I don’t recall the 1994 Pauly Shore/Andy Dick effort In the Army Now being a “huge box office success and fan favorite,” but I’m happy to take the co-stars’ words for it if it means leaving well-enough alone and not foisting In the Army Again on an unsuspecting population still reeling from a decade of war abroad. Even if it means not seeing them save “Katey Parry [sic] from a USO show gone bad” — our national psyche has endured enough, has it not? That’s all I’ve got for this announcement , which unfortunately coincided with Memorial Day weekend and will not be ignored : Beverly Hills (MMD Newswire) May 23, 2012 — (www.FilmOn.com) – Yesterday, over looking Cannon Drive in the heart of Beverly Hills, Pauly Shore was a guest on Andy Dick Live, a weekly live internet TV show filmed at FilmOn.TV Studios. Among girls in bikinis and Andy Dicks [sic] usual group of crazies, Andy and Pauly discussed their past films including their huge box office success and fan favorite, In The Army Now . “I’ve always said we should do In The Army Again ,” said Andy Dick. “We should rescue Katey Parry [sic] from a USO show gone bad or something.” Pauly Shore loved the idea. “We just need a script and someone to back the project and I’m in.” Billionaire and FilmOn.TV CEO Alki David jumped in, “I’ll back it if both of you star in it.” Right there streaming live, film history was made. Andy Dick says a treatment is already written and they will be writing the script as soon as possible. Good grief. I mean, where’s Judicial Watch to investigate these guys’ military-flick aspirations when you need them? [ MMD via AV Club ]
It’s not just the superheroes who are toppling box-office records this summer: Check out the opening for Wes Anderson ‘s Moonrise Kingdom , which pulled in $523,000 over the weekend — on four screens . Its $130,750 per-theater average represents a new standard for limited live-action releases, besting Dreamgirls ‘s $126,316 from 2006. ( Moonrise ‘s four-day holiday total reached $669,000.) Hats off as well to The Weinstein Company’s The Intouchables , no slouch itself with around $26,000 per screen for the three-day frame. Champagne for all! [ Deadline ]
Also in Thursday morning’s briefs: Bill Clinton heads to Monaco for celebrity fundraising, Obama is criticized for helping Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film on Osama bin Laden, and a pair of fan-friendly sites team up for ticket initiative. Kanye West Hosts Cannes Party and Premiere The hip-hop artist debuted Cruel Summer at a beachside venue in Cannes Wednesday night. The project, a fusion of short film and art installation, will be available to the public for two days of screenings via www.cruelsummer.com . Rumors flew that he would perform as happened last year at the festival, but West opted out this time around. President Clinton, Prince Albert Raise Cash in Monaco The first annual Nights in Monaco gala raised $750K for the former president’s William J. Clinton Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. Princess Caroline, Diane Kruger, Joshua Jackson, Billy Zane and Rose McGowan were among the attendees. The event coincided with the Cannes Film Festival, about a 45-minute drive away. Entertainment One Nabs Freaky Deaky Charlie Matthau’s homage to the ’70s will go to eOne, the company announced from Cannes. Based on Elmore Leonard’s 1988 novel of the same name, the film stars Crispin Glover, Billy Burke, Michael Jai White and Christian Slater in a darkly comic tale of murder, manipulation, money and movies. It premiered last month at the Tribeca Film Festival. Around the ‘net… Obama Admin Under Fire for Hollywood Bin Laden Access The Administration is taking some heat for granting Kathryn Bigelow access to the Navy SEAL team that killed the Al Qaeda leader last year, The Guardian reports . Sony Snaps up Ethan Hawke Time-Travel Thriller The sci-fi action thriller Predestination has been picked up by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. The story “chronicles the life of a temporal government agent sent on an intricate series of time-travel journeys designed to stop future killers,” and will be directed by Michael and Peter Spierig, who previously directed Hawke in Daybreakers . THR reports . Moviefone and Fandango Team for Tix Sales The two companies are forging a ticketing partnership focusing on mobile phone and tablets, Thompson on Hollywood reports .
