Thompson on Hollywood

Immersed in Movies: VFX Vet Dean Wright Talks Directing Mexico Period Drama 'For Greater Glory'

Features

Dean Wright is the latest VFXer to cross over into directing with "For Greater Glory" (opening tomorrow in limited release), following in the footsteps of James Cameron, Peter Jackson, and Andrew Adamson...

By Bill Desowitz
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May 31, 2012 7:32 PM
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Must-See "In The Family" is Indie Tragedy; Rookie Director Wang Says 'Enough Already' to Low Expectations and Garbage; EXCLUSIVE Clip

Features

The definition of indie film is blurry these days. But Patrick Wang's debut feature, "In The Family," certainly fits the bill. The drama runs 169 minutes with mostly long single takes. It's about two gay dads; when one dies, the other wages a legal fight for custody of their child. Not an easy sell, especially without recognizable stars.

By Sophia Savage
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May 30, 2012 2:39 PM
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2 Comments

Career Watch: Will Smith, Still on His Throne?

Features

Music-TV-film superstar Will Smith did not mark his return to the box office (after a four year hiatus) with a bang, but it wasn't a crash either. "Men in Black III" knocked "The Avengers" off its top spot, and while it's no disaster, it finished the weekend short of expectations. It's better than expected, but only because the bar with "MIB2" had been set so low. While the landscape has changed and movie stardom doesn't mean what it once did, it's undeniable that Smith is one of our last remaining beloved stars, with a string of successful dramas, comedies, action movies and thrillers. He's been in the public eye for the majority of his life, and has yet to dance on Oprah's couch. Does anyone not love Will Smith?

By Sophia Savage
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May 29, 2012 4:22 PM
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Trailers From Hell: Bernard Rose Talks Ken Russell's "Mahler"

Video

Bernard Rose's Ken Russell Bio-Pic week launched Monday on Joe Dante's Trailers from Hell site.

By Trailers From Hell
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May 28, 2012 3:11 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Tripping Out on the Cartoon Reality of 'Men in Black 3'

Features

The "Men in Black" franchise has always been a live-action "Looney Tunes" cartoon, a wacky mix of old school and new school. The "Alienbusters" premise is totally unique and practically imitation-proof, as director Barry Sonnenfeld reminds us...

By Bill Desowitz
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May 24, 2012 3:49 PM
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Weekend Preview: 'Moonrise Kingdom' Rules; The Audacious 'Oslo, August 31st' & France's 'Intouchables'

Features

"Moonrise Kingdom" is the obvious must-see this holiday weekend, following its warm reception as the Cannes opening night film and the slew of delighted reviews that followed. Fans of director Wes Anderson won't be disappointed; this is a film that only he could make...

By Sophia Savage
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May 24, 2012 1:03 PM
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Career Watch: Jennifer Lopez - Still Real?

Features

Tracking the highs and lows of Jennifer Lopez's career is complicated. As her star power goes up, the quality of her acting goes down. She got serious attention with "Selena" and "Out of Sight," and pop stardom followed. She became a celebrity, an icon, an empire, a brand. She now hosts "American Idol," has a Latin talent show ("Q'Viva: The Chosen") with ex-husband Mark Anthony, and just returned to the big screen with "What To Expect When You're Expecting." But the serious acting potential that she revealed in the late nineties seems to have become irrelevant. Is it too late for her to revive it?

By Sophia Savage
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May 22, 2012 8:06 AM
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Immersed in Movies: Deciphering the 'Skyfall' Teaser Trailer

Features

Like everyone else, I've been trying to make sense of the "Skyfall" teaser trailer that went live today (it will play in front of "Men in Black 3" on Friday). It appears to tell us everything and nothing about James Bond's 23rd adventure and Daniel Craig's third outing as the most fallible 007...

By Bill Desowitz
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May 21, 2012 2:51 PM
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Top Ten List of All Time: Sight and Sound Critics' List Deadline Extended to May 21

Features

Sunday night at the Grand (inside the bar, thanks to the deluge), I had a blast comparing top ten list notes with Lizzie Frankie of BFI Productions and John Cooper of the Sundance Film Festival.

By Anne Thompson
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May 21, 2012 11:30 AM
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Exclusive Clip & Interview with 'Oslo, August 31st' director Joachim Trier

Features

The one-two punch of Norwegian writer-director Joachim Trier's "Reprise" and "Oslo, August 31st" makes him one of Scandinavia's finest directorial exports, joining the likes of Denmark's Lars von Trier (a distant relative) and Susanne Bier. "Oslo" is bold and breathtaking.