Sundance has announced its line-up for the 2007 Film Festival by choosing pictures that, according to Festival director Geoffrey Gilmore, represent "the beginning of a new era in independent filmmaking."

 

Gilmore told The Hollywood Reporter, "Filmmakers are undergoing a massive expansion in perspective and aesthetic qualities. Where once independence meant a detachment, a kind of navel-gazing, that doesn't exist right now. Instead, there is engagement and innovation. Filmmakers are going out and engaging the real world in terms of subject matter, vision and innovative storytelling."

 

The festival, which runs Jan. 18-28 in Park City, Sundance, Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah, boasts some interesting choices this year.  Chris Smith, who won the Grand Jury Prize in 1999 with his documentary "American Movie" enters the dramatic competition with "The Pool," a Hindi-language film set in Goa, India.

 

Also on board are Nick Broomfield's "Ghosts," Gela Babluani's "The Legacy," John Carney's "Once," Rory Kennedy's "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib," David Gordon Green's "Snow Angels,"  Robinson Devore's "Zoo" and yes, Deborah Kampmeier's already controversial "Untitled Dakota Fanning Project" (which, obviously, isn't the title but has a nice ring to it).

 

Read the entire list here.

 

 

 

"Black Christmas" may well be one of my favorite slasher films ever made. As I've written:

 

"Director Bob Clark (who would later craft that little subversive yuletide favorite A 'Christmas Story') made a first of its kind--a sorority house slasher flick, complete with deranged lunatic (whom you never see), extra crazy obscene phone calls and sexy girls--especially Margot Kidder and the gorgeous Olivia Hussey. Atmospheric, gorgeously shot, intriguing and filled with genuine f'ing scares, 'Black Christmas' is a masterpiece in any genre."

 

Obviously I'm skeptical of the re-make--even with Glen Morgan (who did a fantastic job re-making "Willard") as director and James Wong (responsible for the vastly underrated "Final Destination" series) in charge. But when I watched the trailer, I moved beyond skeptisim to...why? Why mess with a great thing?

 

Nevertheless, I will suspend any more judgement until I actually see the movie which I will, most likely on Christmas.  And hey, I'm happy to see original cast member (and "SCTV" alum) Andrea Martin appearing as sorority den mother. But Margot Kidder better have a cameo--I'll be upset if they don't throw her a bone. Not only does she need the work but she's one of the most entertaining aspects to the original movie.

 

Huh. Now I'm excited to see the film. How did that happen?

 

 

 

As I wrote in an earlier post, Danny DeVito is just plain cool.

 

I even went so far as to say he rules. But after watching his possibly drunk guest spot on that femmie/cat fighting/coffe clatch "The View," it's official.

 

Danny DeVito effing rules.

 

I think my favorite moment came when DeVito did his Bush adminstration "Three Stooges" routine, surely enraging staunch Republican and continual downer Elizabeth Hasselbeck. If she even knew what he was talking about.

 

 

Thanks to The Onion A.V. Club for the tip.

 

 --posted by Kim

 

 

 

The "Freaks and Geeks"/"40-Year-Old Virgin" gang have joined forces with major talent--"George Washington" and "All The Real Girls" director David Gordon Green.

 

Green is set to direct the buddy comedy "The Pineapple Express" starring Seth Rogen and James Franco with Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson on board to  produce. The movie follows two stoner friends who become "mixed up in a drug gang."

 

Meanwhile more mix up's in production:

 

"Old School" director Todd Phillips is set to produce and possibly direct the yes, buddy comedy, "The Fix Up" in which "an average Joe's life [is] turned upside down after being falsely accused of a crime. A government agent mixed up in the case resolves to make things right, with the duo setting off on a road adventure."

 

Of course it's a road adventure. But honestly, both films (especially "Pineapple") could be great. That's all I can say or hope for right now. 

 

 

 

A group of modern "auteur's" sit down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss inspiration and art. The result leaves one wanting more. 

 

"McG: I'm curious: Are you guys interested in people enjoying your pictures, or do you make them basically for yourself and that's enough?

 

"HARDWICKE: With 'Thirteen,' I didn't think people would enjoy it. It was the feel-bad movie of that year. I thought it would be a powerful experience, but not enjoyable. I tried to make it as short as I could so the pain would last the least amount of time. It's a horror movie, really.

 

"McG: I'm not that pure of an artist. I wish I were. I'm still that kid who wants to be accepted. I can't just walk away and make my own little films in the closet.

 

"MINGHELLA: Don't apologize. It sounds like you're apologizing.

 

"McG: I suppose if I was a little more in touch with doing it for all the right reasons, I wouldn't care. But I still sit in the back of the room and wring my hands and want so desperately for people to feel what I was trying to do.

 

"GUEST: When I work on a film, I have a collaborator, Eugene Levy, and if we don't make each other laugh and have some fun, then we don't do it. I can't expect that most people will like my films. That's not why I do them."

According to Hollywood Reporter's Anne Thomspson the Steven Soderbergh Michael Curtiz styled movie "The Good German" got "the Bronx cheer" at the DGA New York screening.

