” –> The first REC inspired an Americanized remake ( Quarantine ) and itself earned three sequels ( REC 4 is forthcoming). Mysterious viral outbreaks never get old… or do they? 3. The Tall Man “When her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children.” –> There’s been a recent resurgence in child-themed horror – children in peril being pursued by the spooky creatures of fantasy — and for good reason: Even adults remember the dread inspired by the nightmare boogeymen of their youth. 4. V/H/S “A group of misfits are hired to burglarize a house in the countryside and acquire a rare tape. The guys are confronted with a dead body and an endless supply of cryptic footage, each video stranger than the last…” –> Having seen this anthology horror already , I admit it’s not so much scary as it is viscerally thrilling, an excellent use of the found footage gimmick made by folks who have a true affinity for the genre. 5. CITADEL (Ireland, Scotland) “An agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children.” –> FERAL CHILDREN. Oh hell no. Of course, there are all sorts of genre scares in the SXSW Midnight line-up as well, including grindhouse yarns ( Iron Sky ) and cult pics in the making ( John Dies at the End ). And don’t forget the shorts slate! SXSW programmers have a knack for finding exceptional short films each year, and the inclusion of my Sundance ’12 favorite — Jillian Mayer’s Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke , a Miami-set twist on La Jetee starring Uncle Luke of 2 Live Crew as himself — not to mention new shorts from Bill Plympton and Don Hertzfeldt, is promising. Full slate of Midnight films and shorts below. — SXSW Midnight Slate: The Aggression Scale Director: Steven C. Miller, Screenwriter: Ben Powell 4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = WAR Cast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere) CITADEL (Ireland, Scotland) Director/Screenwriter: Ciarán Foy An agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children. Cast: Anuerin Barnard, James Cosmo, Wumni Mosaku, Jake Wilson, Amy Shiels (World Premiere) Girls Against Boys Director/Screenwriter: Austin Chick A psychological thriller about two girls on a killing spree. With edgy and ironic humor and a darkly meditative tone, it is also a coming-of-age story about a girl learning how the world really works. Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Nicole LaLiberte, Liam Aiken, Michael Stahl-David, Andrew Howard (World Premiere) Intruders (Spain, UK) Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Screenwriters: Nicolás Casariego, Jaime Marques The haunting story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them. Cast: Clive Owen, Carice Van Houten, Daniel Brühl, Pilar López de Ayala (U.S. Premiere) Iron Sky (Finland, Germany, Australia) Director: Timo Vuorensola, Screenwriters: Michael Kalesniko, Timo Vuorensola In 1945 the Nazis went to the moon; in 2018 they are coming back. Cast: Julia Dietze, Götz Otto, Christopher Kirby, Peta Sergeant, Stephanie Paul, Tilo Prückner, Michael Cullen, Udo Kier (North American Premiere) John Dies At The End Director & Screenwriter: Don Coscarelli On the street it’s called “soy sauce,” a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Suddenly, a silent otherworldly invasion is underway. Can college dropouts John and Dave save humanity? No, they can’t. Cast: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti, Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman Modus Anomali (Indonesia) Director/Screenwriter: Joko Anwar A man tries to save his family who go missing during a vacation in the forest. Cast: Rio Dewanto, Hannah Al Rashid, Izziati Amara Isman, Aridh Tritama, Surya Saputra, Marsha Timothy, Sadha Triyudha, Jose Gamo (World Premiere) [REC] ³ GENESIS (Spain) Director: Paco Plaza Screenwriters: Luiso Berdejo, Paco Plaza Koldo and Clara’s wedding is horrifically interrupted when some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness. Before they know what’s happening, the bride and groom find themselves in the middle of a hellish ordeal, as an uncontrollable torrent of violence is unleashed on the wedding. Cast: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin (World Premiere) Super Secret Screening Be the first to see this feature film coming to theaters near you. The Tall Man Director/Screenwriter: Pascal Laugier When her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children. Cast: Jessica Biel, Jodelle Ferland, Stephen McHattie, William B.Davis (World Premiere) V/H/S Directors: Ti West, Adam Wingard, Joe Swanberg, David Bruckner, Glenn Mcquaid, Radio Silence, Screenwriter: Ti West, Simon Barrett, David Bruckner, Radio Silence, Glenn Mcquaid A group of misfits are hired to burglarize a house in the countryside and acquire a rare tape. The guys are confronted with a dead body and an endless supply of cryptic footage, each video stranger than the last… Cast: Joe Swanberg, Calvin Reeder, Kate Lynn Shiel, Sophia Takal, Lane Hughes, Helen Rogers, Adam Wingard NARRATIVE SHORTS A selection of original, well-crafted films that take advantage of the short form and exemplify distinctive and genuine storytelling. The winner of our Grand Jury Award in this category is eligible for a 2013 Academy Award nomination for Best Narrative Short. Aaron Burr, Part 2 Director: Dana O’Keefe History is a contest. Another Bullet Dodged Director: Landon Zakheim In the fading echoes of a relationship, character is revealed. Bear Director: Nash Edgerton Jack means well, but sometimes good intentions have horrible consequences. The Black Balloon Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie In New York City, a lone black balloon, once part of a huge 100-balloon bouquet, learns that humans are complicated creatures with extreme highs and lows. Part Sci-Fi, part children’s film. The Chair Director: Grainger David The story of one boy’s reaction to a mysterious outbreak of poisonous mold in his small town. A Chjána (The Plain) Director: Jonas Carpignano Inspired by real events, A Chjàna (The Plain) follows Ayiva, an African migrant worker who seeks to reunite with his best friend in the wake of the most significant race riot in Italian history. A Fábrica Director: Aly Muritiba An inmate convinces his mother to take a risk smuggling a cell phone for him into the penitentiary. FOXES Director: Lorcan Finnegan A young couple trapped in a remote estate of empty houses and shrieking foxes are beckoned from their isolation into a twilight world. A world of the paranormal or perhaps insanity. Heimkommen (Coming Home) Director: Micah Magee When Robert’s girlfriend dies, he turns his grief against his younger sister Jo. Jo plays ice hockey with the boys, hoping to gather strength to bring her brother back to the land of the living. In The Pines Directors: Zeek Earl, Chris Caldwell Simultaneously an exploration of nature and psyche, the film documents a young woman’s hunt for extraterrestrial meaning. Part science fiction, part psycho-thriller, part poetry – this film crafts a memorable scene rooted in the Pacific Northwest. Joy Director: Colm Quinn Nicola reluctantly introduces her newborn daughter to her best friend Tess. Liar Director: Adam Garnet Jones When a brutal teenage revenge plot gets pushed too far, 14 year-old Tara is forced to choose between standing helplessly on the sidelines or stepping in to defend the boyfriend that hurt her. Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke Directors: Jillian Mayer, Lucas Leyva A modern Miami adaptation of the 1962 French short film La Jetee, starring Uncle Luke of the 2 Live Crew. Little Dad Director: Noah Pritzker An insecure father prepares for a party at his in-laws. Mouthful Director: Robert G. Putka Bobby and Bliss are a happy couple, that is, until they begin to tell each other things probably better left unsaid. A single question leads them down a highway to relationship hell. My Friend Kills Time Director: Jakob Rørvik Thomas moves to a remote cabin in an attempt to disappear completely… even from himself. My Friend Kills Time mixes visual textures and haunting soundscapes to create a cinematic diary of a young man’s isolation. Not Far From The Abattoir Director: Kyle Thomas A story of a man controlling his demons and trying to imagine a better life outside of the only town he has ever called home. Pitch Black Heist Director: John Maclean Two men, professional safe crackers, meet on a simple job to relieve an office safe of its contents. The catch; a light activated alarm system impelling them to embark on a pitch black heist. Playtime (Spielzeit) Director: Lucas Mireles A seamless journey through the lives of German youth on a Sunday afternoon. Random Strangers Director: Alexis Dos Santos Lulu and Rocky meet, fall in love, spend the night together, and fall asleep looking at each other…except for the fact that he is in Berlin and she is in Buenos Aires. Reinaldo Arenas Director: Lucas Leyva Told from the point of view of a dying shark, Reinaldo Arenas is the story of an unintentional immigrant in Miami. REMAINS Directors: Jeremiah Zagar, Nathan Caswell A blend of documentary and fiction, Remains is about recollection and fading memories. Combining three years of recorded voice messages with stunning macro photography, the film documents a relationship from its inception to its end. Sea Meadow Director: Lily Baldwin A disoriented young woman stumbles upon an empty estate. There are signs of a lush life, but the inhabitants have disappeared. Or have they? Sea Meadow revamps the thriller with pop mashups and stylized dance tableaux. Shoot the Freak Director: Bradford Willingham Through the freak’s musings, this film chronicles the last days of the iconic, abrasive Coney Island attraction Shoot the Freak. In masked anonymity, the nihilistic teen indulges in drug-induced daydreams of violence and oceanic abandon. A Short Film About Ice Fishing Director: Jason Shahinfar In rural South Dakota two friends go out for the most explosive day of ice fishing either will ever experience. Syndromes Directors: The Golden Filter, Kristoffer Borgli A young girl’s bizarre and unexplained ability to help others leads to her involvement in a sinister underworld. Would You Directors: Brian McGinn, Rod Blackhurst Two friends play ‘Would You Rather.’ When their choices magically start to come true, they find themselves in a variety of awkward and funny situations. DOCUMENTARY SHORTS Unfiltered slices of life, from across the documentary spectrum. Aisha’s Song Director: Orlando von Einsiedel Musically lush and stunningly shot, Aisha’s Song is a touching and uplifting story of female empowerment from a part of the world where women are all too often overlooked. A Brief History of John Baldessari Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman No more boring films! Everything you need to know about the godfather of Conceptual Art… narrated by Tom Waits. BRUTE FORCE Director: Ben Steinbauer The story of Apple Records notoriously irreverent recording artist, Brute Force. CatCam Director: Seth Keal When a German engineer creates a tiny camera for his newly adopted stray cat to wear, the photographs reveal more than ever expected. Cutting Loose Directors: Finlay Pretsell, Adrian McDowall “I’m trusted with a pair of scissors and I’m in here for murder.” A snapshot of prison life in the build up to the annual hairdressing competition. Family Nightmare Director: Dustin Guy Defa Unearthed home movies and haunting dubbed voices collide to create a personal portrait of family dysfunction. The Fuse: or How I Burned Simon Bolivar Director: Igor Drljaca A nine-year-old boy thinks he is responsible for the civil war in Bosnia. Kudzu Vine Director: Josh Gibson This ode to the climbing, trailing, and coiling species Pueraria lobata evokes the agricultural history and mythic textures of the American South. The Love Competition Director: Brent Hoff The World’s First Love Competition. The Man That Got Away Director: Trevor Anderson A musical documentary that tells the true life story of Trevor’s great-uncle Jimmy in six original songs. Meaning of Robots Director: Matt Lenski Mike Sullivan’s world is overrun by an army of miniature sex robots with no end in sight. Minor/Major: The TV on the Radio Tour Documentary Director: Chioke Nassor An intense documentary portrait on the band TV on the Radio as they transition from minor label darlings to major label success. New York Accent Director: Caleb Slain Once a man with all the answers, Dr. Ed Dobson is struggling to resolve his own questions before succumbing to the unusual disease eating away his body. Written in Ink Director: Martin Rath Can one change what has already been written in ink? SX GLOBAL SHORTS A showcase for cutting-edge documentary shorts from around the world. Abuelas Director: Afarin Eghbal In Buenos Aires, an old woman looks forward to all the joys of becoming a grandmother. However, unfolding