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Hunger Games Blu-ray Hits In August; Watch A New Spoiler-iffic Trailer

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Now that there’s no need to dance around spoilers (because everyone in the world saw it in theaters) we finally have an official Hunger Games trailer reel that includes the best scenes and plot turns of Katniss Everdeen’s journey from District 12 huntress to The Girl on Fire. Revisit highlights from Lionsgate’s mega-franchise adaptation with the Hunger Games Blu-ray trailer and see what’s in store in the jam-packed bonus features on for the August 2-disc Blu-ray and DVD release. Included in the three hours of bonus materials are an eight-part documentary on the making of the film, a sit-down chat with director Gary Ross, and the full Capitol propaganda film that appears within the movie. It would’ve been cool to see parts of the presentation and film Ross made to get the directing gig in the first place, but there are always future home video re-issues and special editions that more obscure materials could potentially find a home with. Meanwhile, start your Hunger Games Blu-ray/DVD shopping plans now, as there will undoubtedly be Twilight -level activities surrounding the release at midnight on August 18. Full press release follows: SANTA MONICA, CA, May 23, 2012 –Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games juggernaut will arrive on home entertainment at 12:01 A.M. on Saturday, August 18, as the first film in Lionsgate’s (NYSE: LGF) The Hunger Games franchise, which has already grossed nearly $400 million at the North American box office and is approaching $650 million at the worldwide box office, debuts on 2-disc DVD (plus digital copy), 2-disc Blu-Ray (plus digital copy), VOD and digital download with three hours of previously unavailable bonus materials in the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate’s history, the Company announced today. The film, based on the New York Times best-selling novel from writer Suzanne Collins, achieved a remarkable four-week run as the #1 film at the North American theatrical box office where it has already grossed $392 million, ranking as the 14th highest-grossing film of all time, and it is approaching $650 million at the worldwide box office with an early June opening slated in China. The 2-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc DVD arrive loaded with over three hours of extensive bonus materials including the comprehensive eight-part documentary, “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games.” Other special features include a sit-down conversation with director Gary Ross as well as numerous featurettes that examine the global success of the books, the creation of the control room in the film and the filmmakers’ motivation behind creating new scenes that were not in the book plus much more. The Blu-ray Disc set contains an additional exclusive feature, “Preparing for the Games: A Director’s Process,” which looks at the progression of taking three key scenes from the book to the screen. The Hunger Games Blu-ray Disc and DVD is a must-have film that is hailed as “exciting and thought-provoking in a way few adventure dramas ever are” (New York Daily News). Fans will be able to pre-order the Blu-ray Disc and DVD, starting on Friday, May 25th, for $39.99 and $30.98, respectively. “The motion picture event of the year is poised to become the home entertainment event of the year and, with a midnight launch and midnight retail events scheduled at stores around the country, we expect to replicate the same level of consumer excitement generated by the film’s theatrical debut,” said Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate Executive Vice President & General Manager, Home Entertainment. “This is far and away the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate’s history and, true to a theatrical marketing campaign that incorporated an unprecedented reliance on digital and traditional media alike, our home entertainment launch will involve a similarly innovative and integrated digital and packaged media rollout that we will unveil in the weeks ahead.” Directed by Academy Award® nominee Gary Ross (Seabiscuit), The Hunger Games, starring Academy Award® nominee Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), features an ensemble cast that includes Golden Globe® winner Donald Sutherland (Citizen X), Academy Award® nominee Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson (The People vs. Larry Flynt), Lenny Kravitz (Precious) and Emmy® nominee Elizabeth Banks (TV’s “30 Rock”). The film also stars some of the industry’s brightest up and coming actors such as Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) and Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2). The Hunger Games is the first in a trilogy of books published by Scholastic that has already become a literary phenomenon with over 36.5 million copies in circulation. Set in the future, one male and one female from each of the twelve districts of the nation is forced to participate in the annual competition called The Hunger Games, which is broadcast live throughout the country for the entertainment of the Capitol’s wealthy residents. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) volunteers in her younger sister’s place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she’s pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. BLU-RAY & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES* “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games” – an eight-part documentary covering the “making of” the film in all aspects from the pre-production process all the way through the theatrical release and fan reactions “Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenon” featurette “Letters from the Rose Garden” featurette – insights from Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as President Snow “Controlling the Games” featurette – stories and concepts behind creating the control center “A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell” Propaganda Film (in its entirety) Marketing Archive “Preparing for The Games: A Director’s Process” (Blu-ray Exclusive) * Subject to change [via Lionsgate]

