Thompson on Hollywood

Weekly Wrap: First Looks at J. Edgar, Extremely Loud, Coriolanus; The Help Reviews; Oscar Watch

THE BOX OFFICE:

By Maggie Lange
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August 12, 2011 11:16 AM
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First Look: Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover

Pictured next to the real thing, DiCaprio is suited up as the former head of the FBI in Clint Eastwood’s upcoming J. Edgar. The film, which explores Hoover’s public personality and private persona, also stars Naomi Watts, Judi Dench, and Armie Hammer. Warner Bros. will release J. Edgar on November 9, 2011.

By Maggie Lange
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August 12, 2011 5:07 AM
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Fest Update: J. Edgar, Margaret, Marigold Hotel To Skip Fall Fests, Twixt to Deauville

Clint Eastwood's period biopic J. Edgar (November 9), starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the famed FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover, is bypassing the fall fest circuit, according to the Toronto Star's Peter Howell. Eastwood and Warner Bros. decided to take the Lance Black-scripted film, which co-stars Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts and Josh Lucas, straight to the theaters and skip the two fests, which both showed Hereafter last year.

By Anne Thompson
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August 8, 2011 12:20 PM
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Moving Fest Slots For Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, J. Edgar; Young Adult Bypasses Circuit

Here's the new poster for Tomas Alfredson's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which Focus Features is opening November 18 after its debut in Venice, which is timed before its European release in September. That's the reason why the film isn't in the Toronto Film Fest line-up. There's speculation that the film might turn up as a centerpiece gala or closing night offering at the New York Film Festival, along with Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, starring Leonardo DiCaprio (October 21). There's still time for these potential Oscar contenders to jockey for prime fest positions at the four fall fests, Venice, Toronto, New York and Telluride, which keeps its selection a secret until the last possible minute. Angelenos who take the Charter from LAX to Montrose, Colorado at the start of the Labor Day weekend are handed the schedule as they board the plane.

By Anne Thompson
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August 1, 2011 7:02 AM
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Current Vigilante Movie vs. Classic: Hauer as Hobo with a Shotgun vs. Eastwood as Dirty Harry

New to TOH this week, review column “Now and Then” takes on the current and the classic. Critic Matthew Brennan pairs reviews of movies newly available to homebodies — through Netflix, DVD, Amazon Video or good old-fashioned television — with a fresh look at the neglected, the forgotten, the classic, or the infamous. Two movies, a thousand words, and a little advice about what to watch (or not). And you don’t even have to leave the couch. (Trailers are below.)We lead off this week with Dirty Harry, textbook of Vigilantism 101 and Holy Grail of imitators for four decades. Your chaser, Hobo with a Shotgun, is part of that long line: the artillery may be heavier and the language coarser, but it’s a clear graduate of the Clint Eastwood School of Policecraft and Weaponry. It doesn’t go down as easy as promised — sort of like the night’s fifth tequila shot — but hopefully this inaugural column will. I guess the question you need to ask yourself is, “Do I feel lucky?” Well do ya, punk?

By Matthew Brennan
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July 11, 2011 7:44 AM
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Oscar Talk Mid-Summer Outlook: New Rules, Midnight in Paris, Streep vs. Close

Kris Tapley and I reconvened over Skype for a mid-summer Oscar Talk (below). We covered quite a bit of ground. New Academy rules affect the top ten best picture ballot, VFX, documentaries and animation, but not foreign eligibility. New members may tip the scale as well on a more mainstream selection.

By Anne Thompson
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July 8, 2011 5:08 AM
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Five Things We Learn from Esquire on Daniel Craig: Dragon Tattoo Violence, Tintin Leotard

Esquire learned many things from Daniel Craig, much more than his favorite word being "fuck" and his blue eyes being money-makers. The British star has several anticipated movies due in theaters and in the works and plenty to talk about: Cowboys & Aliens (trailer below, July 29), Dream House (September 30), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (teaser below, December 21), The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (December 23) and Bond 23 (2012). (At the time of the interview, Craig's Dream House co-star Rachel Weisz was his girlfriend, not yet his wife.)

By Sophia Savage
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July 7, 2011 5:18 AM
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Morgan Freeman Is Bromanced by Eastwood, Poitier, McConaughey at 39th AFI Life Achievement Awards

The really good AFI tributes are the ones where there's warmth in the room for the tributee. Morgan Freeman, winner of the 39th AFI Life Achievement Award, is in that category.

By Anne Thompson
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June 11, 2011 1:24 AM
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In the Works: Jackie Robinson, J. Edgar, Girlfriend Equation, Master, Baumbach, Great Expectations

Several intriguing projects are getting off the ground and expanding their casts, from Legendary's Jackie Robinson biopic to Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master and Disney's The Girlfriend Equation. Updates on these projects and more are below:

By Sophia Savage
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June 1, 2011 6:05 AM
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AFI Lifetime Award to Morgan Freeman: Pitt, Hanks, Mirren, Nicholson, Eastwood To Pay Tribute

The American Film Institute is honoring Morgan Freeman with their 39th Lifetime Achievement Award. The Gala Benefit on June 9 (airing on TV Land June 26) will host the following committee members to play tribute to Freeman: Ben Affleck, Jim Carrey, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Ashley Judd, Helen Mirren, Mike Nichols, Jack Nicholson, Brad Pitt, Sidney Poitier, Robert Redford, Tim Robbins, Steven Spielberg, Hilary Swank, Denzel Washington and Alfre Woodard.