Az Overture Films és a Paramount Vantage bejelentették, hogy Michael Moore új dokumentumfilmje október 2-án kerül a mozikba. A még cím nélküli film a globális gazdasági válság okait vizsgálja illetve komikus fénybe helyezi a vállalati és politikai blöfföket, amelyek Moore szerint az ország történelmének legnagyobb rablásában csúcsosodtak ki. Várólistán!:)

forrás

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 3;15, 5;30, 7:40 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday@ 1pm, 3:15, 5;30, & 7:40

“The Class”  Rated PG-13, 2 hours 8 minutes.  SUBTITLED produced in French.

Friday & Saturday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1:30, 4:30 & 7:30

“Sunshine Cleaning” Rated R, 1 hour 39 minutes.  Overture Films distributes.

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1pm, 3:15, 5:30 & 7:40

“Everlasting Moments”  Unrated, 2 hours 11 minutes.  SUBTITLED produced in Swedish.  IFC distributes.

Friday & Saturday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1:30, 4:30, & 7:30

“Fados”  Unrated, 1 hour 28 minutes.  SUBTITLED Produced in Portugese.  Zeitgiest/New Yorker Films distributes.

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 3;15, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1pm, 3:25, 5:30 & 7:40

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!!!

Friday & Saturday @ 12:30, 3pm, 5:30, 8pm & 10:20

Sunday to Thursday @ 12:30, 3pm, 5:30, & 8pm

“The Class”  Rated PG-13, 2 hours 8 minutes.  SUBTITLED produced in French.  Winner of the 2008 Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Fest.  Distributed by Sony Classics.

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1pm, 4pm, 7pm & 9:30

“The Reader”  Rated R, 2 hours 2 minutes.  Drama starring Kate Winslet. Distribtued by the Weinstein Company.

Friday & Saturday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:30

“Defiance”  Rated R, 2 hours 1 minute.  Drama distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Friday to Thursday @ 12 noon and 4:50 only

“Doubt”  Rated PG-13, 1 hour 44 minutes.  Drama starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Distributed by Miramax Films

Friday & Saturday @ 2:45, 7:30 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 2:45, 7:30 & 9:30

“Frost/Nixon” Rated R, 2 hours 2 minutes.  Drama starring the nominated Best Actor Frank Langella.  Distributed by Universal Pictures.

Friday to Thursday @ 3pm, & 8pm

“Revolutionary Road”  Rated R, 2 hours.  Drama starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.  Distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Friday & Saturday @ 12:30, 5:30, & 10:20

Sunday to Thursday @ 12:30 & 5:30 only

“the Tale of Despereaux” Rated G, 94 minutes.  Animation

Friday to Sunday @ 11:15 am only

COMING SOON TO THE MALVERNE CINEMA

“Two Lovers” from Magnolia Pictures

“Gomorrah” From IFC.  Italian

Everlasting Moments” From IFC - Sweden.

Qual é a do fascínio por esse subúrbio? Todas as pessoas retratadas nos filmes são miseráveis, infelizes e vazias. Não possuem perspectivas, estão conformadas com o marasmo e a moralidade provinciana que os rodeia. Entretanto, estão sempre nos trinques para quem vê de fora: the gress is always greener on the other side.

Enfim, cada um com suas peculiaridades: Todd Haynes faz uma belíssima homenagem/releitura ácida e magnífica de Douglas Sirk, um bom filme com uma dona de casa gordinha (Kate Winslet, de novo) é o resultado nas mãos de Todd Field (who?), um tratado sobre a alma feminina (haha, altamente clichê isso) é  caminho de Daldry (que por si ó também é um amontoado de clichês…)  e Mendes retrata o que é o subúrbio nos anos 90: a mesma merda dos anos 50. Todos fazem uso do subúrbio para expressar as angústias e os disfarces da sociedade americana ontem, hoje e ad infinitum.

Portanto, Foi Apenas Um Sonho surge para fazer volume nesse meio. Existe um trabalho de câmera fabuloso: ela nunca ousa se aproximar e forçar emoções com über-closes e acaba por acompanhar o, digamos, estado emocional dos personagens; a luz é dramática e teatral em certas cenas, fugindo do pré-concebido naturalismo; e as atuações são um primor. Tudo muito adequado, tudo muito certinho e bem feito. Tudo igual ao que se critica: o exterior bem moldado que esconde um vazio. O filme segue tão bem todos os protocolos que em certo ponto, passa a aborrecer o espectador.

