The Playlist

Hurt People Hurt People: Neil LaBute & Alice Eve On The Intricate Roleplaying Of ‘Some Velvet Morning’

By Kristin McCracken
|
May 3, 2013 12:03 PM
|
0 Comments

Some Velvet Morning, Alice Eve, Neil LaBute

Interviews

Since his award-winning debut feature “In the Company of Men” in 1997, Neil LaBute has developed a diverse career that spans writing and directing for both the stage and screen. Depicting unsettling and often cruel relationships between men and women, his work can be difficult to stomach, but there is no denying his unique voice. Over the years, LaBute has experimented with directing other people’s work, venturing into the horror (“The Wicker Man”), thriller (“Lakeview Terrace”) and comedy (“Nurse Betty,” “Death at a Funeral”) genres, to varying degrees of critical success. At the same time, he is a prolific playwright, with “The Mercy Seat,” “Fat Pig,” “reasons to be pretty,” and “The Shape of Things,” among others, making theatrical waves.

More:

Tribeca Review: Neil LaBute Goes Back To Basics In Spartan, Scintillating 'Some Velvet Morning'

By Gabe Toro
|
April 22, 2013 10:01 AM
|
1 Comment

Reviews

When filmmakers find themselves in a rough place, they tend to dial back their productions, usually by necessity, but also as a refresher course in refueling the creative spirit. Playwright Neil LaBute has had a rough go of it in his last few big-screen adventures: "Lakeview Terrace" was a half-baked contemporary thriller clearly made to fill the personal coffers, though one could argue it reflected an intriguing take on contemporary race relations in suburban communities. And remaking "Death At A Funeral" nearly shot-for-shot was always going to be a thankless task. The fact that these two films followed the misunderstood-but-still-questionable "Wicker Man" remake seems to point to a creative force in decline, at least onscreen -- LaBute remains active in the world of shorts and stage, where his reputation has yet to be sullied.

More:

Stanley Tucci Joins Michael Bay's 'Transformers 4'

By Ken Guidry
|
April 16, 2013 5:05 PM
|
3 Comments

News

When a franchise makes a third film and it winds up making a ton of money, talk of a fourth film is inevitable even if key cast and crew members are not on board. Think about "Pirates of the Caribbean," when everyone but Johnny Depp dropped out for the fourth movie; or "Spider-Man," when complications surrounding a possible fourth movie lead to a complete reboot. So, it should come as no surprise when Shia Labeouf dropped out of the fourth "Transformers" film, eventually these actors and filmmakers want to move on to other things without having to remain committed to a franchise every other year.

More:

First Look: Alice Eve In Neil LaBute's 'Some Velvet Morning' & Zoe Kazan And Jake Johnson In 'The Pretty One'

By Edward Davis
|
March 8, 2013 5:32 PM
|
2 Comments

News

Two Tribeca Film Festival first-looks for you this afternoon. First up is one of two Neil LaBute films landing within the span of two months: "Some Velvet Morning," which is debuting at Tribeca in mid-April. It stars Alice Eve ("Star Trek Into Darkness") and Stanley Tucci, and it's a relationship drama making its world premiere in the Narrative section.

More:

Stanley Tucci Bags Lead Opposite Emma Watson In 'Harry Potter' Director David Yates' Drama 'Your Voice In My Head'

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
March 27, 2012 8:41 PM
|
4 Comments

News

If your part calls for an actor in their 40s or 50s, and you're part of a big studio movie, the reality is that the same handful of names are always going to be at the top of your casting wishlist -- the Cruises, the Clooneys, the Pitts, the Hankses, the Depps. These are the guys who get every offer in town, and as such, those actors get to pick and choose from the cream of the crop.

More:

Stanley Tucci & Chris Cooper Join Robert Redford's 'The Company You Keep'

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
September 13, 2011 4:00 AM
|
3 Comments

Say what you like about Robert Redford's directorial efforts (like, for instance, that "Quiz Show" aside, they very closely replicate the experience of watching paint dry. Underwater), but he knows how to stack a film with a cast of ringers. Even a film as dull as his recent "The Conspirator" was able to attract names like James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson and many more, mainly drawn by the opportunity to work with one of the all-time great movie stars.

More:

Watch: Trailer For Star-Studded Financial Drama 'Margin Call' Arrives

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
July 26, 2011 1:04 AM
|
2 Comments

Given that it was as significant an event in the world as any in the last century, it's not surprising that Hollywood have finally turned their eye to the 2008 financial apocalypse; even if it's unlikely to bring in the teens, it's inherently dramatic subject matter, and this year has already seen Curtis Hanson's solid "Too Big To Fail," and people like George Clooney potentially eyeing the subject in the near future. Next up is "Margin Call," the starry drama that picked up solid reviews at Sundance this year.

More:

Stanley Tucci & Cloris Leachman Join Colin Firth & Cameron Diaz In Caper Comedy 'Gambit'

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
May 16, 2011 8:27 AM
|
3 Comments

Plus Earth-Shattering, Game-Changing First Look At The FilmAre you a young filmmaker, slowly coming to the realization that the film you've been sweating over for months, if not years, isn't quite going to be what you hoped, even before you start filming. There's one simple solution. Cast Stanley Tucci. Scientifically proven to make every film 15% better, the veteran character actor doesn't just shine in good films, like "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Easy A," but he also proves the few spots of pleasure in terrible ones, like "The Core," "The Lovely Bones" and "Burlesque."

More:

Stanley Tucci Is Caesar Flickerman In 'Hunger Games'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
May 9, 2011 7:43 AM
|
1 Comment

Now that we got news about Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson and the Cannes Film Festival out of the way, here's a "Hunger Games" update. Yawn.

More:

Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci & Lenny Kravitz Sought For 'Hunger Games'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
April 29, 2011 12:57 PM
|
0 Comments

Ethan Jamieson & Tara Macken Cast As District 4 PlayersWhile most of the "Hunger Games" casting so far has centered around the smaller names that populate the various Districts in the game (please see the most recent casting of Ethan Jamieson and Tara Macken), it seems that the filmmakers are not done headhunting for big names to join the franchise-starting film and now three more stars are being tossed into the rumor mill.

More: