Tag Archives: Entertainment/Culture

So here’s the $250 million question… Even if Warner Bros. eventually gets its proverbial act together and finds a decent script and a willing director how exactly do they make Justice League more than just ‘the one that came second’?
Warner Bros. is now in the unenviable position of trying to follow up what is basically the superhero team-up film that everyone always wanted to see. Oh sure, you can argue that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are bigger and more iconic characters than Thor or Iron Man, but Marvel did the work and kudos to them for herding the necessary cats in order to make it happen.
The irony is of course that Warner Bros. and DC Comics already have the ingredients to make Justice League matter in a movie world that has already seen The Avengers. They have the ingredients, and the manner in which they mix them will potentially allow Justice League to be different enough and unique enough to stand on its own. They just have to be willing to do what Marvel has so far been unwilling to do, which is to focus on heroes that aren’t quite the ones you’d expect to take center stage.
To read more go to Mendelson’s Memos
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Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. “42″ tells the story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson and trailblazing Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball.
From Academy Award® winner Brian Helgeland (“L.A. Confidential”) comes the real-life drama “42,” starring Chadwick Boseman (“The Express”) as Jackie Robinson and Oscar® nominee Harrison Ford (“Witness”) as Branch Rickey.
In 1947, Branch Rickey put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous color line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and other players.
Facing blatant racism from every side, even his own team, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey’s hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking—ultimately winning over fans and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way for others to follow.
In 1997, Major League Baseball retired the number 42 for all teams, making it the first number in sports to be universally retired. The only exception is every year on April 15th—Jackie Robinson Day—commemorating the date of his first game as a Brooklyn Dodger. On that day alone, players from every team proudly wear the number 42 to honor the man who altered the course of history.
Rounding out the main cast of “42″ are: Nicole Beharie as Rachel Robinson; Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher; Andre Holland as Wendell Smith; Lucas Black as Pee Wee Reese; Hamish Linklater as Ralph Branca; and Ryan Merriman as Dixie Walker.
Written and directed by Brian Helgeland, “42″ is produced by Thomas Tull, with Dick Cook, Jon Jashni, and Jason Clark serving as executive producers, and Darryl Pryor and Jillian Zaks co-producing.
Helgeland’s behind-the-scenes collaborators included Oscar®-nominated director of photography Don Burgess (“Forrest Gump”), production designer Richard Hoover, costume designer Caroline Harris, and editors Kevin Stitt and Peter McNulty. The music is composed by Oscar® nominee Mark Isham (“A River Runs Through It”).
Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures present, a Legendary Pictures Production, a Brian Helgeland film, “42.” The film opens on April 12, 2013, in time to commemorate the 66th anniversary of Jackie Robinson Day, on April [...]

To grace the poster for its 66th edition, the Festival de Cannes has chosen a couple who embody the spirit of cinema like no other: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, photographed during the shooting of the aptly named A New Kind of Love, by Melville Shavelson (1963).
For the Festival it is a chance both to pay tribute to the memory of Paul Newman, who passed away in 2008, and to mark its undying admiration for Joanne Woodward, his wife and most favoured co-star.
They were honoured at the Festival de Cannes in 1958 – the year of their marriage – with the selection In Competition of Martin Ritt’s The Long Hot Summer, the first film in which they appeared together. (…)

To read more go to Cannes Film Festival
Photo © 1963 by Paramount Pictures Corporation and
Llenroc Productions.
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Isn’t Star Trek supposed to be about star trekking? Ya know, exploring strange new worlds, seeking new life and new civilizations, and possibly going where no man has gone before?
This may look like a decent action thriller, but it also feels like a painfully generic adventure that happens to be painted in Star Trek paint. Benadict Cumberbatch shows up, Cumberbatch commits several acts of terrorism, Kirk goes after Cumberbatch.

I sincerely hope there is more to the story than that and there may very well be. But what we’ve seen so far suggests the film boldly going where any number of sequels have gone before. And, if I may, why oh why couldn’t Paramount wait until next weekend to debut this with G.I. Joe: Retaliation? Anyway, Star Trek Into Darkness opens May 15th in IMAX 3D and May 17th elsewhere domestically. As always, we’ll see…

To read more go to Mendelson’s Memos
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Marjo Bernay, a 33-year veteran of four IATSE Locals, has retired from the Art Directors Guild where she was Manager, Awards and Events. A party is to be given in her honor at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City this Saturday, where proclamations from Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and Congressman Brad Sherman, as well as other dignitaries will be presented.
She was Business Agent of the Illustrators & Matte Artists, Local 790 and Set Designers & Model Makers, Local 847 from 1979 until they merged with the ADG in 2008. She was also Business Agent of Story Analysts, Local 854. While at the ADG she is also a trustee of the Set Designers Council and a member of the Board of Directors.
Bernay was a member of numerous organizations promoting the entertainment industry, including the California Film Commission, the Los Angeles Film Development Committee and the L.A. County Film Commission. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans and the first woman from the labor side to chair the Health Plan.
In addition, she was Vice President and a member of the Executive Council of the California State Theatrical Federation and Chairman of the Environmental Allocations Committee of the Permanent Charities Committee of the Entertainment Industry. She was a member of the Executive Committee of IATSE District 2 and first Chairperson of the District’s Women’s Caucus.
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The Hollywood Film Festival announces the appointment of Fest veteran Jon Fitzgerald as Executive Director of the 17th Annual Hollywood Film Festival.
“Jon’s experience in the online, film festival, and worldwide film communities will be a great asset to the growth and new direction of our Festival,” said Carlos de Abreu, founder of the Hollywood Film Festival.
As a co-founder and former executive director of Slamdance, AFI Fest, Santa Barbara and Abu Dhabi film festivals among others. In addition, in 2012 he launched CineCause, a philanthropic platform, connecting socially relevant films to related causes.
Fitzgerald will be working closely with festival founder Carlos de Abreu, and will be in charge of development, artistic direction, programming, marketing and overall Festival management, as well as the Hollywood Gives Back® Project.

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The Festival is excited about the integration of several new components for the 2013 edition, led by Fitzgerald. One of the core missions has always been to “bridge the gap” between Hollywood and the global creative community. The Festival will take this concept to the next level with the new Hollywood Network® program. With film presentations taking place in the heart of Hollywood, the Festival presents a valuable screening platform for independent filmmakers, while providing for access to the studios and industry at large. The event will initiate a series of meetings between independent filmmakers and Hollywood industry professionals.
In addition, the Festival will combine sister organization Hollywood Gives Back® with CineCause, showcasing the other side of Hollywood, celebrating the Industry’s creative artists who have supported causes around the world. These efforts will be presented through the CineCause Spotlight section of the Festival, connecting social impact films with related causes.
The third new element will take place online. With filmmakers always looking for broad exposure, this year the Festival is pleased to be offering a select number of short films to Internet audiences, providing streaming opportunities to industry professionals and the online community.
“I’m very excited to have the chance to build on the success of the Hollywood Film Festival, and look forward to incorporating these new elements. Filmmakers will have opportunities to expand their connections, leverage entertainment to recognize important causes and broaden their reach to the online community, here in the film capital of the world,” says Fitzgerald.
The 17th Annual Hollywood Film Festival is now open for submissions in the follow genres: Features (all genres [...]

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.
“Iron by “Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
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Magnolia Pictures announced today that they have acquired North American distribution rights to writer-director Joe Swanberg’s DRINKING BUDDIES, starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston.
Produced by Dark Arts’ Alicia Van Couvering and Andrea Roa; Burn Later?s Paul M. Bernon and Sam Slater; and Swanberg, the film premiered this month at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. The film was executive produced by Mike Witherill, Ashley Bernon, Jessica Klapman, David Kaplan, Anish Savjani, and Wilde. Magnolia Pictures is planning a theatrical release for later this year.
DRINKING BUDDIES follows the lives of Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) who work together at a craft brewery. They have one of those friendships that feels like it could be something more. But Kate is with Chris (Ron Livingston), and Luke is with Jill (Anna Kendrick). And Jill wants to know if Luke is ready to talk about marriage. The answer to that question becomes crystal clear when Luke and Kate unexpectedly find themselves alone for a weekend.
“Joe Swanberg has been evolving steadily as a filmmaker, and with DRINKING BUDDIES, he’s delivered his best work yet?a truly funny, smart and insightful film about real adult relationships,? said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and the rest of the cast also deliver some of the best work of their careers. We’re raising an imperial pint in celebration.?
“I feel tremendously privileged to work with such a smart, energetic and exciting company,” said Swanberg. “I had an amazing time working with the Magnolia family on V/H/S and I can’t wait to be their drinking buddy again. I just know they will do great things with the film.?
The deal for the film was negotiated by Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Director of Acquisitions Peter van Steemberg, with CAA on behalf of the filmmakers and producers.
Swanberg’s prior films include HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS, ALEXANDER THE LAST, UNCLE KENT, SILVER BULLETS, and V/H/S.
Photo by PRPhotos.com
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Hot on the heels of Plummer’s Best Supporting Actor Oscar™ for Beginners last year, the octogenarian star of stage and screen delivers his most affecting performance yet. Barrymore was released theatrically by BY Experience and Image Entertainment in New York and Los Angeles in November of 2012.
The Los Angeles Times then enthused, “Christopher Plummer is a mischievous delight as the great John Barrymore, intent on a stage comeback.” Barrymore was also recently nominated for two PRISM Awards including Performance in a Feature Film.
The screen version of the William Luce play by the same name, Barrymore had its world premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. It was adapted by writer-director Érik Canuel from the 1996 Broadway production for which Plummer won a Tony™ Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in 1997. Plummer, 82, has long had a fascination with the title character, and it shows. The Village Voice exclaimed, “Christopher Plummer re-creates his Tony-winning performance as the charming louse in his booze-addled final days. Blessed with a script that is witty, insightful to the workings of the narcissistic Hollywood psyche, and often wonderfully bitchy, the film is also a wistful look at faded dreams and opportunities lost due to both the vagaries of the business and self-sabotage.”
Of Plummer’s performance, noted critic Rex Reed proclaimed, “It’s the role—and the performance– of a lifetime, and he plays every color, nuance, mood shift and variety of vocal power and body language in his enormous range. The artistry leaves you with your mouth wide open.” Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter exclaims, “Christopher Plummer could be back in Oscar contention this fall for his portrayal of legendary actor John Barrymore.” And the New York Times’ Manohla Dargis succinctly sums it up with, “The performance is the thing.”
Image Entertainment is proud to announce the upcoming release of Christopher Plummer’s critically heralded cinematic portrayal of Barrymore, available on Blu-rayTM at $39.98, DVD at $29.98, and Digital Download on May 7th.
Special features on the Blu-rayTM and DVD include a behind-the-scenes documentary, Backstage With Barrymore, featuring Helen Mirren, Julie Andrews and Zoe Caldwell.
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The Recording Academy ® — the organization internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards®— will present its 2013 GRAMMYs on the Hill ® Awards in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 17 at the Hamilton . Known as “Washington’s most interesting mix of music and politics,” the event will honor GRAMMY® and Academy Award® winner Jennifer Hudson for her artistic achievements and generosity as a philanthropist.
“We are elated to recognize Jennifer Hudson as not only a gifted musician and actress but as an extraordinary humanitarian who has selflessly contributed her time and talent to numerous worthwhile causes,” said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. “She is one of the industry’s most enduring, giving and gifted women, and we are privileged to be honoring her artistry, her commitment, and her generosity.”
GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards: April 17
The GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards will take place on April 17 at the Hamilton with special guest presenters and performers, and will recognize Hudson with The Academy’s Recording Artists’ Coalition Award (named for The Academy’s artists’ rights program founded by Don Henley and Sheryl Crow). The event will include a cocktail reception and dinner preceding the awards ceremony, and will also thank key legislators who help improve the environment for music makers. Proceeds will benefit the GRAMMY Foundation®’s Signature Schools, which provides support for underserved music programs throughout the country, and a GRAMMY Foundation Signature School that has demonstrated excellence in music education will receive a grant to support its music initiatives. The evening is sponsored by SESAC.
GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day: April 18
The day after the Awards ceremony, The Recording Academy will host GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day, where hundreds of music professionals from across the country will visit with legislators to advance pro-music policies that improve the environment for music and its makers. Now in its eighth year, it is the music community’s only annual advocacy day in Washington, and features a morning briefing with keynote speeches by leading legislators and lobbying members of Congress on Capitol Hill.
About Jennifer Hudson
An Academy Award-winning actress, GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist and bestselling author, Jennifer Hudson is an extraordinary talent. From humble beginnings, Hudson began singing in a small Chicago church where, week after week, she brought the congregation to its feet. From there, she’s gone on to worldwide acclaim.
In 2007, Hudson won an Academy Award for her role as Effie in the smash hit Dreamgirls, an [...]