Thompson on Hollywood

Immersed in Movies: Exclusive Early Peek at Blue Sky's Star-Studded 'Epic' -- 'Avatar' Meets 'Gladiator'

Features

Blue Sky founder and director Chris Wedge recently gave a sneak peek of his latest animated feature, "Epic" (May 24), at Fox (you can view the new trailer below). It's certainly no "FernGully," and it's a far cry from "Ice Age" and everything else Blue Sky has ever made. It's more like "Avatar" meets "Gladiator," if you had to pin it down.

By Bill Desowitz
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March 22, 2013 4:03 PM
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FIRST LOOK: Oplev's 'Dragon Tattoo' Follow-Up 'Dead Man Down' Stars Noomi Rapace and Colin Farrell (TRAILER)

News

English-language "Dead Man Down," from "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" director Niels Arden Oplev, stars his leading lady Noomi Rapace, Colin Farrell and Terrence Howard (FilmDistrict, March 8). The trailer showcases this uber-stylish thriller packed with one-liners (the script is by "Fringe" exec producer J.H. Wyman) and dazzling Arri Alexa cinematography from Paul Cameron, ASC ("Man on Fire").

By Sophia Savage
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February 5, 2013 2:49 PM
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Casting Watch: Chastain Is 'Miss Julie' with Liv Ullmann at the Helm, Farrell and Morton to Co-Star

News

Jessica Chastain is set to star in the title role of "Miss Julie" in Liv Ullmann's film adaptation of August Strindberg's classic play about a young upper-class woman who finds herself attracted to a senior servant. Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton are attached to co-star.

By Beth Hanna
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January 31, 2013 12:22 PM
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2012 Movie Roles That Should Have Gone to Someone Else

Features

As we look back at the year in film, we find -- as always -- there's room for improvement. Often by simply replacing a lead actor, a world of difference could be made on the overall effect of the film. Films come together the way they do for a reason. Often it's more about a star's marquee value or perceived bankability than it is about the part they are playing. Alas, here are the 2012 Movie Roles That Should Have Gone to Someone Else.

By Sophia Savage
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December 28, 2012 4:10 PM
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Two New Clips from 'Seven Psychopaths': You Seem Normal [Video]

Video

Two clips from "In Bruges" writer-director Martin McDonagh's upcoming heist satire, "Seven Psychopaths," the Midnight movie audience winner in Toronto, confirm that the ensemble cast has some reckless chemistry.

By Anne Thompson and Maggie Lange
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September 26, 2012 1:56 PM
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Strong & Sexy Women Dominate Comic-Con: 'Twilight''s Stewart, 'Resident Evil's Jovovich & Rodriguez, 'Total Recall's Beckinsale & Biel [Video]

Features

Comic-Con may be known for its fanboys, but this year the girls rule. If it's not Bella Swan finally kicking ass in "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" as a vampire, it's Michelle Rodriguez vs. Milla Jovovich in "Resident Evil: Retribution" or Kate Beckinsale vs. Jessica Biel in "Total Recall."

By Sophia Savage
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July 14, 2012 1:45 AM
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New Trailer for 'Total Recall' Lands; Colin Farrell Making A Comeback?

Video

Len Wiseman's "Total Recall" lands August 3 with Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale (Wiseman's wife and "Underworld" star), Jessica Biel, Bill Nighy and Bryan Cranston. When comparing the new trailer to the 1990 original with Arnold Schwarzenegger (here) the visuals are quite impressive.

By Sophia Savage
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June 29, 2012 1:52 PM
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AFM News Briefs: Seyfried as Lovelace, Farrell & Rapace's Violent Spree, Lautner Gets Van Sant

- Amanda Seyfried and Peter Sarsgaard are now in talks to star as porn star Linda Lovelace and her pornographer husband, Chuck Traynor, in Lovelace, an adaptation of Eric Danville’s book The Complete Linda Lovelace, from Howl directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. W. Merritt Johnson (TV's In Treatment, Temple Grandin) and Andy Bellin (Trust) wrote the adaptation. After Lovelace and Traynor’s notorious Deep Throat became a porn classic, she left her husband and accused him of forcing her into pornography and prostitution.

By Sophia Savage
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November 2, 2011 5:47 AM
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London Boulevard and Melancholia Hit VOD Before Theaters

News

Two indie films with strong casts are available right now on VOD before they hit movie theaters on November 11. Magnolia is releasing controversy-magnet Lars von Trier's Melancholia, starring Cannes best actress winner Kirsten Dunst, on OnDemand, iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Playstation and Zune.

By Anne Thompson
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October 7, 2011 9:34 AM
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Weekend Box Office: The Help Ascends to Number One, Spy Kids 4 Strongest Newbie

As expected, robust holdover drama The Help kept all weekend newcomers at bay and claimed the number one spot. Of the newbies, family-friendly Spy Kids 4 fared best. Anthony D'Alessandro reports:Disney/DreamWorks' The Help bossed around three franchise reboots and an arthouse film for the top box office spot, earning $20.5 million in its second sesh and a respectable 21% dip. Clearly, many moviegoers have lost patience with summer carbon copies and are ready to embrace the autumn wave of smart adult fare coming down the pipe. Weinstein Co. four-quel Spy Kids: All the Time in the World came out ahead of the competition with $12 million because it was the only film geared toward families. Meanwhile, two R-rated 3-D films shot each other in the chest: Nu Image/Lionsgate's Conan the Barbarian forked $10 million and DreamWorks' Fright Night, handled by Disney, scared audiences out of the multiplex with $8.3 million. And Focus Features' One Day bucked sour reviews in top markets, grossing $5.1 million.