HollywoodNews.com: As the fall film festival circuit begins to warm up award season, here’s a snapshot of what’s been talked about at Telluride:

The Way Back directed by Peter Weir.

Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere is hearing that Weir’s survival drama isn’t similar to his previous wide releases, i.e. “Master and Commander,” rather the film should be platformed ala an arthouse release before the end of 2010 for an awards season run. “The Way Back” follows soldiers who escaped from a Siberian gulag in 1940 as they head out of Communist Russia. Per Kristopher Tapley, Ed Harris and Colin Farrell stand out the most. “This is quietly profound, epic, bold filmmaking at its very best,” adds the awards blogger. The film nearly didn’t nab a distributor until Newmarket picked it up. Many bloggers are confused: Why weren’t more distributors interested in this film?

127 Hours directed by Danny Boyle

Per Hollywood Elsewhere, the film “is a very possible Best Picture contender, and (lead actor) James Franco is looking like a close-to-locked Best Actor contender…maybe.” The festival was a key event which springboarded Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” into award season contention two years ago. Word on the street is that audiences were moved to tears. Film follows the real life account of a mountain climber’s conundrum when he is forced to cut his arm off, after getting stuck in a Utah canyon. Pete Hammond of Deadline exclaims “It’s a tour-de-force for Franco, virtually never off screen in the same way Spencer Tracy triumphed in the similarly spare ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ (1958). Franco’s performance could put him in contention for a best actor Oscar nod just as Tracy’s did over 50 years ago. It should be noted that Franco’s ‘farewell to arm’ scene is graphic and not for the squeamish.”

Never Let Me Go directed by Mark Romanek

With this top shelf of British femme talent – Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield –this period piece based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel seems destined for Oscar. The film follows English boarding students as they face harsh truths. Sean O’Connell’s summary yesterday pegged that critics were divided.

Kristopher Tapley of In Contention gripes:

There is a distance here, a cold sense of removal from what would otherwise be an extremely moving narrative. I wanted desperately to feel for the characters and their plight (I won’t hazard particulars for fear of spoilers). But I felt nothing…at all. I wanted them to rage against their circumstances and show an ounce of the spirit they in one instance even set out to prove they have, but there was, again, nothing.

Tapley, who gave the film two and half stars believes the film’s best bet in the Oscar race is Rachel Portman’s gorgeous musical score.

The King’s Speech directed by Tom Hooper

The Weinstein Company might have been strapped for cash in the past, but the brothers still know something about Oscars and what critics love. Jeffrey Wells heralds “’The King’s Speech’ is an audience-pleaser and an awards contender. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are looking at possible acting award noms.”

Apparently, festival audiences gave Hooper, Firth and Rush a standing ovation after the screening.

Hammond exclaims, “This stylishly entertaining, brilliantly acted period piece about the stuttering problems of England’s King George VI (father of the current Queen Elizabeth) and his relationship with a speech therapist is, to put it simply, catnip for Academy voters. No doubt Harvey’s already got one of the ten Best Picture slots locked up for this.”

Tapley awards the film three and a half stars.

Tabloid directed by Errol Morris

Many believe that Errol Morris has a shot at the best documentary slot in this tale about beauty/tabloid queen Joyce McKinney who imprisoned her Mormon sweetheart in an English countryside cottage for days and raped him in 1977. Tapley gives the film three and half stars. It is the first time that Morris has premiered a film at Telluride.

Black Swan directed by Darren Aronofsky

This ballet thriller made its debut at the Venice Film Festival. The overall consensus is that Natalie Portman is a shoe-in for best actress.

Hammond assesses:

So was the wait worth it (for the film)? This crowd seemed to think so although, unlike Venice, it didn’t get a standing ovation (they may have been too stunned to stand). Buzz afterward was strong for Aronofsky’s macabre vision of an artistically possessed ballerina pushing herself beyond the limits, and particularly for Portman’s dazzling tour de force that makes her an instant leading contender in every Best Actress race. During final credits, one shaken woman was overheard saying she was going outside to “smoke about 5 cigarettes”.