Uma boa surpresa, depois de todos já terem se acostumados com tudo aquilo que o filme vinha nos mostrando, se encontra no último plano. Muito bem pensado, tanto dramaturgicamente (como conclusão) quanto cinematograficamente, ele resume o que é, como viver e como superar os malefícios suburbanos de forma muito simples. Bastante digno.

Nota: 7/10

P.s.: Aliás, melhor que o filme, só os trailers que passaram antes: O Lutador, O Leitor, Dúvida e WATCHMEN!

Tudo, absolutamente tudo, gira em torno do dinheiro. É um filme sobre o capitalismo, aqui retratado com toda sua selvageria latente. Daniel Day Lewis (muso!) faz o papel do capitalista sem escrúpulos, tudo para ele deve ser instrumentalizado, tem de ter alguma utilidade para fazer chegar seu fim maior: mais dinheiro, mais poder. O “filho” lhe serve para o negócio parecer familiar, digno, de boa índole. A conversão ao cristianismo (cena genial, aliás) serve para o negócio prosperar. Tudo serve para alguma coisa. Disfarçado de retrato do meio-Oeste americano do início do século, Sangue Negro nada mais é que uma crítica duríssima e muito bem articulada dos EUA em si e do próprio Capitalismo.

O caminho do PT Anderson, aliás, é bastante curioso. Todos seus filmes são excepcionais. A direção é sempre primorosa, desde o primeiro plano de Boogie Nights, uma homenagem ao plano inicial de A Marca da Maldade, já podia se observar um diretor extremamente técnico, mas não só. Os planos se encadeiam, fazem parte do filme, ajudam a contar as histórias, sempre. Aliás, eles fazem as histórias, praticamente. O uso da janela 2:35 : 1 está faz parecer ainda maior as cenas externas e ainda mais opressoras as internas e os poucos closes. Lindo!!

Uma curiosidade que deve ser observada na versão nacional do DVD é o documentário que vem como extra. Um diário de referências, com fotos e anotações daquela época. A cada imagem se adiciona um plano do filme, que mostra a recriação fílmica daquele passado. Um primor de direção de arte, inclusive. Importante frisar, também, que o Senhor Jack Fisk, o diretor de arte (ou production designer) fez arte em todos os filmes do Terrence Malick. E eu sei que você sabe o que isso quer dizer.

E mais um ponto positivo para a trilha sonora. Ou a não trilha, sei lá. Ela entra em poucos momentos do filme, e quando aparece, sempre incomoda, sempre se faz notar. E eu nem sou muito fã de Radiohead para louvar a trilha sem mais nem menos, mas  trabalho feito aqui é quase o de um John Williams ao contrário, um John Cage do mundo das trilhas sonoras. Moderno e minimalista (não no sentido de Philip Glass, pelo amor de deus), contrastando com a aridez e o “atraso” retratado no filme.

Nota: 10/10

If you are looking for a good history piece for 2009, you do not have to look no further. Defiance has everything it takes to make one outstanding film. It has action, suspense, and, drama. Most importantly, it has the classic storyline that one man can make a difference.

Based on a true story, the Bielski brothers managed to escape the Jewish ghetto when the Germans invaded and killed their parents and other family members in 1941. The brothers ran into a nearby forest and decided to form their own camp. With the enlistment of neighbors, they formed a small combat group to seek revenge on the Nazis who killed their families. Soon word spread of their heroics throughout the land. What once was a small army became the Bielski camp numbering in the hundreds. For many of the Jews, being at the Bielski camp was the taste of freedom that they once lost.

Throughout the film, Zus & Tuvia were always in competition. During the film, a situation drove a wedge between the two brothers. Tuvia fought to keep his camp safe from the Germans. He allowed women to fight with men. He established order among the citizens. Finally, he has given the displaced Jews what really needed – a home. Zus fought along the Russian resistance fighters to stop the Germans in their tracks.

The film itself was three good movies rolled into one. The first part dealt with the survival of the Bielski clan from the horrors of Holocaust of the 1941. Edward Zwick performed admirably as the director. Defiance is unlike any previous films about the Holocaust. It shows how one family survived through trying times. At first, the film seemed to go fast. However, after the fifteen minutes, the movie transitions well. The second movie shows how the two elder Bielski brothers, Tuvia & Zus, are after the same goal.

They may be in competition and fight for different reasons. The two watched out for each other. Finally, the film also captures the defining spirit of the human race. No matter what happens in our world, we will overcome any walls for freedom.