 

In her Risky Business blog, Thompson wrote: 

 

"I sat near a guy who guffawed, sucked his teeth and said 'Oh, puhleeze!' loudly enough that everyone in the auditorium could hear him. And despite knowing that Soderbergh was present barely a polite applause could be heard during the end credits. (He walked onstage with moderator Tony Gilroy to a smattering of claps.)  The first question came from left field. An older woman was furious that Soderbergh moved hidden scientist Emil Brandt from the sewer to the cinema. She wanted to know why he jeopardized Brandt's safety. Expressing a more common sentiment, another old-timer stood up and said, 'Were you planning to do a spoof or a parody of 'The Third Man?' Soderbergh offed the question by saying he did not tilt the camera as Carol Reed had."

 

The comments following the post are also interesting. Others in attendance seem to think the audience had an even deeper more personal issue with Soderbergh. Read on.

 

Because life can be so depressing. Because the news has been especially ugly these days. And because I adore Penelope Cruz even, in yes, "Vanilla Sky."

 

The "Volver" actress is getting much Oscar buzz for her spectacular performance in Almodovar's latest film but I'm quite fond of another performance--her spread in the new Pirelli Calendar.

 

This is a nice little, uh... pick-me-up.

 

Gracias Ms. Cruz. -

 

-posted by Kim

 

 

Alright, so I'm back to humans. No more Smurfs. No more birds vs. Bond.

 

But then, this guy did play The Penguin.

 

Regardless, I had to report for the mere fact that Danny DeVito quite simply, rules.

 

I've worked with the man so I'm a little biased because, as the article states (from The Independent), he's one of the coolest people you'll ever meet. Down to earth, hilarious and very, very smart.  

 

And anyone who talks so fondly about movies, great movies, deserves mention. Especially in a town that can be surprisingly film illiterate.

 

Here's Mr. DeVito on growing up with the movies:

 

"'Asbury Park was unique because it was a mile-square town on a beautiful coastline, with six movie theatres which were always full,' he says. 'The whole town was packed in the summer and in the winter it was empty; you could see parking meters for miles along a barren beach. It was like a Bergman movie. [DeVito's anecdotes are peppered with cinematic references.] But it was a fantastic place to grow up because there were so many movies to see. The Lyric had all the foreign films which the Catholic Church had on their obscene list, so of course that was the one my friends and I wanted to go to most.

 

"They would show Christopher Isherwood's I Am a Camera, The L-Shaped Room, A Estrada, any film with sex in it. We knew the projectionist; the same guy also opened the theatre up and did the candycounter, so we didn't even have to sneak in. I saw everything: Jerry Lewis movies, Edward G Robinson, John Ford westerns.' DeVito adds that Alec Guinness was one of his greatest inspirations. 'Any time Alec was in a movie we'd go to see it without a doubt. Kind Hearts and Coronets - I love it, and The Bridge On The River Kwai. I remember when that was playing; they built a big bamboo bridge in front of the St James Theatre as a publicity stunt. And we watched a lot of films on TV. I still love going to the movies. I go in the afternoon when nobody bugs me and the theatre's empty, I get my popcorn and enjoy myself - it's the best entertainment.'"

 

Christopher Isherwood? Edward G. Robinson? Jerry Lewis? John Ford? Alec Guinness?

 

Again, Danny DeVito rules. --posted by Kim

As you can see from my below Smurf love, I don't feel like reporting on anything human today so again...back to the penguins.

 

Yes, penguins. Or the penguins who tap danced their "Happy Feet" all over James Bond's tautly toned arse this Thanksgiving weekend:

 

1. "Happy Feet"-- $37.9

2. "Casino Royale" $31.0

3. "Deja Vu"--$20.8

4. "Deck the Halls"--$12.0

5. "Borat"-- $10.4

 

This, of course, was bound to happen.

 

ComingSoon (by way of Moviehole) talks to "Charlotte's Web" producer Jordan Kerner about the big screen adaptation of the first blue man group (with one lady) "The Smurfs." 

 

Kerner said:  

 

"'It's a 3-D/CG Smurfs,' said Kerner. 'You just can't make those guys live – it'd be a little weird, but a 3D Shrek world of them - that's fantastic.' Kerner says he has been researching the popular '80s cartoon extensively. 'Having seen all 234 episodes of the show, numerous times, Herb Ratner and I have been working really hard at looking where all the holes were in the episodes - ya'know, like all of a sudden another woman appears, it's not just smurfette – and what we've done is we've plugged all those holes in a trilogy of three movies, and we reveal things as we go along... They're all so very protective of ['The Smurfs'], so it took me five years of negotiation to get the rights. And then, they were very uncertain about what story we wanted to tell – we weren't going to tell them until we had the rights, either. Then we got the rights on everyone's faith that they also had an ability to veto, and presented them with the treatment. They just loved it. To be told that they loved it – not just liked it – and to be told that [creator] Peyo would've loved it, is a huge blessing and a great thing to have happen.'"

 

For some odd reason it makes me happy that someone is protective of "The Smurfs." I don't want to say I was a fan but...OK, I was.

 

Anyway, read more about the project , including the chance of John Lithgow playing Gargamel here. --posted by Kim 

--Baz Luhrman has named his Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman romantic epic.

 

--There will be no "Revenge of the Nerds" re-make. I know, I know, we're all struggling to come to terms with this.

 

--BBC News UK Magazine attempts to understand why penguins have been kicking James Bond's butt.

 

--posted by Kim