historic events mean she is forced to wait over 30 years. The Contest Director: Jakub Cuman Observational documentary made during the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition Preliminaries in 2010. Chronicle of Oldrich S. Director: Rudolf Smid Mr Sedlacek wrote one-sentence entries in his chronicle from 1981 to 2005, everyday stories of his life, his village, and of international events. This animated documentary is based on 80 of those entries. The Contract Director: Lina Mannheimer On the 5th of May 2005, Beverly Charpentier declares an oath of allegiance to Catherine Robbe-Grillet. Hereby she gives up her freedom, for the rest of her life. Doctor Rao Directors: Alexej Tchernyi, Wu Zhi Doctor Rao passed away. Family and friends are celebrating his last journey. Walt Disney Square Directors: Renata Pinheiro, Sergio Oliveira A “quasi-musical” approach to contemporary urban life that reflects Brazilian society and many others throughout the world, this documentary describes at the same time a place, a city and a country. ANIMATED SHORTS An assortment of stories told using a mix of traditional animation, computer-generated effects, stop-motion, and everything in-between. The winner of our Grand Jury Award in this category is eligible for a 2013 Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short. 663114 I am a 66-year cicada. There was a big earthquake. There was a big tsunami. There also was a big accident. Belly Director: Julia Pott I can feel you in my belly. Caldera Director: Evan Viera A young girl goes off her medication to leave a bleak metropolis and immerse herself in a vibrant oceanic cove. Chocolate Milk Director: Eliza Kinkz Growing up in a Texas drug rehab, a teenage girl learns the rules of life and dairy products. Combustion Director: Renaud Hallée Fire used as a visual and musical tool. Giraffe Danger Director: Randall Hopkins A giraffe with personal space anxiety has a bad day. The Hunter Director: Marieka Walsh A hunter searches for a missing boy deep in the snow covered mountains. He must make decisions that will forever change his relationship with the wilderness he fears. The Hunter is a stop-motion sand animation. “it’s such a beautiful day” Director: Don Hertzfeldt Bill finds himself in a hospital struggling with memory problems, in this third and final chapter to Don Hertzfeldt’s “Everything will be OK” trilogy. Little Boat Director: Nelson Boles One little boat, one big journey. The Maker Director: Christopher Kezelos Life is what you make it. (notes on) biology Director: Danny Madden An animated account of an organism adapting to its environment. Once It Started It Could Not End Otherwise Director: Kelly Sears A terrifying look back at high school. Paint Showers Director: Miguel Jiron Swirling cosmos of paint give way to a storm of color and drips. Photographs Directors: Christina Manrique, Robert Clogher An elderly woman living in an abandoned town finds a camera, which becomes a means for her to recreate her past life and remember a lost love. Reddish Brown and Blueish Green Director: Samantha Gurry Child services, schwag, and the American dream. The Shrine / An Argument Director: Sean Pecknold An elk wanders through a world of madness. Summer Bummer Director: Bill Plympton A man daydreams about what terror could be lurking in his backyard pool. MIDNIGHT SHORTS Bite-sized bits for all of your sex, genre, and hilarity needs. Cheap Extermination Director: Minka Farthing-Kohl For Ernst, the perfect disguise was to play himself. Cherry On Top Director: Mike Damanskis A prostitute finds new ways to attract business. Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared Directors: Rebecca Sloan, Joseph Pelling A short film about teaching creativity—by This Is It Collective. Duck Sauce, “Big Bad Wolf” Director: Keith Schofield Keith Schofield’s original, outrageous and very, very funny promo for Duck Sauce’s single Big Bad Wolf has been burning up the internet, causing millions of pelvises to be thrust worldwide. An instant classic. I Am Your Grandma Director: Jillian Mayer An autobiographical video diary log (vlog) that Jillian Mayer records for her unborn grandchildren. J.P.B.F. Director: Steve Collins A woman interviews for a job at a nefarious company that may or may not f**k b**ts. Jacuzzi Boys, “Glazin” Directors: Lucas Leyva, Jillian Mayer Glazin’ is part of a larger narrative where a group of 6 anonymous girls innocently paint their privates and rig them to lip-synch their favorite song as a gift to the band. Machines of the Working Class Directors: James Dastoli, Robert Dastoli Two robotic blue-collar workers take a brief hiatus to discuss delusions of grandeur. Man & Gun Director: Brian McOmber A post 9/11 fairy tale about a man’s love affair with guns. Merman Director: Jono Foley Harrison swims through the darkest recesses of his mind. Other Director: Daniel DelPurgatorio Patrick is a brilliant doctor in an obsessive race to alter his own grim prognosis. During a series of unconventional experiments, he discovers a scientific loophole unlike anything he had ever imagined. Perished Directors: Aaron McCann, Stefan Androv Radanovich Sometimes survival is worse than death. Zombie Chic Director: Todd Cobery A stuffy dinner party is interrupted by the zombie apocalypse. MUSIC VIDEOS A range of classic, innovative, and stylish work showcasing the scope of music video culture. Alexander, ”A Million Years” Director: Benjamin Kutsko Baskerville, ”Reloaded” Director: Marieke Verbiesen Battles, ”My Machines” Director: DANIELS Casey Veggies, ”Euphoria II” Director: John Bollozos Céline Desrumaux, ”Countdown” Director: Céline Desrumaux CHRISTEENE, “African Mayonnaise” Director: PJ Raval Cults, ”You Know What I Mean” Director: Kevin Lin Ganesh Rao, ”Empyrean” Director: Ganesh Rao The Good The Bad, “030” Jeppe Kolstrup Gotye (Feat. Kimbra), ”Somebody That I Used To Know” Director: Natasha Pincus Hawaaii, ”Welcome” Director: Churl Gwon Herman Dune, ”Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” Director: Toben Seymour Hooray For Earth, ”True Loves” Director: Young Replicant Hyperpotamus, ”De Camino” Director: Lucas Borras Kina Grannis,”In Your Arms” Director: Greg Jardin Little Tybee, ”Boxcar Fair” Directors: Brock Scott, Tom Haney Ok Go, ”All Is Not Lost” Director: Ok Go, Pilobolus, & Trish Sie Porter Robinson, ”Spitfire” Director: Saman Keshavarz Son of Kick,“Playing the Villain” Director: Matt Devine (Glues Society) When