This is one of the rare films where casting was brilliant. Daniel Craig has set the bar high as far as James Bond actors playing a role that has more power than any British secret agent. His portrayal as Tuvia was so powerful, so moving that he has shown us that even the most powerful leaders has their weakness but learned to endure to save their people. The role of Tuvia was tailor-made for Craig. Liev Schrieber’s portrayal of Zus was outstanding as well. He is the sibling you want to love and hate at the same time. The camaraderie Craig and Schrieber shown on Defiance was convincing.

You know a good movie when the audience applauds at the end and Defiance has its shining moments. So once again, I have a feeling that Defiance will be an Oscar contender for 2009.

FINAL GRADE – B+

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1pm, 4pm, 7pm & 9:30

“Revolutionary Road”  Rated R, 2 hours.  Adult family drama distributed distributed by Paramount Pictures.  Starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.

“Slumdog Millionaire”  Also rated R, 2 hours 1minute.  Distributed by Fox Searchlight.  Some subtitling.  Produced in both Hindi and English

Both films will be shown at:

Friday & Saturday @ 12:30m 3pm, 5:30, 8pm & 10:20

Sunday to Thursday @ 12:30, 3pm,5:30 & 8pm

“Waltz with Bashir”  Rated R, 90 minutes Nominated for best Foreign Film.  Submitted by Israel. Distributed by Sony Classics

Friday & Saturday @ 12 noon, 2:20, 4:35, 7:20 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 12 noon, 2:20, 4:35, 7:20 & 9:30

“The Reader”  Rated R, 2 hours 2 minutes.  Drama starring Kate Winslet.  Distributed by Weinstein Company.

Friday & Saturday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday To Thursday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:30

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!   LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OSCARS!

Friday & Saturday @ 12:30, 3pm, 5:30, 8pm & 10:20

Sunday to Thursday @ 12:30, 3pm, 5:30 & 8pm

“Slumdog Millionaire” – Rated R, 2 hours 1 minute.  Some subtitling, produced in both Hindi and English.  Fox Searchlight distributes.

Friday & Saturday @ 12:30, 3pm, 5:30, 8pm & 10:20

Sunday to Thursday @ 12:30, 3pm, 5:30 & 8pm

“The Reader” Rated R, 2 hours 2 minutes.  Drama distributed by The Weinstein Company.  Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes star.

Friday & Saturday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday & Monday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:30

Tuesday @ 4pm & 7pm only

Wednesday & Thursday @ 1:15, 4pm 7pm & 9:30

“Doubt” - Rated PG-13, 1 hour 44 minutes.  Drama starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Distributed b y Miramax Films.

Friday & Saturday @ 12 noon, 2:20, 4:35, 7:20 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 12 noon, 2:20, 4:35, 7:20 & 9:30

“Milk” - Rated R, 2 hours 8 minutes; biopic starring Sean Penn as Harvey Milk.  Drama distributed by Focus Features.

Friday & Saturday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:30

Monday @ 1:15, 4pm, & 7pm

Tuesday @ 1:15, & 9:30

Wednesday & Thursday @ 1:15, 4pm, 7pm & 9:30

Defiance begins in the summer of 1941 when the Nazi’s are beginning their reign of terror on the Jewish.  The film opens with a raid on a small village and the Bielski’s Brothers parents being killed.  The brothers , knowing they cannot stay in the village, flee to the forest.  Soon more survivors follow and a new Jewish Community is formed.  Through many trials including death, fights, starvation, sickness, weather and being shot at by the Nazi’s the Jewish show us a the true meaning of faith and perseverance.  This also makes Defiance a different take on the situation.  It shows Jews fighting back and refusing to give up.  Plus it has a positive ending, which I will not give away, but the survivors relatives now number in the tens of thousands.  During the film, you feel as if you are experiencing every event with the characters this is mainly due to the approach Zwick took by never go into the characters’ past.  Their story begins with the audience, not before them.

After the screening, the PGA sponsored a Q&A with director/producer, Ed Zwick, Daniel Craig, Liev Schrieber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, and Pieter Jan Brugge (producer).  Immediately you could see that the onscreen brotherly chemistry between Craig, Schrieber, and Bell was founde din their off screen/on set antics. Even Zwick teased Craig about being Bond.  Plus Schrieber is a comedian using just a look as a comment to send the audience into a laughing mob.  

