Thompson on Hollywood

Cannes 2012: Walter Salles and Sprawling Cast Recreate Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road,' Which is Cruising for an NC-17

Reviews

"On the Road" is a two hour and 17-minute recreation of Jack Kerouac's seminal 1957 novel. It's a serious thoughtful gorgeously mounted period art film and American travelogue, carefully researched and painstakingly crafted. Walter Salles and writer Jose Rivera, the team behind "The Motorcycle Diaries," succeeded where many failed, over the three decades since producer Francis Ford Coppola optioned the property.

By Anne Thompson
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May 23, 2012 11:58 AM
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Watch: Bill Murray Is Livin' La Vida Loca on 'Moonrise Kingdom' Set Tour

Video

Excited for "Moonrise Kingdom"? You should be. It's delightful. Watch Bill Murray give a tour of the set to prepare you for the Wes Anderson film, opening May 25.

By Sophia Savage
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May 23, 2012 11:57 AM
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Trailer Watch: 'The Great Gatsby' Boasts Wild Soundtrack, Dazzling Look

Video

Baz Luhrmann's anticipated revamp of the Great American Novel has a trailer - and it's got his signature wild look and sound. The soundtrack is coolly unexpected, starting with Jay Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild" and then U2's "Love is Blindness."

By Maggie Lange
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May 23, 2012 10:09 AM
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Lionsgate Pacts with StudioCanal for Extended Global Partnership

News

At Cannes for the first time in their new roles as co-chairs of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, ex-Summit co-chiefs Patrick Wachsberger, long a major player on the international distribution and film sales scene, and Rob Friedman are wielding some muscle on the Croisette. Lionsgate and French distribution giant StudioCanal are enlarging their pre-existing partnership by renewing their library distribution agreement for Lionsgate to distribute more than 2000 StudioCanal titles, such as "Grand Illusion," "The Last Exorcism," "Terminator 2." Additionally, StudioCanal will also release "Catching Fire," the next installment of "The Hunger Games" franchise in German speaking territories, where the first film has grossed $24 million at the box office. "The Hunger Games" has grossed almost $400 million in North America and is closing on $650 million worldwide. “STUDIOCANAL exemplifies the global reach, market leadership and innovative thinking of the media companies with whom we are partnered around the world,” stated Wachsberger, Friedman and Motion Picture Group President Steve Beeks. "Our StudioCanal partnership has been an important part of our growth around the world, and we believe that they will become an even more important part of our future.” Olivier Courson, Chairman of StudioCanal stated: “Lionsgate has always been a great partner to StudioCanal...In the UK we are partners in the leading independents home entertainment operation Elevation. And in Germany, we have a long term relationship on current films and are very happy to have "The Hunger Games." Strengthening our partnership with an even stronger Lionsgate on a long term basis is a great opportunity for StudioCanal." The StudioCanal library includes DVD, television, on demand and digital rights to titles from the Carolco and DEG libraries, including "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Total Recall," "Basic Instinct," "Rambo," "Tender Mercies," and "Evil Dead II" and French classics from "Rules of the Game" to "That Obscure Object of Desire" and "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie."

By Anne Thompson
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May 23, 2012 9:48 AM
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Cannes Virgin Diary 3: Critics' Week Yields Breakouts 'Aqui y Alla,' 'Sofia's Last Ambulance'

Festivals

This is the best film yet to screen at Cannes' Critics' Week, confidently made without a single wasted scene. The quotidian reality of Guerrero village life is realized with lyricism and lack of sentimentality.

By Ryan Lattanzio
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May 23, 2012 9:03 AM
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Webby Awards: Steve Jobs Tribute, Best of the Five-Word Acceptance Speeches

Video

The Webby Awards honored the best of the web (Indiewire included!), and shared a tribute video for Steve Jobs. Keeping with their acceptance-speech rule, the video features thanks from the likes of President Obama, President Clinton, Al Gore, George Lucas, Jon Stewart and Bono - all in five words or less.

By Sophia Savage
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May 22, 2012 5:30 PM
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Cannes Interview: John and Katrine Boorman Talk 'Me and Me Dad,' 'Excalibur' & '70s 'Lord of the Rings'

Festivals

John Boorman has been in Cannes with daughter Katrine to talk up "Me & Me Dad," a documentary about the "Excalibur"/"Deliverance"/"The Tailor Of Panama" director that Katrine filmed over a period four years and that John jokingly says he hoped would never see the light of day...

By Matt Mueller
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May 22, 2012 3:13 PM
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Cannes Market: Lynne Ramsay & Natalie Portman's Western: 'Jane Got a Gun'

News

Now this is exciting: Lynne Ramsay ("We Need To Talk About Kevin," "Morvern Callar," "Ratcatcher") will direct last year's Oscar-winner, Natalie Portman, in "Jane Got a Gun." The Western, written by Brian Duffield, was on the Black List. Portman will also produce the CAA-packaged project, which ignited a bidding war in Cannes, reports THR.

By Sophia Savage
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May 22, 2012 2:36 PM
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Watch: Jennifer Garner and Alfred Molina Star in Rodrigo Garcia's Short Film 'Serena'

Video

Jennifer Garner stars with Alfred Molina in short film "Serena," posted below, from director Rodrigo Garcia ("Albert Nobbs," "In Treatment"). The twelve-minute short features Garner as a quietly deranged woman, desperately seeking attention from her priest by cataloguing a series of tormented confessions...

By Maggie Lange
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May 22, 2012 2:35 PM
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Submarine and Dakota Form Torpedo Pictures

News

Just what we need: more indie genre films. Indie seller Submarine Entertainment and Dakota Group Ltd. have formed the aptly named Torpedo Pictures -- a new indie label to produce low-budget, high-concept sci-fi, thriller and horror films. The label's fund will go towards projects in the $500,000 to $1.5+ million range, with a focus on emerging and established auteur directors and notable casts. Dakota will finance and Submarine will handle domestic and foreign rights.