Saints Go Machine, ”Parix” Director: Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen Whomadewho, ”Every Minute Alone” Director: William Stahl Yip Deceiver, “Get Strict” Directors: Brandon LaGanke, John Carlucci Yuksek, ”ALWAYS ON THE RUN” Directors: David Hache, Marc-Edouard Leon TEXAS SHORTS An offshoot of our regular narrative shorts program, composed of work shot in, about, or somehow relating to the Lone Star state. foolproof Directors: Zach Anner, Marshall Rimmer Zach Anner, the freeloading roommate, and Marshall Rimmer, the responsible businessman, eat their morning cereal together. The Gathering Squall Director: Hannah Fidell A teenage girl is forced into adulthood after she is assaulted by a classmate. The Guessing Game Director: Angela Cheng A very short comedy set in a retirement home with senior citizens. On the morning of his birthday, Emmett asks his fellow residents to guess his age and is surprised by their answers. Hellion Director: Kat Candler All hell breaks loose when seven-year-old Petey is left with his hell-raising brothers. But things go from bad to really, really bad when Dad gets home. Knife Director: James M. Johnston From the rugged cross-timbers of Texas comes a portrait of greed and vengeance. Magpie Director: Russell O. Buh On a trip to reconnect with his estranged and recently engaged daughter, Phillip finds a sex tape of the little girl he used to know. Dinner is going to be awkward. Spark Director: Annie Silverstein While a boy waits out his father’s tryst he is unexpectedly forced to deal with the lady-friend’s daughter. Set on a ranch in Bastrop, Texas, Spark uses the environment to explore the internal space of children. Tumbleweed! Director: Jared Varava The true and historically accurate tale of one tumbleweed that did not tumble. What It’s Like Director: Matt Naylor A magazine writer goes to an old folks home to buy mushrooms from one of the elderly residents. What starts as a bizarre transaction becomes a moment of connection across generations. TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS Texas High School students offer a glimpse of a bright future for Texas filmmaking. The Apparition Director: Jonathan Munoz Paranormal Elimination 101. The Bench Directors: Kalen Doyle, Hirsh Elhence There’s a note for that. The Bench Director: Christian Benavides One son’s letter to his father. Boom Directors: Daniel Matyas, Brian Broder All around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel. The monkey thought ’twas all in fun, then Pop! goes the weasel. Burn Spark Directors: Maqui Gaona, J.J. Rubin In the future, one man fights the system to choose his own love. Chance Director: Jasmine DePucci A young girl experiences a transformation by an evil spirit contained within the fluffy seams of a teddy bear. Code Red Director: Zach Prengler Four nerdy guys buy the hottest video game of the year, but what they bought was not what they expected. Drawings Directors: Christian Larrave, Alex McKenna The story of two doodles in love. Drones Director: Micah Autry A social issue film that projects the life of the protagonist and how he overcomes constraints of a normal life. Drum Roll Please Director: Alexander Villanueva Opposable thumbs have allowed humans to become the dominant species. How dominant, you say? Janitor’s Laundry Director: Brian Broder A dark thriller exploring the actions of a murderous janitor, who attacks lonely victims at the local laundrymat. Josh Lumsden, “Guilty” Director: Josh Lumsden Josh Lumsden sings and dances while trapped in a mental asylum. Julian Edmonson: Who I Am Director: Jake Wangner Julian Edmonson is a point guard who graduated from Fossil Ridge High School. This is a video putting a spotlight on this student before he went off to college. Knit-Picky Director: Bobby Jorgenson Life socks. Language Director: Leah Schell Jason and his Korean foreign exchange student struggle to overcome a language barrier. Masterpiece Director: Anele Page An artist struggles to create a masterpiece for a special cause. McChange: a Manifesto Directors: Jonathan Griffin, Josiah Sandhu Mark McNeil is the president that Pasadena Memorial High deserves, but doesn’t need right now. Plasticine Dream Directors: Samantha Fine, Andrew Fields Romance molded into the shape of a dream. The Process Director: Ty Whittington Ty Whittington, a young artist, takes us through the process of creating an artistic illustration in his own way. The Proposal Directors: Marcella Jimenez, Susannah Rodrigue The story of a young boys hope for childhood love. SAFE Director: Pierce Harvell When a tornado threatens the lives of two brothers, one decides to take the initiative towards survival despite the reservations of his twin. Silent Night Director: James Bradford Run fat boy, run! Zwichensug Directors: Cole Martin, Josh Willis An anonymous man with skills of inexplicable origin infiltrates the corporate hideout of a shady, but high-ranking businessman. Using fast and fluid tactics, our protagonist is determined to complete his task. Previously: The 2012 SXSW Features slate For more on the SXSW Film Festival, click here .
Sometime after getting her start on NBC’s short-lived but well-loved cult series Freaks and Geeks , starring in two live-action studio Scooby-Doo movies, appearing for six seasons on ER , and turning in various screen performances (including a role as Ennis del Mar’s waitress fling in Brokeback Mountain ), Linda Cardellini took a break to reassess her career. “I wanted to step back and reevaluate myself as an actress and find out what I was capable of,” she told Movieline, describing her turn as a shell-shocked female soldier readjusting to life at home in this week’s Return , “and this was sort of the perfect role for that.” Return brought the actress in close collaboration with filmmaker Liza Johnson, who wrote and directed the drama about Kelli (Cardellini), a wife and mother who’s recently come home to her suburban Ohio town after a tour of duty in the Middle East with the National Guard. Despite the fact that she suffered no notable trauma overseas, Kelli finds that her familiar world has been utterly changed nonetheless; nothing seems to be in its right place anymore, in her home and in her mind. Despite her best efforts, Kelli’s emotional dislocation begins to sabotage her relationships and threaten her marriage as she grasps to keep control of it all. It’s an unusual perspective on war and its tragic effects, and one that