Fourth, schmorth. With America’s Independence Day coming up on Wednesday, it would be easily to overlook Canada Day today … but that would just be a travesty. Some of Hollywood’s hottest stars, young and old, hail from north of the border – some of whom you might not even realize were Canadian! On July 1, Canada’s holiday commemorating the anniversary of becoming a united country, here’s a gallery of some of the most noteworthy … Pretty impressive gallery by any measure, but even more so when you consider that a mere 34 million people – fewer than California – live in Canada! Who’s your favorite Canadian celebrity? Vote in the poll below, and leave a comment with any of your favorites we left off – there are plenty more!
It’s raunchy. It’s Danish. It’s really, truly, hilariously inappropriate. And yes, it might be the funniest movie of the year. Get a peek at Klown , the comedy that promises to out-do The Hangover movies and all of Judd Apatow ‘s R-rated oeuvre this July, courtesy of Drafthouse Films, in Movieline’s exclusive poster debut. Klown is the tale of two bumbling friends (Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen) who embark on a road trip — Casper in search of extramarital flings, Frank in search of his paternal potential — with Frank’s girlfriend’s young nephew in tow. Think Curb Your Enthusiasm meets The Hangover and you’ve got the idea. Then take a leap beyond the boundaries of even the most vulgar jokes in Hollywood comedies and you’re even closer to what’s in store in Klown . Released in Denmark as Klovn: The Movie , Klown is based on the Danish sitcom of the same name, which ran for six seasons; after playing Fantastic Fest , Klown was picked up by the good folks at Drafthouse Films, who will release the film in New York, L.A., Austin, and on VOD on July 27. Meanwhile, Klown is set to get the remake treatment courtesy of Todd Phillips and Danny McBride , a fit that makes a lot of sense… and yet, McBride is always so McBride-y. Which might work out just fine, but trust me: See the original first. Camping trips and music festivals and babysitting will never be the same. Synopsis: In what critics are hailing as “the funniest movie of the year!” (IFC), KLOWN follows two wildly inappropriate friends – played by celebrated international comedians Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen – as they run amok through the Danish countryside plowing through endless awkward confrontations and unspeakable debaucheries. Hopelessly wrongheaded Frank “kidnaps” the 12-year-old nephew of his pregnant girlfriend in an eager attempt to prove his fatherhood potential to join sex-crazed Casper on his secret adulterous weekend canoe trip. From exclusive brothels, hospitalizations, armed robberies and even prison, the three paddle downstream from one chaotic misadventure to the next culminating in a surprise sentimental portrait of friendship and a final shocking reveal that you won’t soon unsee. And for good measure, check out the film’s NSFW redband trailer, which is pretty much the best bit of one of many great scenes from the movie. ( SPOILER ALERT !) Klown opens in NY, LA, and Austin (and on VOD!) on July 27. More info at the film’s website .
When one reporter caught up with Michelle Rodriguez at Cannes , the Fast & Furious star waxed ecstatic about Lee Daniels’ Southern potboiler The Paperboy — but she’s not holding out hopes for a Nicole Kidman Oscar nod. And she’s definitely not worried about making controversial statements explaining why. “I fucking loved it,” she told Vulture. “One of my friends said, ‘She’s going to get nominated for an Oscar for that.’ I was like, ‘Nah, man. She’s not black!’ I laugh, but it’s also very sad. It makes me want to cry. But I really believe. You have to be trashy and black to get nominated. You can’t just be trashy.” [ Vulture ]
Happens to the best of us: “‘At the beginning people [say], “You’re going to be going to the Oscars ,” and you’re like, “Whatever, doesn’t matter, don’t think so.” But after a while it does penetrate. After a while you’re like, “Anyway, so I’m going to the Oscars…”‘ He laughs. ‘And you start to believe it. And I did. I thought I was going. And then I found out I wasn’t and I was upset. I was very upset by it. The first reaction was “What the fuck…?”‘ He sounds frustrated that he had let himself get sucked in. ‘It’s a vanity thing. It does become important to you. And it shouldn’t.’ On reflection, he decided that he had learned something about misplaced priorities. ‘A good little lesson.'” [ GQ ]
Happens to the best of us: “‘At the beginning people [say], “You’re going to be going to the Oscars ,” and you’re like, “Whatever, doesn’t matter, don’t think so.” But after a while it does penetrate. After a while you’re like, “Anyway, so I’m going to the Oscars…”‘ He laughs. ‘And you start to believe it. And I did. I thought I was going. And then I found out I wasn’t and I was upset. I was very upset by it. The first reaction was “What the fuck…?”‘ He sounds frustrated that he had let himself get sucked in. ‘It’s a vanity thing. It does become important to you. And it shouldn’t.’ On reflection, he decided that he had learned something about misplaced priorities. ‘A good little lesson.'” [ GQ ]
The upcoming Cannes Film Festival added additional titles to its Official Selection Monday, including American title Gimme The Loot which screened last week at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Today’s additions join the 22 other films in the official selection and 16 in the event’s Un Certain Regard section as well as the previously announced Critics Week lineup . Additionally, the fest said the montage film Final Cut – Hölgyeim És Uraim by György Pálfi (Hungary), produced by Béla Tarr, which will close Cannes Classics on Saturday, May 25. Titles added to the Cannes official selection : Trashed by Candida Brady (UK) – Special Screening The Sapphires by Wayne Blair (Australia, 1st film) – Midnight Screening Maniac by Franck Khalfoun (USA/France) – Midnight Screening Djeca by Aida Begic (Bosnia-Herzegovina) – Un Certain Regard Gimme the Loot by Adam Leon (USA) (1st film) – Un Certain Regard Renoir by Gilles Bourdos (France), at the closing ceremony – Un Certain Regard
I know what you were thinking: “Whew! The Oscars are over! No more of this Uggie red-carpet business ! We can back to real celebrities and real celebrity issues — like what Jimmy Kimmel thinks about Kim Kardashian . Hard-hitting!” Alas, guess who went to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner over the weekend? Moreover, guess who just got a freaking book deal ? First off, there’s the Artist wonder dog hamming it up on the WHCD red carpet, presumably awaiting a glass of pinot grigio and maybe a crab cake or just holding poor Diane Sawyer up on her way to the metal detector. It’s hard to know without having been there, and when you consider that a retired Jack Russell terrier was invited and you weren’t, it’s easy to think you should have been there, and what are you doing with your life, paying off five figures’ worth of student loans while this dog has awards campaigns and international social-media notoriety in his name, and maybe you went into the wrong line of business, and really who wants to live longer than 14 or 15 years anyway on this godforsaken rock, especially one riven by war, pestilence and, well, this … More from the AP [via Huffington Post ]: Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier who appeared in the Oscar-winning The Artist , has a memoir coming. Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced Friday that Uggie: My Story will come out in October. His tale of tails will be transcribed by biographer and presumed dog whisperer Wendy Holden. Whatever. I’m totally willing to accept responsibility for this and apologize accordingly for the tsunami of existential woe about to wash over every struggling writer in America, on one condition: You’d better cut me in, Uggie. That is all. [Photo: Getty Images] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Welcome back to Movieline’s new industry feature Biz Break. Monday morning’s newsy highlights include a big-time opening for Jack Black’s Bernie , the film talent leading Cannes’ 2012 Master Classes, the end of Sundance’s first London foray, the latest word on the Cuban actors who ditched their Tribeca premiere for U.S. asylum, and more… 1st Sundance London Fest Comes to a Close The first Sundance London film and music festival closed