Thompson on Hollywood

Career Watch: Scarlett Johansson, Beyond the Black Bodysuit

Features

Scarlett Johansson's role as Black Widow in "The Avengers" would be unnecessary if the superhero rulebook didn't require at least one buxom babe in black spandex. Thus secret agent Johansson plays a distant fiddle to Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans et al's super-human powers. Although her assassin has no superpower--other than outsmarting, interrogating and shooting and beating people to death ("looking puzzled or confused")--thanks to Joss Whedon's box office hit, attention is back on Johansson the kick-ass action babe rather than Johansson the nude-photo-hacking-scandal babe. But is Black Widow the best Johansson can do?

By Sophia Savage
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May 7, 2012 3:40 PM
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Los Angeles Film Fest Reveals Full Lineup; Will Close With A Lap Dance

Festivals

Film Independent's Los Angeles Film Festival is finalizing its full lineup. From June 14-24, the 18th annual festival will showcase nearly 200 features, shorts and music videos representing over 30 countries at its LA Live venue. Opening the fest is Woody Allen's "To Rome with Love," while Steven Soderbergh's "Magic Mike" will close with a world premiering strip dance--and we can hope, a lap dance from Channing Tatum.

By Sophia Savage
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May 1, 2012 1:43 PM
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Early Reviews: Woody Allen's 'To Rome With Love' Falls Short of 'Midnight in Paris,' Does Not Please Romans

Reviews

Woody Allen's "To Rome With Love," his love letter to the eternal city, has not pleased the natives. It seems he misjudged the zeitgeist. Many Italian critics thought his glossy postcard view of Rome did a disservice to the hard economic times the city faces. Early reviews below.

By Maggie Lange
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April 20, 2012 11:09 AM
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Woody Allen Comes Home, Will Shoot Next Picture Stateside

News

After a long sojourn shooting films abroad, Woody Allen is coming home again. The good news after Allen's Oscar-winning "Midnight in Paris" grossed $155 million worldwide: he will shoot his next film in the U.S.

By Anne Thompson
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April 13, 2012 12:33 PM
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Woody Allen Sends Some Roman Love To LA Film Fest

News

While Woody Allen is skipping Cannes--because "To Rome with Love" is opening April 20 in Italy--he's bringing "To Rome with Love" to Los Angeles to open the LA Film Festival on June 14. It will be its North American premiere.

By Sophia Savage
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April 12, 2012 1:49 PM
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Trailer Watch: Woody Allen's 'To Rome with Love'; We're Already Nostalgic for 'Paris'

Video

Woody Allen's "To Rome with Love" looks more like "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" than "Midnight in Paris," which is bad news. It would be difficult to top the charm of "Midnight," even with a luscious Penelope Cruz.

By Sophia Savage
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April 3, 2012 5:08 PM
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Rising Star Tom Hiddleston Talks Davies' 'Deep Blue Sea,' Spielberg's 'War Horse,' Marvel's 'Thor' and 'Avengers'

Features

Five years ago rising star Tom Hiddleston could not have imagined that he would have a year like 2011. At the time, as the theater actor was shooting the "Wallender" crime series with Kenneth Branagh in Sweden, he went to see Marvel's "Iron Man" and asked himself if he could ever star in a film like that.

By Anne Thompson
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March 21, 2012 8:10 PM
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Sony Pictures Classics Changes Title of Woody Allen Film--Again

News

Woody Allen is having serial title issues. Remember "Anhedonia"? That was the first title of Allen's "Annie Hall," which went on to win the 1977 best picture Oscar. Last year, Allen changed the title of his upcoming Rome comedy from "The Bebop Decameron" to "Nero Fiddled."

By Anne Thompson
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March 19, 2012 4:26 PM
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IN THE WORKS: John Turturro Casts Woody Allen in His Bid for Commercial Success, 'Fading Gigolo' UPDATED

News

For the first time in over a decade, Woody Allen will play to another director. Fellow triple threat actor-writer-director John Turturro cast Allen in his upcoming "Fading Gigolo."

By Anne Thompson and Maggie Lange
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March 7, 2012 12:10 PM
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The Career Progression of Freida Pinto, From 'Slumdog' to 'Trishna': Auteur's Leading Lady or Shallow Ingenue?

Features

Since Freida Pinto and Dev Patel broke out with Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire," the real-life couple have had slightly different career paths. Pinto's had the boost of beauty endorsements (L'Oreal) and magazine covers, and it's easier to find roles for a beautiful ethnically-ambiguous ingenue than a quirky Indian man.