Cardellini eagerly poured herself into. And it’s a performance that’s garnered new acclaim and attention for the actress, who also added roles in Kill the Irishman and Super to her post-break resume. Cardellini rang Movieline last week – expecting her first baby any day, she joked that both of her big projects could debut at once – to discuss Return , her career moves, and more. The director, Liza Johnson, workshopped this film for a while – how did it come to you and why do you think you tapped into it? After I finished ER I went to New York and I was thinking about doing a play, I sort of took a step back and thought I wanted to do something different than what I had been doing for so long. While I was in New York I was sent this script, I read it that night, and the next day I met with Liza. Really, I just sort of fell in love with the role because even though it’s a giant undertaking it’s a fantastic role for an actress, and I just thought it was an unusual way to take a look at a soldier returning, especially from a woman’s perspective. What kind of impression did Liza and her vision for the film make on you? When I met with Liza I thought she really had an interesting voice; she had a lot of ideas about the silences and the small details that have caused the unraveling in this person’s life, rather than the one big traumatic and catastrophic event, which was a really interesting way to play it and hopefully for people to relate to this type of character. She had things written in the script about the way things smelled, and the way things felt on her feet, and it was different than other scripts that I had read. Liza’s idea of how to shoot it and who this person was, we really just fell in sync close to immediately. I was very lucky that she chose me! We had the luxury of time because it’s so hard to put together a truly independent film – we had a little over a year together, talking about the film, obsessing over the film. For me and for Liza, we really enjoyed educating ourselves as much as we could about people returning and their stories, and people’s stories surrounding them. I’m onscreen the entire time – I’ve never had such great trust between myself and a director, and that was a wonderful feeling. We very rarely hear about, let alone see depicted, the experience of a female soldier. How did you learn about that world and that unique point of view, through talking to real life servicemen and women? We tried to find as many people as we could that would talk to us, and people were very generous in speaking to us. People’s experiences were very different. There was one woman who was happily returning to her third or fourth deployment, and I spoke with another girl who, after one deployment, her life had been turned completely upside-down. The differences between those stories, and also the common threads – and I spoke with men as well, to get the generalized version of the story and to understand things that weren’t necessarily gender-specific, things that were common threads for men and women, so that the story could be accessible to many people since it wasn’t based on one person’s actual story. We spoke with psychologists and vets from other wars, people who had family members returning – and what it was like to be shut out from that – and went to places where we thought she’d have grown up. We went to places she’d have visited with her family; we did things she would have done in basic training even though you never saw them in the film. We just tried to fill her life as much as possible, especially because there are so many silences and so many small details and there’s so much restraint in her character, I wanted to be able to seed those silences with all the details I had learned. There are many instances where we realize, after the fact, that she’s felt off despite being back home and in her “normal” routine – and many small details that are not verbalized, but come through in quiet, subtle cues. Yeah. And the script didn’t tell me what to think, or how to think, but also as Kelli I don’t know how to say the things that I’m feeling, which is what I think happens in life. I don’t think that we’re always the most articulate we can be when we’re going through something traumatic or life-changing. Hindsight is 20/20 – you don’t realize for years to come that you’re going through and how they affected you. I imagine that Kelli, in the years to come, will understand more about herself than she does at the moment. Things are very jarring for her from the moment we meet her; she’s just come home from a tour of duty and trying to readjust to her old life, not quite sure why things feel different. How would you describe her headspace? She frequently explains, when people ask her what happened “over there,” that “other people had it a lot worse.” She’s in denial, for sure… I think she’s in denial, I think there’s some guilt, I think there’s some sadness…loss at her perspective of the world right now, I think there’s an innocence lost. I think she’s going through a lot of things that she doesn’t quite know how to put into words, but she certainly didn’t lose a limb like people that she saw, she didn’t lose her life, she didn’t get raped – she’s forced to count her blessings based on some of the things she’s seen but still does not feel her old self, and still feels changed by everything that’s happened, so it’s confusing. We spoke to this psychologist and she said sometimes people don’t have one specific trauma, but the idea of being in a broken and war-torn world where you see things that change your opinion of what mankind can be like is enough to cause trauma in your life. I think that’s an interesting thing; a lot of returning soldier stories have one big catastrophic event where someone gets hurt or there’s an outburst of violence, and I think those things do, of course as we’ve seen, really happen. And I think there’s another version of that, with people returning with stories that aren’t quite as explosive but that can be life-changing for them as well. I think that’s something that people come home with and can be healed from, but also some people are healed from it and some people are not. The idea of “returning” is made exponentially stressful given the possibility of redeployment for many soldiers like Kelli, and that constant feeling of being torn between two worlds seems even worse than having to adjust even once back to normal life. Absolutely. And what do you