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‘The Lego Movie’ Making Major Mischief at Box Office
5 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
The 3D family comedy “The Lego Movie” launched with a spectacular $17.1 million Friday, putting itself on course for an eye-popping $61 million first weekend and Warner Bros. back in the movie animation game. Sony’s George Clooney art heist saga “The Monuments Men” got off to a solid start and was second with $7 million Friday, and is looking at a little more than $20 million for the weekend. But the $1.7 million first day for the weekend’s other wide opener, the Weinstein Company’s book-based teen fantasy “Vampire Academy,” sucked, and it will struggle to hit $4 million for the »
- Todd Cunningham
Chinese New Year B.O. Bounces Back
12 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Berlin – Box office in China over the busy Chinese New Year period exceeded last year’s figures by more than 80%.
According to Entgroup data, cited by China’s official news agency Xinhua, theatrical receipts between Jan. 31 and Feb. 6 totaled RMB1.39 billion ($228 million), an improvement of 81% on the comparable 2013 score. Some 38.2 million tickets were sold.
Biggest films were Chinese-language titles “The Monkey King” with a gross of RMB612 million ($100 million) and TV derivative “Dad Where Are We Going?” with RMB468 million ($76.7 million). Hollywood animation “Frozen” placed third.
The strong holiday period receipts may be a relief for the industry which saw December 2013 B.O. takings some 20% below expectations.
China now represents the world’s second largest theatrical box office market, with a 2013 score of RMB21.8 billion ($3.57 billion).
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- Patrick Frater
‘Game of Thrones’ Star to Succeed Statham in ‘Transporter’ Reboot (Exclusive)
16 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Ed Skrein (“Game of Thrones”) is to succeed Jason Statham in the reboot of EuropaCorp’s “Transporter” franchise.
British thesp Skrein previously starred in Ben Drew’s critically acclaimed crime drama “Ill Manors.”
“We searched everywhere to find a fresh face who had the potential to become an action movie star and we’ve found the right match with Ed Skrein, who’s not only a great actor but also has enough charisma and physical stamina to play Frank Martin (the ‘Transporter’s’ leading role) with brio,” EuropaCorp CEO Christophe Lambert told Variety.
Bill Collage and Adam Cooper, who previously collaborated on the Jonah Hill starrer “Accepted” and Brett Ratner’s “Tower Heist,” penned the script.
Although plot details are still kept under wraps, Lambert said the first installment of “Transporter” reboot will return to the French Riviera, site of the first pic. He said the writers have given more »
- Elsa Keslassy
How often do Ace Eddies preview Best Picture champ at Oscars?
9 hours ago | Gold Derby | See recent Gold Derby news »
Not surprisingly, the American Cinema Editors are pretty good at predicting what film will win Best Editing at the Oscars. But they also have a respectable track record at previewing the Best Picture winner. (Read the full report on Friday night's Ace Awards here.) lost the Editing Oscar to "The Killing Fields" and "Apollo 13" respectively. Related: Did Ace Eddie Awards clarify or complicate Best Editing Oscar race? In 1999, the guild split their film prize in two: Drama and Musical/Comedy. In the 14 years since then, 11 of the Ace Drama winners won the Best Editing Oscar a »
Berlin Film Review: ‘Ice Poison’
29 minutes ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Simple, direct and involving, “Ice Poison” shows how the desire to escape harsh economic and social circumstances slowly drives two young Burmese people toward selling and using life-wrecking drugs. Continuing his examination of the big picture in his homeland through intimate portraits of those affected by displacement and poverty, helmer Midi Z. (“Return to Burma,” “Poor Folk”) has delivered his strongest work to date. Though some of the director’s trademark long takes here could still do with a nip and tuck, the pic is assured of a lengthy fest run and is worth the attention of specialty broadcasters. “Ice” will break into the commercial realm upon its mid-July release in Taiwan.
