Thompson on Hollywood

Seattle Int'l Film Festival: Complete 2012 Lineup Includes Anderson, Shelton, Winterbottom, Meireilles, Polley

Festivals

The longest festival in the US, the Seattle International Film Festival boasts a record 24 world premieres for its 38th edition running May 17 - June 10, unspooling a total of 273 features and 187 shorts representing 75 countries. Among the films, 180 are currently without distribution.

By Sophia Savage
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April 30, 2012 5:20 PM
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IN THE WORKS: Endgame and FilmDistrict To Partner on Pastor Brothers Sci-Fi Thriller 'Selfless'

News

Producer/financeer Endgame Entertainment and indie distributor FilmDistrict have acquired the rights to “Selfless,” a sci-fi script by Spanish writer-directors Álex and David Pastor (“Carriers”). Endgame Entertainment's James D. Stern and FilmDistrict’s Peter Schlessel will produce with Ram Bergman, who produced Rian Johnson’s “Looper” and “The Brothers Bloom" (Summit), both backed by Endgame ("An Education," "Every Little Step"), which will co-finance with the film's stateside distributor FilmDistrict.

By Anne Thompson
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April 30, 2012 5:14 PM
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Tribeca 2012 Wrap, Must-Sees and Avoids: 'War Witch,' 'Una Noche,' 'Francophrenia' Come Out on Top; 'Lola' on Bottom

Festivals

Tribeca 2012 is over. Here's my list of what was memorable out of this year's programme --and not. RECOMMENDED

By David D'Arcy
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April 30, 2012 4:27 PM
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HBO Renews for Second Seasons Two Half-Hour Comedies Targeted at Women: Lena Dunham's 'Girls' and Armando Iannucci's 'Veep'

Television

Great news. HBO Entertainment has renewed two half-hour comedies targeted at women for second seasons. The commitment for Lena Dunham's 'Girls' is for ten episodes. The show has a gross audience to date of 3.8 million viewers.

By Anne Thompson
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April 30, 2012 3:49 PM
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SFIFF 55: Judy Davis, 'Women with Cows,' "The Giants,' Rissient on Hawks

Festivals

I have viewed myself into a corner; there’s practically nothing playing this afternoon that I haven’t already seen. I have prepared for this by checking out press screeners, despite my internal script that runs: “you don’t go to film festivals to watch movies on DVD.” So I choose either talking heads docs or movies with less than epic sweep.

By Meredith Brody
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April 30, 2012 3:21 PM
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'Hero Whisperer' Joss Whedon and The Tension Within Him and His 'Avengers'

Box Office

Would the "The Avengers" be earning its rave reviews without writer-director Joss Whedon? The multi-franchise-tentpole-orgy could have gone in countless different directions. (Robert Downey Jr. confides to Collider, "I think it is just a really good story that could have been done a hundred ways wrong," and credits it success to Whedon.) As Variety calls "The Avengers" "escapism of a sophisticated order" and ThePlaylist declares it "thrilling, hilarious and brilliantly executed," clearly Whedon took a stance and delivered.

By Sophia Savage
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April 30, 2012 2:23 PM
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Warner Bros. Launches Digital Imprint 'Inside the Script': Read 'Casablanca' and 'North by Northwest'

News

Film buffs rejoice. As the publishing industry copes with its transition to a digital Ebook universe, one of Hollywood's major movie studios is getting into digital publishing. Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) is launching “Inside the Script,” offering movie fans the chance to own enhanced copies of classic film scripts.

By Anne Thompson
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April 30, 2012 1:44 PM
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Cannes 65: Seven New Titles Added to Lineup; Master Classes to include Kaufman, Desplat, Lloyd

Festivals

Cannes has added seven titles to its 2012 selection, including Adam Leon's SXSW winner "Gimme the Loot," "Djeca" and "Renoir" (each in Un Certain Regard), two Midnight screenings, a special screening and Cannes Classics selection closer, Hungary's "Final Cut - Hölgyeim És Uraim"...

By Sophia Savage
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April 30, 2012 12:03 PM
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'Mad Men' Episode 7 Review and Recap: 'At the Codfish Ball,' Where the Shirley Temples Are Hard to Swallow

Television

"So, how was the city?" "Dirty."

By Beth Hanna
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April 30, 2012 5:11 AM
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Arthouse Audit: The Weekend is 'Bernie''s, 'Sound of My Voice' is Weak, 'Elles' Gets Boost from NC-17

Box Office

An incredible 20 films premiered in limited runs in NY or LA this weekend (including three on Wednesday). While most were branded by festival play, few boasted much pre-opening coverage. Only "Bernie" wielded much box-office muscle --while "Headhunters" also showed signs of early strength.