do with that commitment that you’ve made and the duty that you have – and the duty you have to your family? And what are your alternatives? Not to mention that in focusing on a female soldier’s perspective you get the added element of maternal demands – Kelli’s husband at one point asks her to try to be a mother to her children. The idea of these two potentially conflicting duties, service and motherhood, pulling a woman in two different directions is even more complex. Yeah, and I think it’s maybe just as difficult for men to do the same but we’re used to it. The idea of a woman leaving her children [to serve in the military] is a newer concept for people, so dealing with the fallout of that is something I think she has to deal with as well. Because the expectations of her returning home are different than they would be if she were a man. And the expectations of the man staying home are different as well, and Michael [Shannon]’s character is really interesting in that way too, in that he’s been holding things together waiting for her to come back and be normal and that just can’t happen. It’s really, really sad. Did Michael come to the project after you were attached? No, I think he was first! I don’t know if Liza knew him before or what, but he was attached first and very, very early on – it took at least a year after that, if not two, for the movie to be made. Then I came on and everybody else after that. What was it like playing opposite Michael and, by contrast, John Slattery, who plays an interesting character in that he and Kelli seem to get each other through their similar military experiences even if it doesn’t exactly work out… No, and I think he’s a surprise to her, too. I think she feels that she’s finally found somebody that maybe she can trust, and you get a glimpse of Kelli when she’s a little more carefree. She’s laughing, she’s having a good time, she’s talking, and she actually opens herself up a bit more before you realize how quickly that is an illusion, and how quickly she shuts down. Things are still not as she hopes them to be. I think it’s interesting, too, how he deals with his return – he’s a returning vet from a different war, versus her coming home from a more recent war, and it’s a common thread yet they have very different approaches to dealing with it. But John’s great; it was really fun to be able to play on set. It was very fun to have a different version of Kelli come out in those scenes, and I wanted people to understand what she was like when she could smile easier, and laugh, and relate to people a little bit better. With Michael, I had been on set a long time shooting by myself and when he showed up there was this whole family dynamic that came with him. For all the crazy parts he plays he’s a really wonderful, good person. Such a dynamic and amazing actor, it was a thrill to work with him and we had such a good time. We had this chemistry that just worked in terms of the opposition and the affection we had towards each other. How has your process evolved over the years in terms of the projects and characters that you choose? You know, it’s hard to say. It’s a good question. I’ve always tried to choose things where I could be different than what I have been doing, and I really like to be able to surprise people with what I’m able to do. I sometimes can shy away from the limelight a little, and I took a break after ER . I could have done several things but I just waited until I found a role… I wanted to step back and reevaluate myself as an actress and find out what I was capable of, and this was sort of the perfect role for that. I’m lucky that Liza trusted me with such a giant undertaking. It’s the first time someone’s been able to hand me a role like that, and it felt so good to sink my teeth into that and really understand myself again as an actress. But I love to do comedy too! I like to choose things that excite me and challenge me, and this was definitely one of them. [Laughs] It was very fast and furious shooting, too. And also I wanted to know more about that subject matter, so it was an education as well. You mentioned those few years that you took off to re-assess your career direction and the kind of projects you wanted to take on. When you look back on Freaks and Geeks , it has such an enduring legacy and even Paul Feig, for example, has had huge recent success. Yeah! It’s so great. When you look back on that time, how do you feel about the fact that many people still associate you with Freaks and Geeks and have such a love for the series, even now? It’s amazing. It really speaks to the power of the DVD because while we were on network television we got very much ignored, like the freaks and geeks of the industry. [Laughs] But I love it. I’m so proud of the show, I’m so proud of everybody who went on to do all the different things that they’ve done. It was such an interesting and unique group of people. Our [2011Paleyfest celebration] was like a high school reunion. We drove up and I said, ‘God, what are these people waiting for?’ And we realized they were here for Freaks and Geeks , to be part of the event, and I thought, wow – what a change, from being cancelled and not even getting to a full season! A line around the block a decade later. And I run into people who are still discovering the show. I think we’re all pretty proud of it. You followed Freaks and Geeks with a number of roles in big mainstream films – the Scooby-Doo movies, for instance. Considering this more recent career refocus, are there any earlier roles that you might reconsider doing if you had to do them over again? You know, everything I’ve done has brought me to where I am. Some people wonder where that is, but to me it’s the story of my life and I’ve had a pretty good life, so I’m pretty happy. And this latest role, if I would have stepped in a different direction I wouldn’t be in this film now, and to me it’s one of my greatest accomplishments so far. Return is in select theaters this Friday. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