The film is set is Lashio, a market town with a large Chinese population in Shan state, where the overwhelming majority of Myanmar’s opium poppies are grown. In the hills outside Lashio, an unnamed young vegetable farmer »
- Richard Kuipers
The Monuments Men – review
39 minutes ago | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
George Clooney's second world war art-recovery thriller falls well short of the required levels of action or excitement
• George Clooney's Nazi art theft film attacked for ignoring real-life British war hero
George Clooney's latest directorial endeavour â€" a putative second world war thriller about a special Us army unit dedicated to rescuing art works looted by the Nazis â€" has landed with a thud and a splutter at the Berlin film festival. You might expect audiences here to be a tad sensitive about films portraying their compatriots as irredeemable civilisation-destroyers, but that's actually the least of The Monuments Men's problems. Filled with unearned patriotic sentiment, sketchy to the point of inanity, and interrupted every few minutes with neurotic self-justification, this displays none of the nimble-witted sleight of hand, nor indeed old-fashioned suspense, of Argo, the last historical caper movie with which Clooney was involved.
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- Andrew Pulver
Berlin Film Review: ‘Beloved Sisters’
1 hour ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Nearly a decade on from his last theatrical feature (2006’s “The Red Cockatoo”), prolific Teuton TV helmer Dominik Graf makes an overdue and very welcome return to the bigscreen with “Beloved Sisters,” an enthralling, gorgeously mounted depiction of the complicated relationship between the post-Enlightenment writer and philosopher Friedrich Schiller and the sisters Charlotte von Lengefeld (who would become his wife) and Caroline von Beulwitz (his eventual biographer). Retaining the novelistic narrative density offered by television while taking full advantage of cinema’s larger, more enveloping canvas, Graf has created an unusually intelligent costume drama of bold personalities torn between the stirrings of the heart and the logic of the mind, while casting his revealing gaze upon Western Europe’s bumpy transition from the 18th to 19th century. Premiered at Berlin in a 170-minute director’s cut, the pic is also being offered for sale in a 140-minute “theatrical” edit, though »
- Scott Foundas
Watch: 3 Clips From Roman Coppola's Amazon Series 'Mozart In The Jungle' Starring Gael Garcia Bernal
2 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
If Amazon Studios is trying to get into the streaming game alongside Netflix, they've got to step up their PR game a bit. While we did know they had put a bunch of pilots online this week, including Roman Coppola's "Mozart In The Jungle," we had no idea some peeks via clips were available too. In fact, we stumbled across these completely by accident—but we're glad we did. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Saffron Burrows, Lola Kirke, Malcom McDowell, Bernadette Peters and Peter Vack, and co-written by Jason Schwartzman, the proposed series is based on Blair Tindell's memoir of the same name about the apparently very wild world of classical music. Bernal is playing a popular young prodigy who is clearly ruffling the feathers of the old guard, and these two clips give a good sense of the tone of the series. That said, they feel very much like pilot-material, »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Woody Allen denies Dylan Farrow's bitter sex abuse allegations
2 hours ago | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Daughers public renewal of child abuse claims has brought a detailed answer from the director, but no sign of resolution
The 20-year rift between Woody Allen and his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, has deepened into a sordid and painful battle of words this weekend following the film director's unprecedented personal statement carried in the New York Times on Saturday.
Allen made a lengthy denial of fresh, direct allegations that he was guilty of child abuse in the early 1990s, arguing that his estranged daughter had been coached into making the claims by her mother, his ex-partner Mia Farrow.
In turn, Dylan Farrow, now 28, told the Hollywood Reporter on Saturday: "I have never wavered in describing what he did to me. I will carry the memories of surviving these experiences for the rest of my life."