The film took 12 years to be made and cost only $30 million.  Though not pennies, keep in mind Craig was paid approx. $5million for the recent Bond film.  All crew and cast took a very small salary and agreed upon French working hours which means they took running lunches and did not take breaks.  Plus none of the actors ever left set aka: they did not isolate themselves in their trailers between scenes.  They were shooting in Lithuania, during the winter when the light is limited and you have problems with snow, rain, and swamps.  

Overall the film triumphs.  Along with showing another side of the Holocaust, it reminds us the ability of humans to overcome and survive amongst the worst times.  Also, the power of family and how vengeance never equals the happy ending one so desires.  Defiance is in limited theaters December 31st and opens wide January 16th.  http://www.defiancemovie.com/

There must be others of you out there that are just as or even more excited than me of kate winslet and leo dicaprio’s return to the big screen once again!!!!

Revolutionary Road, distributed by Paramount Vantage, is slated for release on December 26. The film is about Frank and April Wheeler, a young married couple coping with 1950s suburbia lifestyle. They believe by moving out to the suburbs to start a family will bring them happiness but ultimately begins to tear their marriage apart.

Based on the novel by Richard Yates, director Sam Mendes brings this story to life with two of the best young actors in the business who have previously worked together on one of the most successful movies of all time: James Camron’s Titanic. Boosting over $600 million dollars since its release, its made the most money ever for a film domestically and world wide (www.boxofficemojo.com).  They have such strong chemistry together that they were bound to work on other projects together.

Being featured as Vanity Fair’s cover girl for the December 2008 issue, she talks about her friendship and work relationship with DiCaprio.  She says that they’ve always talked to each other about scripts they’d receive and ask each other their thoughts and opinions about them.  During the filming of the movie, they happily challenged each others emotional strengths, leading to even physically hitting one another (no injuries to report!) Here is more into her cover story: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/12/winslet200812

If you have yet to watch the trailer, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpra9OEw6nQ

[If you like the song in the trailer, it is Nina Simone's "Wild Is The Wind"]

“W” Rated PG-13, 2 hour 9 minutes.  Oliver Stone directs, Josh Brolin stars.

The Duchess – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 49 minutes.  Period piece, drama starring Keira Knightley & Ralph Fiennes.

All 3 films will be shown at:

Friday & Saturday – 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday – 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:30

The Secret Life of Bees -  Rated PG-13, 1 hour 40 minutes.  Drama starring Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson.

Religulous – Unrated, 1 hour 41 minutes.  Bill Maher travels the world interviewing the faithful.

Both films will be shown at:

Friday & Saturday – 1pm, 3:10, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday – 1pm, 3:10, 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30

Starting next week “Happy Go Lucky”

Based on an extraordinary true story, “Defiance” is an epic tale of family, honor, vengeance and salvation in World War II. The year is 1941 and the Jews of Eastern Europe are being massacred by the thousands. Managing to escape certain death, three brothers take refuge in the dense surrounding woods they have known since childhood. There they begin their desperate battle against the Nazis. Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell star as brothers who turn a primitive struggle to survive into something far more consequential – a way to avenge the deaths of their loved ones by saving thousands of others.

At first it is all they can do to stay alive. But gradually, as whispers of their daring spreads, they begin to attract others – men and women, young and old – willing to risk everything for the sake of even a moment’s freedom. Tuvia (Craig) is a reluctant leader and his decisions are challenged by his brother, Zus (Schreiber) who worries that Tuvia’s idealistic plans will doom them all. Asael (Bell) is the youngest – caught between his brothers’ fierce rivalry. As a brutal winter descends, they work to create a community, and to keep faith alive when all humanity appeared to be lost.

“Defiance” is directed by Edward Zwick (“Blood Diamond,” “Glory”) from a screenplay by Zwick and Clayton Frohman, based on Nechama Tec’s non-fiction book of the same name. The producers are Zwick and Pieter Jan Brugge. The team recreating the forest haven includes two-time Oscar®-nominated cinematographer Eduardo Serra (“Blood Diamond,” “Girl with a Pearl Earring”), production designer Dan Weil (“Blood Diamond,” “The Bourne Identity”) and Oscar®-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan (“Gosford Park,” “A Room with a View”).

Via Variety.

Defiance wordt 22 januari in Nederland verwacht.
Defiancemovie.com

Appaloosa - Rated R, 1 hour 56 minutes.  Drama, western.

A Secret – Unrated, 1 hour 46 minutes. SUBTITLED proudced in French.  WWII drama.

