Thompson on Hollywood

Weekly Wrap: the News from Cannes, Interviews, and Reviews

News

Our Weekend Preview here; it highlights "Moonrise Kingdom," "Oslo, August 31st," and France's "Intouchables." This week we were flooded by the news from Cannes. Tarantino's "Django Unchained" looks like a hard-ass Sergio Leone western. Competition films for the Red Carpet, from Kidman in "Paperboy" to Pitt in "Killing Them Softly." A review round-up for David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis" with Robert Pattinson. Roman Polanski at Cannes 2012 and NY Film Festival 1963; we have exclusive photos. Director's Fortnight Honors "No," "El Taaib," "Camille Rewinds" and shorts. Photo call round two, the stars pose for "Cosmopolis," "Hemingway & Gellhorn." Cannes Critics Week masterpiece is Antonio Mendez Esparza's "Aqui y Alla." Industry news from the festival? Lionsgate pacts with StudioCanal for extended global partnership. We cover the news about Lynne Ramsay and Natalie Portman's Western "Jane Got a Gun." Cannes interview: John and Katrine Boorman talk "Me and Me Dad," "Excalibur" and Robert Rodriguez talks "Sin City 2" and "Machete 2." To keep things interesting, we've turned reviews of Lee Daniels's nasty "Paperboy" into a poem and bring you Cannes Virgin Diary installment 2 and Cannes Virgin Diary installment 3. Columns this week, Immersed in Movies trips out on the cartoon reality of "Men in Black 3," and deciphering the "Skyfall" teaser trailer. Now and Then talks about the false promise of Kiarostami's "Certified Copy." AWARDS Meryl Streep Will Present Shirley MacLaine with AFI Life Achievement Award INTERVIEWS EXCLUSIVE: Paul Schrader Talks Biopic of Legendary Tiny Dancer Kschessinska BOX OFFICE Weekend Box Office: 'Avengers' Annihilates 'Battleship,' Which Opens Lower than 'John Carter' Arthouse Audit: Who Needs Festivals? Ongoing 'Marigold' Trumps Cannes & Toronto Standouts VIDEO Exclusive Clip & Interview with 'Oslo, August 31st' director Joachim Trier REVIEWS 'Men In Black III' Reviews: Better Than The Second, But Still Irrelevant TRAILERS Trailer Watch: 'The Great Gatsby' Boasts Wild Soundtrack, Dazzling Look EXTRAS Top Ten List of All Time: Sight and Sound Critics' List Career Watch: Jennifer Lopez - Still Real?

By TOH!
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May 25, 2012 9:40 PM
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Cannes 2012: Directors' Fortnight Honors "No," "El Taaib," "Camille Rewinds" & Shorts

Festivals

While films from the Cannes Directors' Fortnight are not given official festival awards, they are honored by organizations. This year, Pablo Larrain's "No," starring Gael Garcia Bernal, a surprise stand-out at Cannes...

By Sophia Savage
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May 25, 2012 2:24 PM
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Mercurial Sacha Baron Cohen Takes on Freddie Mercury: Performance or Impersonation?

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Trying to take the measure of Sacha Baron Cohen, who has played a Kazakh journalist visiting the US in "Borat," an Austrian fashionista voguing in "Bruno," a North African dictator demoted to ordinary US immigrant in "The Dictator." His Halloween parade of beards and costumes and accents makes it hard to tell if he’s an actor or an impersonator...

By Carrie Rickey
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May 25, 2012 1:23 PM
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Sony Pictures Acquires Dark Comedy "Revenge for Jolly!"

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Sony Pictures acquires "Revenge for Jolly!" for US and Canadian distribution - marking the first acquisition for the newly-formed affiliate company of Charles Roven's Atlas Entertainment. "Revenge for Jolly!" premiered at the 2012 Tribeca FIlm Festival. The dark comedy examines the moral ambiguity of revenge as one man tries to avenge the suspicious death of his beloved dog. Directed by Chadd Harbold and written by Brian Petsos, "Revenge for Jolly!" stars Petsos and Oscar Isaac, and features cameos from a long roster of other actors and comedians including Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, Ryan Phillippe, and Kristen Wiig.

By Maggie Lange
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May 25, 2012 1:16 PM
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Relativity Media Will Co-Finance Luc Besson's Next Two Films: "Three Days to Kill" and "Malavita" with De Niro

News

Relativity Media struck a co-production and co-financing deal with Luc Besson's ("The Lady," "Taken," "Transporter") EuropaCorp on his two upcoming action flicks, "Three Days to Kill" and "Malavita" with Robert De Niro...

By Maggie Lange
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May 25, 2012 1:13 PM
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Cannes Critics Week: Antonio Mendez Esparza's "Aquí y Allá" Takes Top Prize

Festivals

Cannes Critics Week showcases the first and second works of filmmakers. Spanish director Antonio Mendez Esparza's feature debut, "Aquí y Allá," has taken the top prize - the Nespresso Grand Prize (won by Jeff Nichols' "Take Shelter" last year), reports Variety...

By Sophia Savage
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May 24, 2012 4:29 PM
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IN THE WORKS: Sean Durkin Takes 'Exorcist' to TV, Swank Goes HBO, Wasikowska Travels Aussie Desert & Cronenberg Sticking with Pattinson

News

By Sophia Savage
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May 24, 2012 4:20 PM
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Public Sundance ShortsLab Workshops Coming to New York, Los Angeles and Seattle

News

The Sundance Institute is mounting public ShortsLab one-day filmmaking workshops to be held in New York, Seattle and Los Angeles. Get your tickets here and gain access and first-hand insight from filmmakers, Sundance staff and alumni, and industry pros in these panels and sessions.

By Sophia Savage
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May 24, 2012 12:23 PM
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Silverdocs Bookends Fest with Music Docs 'Don't Stop Believin: Everyman's Journey,' Mumford & Sons' 'Big Easy Express'

Festivals

AFI-Discovery Channel's Silverdocs festival, in its tenth year, will open and close with music-themed documentaries. On June 18, Ramona Diaz's "Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey" will open, and Emmett Malloy's "Big Easy Express" will close the Washington, DC event on June 23.