This just in from Nikki Finke: Paramount’s cheap wannabe found footage hit The Devil Inside — which drew reports of audible grumbles and boos as the credits rolled at sneak screenings in Los Angeles and New York last night — has already made back double its acquisition costs . ” The Devil Inside acquired for $1M opened with $2M midnights from 1,400 theaters. It goes wide into 2,300 theaters today,” Finke writes at Deadline, adding that “the genre film plays very young and very ethnic so it will probably be frontloaded.” Nice. Very young and very ethnic. If the pic turns into a Paranormal Activity -esque hit, you know who to blame. [ Deadline , @STYDnews , Moviefone ]
Happy Friday! As if heading into the weekend wasn’t already wonderful enough, here comes a casting move that oughta keep you tickled for days: According to The Hollywood Reporter, James Franco is in talks to star in Brian Koppelman and David Levien’s The Game , adapted from Neil Strauss’s dating how-to bestseller, in the role of famed, instantly unforgettable pick-up master Mystery. Hollywood can pretty much drop the mic as Friday closes out, because no other casting move this week can possibly top this. If you weren’t familiar with Mystery (born Erik von Markovik), the expert pick-up artiste whom Strauss learned from to write The Game , well, where do I begin? Co-writer of such helpful tomes as The Mystery Method: How to Get Beautiful Women Into Bed and The Pickup Artist: The New and Improved Art of Seduction , Mystery even dallied in reality television in his 2007 VH1 reality series The Pick-Up Artist , in which he taught clueless schlubs how to cast out their lines and reel in the ladies. Also? He looks like this: What? It’s called peacocking! How else can a man stand out from the crowd enough to catch a woman’s eye? Anyway, MGM’s The Game is produced by Chris and Paul Weitz. And I for one cannot wait to see Franco decked out a la Mystery, soul patch and all. James Franco in Talks to Star as Pick-Up Artist in ‘The Game’ [THR]
Oscar nominated director David O. Russell ( The Fighter ) has had his share of controversial moments in the public eye, but this takes the cake, and then some: According to a police report filed with the Broward County Police Department in Florida, Russell inappropriately groped his 19-year-old adoptive pre-op transgender niece while they were working out last week. Hit the jump for details if you dare, because this reaches a level of bizarre that can be a wee bit difficult to wrap your head around. An investigation is underway into the bizarre family incident, which Russell insists was innocent and consensual. But he’s at least admitted that the incident did happen. And the event seems to have gone down as follows, as TMZ reports, while Russell and his niece were doing abdominal exercises: The niece — who does NOT have a blood relation to Russell — told cops they began to talk about her breasts … and how certain hormones she’s taking have made them larger. According to the report, the niece claims Russell then “put his hands under [her] top and felt both breasts.” Cops say the woman said she felt “uncomfortable” … but admitted she “did not ask him to stop at any time.” Investigators later contacted Russell … and according to the report, the director confirmed he DID touch his niece’s breasts … but only after she gave him permission. Cops say Russell explained that during the conversation about her chest, the niece informed him that one of her breasts was bigger than the other. The official report says … Russell told cops his niece then “allowed [him] to feel both of [her] breasts.” So… yeah. According to Russell’s rep, “”David O. Russell emphatically denies any wrongdoing and has cooperated fully with the authorities.” We’ll have to wait and see how this one shakes out. In the least, it makes yelling at Lily Tomlin look like a totally normal tea party. And despite headlines like ” David O. Russell Fingered in Quasi-Incestuous, Transsexual Groping Claim ,” it’s not quite as incestuous as the setup of Russell’s feature debut Spanking the Monkey , so there’s that. Developing… [ TMZ , The Wrap ]
After two failed tries, Movieline alum Brian Clark finally visited the David Lynch-designed Paris nightclub Silencio . And? “It’s nice — assuming you get in. So, how do you do that? Search me. The P.R. person I talked to said that they do indeed let people in based on physical and fashion considerations, which she rightfully points out is pretty much the norm at high class nightclubs in Paris. According to her, the Physionomiste says he favors people who he can tell are at least trying. That is, in the clothes-related sense of the phrase. The other, probably simpler option is to make friends with a member (or become one).” [ Twitch ]
Anyone who tells you that receiving a tattoo like the dragon design occupying a quarter of Rooney Mara’s back in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo will not hurt is a liar. Nevertheless, he’s a competitively priced liar, according to a new survey of tattoo artists asked the simple question: “How much would it cost to buy a dragon tattoo?” Mike Ryan shopped around this week on the streets of New York, finding estimates ranging from $500 to $1,200 and three different replies to the other critical question in the process: “Will it hurt?” Ha! Of course it will hurt : I spoke to artist Daniel Cotte, whose estimate came in quite a bit higher than those of his competitors. “You see,” Cotte said as he pointed at the picture of Rooney Mara’s back, “there’s a tail on the dragon that snakes around and out of view.” That detail, he explained, makes the dragon tattoo much more expensive — and much more painful. He put the price of the dragon tattoo somewhere between $800 and $1,200, and he definitely recommended coming in for two separate sessions — adding up to four hours in all. Now you know. Find slightly more optimistic estimates at the link below. NOTE: “I AM A RAPIST PIG” tattoos remain free of charge.
