WebProNews

Tag: Film

  • Adam Sandler Hits 30 Million Facebook Fans, Streams Live Chat With Andy Samberg

    Adam Sandler Hits 30 Million Facebook Fans, Streams Live Chat With Andy Samberg

    Despite what you might think about Adam Sandler’s recent direction in filmmaking, you can’t deny that he remains a popular pop culture figure. You don’t need to look any further than his Facebook page to see that.

    Sandler has just hit 30 million “likes.” In honor of that, he’s holding a livestreamed chat with SNL‘s Andy Samberg and a handful of fans. Samberg is Sandler’s co-star in his upcoming film That’s My Boy.

    Thirty fans have been selected from Facebook to screen the new film at Sony Pictures Studios today. That event is what will be streamed to all 30 million of his Facebook fans later this afternoon. It kicks off at 2 pm PDT.

    That’s My Boy, which hits theaters on June 15th, has an interesting cast and premise to say the least. Sandler and Samberg are joined by Gossip Girl‘s Leighton Meester, SNL alums Will Forte and Rachel Dratch, as well as legend James Caan. There’s also a Vanilla Ice appearance somewhere in the film, so there that is. Here’s the plot:

    That’s My Boy is the story of Donny Berger. While still in his teens, Donny (Adam Sandler) fathered a son, Todd (Andy Samberg), and raised him as a single parent up until Todd’s 18th birthday. Now, after not seeing each other for years, Todd’s world comes crashing down on the eve of his wedding when an uninvited Donny suddenly shows up. Trying desperately to reconnect with his son, Donny is now forced to deal with the repercussions of his bad parenting skills. That’s My Boy is directed by Sean Anders, produced by Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, Heather Parry, and Allen Covert, and written by David Caspe.

    Fans have been able to post their questions to Sandler and Samberg ahead of time. Folks have asked Sandler if he pranks his family, if he’s planning on doing more serious roles (like Reign Over Me), and if he laughs at his own movies.

    I have yet to see any questions about his Razzie sweep.

  • The Glass Castle Movie Is On The Way, May Star Jennifer Lawrence

    Jeannette Walls’ 2005 memoir The Glass Castle has sold several million copies and stayed on the New York Time Bestseller list for over 250 weeks. It’s already achieved instant-classic status, and has been read by countless teenagers in schools across the country. And now, her story may finally see the silver screen.

    Deadline reports that Lionsgate studios has just acquired the rights to the film, and talks are currently taking place to have Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence hop into the leading role.

    Back in 2005, Paramount Pictures seized the rights to the film through a deal with Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B. The deal moved the company from Warner Bros to Paramount, and an adaptation of The Glass Castle was one of the first projects mentioned as in development. Obviously, it never worked out as it’s 2012 and still no Glass Castle movie, but it appears that now it’s on its way to being made.

    Gil Netter is attached to produce. His résumé includes The Blind Side, Water For Elephants, Marley & Me, and BASEketball. Marti Noxon is set to write the screenplay – you know her from Fright Night, I Am Number Four, and some episodes of Mad Men and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

    Jeannette Walls’ memoir is a hard-hitter, as she discusses growing up in a poor, dysfunctional family living in the mountains of West Virginia.

    Jennifer Lawrence, fresh off starring in one of the biggest films in recent memory, has already made her name in playing a role similar to this. 2010’s Winter’s Bone (based on a novel as well) has her playing a young girl weeding through the drug-ridden population of a small Ozark Mountain town in search of her missing father.

    What do you think? Have you read The Glass Castle? Would you be excited about a film adaptation? Let us know in the comments.

  • Watch Guys Get Serious About A Board Game In Awesome Documentary Short

    I’ve never played The Settlers of Catan, a nearly 20-year-old game first developed in Germany, but that doesn’t mean I can’t relate to the guys featured in the docu-short “The Politics of Competitive Board Gaming Amongst Friends.” Being a highly-competitive person myself, I’ve flipped a few Risk boards and thrown a few Trivial Pursuit pie pieces in my day. It’s amazing how serious things can become in the midst of a heated board game battle.

    And when someone blows up, it gets a little awkward. The dramatic/comedic awkwardness that results from being so emotionally invested in a game that you know is just a game is at the center of this documentary from director Jay Cheel.

    Here’s how Cheel describes how he got the idea for the short documentary:

    A little while ago, our friend Gerry had a bit of an outburst during one of our matches. He blew up at us all and then went home, claiming he’d never play with us again. It was an awkward moment that I immediately thought was worthy of some discussion. Our “in game” personalities are quite different from the “real” us, so I thought it might be interesting to talk to those involved and see what sort of insight they have on each others gaming personalities. Also, the idea of handling such a trivial subject in such a serious manner was irresistible. This is a comedy, first and foremost.

    The main conflict in the film is between Gerry and his nemesis Matt and the outburst occurs when Matt tells Gerry that he’s taking to long to make his move. Or was it someone else that said that? Everybody seems to remember it a bit differently – something we can all relate to when we try to remember how a fight amongst friends got started.

    Check it out below:

    Cheel’s first documentary Beauty Day received some acclaim, and he has worked on a viral marketing campaign for the game Too Human. His next project, How to Build a Time Machine is a full-length feature. He says that this short was a “dry run” for that film, from a technical standpoint.

    [Via Google+Reader”>Slashfilm]

  • Wreck-It Ralph Gets 8-bit Poster, Will Feature Bowser

    Wreck-It Ralph Gets 8-bit Poster, Will Feature Bowser

    Disney’s upcoming animated feature Wreck-It Ralph has a lot going for it. It’s director, Rich Moore, did animation for The Simpsons and Futurama. It already has a great cast of voices lined up, including John C. Reilly, Jane Lynch, and Sarah Silverman. And it’s about an 8-bit video game villan – which is probably enough on its own to get me into the theater.

    Today, we learn a few more things about the upcoming film, and we also get a first look at the awesome new poster, featuring a rather angry Ralph in all his pixellated glory.

    The film is about a bad-guy trying to go good, and his journey takes him all around his arcade. Here’s the official synopsis according to Walt Disney Studios (warning: if you’re sensitive about minor spoilers, skip ahead):

    Wreck-It Ralph (voice of Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game’s perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of McBrayer). Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes… so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan — win a medal — but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph’s only hope?

    Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Silverman), a young troublemaking “glitch” from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it’s “Game Over” for the entire arcade?

    Today we learn a few more details about the movie, courtesy of MSN.

    Ralph, our hero/villain, is apparently 9 feet tall and 643 pounds, and he spends his time going on rampages and destroying buildings. Perhaps a Rampage?

    We’ve known for a while that Wreck-It Ralph will feature real video game villans – legendary foes like the ghosts from Pac-Man and possibly Coily the snake fom Q*bert. MSN confirms that we’ll be seeing at least a little bit of everyone’s favorite Koopa, Bowser. Other rumored villains include Doctor Robotnik from Sonic the Hedgehog and Kano from Mortal Kombat.

    Oh, and then there’s this awesome little poster:

    (image)

    As you can see, Wreck-It Ralph is set to hit theaters on November 2nd. It appears to have determined that broad appeal quotient that so many Disney / Pixar films have found before: great for the kids, great for the parents, and great for everyone in between.

    I’m seriously looking forward to this one.

  • Woody Allen Shooting Next Film In San Francisco

    At the age of 76, Woody Allen is still going strong – he’s a prolific filmaker that has given us a new movie every year since the dawn of the new millennium. In fact, you would have to go all the way back to 1981 to find a year where a new Woody Allen-directed film did not come out.

    And he’s been on a European streak as of late. Last year’s time-travel-themed comedy Midnight in Paris garnered accolades from critics and moviegoers alike, both for Allen’s screenplay and directing as well as Owen Wilson’s performance. In the past few years, Allen has set his films in cities like London, Barcelona, and Paris. His latest film is set in Rome.

    But despite recent rumors that his next project would take place in Copenhagen, it appears that Woody Allen is returning to America.

    Speaking at the Italian primiere of his new film To Rome with Love, Allen said that Copenhagen isn’t happening. Instead, it’s San Francisco. From The Hollywood Reporter:

    “I don’t know where that came from, but I assure you: I have not spoken to anyone in Copenhagen, I don’t know anyone in Copenhagen, and I have no plans to make a film in Copenhagen,” he noted. Instead, he said his next project will be set in San Francisco, with sections shot in his traditional New York stomping grounds. He did not rule out returning to Europe after that.

    Of course, a large proportion of his classic films are set in the Big Apple. The European trend is a more recent thing.

    As far as his new film To Rome with Love goes, Friday’s Italian premiere apparently drew mixed responses from critics. Some argued that the film gave a “superficial” portrayal of the city, to which Allen responded that the film is his own interpretation of the city, and that he doesn’t pretend to know the inner-workings of the city’s politics.

    To Rome with Love stars Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, and even Woody himself. It opens in the U.S. on June 22nd.

  • The Ashton Kutcher / Steve Jobs Movie Has A Crappy Working Title, Hitting Theaters In Q4

    On April Fool’s Day, we were hit with the news that Ashton Kutcher was set to play iconic Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in an upcoming indie biopic. The internet exploded, as some people thought it was a joke. Those that accepted the reality of the situation had mixed feelings. While some scoffed at the casting choice, others pointed out Kutcher’s striking resemblance to a young Jobs in saying that it might be a good decision.

    Personally, I think Kelso can totally pull it off, but that’s just my opinion. Steve Wozniak thinks he can too, by the way.

    Casting debates aside, we now have a little bit more information on the film, thanks to Neowin’s interview with the producer, Mark Hulme.

    First off, he revealed that the decidedly uninspiring working title of the movie is Jobs: Get Inspired. When we first heard the news, the film was simply called Jobs. We’re hoping that this working title isn’t an indication of the quality of the film.

    We also knew that the film would focus heavily on Steve Jobs’ early years, but we didn’t know to what extent. According to Hulme, Jobs: Get Inspired will mostly leave out the iPhone/iPad revolution and stick to 1971-2000.

    He sites Kutcher’s physical similarity to a young Jobs as a factor in the casting:

    Since our film covers the early years of Apple, when Jobs was in his 20’s, we needed an actor who could carry not only the youthfulness of Jobs at the time but also the psychological complexity. Because of that, and Ashton’s physical similarities to Jobs, he’s perfect for our film.