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Putney Swope: Robert Downey Sr.’s Scorching Satire Comes to Criterion

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The Film : Putney Swope (1969), now available via The Criterion Collection’s Up All Night With Robert Downey Sr. box set Why It’s an Inessential Essential : Filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. is probably more famous for being the father of Iron Man ‘s megastar than he is for his scathing and surreal comedies. As part of the New York underground scene of avant garde filmmakers, Downey’s films, like the 1979 absurdist acid western Greaser’s Palace, are probably more linear and narrative-driven than most of his peers’ films. So it’s fitting that the stand-out title in the Criterion Collection’s new box set is both his most popular film and also his straight-est comedy. Putney Swope is a black comedy that suggests that power not only corrupts but that there’s also no real way to “keep it real.” The title character, played by Arnold Johnson, is democratically voted president of an ad agency which he proceeds to gut and then run into the ground according to his negotiable principles. Swope’s Black Panther-like comrades quickly replace a bunch of mealy-mouthed white guys, but everyone in the film has their own money-minded agendas to pursue. For starters, the old, white Madison Avenue ad executives — like the one who demands a raise, a private box at Shea Stadium and 22 weeks of vacation per year — want security and promotions. Next, Swope’s new sycophants — like the guy that suggests communicating via the drum — want money and status, too. And their clients are just as unscrupulous: As long as an ad campaign is successful, they don’t care how their product is sold, even if it means selling acne cream called Face Off with a facetiously sentimental jingle about “dry-hump[ing] behind the hot dog stand” and “beaver”-flashing. Worst of all, Swope is totally corrupt — both morally and creatively bankrupt. His idea of a good commercial for an airline involves naked women, a trampoline jump and a lottery ticket. And because nobody knows what they’re doing, Swope and his company, rechristened Truth and Soul Inc., makes a mint. With its neo-screwball dialogue and bizarre sight gags, Putney Swope is a demented good time. How the DVD Makes the Case for the Film : The box set featuring Putney Swope doesn’t doesn’t include any special features or interviews with Robert Downey Sr., but it does include four of his other films ( Babo 73, Chafed Elbows, No More Excuses, Two Tons of Turquoise to Taos Tonight ). Of these four, the one that’s closest in tone to Putney Swope is No More Excuses (1968), which pokes fun at the very idea of being “liberated” during the sexual revolution. However, film critic Michael Koresky does contribute an informative and well-written pair of essays on Downey’s films and the historical context within which they were made. For starters, Koresky points out that Downey drew on his own personal experiences as a disgruntled ad executive when making Putney Swope ; Downey made a Preparation H commercial where a Chinese woman says, “No matter what your ethnic affliction, use Preparation H and kiss your hemorrhoids goodbye!” As Koresky points out, that commercial was rejected in real life — but it is featured in No More Excuses . Other Interesting Trivia : One of the more interesting bits of trivia featured in Koresky’s essays is a tidbit about Putney’s voice: Downey Sr. dubbed over Johnson’s voice with his own. According to Koresky, Downey did this because Johnson couldn’t remember any of his lines. PREVIOUS INESSENTIAL ESSENTIALS The Last Temptation of Christ The Sitter Citizen Ruth The Broken Tower Dogville Night Call Nurses Strange Fruit: The Beatles’ Apple Records Jeremiah Johnson Being John Malkovich Simon Abrams is a NY-based freelance film critic whose work has been featured in outlets like The Village Voice, Time Out New York, Vulture and Esquire. Additionally, some people like his writing, which he collects at Extended Cut .

