Thompson on Hollywood

Bigelow's Triple Frontier, Republican vs. Democrat Women, The Expendables' Patriotic Divide

- The Wrap uncovered an email of Paramount interest re: what's in the cards for the studio (unofficial). For example, Kathryn Bigelow's next feature Triple Frontier (written by Hurt Locker Oscar-winner Mark Boal), an action-adventure set in the border zone between Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil), may star an ensemble of Will Smith, Sean Penn, Javier Bardem and Christian Bale. A thriller is in the works from Bad Robot mastermind J. J. Abrams (the original idea about the game "7 Minutes in Heaven" turning deadly came from Lost director Jack Bender, who may take the reins). The script for the Tom Clancy reboot featuring a new Jack Ryan needs re-writes (also possibly being directed by Bender), and Hansel and Gretel is "beginning casting conversations" (this fairy-tale turned comedy reintroduces the pair 15 years after their gingerbread house fiasco, when they've become witch bounty hunters. All of these works in progress are subject to change, natch. Paramount production chief Adam Goodman can't be very happy at being caught with his pants unzipped.

By Sophia Savage
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August 18, 2010 7:36 AM
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Lionsgate, Roadside Pursue Dual Awards Track on Buried, Next Three Days, Biutiful

Lionsgate is an indie with a taste for mainstream genre fare, but when a Crash or Precious comes along, the distrib knows what to do. This year, though, Lionsgate is adopting a different model that more resembles the studio approach: chase consumers first with such movies as Buried and The Next Three Days, Oscar voters later. And let your specialty subsidiary do the heavy-lifting in the art-film arena: Roadside Attractions is closing in on a deal to release Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Biutiful starring the incandescent Javier Bardem. Ironically, ex-Lionsgate exec Tom Ortenberg is in talks to steer the campaign (he's also masterminding the Apparition release of Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life).

By Anne Thompson
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August 13, 2010 6:30 AM
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Manly Movie Stars: Rodrigue Talks the Evolution of Masculinity in Film

Almost two years ago, Anne Thompson asked "Where have the manly movie stars gone?," and investigated the entertainment industry's ongoing search for traditional male leads that aren't borrowed from the UK, Australia or Europe to commandeer Hollywood's most testosterone-needy films. While America lays claim to the boy-men niche with the likes of Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Jake Gyllenhaal and any male in a Judd Apatow film, Hollywood's most- masculine male leads are more often than not played by foreigners; Christian Bale (a Brit) and Heath Ledger (an Aussie) were case-in-point as the stars of 2008's highest grossing film, The Dark Knight.

By Sophia Savage
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August 12, 2010 8:28 AM
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Eat Pray Love Early Review: A Shallow Guilty Pleasure

Ryan Murphy's film adaptation of Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller about the divorced New Yorker's lone odyssey to Italy, India and Bali in search of meaning in her life, delivers an escapist Julia Roberts romance and exotic travelogue. But its pleasures are guilty and skin-deep.

By Anne Thompson
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August 11, 2010 7:23 AM
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Trailer Watch: Biutiful, A Film of Inarritu

Will Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's long-awaited follow-up to Babel (which scored seven Oscar nominations in 2007 including best picture) find a stateside home? Word is, CAA is on the verge of making a deal for the Spanish-language Biutiful, which earned divided reaction in Cannes, although Javier Bardem shared the best actor prize. (The actor just wed lady love Penelope Cruz in the Bahamas.)

By Anne Thompson
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July 15, 2010 1:29 AM
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Power Pair Roberts and Murphy, Bardem and Cruz Wed, Forster's Heretics, Mozart Opera Hits Cinemas

- While the b.o. fate of the movie based on the global bestseller Eat Pray Love won't be determined until the peripatetic romance opens August 13, in-demand writer-director Ryan Murphy (also Glee's co-creator/exec-producer) has won not only Sony's vote of confidence, but star Julia Roberts is also happy to pair up with him again. Murphy just signed on to write and direct an original romantic comedy for Roberts, reports Deadline. The high concept: working woman loses job, switches roles with stay-at-home husband, and must adjust to newfound motherhood. Brad Pitt's Plan B will produce with Murphy, as it did with Eat Pray Love. Murphy is also on the shortlist for the film adaptation of the musical Wicked.

By Sophia Savage
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July 14, 2010 5:33 AM
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Upcoming: Cameron Confirms Titanic in 3D, Bardem in Glee

- In April 2012, 100 years after the great ship sank, Twentieth Century Fox will re-release Titanic in 3D. James Cameron confirmed this Monday after he spoke at Gloria Stuart's 100th Birthday celebration. The actress played the elderly Rose in Cameron's 1997 mega-hit. Cameron called her creativity, artistry and the sparkle in her eyes "a challenge to all of us to live as fully and richly as she has and will continue to do as she heads into her 101st year."

By Sophia Savage
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July 6, 2010 5:36 AM
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Cannes: Palme D'Or Winner is Uncle Boonmee, Best Actress Binoche, Best Actor Bardem and Germano

The Cannes Film Festival juries handed out their awards Sunday. Competition jury president Tim Burton announced the winner of the Palme d'Or: the complex critics' fave from Thailand, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The runner-up Grand Prix prize went to Of Gods and Men, directed by Xavier Beauvois. In a sign that the jury was not unanimous in support of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Biutiful (comme tout le monde), the best actor prize was shared by Biutiful's Javier Bardem and Elio Germano for La Nostra Vita. Mike Leigh's well-reviewed Another Year was shut out of the awards, as best actress went to Cannes poster subject Juliette Binoche for Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy, rather than Lesley Manville. Best director was a surprise: French actor-turned-director Mathieu Amalric for his colorful burlesque film, Tournée. Best screenplay went to another well-reviewed film, Lee Chang-dong's Poetry.

By Anne Thompson
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May 23, 2010 6:02 AM
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Biutiful Stars Bardem, Inspires Polarized Reaction, Seeks Distrib

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is nothing if not consistent. Over his career--until now, working closely with non-linear novelist/scenarist Guillermo Arriaga--he has crafted a series of films (Amores perros, 21 Grams, Babel) about people in trouble who behave badly, who are in terrible pain. His camera (in this case, wielded by frequent collaborator Rodrigo Prieto) moves freely, swirling around his characters and boring in on their inner thoughts, seeking emotion, emotion, emotion. That's Gonzalez Inarritu's great passion.