    And as far as any competition with the other upcoming Steve Jobs biopic (the one based on the Walter Isaacson biography)?

    Sony is a highly respected company, and Isaacson’s book is a great read. But our project was in development even before the release of Isaacson’s book and our movie will be out well before their movie.

    The films is set to start shooting in May, and Hulme says that it will come out some time in the fourth quarter of 2012.

    Do you have high hopes for the film? Think they should change that title? Let us know in the comments.

  • Django Unchained Synopsis Revealed, Sounds Amazing

    This year, many Christmases around the country will be shared with family; people spending warm moments by a roaring fire, drinking coffee and eating cookies. They’ll be opening presents and watching It’s A Wonderful Life under a blanket. The lucky ones will have a fresh bit of white powder and a hill nearby for some afternoon sledding.

    I’ll be in a dark movie theater watching Quentin Tarantino’s new film, Django Unchained.

    The film, slated for release on December 25th, is as much-anticipated as any other Tarantino film. The cast is unsurprisingly quirky, filled with names like DiCaprio, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Foxx, and Kurt Russell. It’s a western (or “southern,” according to Tarantino) that’s sure to bring his odd charm to a bleak landscape.

    We’ve known the basics surrounding the plot for a little while now. But today, The Weinstein Company has dropped the full official synopsis, and it sounds amazing. Check it out below (possible spoilers, depending on how sensitive you are):

    Set in the South two years before the Civil War, “Django Unchained” stars Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.

    Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South’s most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.

    Django and Schultz’s search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Academy Award-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of “Candyland,” an infamous plantation where slaves are groomed by trainer Ace Woody (Kurt Russell) to battle each other for sport. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Academy Award-nominee Samuel L. Jackson), Candie’s trusted house slave. Their moves are marked, and a treacherous organization closes in on them. If Django and Schultz are to escape with Broomhilda, they must choose between independence and solidarity, between sacrifice and survival…

    We also just got our first glimpse at this teaser poster, which would make any minimalist proud:

    (image)

    Are you excited about this upcoming film? Let us know in the comments.

  • The Avengers Porn Parody Is Happening, Stars Chyna

    Why must everything wonderful, wholesome, and good in this world be turned into a porno? Rule 34, I know. I probably wouldn’t be so upset about this if it didn’t have Chyna in it.

    Okay, I’m not exactly upset about it, but I am weary when it comes to porn parodies releasing at the same time as their mainstream-film counterparts. I mean, how will the porn even follow the story if they haven’t seen the real film yet?

    Enough facetiousness. In how-did-I-not-already-know-this-news, a porn version of The Avengers is set to release on DVD the same day that The Avengers hits the theaters worldwide. It’s called The Avengers XXX: A Porn Parody, and it’s currently in post-production from Vivid Entertainment.

    The director, Axel Braun, is no stranger to superhero porn parodies. He helmed 2011’s Spider-Man XXX as well as Superman XXX. Also, 2010’s Batman XXX and Elvis XXX (Elvis was a superhero to some, man).

    From a release (taken from XBIZ):

    Directed by Braun from a script he wrote with Mark Logan, “The Avengers XXX” finds S.H.I.E.L.D. head Nick Fury (Lexington Steele) enlisting the help of superheroes such as Iron Man (Dale DaBone), Spider-Man (Xander Corvus), and the Black Widow (Brooklyn Lee) to bring down a rampaging Hulk (Jordan Lane) in Las Vegas.

    The big-budget spoof also stars Jenna Presley as Spider-Woman, Phoenix Marie as Sharon Carter, Lexi Swallow as Mr. Marvel, Danni Cole as Scarlet Witch, Eric Masterson as Hawkeye, Brendon Miller as Thor and former WWF star Chyna as The She-Hulk.

    Check out the (surprisingly) SFW trailer below:

  • New York Yankees Make Video To Support Bully Film

    As a Red Sox fan, it can be hard to find things to like about the New York Yankees. They are, after all, baseball’s Evil Empire, the devil in pinstripes, the perennial rival and sometime dasher-of-hopes to my beloved team. Occasionally, though, they come along and do something that earns the respect of even the most die-hard of Boston fans.

    Yesterday, New York’s YES network released a video promoting the new anti-bullying documentary, Bully. In the video, some of the Yankees’ biggest names – Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Curtis Granderson, and Alex Rodriguez – talk about the serious problems bullying is creating in schools. They encouraging students to step in (safely) when they see classmates being bullied, and to always tell an adult. They also direct viewers to the Bully Project’s website. Check out the video below:

    The documentary film Bully has received a lot of attention in recent weeks. When The Weinstein Company, the production company behind the film, submitted it to the MPAA, the agency slapped it with an R-rating. TWC appealed the decision, arguing that the rating would keep many of the very kids at whom the film was aimed from seeing it. The MPAA denied the appeal, insisting that the R-rating wasn’t as big a problem as TWC argued.

    A massive petition, support from celebrities, and even a letter from Congress fell on deaf ears. After an initial unrated release at the end of March, the MPAA finally agreed to give the film an R rating if director Lee Hirsch agreed to remove three f-words.

    Here’s the official trailer for the film:

  • Zomboobies Teaser Trailer Is Two Scoops Of Awesome

    When I say Japanese horror/comedy, you say…

    Awesome? Uh-oh? What?

