Thompson on Hollywood

Cannes First Look: Paul Haggis Talks 'Third Person,' starring Neeson, Wilde, Franco, Kunis

Festivals

Paul Haggis has been quiet since his last outing as writer-director, 2010’s “The Next Three Days,” with only a credit on the videogame "Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" to fill in the gap between then and now. But he turned up in Cannes to beat the publicity drum for "Third Person," a multi-stranded relationship drama he shot last fall in Paris, Rome and Cinecitta Studios.

By Matt Mueller
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May 20, 2013 12:59 PM
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Leading Men Age, But Their Love Interests Don't

News

Vulture's Kyle Buchanan published an amusing yet disturbing feature charting the age difference between A-list leading actors and their female romantic counterparts. Among the actors scrutinized were Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise and George Clooney.

By Ryan Lattanzio
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April 26, 2013 4:24 PM
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Liam Neeson Is Go-To Global Star, Takes on Matt Scudder in 'A Walk Among the Tombstones'

News

In a world where you can't count on many movie stars--Tom Cruise? Will Smith?--and foreign sales financing dictates non-studio indie production, most of it formula genre fare aimed at a global market, Liam Neeson is king. The "Schindler's List" and "Taken" star has taken the place of aging tentpole anchors Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Tommy Lee Jones, Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino as the older guy with authority, gravitas and menace who can handle some action and romance as well as carry a movie in multiple markets around the world. He can believably play presidents and kings, fathers, lovers and action heroes. His presence even for a short bit in a movie is worth millions and can get it made.

By Anne Thompson
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March 13, 2013 2:26 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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Oscar Watch: Long Shots 'End of Watch,' 'Middle of Nowhere,' 'The Grey' Return to Theaters UPDATED

Awards

Open Road is reopening David Ayer's powerful must-see LA cop drama "End of Watch" for awards consideration nationally on December 7. The IFC Center is also bringing back November 30 Ava DuVernay's smart, elegantly shot and well-acted "Middle of Nowhere."

By Anne Thompson
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December 3, 2012 5:05 PM
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Weekend Box Office Top Ten Update: 'Taken' Sequel Doubles Original, 'Transylvania' Trounces 'Frankenweenie'

Box Office

Led by European sequel "Taken 2," the weekend's grosses shot up to $129 million for the top ten, up $26 million from last week and $59 million from a year ago. At a time when American studios are being driven by international grosses, it's no surprise when the domestic box office is pushed by non-Brit international productions.

By Tom Brueggemann
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October 7, 2012 12:39 PM
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Friday Top Ten Box Office: 'Taken' Sequel Takes All

Box Office

Led by European sequel "Taken 2," Friday's grosses shot up to $43 million for the top ten, up more than a third from last week and almost doubling a year ago. At a time when American studios are being driven by international grosses, it isn't surprising that domestic box office sometimes is pushed by non-British international productions.

By Tom Brueggemann
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October 6, 2012 4:22 PM
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Trailer Watch: Liam Neeson Deals with Yet Another Kidnapping in 'Taken 2'

Video

The trailer for "Taken 2" has dropped, and Liam Neeson's Bryan Mills must shoot his badass way through the retrieval of yet another kidnapped family member. Someone gets taken! A second time!

By Beth Hanna
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June 21, 2012 5:24 PM
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'Battleship' Nasty Early Reviews: Critics Unleash Nautical Brickbats

Reviews

"Battleship," which so far boasts a paltry 45% on Rotten Tomatoes, is currently hitting screens in Europe and premieres stateside May 18, 2012.

By Maggie Lange
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April 11, 2012 2:02 PM
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Will Crowe and Neeson Face Off in Aronofsky's 'Noah's Ark'

News

Christian Bale is a no-go for Darren Aronofsky's "Noah's Ark," but Russell Crowe may be taking the helm as Noah. Word is, Aronofsky is eyeing both Crowe and Liam Neeson for the biblical retelling with Crowe as the good guy and Neeson the bad...