Thompson on Hollywood

Vanity Fair New Establishment Favors Editor Cronies

The one year that I covered the Hollywood side of the Vanity Fair New Establishment List, I found that the final list reflected less accurate reporting than who was a possible cover subject or socialized with editor Graydon Carter. This year the nasty economy allowed VF to trim some familiar names while the Hall of Fame protects some Carter cronies.

By Anne Thompson
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September 3, 2009 8:16 AM
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Stringray Sam: Coming Soon to Screens of All Sizes

Just as several folks steered me to check out Stingray Sam, the episodic six-part serial musical space-western designed for mobile phones that debuted at Sundance 2009, writer-director-musician Cory McAbee, one of many filmmakers these days taking distribution into their own hands, posted the following:

By Anne Thompson
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September 3, 2009 4:38 AM
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Weinsteins Pre-Buy The King's Speech, Starring Colin Firth

Signaling that it is in the hunt and willing to pay for projects, The Weinstein Co. has pre-bought various international and North American rights to The King's Speech, Tom Hooper's biopic about King George VI (father of Queen Elizabeth II), who suffered from a severe stammer. Geoffrey Rush plays the man who helps the king take control of his speech. The See-Saw Films and Bedlam production is set to start shooting later this year; the Weinstein Co. is slating it for 2010 release. Firth and Rush co-starred in the Weinsteins' Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love.

By Anne Thompson
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September 2, 2009 9:13 AM
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Apparition Picks Up Boondock Saints II

Apparition's Bob Berney is adding another movie to his burgeoning release slate, which kicks off September 18 with Jane Campion's Toronto-bound period romance, Bright Star. The latest release is Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, set to open October 30, marking yet another distribution deal with Sony Worldwide Acquisitons Group, which also pacted with Apparition to release Black Dynamite. Other releases include Toronto closing nighter The Young Victoria and Terrence Malick’s The Tree Of Life, starring Sean Penn and Brad Pitt.

By Anne Thompson
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September 2, 2009 7:47 AM
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Festival Season: Feast and Famine, Ten Hot Toronto Pick-Ups

Going into the fall festival season in Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York, we know the following:

By Anne Thompson
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September 1, 2009 10:07 AM
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Weekend Fires, Festival Watch, New Moon Pics, Battsek Talks

Weekend News:Two Los Angeles County firemen were killed in a vehicle crash as they fought the Station fire near Acton after a long weekend battling fierce blazes in the Angeles National Forest brought on by hot, dry Southland weather. The Mt. Wilson tower-cam continued recording Sunday as wildfires threatened the mountain's radio and TV towers. Thousands of area residents were evacuated and sought shelter at local schools as their homes were endangered.

By Anne Thompson
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August 31, 2009 6:12 AM
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Weekend Box Office: The Horror!

The Final Destination got a major lift from premium 3-D ticket prices as rivals cried foul, "no fair." The Weinstein Co. inexplicably competed with itself as Rob Zombie's Halloween II came in third after strong second-week holdover Inglourious Basterds.

By Anne Thompson
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August 30, 2009 12:53 PM
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Trailer Watch: Men Who Stare at Goats

Grant Heslov's comedy The Men Who Stare at Goats looks pretty funny, I must say. I love George Clooney in full-on dimwit mode (see: O Brother, Where Art Thou?). The film is based on non-fiction writer Jon Ronson's book of the same name about a special paranormal military unit.

By Anne Thompson
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August 28, 2009 4:28 AM
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Tarantino Watch: Poster, Lists, Future

Check out this unused Inglourious Basterds poster submitted by James Goodridge and passed on by the Weinsteins.

By Anne Thompson
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August 26, 2009 7:11 AM
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Awards buzz, Indie News, Disney Confab

In Indie news, despite Inglourious Basterds' rousing start, the Weinsteins aren't out of the woods. They weren't taking any chances. They upped their media spend by several millions in the week before the opening, targeting their weakest link, women. It worked. The WSJ explains why the Weinsteins face a long road ahead.