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Michael Shannon Won't Say "Kneel Before Zod" In 'Man Of Steel' & Why Franchise Traditions Aren't Always A Good Thing

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • November 6, 2012 5:27 PM
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  • 11 Comments
News
Superman brings with it a lot of baggage. With a cinematic history, and of course, an even longer one in the pages of the comics, certain segments of fans are expecting Zack Snyder's upcoming "Man Of Steel" to at least pay tribute to its predecessors in some fashion. Portions of various fanboy quarters thrive on this kind of stuff, like a reference to "Superman II" is an entry to a secret club. But of course, with next summer's blockbuster being shephereded by Christopher Nolan and penned by David Goyer, it seems they are wisely avoiding going down that path.
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More: Michael Shannon, Man of Steel

Review: '13' Remake Proves To Be One Unlucky Number (To Put It Mildly)

  • By Gabe Toro
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  • October 27, 2011 8:21 AM
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  • 4 Comments
It’s unfortunate, but there’s a Movie Content Hierarchy. Great filmmakers don’t pretend this exists -- Darren Aronofsky makes a horror movie and genre-hating critics love it, and former Fangoria mainstay David Cronenberg maintains his integrity and themes of perversion and body modification while becoming a boutique festival filmmaker. But more often than not, directors, screenwriter and producers are beholden to the unimaginative thought of “this is how it is meant to be done.” More specifically, films from other parts of the world, particularly smaller ones, have their own vocabulary, their own rhythms and idiosyncrasies. Gela Babluani’s “13 Tzameti” is one of those films, a slow burn thriller from France shot in stark black and white and featuring minimal accoutrement in terms of score, outsized performances, or onscreen violence. It’s a picture that aims low but with laser-sharp precision, to the point where you felt that Babluani was a major storytelling talent with little affection for sentimentality or empty showmanship.
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More: Films, Actors, Review, 13 (Remake), Ray Winstone, Jason Statham, Michael Shannon, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Sam Riley, Mickey Rourke, Alexander Skarsgard

James Franco Exits Mob Killer Pic ‘The Iceman’ Leaving Future Of Project In Doubt

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • October 19, 2011 12:59 PM
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  • 3 Comments
With his busy schedule taking him between classrooms, art galleries, movie sets and TV studios, even the multitasking James Franco can't do it all.
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More: Films, Actors, Actresses, The Iceman, James Franco, Michael Shannon, Benicio Del Toro, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Jeff Nichols Talks About His Trust In Sony Pictures Classics & 'Take Shelter''s Memorable Ending

  • By Christopher Bell
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  • September 29, 2011 5:04 AM
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  • 0 Comments
And More From The Cast & Filmmaker Of The Apocalyptic DramaLady luck is currently showing Arkansas filmmaker Jeff Nichols her pearly whites. Though his strong debut feature "Shotgun Stories" took years to complete and be unleashed into the world, his sophomore effort "Take Shelter" was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics before they even saw a cut. In addition to that, its two principal players, Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, are having a banner year and are quickly rising to household name-status. To top it all off, the filmmaker is already lensing his next feature, "Mud," in addition to writing yet another movie. Needless to say, Nichols is very busy and in demand.
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More: Films, Actors, Actresses, Film Studios, Interview, Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter, Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Sony Pictures Classics

Review: 'Take Shelter' A Naturalistic, Novelistic Portrayal Of Madness & Apocalypse

  • By James Rocchi
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  • September 29, 2011 3:01 AM
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  • 1 Comment
The following is a reprint of our review from Sundance.
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More: Films, Actors, Actresses, Review, Take Shelter, Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain

Michael Shannon Reteams With Jeff Nichols For Third Film, 'Mud'

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • September 27, 2011 2:24 AM
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  • 2 Comments
Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson, Joe Don Baker and Paul Sparks Round Out CastThere is perhaps no more exciting actor/director pairing going right now than Michael Shannon and Jeff Nichols. The duo first got together on the outstanding "Shotgun Stories," a slow burn firecracker tale of two half brothers who enter a blood feud. That was followed by "Take Shelter" which begins rolling out this weekend, one of the year's best films that takes a deeply personal tale woven into a gripping apocalyptic framework. And now, they're going to make it three for three as Deadline reports that Shannon has found time in his increasingly busy schedule to take a role in the film.
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More: Films, Actors, Mud, Michael Shannon

'Take Shelter' Soundtrack Written By Ola Podrida's David Wingo Is Moody, Chilling & Unnerving

  • By Edward Davis
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  • September 26, 2011 8:22 AM
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  • 1 Comment
Just recently when discussing composer Mychael Danna's excellent score for the humanist sports drama, "Moneyball," we lamented the fact that writing about soundtracks isn't always easy, as often they're not the sexiest topic in the world. However, maybe we'll be putting that theory to the test in the fall of 2011.
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More: Films, Actors, Actresses, Composers, Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter, Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, David Wingo

Michael Shannon Talks Madness, Working On A Budget & 'Take Shelter' Director Jeff Nichols

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
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  • September 15, 2011 5:46 AM
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  • 1 Comment
Michael Shannon may have missed out on an Emmy nomination for his role on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” but his anguished turn as Curtis LaForche in Jeff Nichols’ stunning “Take Shelter” should put the star squarely in the midst of Best Actor Oscar talk. (It should do the same for co-star Jessica Chastain.)
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More: Films, Actors, Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter, Michael Shannon

'Take Shelter' Director Jeff Nichols Talks 'Mud,' Hopes To Have Michael Shannon In Supporting Role

  • By Christopher Bell
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  • September 13, 2011 7:55 AM
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  • 3 Comments
Shannon Studying Ulysses S. Grant And Other Generals For His Zod Role In 'Superman'Things are looking pretty good for Arkansas filmmaker Jeff Nichols. A quick summer shoot for his sophomore offering "Take Shelter" (starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain) lead to it being sold to Sony Picture Classics before even playing the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The quiet, occasionally startling meditation on marriage and fatherhood received rave reviews during its time at both the former festival and Cannes, picking up two prizes from the Croisette on its way out. But Nichols didn't bask in the glory for too long, as he was already busy setting up his third feature, the Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon-lead "Mud."
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More: Films, Actors, Actresses, Jeff Nichols, Super Hero Films, Mud, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Shannon, Reese Witherspoon, Man of Steel

TIFF '11 Review: 'Machine Gun Preacher' Is Essentially A Botched 'Rambo'

  • By Gabe Toro
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  • September 12, 2011 5:15 AM
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  • 15 Comments
In 2008’s blitzkrieg actioner “Rambo,” writer-director Sylvester Stallone recognized the real-life struggles of the people of Myanmar, dramatizing the struggle in a blood-drenched exploitation film that, despite its inelegance, emboldened the people of that region while lionizing a fictional hero of guerilla warfare. The problem with “Machine Gun Preacher,” Marc Forster’s third world drama about a real-life would-be savior who ventured into the Sudan and attempted to build an orphanage with sheer will and a smidgen of gunpower, is that it’s afraid to be “Rambo.”
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More: Films, Actors, Actresses, Review, Marc Forster, Machine Gun Preacher, Michael Shannon, Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan

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