out Sunday night with a performance by Rufus and Martha Wainwright following the world premiere of Sing Me the Songs that Say I Love You – A Concert for Kate McGarrigle , Lian Lunson’s film about the music of their folk singer mother. Making their UK premieres at Sundance London were 14 fiction and documentary features as well as eight short films from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Three Master Classes Added to Cannes American film director Philip Kaufman, composer Alexandre Desplat and actor, producer, director Norman Lloyd will take part in Master Classes at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. Chiefly focusing on directing (previous directors have included Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Wong Kar-wai, etc.), from time to time the Master Classes explore other aspects of filmmaking. Additionally this morning, Cannes added seven more titles to its slate. Saint Aire Productions Nabs Film Rights to NY Times Bestselling Novel The Noticer Saint Aire, which produced The Kids Are All Right as well as the upcoming June release The Love Guide with Parker Posey, plans to go into production immediately on The Noticer with principle photography slated for Winter 2013 in Alabama. The story revolves around a mysterious man named Jones who has been given a gift of noticing things about life that others miss. From around the ‘net… Specialty Box Office: Bernie Bows Hot; Others Not So Much Millennium Entertainment scored one of the highest limited release debuts of 2012 over the weekend with director Richard Linklater‘s latest feature. Starring Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey and Shirley MacLaine, Bernie bowed with a spectacular $30K average from three locations in New York, Los Angeles and Austin in the final weekend of April. Deadline reports . Cuban Actors Who Vanished En Route to Tribeca Seek Asylum in Miami: Reuters Anailin de la Rua and Javier Nuñez, cast members of Una Noche (One Night), appeared on TV Friday night on the Miami-based Spanish language channel America TeVe. De la Rua and Nunez said their real-life experience was not as dramatic as the harrowing story depicted in the movie, Deadline reports . Jimmy Kimmel Plays it Safe with White House Correspondents Dinner Speech (Video) Obama’s re-election chances and New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s weight were among the topics Kimmel took on over the weekend, which received “consistent laughter,” THR reports . Tom Jones: “I was up for James Bond” In an interview with the UK’s Radio Times, Tom Jones revealed he almost landed the role of James Bond until a producer said he was “too famous” and audiences wouldn’t believe it. The Guardian reports . China Plans $1.27 billion Production Hub Chinawood is on the horizon, thanks to Chinese entrepreneur Bruno West and his Harvest Seven Stars Entertainment and the city government of Tianjin. Plans are for 8.6 million square feet, providing a space for co-productions exempt from Chinese import restrictions. Variety reports . Warner Bros Launch Film Scripts as e-books Ben Hur and Casablanca are among the film scripts to be released as e-books for the first time by Warner Bros. Other movies in the Inside the Script series will include An American in Paris and North by Northwest . The e-books include items such as the shooting script, production notes, storyboards and on-set photographs. BBC reports .
Peter Jackson is currently experiencing the direct opposite of the CinemaCon Oscar Hype phenomenon explored here last week, with his Hobbit — shot at the adventurous rate of 48 frames per second — drawing more than a few skeptics out of the geek woodwork. This calls for damage control. “Nobody is going to stop,” Jackson told EW late Friday, days after his 10-minute Hobbit preview was dismantled by the CinemaCon press corps. “This technology is going to keep evolving.” That wasn’t all, and oddly or not, Jackson’s admonitions didn’t sound so different from those of CinemaCon darling Ang Lee , who would really rather you just wait and see the entire movie before leaping to conclusions: “At first it’s unusual because you’ve never seen a movie like this before. It’s literally a new experience, but you know, that doesn’t last the entire experience of the film–not by any stretch, [just] 10 minutes or so,” Jackson tells EW. “That’s a different experience than if you see a fast-cutting montage at a technical presentation.” So what does he say to people who just decide they don’t like the glossy new look of the format he’s using? “I can’t say anything,” Jackson acknowledges. “Just like I can’t say anything to someone who doesn’t like fish. You can’t explain why fish tastes great and why they should enjoy it.” When it debuts Dec. 14., The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be the first major performance for 48-frames, while this week’s showcase was just an audition. Jackson says those who remain unconvinced should wait to see more before closing their minds completely. “There can only ever be a real reaction, a truthful reaction, when people actually have a chance to see a complete narrative on a particular film,” he said. Now watch it sweep the Oscars . I’m just saying. [ EW ] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