Although the 78-year-old director said his statement would be his last word on the subject, »
- Vanessa Thorpe
Watch: New Teaser Trailer For Terrence Malick Produced Abraham Lincoln Biopic 'The Better Angels'
3 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
It may look, sound and feel like a Terrence Malick film, but aside from a producer credit, the upcoming "The Better Angels" is actually the work of editor and second unit director-turned-writer/director A.J. Edwards. But certainly, after logging time on "The New World," "The Tree of Life" and "To the Wonder," he's learned a few things about Malick's approach and has put them to use. Starring Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger, Brit Marling, Wes Bentley and Braydon Denney, the black-and-white film tells the story of young Abraham Lincoln, and the events of his youth that would shape the man who would become one of the great Presidents. And while that's a great premise—as our review of the film out of the Sundance Film Festival bears out—this is a lot of style, but with no authorial stamp. As our own Rodrigo Perez wrote, the film focuses "on mood, nature, »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Watch: 'Office Space' Director Mike Judge Skewers the Tech Industry in the Teaser for HBO Comedy 'Silicon Valley'
3 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
The great Mike Judge, of "Office Space," "Idiocracy," "King of the Hill" and more, returns to television on April 6th with "Silicon Valley," a half-hour HBO comedy that's his first live action series. Thomas Middleditch, T. J. Miller, Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani and Zack Woods star in this skewering of the tech industry, which will be premiering in Austin at SXSW as part of the festival's first TV section next month. Check out the first teaser for the series below. »
- Alison Willmore
Indiewire's 2014 Berlinale Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During Run of Festival
3 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Indiewire is in Berlin to cover the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. Because we'll be posting so much throughout the run of the festival, we've compiled this Berlinale master list to help you keep track of all our coverage. Keep checking back daily until the festival wraps on February 16th for all the latest reviews, acquisitions and interviews out of the festival. Reviews:Berlin Review: Forest Whitaker Impresses As Paroled Criminal In Uneven 'Two Men In Town,' A Remake At War With ItselfBerlin Review: 'Full Metal Jacket' Meets 'High Noon' In Tense Wartime Action Drama ''71,' Starring Jack O'ConnellBerlin Review: Sexual Depravity Takes On Nightmarish Proportions In Josephine Decker's 'Thou Wast Mild and Lovely,' Starring Joe Swanberg Berlin Review: Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' Is a Delightful Action-Comedy As Only He Could Make It Features:Berlinale 'Hustle': 10 Things David O. Russell, Christian Bale »
- Indiewire
Berlin: John Travolta, Salma Hayek Join ‘A Three Dog Life’
3 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
John Travolta and Salma Hayek are to star in “A Three Dog Life,” a drama based on the memoirs of Abigail Thomas.
Thomas reinvented her life to live near her husband, who suffered major hallucinations after a near-fatal car accident.
The film is written, produced and directed by Nick Guthe. J. Todd Harris (“The Kids Are All Right”) and Clark Peterson (“Monster”) also produce.
Sales outside the U.S. are by the Solution Group, while CAA and Wme co-represent the film in the U.S.
“Nick has adapted Thomas’ heart-wrenching memoir flawlessly, capturing the intimate details of how her marriage is put to the test following a life-changing accident,” said the Solution’s co-founders and partners, Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel. “John and Salma are the perfect pair to portray this couple’s journey over the course of several years.”
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- Patrick Frater
'The Room' star Greg Sestero says James Franco 'ideal guy' to adapt memoir
3 hours ago | EW - Inside Movies | See recent EW.com - Inside Movies news »
Can the making of a bad film make for a good one? That is the question raised by the news — reported by Deadline — that James Franco is to direct an adaptation of The Disaster Artist, actor Greg Sestero’s memoir about his time spent starring in the so-bad-it’s-awesome cult movie The Room.
The big screen version of The Disaster Artist, which Sestero wrote with journalist Tom Bissell, will be co-produced by Franco’s Rabbit Bandini company and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Point Grey Productions. ”James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg are the ideal guys to adapt The Disaster Artist, »
- Clark Collis
Friday Box Office: 'Lego Movie' Has Robust Opening Day, 'Monuments Men' in Distant Second Place
3 hours ago | Thompson on Hollywood | See recent Thompson on Hollywood news »
Despite competition from the tape-delayed opening Olympics ceremony, box office was strong yesterday, with "The Lego Movie" (Warner Bros.) taking in a robust $17,140,000 ahead of what is likely to be a very strong matinee-fueled weekend, though not record-breaking for February (the best remains "The Passion of the Christ"). "Lego" looks to be among Warners' third recent #1 film to open to over $50 million --along with "Gravity" and "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"-- and will be the biggest opening of 2014 so far. Coming in a distant second, around expectations, is George Clooney's "The Monuments Men" (Sony) at $7 million. This is actually by some distance the best first day gross for a film he directed (doubling the take for "The Ides of March"). With an all-star cast and heist theme, it is aimed more at a wider "Ocean's Eleven"/sequel audience, with its full weekend gross (likely around $20 million) a »
- Tom Brueggemann
Berlinale 'Hustle': 10 Things David O. Russell, Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper Shared In Berlin
4 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
David O. Russell's "American Hustle" is already a massive hit in America, with box office and Oscar nominations both pouring in. But it made its German debut at the Berlin International Film Festival Friday night, which is actually the first (and likely only) film festival "American" hustled its way to. Which gave its director and stars an opportunity to offer thoughts on the film -- and a lot of other things -- at the film's Berlinale press conference. Here's some highlights: David O. Russell when a German journalist asks him "how he made Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence win Oscars": "I appreciate that you speak English and I apologize for not speaking German. I think German's a very beautiful language and I wish I spoke it. But we would never say that I made these guys win anything. I would say that it was my privilege to aspire »
- Peter Knegt
Sophie Nicolaou earns Main Street stripes
4 hours ago | ScreenDaily | See recent ScreenDaily news »
Fledgling production, acquisitions and distribution company Main Street Films has promoted Sophie Nicolaou to vp of marketing and communications.