All three films will be shown at:

Friday & Saturday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:30

Religulous – Unrated, 1 hour 41 minutes.  Bill Maher documenty.  Comedy

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 3:10, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1pm, 3:10, 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30

Burn After Reading – Rated R, 95 minutes.  Coen brothers comedy.

Friday & Saturday @ 3:10, & 7:40

Sunday to Thursday @ 3:10 & 7:30

My Mexican Shiva – Unrated, 98 mintues. SUBTITLED produced in Spanish, Yiddish & Hebrew.  Comedy.

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 5:30 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1pm, 5:30 & 9:30

Friday @ 4:30, 7pm & 9:15

Saturday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:20

Sunday @ 2pm, 4:30, & 7:10

Monday to Wednesday @ 4:30 & 7:10

Thursday @ 2pm only

Appaloosa – Rated R, 1 hour 56 minutes. Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger & Jeremy Irons.  Drama – western period piece.

Both films will be shown at:

Friday & Saturday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:30

Religulous – Unrated, 1 hour 41 minutes.  Bill Maher documentary about the faiths of the world.

Burn After Reading – Rated R, 1 hour 35 minutes.  Coen Brothers spy comedy.

Both films will be shown at:

Friday – 1pm, 3:10, 5:20, 7:40 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday – 1pm, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35 

A Secret – Unrated, 1 hour 46 minutes, SUBTITLED produced in French.  Holocaust themed, love story drama.

Friday & Saturday – 3:10 & 7:40

Sunday to Thursday – 3:10 & 7:30

Vicky Cristina Barcelona – Rated PG-13, 96 minutes.  Woody Allen Romantic Comedy.

Friday & Saturday – 1pm, 5:30, 9:45

Sunday to Thursday – 1pm, 5:30, 9:30

Starts next week “My Mexican Shiva”

Stumble It!

Article on how the glut of films and the credit crunch is effecting Hollywood, by Lauren A. E. Schuker and Peter Sanders.

HOLLYWOOD — When Meg Ryan and Antonio Banderas signed up to star in an independently produced comedy-action movie called “My Mom’s New Boyfriend,” the film’s backers figured they had a slam dunk — a modestly priced film with bankable stars that would surge at the box office.

The producers say the $17 million movie scored well in test screenings in the U.S. this spring and did decent business in Spain, Israel and Russia. But the U.S. distributor, Sony Corp.’s Sony Pictures, quietly sent the movie straight to DVD on June 17. “I believe that three years ago this movie absolutely would have been on screens, if for no other reason than the actors involved,” says George Gallo, who wrote and directed the film.

These days, scores of films such as “Boyfriend” are finding there’s no room at the multiplex. The reason: Hollywood is flush with roughly $13 billion to $18 billion in financing for movies that poured in over the past few years, according to bankers and producers, vastly expanding the number of pictures getting made. The flood of money is paying for films made by both relative newcomers and veteran film investors and producers.

That dynamic has turned movie distribution into a free-for-all, with too many films vying for too few slots in theaters each weekend. Last year, more than 600 feature films — mostly independent movies not produced at a major studio — were released theatrically in the U.S., up from 466 in 2002, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. That’s an average of 2.6 more movies every weekend that are battling for the public’s attention.

But those figures are just for the films that make it to the silver screen. Many more films, such as “Boyfriend,” with big-name actors or directors never make it to theaters. More than 3,600 feature films were submitted for consideration at Sundance Film Festival this year, and while many of those are tiny digital flicks that never have a chance of commercial release, the number is up from about 2,000 feature submissions just five years ago.

The frothy marketplace means more choices for movie fans, and more headaches for a struggling industry. In 2007, domestic box-office revenue totaled $9.68 billion, up from $9.3 billion in 2006, according to box-office tracker Media by Numbers. Box-office revenue has grown since 2005 because of higher ticket prices, but attendance started dropping last year. This year, attendance is down 4.74% from the same time a year ago. Lower attendance should trim box-office revenues for 2008 to around $9.6 billion, Media by Numbers projects.

Today, the credit crunch is putting the brakes on outside film financing. But Hollywood executives fear the glut created by the recent spate of overproduction is going to be felt for at least a couple more years. Some people say the worst of the oversupply problem is still about a year away.

“We’re at the top of the curve heading down,” says Hal Sadoff, head of international and independent film at ICM, one of the major talent agencies in Hollywood. “We’ve seen many of these financial institutions, private-equity firms and hedge funds pull away from the industry. But the films that they have advanced are still in production, and it will take another six to 12 months for the market to regularize again.”

