Nearly three years since his last picture director Danny Boyle intends to induce a Trancewith his new psychological heist thriller. This one’s got some early buzz lauding solid performances from leads Rosario Dawson and James McAvoy, a compelling multi-layered narrative, and mind-bendingly stylized visuals. Robert Redford’s got a thriller of his own in the mix this week with The Company You Keep, along with a a 3D rerelease of JurassicPark, and a horror picture promising evil and death in Evil Dead. With the exciting overload of thrills in this batch, make sure to hold on to your butts…
KON TIKI (***)…When I was 12 my grandparents gave me the book about Thor Heyerdahl, a 20th century photographer and ethnographer who in 1947 set out on an extraordinary adventure that everyone told him was impossible. Heyerdahl set out on the 8,000 mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean on a raft built of balsa wood, manned by an under experienced crew. Heyerdahl believed that man early settlers from South America populated Polynesia and their only method of crossing would have been in a manner such as this. The danger of such a crossing is obvious, the madness behind it, perhaps not so clear, but the adventure was right out of the movies. Consider the madness of the lead character in Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo (1978), a half-crazed visionary seeking to do the impossible, and you see that Heyerdahl’s quest is not so terribly different. Read more on TIFF: Pleasant “Tiki,” Sarandon steals “Company,” and Watts isn’t enough for “Impossible”…
On this day where many of us are off either BBQ’ing or sleeping as late as possible, we are bringing you the weekly Awards Circuit Power Hour. A fun-themed show today, I’m joined by Terence, Joey, Mike, and Robert talking everything film. Also, don’t forget to rate us on iTunes and listen to us on Stitcher! The agenda is listed below: Read more on Awards Circuit Power Hour Episode 18: AMPAS Rule Change, Oscar Tech Talk, Affleck & Argo…
As an actor, Robert Redford has been a part of a few of my favorite films of all time. From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), to The Sting (1973), to All the President’s Men (1976), his resume is pretty outstanding. As a director, however, the results have been a little more mixed bag. Sure, he has gifted us with some pretty great films like Ordinary People (1980), A River Runs Through It (1992), and Quiz Show (1994), but as of late Redford has created a pretty disappointing track record with films like Lions for Lambs (2007) and The Conspirator (2010). His latest film, The Company You Keep, hopes to change that recent slide. Read more on Watch the Trailer for Robert Redford’s ‘The Company You Keep’…
We haven’t even begun the Toronto and Venice Film Festivals yet and a major purchase of one of their titles has already been made. The film in question is Robert Redford’s latest directorial endeavor ‘The Company You Keep’, starring Shia LaBeouf and Redford himself in the lead roles. According to The Hollywood Reporterhere, Sony Pictures Classics has picked up the film. No word yet on if it’ll stay a presumed 2012 release or get delayed until next year, but I’d expect to see it before the year is out contending for awards…quality permitting, of course. After the jump you can see some details of the film and the deal, but mark this one down in your notebooks kids. Read on below for more on this intriguing flick…
Naomi Watts stars in “The Impossible” premiering at TIFF….
Having gone through the announced films with a fine tooth comb I have come up with a list of twenty must sees, the films that will have absolute priority over everything else for at TIFF. That is not to say I will not venture into other movies, I most certainly will, but for now, the twenty discussed within are the films I am making it my mission in life to see first. Understand that the schedules have not yet been made available to the press so there will undoubtedly be overlaps in the screenings, meaning getting a ticket from the TIFF folks or speaking with the film’s publicist to land a seat. They are always helpful to me, always have been, so no problems are foreseen. And of course there are the festivals pre-screenings, which are held ten days before the start of the festival allowing press to see films that are going to be an issue because of their schedule, or in the case of the TV critics, because they will be interviewing. I so do not miss those days, being on television, listening to the producers go to war for interviews, scrambling at the last minute because they have given to us, just a nightmare. There was a time when seeing forty to forty five films was not out of the question, but by the end of the festival my brain was mush and the stories began to run together. I learned to pace myself. Of course my accident in 2001 cut down on the number of films I can see from a sheer physical stand point. Thirty to thirty five is the goal, though twenty eight is where I usually end up. Consider as well, if I am interviewing I need to give up a film here and there, and I hate that. For me TIFF is all about the films…period. That said, if the chance arises to interview some of the major players, I will be there, as always. I have to admit I am getting excited about TIFF. As the days slip past and it comes time for my girls to go back to school, I realize the festival is upon me. Different this year, very different, is Sherri is not here to share it with me. She would bring the girls into the city for the weekend, and though we did not see much of one another, we made it a point to have dinner and coffee together, and I always woke her when I got in. I will miss that. Ariana will be with me that first weekend, swimming and hanging out at the pool, and that will be cool for her, as she loves hotel life. She has never been to a GALA so I will take her to see The Silver Lining Playbook this year, as she adores Jennifer Lawrence.