    What if instead, I said zombies and breasts? Does that interest anybody? If you’ve been piqued by any or all of the above, I’m proud to present to you Zomboobies, a film set to release later in 2012.

    Here’s what you can expect from Zomboobies:

    While conducting experiments to create “the perfect breasts”, a group of doctors are transformed into evil mutant creatures with an unstoppable hunger for boobies! See hot women fight to keep their perfect breasts out of these evil doctors’ mutant hands!!!

    The film, Opai-Zuki-Zombie! in Japanese, is the feature debut of director Francois Fujimoto. It was filmed earlier this year in L.A., and is currently in post production – set to come out some time in 2012. There are really no more words…just check it out below (kind of NSFW):

    Any sucker for this kind of stuff can’t help but see the potential in that. The director promises that the full trailer is coming soon, and it will involve, well, more zombies and more boobies:

    (image)@FrankyFuji
    Francois Fujimoto    Thank you @MVP ! And is only ZOMBOOBIES TEASER! Full trailer will be Much more ZOM and Much more BOOBIES! #zomboobies #opaizukizombie(image) 2 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    You can check out the film’s official site here, but there’s really not much there yet. When asked (on YouTube) whether the film (when released) will be available on DVD or for download, Fujimoto replied “Yes.” So, let’s think optimistically and take that to mean both.

    [h/t Topless Robot]

  • Alive Inside Film Shows Alzheimers & Dementia Patients Find Hope In Music

    For anyone who’s had a loved one who has suffered from Alzheimers or dementia, or is currently going through the ordeal, will tell you it’s one of the most trying and hurting experiences they’ve been through. When a loved one dies, there’s a mourning period that takes place where you get to remember them and then begin the grieving process. With Alzheimers you have to sit and watch a loved one become a person you don’t even recognize, and they don’t recognize you back. Often times it becomes a long and grueling process that takes an emotional toll.

    Due to the feelings that alzheimers and dementia stirs up, it’s always uplifting when you come across something like – Alive Inside. It’s a documentary which looks to show the power of music, and how it can help the elderly who suffer from these brain diseases.

    The film isn’t premiering until April 18th, and will be shown at the Rubin Museum in New York City. They have released a trailer for their movie, which you can view below…

    Music & Memory Story – Short from Michael Rossato-Bennett on Vimeo.

    Along with this trailer, they have an older short movie which was released late in 2011 that has become a viral success. It picked up on Reddit, and with the combined power from a couple of YouTube channels has reached over 1.4 millions views.

    Here’s another short movie you can watch as well…

    With the success of the video, hopefully this will allow them to release the documentary through various channels so more people can watch it. If you take in a viewing at the Rubin Museum there will be Alzheimer’s specialists there to take questions and provide additional information.

    As someone who has watched a loved one suffer through dementia & Alzheimers, videos like this give a small bit of hope. It might not be a cure or long term solution; but anything which can help make the rough journey for the afflicted and their families a little less painful while also lifting their spirits is a great thing.

  • Bateflix Is Netflix’s Porn Recommendation Engine

    Attention everybody who hasn’t discovered internet porn, or wants to see some nudity & sex in a real storytelling context (sorry, internet porn), some guy has created a search engine for all of the movies available via Netflix that contain the MPAA’s greatest enemy. The site is aptly titled “Bateflix” and says it will help you find “the best porn on Netflix.”

    According to Bateflix, they have 6,411 movies in the database. There are rated on a scale from X to XXX, depending on their level of sexual explicitness.

    Users can search the database by filtering for genre, category (or sexual activity), year, MPAA rating, user rating within Netflix, and of course DVD-vs-streaming availability. So, if I wanted a fantasy film from 2000-2009 featuring accidental nudity, I currently only have one option: The Piano Tower of Earthquakes, a Not-Rated 2006 film with a 2.8 average rating on Netflix. “After murdering an opera singer onstage, the sinister Dr. Droz absconds with her corpse and creates a performance starring her reanimated body,” says the synopsis. In this case, I’m probably better off taking my chances on the interwebs.

    But if I generalize my search to any film available through Netflix instant with a threesome – I get a lot more options. This is just the XXX categorized results:

    (image)

    After you find what you’re looking for, you can even write a nudity review. Bateflix also features a random movie generator, if you’re not being too picky.

    Of course, using a Netflix search as a porn search has its problems. For one, watching an entire movie like “Black Snake Moan” for the nudity/sex is like reading Catcher In The Rye to hear someone say some bad words. There are definitely better options. Plus, a random search just pulled up films like 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days as well as Irreversible – both of which contain nudity, but calling it “porn” might be a little strange for some people.

    Then again, if you have to watch a movie with your parents, you could use Bateflix to screen out the ones that might make things a bit uncomfortable.

    Oh well, let’s just file it under the “so that exists” department and move on.

  • Eadweard J. Muybridge Google Doodle Recalls “The Horse In Motion”

    Today, Google celebrates the birthday of Eadweard Muybridge, the British photographer who is thought to be one of the most important figures in the beginning of motion pictures.

    Born April 9th, 1830, today would be he 182nd birthday.

