Thompson on Hollywood

GQ Remembers Goodfellas, Affleck Defends I'm Still Here

- Celebrating Goodfellas' twentieth birthday (September 19, 1990), GQ interviews nearly sixty of the film's cast, crew and "noteworthy admirers." GQ calls it "one of the most endlessly rewatchable American movies ever made," and dubs it the "greatest gangster film of all time." Here's a taste from their interviews: Ray Liotta (Henry Hill): For twenty years now, there's not a day that goes by that I don't hear somebody mention GoodFellas. Unless I stay home all night. It's defined who I am, in a sense.

By Sophia Savage
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September 22, 2010 5:00 AM
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Can Joaquin Phoenix's Career Be Saved? Watch Letterman Tonight!

Suddenly, after two years of retirement, we are seeing photos of a clean shaven, slim, Joaquin Phoenix amid reports of movie deals in the offing. Will he join Leonardo DiCaprio in Clint Eastwood's Hoover as FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover's love interest Clyde Tolson? (UPDATE: The answer is no, as producer Rob Lorenz denies that Eastwood has expressed any interest in Phoenix for the role.) Or land a role opposite Jennifer Garner in Disney's The Odd Life of Timothy Green? Or play a foot fetishist in Steve Shainberg's latest off-beat narrative? His appearance on David Letterman tonight will be crucial to removing his recent druggy natty-haired image.

By Anne Thompson
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September 22, 2010 4:16 AM
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John Steinbeck Award To Go to Michael Moore

The family of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck (The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men) and the Center for Steinbeck Studies will give this year's John Steinbeck "In the Souls of the People" Award to documentary filmmaker and political gadfly Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine).

By Anne Thompson
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September 22, 2010 4:08 AM
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Starbucks Digital Network Adds SnagFilms Programming

Scheduled to launch later this fall, the Starbucks Digital Network has so far announced content providers The New York Times, USA TODAY, The Wall Street Journal, Entertainment with iTunes, Nick Jr. Boost, Wellness with Rodale, Patch and Zagat. Now SnagFilms is the latest content contributor to the Starbucks Digital Network’s upcoming entertainment channel. SnagFilms, which offers over 1600 free non-fiction movies, will co-curate with Starbucks themed film festivals created specifically for the Network, launching with A MusicFest of a range of award-winning musical films.

By Anne Thompson
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September 21, 2010 12:15 PM
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TIFF Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer Review, and Alex Gibney Talks

Alex Gibney's hugely entertaining Eliot Spitzer doc, Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer, is a leading contender for this year's doc Oscar. The movie is full of surprises. In my flip cam interview with Gibney (below) he explains how the story he tells turned out far different from what he thought it would be, and why Wall Street Masters of the Universe were so eager to go on camera to chortle over Spitzer's dramatic comedown: "They wanted to stamp on Spitzer's grave," Gibney admits. 'It's not stretching the truth to say they hated this man."

By Anne Thompson
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September 17, 2010 12:43 PM
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IFC Gets Unauthorized: The Harvey Weinstein Project

IFC has acquired worldwide rights to Barry Avrich's documentary Unauthorized: The Harvey Weinstein Project, narrated by Peter Fonda. The film tracks Weinstein from his concert promoter days in Buffalo, NY through his Miramax years and such Oscar-winning heights as Pulp Fiction and beyond. It examines his relationship with his brother Bob, staff and the Hollywood machine, complete with insider interviews.

By Sophia Savage
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September 16, 2010 5:30 AM
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Toronto Faves Client 9 and Inside Job, Waiting for Superman Lead Oscar Docs

Some of the best films I saw in Toronto were docs, and there's no question that the doc Oscar race will be one of the most competitive in years.

By Anne Thompson
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September 16, 2010 3:45 AM
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IFC Makes Second Toronto Buy: Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams, in 3-D

IFC Films has acquired all U.S. rights (except TV) to Werner Herzog’s 3-D documentary Cave of Forgotten Dreams, which explores the ancient walls of Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc cave in the south of France. Herzog was able to get access to areas that have been off-limits by deploying special no-heat lights.