Thompson on Hollywood

Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh Talk The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones presented a fascinating challenge for a movie adaptation of a book. But finally, the realities of commercial filmmaking may have been unmanageable in this case---much as they were with John Hillcoat's film version of Cormac McCarthy's The Road. What works on the page and in our imagination, no matter how harsh, can be too much to handle on the screen.

By Anne Thompson
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December 14, 2009 11:06 AM
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Hillcoat Talks The Road

It's been a long haul for the film adaptation of the 2006 Cormac McCarthy bestseller The Road, which producer Nick Wechsler acquired before it was published. With backing from 2929 Entertainment and distributor The Weinstein Co., he approached Australian director John Hillcoat after he had made the much-admired 2005 western The Proposition, a stylishly gritty take on the genre written by Nick Cave and starring Guy Pearce and Danny Huston as estranged brothers.

By Anne Thompson
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November 19, 2009 9:23 AM
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Oscar Watch: Precious Star Mo'Nique Plays Hard to Get

Can a film win an Oscar without an all-out campaign? Three movies face an uncertain Oscar future because they may not deliver a full-court press.

By Anne Thompson
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October 27, 2009 10:01 AM
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#LFF: Precious Scores in London, Chicago

Anyone wondering about a Precious backlash need only sit through the movie with an audience. The movie plays, people. It won the audience prize at the Chicago Film Fest, and scored at its London Film Fest gala as well.

By Anne Thompson
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October 24, 2009 10:58 AM
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Denmark Submits Terribly Happy; Remake in Works

It's that time of year when one after the other, countries around the world submit their best choice for Oscar contention in the foreign film category. Only five will be nominated. (Last year 67 films were entered.) The latest submission comes from Denmark, which has chosen Henrik Rubin Genz's droll cop film noir Terribly Happy (Frytgtelig lykkelig). The international hit won six Bodil Awards out of seven nominations. Oscilloscope will release the film in North America.

By Anne Thompson
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September 24, 2009 6:49 AM
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TIFF#: The Boys Are Back's Owen Goes Family

Everyone goes into Toronto with a schedule of films to watch. And that list changes with buzz. Some movies fall off due to bad WOM, while others become must-sees. IndieWIRE's in-progress critics' poll of 34 films is indicative of the movies that everyone went to see-- and the ones that nobody did.

By Anne Thompson
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September 16, 2009 2:23 AM
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Jackson's Lovely Bones Trailer

A while back, DreamWorks showed me some footage from Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson's adaptation of Alice Sebold's bestseller The Lovely Bones ; I was knocked out by what I saw. The film looked strong, different, unusual. The images popped. Saoirse Ronin (Atonement) plays the 14-year-old girl who is murdered in 1973 and watches her family from "the inbetween."

By Anne Thompson
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August 5, 2009 4:14 AM
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Kathryn Bigelow Talks Hurt Locker

Summit picked up Kathryn Bigelow's riveting, intense Iraq thriller The Hurt Locker out of Toronto, where I interviewed the director at the start of her long road to the Oscars (below). Jeremy Renner breaks out with this movie, which drew raves when it opened June 26 in limited release. Finally, The Hurt Locker didn't need ten best picture slots this year: the movie overcame considerable obstacles en route to landing on many critics' ten-best lists and winning one award after another.

By Anne Thompson
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July 30, 2009 8:22 AM
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An Education Poised for Awards Contention

Lone Scherfig and Nick Hornby's An Education emerged from Sundance as a serious awards contender. Anyone who saw the film there witnessed a remarkable debut: Carey Mulligan boasts Audrey Hepburn-style class, charisma and smarts. In the film, she's well-cast as a sharp and sexy 60s high schooler bursting to break out into the bigger world. Peter Sarsgaard (with an impeccable British accent) is the older rake who gives her what she wants and steals her innocence in the bargain. Sony Pictures Classics should steer this picture to critical praise and major awards.

By Anne Thompson
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July 30, 2009 1:21 AM
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Poster Watch: Bright Star Heads Into Awards Season

Here's the new poster for Jane Campion's Bright Star, which will follow its strong Cannes debut with likely September fest appearances in Telluride and Toronto. Bob Berney's soon-to-be-named new combine with River Road's Bill Pohlad will launch with this high-brow literary romance. The poster seems designed to showcase the film's gorgeous young lovers (Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw play Fannie Brawne and John Keats) in a contemporary way, without the usual ivy trellised period look. What do you think?