Thompson on Hollywood

Prisoner Garth Drabinsky Returns to Work on Day-Parole

News

Garth Drabinsky, the Canadian entertainment mogul whose acquisition of American movie theaters in the 1980s sparked the consolidation of exhibition that continues to this day, has been granted day-parole after serving 17 months of a five-year prison sentence in Ontario. The 63-year old Drabinsky, a larger-than-life impresario who also produced movies and Broadway shows as well as restoring theaters, had been convicted along with partner Myron Gottlieb of fraud in relation to the loss of hundreds of millions of investors' money at their public company Livent. That included fleecing former uber-agent Michael Ovitz by cooking the Livent books before selling him the comnpany, which he eventually had to take into bankruptcy.

By Tom Brueggemann
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February 21, 2013 4:13 PM
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Why 'Searching for Sugar Man' is a Slam Dunk for the Documentary Oscar

Awards

There are few reasons to envy the membership of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but there have probably been times when the Academy hierarchy has turned an envious eye upon the HFPA’s policy regarding the Golden Globe for Best Documentary: Namely, that there isn’t one. If one thinks of Oscar as the Titanic, and documentaries as an iceberg, the Academy membership – or some derivation of same – has managed to punch a hole in their own hull more often than not.

By John Anderson
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February 21, 2013 3:38 PM
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Roadside Attractions Takes 'In a World...' with Sony Worldwide

Awards

Triple-threat Lake Bell, who wrote, directed, and starred in "In a World..." which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance, has sold her movie to Roadside Attractions (U.S.) and Sony Worldwide Acquisitions Group (foreign). Roadside Attractions is planning a summer 2013 release for the film.

By Anne Thompson
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February 21, 2013 3:18 PM
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Film Critic Lisa Schwarzbaum on Movies, the Good, Bad and Ugly of Engaging with Readers, and Leaving EW After 22 Years

News

When Lisa Schwarzbaum announced earlier this month that she would be leaving Entertainment Weekly, I wrote her asking why. "I'm leaving under the happiest of circumstances," she replied. "22 years is enough for anything, don't you think?"

By Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
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February 21, 2013 2:57 PM
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Iceland's Shortlisted Oscar Entry 'The Deep' Picks Up Record 11 Edda Awards

Awards

Baltasar Kormakur's "The Deep," Iceland's shortlisted Oscar entry that didn't place as one of the five hallowed nominations, has picked up 11 Edda Awards at Iceland's annual ceremony celebrating the best in film and television. 11 wins (including Best Film, Director and Lead Actor) is a record for the awards' 15 year history.

By Beth Hanna
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February 21, 2013 2:54 PM
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Oscar Watch: Why Actor-Directors Have the Advantage at the Oscars

Awards

What’s been overlooked amid all the wringing of hands, gnashing of teeth and what-were-they-thinking hysteria surrounding Ben Affleck’s alleged “snub” as a Best Director nominee, is the degree to which the director’s branch has defied Oscar history. “Argo” is a fine, sturdy entertainment, a movie everyone should be proud of.

By John Anderson
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February 21, 2013 1:22 PM
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UPDATED '5 Broken Cameras' Oscar Contender Detained En Route to Oscars, Issues Statement: "Example of what my people face every day"

News

Emad Burnat, co-director of "5 Broken Cameras," has issued a statement about his and his family's detention at LAX en route to the Oscars:

By Anne Thompson
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February 21, 2013 1:04 PM
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Oscars the Musical UPDATE: Host Seth MacFarlane and Kristin Chenoweth to Perform Show-Closing Musical Number

Awards

Oscar host Seth MacFarlane and Kristin Chenoweth will perform a special show-closing musical number on the February 24 telecast. Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron stated that the performance will follow the Best Picture win, and will be "a can't-miss moment."

By Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
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February 21, 2013 1:01 PM
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POWFest Celebrates Sixth Edition with Penelope Spheeris, Spirit Nominee 'Breakfast with Curtis' and More

Festivals

The Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival (a.k.a. POWFest) announces highlights from its upcoming event, running March 7-10. The festival is celebrating its 6th year, and received a record number of submissions from women filmmakers across the world to compile almost 100 films...

By Sophia Savage
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February 21, 2013 12:53 PM
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Trailer Watch: Riz Ahmed Stars as the 'Reluctant Fundamentalist' in Mira Nair's Tale of Post-9/11 Paranoia

Video

Check out the trailer for Mira Nair's "The Reluctant Fundamentalist," which opened the 2012 Venice Film Festival and stars Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Shreiber and Keifer Sutherland. Nair ("Monsoon Wedding," "The Namesake") adapted Mohsin Hamid's international bestseller of the same title, a thriller told in flashback centering on a Pakistani man (Ahmed) whose promising Wall Street career and relationship with his girlfriend (Hudson) disintegrate following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.