This could be fun: “Gary Oldman has inked a deal to star opposite Joel Kinnaman in MGM’s remake of Robocop . Kinnaman ( The Killing ) plays the title character, a cop named Alex Murphy who is brought back from the brink of death and turned into a cyborg police officer. Oldman will play Norton, the scientist who creates Robocop and finds himself torn between the ideals of the machine trying to rediscover its humanity and the callous needs of a corporation.” [ THR ]
Just about a month before hitting theaters (and right on the cusp of its theatrical marketing campaign), G.I. Joe: Retaliation has been pushed back by Paramount from June 29 to March 2013 to allow for a 3-D conversion. But director Jon M. Chu and the studio had deliberately opted for filming in 2-D before the 11th hour shift. So why opt for 3-D now? Last year, Chu was looking at his filming options but swore he’d rather go 2-D than do a post-conversion: “If we do it in 3-D, there’s no way in hell I am dimensionalizing it. I mean, dimensionalizing can work if you have the time and you have the money. But studios don’t want to put in the time or the money, so what’s the point? There always going to shortcut you, so why put yourself there?” A year later, Chu spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the decision to forgo 3-D as a filming option: “It seemed like a natural thing, but I told them, ‘I know 3-D. This is what we need. If we’re going to do 3-D, we’re going to do it right.’ It had a certain price tag to it, and I was like, if you guys are down I’m down, but I do need more time to do it right. And they were about to do it but they cut it just a little bit short, and [I said,] “if you guys are going to cut it short there is no point. Let’s make a movie — let’s go for it and we’ll go all out. And we shot on film, super-35, and I thought this may be one of the last times I get to shoot on film, and it was actually kind of freeing.” Clearly someone somewhere rethought that choice, and now Chu has nine months ahead of him to complete a decent post-conversion on the film. Over at Deadline , Nikki Finke reports on why the 3-D landscape now might look a little more enticing than it did when Chu and Paramount were planning the G.I. Joe sequel. A studio source explained the move to Finke thusly: “We’re going to do a conscientious 3-D job because we’ve seen how it can better box office internationally… Jim Cameron did all of Titanic ‘s 3-D in post — and look how well that movie turned out.” Here’s the thing: Post-conversion detractors might still cite Clash of the Titans and its infamously muddied conversion job as reasons to avoid the added process just to squeeze out more profit in release, and until very recently I counted myself in that camp. But one upcoming film that I caught actually made me rethink this position: Men in Black 3 , a post-converted 3-D offering that might actually help turn the tide for non-native 3-D. That film’s director, Barry Sonnenfeld, did a surprisingly good job demonstrating how one could pull off the post-conversion process given enough time/the right approach; MIB3 features some of the best post-converted 3-D seen so far, shockingly enough. Granted, Sonnenfeld was able to shoot in 2-D with his eventual 3-D process in mind — featuring camera work and visual gags designed specifically to be enhanced with 3-D — whereas Chu’s G.I. Joe 2 likely was not. So Chu has a challenge ahead of him… but it could yet work. G.I. Joe: Retaliation will now open on March 29, 2013. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Because we’re a little more than two weeks away from the opening of Prometheus , and because the Film Society of Lincoln Center opens its complete, week-long retrospective of his films this Friday in New York, because it’s a quiet morning otherwise and because it’s gone so well with other directors in the past , let’s rank the 19 feature films of Ridley Scott. The order is obvious: [NOTE: Scott’s ” Final Cut ” of Blade Runner and ” Director’s Cut ” of Kingdom of Heaven are considered herein.] 19. A Good Year 18. G.I. Jane 17. 1492: Conquest of Paradise 16. Robin Hood 15. Body of Lies 14. Hannibal 13. Matchstick Men 12. White Squall 11. Black Rain 10. The Duellists 9. Legend 8. Someone to Watch Over Me 7. Kingdom of Heaven 6. Black Hawk Down 5. Blade Runner 4. Thelma & Louise 3. Gladiator 2. American Gangster 1. Alien Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Also in this afternoon’s edition of Biz Break: Woody Allen’s next adds another actor to its growing ensemble, Kathryn Bigelow picks up another cast member of her own for Zero Dark Thirty , and more… Penn State Doc Gets Green Light From A&E Indie Films Amir Bar-Lev and John Battsek, the director and producer who previously collaborated on The Tillman Story and My Kid Could Paint That , will re-team for the just-announced A&E Indie Films project Happy Valley . The documentary will look back at the trials and tribulations of the titular community during the child sexual abuse scandal that rocked its beloved Penn State football program. Production begins this month. Around the ‘net… Natalie Portman/Lynne Ramsay Western Stirs Buzz at Cannes A bidding war is underway for Jane Got a Gun , screenwriter Brian Duffield’s tale of a woman who turns to an ex-lover for protection when her outlaw husband returns home nearly dead from gunshots. Portman would play the lead with director Ramsay ( We Need to Talk About Kevin ) behind the camera. THR reports . Cannes Auteurs Take a Shine to Americana In related news, while studios may embrace the world downplaying American culture in order to win global box-office cash, auteurs outside the studio system are embracing the United States’ cultural flavor in such Cannes offerings as Lawless, Mud and Beasts of the Southern Wild . LAT’s 24 Frames reports . Mark Duplass Boards Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty The filmmaker ( Jeff, Who Lives at Home ) and actor ( Your Sister’s Sister ) will have a “key supporting role” in the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s drama about the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Deadline reports . Bobby Cannavale Added to Woody Allen Project He’ll star along with Cate Blanchett, Bradley Cooper and Alec Baldwin in the comedy, Deadline reports .
