Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2011 by Angie Han
Silent films died in the late ’20s with the advent of “talkies,” but it seems they’ve now been gone for so long they feel new again. One of the major stories out of this year’s Cannes was the unexpected popularity of The Artist, a silent film by OSS 117 director Michel Hazanavicius. Set in 1920s Hollywood, the tale revolves around a movie star named George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) at the height of his career who falls for aspiring starlet Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) at the start of hers. John Goodman, Missi Pyle, Malcolm McDowell, Penelope Ann Miller, and James Cromwell also star.
I realize that the concept is pretty unusual in this day and age, and may therefore sound off-putting to some. But all the reviews I’ve seen so far indicate that The Artist is a lively crowd-pleaser that makes fantastic use of an old-fashioned medium. I was utterly charmed by the recently released trailer, and I feel the same way about the six clips that have just been unveiled. Watch them after the jump.
Posted on Thursday, August 25th, 2011 by Russ Fischer
The first film to generate real ‘best picture’ buzz at this year’s Cannes Film Festival was The Artist, a lively silent film depicting late ’20s Hollywood. It is directed by Michel Hazanavicius, aka the guy that made the comic OSS 117 films. The film seems like an unlikely pairing of man and material, but a look at the footage shows just how much care went into making this period tale about the transition from silent to sound films.
The cast includes OSS 117 star and Cannes Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin, as well as John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller and Missi Pyle.
The Weinstein Company will release The Artist on November 23, and the film is likely to be one of the Best Picture Oscar contenders you’ll be hearing about at least until the next Oscar nominations are announced. Take a look at the trailer below, and see why The Artist has so many film enthusiasts wrapped around its little finger. Read More »
Posted on Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta
Lionsgate has released a final trailer for Oliver Stone’s W, which is basically an extended version of the recent tv spots. I think this is a vast improvement over the teaser trailer, because you get a much better understanding of the comedic/dramtic tone of the film. The juxtaposition of the war images with Bush’s stupidity is pure Stone. I also love how they call George Bush Sr. “Poppy”. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Official Plot Synopsis: Whether you love him or hate him, there is no question that George W. Bush is one of the most controversial public figures in recent memory. In an unprecedented undertaking, acclaimed director Oliver Stone is bringing the life of our 43rd President to the big screen as only he can. W takes viewers through Bush’s eventful life — his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith, and of course the critical days leading up to Bush’s decision to invade Iraq.
Cast: Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks, Toby Jones, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Scott Glenn, Ioan Gruffud, Richard Dreyfuss, Jesse Bradford
You special kids can stop meddlin’ with your mashed potatoes because the last major bit of casting on Oliver Stone‘s W. is close to a done deal: ass tamaleRichard Dreyfuss will play elusive veep Dick Cheney. Wow. There wasn’t any question that Stone was going for the president’s jugular with this biopic, but Dreyfuss adds a bubbly new layer of vitriolic spittle. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dubbya chews dip, in both color and Stone’s signature b&w psycho-vision, for the entire running time. Wait, does one chew dip? I guess one dips it.
Moreover, SAG has shined its light on W., giving the Lionsgate production a waiver that allows filming to proceed if/when the strike goes down this summer. Like a ‘roided bull backing into a stable, it seems W. will arrive in theaters this October no matter what, right before the election (oh, that’s not over yet?). And according to the Hollywood Reporter (no linkage) a DVD release is purposely scheduled for Bush’s exit in January. That’s the sound of Indy’s whip!
Dreyfuss joins Josh Brolin as Dubbya, Elizabeth Banks as the smilin’ First Lady, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Rob Corddry as Ari Fleischer (\m/), Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld, Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush, James Cromwell as Poppa Bush, Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell, Toby Jones as Karl Rove, and America as Captain Happypants.
Discuss: Who was your choice for Cheney? Does Dreyfuss top it? How successful do you think W. will be at the domestic box office? Is the end near? What will Bush do after he leaves office?