Amir Malin, who acquired, marketed and distributed the hit indie film “The Blair Witch Project” and now runs media-investment firm Qualia Capital, says that the market for such films will get tougher before it gets easier. “The worst is yet to come,” he says.

The havoc in the movie business was evident in April, when the release schedule was packed with a bevy of big-star vehicles hoping to beat the onslaught of summer blockbusters. “Leatherheads,” a $60 million football comedy starring George Clooney and co-financed by Universal Pictures and Relativity Media, took in just $31 million domestically and about $9 million overseas. The Al Pacino thriller “88 Minutes,” financed for $26 million by Millennium Pictures and released by Sony Pictures, took in just $17 million or so at the U.S. box office.

And then there was “Smart People,” starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Dennis Quaid and Ellen Page. The star-packed comedy about a dysfunctional family seemed promising, especially given its modest cost of $8 million. Its backers, including Bill Block, who runs a financing outlet called QED International, expected the movie to make about $20 million. “It was a terrific cast and everybody loved the script, so we thought, ‘Why not?’” says Mr. Block. But the film grossed less than half of that, making $9.5 million in domestic theaters. “I think it’s just tough out there right now — especially for the upscale adult picture,” Mr. Block adds.

The competition is especially brutal in the market for small movies. Oscar-aspiring independent films — that is, films not produced at a major studio — were once seen as the most attractive segment of the movie industry. That’s because sizable profits could be made on films that required relatively little investment. That calculus prompted all of the major Hollywood studios to launch divisions aimed at exploiting the market.

But the flood of indie films has driven up marketing costs, as each film spends more to compete. Last year, top-flight casts didn’t prevent movies such as “In the Valley of Elah” and “Things We Lost in the Fire” from getting drubbed at the domestic box office. This year, a huge roster of titles, big and small, will compete for audiences, including “Changeling,” starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Clint Eastwood; “Burn After Reading,” a Coen brothers film with Brad Pitt, George Clooney and John Malkovich; and “Milk,” a Gus Van Sant picture about Harvey Milk, a pioneering gay politician in San Francisco.

Scaling Back

To avoid collisions, studios are rapidly scaling back the number of films they’re releasing, particularly smaller specialty movies. Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros. closed two of its art-house labels, Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures, this spring. In June, Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures basically absorbed the majority of the staff at its specialty label, Paramount Vantage, into its main studio, cutting about 50 employees. News Corp.’s Fox Searchlight, which has had big indie hits with “Juno” and “Little Miss Sunshine,” has only six titles scheduled for release so far this year. (News Corp. also owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal.)

Indie films aren’t going away, of course. But some studios have concluded that the most-expensive films — blockbusters such as “Iron Man” and “The Dark Knight,” which often cost well over $150 million each, not counting millions more in marketing outlays — can be less risky than art-house releases such as last year’s “A Mighty Heart.” That film lost about $15 million for its backer, Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Vantage.

Studios aren’t the only ones pulling back; so are many of the individual producers who armed themselves with easily raised moviemaking funds. Producer Sidney Kimmel announced this year that his production company, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, would scale back its releases to two films a year from five. Mr. Kimmel was hit hard when his most-recent picture, “Synecdoche, New York,” starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, failed to find a distributor at the Cannes Film Festival this spring. In late July, Sony Pictures Classics bought the film, just giving its backers a portion of the revenues. Even with that, the film’s backers will likely take a loss on the movie, which cost about $20 million. Executives at Kimmel Entertainment, however, say they recouped a substantial part of the film’s cost by selling off the international rights.

Film-financing outlets are also moving toward larger projects. Grosvenor Park has financed more than 400 film and television productions over in the past 20 years. Donald Starr, chairman, says he lent money against the foreign sales for “Powder Blue,” a small picture costing just under $10 million featuring starlet Jessica Biel that finished filming last September and is beginning to look for a U.S. distributor. Mr. Starr estimates that Ross Dinerstein, the 29-year-old producer and one of the main financiers of “Powder Blue,” could lose about $7 million on the movie.

“The amount of sales that these films generate is just too small to be worth it,” Mr. Starr says. “In any other business, if something doesn’t make back its price, you stop making it. But for some reason in the film industry we keep making more of these movies.” But Mr. Dinerstein says he won’t lose money on the film. “Our initial goal is to break even and anything after that is icing on the cake,” he says.