A gaggle of right-wing functionaries is furious with Clint Eastwood and Chrysler, with no less than Karl Rove calling out the actor-director- inspirational halftime huckster for a Super Bowl ad that Rove and others perceived as a thinly veiled reelection endorsement for President Obama. Wait, what ? The shit hit the fan Monday afternoon when Rove took to Fox News to protest the epic TV spot, arguing that… honestly, I have no idea. Big Hollywood’s John Nolte offered the most succinct explanation of conservative outrage — “Because Obama’s decided to eliminate moral hazard and socialize losses for anyone who employs the unions who fund his campaigns, Chrysler obviously wrote a thinly veiled thank you in the form of a reelection ad for their benefactor, and convinced a Republican icon to deliver it” — but things just got straight-up surreal with Rove (via EW ): Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com “Chicago-style politics”? Excuse me? If anything, this is Detroit politics (or economics, really), and to think Eastwood would just overlook the potential implications therein for the simple sake of a rah-rah Super Bowl message is to underestimate a pretty smart guy who once made it a two-year mission of his life to emphasize the benefits of business over politics . Anyway, Eastwood’s manager offered a beleaguered defense (“People have to understand that what he was doing was saying to America, ‘Get yourselves together – all of you – and make this a second half.’ It’s not a political thing”), but the best part came when Eastwood himself reached out to O’Reilly Factor producer Ron Mitchell to defuse the conspiracy theories, hype, conjecture, invective and the rest of it: “I just want to say that the spin stops with you guys, and there is no spin in that ad. On this I am certain. l am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. I thought the spirit was OK. I am not supporting any politician at this time. Chrysler to their credit didn’t even have cars in the ad. Anything they gave me for it went for charity. If any Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it.” Love. It. It’s like, “Screw you and your panic; there’s plenty of room up here for anyone who wants to join me on the high road.” Now Obama doesn’t have to say a word, and the conservatives are left to either embrace the “let’s fix this” spirit that they just implicitly ascribed to the president or oppose it as a matter of ideological course — which would just reinforce the ad’s criticism of “the fog, the division, the discord and blame” crippling our discourse. Whoops! I’m still not buying a Chrysler, but hey. This is turning out all right! Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Lana Del Rey’s 15 minutes may be nearing their end (she did just postpone her tour after tanking on SNL ), but she’s got one last charge towards relevance up her sleeve; just check out her new jam inspired by The Hunger Games called, simply, “Hunger Games.” So Lana. So Katniss. “This District smells like rat piss/My name is Katniss/I play the Hunger Gaaaaames…” Okay, so it’s not technically Lana Del Rey. But isn’t Lana Del Rey herself more of an idea, really? One made of pouty lips and moody sunsets and Veronica Lake hair that belongs to us all? Well anyway, Second City’s Holly Laurent does an uncanny job smashing together these two zeitgeisty entities into one weirdly perfect package that boils down both the neophyte songstress and Suzanne Collins’ bestselling YA phenomenon to their essences. [Thanks to @earnestp for the heads up]
“We must treat these dog characters with the same respect we show human characters… no condescension, no looking down, no breaking character for the sake of a gag.” And that, my friends, is part of the reason why Walt Disney’s legacy on film has stood the test of time. After the jump, find deleted scenes and a nifty video culling notes from Disney’s story meetings with collaborators on 1955’s Lady and the Tramp . In newly released deleted scenes (found on the Lady and the Tramp Diamond Edition DVD and Blu-ray, out today), envision what might have been via sketched storyboards for moments that didn’t make it into the final cut. Scrapped from the final film, Russian wolfhound Boris was at one point to em-bark (groan!) in a love triangle with Lady and Tramp. At this point in development, the character of Tramp was called Homer. Deleted Scene: “Boris meets Lady” Lady’s troubles begin when owners Jim Dear and Darling find they’re expecting a baby and no longer can give her their full attention, but in this deleted scene Lady shares in her master’s excitement. Deleted Scene: “Waiting for Baby” Fascinating character development chat abounds in this dramatic recreation of Disney’s story meetings on crafting the character of Lady, based on original transcripts. “Creating Lady” And a brief peek inside the process of developing the Beaver character, envisioned as a near-sighted salesman caricature — “A satire on the 21st century and what they think up…” “Creating Beaver” Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Forget blowing a million or more on a Super Bowl ad; the day after upcoming tentpoles John Carter , Battleship , and G.I. Joe targeted football-watchers with pricey TV spots, Sony went after niche fans with an international simulcast screening of new footage and a 3-D preview of the new Amazing Spider-Man trailer set to hit tonight at midnight PT. Though it included some unfinished visual effects, the sizzle reel featuring 30-40 percent new footage (according to a rep for the studio) hinted at the scope and darkly humorous tone of the Marc Webb-directed reboot. Webb, in attendance at the Los Angeles leg of the event, was joined via satellite by co-star Emma Stone and producers Avi Arad and Matthew Tolmach in Rio, Rhys Ifans in London, and Andrew Garfield in New York as the group presented 3-D and 2-D footage and answered fan questions. (The event was also screened live for audiences in additional cities around the globe.) Among the highlights of the Q&A: Stone expounding on the many differences between her character Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker’s other more famous leading lady, Mary Jane. Besides coming from an affluent background and having a solid relationship with her father, police captain George Stacy (whose traditional attitude toward law enforcement clashes with Parker’s in the footage), “Gwen falls in love with Peter Parker, but Mary Jane falls in love with Spider-Man.” With reverence for the Spider-Man legacy he’s now a part of, Garfield elicited cheers from the crowd by pondered the future possibilities of the role in pop culture. Tobey Maguire had played him first and now Garfield was inheriting Spidey’s web slingers but, he said, “next time I hope it will be a half-Hispanic, half-African American actor.” Screened in 3-D for those in attendance at the