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Battleship’s Boy Bust, Fokkens to US, ‘The Real Fassbinder’: Biz Break

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Also in this afternoon’s Biz Break: The breakout director of Animal Kingdom plots his next (possibly with the help of Robert Pattinson), Rupert Everett to direct himself as Oscar Wilde (with the help of a few friends of his own), and more… Kino Lorber Wants You to Meet the Fokkens The specialty distributor has announced a deal to bring Gabrielle Provaas & Rob Schröder’s documentary Meet the Fokkens to the US; the film tells the story of 69-year-old twin sisters experiences as prostitutes and brothel owners in Amsterdam’s red-light district. The doc will enjoy its Stateside premiere next month at the SilverDocs Film Festival before debuting Aug. 8 in New York. Michôd, FilmNation Take Aim at The Rover FilmNation continued its Cannes newsmaking streak , announcing the acquisition of Animal Kingdom filmmaker David Michôd ‘s follow-up The Rover . The story follows two men through “a dangerous and dysfunctional near future. Eric has left everything and every semblance of human kindness behind him. When his last possession, his car, is stolen by a gang of dangerous criminals, Eric sets off to track them down and is forced along the way to enlist the help of Reynolds, the naïve simpleton member of the gang left behind in the bloody chaos of the gang’s most recent escape.” Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson are said to be in talks for the roles of Eric and Reynolds, respectively. XLrator Floors It With Action Series XLrator Media has announced the multi-platform TURBO by XLrator label, which will bring an international slate of action films to North American audiences. The first three movies set for release this year will be Naked Soldier (from Hong Kong), Blood Money (filmed in Sydney, Hong Kong and Miami) and Brawler (shot in New Orleans). Former Weinstein Co. exec Mike Radiloff has joined as president of marketing and distribution. Around the ‘net… What Went Wrong With Battleship ? A power shortage in the cast… An underrecognized source property… A failure to reach young men… The Battleship box-office post mortem is officially underway as experts determine what sunk Universal’s costly would-be blockbuster in the US. THR reports . German Director Promises “the Real Fassbinder” Marco Kreuzpaintner is set to revive his influential, short-lived filmmaking compatriot Rainer Werner Fassbinder to life in his next project, Rainer . “It will be a homage to his movies,” Kreuzpaintner said of the projct, which he described as less a straightforward biopic than a melodrama. “But we want to show the real Fassbinder, will all the dirt, drugs and excess.” THR reports . Rupert Everett Gets Wilde with The Happy Prince The actor and Oscar Wilde devotee will make his writing-directing debut with a tragicomic chronicle of the writer’s final days. Colin Firth, Emily Watson an Tom Wilkinson are attached to co-star; Variety reports .

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Watch Casablanca On Facebook, Just Like You Were Intended To

