Thompson on Hollywood

Twilight: Will Male Critics Ever Understand Its Femme Appeal?

According to a San Diego State University study released on July 22, if things are bad for male film critics, they are worse for women.

By Anne Thompson
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July 27, 2008 8:17 AM
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Comic-Con: Ball's True Blood on HBO is Twilight for Adults

[Posted by Liz Shannon Miller]At the standing-room-only panel for HBO's "True Blood," author Charlaine Harris admitted that she'd always thought her vampire fiction might work as a series for HBO. But Alan Ball had no idea of that when he found the first "True Blood" book while killing time in a Borders. Quickly becoming a fan of Harris's Southern Gothic vampire romance, Ball felt that to condense the books for a film would "do them a disservice," and instead approached Harris about adapting the books for television. "Several people had approached me about working with the material," Harris said, "But Alan's was definitely the most interesting artistically. I've felt very comfortable entrusting my babies to him."[Here's the True Blood website.]

By Anne Thompson
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July 25, 2008 8:09 AM
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Comic-Con: Comedies Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder and the City of Ember Train

I saw three summer comedies in a row this week, two from the Judd Apatow factory, Step Brothers and Pineapple Express, plus Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder, which screened at Comic-Con last night (Pineapple Express screens here too). UPDATE: Here's Todd McCarthy's Tropic Thunder review.

By Anne Thompson
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July 24, 2008 8:05 AM
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Grabbing Scoops: Who Gets Credit?

With Comic-Con looming, movie sites are pushing to get scoops on new movies of interest to the fan community. A sequel to 300, which broke big at Comic-Con, is a big deal.

By Anne Thompson
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July 23, 2008 1:59 AM
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Cannes Update: Tarantino, Soderbergh's Che, Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York, Egoyan's Adoration, Hame

At the Adoration dinner-party on the roof of the Palais Thursday night, Sony Pictures Classics execs were huddling in the corner talking deals. But producer Robert Lantos and Cinetic Media's John Sloss were relaxed and enjoying the balmy moonlit evening.

By Anne Thompson
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May 23, 2008 4:44 AM
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Cannes: Che Meets Mixed Response

"A folly." "A mess." "Great." These words came from critics coming out of Steven Soderbergh's four-hour 18 minute Spanish-language Che Wednesday night. At the end there was slight applause; no boos. My own description: noble failure. Click here to read Todd McCarthy's review.

By Anne Thompson
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May 21, 2008 4:41 AM
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Cannes Day Seven: Eastwood Talks Changeling

Clint Eastwood's Changeling screened well Tuesday, although the press conference was slightly muted, partly because so many of the world press had already interviewed Angelina Jolie for Kung Fu Panda. Here's Todd McCarthy's review, which hit the web within minutes of the end of the press screening, because Todd saw the film in L.A. and prepared the review in advance. And here's Kenneth Turan's LAT feature. Here's a collection of reviews.

By Anne Thompson
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May 21, 2008 4:39 AM
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Cannes: Two Lovers Rocks the Palais

It is not the slightest bit unusual for a Cannes gala premiere to get a standing ovation, and Two Lovers did--with the glowing Gwenyth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw and James Gray on hand accepting kudos--if anything, when a movie doesn't get applause it's an issue. But Two Lovers played well not only for the black tie crowd at the Lumiere but for the U.S. buyers who haven't been rocked by anything so far and have been looking bedraggled (by constant rain) and gloomy.

By Anne Thompson
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May 19, 2008 4:37 AM
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Cannes Opening Day

Kung Fu Panda star Jack Black woke up this morning knowing he had to cavort on the Carlton pier with 40 overstuffed pandas. Mike Jones did the honors with his Nikon Coolpix.

By Anne Thompson
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May 14, 2008 4:34 AM
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Cannes Watch: Indiana Jones

I saw it coming. Ever since Paramount announced that Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Kingdom of the Crystal Skull would not screen for anyone before its May 18 unveiling at Cannes (in advance of its worldwide launch May 22), I felt that Spielberg and Co. might be setting themselves up. The anticipation of this film is too great, the pressure for information is wrecking havoc on the internet. As the NYT reports, several exhibitor screenings have added to the din surrounding this film. So far the PR strategy has been to dole out interviews to press who have not yet seen it; Vanity Fair, EW, the LAT and others have played ball.