Thompson on Hollywood

Oscar Watch: Seeking Consensus

While I admire Kris Tapley's attempt to make some sense out of the blizzard of Oscar predictions out there, I remain convinced that until the prognosticators see Charlie Wilson's War and Sweeney Todd, the two films that many of us got invited to see Monday, none of these lists make much sense. Richard Corliss in Time suggests that "audiences will have a great time watching" Charlie Wilson's War, which seemed to play for Oprah Winfrey's Chicago audience. Oprah raved about Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance, as guests Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (who tried to get out of shooting a bikini scene while four weeks pregnant) nodded politely. My hunch is that Hoffman won't get nommed for best actor for The Savages or Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, but will get a supporting nom for Charlie Wilson's War.

By Anne Thompson
|
November 20, 2007 7:13 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

There Will Be Blood: Early Reviews

Variety's Todd McCarthy delivers a rave review of Paul Thomas Anderson's much-anticipated There Will Be Blood. We saw it at the same screening on Friday last week. McCarthy wanted to take his time with this review, and not rush it out the door. Here's a sample:

By Anne Thompson
|
November 1, 2007 5:51 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Writers Strike Watch: Triple Witching Hour

As the writers' strike looms, there's a palpable sense of rising anger as the entertainment industry faces a long-term work stoppage and a crazy frantic shaking out of projects trying to go forward against all odds. It was one thing to be preparing for a strike next summer by the Writers and Screen Actors Guilds. It's another to actually proceed with TV and film production with no writers.

By Anne Thompson
|
October 30, 2007 6:00 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Michael Clayton Vs. Leatherheads; Gilroy Talks

Things are looking up for Michael Clayton, which opened to rave reviews (a terrific 88% fresh on rotten tomatoes) and boffo initial box office in limited release.

By Anne Thompson
|
October 8, 2007 7:36 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Juno Rocks

While I was an admirer of Jason Reitman's frosh effort Thank You for Smoking, which was a wickedly funny intellectually sharp and well-acted movie, Juno is another matter entirely. One, it is written by ex-midwestern stripper-turned-blogger/screenwriter Diablo Cody, who has an uncommon ear for smart witty edgily contemporary dialogue that while a tad exaggerated, rings true.

By Anne Thompson
|
September 20, 2007 8:10 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

TIFF: Audience vs. Critics

Three tracks of movies screen in Toronto: high-brow innovative cinema to intrigue critics and cinephiles, movies with news content for the hungry media, and pics that wow the film fans in theaters. The most fortunate--breakouts like Jason Reitman's Juno, Joe Wright's Atonement, Craig Gillespie's Lars and the Real Girl, and Sean Penn's Into the Wild--do it all.

By Anne Thompson
|
September 12, 2007 8:20 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Stardust Stirs Memories of Princess Bride

[Posted by Peter Debruge]Box office predictors are crying doom and gloom for Stardust (some suggest the weekend total will be as low as $15 million off 2,540 situations), and I‚Äôm inclined to believe them. Nobody seems to like the Stardust trailers ‚Äî no argument here (judge for yourself). (The reviews are fine: 73 % fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.) It‚Äôs a shame, really, given how original the film is, but how do you sell it?

By Anne Thompson
|
August 10, 2007 9:23 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Rush Hour 3 Review: Ratner Winds Up Action Comedy Trilogy

I was agreeably surprised by Brett Ratner's action-comedy Rush Hour 3, but given that it was threequel I wasn't expecting much. This time Ratner drops the bickering fish-out-of-water duo Chan and Tucker into Paris and gives Chan more comedy and Tucker more action, with entertaining results. It will do very well, although the competition in the next couple weeks from the likes of Bourne Ultimatum and Superbad is as intense as any period all summer.

By Anne Thompson
|
August 2, 2007 9:41 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

LAFF: Bloggers Poolside Chat

I had fun moderating the blogging panel poolside at the W. From right, Sasha Stone of Awards Daily, Kate Coe of Fishbowl LA, Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere and I all agreed that we are obsessed; speed is of the essence, although, Stone said, one can always throw something up fast and tweak it later.

By Anne Thompson
|
June 29, 2007 6:21 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Waxman Takes Leave From NYT Hollywood Beat

I'll never forget something Kim Masters said when she left Premiere magazine to work for the Washington Post: "I made too many friends and too many enemies."