The books of Elmore Leonard have been source material for a wide variety of films good and bad, from Out of Sight, Rum Punch (aka Jackie Brown) and Get Shorty, to losers like Be Cool, Killshot and The Big Bounce.
Now one more is being added to the pile, as Walter Matthau’s son Charles Matthau is preparing to direct an adaptation of Freaky Deaky, with William H. Macy starring. Read More »
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I didn’t have much doubt that a distributor would quickly move on Sylvain Chomet‘s The Illusionist. (Refer back to our previous articles detailing the film, which has origins in an unproduced screenplay by the great Jacques Tati and features a character very much designed after Tati.) In fact, I didn’t have much doubt that it would be anyone other than Sony Pictures Classics, which also released Chomet’s film The Triplets of Belleville. Hopefully SPC can find an audience for this picture; it looks simply beautiful. Check some previously posted footage below. [Variety]
After the break, a distro deal and some new casting for the promising film The Lincoln Lawyer, starring Matthew McConaughey and Marisa Tomei. Read More »
It’s casting notes time again! First up, Michael Fassbender, the British film critic lieutenant from Inglourious Basterds, has been cast in the thriller A Single Shot, working under director David Jacobson. He’s appearing alongside a great cast: William H. Macy, Thomas Haden Church and a newly slim Forest Whitaker. (Seriously, check out this pic of Whitaker in The Experiment. Give the guy a sandwich!) Fassbender will be a poacher on the run from killers — we don’t yet know the killers, but it’s not difficult to speculate that Church and Whitaker might be the guys.[Variety]
After the break, more William H. Macy news, with Juno Temple, and an on-the-nose vampiric turn from the guy who reminded us that Bela Lugosi is dead. Read More »
Last week, we discussed the surprising, albeit less surreal in 2009, news that Fox had picked up an animated TV pilot based on the characters of subversive comic book legend Peter Bagge. Today, the network has greenlit another new animated series, this one from Jonah Hill, who will co-write, provide voice work, and executive produce. Details after the jump…
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Warner Bros has finally released full details and the first photos from Robert Rodriguez‘s next film, a kids adventure film called Shorts. The official plot synopsis follows:
“Set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses look the same and everyone works for Black Box Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black’s Black Box is the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget that’s sweeping the nation. Other than keeping his parents employed, however, Mr. Black’s Black Box has done nothing for 11- year-old Toe Thompson, who just wants to make a few friends… until a mysterious rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky, hits him in the head and changes everything. The Rainbow Rock does Mr. Black’s Black Box one better: it grants wishes to anyone who holds it. Before long, wishes-gone-wrong have left the neighborhood swarming with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, giant boogers… and outrageous magical mayhem around every corner. But it’s not until the grown-ups get their hands on the Rock that the trouble really starts. Now Toe and his new found friends must join forces to save their town from itself, discovering along the way that what you wish for is not always what you want.”
I’m usually up for seeing anything Rodriguez does, especially if there is a commentary on the DVD. He’s like the old movie magic magicians from my childhood. And even when the kiddish plot isn’t particularly interesting, its always fun to find out how he accomplished some of the things he has on screen. I’ve always said he’s one of a handful of directors that I love to hear talk, but I don’t put much value in their actual filmography. But is it just me, or does the mysterious rainbow-colored rock thing look like something out of a direct to dvd or made for tv movie?
The film stars Jon Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann, James Spader, Jimmy Bennett, Kat Dennings, Trevor Gagnon, Leo Howard, Devon Gearhart, Rebel Rodriguez, Jake Short, and Jolie Vanier.
Robert Rodriguez‘s Shorts is expected to hit theaters on August 7th 2009.
Posted on Friday, November 7th, 2008 by David Chen
Throughout movie history, dozens of film greats have made the jump from in front of the camera to behind the camera. Most recently, we’ve seen Ben Affleck and George Clooney produce some strong work, displaying insane amounts of potential for their future directorial careers. With his luminous acting resume, it seems like William H. Macy would have already been one of those actors, a man who has worked with so many amazing directors that he’s probably ready to be the next Stanley Kubrick by osmosis alone. But it turns out he hasn’t actually directed a film…until now.
Variety is reporting that Macy will direct and star in Keep Coming Back with Milla Jovovich and Steve Buscemi. The comedy’s premise will center around a guy who joins an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in order to score a beautiful woman (Jovovich). I think the concept has a lot of potential, as any plotline involving picking up someone at a self-help meeting is both relatable (for me, at least. Am I right, guys?) and probably ripe for laughs. And in any case, I honestly can’t wait to see what Macy comes up with as a director.
Source: Variety
Discuss: Which actors are long overdue for stepping behind the camera?
Robert Rodriguez always has like five projects going at the same time. He’s been hard at work “developing” Barbarella (or trying to convince the studio to give him the money to make it with his future wife Rose McGowan in the lead) and just announced a TV show called Women In Chains (also starring Rose McGowan), which he’s pitching to various networks, but his next feature film to go into production will be… drumroll please…
Shorts is a family comedy adventure that follows an 11-year-old boy who is hit in the head with a rainbow-colored rock that grants wishes to anyone who holds it. Chaos erupts in this small suburb where “all the houses look the same and everyone works for Black Box, manufacturer of the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget.” Sounds more Spy Kids or The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D than Grindhouse or Sin City. Jon Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann and James Spader have signed on to star. I’m surprised Rodriguez didn’t try to squese McGowan into this project as well. Rodriguez, always a one-man show, will direct based on his own screenplay, and serve as producer, director of photography, editor, visual effects supervisor and, who knows, he might even provide the score (not yet confirmed). But what else is new?
I don’t understand how so many people are duped into paying for a movie like Wild Hogs. Every month a new stinker hits theaters, and it makes tons of money. Wild Hogs made nearly $38 million in it’s first weekend. How?
Anyway, I just got word that director Walt Becker is considering a possible sequel. How can this happen? Can we start a petition to stop this madness? Wild Hogs 2 MUST be stopped.
luckily Becker has his plate full. His upcoming projects including Runt and Old Dogs. I have an idea: How about a good movie?
Nah, that would be too hard.
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