Thompson on Hollywood

Coraline's Selick Leaves Laika

It seems odd that when a movie breaks out and does as well as Coraline ($120 million worldwide), that the filmmaker would leave the animation company behind it. But Henry Selick and Portland, Oregon-based Laika have parted ways at the expiration of Selick's contract as Laika supervising director. Often the same creative drive and energy that makes a movie like Coraline possible--believe me, without Selick it would not be the same movie-- makes a director tough to work with. Laika, which also produces commercials, intends to continue making stop-motion animation.

By Anne Thompson
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October 7, 2009 4:00 AM
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Movie Site: Jinni

I am sitting at my laptop streaming Julie Taymor's Across the Universe--a movie with a fantastic Beatles soundtrack sung by attractive actors including yummy leading man Jim Sturgess--for free. I'm beavering away here, enjoying the comments on Gawker's post asking for $1000 reward for a new photo of Nikki Finke, and feeling remarkably unmotivated to do any serious blogging.

By Anne Thompson
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October 6, 2009 11:15 AM
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Avatar Watch: Action Figures, Concept Art, Novel

While James Cameron and the VFX wizards at Weta Digital in Wellywood are trying to finish the last big effects sequences in Avatar--which is set for December 18 release--Cameron is also working on many of the ancillary marketing and licensing sidelines that will help sell this pricey 3-D movie. (The official sticker price is $237 million, but we can safely assume that that figure is 1) low and 2) counting.)

By Anne Thompson
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October 6, 2009 6:52 AM
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Another Shoe Drops: Disney Replaces Cook with Ross

Disney chairman Bob Iger has finally announced that Disney Channel star Rich Ross, a 13-year Disney veteran, will replace Dick Cook as chairman of Walt Disney Studios. As studio chief he will supervise worldwide production, distribution and marketing of the Walt Disney, Touchstone, Miramax and Disney/Pixar labels. He will also take on Disney’s theater and music groups.

By Anne Thompson
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October 5, 2009 9:37 AM
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Trailer Watch: Shutter Island, Two

In case you missed it, here's the second trailer for Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island, based on the Dennis Lehane mystery and starring Leonardo DiCaprio:

By Anne Thompson
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October 5, 2009 7:38 AM
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Universal Shoe Drops: Marketing Chief Fogelson New Chairman [UPDATED]

Universal Pictures has done the expected. In the corporate game of Survivor, co-chairmen Marc Shmuger and David Linde are out and new co-chairmen Adam Fogelson and Donna Langley are in.

By Anne Thompson
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October 5, 2009 5:30 AM
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Birthday Suit: Funny or Die Spoofs Mumblecore

Mumblecore director Joe Swanberg plays along with this Funny or Die spoof:

By Anne Thompson
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October 5, 2009 5:26 AM
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Jews on Film: A Serious Man and An Education; Polanski, Sellers

Jews are popping up all over. The Coens based A Serious Man, which is an affectionate yet scabrous portrait of Jewish suburban family life, on their 60s Minnesota upbringing. An Education's Nick Hornby relied on Lynn Barber's two-year old memoir and faithfully included the sleazy seducer played by Peter Sarsgaard, who is Jewish. Suffice it to say, he's a money-grubbing entrepreneur with less-than-impeccable values. Even Tim Blake Nelson includes the Jewish mafia in his midwestern comedy, Leaves of Grass, which recently played Toronto. And we must not leave out Quentin Tarantino's controversial contribution to Jewish cinema, the anti-Nazi World War II movie Inglourious Basterds, which was a sleeper summer hit. UPDATE: The NYT's A.O. Scott addresses Jewish history as interpreted by Tarantino and the Coens.

By Anne Thompson
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October 5, 2009 5:15 AM
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An Education Clips

An Education is even better the second time, when you know the motivations of everyone involved. Writer Nick Hornby (wittily adapting The Observer columnist Lynn Barber's short memoir) and director Lone Scherfig (a protege of Lars von Trier) allow the movie to seduce you as they drop hints of what's really going on. The information is all there. But the initial exhilaration of a schoolgirl's first love affair is a giddy experience indeed. Sony Pictures Classics opens the movie October 9.