    Muybridge began his photography career as a landscape and architectural photographer, and he became successful in San Francisco in the 1860s. In 1873, after gaining some level of fame for his landscape work in the U.S. West, he was tapped to photograph the Modoc War, an U.S. Army campaign against Indians in the West.

    His breakthrough work in motion capturing came in the late 1870’s with the famous “Sallie Gardner at a Gallop” or “The Horse in Motion,” as it’s more commonly called. This early example of videography was prompted by a simply question from the former Governor of California Leland Stanford, who called into question the fact that all four of a horse’s hooves were simultaneously off the ground mid-trot.

    Check out his early photos set to motion below:

    And it’s “The Horse in Motion” that’s the inspiration behind today’s Google Doodle. It’s playable, and when activated comes to life with the images of the famous horse galloping in every frame. Of course, the Google logo has to be present somewhere within the Doodle, and it is in a truly minimalistic way. It’s a great Doodle, probably one of the best in some time. Check it out below (music added in video, the Doodle doesn’t have sound):

  • “Bully” Cuts Some F-Bombs, Lands PG-13 Rating

    When the much-anticipated and controversial documentary Bully expands to 55 new markets on April 13th, it will do so as a PG-13 rated film.

    The MPAA decided to lower the film’s rating not after hundreds of thousands signed online petition letters, or because high-profile Hollywood celebrities came out in support of it, but because director Lee Hirsch cut three f-words.

    Apparently, the three f-words that got the boot were not part of one of the film’s most crucial scenes. The main scene that the MPAA has had such a problem with has actually been left alone. The scene involves on teen being bullied on the bus and contains quite a few upper-level profanities – enough to make the MPAA think it warranted an “R” rating.

    Director Lee Hirsch had this to say on the decision:

    I feel completely vindicated with this resolution. While I retain my belief that PG-13 has always been the appropriate rating for this film, as reinforced by Canada’s rating of a PG, we have today scored a victory from the MPAA. The support and guidance we have received throughout this process has been incredible, from the more than half a million people who signed Katy Butler’s petition, to members of Congress, Governor Mike Huckabee and the many celebrities and others who raised their voices to express deeply felt support for a film that can inspire millions. The scene that mattered remains untouched and intact, which is a true sign that we have won this battle. With an array of great partners, a fabulous educator’s guide and extensive online tools, we can now bring this film unhindered, to youth and adults across our country.

    That scene was not on the table, according to Hirsch. His refusal to edit the schoolbus scene in any way eventually led to the workaround involving the removal of other f-word instances.

    For Bully, it’s been a bumpy road to get to PG-13. After the film was initially slapped with an R rating, The Weinstein Company implored the MPAA to change their minds. Then, a high schooler began an online petition to lower the rating on change.org and it blew up, garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures. The MPAA was even approached by a U.S. Representative and various Hollywood celebs.

    The MPAA reiterated their initial decision, and shorty after that The Weinstein Company decided to buck the MPAA and release the film unrated. It hit select cities with a “pause 13” rating from another movie ratings board and AMC theaters distributed permission slips that parents could sign allowing their child to see the film.

    Bully has been marketed as a must see for kids and adults – to alert everyone to the growing problem of systematic abuse within our nation’s schools. The PG-13 rating definitely means that the film will be seen by a lot more kids.

    Was this the right move from both sides? What do you think about the MPAA, especially the way they played the whole Bully thing? Let us know in the comments.

  • Ashton Kutcher Wants An Oscar For The Steve Jobs Biopic

    I think that we can all agree on our initial reaction to the news that Ashton Kutcher was set to portray Steve Jobs in an upcoming biopic.

    “What?”

    But after everyone settled down and it was confirmed that it wasn’t some April Fool’s joke, I started to think. To be more accurate, I started to look at the plethora of side-by-side images that various sites created to report on the news. Let’s not beat around the bush here – Kutcher looks just like a younger Steve Jobs. It’s staggering just how similar a long-haired, bearded Kutcher appears when placed next to a long-haired, bearded Jobs. Of course, physical similarities do not predict a virtuoso performance. But Kutcher has a young, arrogance that will fit the role beautifully, and I’m going to give Kutcher’s acting chops the benefit of the doubt. Just go with me on this – just for a little bit, at least.

    TL;DR – I think he’s perfect for the role.

    And I’m not the only one. While half of Twitter freaked out, a display that would lead you to believe that the film’s director Joshua Michael Stern had defecated on the late pioneer’s grave, some guy named Steve Wozniak spoke up. Wozniak, whose character is sure to feature heavily in the film, said that he’s “glad [Kutcher] is onboard.”

    “I think he’ll put a lot into it and that he cares about this particular subject,” he said.

    Apparently, the Woz is right about him “putting a lot into it.” According to an interview with The Daily, the film’s producer says that Kutcher is already highly committed to the role.

    “He is already meeting with folks that knew Steve Jobs. He’s working with professionals to get inside the voice. He’s letting his hair grow out. I understand he’s canceled all meetings and actually canceled all other projects,” said Mark Hulme.

    He goes on to say that Kutcher is investing a lot of himself into the role, and that he feels that the role of Steve Jobs was meant for him.

    And apparently, filming on “Jobs” is set to kick off in May. They are shooting for Thanksgiving as the latest release date, so that they’ll have it in before awards season. You hear that: Kelso wants an Oscar.