Few Bites From Buyers

Major film distributors are being far more cautious in acquiring independently financed films for distribution, a situation that has dramatically slowed business at major film gatherings such as Sundance in January and Cannes in May. At Cannes this year, there was very little buying, with distributors shunning films such as Steven Soderbergh’s “Che,” starring Benicio Del Toro.

At Sundance, highly anticipated films drew few bites from buyers. John Sloss, a veteran entertainment lawyer who brought 19 films to Sundance this year, says he only sold five by the time the festival finished.

Another factor in the pullback is a rise in marketing costs. A decade ago, campaigns for independent movies were driven by free publicity and word of mouth. The crowded market is prompting distributors to spend big to distinguish themselves. According to the MPAA, the amount of money the indie labels at the major studios were spending on marketing shot up 44% to $25.7 million in 2007 from $17.8 million in 2006. Since 2002, that marketing spend has doubled, driving up competition for all films trying to gain traction in the marketplace.

The rising costs are preventing some smaller movies from reaching much of an audience. Avi Lerner, who produced “My Mom’s New Boyfriend” along with scores of theatrical and direct-to-DVD movies, says higher costs have created insurmountable obstacles for his films in recent years. “Obviously, the main problem is that big studios have unlimited money to pay for [marketing] and nobody can compete with that,” he says. “Even if you spend $10 million to $15 million on marketing — which used to be enough in the past — in today’s market that’s nothing against $70 million-plus that the studios can spend on their big movies.”

Many of the specialty labels at major studios passed on distributing director Sidney Lumet’s film, “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.” So, the producers chose to release it with THINKFilm, a small distributor that has struggled financially in recent months. THINKFilm opened the movie last fall with a “platform release” — starting with two screens and expanding over time to about 320 theaters. Producers Michael Cerenzie and Brian Linse were hard-pressed to find financing for the movie when one of their equity investors dropped out; at one point, Mr. Linse had to borrow $180,000 against the equity in his Hollywood Hills house. In the end, Capitol Films, a company owned by THINKFilm’s parent, paid for the $18 million picture.

“Financing this movie was a real struggle,” says Mr. Linse. “It’s hard for people to imagine since we had actors like Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman, but it was really tough.”

The film, which also starred Marisa Tomei, grossed a little more than $7 million at the domestic box office. That’s partially because THINKFilm spent less than $1 million in advertising on the movie, so despite strong reviews, it got lost in a crowd of pictures that opened during Oscar season.

Yet it is increasingly common to see critical darlings of the festival circuit get trampled. “Son of Rambow,” a coming-of-age comedy about two boys in England who dream of filmmaking, was a darling at Sundance in 2007, where it was reportedly sold for distribution for about $7.5 million — one of the largest buys at the festival that year.

Vantage released the film in May 2008 to top-notch reviews. But it flopped, grossing just $1.78 million. The film was put out via a platform release on the same day that Paramount’s “Iron Man” hit theaters in early May. While “Rambow” added screens through May, it never gained traction in a month that was chock-full of blockbusters, from “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” to “Sex and the City.”

“‘Son of Rambow’ is the poster child for a movie that would have worked five years ago but fails in today’s marketplace,” says Mark Gill, a veteran film executive who isn’t affiliated with the movie. “It got great reviews, audiences really liked it, it was well-marketed. It had everything going for it, and yet it didn’t work, because there is such a glut of movies and a mass of clutter right now that nothing can break out in this climate.”

Cheers!
Brian M Logan
ThatActionGuy.com
EMAIL ME HERE

In addition to the box office hits featured above, this summer featured some excellent “indies,” films not funded by the Hollywood studio system, which weren’t as widely viewed. Among my personal favorites were Encounters at the End of the World and Son of Rambow.

Encounters At the End of the World:
On June 11, Encounters at the End of the World opened in select theaters. It was directed by Werner Herzog (Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo, Grizzly Man), who was inspired to travel to Antarctica after seeing footage from beneath the ice taken by his friend, a diver in Antarctica. After joining the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Artists and Writers Program, he and his cameraman were flown to Antarctica. The movie consists of Herzog’s narration, interviews, and breathtaking cinematography of Antarctica.

“Encounters” is an unusual documentary because it has very little plot to tie it together. It’s amazing how a skilled director such as Herzog can skillfully pull together interviews from a variety of people and still get his message across to his audience. Among the interviewees are a philosopher/fork-lift driver, a linguist on a continent with no languages, and a reclusive scientist studying penguins. In addition to the amazing images of the continent and interviews with the people that live and work there, Herzog’s comments are intriguing. I would highly suggest that you see this movie on DVD November 18.