simultaneous screenings around the globe, the Amazing Spider-Man trailer came packed with action snippets, gadget porn (ex. Peter inventing homemade web slinger technology), flashbacks to Peter’s traumatic black and white childhood, and looks at Ifans’ Dr. Curt Conners/The Lizard, smoothly and slickly pulled off as an engaging bit of 3-D. Massive set pieces and close-combat fight scenes use CG well enough that Garfield’s superhuman movements look believable within the space. But if any one thing distinguishes this Spider-Man from the Raimi series, it’s Garfield’s superpowered Peter Parker. Sardonic and wry, he bristles with a cocksure energy that Maguire never had and maybe couldn’t have achieved, either. This Spider-Man marks his streets with spider graffiti, toys with his criminal prey, revels in the coolness of his own superpowers. He’s defiant in the face of authority, maybe a little too gleeful in assuming the role of jokester vigilante; of course that brings him in direct conflict with his girlfriend’s dad (Denis Leary as George Stacy), but that seems to shade in his own parental issues as much as it’s convenient storytelling. The focus this time around — in the story that Sony would like us to believe we’ve never seen or heard before, though Spider-Man ‘s decades-long pop cultural saturation inspires some skepticism — isn’t on losing Uncle Ben and wrestling with that guilt forever and ever (and upside down kisses and stuff), though additional footage showing Martin Sheen as Ben riffing tenderly with Peter does make you think about how that other shoe will drop. Instead, Webb said, he wanted to tap into “the emotional consequences of what it means to be an orphan,” and so the teenage Peter reaches out to Dr. Conners, who he discovers used to work closely with his long-lost dad. “What makes him a more emotional presence in Peter’s life is that he had a very close relationship to Peter’s father,” explained Ifans. The two of them share a genius knack for science but ultimately, obviously, come to blows. Much of today’s sizzle reel footage (which was shot in 3-D but shown today in 2-D) was previously shown at Comic-Con — Peter being bullied by Flash Thompson at school, Uncle Ben embarrassing him in front of Gwen, Peter as Spidey having fun with a car thief. In terms of character, Conners and his alter ego The Lizard are featured quite prominently in this new footage, which showed some well-textured CG work of the character in full creature mode (The Lizard punching his way into a car, a close-up on his face) as well as snippets of Lizard vs. Spidey fighting all over the city, culminating with Spidey toppling a tower atop a skyscraper. After the footage screening Movieline spoke briefly with Webb, who seemed pleased with the reception. That said, he’s got a long way to go to a final cut, he admitted. But despite the fact that a handful of shots in the footage were clearly unfinished, fans still seemed impressed — especially by the finished 3-D portion, which was important to nail particularly since it was filmed in 3-D and had better look good given the initial disappointment over the video game-esque portion of Spider-Man ‘s first teaser . As for the event itself, fans who waited for hours for a chance to see the Spider-Man footage (At noon! On a weekday!) but were shut-out of the simulcast satellite event were rewarded as Sony replayed the footage again and again for those who’d missed it. Stay tuned for the new trailer, which hits tonight at midnight. The Amazing Spider-Man hits theaters July 3, 2012.
Here’s a doozy to add to the annals of great PR stunts gone wrong: Last Friday, Woody Harrelson took to Reddit to promote his latest film, Oren Moverman’s Rampart , in which he gives a pretty terrific and tough performance as a corrupt L.A. cop. Harrelson’s been an open book to the world in the past, so why not sit him down for a session of “Ask Me Anything” with the users of the internet’s arguably most powerful (and famously no bullshit-taking) community? Well, because it can go very, very wrong . As when Reddit user AndyRooney asked Harrelson about a rumored onetime tryst with a high school student at a prom in L.A. “I swear this is a true story. I went to a high school in LA and you crashed our prom after party (Universal Hilton). You ended up taking the virginity of a girl named Roseanne. You didn’t call her afterwards. She cried a lot. Do you remember any of this and can confirm or have you been so knee deep in hollywood pooty for so long that this qualifies as a mere blip?” Harrelson refuted the claim and attempted to move on in the AMA chat, but things just were not going his way. For starters, Redditers became testy when the actor kept directing his answers toward Rampart — a trick employed by any actor or filmmaker or famous person who has something specific to promote. Media training, people! Well, it might’ve worked on the late night talk show circuit, but it didn’t fly this time; Harrelson fled the chat as users erupted over his using the open channel of AMA to pimp a product, his handlers reportedly flipped out , and the rest has made history among spectacular press flame-outs in recent memory. The victim in all of this, and I’m not talking about some 18-year-old young lady who may or may not have had a fling with an actor at prom, is the film itself — Rampart is Moverman’s sophomore feature, an intense character study filled with noteworthy turns by Harrelson and his castmates (including Brie Larson, near unrecognizable as Harrelson’s rebellious teenage daughter). Following the critical success of Moverman’s debut film The Messenger , a sensitively observed drama co-starring Harrelson and Ben Foster (who also appears in Rampart ), the cop drama hits theaters this Friday and needs all the attention it can garner. And truth be told, it deserves to be seen. But this kind of attention isn’t helpful to anyone except maybe the Reddit community, which holds on to their reputation as an iconoclastic, no-fools-suffering information exchange on the internet. Reddit’s “Ask Me Anything,” meanwhile, remains a brilliant way for certain celebrities to interact openly and candidly with internet denizens. But publicists — if you do expose your clients to the wonders of Reddit, at least make sure they know what they’re in for. Movieliners, here’s your chance: Ask me anything who’s to blame for the Great Harrelson-Reddit Debacle of 2012? [ Reddit via Mediaite , hat tip to Martini Shark ;)]