After debuting at Cannes , Wes Anderson ‘s latest offering Moonrise Kingdom hits limited release in New York and Los Angeles this week. You’ve seen the twee snippets previewing the tale of young puppy love in flight, circa 1965. You’ve pored over the visual charm assault that is its poster . Now let co-star Bill Murray be your guide — wearing patchwork madras pants, with a little bit o’ rum in his belly — through the New England set of Moonrise Kingdom . Among Murray’s observational insights: Anderson’s characters wear their pants flooded because that’s how the director dresses himself! It’s all clicking into place. “He likes everyone in the film to wear their pants really short to look just a little bit like the kind of person you’d like to mug.” Wes Anderson Chic, whittled down to its base elements. Moonrise Kingdom is really quite lovely and charming and sweet, but then I’m a sucker for Wes Anderson and angsty adolescents and little girls who listen to Francoise Hardy. The synopsis: Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore — and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle. Bruce Willis plays the local sheriff. Edward Norton is a Khaki Scout troop leader. Bill Murray and Frances McDormand portray the young girl’s parents. The cast also includes Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, and Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the boy and girl.
Also in Tuesday morning’s news round up: Icon will produce Lee Daniels’ next project, James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain team for a double-feature, Zac Efron and Seth Rogen will pair for a new project, and more… Sony Classics Nabs Cannes’ No North American rights to Pablo Larraín’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight feature No have been picked up by Sony Classics. The film is based on a true story: When Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, facing international pressure, calls for a referendum on his presidency in 1988, opposition leaders persuade a brash young advertising executive, Rene Saavedra (Gael García Bernal), to spearhead their campaign. Icon to Produce Lee Daniels’ The Butler The Oscar-nominated Precious filmmaker’s next project will be the first for the Icon UK Group under its new management. Starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey, the story is inspired by Eugene Allen, a White House butler who served eight American presidents over the course of four decades. The historical fiction revolves around a father and son pulled apart by the changing tides and civil unrest that swept through the US in the 1960s. Daniels is currently in Cannes for The Paperboy , which is screening in competition this week. Alister Grierson to Direct Mary Mother of Christ Australian director Alister Grierson ( Sanctum ) will direct Mary Mother of Christ , which is being styled as the Biblical prequel to the story of The Passion of the Christ . Benedict Fitzgerald and Barbara Nicolosi wrote the screenplay. Israeli actress Odeya Rush ( The Locals ) will play Mary. Houston-based mega-church pastor Joel Osteen will executive produce. Filming begins this summer in the Middle East and Lionsgate will release in North America and Hyde Park is handling international sales in Cannes. Around the ‘net… Cannes Gets Django Unchained Peak The Weinstein Company showcased three clip packages from its fall 2012 slate, with Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained shoring up huge buzz along with P.T. Anderson’s The Master and David O. Russell’s The Silver-Linings Playbook . The Guardian reports . James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain Double Up For Disappearance The two will star opposite each other in the double feature projects The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and The Disappearance of Elanor Rigby: Her for Myriad Pictures. The film, by writer-director Ned Benson ( In Defiance of Gravity ), is a love story about a married NYC couple who deal with a life-altering emotional experience showing it from both their perspectives, Deadline reports . Nicholas Stoller to Direct Seth Rogen & Zac Efron in Townies Stoller, who most recently directed The Five-Year Engagement for Universal, is in negotiations for Townies , which the studio picked up in a July bidding war. The film features Rogen as a family man who lives near an alpha-male fraternity house and has to contend with a frat member (Efron) whose raucous behavior wreaks havoc on his life. THR reports .