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Photo Credit: Fox Searchlight, Newmarket, Weinstein Co.

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With the Telluride festival about to kick off, Newmarket Films has announced that it has acquired the rights to Peter Weir’s World War II drama “The Way Back,” which will have its world premiere tonight in Colorado. According to Risky Business, the indie studio plans to release Weir’s film on Jan. 21, 2011.

Based on Slavomir Rawicz’s book “The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom,” Weir’s “The Way Back” stars Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan in the story of prisoners journeying hundreds of miles across several countries after escaping a Siberian gulag in 1940.

“‘The Way Back’ is one of the great real-life escape stories of our time,” said Chris Ball, co-chairman of Exclusive and president of Newmarket. “It’s a story of man’s struggle to survive at any cost and the strength to push on when all hope seems lost.”

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By Hanako M. Ricks

HollywoodNews.com: Daniel Radcliffe, star of the Harry Potter films, has confirmed in a press release that he will indeed star in the latest adaptation of Susan Hill’s novel “The Woman In Black”. The novel, which has been successfully adapted on both the small screen and the stage, will receive the 3D treatment in this latest version, which tells the story of a young solicitor who encounters a mysterious woman in black. The full press release is below:

London, England (19.07.10) – Daniel Radcliffe will take the lead in The Woman in Black, Hammer Films and Alliance Films hotly anticipated adaptation of Susan Hill’s best-selling novel, it was announced today by Simon Oakes, and Nigel Sinclair of Exclusive and Hammer.

To be directed by James Watkins (Eden Lake) and written by Jane Goldman (Kick Ass, The Debt) The Woman in Black follows a young lawyer, Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), who is ordered to travel to a remote corner of the UK and sort out a recently deceased client’s papers. As he works alone in an old and isolated house, Kipps begins to uncover its tragic secrets, and his unease grows when he discovers that the local village is held hostage by the ghost of a scorned woman set on vengeance. Production is expected to begin in the Fall of 2010.

Exclusive and Alliance Films will co-finance the film. Alliance Films will also distribute the film in the United Kingdom (Momentum), Spain (Aurum) and Canada (Alliance Films). Exclusive Films International, headed by Chairman Guy East and President of International Sales and Distribution Alex Walton, is handling worldwide sales.

Daniel Radcliffe is of course, best known for his portrayal of the bespectacled wizard Harry Potter, in the hugely successful series of feature films based on J. K. Rowling’s publishing phenomenon. He has starred in all eight films and collaborated with respected directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell and David Yates. He also starred in Brian Kirk’s My Boy Jack (written by and also co-starring David Haig), playing the role of Rudyard Kipling’s tragic 17 year old son who went off to fight in the First World War. Most recently Radcliffe has proved him self an accomplished stage actor, receiving tremendous reviews and acclaim for his portrayal of Alan Strang in Peter Shaffer’s Equus in the West End and on Broadway. Radcliffe will return to Broadway next Spring to star in the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

“’When I met Dan, it was quite uncanny how closely our thoughts on the story mirrored each other: I can’t wait to get down to work with him to fashion a compelling character and a classy ghost story that tugs at the heart and chills to the bone,” says James Watkins.

Simon Oakes continues, “We’re thrilled to have Daniel on board, I can think of no better actor to play the role of Arthur Kipps. I’m confident that under the direction of James Watkins, he’ll take Jane Goldman’s script and deliver an utterly intense and compelling performance.”

Daniel Radcliffe said, “I am incredibly excited to be part of The Woman In Black. Jane Goldman’s script is beautifully written – both tender and terrifying in equal measure. It is thrilling to be working with James Watkins. From his brilliant work on Eden Lake and also having met him and heard his vision for the film, I know he will make a fantastic film.”

The Woman in Black is produced by Simon Oakes for Exclusive’s Hammer Films label and Richard Jackson at Talisman Films. Exclusive’s Nigel Sinclair and Guy East are serving as Executive Producers, along with Roy Lee for Vertigo Entertainment (The Ring). Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass) is adapting the screenplay, based on Susan Hill’s best-selling novel.