    And who’s to say that’s a longshot? I present to you, for your consideration: Ashton Kutcher, future Best Actor Oscar Winner.

    • The resemblance. Mentioned before, but come on.  You don’t really even need any Hollywood magic for this one.  Kutcher just needs time for hair growth and a wardrobe change.
    • Method acting.  From the initial reports, the people behind “Jobs” are already planting the seed for Kutcher’s Oscar campaign.  The more he loses himself in the role, the better his chances of being nominated for Best Actor.  Note, I didn’t say “win,” but a great story about Method acting can at least get you in the door.  I mean, Daniel Day Lewis got so into his role as Bill the Butcher for Gangs of New York, that he stopped wearing modern coats on set because they we anachronistic.  He got pneumonia, and a Best Actor nod.
    • He’s playing a real person.  Historically, the Academy likes it when you can portray someone who was important who also really existed.  In the last ten years, six of the Best Actor winners have gotten their statues from recreating an historical figure on the silver screen.  Jamie Foxx playing Ray Charles, Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Truman Capote, Forest Whitaker playing Idi Amin – all Best Actor winners.  The latest of this trend came last year when Colin Firth won for his portrayal of King George VI in The King’s Speech.
    • The movie’s got a one-word title.  You don’t think that the fact that his film is called “Jobs” is important?  The last ten Best Actor winners’ films combined only have 23 words in the titles.  And look at some of the films that produced a Best Actor winner: Ray (about Ray Charles). Capote (about Truman Capote). Milk (about Harvey Milk).  Notice a trend?
    • Jeers to Tears.  I’m not assuming that “Jobs” is going to produce a lot of tears, I’m just saying that in the past, The Academy has rewarded actors who began their careers with (primarily) comedic roles – who then turned in a powerhouse dramatic performance.  Not that all of Nicholas Cage’s films before he won Best Actor were laugh riots, but he was well-known for Raising Arizona, Peggy Sue Got Married, and that little tiny role in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  Then he drank himself to death and screwed Elisabeth Shue and got an Oscar.  Tom Hanks got laughs in Turner & Hooch, Joe Versus the Volcano, and A League of Their Own before playing a lawyer riddled with AIDS in Philadelphia, making grown men cry, and garnering an Oscar in the meantime.  Kutcher definitely fits the goofy to serious mold with this film.
    • The Academy can get swept up in the moment.  If there’s enough buzz about a person, and they’ve generated enough chatter about their performance, they can win awards that in hindsight might seem a little off.  Marisa Tomei, anybody (although My Cousin Vinny is great). Roberto Benigni?  Shakespeare in Love?  This is not saying that Kutcher could get a nomination or even win if he’s bad in the film just because he gets a lot of buzz – I’m just saying that popular buzz has a history of being rewarded on some Oscar years.  And as one of the crown princes of Twitter, he’s going to be able to generate plenty of online buzz.
    • Quentin Tarantino has nothing to do with the project.  That alone should sway the Academy.

    Of course, all of this is just speculation. The film could suck, or it could be completely overshadowed by its Sony-backed big budget brother – the Steve Jobs movie based on the bestselling Walter Isaacson biography. Aaron Sorkin could even be writing that one.

    So, without one second of this film actually being filmed, let me be the first to predict it: Ashton Kutcher, future Oscar winner.

  • Avengers Contests Give Facebook Fans Advance Screenings

    Some lucky moviegoers will have the chance to see The Avengers a little bit early, as Marvel is running a couple of contests via Facebook.

    The first contest comes to you from Marvel and Harley-Davidson, who are giving away two tickets to the official world premiere event in Hollywood. The prize doesn’t included accommodations or travel, but will receive “goodwill” if they make it to Hollywood on a Harley-Davidson. The contest was announced on Facebook, and fans can enter here.

    (image)

    While this contest is merely being promoted on Facebook, another contest announced on Monday involves actual Facebook likes. Disney’s Marvel Studios say that a few lucky cities will be getting advance screenings of the film, about three weeks before the nationwide release on May 4th.

    Cities like L.A., NYC, Chicago, Miami, and Houston are already getting advance screenings, but there will be another five U.S. cities that will get the film early. That’s where Facebook comes into play. The amount of Facebook fans from participating cities will be the determining factor in where the advance screenings land.

    The Avengers is set to be one of (if not the) biggest blockbuster of the summer (The Dark Knight Rises may argue). Check out the trailer below:

  • “Bully” Asks Twitter Users To Tweet To Stop Bullying

    Yesterday, we received some big news from The Weinstein Company regarding the upcoming documentary Bully. Today, TWC has declared today “Twitter Tuesday” for the film, and they want everyone to show support by making it a trend.

    On Monday, TWC announced that they would be releasing the documentary as unrated on March 30th. This came after a long struggle with the MPAA over an “R” rating that they gave the film.

    Bully was given the rating by the MPAA, narrowly missing the preferred PG-13 rating by just one vote. The Weinstein Company objected, as did hundreds of thousands of people who signed an online petition started by a high school student on change.org. The main qualm that people had with the R rating (for language) was that it would prevent kids from seeing the film, which of course is largely educational.