Son of Rambow is a heartwarming tale about friendship and how two very different friends can help each other, despite disagreements. It is currently available on DVD.

While this summer was full of big-budget, box office hits, there was also a fantastic selection of films that, unfortunately, missed their proper respect at the ceneplex. In addition to “Encounters” and “Rambow”, check out these other indie films of note: American Teen, Baghead, The Promotion, and Mongol.

Paramount is renaming its straight-to-dvd division. The goods news? Prepare for Without A Paddle: Nature’s Calling, Road Trip 2: Still Trippin’, Mean Girls 2: Meaner Girls, Bad News Bears 2: More Bad News and Naked Gun 1/4: Can’t Get More Naked Than This and Grease 3.  The bad news? They’re calling it “Paramount Famous Productions”. Seriously is that the stupidest name for a movie company or what? Nikki Finke reports:

The newly christened Paramount Famous Productions has been actively developing an inaugural production slate. Now PFP prez Louis Feola says that, starting in 2010, the division expects to release 5 to 6 films annually with titles to encompass a mix of sequels, prequels and remakes based on the libraries of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, DreamWorks Pictures, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PFP also wants to work closely with Viacom-owned cable networks such as BET, Comedy Central and Spike TV to develop filmed entertainment content.

Louis Feola used to have the same job over at Universal which means he’s the guy we should thank for all those American Pie and Bring It On sequels. I don’t have anything against straight-to-dvd sequels really, but this batch seems pretty uninteresting. Grease 3 will probably be a High School Musical ripoff, Mean Girls 2 will probably be watchable as long as they get some hot girls, and they better get Leslie Nielsen for Naked Gun 4, for obvious reasons. Mr Feola, if you’re reading this, how about The Haunting 2? Here’s a movie which can easily be better than the original!

So, what films from the Paramount family would be a good fit for straight-to-dvd sequel goodness? Discuss!

Source

O cineasta norte-americano Michael Moore filmará a segunda parte de “Fahrenheit 11 de Setembro”, o documentário que realizou em 2004 sobre os ataques contra o World Trade Center e o Pentágono cometidos três anos antes e a política externa do presidente americano, George W. Bush.

(…) A Paramount Vantage e a Overture Films serão as encarregadas de financiar e produzir o novo documentário, cujo título ainda não foi revelado.

Leia mais clicando aqui.

“A young man leaves his middle class existence in pursuit of freedom from relationships and obligation. Giving up his home, family, all possessions but the few he carried on his back and donating all his savings to charity Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) embarks on a journey throughout America. His eventual aim is to travel into Alaska, into the wild, to spend time with nature, with ‘real’ existence, away from the trappings of the modern world. In the 20 months leading up to his Great Alaskan Adventure his travels lead him on a path of self-discovery, to examine and appreciate the world around him and to reflect on and heal from his troubled childhood and parents’ sordid and abusive relationship. When he reaches Alaska he finds he has been insufficiently prepared for the hardships to come. Despite making it through the winter his plan is ill-judged and prepares to return home in spring, only to find the stream he crossed in the snow has become an impassable raging torrent and that he is trapped. With no means of sustaining himself adequately he eventually starves to death in his so sought after isolation. Throughout his epic journey the people he meets both influence and are influenced by the person he is and bring him to the eventual and tragic realisation that “Happiness is only real when shared”. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/synopsis

This movie is actually based on the real-life story of Chris McCandless back in the early 1990′s. Apparently, he kept a journal that chronicled his ill-fated journey into the wilderness. I never read the book version, but I am sure it had to be better than the movie one. The movie in itself had a lot of potential, but just was not that great. It dragged out entirely too long. I could have summarized my own synopsis of the movie, but since imdb did such a wonderful job, I thought I would give them the credit they deserved.

At times, I have wondered what it would be like to just abandon everything to live such a simple life. But then, I realize how rude and selfish that would be. Personally, I did not enjoy this movie, and although what Chris did was for good reasons, it was also for very selfish reasons. Just dropping a postcard in the mail would not have hurt him just to give his family some peace of mind. I felt like this was his form of rebellion and punishment to his parents, and in the end, it bit him back. He was very ill-prepared for someone who just wanted to drop off the face of the planet and disappear. I could say I felt sorry for him, but I don’t because IMO, it was quite cruel. I really would NOT recommend this movie to anyone unless they are really bored with plenty of time on their hands. Wait for it to come out on cable.

 MPAA Rating: R (for language and some nudity)