The premise for Argentinean director Juan Diego Solanas’s English-language sci-fi romance Upside Down has one helluva gimmick: Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturgess find true love against huge odds, the hitch being that they live on inverted planets and are forbidden to cross over to each other’s world. Hell, some people won’t date outside of their area code. Watch the dazzling first trailer and appreciate how much easier relationships are should be on a single planet by comparison. Veuillez installer Flash Player pour lire la vidéo UPSIDE DOWN – BA VOST I love how Jim Sturgess always has that sad romantic hero look about him, as if he hasn’t cut or brushed that dreamy tousle since Across the Universe . (And why should he? It works! Swoon.) Upside Down looks to lean heavily on the dystopian alternate sci-fi universe schtick the central gimmick posits (“I can’t talk to you… you’re from Down Below “) and the Inception gravity tumbling already gives me a bit of a headache. But how gorgeous this all looks! For some reason I get a bit of a Titanic vibe when Sturgess lets go and falls back down to his own world. I think that’s a good thing? (Never let go…) Verdict: I’m so there. Double bill it with Melancholia , anyone? [ Bleeding Cool via HitFix ]
You can call me Shirley. It’s fine. Everything about writing a final post for Movieline is overwhelming, so bear with me as I wrap my head around how wonderful and challenging an experience I’ve had writing for this site for two and a half years. And what the hell? Let’s watch my favorite movie scene of all time too. So, yes. I’m leaving Movieline to become the West Coast Entertainment Editor for AfterElton.com, where I’ll be addressing Movieline-y topics once again — and with the same number of Sandy Dennis references. Please join me there from time to time! But before I depart, I have to thank my awesome, seriously reliable, astoundingly intelligent colleagues – including some who’ve been with me since my first post in August of ’09. Thank you to Stu VanAirsdale, a kickass writer, confidant, and the best writer I’ve ever worked with; to Kyle Buchanan, a great friend who convinced his boss to hire me; to Seth Abramovitch, who set the standard for Movieline hilarity; to Christopher Rosen, whose jocularity and love of Katy Perry singles added vigor to my Movieline experience; to Jen Yamato, whose supportive ebullience has been wonderful; to Stephanie Zacharek, Michelle Orange, and Alison Willmore, who are so right ; to Movieline’s killer commenters, you all tickle me inappropriately (especially The Winchester), and most of all, to my beloved Julie Miller, who forded a hundred Television Critics Association panels with me, listened when I needed consultation on an article, tweet, or Facebook profile photo, and responded to my every issue with ladylike, yet monotone reassurance. I already miss you all. And Anjelica Huston . You were maybe the best. I’m always jealous when I interview a celebrity and he/she gets to play Movieline’s fun feature My Favorite Scene . So, as a last-minute act of defiance, I’m hitting you with my fave moment in cinematic history. In Rear Window , when Grace Kelly and Thelma Ritter search the courtyard for – y’know – a dead lady, James Stewart watches on in astonishment as Grace opts for autonomy, climbs into a murder suspect’s (Raymond Burr) apartment, and puts her own life at risk. Grace’s sudden empowerment is so dazzling, cool, and self-possessed, it’s like she invented Madonna in that moment. And we all know how much that means to me . For further Virtel adventures, you can find me in my web series Verbal Vogueing and see me in my second Chelsea Lately roundtable appearance this January 18th on E! Thanks for everything, guys. My (Hitchcock) blonde ambition is more ferocious than ever.
