Lindsay Lohan can’t catch a break these days. Last week, her new movie The Canyons was rejected by the Sundance Film Festival, and now South By Southwest (SXSW) has reportedly followed suit. According to The Hollywood Reporter , “quality issues” was the hilarious reason cited, with one source labeling the Bret Easton Ellis film “a monstrosity.” Good or bad, the recent New York Times feature entitled “Here Is What Happens When You Cast Lindsay Lohan in Your Movie” did little to help the film. The paper describes the “chaos” surrounding the often- drunk Lindsay Lohan , from $46,000 hotel bills to erratic behavior and days-long disappearances. Director Paul Shrader recognized the controversy surrounding Lohan, citing her lead role in the indie project as the reason for the movie’s delayed release. “Intense reactions to Liz & Dick and the Times article have made us realize there will be blowback once The Canyons is publicly screened – for good and ill,” he said. “That’s the nature of anything involving Lindsay.” The official plot synopsis for the film, also starring James Deen , is “a contemporary L.A. noir … about the dangers of sexual obsession and ambition.” Lohan is one of a group of stars in their 20s. “One chance meeting connected to the past unravels all of their lives, resulting in deceit, paranoia, cruel mind games and ultimately violence.” Its release date is still TBA.
Dakota Fanning turned 18 last year and now she’s joining the ranks of Phoebe Cates , Drew Barrymore , and Uma Thurman as stars who got bare when bare-ly legal! Dakota strips down alongside Elizabeth Olsen in Very Good Girls , a film about two girls pact to lose their virginity during their first summer out of high school. Our Skin Skout sends us this report from Park City: Read the report after the jump!
Ruess catches up with MTV News at Sundance to talk about the ‘unbelievable’ video for ‘Just Give Me a Reason.’ By Chris Kim, with reporting by Eric Ditzian Fun.s’ Nate Ruess Photo: Mario Tama
At Sundance, the actor admits to watching the MTV show and explains why directing sex scenes is “not a sexy enterprise at all.” By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Joseph Gordon-Levitt at Sundance on Sunday Photo: MTV News
I couldn’t have guessed back in 1995 that Richard Linklater ‘s charming Before Sunrise would spark one of the most beloved trilogies of the next few decades, but anticipation has been so high for the latest chapter in Jesse ( Ethan Hawke ) and Celine’s ( Julie Delpy ) arrested romance that it was only natural we’d be longing for more after 2004’s Before Sunset . Shot in secret, the third film in the series, Before Midnight , premiered last night at Sundance to rave reviews and today brings a few new photos that’ll have you pining even harder for whenever it’s delivered to theaters. Via The Playlist : Without walking and talking into spoiler territory, let’s just say Sundance critics were largely over the moon for the pic, which was also written by Delpy, Hawke, and Linklater. Slate goes so far as to say it’s “not only good, but so good it approaches perfection.” Perfection , people! THR calls it “funny and harrowing,” for what it’s worth, which sounds… promising? Indiewire lauds it “Linklater’s most refined achievement,” although The Guardian goes against the grain, labeling it “forced and unnecessary.” Read more from the Sundance Film Festival : ‘The East’: How Marling & Batmanglij’s Dumpster-Diving Freegan Summer Inspired The Eco-Anarchist Sundance Thriller ‘Austenland’ Director’s Note: Jerusha Hess On Her ‘Girlishly Indulgent’ Sundance Rom-Com SUNDANCE: ‘Sound City’ Premiere Finds Dave Grohl Rocking With Rick Springfield Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
The ‘Twilight’ author has no interest in a ‘Twilight’ vacation, but would love to play make-believe within Jane Austen’s novels. By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Stephenie Meyer at Sundance on Saturday Photo: MTV News
According to Film.com, Radcliffe stuns in ‘Kill Your Darlings,’ while a Pussy Riot doc feels like a ’60 Minutes’ episode. By MTV News staff Michael C. Hall, Daniel Radcliffe, Ben Foster attend the “Kill Your Darlings” premiere at Sundance on Saturday Photo: Jonathan Leibson/ Getty Images
The Foo Fighters joined former members of Nirvana and Stevie Nicks for an epic Sound City Players performance in Park City, UT. By Joel Hanek Dave Grohl performs with the Sound City Players at Sundance on friday Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
Pulling raw talent from the footnotes of rock ‘n’ roll history and splashing their names up on the marquee where they belong, Twenty Feet From Stardom wages a compelling crusade to get background singers some long-overdue recognition. Featuring such stalwarts as Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and Tata Vega — many of whose voices are well known even if their names are not — this rousing group portrait should have commercial legs as long as its subjects’, leaving satisfied audiences everywhere listening with new ears. Director Morgan Neville’s loving spotlight, produced by late A&M Records exec Gil Friesen, ensures their contributions will go unsung no more. Not everyone is cut out for stardom, observes Bruce Springsteen at the outset, and the film ultimately hammers its “coulda been a contender” point a little too hard when circling back to that idea in the final stretch. But for most of its running time, this personality-packed docu is nothing short of absorbing as it recaps the essential role African-American background singers played in shaping the sound of 20th-century pop music. Hailing from the gospel tradition (all the big names grew up singing in church, and many had preachers for parents), these vocal powerhouses were the soul of a new sound being practiced by everyone from Ray Charles to Elvis Presley , replacing the earlier model, in which clean-cut crooners performed alongside two or three white ladies. Now in her 70s and reunited here with the Blossoms, Love paved the way for black women to support some of the most successful names in rock history, occasionally even “ghosting” for other acts who took the credit. That’s Love singing lead on the Crystals’ hit “He’s a Rebel,” for example, though producer Phil Spector personally stood in the way of her solo career. Most of the time, the music-buying public had no idea whom they were listening to, but the industry folks certainly did, creating opportunities for the likes of Clayton, who recalls screaming “Rape! Murder!” for the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” in the middle of the night with curlers in her hair, and the Waters Family, featured on “Thriller” and “The Circle of Life” (who, amazingly, also recorded dino-bird sounds on Avatar ). In virtually every minute of its first hour, the film reveals fresh details many might not already know about songs they’ve heard countless times, reinforcing its points with sound bites from Mick Jagger , Stevie Wonder and Sting. These stars aren’t merely endorsing the vocalists they swear by, either; speaking candidly, they offer meaningful observations about the vagaries of the biz. Neville’s approach establishes a real intimacy with the half dozen singers he follows most closely, varying the camerawork and editing just enough among them to capture the distinct personality of each. The featured ladies represent several generations of success and struggle, and the pic brings the myriad talking points to life with rare TV appearances, half-forgotten milestones and other archival treasures, while nifty graphics help direct viewer attention, putting the sidelines in our sight lines. And then comes the heartbreak. Though a few have broken out of the background to become headliners — like male example Luther Vandross, who started out singing support for David Bowie — most rely on the generosity of other artists for what limited exposure they get. At one point, Love was reduced to cleaning houses, and former “Ikette” Claudia Lennear (who posed for Playboy at the height of her celebrity) now works as a Spanish teacher. Some, like Grammy winner Fischer, seem more comfortable enriching others’ performances, while up-and-comer Judith Hill (who sang at Michael Jackson’s funeral) risks undermining her personal momentum every time she accepts a supporting gig. As the film’s title wistfully suggests, many background singers have musical talent far exceeding those for whom they have performed — a subject rich enough to have fueled the tuner Dreamgirls . And yet, for various reasons ranging from market forces to the fact they didn’t write their own songs, they never managed to launch successful solo careers. Just as entire documentaries could be made about one-hit wonders, the discussion of near-miss stardom is almost a distraction from the enormous contribution these vocalists have made to contemporary music, while reducing the measures of success to fame and fortune. And yet, this perceived injustice gives the pic a catchy hook, no doubt creating fresh career opportunities for its subjects, if not necessarily the stardom that has so long eluded them. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Who you gonna call to cast Ghostbusters 3 — if it ever gets made, that is? Don’t count on Michael Cera . I got a brief moment to talk to the actor at the Sundance Film Festival on Thursday where his latest movie, Sebastián Silva’s Crystal Fairy helped kick off the festival, and I took the opportunity to ask him if he’d been approached at all about the much-discussed Ghostbusters 3 film that co-creators Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis want to start shooting this year . “I haven’t been approached,” said Cera, who expressed some doubt that the picture was happening. When I then asked if he would be interested in appearing in Ghostbusters 3 if the stars — and a good script — aligned, he replied: “That would be a tough one. The first movie meant so much to me. It could be dangerous.” Smart kid. Cera loves the original Ghostbusters so much that he doesn’t want to appear in anything that’s not going to honor it. And yet, I was surprised by the answer. Aykroyd and Ramis have both said that the plot of Ghostbusters 3 will involve the original crew handing off their Proton packs to a new generation, and Cera’s well-known GB love and his deadpan style make him an ideal candidate. In a poll Movieline conducted last fall, Cera was readers number-two choice, behind Seth Rogen , to be part of the new Ghostbusters team. I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to the actor because he was swarmed by Sundancers congratulating him for his performance in the completely improvised Crystal Fairy. Cera plays an obnoxiously self-absorbed American who undergoes an emotional transformation when he invites a free-spirited but damaged woman who calls herself Crystal Fairy (Gaby Hoffmann) to accompany him and his Chilean friends on a road trip to do Mescaline. Both Cera and Hoffmann ( You Can Count on Me ) give intense, layered and remarkably ego-free performances in this dark comedy that comes with a real emotional punch at the end. (Silva has two movies with Cera in them at the festival. The other is Magic Magic with Juno Temple.) Hoffmann’s being doing exceptional work for years, but her portrayal of the New Agey Crystal Fairy should put her in line for some real marquee roles based on effusive audience reaction Thursday night. Twice during the film, she gets completely and unabashedly naked, which inspired one woman in the audience to yell out “Free style!” in reference to the actress’s unruly, character-appropriate pubic hair. After the screening, Silva said that his scriptless movie, which was shot in 12 days, is about “the birth of compassion in someone’s life” and is based on an actual encounter he years ago with a woman who actually called herself Crystal Fairy. “I hope she finds out,” said Silva, who’d like to get back in touch with his muse. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