Susan Hill’s novel has become a modern classic, appearing on the national curriculum in the United Kingdom. The Woman in Black was also adapted into a stage play by Stephen Mallatratt, first performed at the Theatre-By-The-Sea in Scarborough, UK in 1987. It moved to the Fortune Theatre in London’s West End in 1989, where it still successfully runs today, over twenty years later, and has been performed the world over.

Exclusive is currently in post-production on three films: Matt Reeves’ Let Me In starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Elias Koteas and Richard Jenkins (produced through its Hammer Films label, Overture Films will release the film in October 2010); Antti Jokinen’s The Resident starring Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lee Pace and Christopher Lee (produced through Hammer Films); and Peter Weir’s The Way Back starring Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan, Mark Strong and Colin Farrell. The company recently premiered Spitfire Pictures’ The Last Play at Shea, about Billy Joel and his last performance at Shea Stadium, at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival and is currently in production on the authorised history of Formula 1.

Photo credit: PR Photos

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HollywoodNews.com: Oscar-winner Angelia Jolie has expressed interest in playing screen icon Elizabeth Taylor in a new film that chronicles her and Richard Burton’s infamous love affair.

Catherine Zeta-Jones’ name has also been linked to the project, with Russell Crowe, Clive Owen and Colin Farrell all reportedly considering the role of the famed Welsh actor.

“Charlie Wilson’s War” director Mike Nichols is said to have expressed interest in helming the production. The big-screen biopic will be based on the book Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Marriage of the Century by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger, which charts the famed couple’s story of love, divorce and remarriage, Entertainment Tonight reports.

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Source: Splash News

Andrew Garfield

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Some of Garfield’s past work include Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus playing opposite Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law and the late Heath Ledger, Robert Redford’s Lions For Lambs, where he starred alongside Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; Revolution Films’ “Red Riding Trilogy – 1974” directed by Julian Jarrold, where he lead a stellar cast including Rebecca Hall and David Morrissey, and his unforgettable portrayal of a young ex-con in John Crowley’s “Boy A,” for which he earned the best actor BAFTA in 2008. There is no doubt that Garfield will quickly become a household name, and so we are pleased to announce him as our “Hollywood Celebrity of the Week.”

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HollywoodNews.com: After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Today’s confirmation culminates what has been one of the most eagerly anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the next actor to play Peter Parker. Garfield will immediately begin preparing for the coveted role.

The Spider-Man franchise is one of the most successful in film history and the three previous motion pictures have collectively grossed more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office.

On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, “Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor’s work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.”

Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, President of Columbia Pictures said, “Spider-Man is a classic superhero — a young man who balances his responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure at the same moment. We have found that actor in Andrew Garfield. From the first time we saw him in the upcoming film The Social Network, to his glorious screen test, which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our new Peter Parker.”

Producer Avi Arad added, “I’m incredibly excited about Andrew Garfield. In the Spider-Man tradition, we were looking for a smart, sensitive, and cool new Peter Parker who can inspire us and make us laugh, cry, and cheer. We believe we have found the perfect choice to take on this role and lead us into the future.”

Producer Laura Ziskin said, “We are thrilled to have Andrew Garfield for this new incarnation of Spider-Man under Marc Webb’s direction. We were fortunate enough to meet with a group of fantastically talented young men. In the end, we all agreed that in addition to being an extraordinary actor, Andrew had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and Spider-Man to life on screen.”

The selection of Garfield was revealed at a press event in Cancun, Mexico for international journalists attending a media tour promoting upcoming films from Sony Pictures Entertainment. B-roll footage of the announcement will be available via satellite later this evening — see uplink times coordinate information below.

Garfield is fast becoming one of the most respected and sought-after young actors working in the industry today. In a short career, spanning only five years, he has already been directed by, and starred alongside, some of the greatest names and received a BAFTA for a role that won him international praise.

Garfield most recently worked with director David Fincher on the upcoming film The Social Network. He previously starred for Spike Jonze on his robot love story I’m Here, which premiered at Sundance this year. He plays the lead male opposite Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go, due for release later this year.