    The MPAA said that “the R rating is not a judgment on the value of any movie” and that “the rating simply conveys to parents that a film has elements strong enough to require careful consideration before allowing their children to view it,” but TWC decided to buck that rating and go unrated.

    Now, TWC and the filmmakers want Twitter users to “dedicate their tweets” by retweeting this:

    @bullymovie
    Bully Movie     Please RT! “13 million kids get bullied every year. Today take a stand with me and @BullyMovie at http://t.co/I4UXfCwE #BullyMovie“ 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    The link takes you to a site where you can sign up to be part of “The Bully Project.” Cynically, this Twitter initiative is good free advertising for the film which opens up soon. On the other hand, it’s a great way to spread awareness of a serious issue and get people to do their own research on the epidemic of bullying in today’s schools.

    As of the writing of this article, Bully has not yet become a national trend. But people are tweeting the message as well as their commentary on the film (which premiered last night in LA).

    @go_nino
    Allie Gonino    Holy cow, #BullyMovie was SO good! Not a dry eye in the place. Can’t believe humans are so horrible to each other. Let’s end this! #love 8 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @anderson
    Anderson    Today is Twitter Tuesday! Make it Trend: Tweet #BullyMovie. Devote Your Tweets to Stop #Bullying (#Tuesday on #Anderson) 2 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @aaronlinzy
    Aaron Lindsey    When I was a kid a bully only impacted you outside of your home. Today with social networks & cell phones it’s non-stop. #bullymovie 22 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    If you haven’t seen the heartbreaking trailer yet, check it out below:

  • “Bully” Documentary Releasing Unrated on March 30th

    Just a couple of weeks after the MPAA reiterated their decision to keep the upcoming documentary Bully rated R, The Weinstein Company has decided to release the film as unrated by the MPAA on March 30th.

    The film, which chronicles an epidemic of school bullying, was given an “R” rating for language (and missed the PG-13 rating by just one vote). Naturally, this angered those that felt that an R rating would hamper the film’s visibility, as many schools couldn’t show it in their classrooms. Of course, this kind of defeats the purpose of a film like this, which is meant, in part, to be educational.

    Not only did TWC ask the MPAA to reconsider their decision, a grassroots effort to change the rating began online. Through social media and a huge online petition begun at change.org, hundreds of thousands of people expressed their disapproval of the rating. While such public outpouring definitely hit on the MPAA’s radar, they maintained that “the R rating is not a judgment on the value of any movie” and that “the rating simply conveys to parents that a film has elements strong enough to require careful consideration before allowing their children to view it.”

    But it was clear that an R rating would scare off some parents and schools, who would be wary of showing it to children and young teenagers.

    “The small amount of language in the film that’s responsible for the R rating is there because it’s real,” said the film’s director Lee Hirsch. “It’s what the children who are victims of bullying face on most days. All of our supporters see that, and we’re grateful for the support we’ve received across the board. I know the kids will come, so it’s up to the theaters to let them in.”

    “While it’s often heartbreaking and deals with tough issues like suicide, the movie addresses bullying in a frank and relatable way that is age appropriate for teens and relevant for middle schoolers if an adult is present to guide the discussion,” said James P. Steyer, Founder and CEO, Common Sense Media. “The MPAA’s ratings system is inadequate when it comes looking at a movie’s content through the lens of its larger thematic issues.”

    In the past couple of weeks, the MPAA has been approached by a U.S. Representative regarding the film. The cause has also been championed by some Hollywood elite, like Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep.

  • Mozilla Announces Living Docs Project in Open-Source Documentaries

    Mozilla hopes to revolutionize open-source, Web-based documentaries through its new Living Docs Project, which launched yesterday. The open source non-profit organization announced recently its partnership with The Tribeca Film Institute, The Center for Social Media at American University, ITVS, and BAVC. The goal of the project is to encourage a spirit of open innovation and collaboration in the world of online documentary. Participants will use open source, Web-based production programs and share code and resources, with a focus on the early and frequent release of new iterations of their media.

    “This is about the evolution of the documentary genre,” said Mozilla’s Brett Gaylor, via the Mozilla blog. “We’re bringing filmmakers and developers together to tell stories in ways that have never been attempted before.”

    Interactive documentaries are a relatively new and dynamic medium. They focus on the use of open source programs (like Mozilla Popcorn), free and open collaboration, and a variety of web-based media tools enables filmmakers working in interactive documentary to create unique, non-linear films with a flexibility unavailable to the traditional linear documentary format. Like both open source programs and all creative work published online, interactive documentaries can be released immediately upon completion, then tweaked and edited according to consumer feedback, new technological developments, and the evolution of the story in the filmmakers eye.

    Check out this video of a Living Docs Hack Day by Brett Gaylor.

    Mozilla and its partners will encourage the collaborative filmmaking of the Living Docs Project through a series of “Hack Days.” According to Beyond the Box, Hack Days will highlight new projects, document best practices in interactive filmmaking, share lessons between participants, promote code sharing, and provide funding for the creation of web-based documentaries.

    The first Living Docs hackathon will be held April 28 and 29, at the Hot Docs film festival in Toronto. If you’re an interactive filmmaker, it’s not too late to participate. You can apply here.

    Mozilla recently launched another Web-based filmmaking project, called Firefox Flicks. You can read about it here.

