Thompson on Hollywood

Spain Selects Silent, Black-and-White 'Blancanieves' as Official Oscar Entry

Awards

In a year of American Snow White reinventions, Spain has followed suit and picked "Blancanieves" as its official entry for the 2013 Best Foreign-Language Oscar race. While the 1920s-set matador tale looks to be more imaginative than "Mirror Mirror" or "Snow White and the Huntsman" (and received rave reviews out of Toronto), it's hard to know if it will resound with the Academy -- the film is silent and black-and-white, which feels "been there, done that" after the success of "The Artist."

By Beth Hanna
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September 27, 2012 12:43 PM
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'Sexting' Q &A: LaBute Talks One Shot Performances and the Athletics of Acting [Video]

Interviews

Clearly, with "Sexting" and "After School Special" Neil LaBute ("Nurse Betty," "The Wicker Man," "Death at a Funeral") enjoyed experimenting in a short medium. We talked to him about shorts' liberating power, capturing a theatrical performance on the screen, and never asking the audience to like his characters.

By Maggie Lange
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September 27, 2012 12:41 PM
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Emily Blunt Talks Keeping It Real in 'Looper,' 'Your Sister's Sister' and 'All You Need is Kill' (VIDEO)

Interviews

The performer who anchors "Looper" and turns it into something deeper than a hardboiled sci-fi actioner is Emily Blunt. (Here's my review.) I grabbed the in-demand actress between rehearsals on Doug Liman's "All You Need is Kill" for a brief telephone interview.

By Anne Thompson
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September 27, 2012 6:00 AM
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Pace University Adds Guest Lecturers Katie Couric and Ron Howard for New Arts & Entertainment Business Program

News

Pace University, home of Bravo's "Inside the Actor's Studio with James Lipton," is launching a star-studded Arts and Entertainment Management program to its Lubin School of Business. Katie Couric, Ron Howard, Doug Herzog and a number of other high-profile media professionals will join the business school faculty as guest lecturers.

By Beth Hanna
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September 26, 2012 6:08 PM
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Abramorama to Release 'The Zen of Bennett'

News

Indie distributor Abramorama will handle the theatrical release of "The Zen of Bennett," a portrait of singer Tony Bennett, beginning October 24 in New York.

By Sophia Savage
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September 26, 2012 6:04 PM
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Watch 'Promised Land' Trailer: 'Not Fighting for Land, Fighting for People' with Damon & Krasinski

Video

Gus Van Sant's "Promised Land" looks to be the feel good fracking drama of the holiday season. The Focus Features film will have a limited release December 28 before expanding nationwide January 11. Matt Damon and John Krasinski wrote the script and star, alongside Rosemarie DeWitt, Frances McDormand and Hal Holbrook. Here are more details. Check out the trailer below.

By Sophia Savage
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September 26, 2012 6:01 PM
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Why Everyone Should Be Watching 'Homeland'

Television

Showtime's Emmy winner for Best Drama returns Sunday for its second season. Fans can spend a few days pondering last season's stunning finale, but for newcomers it's time to play catch up. Because everyone should be watching "Homeland": it's the most astute piece of film or television to come out of the War on Terror.

By Matt Brennan
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September 26, 2012 4:21 PM
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'Lawrence of Arabia' 50th Anniversary 4K Restoration Hits Theaters October 4

News

On October 4, "Lawrence of Arabia" will celebrate fifty years with this Sony Pictures' Colorworks restoration by playing at over six hundred theaters throughout the country. Special matinee screenings will include an introduction from star Omar Sharif...

By Sophia Savage
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September 26, 2012 3:57 PM
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Media Watch: Daniel Frankel Leaves Entertainment Journalism for PR

News

One sign of the times is seeing more and more experienced journalism professionals move over to PR and corporate public affairs. It's the best way for them to make real money, alas. Increasingly, "journalism" is a freelancer's game that rewards churning out lots of short copy with less insight and reporting than opinion.

By Anne Thompson
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September 26, 2012 3:41 PM
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CinemaCon Announces 2013 Dates

News

Next year's theater convention CinemaCon will take place on April 14-18, 2013, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The largest gathering of cinema owners and operators from around the world, the convention is on track to bring in 5,000 motion picture professional attendees in its upcoming installment.