Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is one of the most anticipated films of 2013, so Empire Magazine is dedicating the cover of its March issue to promoting the film. Henry Cavill (Superman/Clark Kent) graces the cover, giving us one of the best looks we’ve had so far at the new suit. We’re all hoping that executive producer Christopher Nolan can influence the filmmakers in the direction of what he did with The Dark Knight trilogy, and we’ll find out June 14th, 2013. Empire’s March edition hits newsstands this Thursday, January 31st. Have a look at the cover after the jump.
Read more on ‘Man of Steel’ Covers Empire Magazine…
 More often than not, clichés are something to be avoided in cinema. Every so often however, a film can overcome them by either presenting them in a new light or just making strong enough use of them that you simply wind up not minding. Fairhaven is a movie that nearly is able to achieve that latter exception to the rule, though ultimately it comes up a bit short. Co-writer/director Tom O’Brien has a pretty good feel for New England and clearly knows how to make a slice of life dramedy, but the script he co-authored with star Chris Messina never quite distinguishes itself. There are certainly things to like here, namely in terms of the acting and chemistry between the performers, but this flick is just a bit shy of really getting to you. O’Brien is going to be a filmmaker that is worth taking notice of, I can assure you that. This just isn’t the film to do it though. The verdict for the film lies somewhere between a strong or lackluster recommendation.
Read more on Fairhaven (**½)…
 One of the best things about Sundance is that you get to meet every matter of person involved in indie film. Miriam Cutler has been composing music for documentary films since 1988, authoring over 100 scores. She’s also been a longtime advisor in the Sundance Composers Lab, as well as a long time board member of the Society of Composers and Lyricists. This year she’s back at Sundance having done the score for the documentary American Promise. We sat down at the hp Lounge to chat about the film, how the film scoring process works, and what she most enjoys about the work. Check out the interview after the jump! Read more on SUNDANCE: Interview with ‘American Promise’ composer Miriam Cutler…
Faithfully and successfully adapting an original source into a workable feature film screenplay often poses itself as a daunting task to even the most seasoned writers. Combined with the constant concern of providing a captivating narrative to drive a story, the added pressure of doing justice to the source increases expectations. Ranging from a stage play to best-selling novels to a sweeping biopic, this year’s nominees tackle their adaptations with the vigor and mastery to propel their respective films into the life-affirming endzone, out of a hostage crisis, within safe distance from ancient aurochs, out of a morally-divisive Civil War, and into a colorful voyage of survival.
The Nominees are:
- Silver Linings Playbook – David O. Russell
- Argo – Chris Terrio
- Beasts of the Southern Wild – Lucy Alibar, Benh, Zeitlin
- Lincoln – Tony Kushner
- Life of Pi – David Magee
In his adaptation of the Matthew Quick novel, David O. Russell provides his Silver Linings Playbook cast with the necessary ammunition to fire off at one another with the electric energy that’s the lifeblood of this human comedy. As one of only two director-writer combos in this category, he exerts a masterful command over the material his actors deliver, coaxing a natural chemistry between them. This marks the first time the three-time nominee–including Best Director for The Fighter in 2011 and this year for director and adapted screenplay– has been in contention for a writing award with the Academy. Read more on Oscar Circuit: Adapted Screenplay…
 Sometimes movies are incredibly clear in their intentions from the outset. Other films take their time, sneaking up on you and subtly creeping into your consciousness. and there are those films that sneak up on you, creeping into your consciousness. Pit Stop, an eloquent look at gay men living in Texas and the crossroads they find themselves at in their interactions, is most definitely the latter. While I had some problems with the first half of the film, the 2nd half is so wonderful that it made me reevaluate my entire experience. Anchored by some nuanced performances and a character driven screenplay, the film manages to say a lot without speaking loudly. Read more on Sundance: Pit Stop (***)…
 As ‘Django Unchained’ (Wein.) rides into #1 in several countries, domestically, this week, it’s still no match for the scary, ‘Mama’ (Uni.) which crawls into #1 and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ (Sony) who drags into #2. ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (Wein.) is lifted up to #3, followed by ‘Gangster Squad’ (WB) and, new release, ‘Broken City’ (Fox). Falling down the charts, following Jamie Foxx is ‘Les Miserables (2012)’ (Uni.), ‘A Haunted House’ (ORF), ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ (WB), and ‘The Last Stand’ (LGF) a new release that was also #10 during the weekend of its release. Read more on Box Office (01.27.13)…
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