  • Netflix Transitioning To Television

    Netflix Transitioning To Television

    More than half of all Netflix viewing is now television. The company known best for featuring feature films is becoming an Internet streaming service for television shows. For over a year, Netflix has been bulking up on old TV shows in an effort to challenge HBO. Home Box Office had been threatening Netflix lately with the success of streaming their own original shows. Netflix’s Chief Executive, Reed Hastings said the company would try a couple of dozen original shows instead of reruns, shadowing the HBO model.

    Thanks to the shift in focus and strategy to Television, the company has been able to retain about 21.7 million streaming subscribers in the U.S. That’s roughly one in four households with broadband. For Netflix, the transition to television has been very successful over the past year, especially with the recent loss of movie titles from Starz. The new release movies provided by Starz, account for only two percent of all viewing on Netflix. The company has spent a large amount of its budget on new streaming titles that subscribers have requested.

    @MojaveDan
    Dan Harley    #internet The Internet Was Made for Television – Netflix doesn’t have to sweat losing its big Starz Play movie libra… http://t.co/uZR67Lh4 3 hours ago via HootSuite ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Many of the new titles are full seasons of TV series including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad” and “Lost.” The move to TV reruns was caused by the tightening up of titles from the major movie studios. The movie moguls fear the power and popularity of Netflix and in an attempt to slow its growth, have raised prices for films and shows. “The company is being forced into offering more (older) TV content because it’s cheaper,” said Managing Director, Youssef H. Squali.

    “The conversation in the media world is, the content’s terrible, yet the average subscriber is devouring over an hour a day, every single day. Obviously they don’t think it’s horrible,” adds analyst Richard Greenfield. Netflix won’t say what proportion of their total viewing is made up from TV episodes but its executives put the number at fifty to sixty percent last fall. Mr. Greenfield suspects the number to be closer to eighty percent according to a recent New York Times article. Either way, its a pretty big win for Television and viewers.

  • Best Picture Oscar Goes To The Artist, Twitter Reacts

    The Artist won the coveted Best Picture Oscar.

    Here’s the trailer:

    The nominees were:

    Hugo
    Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers

    Midnight in Paris
    Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers

    Moneyball
    Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers

    The Tree of Life
    Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill, Producers

    War Horse
    Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

    The Artist
    Thomas Langmann, Producer

    The Descendants
    Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers

    Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
    Scott Rudin, Producer

    The Help
    Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers

    Here’s the Twitter reaction:

    @kesslerbs
    Bryan Kessler    If The Artist winning Best Picture gets more people to go see it, then it has served a purpose. But, this is the wrong pick. #Oscars 41 seconds ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @AbeBianey
    Abe Bianey    WOW!!! The Artist Best Motion Picture of 2012! It’s true Welcome Back Silent Film! #Oscars 1 minute ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @pankajsabnani
    Pankaj Sabnani    Yay! The Artist wins the Award for the best picture. A silent film that left me speechless! #Oscars 1 minute ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @ajoyadvani
    Ajoy Advani    @theglamgangblog Best Motion Picture: The Artist. Next year the #Oscars will be held in France. 1 minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @sgocha
    Sarah Gocha    And the award for best picture goes to…The Artist! I guess this is another movie that I have to add to my must-see list! #Oscars 2 minutes ago via Twitter for iPad ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @RyanMahercomedy
    Ryan Maher    I’d write a joke about The Artist winning Best Picture, but it would just be redundant #oscars #tweetroast 2 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @TypicalDevin
    DevinZ104    The Artist is Best Picture?!? BOOOOOOOOOOO. Disagree. Goodnight. #Oscars 2 minutes ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @Michael_Chapin
    Michael Chapin    Essentially a flip book won 5 oscars. Including best picture. Really!? #oscars 3 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @LamaHQ
    Lama H    Wow. The Artist! What an achievement for a silent film to win best picture in this day and age #Oscars 3 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @AmandaW21
    Amanda Wright    So The Artist wins Best Picture… Shocker! Lol, not. I couldn’t sit through it though I’m afraid. Just not my type of thing. #Oscars 3 minutes ago via UberSocial for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @chasinghiromi
    Janice H. Reinold    Hurray for The Artist for Best Picture! Now I have to go see it 🙂 #oscars 4 minutes ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @chakerkhazaal
    Chaker Khazaal    & Afterall, ‘The Artist’ evening. Congrats for Best Picture #Oscar. Confession: I didn’t like it but have to watch it again now. #Oscars 4 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @MaddyMcGoHard
    Maddy     thank god Hugo didn’t win best picture. #Oscars 4 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @dargavell
    Jase    Well it’s finally over with that anti-climatic win for best picture. Ugh, out of 9? #Oscars 5 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @Moody_Critic
    Adam Moody    Thank you Academy for at least getting the main one right. The Artist wins the Best Picture award. #Oscars 5 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @CrimsonDynamoII
    Rajive Cunningham    they used the soundtrack of Moneyball to announce best Picture nominees and did it win? NOO pffft #Oscars 5 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @AletheaMorgan
    Alethea Davenport    Best Picture goes to the one movie I’ll probably never watch. I don’t do silent films #sorry #oscars 6 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @alexzeller
    Alex Zeller    I don’t think “The Artist” deserved “Best Picture” #Oscars. 6 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto