Thompson on Hollywood

Weekly Wrap: Sundance DealBook & Interviews, Oscar Nomination Reactions, Projects in Production

SUNDANCE DEALBOOK

By Sophia Savage
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January 28, 2011 7:57 AM
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Willow Smith & Jay-Z's Annie Remake, Pattinson & Knightley for Cosmopolis, Cusack "Bad-Ass" Poe

- The question is, will Willow Smith in a remake of (Little Orphan) Annie turn out to be a box office hit that plays like an extended music video proving that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith turned out some cute money makers? Or will it be a gritty, creative and inspired re-telling of the outdated musical and 1982 John Huston film? Jay-Z signed Willow Smith (so thank him for "Whip My Hair") and is in talks to do the music on the remake. If Jay-Z's 1998 Annie-theme-song-inspired "It's The Hard Knock Life" is an indication of how the film would feel, we'll support it all the way. If the remake is heading for Whip My Hair Annie we'll pass. Videos of both Jay-Z and Annie's versions of "The Hard Knock Life" are below.

By Sophia Savage
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January 21, 2011 12:00 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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Mid-Summer Box Office Wrap: Top Ten Chart, Studio Report Card

At mid-summer, the box office is lagging just behind last year's pace and ticket sales are flat, reports Anthony D'Alessandro, who charts the season's winners, losers and studio market shares so far (as of last weekend). Will red-hot Inception take the number one box office crown from Toy Story 3? Stay tuned, as numbers and rankings will change by Labor Day.

By Anthony D'Allessandro
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August 5, 2010 5:37 AM
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3-D Resistance, Teen Stars Disappoint at Box Office, Justin Bieber Biopic, New Idol Judges

- The ultimate Hollywood truism these days: if you can't make it good, make it 3-D. The NYT considers the pull for and push against 3-D domination. At Comic-Con, several directors played to anti-3-D sentiment in the cavernous Hall H. J. J. Abrams believes that “when you put the glasses on, everything gets dim." Joss Whedon loves 3-D, but at the same time was against MGM turning his production of The Cabin in the Woods 3-D: now Whedon hopes being the only non-3-D horror flick could make it special. With almost 60 3-D films set for release in the next two years across some 5,000 digital screens, now 2-D is old-school-cool. Some filmmakers are resisting 3-D; it complicates shooting and, according to both Whedon and Abrams, typically does little or nothing to improve cinematic storytelling. Christopher Nolan resisted making Inception 3-D, while tech-savvy Michael Bay has admitted to making Transformers 3 only partially 3-D.

By Sophia Savage
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August 3, 2010 5:40 AM
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Pattinson Short The Summer House Hits iTunes

It's France, July 1969, as astronauts prepare to walk on the moon. No, it's not Diane Lane and Viggo Mortensen in a clinch in a dark room. It's lissome English lass Taluhah Riley (The Boat That Rocked) and Rob Pattinson (pre-Twilight) in a short targeted to women who are on Team Edward. It's just been made available (and already in the top five) on iTunes in the US, plus Canada, UK, France, Ireland and Germany:  US Download; Canada Download; UK Download. See trailer below:

By Anne Thompson
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July 14, 2010 7:16 AM
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Boffo Holiday Weekend Box Office, But Twilight Saga: Eclipse Doesn't Beat Spider-Man 2 or New Moon

After a slow start to the summer season, movie ticket sales finally took off over the 4th of July weekend, driven by two powerful sequels, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Toy Story 3, and a review-proof family adventure from M. Night Shyamalan, The Last Airbender. Anthony D'Alessandro does the numbers.

By Anne Thompson
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July 5, 2010 4:20 AM
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Eclipse Makes Budget Back First Day, Seeks July Fourth Weekend Record

Anthony D'Allessandro looks at Eclipse's Fourth of July weekend ahead:

By Anthony D'Allessandro
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July 1, 2010 7:38 AM
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Third Twilight Saga Eclipses Midnight Opening Record

The latest iteration of the Twilight franchise, Eclipse, busted the series' own record for midnight box office hauls. The vampire teen film opened last night at 4,000 venues, raking in an estimated $30 million, $3.7 million over New Moon, according to Summit.

By Cameron Carlson
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June 30, 2010 6:16 AM
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Twilight Eclipse Sets Sights on Spider-Man 2 July 4th Weekend Record

What's going to happen this July 4th weekend? Moviegoers are going to wake up and recharge the box office, thanks to the potent power of the Twilight franchise, writes Anthony D'Alessandro, who digs deep into the Twilight numbers. Yes, Eclipse, the third Twilight Saga installment, could challenge Spider-Man 2's $180.2 million opening record, set back in 2004.