Nicolaou is promoted from communications director and will oversee marketing and communications for the ambitious company’s feature slate.
The pipeline includes action-comedy Barely Lethal starring Hailee Steinfeld, Jessica Alba, Sophie Turner and Samuel L Jackson and Ami Canaan Mann’s contemporary romance Your Right Mind starring Katherine Heigl and Ben Barnes.
On the distribution side Nicolaou will oversee marketing and communications strategies for John Doe: Vigilante, college comedy Bank$tas; recent Slamdance pick-up La Bare; and Barely Lethal.
“We are entering a period of significant growth and having a bold marketing and publicity team lead by Sophie is a great asset to the company,” said Main Street Films president Harrison Kordestani.
Nicolaou previously served as vp of marketing and communications at Untitled Idea and was a director of international publicity at 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. »
- [email protected] (Jeremy Kay)
Box office update: 'The Lego Movie' builds a $17.1 million Friday, 'Monuments Men' surprises with $7 million
4 hours ago | EW - Inside Movies | See recent EW.com - Inside Movies news »
The toys of everyone’s youth are on track to strike box office gold. Warner Bros.’ The Lego Movie (Cinema Score: A) pulled in an astonishing $17.1 million Friday, far exceeding studio expectations and putting the movie on track for at least a $56 – $60 million weekend.
The $60 million film from writer-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller effectively iced Frozen’s 11-week reign (which, at $1.41 million, didn’t even make Friday’s top five). The joint Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow pic played in 3,775 theaters, and a sequel is reportedly already in development with screenwriters Jared Stern and Michelle Morgan. But as far as February records are concerned, »
- Lindsey Bahr
‘Alone Yet Not Alone’ Finds New Life at Movieguide Awards
4 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Composer Bruce Broughton has been outspoken in his disappointment over the Academy board of governors disqualifying his Oscar nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone.” Yet he says that fans are having the last say.
“Once they rescinded the nomination, everyone asked about it, and as a result, the song is doing very well,” said Broughton. “You couldn’t buy that publicity.”
The Academy made its decision after Broughton, a former governor and current music branch executive committee member, emailed members of the branch to seek out the song, as it was featured in a very under-the-radar indie faith-based film.
Broughton noted that subsequent sales of the song on iTunes and Amazon.com have pushed it to hit number 19 on the Billboard Christian music chart this week. He spoke while in attendance at the 22nd annual Movieguide Faith and Values Awards, honoring redemptive and uplifting storytelling in film and TV, held Feb. »
- Susanne Ault
Berlin Buys: '52 Tuesdays' Goes to Kino Lorber, eOne Takes 'Watermark' and More
4 hours ago | Thompson on Hollywood | See recent Thompson on Hollywood news »
Buyers are lining up at the Berlin Film Festival, now in full swing until February 14. The latest acquisition is Sundance Best Director winner (World Cinema Competition) Sophie Hyde's drama "52 Tuesdays," which was shot chronologically one day every week for a year. Visit Films inked a deal with Us distributor Kino Lorber, who will release the film in the second half of 2014. It premieres in the Generation sidebar on February 8. Out of the Berlinale Special section and premiering February 9, Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky's "Watermark" will be distributed in the Us by eOne Films International. Other key territories include Australia (Madman), Benelux (Cineart), German speaking Europe (Senator), UK (Soda Pictures) and India (Pictureworks)."Watermark" is a feature documentary film that brings together diverse stories from around the globe about our relationship with water: how we are drawn to it, what we learn from it, how we use it and the. »
- Ryan Lattanzio
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