Thompson on Hollywood

Weekend Recap: Jude Law, Kristen Stewart, John Cusack as Limbaugh

News

Kristen Stewart, who walked L.A.'s AFI FEST red carpet for water Salles' "On the Road" this weekend, is looking at life after "Twilight." She's joining Ben Affleck in "Focus," about an experienced con-man and his romantic relationship with a rookie schemer. Written by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the writers of "Crazy, Stupid, Love," the movie was originally set up as another Ryan Gosling/Emma Stone love story.

By Maggie Lange
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November 5, 2012 12:13 PM
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Actor Beware As Fassbender Joins Malick's Music Scene Romance; Cutting Room Victims Speak Out

Features

By Sophia Savage
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October 9, 2012 4:34 PM
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Oscar Watch: Why Affleck's 'Argo' Hits the Zeitgeist, Early Reviews

Interviews

Ben Affleck has another hit due to arrive in theaters October 12. But "Argo," his third feature as director, will be even more commercially successful than 2007's "Gone Baby Gone" and 2012's "The Town," which earned Jeremy Renner a supporting actor nomination. That's because while Affleck understood that the film is timely--unrest in the Middle East has not dissipated since the true 1980 events depicted here--he could not have known that a mob assault on a U.S. consulate would make news headlines just as his film made its Toronto debut.

By Anne Thompson
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September 17, 2012 3:56 PM
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In the Works: Casey Affleck Set to Write and Direct Story of Baseball Star Josh Hamilton's Fall and Rise

News

Casey Affleck is following his older brother Ben to the league of serious actors-turned-directors. Of course the Young Affleck also directed faux-documentary "I'm Still Here" with Joaquin Phoenix, but that counts more as a stunt than a directorial debut...

By Sophia Savage and Beth Hanna
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June 22, 2012 6:49 PM
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Now and Then: On Film, America's Culture of Violence

Reviews

The most terrifying 80 minutes I've spent in my career as a film critic were those spent watching "Elephant," in which even the rhythmic click-click-click of photographic negatives being shaken in chemicals brought me the edge of what I can bear.

By Matt Brennan
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May 1, 2012 6:14 AM
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Indies React to Tugg, Which Lets You Choose What Will Play at Your Movie Theater, Adds 'Tree of Life' and 'Bullhead' to Roster

News

New startup Tugg, launched Wednesday, lets audiences choose what will screen at their local multiplex. We polled several indie exhibitors and distribs for feedback (below).

By Anne Thompson and Maggie Lange
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February 23, 2012 2:38 PM
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Rachel Weisz on Working with Malick

Sitting down with Rachel Weisz recently to discuss her role as a 1950s English adulteress in Terence Davies’ adaptation of the Terence Rattigan play "The Deep Blue Sea," the actress also shed a bit of light on working with a third Terrence – Malick – on his untitled love story with Ben Affleck. She describes the experience as “unlike any other I’ve ever had. Unorthodox would be a massive understatement. There isn’t really a script, you don’t know what the story is, you don’t know who the other characters are. I knew I was Ben Affleck’s sister and that he was in love with two different women but otherwise I didn’t know what was going on.”

By Matt Mueller
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December 2, 2011 12:50 PM
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IN THE WORKS: Damon & Affleck Together Again for Bulger; Bana as Elvis; Akira Casting

It's about time. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will work together again along with Casey Affleck to bring life to the story of Whitey Bulger at Warner Bros. Bulger was a New England mob boss and subsequent 16-year fugitive before being caught in Santa Monica, CA, last June. Affleck will direct as well as co-produce and co-star with Damon, who will play Bulger. Neither of the Affleck brothers' roles are confirmed. It gets better: Boardwalk Empire writer and creator Terence Winter is writing the script, which will track the mobster's youth in Alcatraz, his rise to the top of the crime world and his secret involvement as an FBI informant.

By Sophia Savage
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October 24, 2011 11:04 AM
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Now and Then: The Transformation of Michael Bay to Sunday Hangover Auteur

Occasioned by the DVD release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon last week, and a few too many drinks Saturday night, Matt Brennan’s “Now and Then” column celebrates director Michael Bay, Sunday hangover auteur. Trailers below:

By Matt Brennan
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October 3, 2011 3:48 AM
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Johansson Sings, Cranston for Affleck's Argo, Denzel Washington for Katrina Drama, Patel for Sorkin

- Scarlett Johansson will star in Judd Apatow's Can A Song Save Your Life?, written and to be directed by John Carney (Once). The musically themed story will pair a young songstress with "a washed up A&R man." They form a bond and sing, putting Johansson's singing talent to use. Carney confirms to The Sunday Business Post: "‘I went out to Los Angeles to meet Scarlett a couple of months ago. She was everything you could imagine – very hot, elegant and she’s really smart." Mark Ruffalo and Jim Carrey are rumored as possible co-stars. ThePlaylist has more.