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

In this 70th anniversary year of Casablanca , it only seems fitting that Michael Curtiz’s classic should emerge this week in the medium where its indelible romantic splendor finally can take root and thrive: on Facebook. At last! The wait is over, per a press release just over the wires at ML HQ. The best part, without question: “On Wednesday, May 16 movie fans across the United States are invited to microwave some popcorn and gather by the warm glow of the computer monitor to enjoy a complimentary showing this timeless love story at 7 pm ET and 7 pm PT.” Totes McGotes, Wizzarners! ROMANTIC CLASSIC “CASABLANCA” TO BE SCREENED FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY ON FACEBOOK MOVIE FANS CAN WATCH A COMPLIMENTARY SCREENING AND COMMENT IN REAL-TIME DIRECTLY ON FILM’S FACEBOOK PAGE SCREENING TO TAKE PLACE THIS WEDNESDAY AT 7 PM ET/PT BURBANK, CALIF., May 15, 2012 – Here’s looking at you kid! Warner Bros. Digital Distribution today announced the legendary film Casablanca – which critic Leonard Maltin calls “the best Hollywood movie of all time,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman and winner of three Academy Awards®, including Best Picture (1944), can be viewed directly on the “Casablanca” movie Facebook Page ( http://www.facebook.com/CasablancaTheMovie ). On Wednesday, May 16 movie fans across the United States are invited to microwave some popcorn and gather by the warm glow of the computer monitor to enjoy a complimentary showing this timeless love story at 7 pm ET and 7 pm PT. This complimentary screening of Casablanca celebrates the recent launch of the “ Casablanca 70th Anniversary Three-disc Blu-ray + DVD Combo Edition” from Warner Home Video. This limited and numbered gift set edition will introduce two never-before-seen documentaries – “ Casablanca : An Unlikely Classic,” and “Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of.” The new documentaries will complete the most extensive collection of content in one gift set — more than 14 hours of bonus material that also includes a compilation of three comprehensive feature length documentaries: “The Brothers Warner, You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story” and “Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul.” The “ Casablanca 70th Anniversary 3-Disc Blu ray + DVD Combo Edition” is now available for $64.99 SRP. This special screening event also celebrates “Inside the Script,” a new digital publishing initiative that gives movie fans an innovative new way to go deep inside their favorite films. “Inside the Script” is a series of highly illustrated eBooks that contain the film’s actual shooting script, rare materials from the Warner Bros. Corporate Archive and much more. The first series of “Inside the Script” titles are based on cinematic treasures including, Casablanca, Ben-Hur, An American in Paris and North by Northwest , and are currently available via iBookstore, Kindle and NOOK by Barnes & Noble. “Inside the Script” offers movie fans an all-access pass to go behind-the-scenes of the films they know and love. Every “Inside the Script” title includes the film’s complete shooting script in a customizable eBook format; dozens of chapters about the script and the film that detail the movie’s development; rare historical documents such as production notes, storyboards and candid photos; and an interactive image gallery of costumes, on-set stills, movie posters, set designs and behind-the-scenes photos. Highlighted elements from “ Casablanca : Inside the Script” include: – Jack Warner’s telegrams and memos – Producer Hal Wallis’ script and production notes – Production Code Administration letters, notes and seal of approval – Telegram from producer Hal Wallis refuting his fight with Jack Warner Note: Movie fans must begin watching Casablanca prior to 9 pm PT through the film’s Facebook Page. Only one screening per Facebook account is permitted. Got it? Only one screening per Facebook account , all right? Don’t get greedy! And keep the Kleenex handy! The heart-shattering collapse of film culture really sneaks up on you in the end. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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Cannes: Where Are All the Tacky Movie Ads?

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Long queues formed outside the Palais des Festivals this afternoon in Cannes as attendees mobbed the building waiting to pick up their credentials. Marilyn Monroe presided over the scene; the now familiar image of the legendary actress blowing out a candle is this year’s official image/poster of the 65th Festival de Cannes, which kicks off tomorrow evening with the debut of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom , the first of 12 nights of red carpet premieres. While Marilyn adorned the facade of the Palais, the hive of festival activity, a quick stroll down the seaside Blvd de la Croisette revealed a tiny surprise at least perhaps for those who return year after year. There are surprisingly little in the way of gaudy movie ads covering some of Cannes’ beachfront hotels, usually a festival staple. Even the historic Carlton Hotel at the center of the Croisette, which is usually peddling any and all so-called movies from anything playing in the Official Selection to the Cannes Market or — hey, even if it’s not in Cannes, who cares — would cover its ornate facade. But unless crews are simply behind in their schedule, the hotel was surprisingly free of its usual tacky ads. What happened? True, the economy is flat in France and with today’s inauguration of the country’s first socialist president this century, speculation has arisen in Europe whether Germany and their Gaullist partners will be able to maintain a united front for austerity. And of course, the political crisis in Greece has meant a steady decline in the Euro. Perhaps not great for Europe, but a small windfall for hordes of Americans attending the festival. But this is Cannes and the marina is still packed with zillion dollar yachts and the cafés are still jammed with people buying over-priced fare. But perhaps there has been some shift. Deadline reported that studios are cutting back on galas, preferring cheaper regional fetes to the estimated $1.5M to $3M price tags that Cannes can command. So, maybe those normally ubiquitous treats featuring the latest project starring Paris Hilton or Jean-Claude Van Damme or whoever will be less of a visual assault this year. Still, the Carlton is not ads-free. The ever-ubiquitous dictator himself, Sacha Baron Cohen , greets guests with his military finest. Tom Cruise ‘s mug adorns the hotel’s outdoor café for his December thriller One Shot , directed by Christopher McQuarrie (incidentally, he is also the writer for Top Gun 2 ) and Spidey, as in The Amazing Spider-Man , sits squarely near the hotel’s roof. Of course, it’s not just the Carlton that cashes in on their prime location blaring out their sponsors’ wares for top doll– err, euro. Brian De Palma’s Passion received some recent press after an image of stars Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace moving in for a smooch hit the internet. Their sexy rendezvous covers two floors of a nondescript Croisette building, while Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained reigns over a prominent spot very close to the Palais in front of the chic Majestic Hotel. A quick scan at the credits confirms that Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson are in fact still starring in the film… Stay tuned for more reports from the Cannes Film Festival. Follow Brian Brooks on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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The Joys of Being John Malkovich on Criterion

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The Film : Being John Malkovich (1999), available today on Blu-ray and DVD via The Criterion Collection Why It’s an Inessential Essential : It’s strange to think that a film with John Malkovich’s name in its title isn’t really considered to be “a John Malkovich movie.” Instead, Being John Malkovich is understandably normally associated with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze, both of whom really broke out thanks to BJM ’s success. While Jonze reveals on The Criterion Collection’s new audio commentary track that he and Kaufman were dead-set on getting Malkovich for the film, Being John Malkovich could really be about any celebrity. At the same time, that’s one of the many things that’s funny about Being John Malkovich : It’s a metaphysical black comedy about what people projecting things onto celebrities that don’t necessarily have anything to do with those celebrities. Malkovich just happens to be the guy whose mind Schwartz (John Cusack) and his vampish colleague Maxine (Catherine Keener) invade after they inadvertently discover a miniature portal into his head, and so his comic performance is consequently often overlooked in discussions of the film. He’s the biggest butt of Kaufman and Jonze’s jokes (I love when Maxine casually insults him by saying that he has a “too-prominent brow”), but he also reaffirms his fantastic comic timing, as when he cops a feel after ineffectually cooing to Maxine, “Shall we away to the boudoir?” Malkovich also demonstrates a deceptively subtle knack for physical comedy, like when he gives a buffoonishly perplexed look after being told by a date that he’s “creepy.” In a moment’s time, he scratches his head and tucks his lower lip beneath his teeth. It’s pretty hilarious because it’s done with such sly conviction. How the DVD Makes the Case for the Film : Criterion includes a number of great little behind-the-scenes on its new two-disc DVD set. In an interview with comedian John Hodgman, Malkovich reveals that when he was first given the script, “I saw the title and didn’t really think much about it.” He then initially turned the project down at the behest of his producing partner Russ Smith, who wanted Kaufman and Jonze to make the film “about” someone other than Malkovich. Later, Malkovich was taken aside again by Francis Ford Coppola and introduced directly to Jonze, whom Coppola said “everyone would [eventually] be working for.” According to Malkovich, after he signed onto the project, Kaufman apparently cut “some of the worst jokes about me — meaning the most cruelest ones,” from the screenplay. “I like those jokes,” he tells Hodgman nonchalantly. “I think they’re really funny.” Ironically, while Malkovich says that the film, “isn’t at all about me, it’s about people’s perceptions of me,” he apparently suggested that Charlie Sheen play his character’s best friend in Being John Malkovich . (Kevin Bacon had apparently already turned down that role.) But Malkovich had never met Sheen until that point; he just “struck me as the kind of person I would go to in an existential crisis.” Other Interesting Trivia : There’s a really bizarre and hilariously unfocused audio commentary track on disc one, where Michel Gondry, who was originally supposed to direct the film (he would later work with Kaufman on Human Nature before their Oscar-winning collaboration Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ) talks about everything but the film. At one point, he calls Spike Jonze up and jokingly browbeats him to confess that he fell in love with Keener on set. This is after Gondry wonders aloud if the cameraman got a boner when filming a POV shot from Malkovich’s perspective while he has sex with Keener. Gondry dismisses the idea that Malkovich became aroused by Keener but still insists that the cameraman and the director must have gotten sprung. I wonder what Malkovich thinks… PREVIOUS INESSENTIAL ESSENTIALS The Last Temptation of Christ The Sitter Citizen Ruth The Broken Tower Dogville Night Call Nurses Strange Fruit: The Beatles’ Apple Records Jeremiah Johnson Simon Abrams is a NY-based freelance film critic whose work has been featured in outlets like The Village Voice, Time Out New York, Vulture and Esquire. Additionally, some people like his writing, which he collects at Extended Cut .

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The Joys of Being John Malkovich on Criterion

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The Film : Being John Malkovich (1999), available today on Blu-ray and DVD via The Criterion Collection Why It’s an Inessential Essential : It’s strange to think that a film with John Malkovich’s name in its title isn’t really considered to be “a John Malkovich movie.” Instead, Being John Malkovich is understandably normally associated with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze, both of whom really broke out thanks to BJM ’s success. While Jonze reveals on The Criterion Collection’s new audio commentary track that he and Kaufman were dead-set on getting Malkovich for the film, Being John Malkovich could really be about any celebrity. At the same time, that’s one of the many things that’s funny about Being John Malkovich : It’s a metaphysical black comedy about what people projecting things onto celebrities that don’t necessarily have anything to do with those celebrities. Malkovich just happens to be the guy whose mind Schwartz (John Cusack) and his vampish colleague Maxine (Catherine Keener) invade after they inadvertently discover a miniature portal into his head, and so his comic performance is consequently often overlooked in discussions of the film. He’s the biggest butt of Kaufman and Jonze’s jokes (I love when Maxine casually insults him by saying that he has a “too-prominent brow”), but he also reaffirms his fantastic comic timing, as when he cops a feel after ineffectually cooing to Maxine, “Shall we away to the boudoir?” Malkovich also demonstrates a deceptively subtle knack for physical comedy, like when he gives a buffoonishly perplexed look after being told by a date that he’s “creepy.” In a moment’s time, he scratches his head and tucks his lower lip beneath his teeth. It’s pretty hilarious because it’s done with such sly conviction. How the DVD Makes the Case for the Film : Criterion includes a number of great little behind-the-scenes on its new two-disc DVD set. In an interview with comedian John Hodgman, Malkovich reveals that when he was first given the script, “I saw the title and didn’t really think much about it.” He then initially turned the project down at the behest of his producing partner Russ Smith, who wanted Kaufman and Jonze to make the film “about” someone other than Malkovich. Later, Malkovich was taken aside again by Francis Ford Coppola and introduced directly to Jonze, whom Coppola said “everyone would [eventually] be working for.” According to Malkovich, after he signed onto the project, Kaufman apparently cut “some of the worst jokes about me — meaning the most cruelest ones,” from the screenplay. “I like those jokes,” he tells Hodgman nonchalantly. “I think they’re really funny.” Ironically, while Malkovich says that the film, “isn’t at all about me, it’s about people’s perceptions of me,” he apparently suggested that Charlie Sheen play his character’s best friend in Being John Malkovich . (Kevin Bacon had apparently already turned down that role.) But Malkovich had never met Sheen until that point; he just “struck me as the kind of person I would go to in an existential crisis.” Other Interesting Trivia : There’s a really bizarre and hilariously unfocused audio commentary track on disc one, where Michel Gondry, who was originally supposed to direct the film (he would later work with Kaufman on Human Nature before their Oscar-winning collaboration Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ) talks about everything but the film. At one point, he calls Spike Jonze up and jokingly browbeats him to confess that he fell in love with Keener on set. This is after Gondry wonders aloud if the cameraman got a boner when filming a POV shot from Malkovich’s perspective while he has sex with Keener. Gondry dismisses the idea that Malkovich became aroused by Keener but still insists that the cameraman and the director must have gotten sprung. I wonder what Malkovich thinks… PREVIOUS INESSENTIAL ESSENTIALS The Last Temptation of Christ The Sitter Citizen Ruth The Broken Tower Dogville Night Call Nurses Strange Fruit: The Beatles’ Apple Records Jeremiah Johnson Simon Abrams is a NY-based freelance film critic whose work has been featured in outlets like The Village Voice, Time Out New York, Vulture and Esquire. Additionally, some people like his writing, which he collects at Extended Cut .

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President Obama $15 Million Hollywood Fundraiser Hosts Robert Downey Jr., Tobey Maguire

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Are we a country that includes everybody and give everybody a shot and treats everybody fairly?’ Obama tells the crowd about his gay marriage stance. By Gil Kaufman President Obama arrives in Los Angeles to attend a fundraiser at the home of George Clooney Photo: AFP/Getty Images President Obama again affirmed his support of gay marriage 
 on Thursday night at a star-studded Los Angeles fundraiser at the home of George Clooney. The event, which reportedly raised a record $15 million for the Obama re-election campaign fund, was attended by around 150 guests who paid $40,000, along with two women who won tickets by pledging $3 in an online raffle. Speaking in front of an audience that was likely to be receptive 
 to the message, Obama expanded on his view of gay marriage. “Obviously, yesterday we made some news,” he said to what was reported by The Los Angeles Times to be enthusiastic. Obama was referring to an ABC interview in which he revealed that he now personally supports same-sex marriage, which made him the first sitting president to ever do so. “It was a logical extension of what America is supposed to be. It grew directly out of this difference in visions: Are we a country that includes everybody and gives everybody a shot and treats everybody fairly and is that going to make us stronger? Are we welcoming to immigrants? Are we welcoming to people who aren’t like us — does that make us stronger? I believe it does. So that’s what’s at stake.” The comments reiterated his earlier embrace of gay marriage, which was applauded by celebrity blogger Perez Hilton 
, who told MTV on Thursday that the news was happy, if a bit late in coming. “I wish he would have done this a long time ago,” Hilton said. The gathering was organized by DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, featured food by famed chef-to-the-stars Wolfgang Puck and took place in a large tent on the basketball court outside Clooney’s huge Tudor-style Hollywood home. Among the stars in attendance were Robert Downey Jr., Tobey Maguire, Jack Black, Salma Hayek, Billy Crystal, Barbra Streisand and husband James Brolin and Clooney’s girlfriend, Stacey Kiebler. Fresh off his joke-filled appearance at the Correspondents dinner in D.C., the president went for laughs again, chiding the host that his famous 2008 “Hope” campaign poster was taken from a photo of him sitting next to Clooney when Obama was a U.S. Senator. “This is the first time that George Clooney has ever been PhotoShopped out of a picture,” Obama said. “Never happened before, never happen again.” And while the night had a positive tone, Obama acknowledged to his high-dollar donors that the upcoming election is going to be much more difficult than the 2008 contest. “This is going to be harder than it was the last time,” he said. “2008, in some ways, was lighting in a bottle … So we’re going to have to fight against cynicism and a belief that maybe things can’t happen and maybe the game is rigged, what’s the point. That’s what we’re going to be fighting against this time.”

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Happy Mother’s Day From Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Above the Buzz rounds up the best pop songs praising mom. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber and his mother Patricia Mallette Photo: Rick Diamond/ Getty Images Mother’s Day is just around the bend — Sunday, to be exact. If you’re reading this and that’s news to you, you might want to order your mama some flowers and read on for some awesome mixtape song selections courtesy of Above the Buzz . Pop music has had a longstanding tradition of cranking out tunes that pay homage to the most important woman in everyone’s life: mommy dearest. How could you not look to mom for musical inspiration? She loves you unconditionally, pushes you to be your best, is an awesome shopping buddy and, at one point, let you make that terrible decision of rocking blond highlights back in high school when you really had no business being blonde. Basically, she’s your friend until the end. So, hit record on your boom box and collect these tunes to let mom know how much you love and appreciate her. (And, yes, I am writing this column from a random Mother’s Day in the ’90s when people still recorded mixtapes off boom boxes.) In 1999, the Backstreet Boys released a sappy ballad titled “The Perfect Fan.” With touches of gospel on the track, the sentiment thanking their moms for always being supportive reaches it crescendo when the fivesome declare, “I wanna thank you for what you’ve done/ In hopes I can give back to you/ And be the perfect son.” Writing a song about your mom, boys, is certainly a good start. Years before BSB dropped their mommy ode, Boyz II Men released “A Song for Mama” in 1997. In the deeply emotional ballad produced and written by Babyface, the guys praise their mamas for showing them the right thing to do. “You’re always there for me/ Have always been around for me, even when I was bad/ You showed me right from my wrong/ Yes, you did,” they sing. And, we swooned. That same year, the Spice Girls released “Mama.” Lyrically, it is a bit different from the tracks the boys released. The song is about the girls’ growing relationships with their moms, who went from their biggest enemy when they were teens to being their best friends as adults. The ladies sing, “Back then, I didn’t know why/ Why you were misunderstood/ So now I see through your eyes/ All that you did was love.” An equally touching ode from Christina Aguilera , “Oh Mother,” delves into a more serious topics than those other tracks. Released in 2006, the song reflects on her mother’s abusive relationship with her father. The song is incredibly personal, relaying some details about watching her mother get abused. But, in the end, she wants her mom to know this: “So mother, I thank you/ For all that you’ve done and still do/ You got me, I got you/ Together, we always pull through.” On the other side of the emotional mom rollercoaster is Taylor Swift ‘s “The Best Day,” which she dropped in 2008. The track is a mid-tempo jam about all the awesome things her mom does to make her feel better when she’s low and all the things her mom taught her. “I know you were on my side even when I was wrong/ And I love you for giving me your eyes/ For staying back and watching me shine/ And I didn’t know if you knew, so I’m takin’ this chance to say/ That I had the best day with you today,” she sings. You said it for all of us, girl! With a new Mother’s Day upon us, Justin Bieber is getting in on the action with his new track “Turn to You.” Given the tradition he’s following in, it’s a nice sentiment from a boy who truly loves his mom. And, there’s nothing more adorable than a pop star who knows where it’s at. Because we know where it’s at, we have this final message: Happy Mother’s Day, mom! All these songs say it all and so much more. You rock! Now, go tell your mom how you feel about her — she deserves it. What’s your favorite track showing love for mom? Share your pick below!

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J.K. Rowling’s ‘Blackly Comic’ Post-Potter Book Gets Release Date

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘The Casual Vacancy,’ Rowling’s first adult novel, will be released on September 27. By John Mitchell J.K. Rowling Photo: Daniel Barry/Getty Images It’s been five long years since J.K. Rowling published “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” and now we finally have the name and release date for her first adult novel. “The Casual Vacancy” will be released by Little, Brown Book Group on September 27. When Rowling signed her deal with Little, Brown in February, few details about the novel were made public, but now we know it is the “blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising” tale of what happens in an idyllic English village after a parish councilmember dies unexpectedly leaving a hotly sought after seat on the town council open. “When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock,” the official synopsis reads , going on to describe “a town at war.” “Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?” At the U.K. premiere of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,” Rowling told MTV News that she had been writing actively since finishing the final “Potter” book, but wanted the film franchise to conclude before she moved forward with her writing career. “I’m writing, and I’ve done quite a lot since finishing ‘Harry,’ ” she said. “I also felt I wanted the last film out of the way before I made any moves on the publishing front. ‘Harry’ is so huge and I suppose my involvement with the world has still been quite intense. This feels like a new beginning to me.” The seven “Potter” books represent the best-selling book series in history, with more than 450 million copies in print, and inspired the most successful film franchise ever, grossing more than $7.7 billion worldwide. Scholastic published Rowling’s “Potter” books in the U.S. but does not publish novels for adult audiences. Little, Brown said the 480-page “Casual Vacancy” will be available as a traditional hardcover, but will also be sold as an e-book and audio download. Are you excited for Rowling’s first post-“Potter” novel? Let us know in the comments below!

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