Matthew McConaughey may be Hollywood’s reigning shirtless superstar , but long before he first bared his abs onscreen, Sylvester Stallone had mastered the art of gratuitous torso in each Rocky installment, Rambo film and a number of other action titles. Thirty-five years after his bare-chested breakout role as the Italian Stallion, Stallone returns to the screen this April for a feature called Bullet to the Head , which, again — amazingly — features the action icon topless as evidenced by a brand new still. (Don’t bother questioning how a shirtless 65-year-old man fits into the narrative — it just does, guys.) In honor of the actor’s impressive history of appearing semi-nude onscreen — even decades after audiences started shielding their eyes from his grisly old-man muscles — Movieline salutes Sylvester Stallone’s shirtless valor in the photo essay below. Rip off your top, drape yourself in the nearest American flag and enjoy the views below, then consider Movieline’s Shirtless Sylvester Stallone comprehension questions. Rocky (1976) Rocky II (1979) Rocky III (1982) First Blood (1982) Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) Rocky IV (1985) Rambo III (1988) Tango & Cash (1989) Demolition Man (1993) The Specialist (1994) Rocky Balboa (2006) The Expendables (2010) Bullet to the Head (2012) Okay, class: Which is your favorite shirtless Sylvester Stallone look? Which is your least favorite shirtless Sylvester Stallone look? (Or: Which induced the most serious dry heaves?) At what point in his career should Sylvester Stallone have put a shirt on? Do you think it was a combination of good diet and exercise (slash steroids) that yielded such muscly results? Or just sheer Stalloneness? Follow Julie Miller on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Thank you, Baby Jesus, for the blessed month of December 2011, because it’s given me the greatest gift of all: Sinead O’Connor’s renewed relevance. The Irish singer was married less than three weeks ago to drugs counselor Barry Herridge, and already she’s releasing cryptic press statements about the reasons they’re divorcing. I guess marijuana is part of it? And a courtship that felt like “living in a coffin”? I don’t know. But I do know that Sinead O’Connor’s most hilariously bizarre moment has nothing to do with quickly nuptials — it has to do with a 1997 film in which she played a foul-mouthed Virgin Mary. Know it?
Another year, another couple hundred entries in the ever-deepening conversational archive known as The Movieline Interview . They’re the collective backbone of our site, and in 2011, it was at its strongest. Look back with us now at the highlights, including the luminary likes of Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jason Segel, Jodie Foster, Paul Giamatti, and a certain honey badger of a director. Kristen Wiig (March 11) Do you feel that [Wiig’s infamous SNL character] Gilly is polarizing? I feel it’s a character that people either love or they don’t particularly like. Uh… yeah, probably. I mean, the first time that I did it, my mom, the next day was like, “Oh, I did not like that. That new character you did, I did not like her!” [Laughs] When you thought of that character, did you figure some people wouldn’t embrace her? No. I mean, I think that before I do anything. But someone who doesn’t like Gilly can love Penelope. It’s not you — it’s just your recurring characters are different. I don’t think about it at all. If you’re creating anything at all, it’s really dangerous to care about what people think. Paul Giamatti and Alex Shaffer (March 15) So we are tossing around the idea of doing a “Movies You Had No Idea Paul Giamatti Is In” post. Giamatti : Oh? Big Momma’s House was surprising to me. Giamatti : Not to me! I remember being in that! I guess so. I mean, there are a lot of people out there in the world who know I was in that movie. A lot of people recognize me for that. Shaffer : I remember your story from when you were in Ohio and you were in a bad neighborhood and they told you that you couldn’t walk around… Giamatti : It was in Cleveland, they said, “Don’t leave the set, don’t walk around this neighborhood.” I was like, “Enh.” So I walked around. You know, it was a predominantly black neighborhood, and everybody had seen Big Momma’s House. So I was fine. Everybody was like, “Oh my God, don’t…” And [in the neighborhood] it was just like “[you’re the guy from] Big Momma’s House!” Amy Ryan (March 18) [On the previous season of The Office ] Are you prepared for America’s scorn? What’s that? Taking away Michael Scott… Ohhh! [Laughs] I thought that was the name of a new show! I thought it was a new reality show! I was going to ask what you had coming up… other than America’s Scorn . America’s Scorn actually comes out at Christmas. It’s a Christmas release, yes. It’s me and Vin Diesel. If you starred in a movie with Vin Diesel called America’s Scorn , I would see this movie. I trained for three years for my action sequences. And your character’s name is Melanie Scorn. Melanie Scorn, right! And she just got out of prison, and she and Vin Diesel are on the run. Exactly! Right, they were married and they went their separate ways. But! They still work together. OK, seriously, what do you have coming up? [Laughing] I think America’s Scorn might be my best bet, I don’t have anything coming up, sorry. So… I think I’m actually going to have to look into America’s Scorn . OK, we’re going with that for reporting on your next project. America’s Scorn it is… [Still laughing] It’s the end of the day, we’re both losing our minds. Michelle Williams (March 30) [On getting used to the locations in Meek’s Cutoff ] When I first got there, I thought, ‘I… I… I can’t stay here. I have to turn around and go home. I can’t live here.’ But I’ve come to love it. If you look hard enough, you can see variation in the landscape where you think it’s actually completely barren and nothing lives out there. You spend a little time, you look a little closer, and you see what’s actually inherent to the land. But at first it felt like we’d been sent to Mars. You know! The desert does crazy things to people’s minds! Mirages! Carlos Castañeda! Peyote! It’s the desert! Wes Bentley (May 3) Are there big films or opportunities that you feel your addiction led you to miss out on? Oh, yeah. Definitely. I definitely did. I had a lot of opportunities. When you’re in that state you miss meetings, you don’t pay attention to what people are asking you to do, which could be great things. I also feared it; I think I feared my success and what I thought were the expectations of me — which was actually just people believing in you, you know? So your addiction can make you believe certain things are happening that aren’t. It also can make you miss things that actually are happening. Your mind is all twisted. I missed a lot of opportunities. I regret how I acted and behaved in those choices, or if I hurt people especially, but I don’t regret where I’m at now. I’ve never been happier, and I could only be here by having made some terrible choices, unfortunately. Jodie Foster (May 4) Knowing him as well as you do, do you think that Mel Gibson really would be OK with never acting again, as he recently said? I think it probably sounded more glib than it was; it’s a conversation he and I have had many times, and I say it all the time. You know, I’ve worked for 45 years as an actor and it’s a long time to do one job and there are a lot of other ways to tell stories.Would I be OK if I never acted again? Who would I be? Would I be somebody new? We ask ourselves these questions all the time. He was a kid, too, when he started. There are times when I really put it aside, and as I say to him, ‘Look, there’s only one reason for you to act, there’s only one motivation, and that’s because it moves you.’ And honestly, you shouldn’t do it for any other reason. Because you don’t need to — he doesn’t need to, he doesn’t need that identity. And he doesn’t need the extra inhuman stress of being a celebrity. Paul Feig (July 5) [On Bridesmaids ‘ success] It got me out of movie jail, which I at least had one foot in. You’re proud of all your babies that you make, but I’m a realist and I know the business. If you make babies and they don’t make money, people don’t want to make more babies with you. So, at least I get a few more shots. J.K. Simmons (Aug. 3) It seems like you’re in a pretty sweet spot in your career right now with four movies in various stages of production, your work on The Closer , a steady stream of voice roles. Do you remember the moment when you felt like you had really established yourself as an actor ? I’m still not sure that I have. [Laughs] Unless your name is Clooney or Pitt or Hanks, I think it’s hard to feel completely like you’re established or where you want to be. This script, which I am eternally grateful for, came to me but only after it bounced off a couple other guys first who didn’t want to do it or couldn’t schedule it. I’d love to be more established. I’d love to never have to audition for the rest of my life and have every good script in Hollywood come my way. At the same time, when I look back twenty years and remember that I was struggling to pay my rent for a crappy apartment in Hell’s Kitchen and doing regional theater for a subsistence wage, and now I’m able to live in a big, fancy house and send my kids to private school — there’s always somebody who is better off and worse off than you are. That’s an important perspective to keep in mind I guess. Jessica Chastain (Aug. 29) [On the fine line of awards campaigning] “I’m never going to take out an ad. I know, famous last words — never say never — but I really can’t imagine ever in my life doing something like that. To me, it’s not a short sprint. I want to be a career actor. The most important thing to me is that people like the films. If they like the films and they like the performances, it means that I get work with other great actors and make other great films. So it’s not about an award. Of course it’s nice that there’s awards buzz around the films because it means they get more attention. But I’m not the person who’s going to… I mean, I’m not outgoing. I’m very shy. I was never the girl in high school who was wanting to be in office or something — who would campaign for myself to become student-body president. [Laughs] I’m just not that person.”
