Thompson on Hollywood

Writer Updates: Cameron, Kalogridis, Tarantino, Boal

One reason why James Cameron went out of his way to mention that he might make The Dive backstage at the Golden Globes: he was thanking screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis (Alexander) for all the writing she has done for him, not only on Avatar, but on Battle Angel and The Dive.

By Anne Thompson
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January 20, 2010 11:14 AM
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Trailer Watch: HBO's Temple Grandin Stars Claire Danes

At the jam-packed Paramount pre-Golden Globes party at the Chateau Marmont, I was talking with Jodie Foster, who is editing her Summit drama The Beaver, starring old pal Mel Gibson--"you've never seen him like this before," she promised. She also insisted that she will never change the title, which refers to a Beaver hand puppet who tells the Gibson character what to do.

By Anne Thompson
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January 20, 2010 8:07 AM
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Globes Weekend Party Circuit: Film Independent, BAFTA Brunches

My Golden Globe weekend began Saturday morning with an Independent Spirits brunch at Boa Steakhouse on Sunset celebrating the nominees. At the beginning, Laura Dern, Mike White and Derek Luke recounted tales of attending their first Indie Spirit awards; Luke actually bused tables at a Spirit show several years before he found himself nominated for Antoine Fisher. Film Independent's Dawn Hudson called all the nominees up to the stage to identify themselves, including Precious writer Geoffrey Fletcher, Humpday director Lynn Shelton, A Single Man's Tom Ford and 500 Days of Summer star Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

By Anne Thompson
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January 20, 2010 6:40 AM
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Oscar Watch: Sony Pictures Classics Lands Three on Foreign Short List

The Academy has announced the foreign film short list of nine, culled from 65 submissions. The foreign branch voted for six of these, while three were added by the foreign branch executive committee led by producer Mark Johnson, just in case such films as the critically-hailed Cannes entries A Prophet or The White Ribbon (both released by Sony Pictures Classics) failed to make the Phase One selection. Another committee of 30 voters from New York and L.A. will whittle the nine down to five for nominations morning, February 2.

By Anne Thompson
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January 20, 2010 6:29 AM
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Sundance Exclusive Video: Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

After the dark places that Darfur documentary The Devil Came on Horseback took filmmakers Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg, they decided to lighten things up on their next movie. "We wanted to do something on women and comedy," says Stern. "It was still for the most part an all-boys club. Joan was a window into that."

By Anne Thompson
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January 20, 2010 2:38 AM
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Biz Bids Farewell to Gentleman Journalist Archerd

Ex-Variety staffer and editor Amy Dawes attended Variety's memorial service for the late great columnist Army Archerd Monday night, attended by Hollywood vets Steven Spielberg, Sidney Poitier, Sharon Stone, Carl Reiner, George Schlatter, Angie Dickinson, Tom Sherak, Arthur Hiller, Hugh O’Brian and Julian Meyers, as well as Variety's Tim Gray, Peter Bart, Steve Gaydos and Bill Higgins, and ex-Variety staffers Michael Fleming, Michael Speier and Elizabeth Guider, now editor of The Hollywood Reporter.

By Amy Dawes
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January 20, 2010 1:40 AM
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Sony and Marvel Pick Webb for Spider-Man

Sony and Marvel's choice of music-video director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) to helm the next installment of Spider-Man is revealing of what they want that movie to be: stylish and comedic.

By Anne Thompson
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January 20, 2010 12:32 AM
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Zucker Tries to Save Face on Charlie Rose

You know things are bad when the CEO of NBC Universal goes on Charlie Rose to try and save his job.

By Anne Thompson
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January 19, 2010 7:59 AM
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Avatar Tests Academy Live Action Bias: Exclusive Video

Over the past decade, movie technology has become so sophisticated that it's tough for critics and even industry insiders to discern where an actor's performance stops and the work of hundreds of artists and digital technicians begins. The groundbreaking Avatar and Lord of the Ringssaga are two examples.

By Anne Thompson
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January 19, 2010 2:43 AM
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Sundance Fest Panels and Roundtables: Deavere Smith, Banks, Gosling, Junger

The ten-day 2010 Sundance Film Festival which launches January 21 in Park City, Utah has booked a number of panels and roundtables. Journalist Michele Norris, host of NPR's All Things Considered, will interview Anna Deavere Smith. And each morning at 10:30 a.m. in the Cinema Cafe in the Filmmaker Lodge, audiences can engage with filmmakers such as Walter Murch, Russell Banks, Ryan Gosling, and Nicole Holofcener.