Hot on the heels of the Toronto International Film Festival announcing their titles comes word from Venice about the films to be featured at the 69th Venice Film Festival. With 60 films, the selection includes a wide range of anticipated titles such as Terrence Malick’s To the Wonder, Passion from Brian De Palma and The Company You Keep directed by Robert Redford, as well as 20 films from female directors. Surprisingly, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master is not included in the lineup, might this mean it will be skipping the festivals? Check out the full list after the jump! Read more on 69th Venice Film Festival to include Malick, De Palma, Nair, Lee and Redford!…
Francis Ford Coppola wrote the screenplay to the Jack Clayton directed film The Great Gatsby (1974), a banner year for cinema with some of the greatest films ever made. For those who hail 1939 as the greatest year in film history, I suggest they look hard at 1974 which is infinitely stronger. All in ’74 were The Godfather Part II, Chinatown, Lenny, The Conversation, Young Frankenstein, A Woman Under the Influence, Badlands, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Phantom of the Paradise were just some of the American films released in that single, miraculous, year. One of the most anticipated films of the year, and subsequent failure was the film adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel The Great Gatsby (1974) with Robert Redford as Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy. Redford was at the zenith of his career, a major box office star after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973) and respected as an actor in films such as Jeremiah Johnson (1973) and Oscar nominated for The Sting (1973). Farrow was less known but had enjoyed both box office and critical acclaim in Rosemary’s Baby (1968). In many circles she was better known as Frank Sinatra’s wife. Many felt she lacked the acting chops to play the role believing Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton or Ali McGraw to be better choices. Read more on Re-visiting Gatsby (1974) Brings High Hopes Luhrmann’s adaptation…
Film Block Robert Redford Presents Features Seminal Independent Films To Be Introduced by Sundance Channel Creative Director Robert Redford
Read the Press Release:
New York, NY – April 23, 2012 – Sundance Channel announced today that Creative Director Robert Redford will appear on Sundance Channel to introduce some of the most distinguished independent films of recent years. Airing every Saturday night beginning April 28th, Redford will introduce each film and offer a personal critique. Some of the films being screened include: The Crucible, Wendy & Lucy, Blue Velvet, The Deep End and The Imperialists Are Still Alive. The announcement was made today by Sarah Barnett, Sundance Channel General Manager.
Robert Redford stated, “Our aim with Sundance Channel has always been to showcase independent productions that broaden viewers’ minds and hopefully inspire them. I am pleased to share some great films and further strengthen the outstanding independent film offering on our channel.”
In anticipation of the upcoming Blackthorn, a “What If” on the exploits on an old Butch Cassidy, I decided to take a look back at Hollywood’s classic tale of the infamous duo. The top grossing film of its year, at the time the top grossing western of all time and a critical success (at the time), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) was one of four westerns released in the last year of the sixties, and in hindsight, the weakest of the lot. Watching the film through the seventies in re-releases, I was always bothered that not a whole lot happened throughout the picture, but like everyone else was captivated by the chemistry between the two actors, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. When I became serious about film, I realized that not a whole lot was happening in the film, and that indeed, writer William Goldman had relied very heavily on the hope that the actors possessed a strong chemistry together. Without it, the film would be forgotten by now. God with it, the film is not remembered all that fondly. Read more on Historical Circuit: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (**)…