Other notable screen credits include Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus playing opposite Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law and the late Heath Ledger, Robert Redford’s Lions For Lambs, where he starred alongside Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; Revolution Films’ “Red Riding Trilogy – 1974” directed by Julian Jarrold, where he lead a stellar cast including Rebecca Hall and David Morrissey, and his unforgettable portrayal of a young ex-con in John Crowley’s “Boy A,” for which he earned the best actor BAFTA in 2008.

Garfield’s career began in theatre and in 2006 his performances in “Beautiful Thing” (Sound Space/Kit Productions), “The Overwhelming,” and “Burn / Chatroom / Citizenship” (Royal National Theatre) won him the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard awards and the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the Critics Circle Theatre Awards. Other notable theatre credits include “Romeo and Juliet” (Manchester Royal Exchange) and “Kes” (Manchester Royal Exchange), for which he received the Most Promising Newcomer Award at the Manchester Evening News Awards 2004.

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Image by PR Photos.

Hollywoodnews.com: Colin Farrell is looking to star alongside Eric Bana in the indie drama “By Virtue Fall.”

The Irish-born actor has a heavy load of work ahead of him in such productions as “Horrible Bosses,” “Fright Night” and David Croenberg’s “Cosmopolis.”

The U.K.’s Empire magazine has been following the news online.

“Up in the Air” co-scribe Sheldon Turner would direct “Virtue.” He shared an Oscar nomination for “Air” with Jason Reitman.

“Virtue” follows two convict associates’ whose relationship crumbles into betrayal and retribution.

Voltage Pictures’ Nicholas Chartier of “The Hurt Locker” fame is co-producing.

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Hollywoodnews.com:
Kevin Spacey has signed on to New Line’s “Horrible Bosses” comedy just prior to its July 6 production start in Los Angeles.

Spacey joins an all-star cast that includes Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx, Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudiekis.

Directed by Seth Gordon, film follows three best friends who loathe their jobs so much, they come to terms to kill one another’s bosses.

Spacey will play one of the three bosses along with Aniston and Farrell.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, several names were tossed around for the final boss part before settling on Spacey, i.e. Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jeff Bridges

Spacey is currently filming the Wall Street thriller “Margin Call.” .

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HollywoodNews.com: Here’s the ‘Ugly Truth’: Turns out Gerard Butler and Lindsay Lohan had a heck of a nightcap, and we’re not talking alcoholic drink here.

The two were first spotted smooching in Morocco a few months back and were seen again at a party in Beverly Hills last week.

A U.K. Sun source who spotted them reports, “They arrived at the party separately. When they saw each other they got together and embraced.

“As the afternoon wore on, they became more and more friendly and eventually one thing led to another and they left together.

“Friends said they went off to a hotel. They were all over each other at the party, really not leaving each other’s sides.”

The following morning when Lohan surfaced at the L.A. shops, there wasn’t any smeared lipstick upon her face, rather a back-torn sweatshirt. No word whether Lohan was trying to revive the ‘Flashdance’ fashion look or if this was the result of Butler.

Butler is going head to head with Colin Farrell as the latest womanizer to be imported from across the Pond. Some of those girls on his scorecard include Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Jessica Simpson.

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Hollywoodnews.com: While Jennifer Aniston, 41, won’t scream in “Scream 4,” a lot of guys are set to shout should the former “Friends” star take off her clothes in an upcoming Colin Farrell film “Horrible Bosses.”

But, hey guys, calm down. Her rep says that Aniston will not be exposing any skin.

Aniston’s role is described as “sex-crazed” according to People. The blogs have been going wild with news that the ‘Rachel’ hairdo thesp will show off her better assets.

“The part is provocative and sexual, but also hysterically funny,” the rep says. “There are no plans for her to go fully nude or topless, but the role does require an aggressive sexuality that many folks have not seen from Jennifer on screen before.”

Aniston’s next film, “The Switch” bows in August. She was last seen in the romantic comedy “The Bounty Hunter” which has made $135 million at the global B.O.

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