As Cannes hits the half-way mark Monday night with the world premiere of Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami’s Like Someone in Love , momentum for the coveted top prize, the Palme d’Or, appears — for now — to be with German-born director Michael Haneke’s Amour ( Love ). Not to say there are not some strong fellow contenders, and the whims of any jury member may run counter, near or parallel to general opinion. But here are some of Palme d’Or’s other big suitors at the mid-way point. Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom received mostly positive accolades by attendees, with one journalist commenting at the press conference on the opening day that “it was a surprisingly good opening film.” Opening titles at Cannes (or other festivals for that matter) are often not the strongest of any lineup, or even in the top tier, though they usually offer up some kind of flash in the form of stars. Jacques Audiard’s Rust and Bone came out of the gate strong. Its early morning press screening concluded at the Lumière with rounds of applause and chatter among some attendees was that it’s the director’s best film — and his most accessible. But the film has its detractors, though any eventual Palme d’Or winner isn’t without its critics. Also among the big Official Selection competitors this year, Reality by Italian director Matteo Garrone passed muster. Garrone was hailed back in 2008 for the Naples mob feature Gomorrah , receiving the Cannes Grand Prix. His latest has not generated the same emotional responses of that film, but it has achieved sustained reaction. John Hillcoat’s Prohibition-set Lawless has picked up boosters and detractors since its debut Saturday. Some fest-goers have praised the director’s use of violence — it’s raw and quick. One of the many trade print editions here in Cannes declared that Danish director Thomas Vinterberg “is back” with his latest film, Jagten ( The Hunt ). He was a toast of Cannes back in 1998 for The Celebration , part of the Danish Dogme 95 movement he spearheaded along with fellow Dane filmmaker, Lars von Trier. Von Trier has gone on to attend many a Cannes, occasionally putting his foot in his mouth publicly (he awkwardly joked that he ” understood Hitler ” last year) but he consistently makes headlines worldwide. Finally, this may be a bit of a long-shot, but hey, Cannes can be unpredictable. In 2010 Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul smashed through the establishment and grabbed the Palme d’Or for his film about, well… Uncle Boonmee recalling his past lives. So perhaps a bit of a wild card might be Ulrich Seidl’s Paradies: Liebe ( Paradise: Love ). The premise goes something like this: Middle-agish European women travel to Africa seeking the affections of African boys. The movie is essentially about Euro-cougars who head down to Africa to get it on with young African men who earn a living satisfying their yearnings. The promo-material journalists received in their mailboxes at the Palais des Festivals is pretty straightforward: Plumpish naked women; lean, naked African 20-somethings… you get the picture. Check out the clip below of Paradies and some of the other competition films that have screened so far, with accompanying official Cannes Film Festival descriptions: Moonrise Kingdom : Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two 12-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore — and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in every which way. Amour Georges and Anne are in their eighties. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack. The couple’s bond of love is severely tested. Rust and Bone ( De Rouilles et D’Os ) Ali suddenly finds himself in charge of Sam, his 5-year-old son that he barely knows. Penniless and without friends, he leaves the north of France to seek shelter at his sister’s in Antibes. Even though she and her husband do not have much money, they make a room for them in their garage and take care of Sam. Ali finds work as a bouncer at a local nightclub. After diffusing a fight one evening, he meets Stephanie, a beautiful, self-confident woman. He takes her home and leaves her his number. But she is a princess and he is a poor fellow. Stephanie is a killer whale trainer at the local Marineland. After a terrible accident one day, Ali gets an unexpected phone call from Stephanie. When he sees her again she is crammed into a wheelchair. She has lost both her legs and her dreams. Ali will share genuine moments with her, without pity, and help her to live again… Lawless Lawless is the true story of the infamous Bondurant brothers, bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant’s family in his novel The Wettest County In The World , the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation’s most notorious crime wave. Jagten ( The Hunt ) Following a tough divorce, 40-year-old Lucas has a new girlfriend, a new job and is in the process of reestablishing his relationship with his teenage son, Marcus. But things go awry. Not a lot. Just a passing remark. A random lie. And as the snow falls and the Christmas lights are lit, the lie spreads like an invisible virus. The shock and mistrust gets out of hand, and the small community suddenly finds itself in a collective state of hysteria, while Lucas fights a lonely fight for his life and dignity. (In Danish) Reality Luciano is a Neapolitan fishmonger who supplements his modest income by pulling off little scams with his wife Maria. A likeable, entertaining guy, Luciano never misses an opportunity to perform for his customers and countless relatives. One day his family urge him to try out for Big Brother . In chasing this dream his perception of reality begins to change. (In Italian) Read more of Movieline’s coverage from Cannes.
