Today's Must Read New Yorker Screenwriter Alan Zweibel on his two run-ins with Roger Ebert (who gave him his worst review)
More Links In Contention Melissa Leo's gone Hollywood. Are the new films beneath the LEOgend's skill set? Open Culture Alfred Hitchcock masterclass on film editing Cartoon Brew Disney destroys its hand drawn animation division. Honestly I'm shocked that this only happened now. It's been so long since they were in the hand drawn business. (Sigh) The Playlist Abbie Cornish, Colin Farrell, and Anthony Hopkins in a movie about FBI agents with psychic abilities. Sounds terrible.
And Four For You, Glen Coco! Hollywood.com has an empirical breakdown of the seven women of Mean Girls and who is doing best for themselves 9 years later. I almost didn't link though because of the weird lapses in facts just to praise Rachel McAdams. Yes, Hollywood.com, she has also had flops. And more than one of them. i09 on why the western/sci-fi mashup is such a hard sell for audiences MovieLine wonders why there's no remake of Near Dark (1987) in the works. Ugh. So glad there isn't! There's no topping Bill Paxton's "finger lickin' good" vamp. Entertainment Weekly Matt Damon's new physique for Elysium
Troublemakers why you couldn't remake The Breakfast Club. Sad but true! Press Play Ali Arikan's "end of message" on corresponding with Roger Ebert over the years David Poland the second part of his goodbye to Roger Ebert Guardian the films that defined the Thatcher Era in Britain from Chariots of Fire (1981) to My Beautiful Laundrette (1986)
Dreamweaver queer artists recently paid tribute to Sigourney Weaver here at a special gallery exhibit in NYC. Why I wasn't warned of this and could therefore help spead the word, I do not know. Love my Sigweavie. The Advocate... Sigourney Weaver responded to the tribute.
It means so much to me that my work has been relevant and encouraging to the LGBT community. I support each and every one of you to be exactly and gloriously who you are and all you can be. The planet needs your individuality and talent and power to make it a more humane and respectful and fantastic place, where everyone is valued and celebrated equally.
Cinematic Corner sees visual parallels between Pulp Fiction and Breaking Bad LA Times Architectural renderings for the Academy's massive forthcoming museum and theater. I just got a boner in advance for 2017. Twitter if you wanna see what Timothy Olymphant looked like on his college swim team Empire Oscar Isaac, currently quite in demand, might join the cast of Ex-Machina from writer/producer turned director Alex Garland (The Beach, Dredd) In Contention keeps us abreast of what's happening with the MTV Movie Awards. I always forget about those but they were so fun ages and ages ago before they got completely coopted by the mainstream. I mean Jesus, in one of their first years they gave a prize to Wes Anderson before anyone knew who he was.
It's been ages since I had a moment for a link & news roundup so here you go. If you've already read some of these I apologize for my tardiness. If not, enjoy them.
Big Screen Huffington Post I have to give Peggy Siegal's Oscar Diary pride of place because if you haven't yet read it -- it debuted a few days ago -- you must. Peggy is fabulous and after which movie stars show at her parties here in NYC the thing I'm always most intrigued to see is what she'll be wearing. MovieLine a sequel to The Host is now more than a little unlikely and it won't be the next Twilight. That's OK because we didn't want Saoirse tied up with a franchise for aeons. NPR Saoirse Ronan loves Clueless. See, she's just a regular teenager. (as if!)
Encore's World a fun appreciation of Anne Baxter in The Ten Commandments In Contention rule changes for the documentaries at the Oscars MNPP Gregory Peck Or... His Grandson? Deadline Sally Hawkins joins the cast of Godzilla in an apparently big role. /Film ...reports the same news but oddly calls Sally Hawkins an Oscar Nominee. IF ONLY! Cinema Blend and a million other sites are breathlessly excited about the photo of Beast that Bryan Singer tweeted for X-Men Days of Future Past. Everyone is all "which actor is it????" but it seems pretty clear to me that that's a concept drawing and not Kelsey Grammar or Nicolas Hoult. Nerd Approved Disney Princesses as Sith Lords? Guardian can Josh Trank (Chronicle) save Fox's Fantastic Four franchise? Empire Allison Janney may play Melissa McCarthy's mom in the comedy Tammy
Miscellania /Film alerted us to this Prada Candy commercial from Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola.
It's always nice to see Léa Seydoux -- love the shot of her munching on popcorn so cheekily -- and for directors to have a little fun paying homage to the classics. In this case that's Jules et Jim. i09 the 20 most epic beards and moustaches in the multiverse... a fun list given that hairy Game of Thrones has returned Gawker "what the hell is going on with Amanda Bynes: A treatise"
Small Screen PopWatch who will replace Matt Lauer and what was his television crime? Great piece by Mark Harris Variety TV's Hannibal didn't take much of a bite out of the ratings. But time will tell whether the latest movie to series effort becomes a hit. E.T. Teen Wolf Season 3 Details. No Colton Hayne? Uproxx Elisabeth Moss plays "fuck, marry, kill" with the men of Sterling Cooper and makes the correct choices with those Mad Men
Ebert RIPs Movie City News David Poland remembers his friends hosting passion and group nights out at Ebertfest Press Play has a video tribute to Siskel & Ebert's sparring chemistry
I am devastated by the loss of my love, Roger -- my husband, my friend, my confidante and oh-so-brilliant partner of over 20 years. He fought a courageous fight. I've lost the love of my life and the world has lost a visionary and a creative and generous spirit who touched so many people all over the world. We had a lovely, lovely life together, more beautiful and epic than a movie. It had its highs and the lows, but was always experienced with good humor, grace and a deep abiding love for each other."
I love that line "more beautiful and epic than a movie" because I've always been curious what it was like for Chaz to be married to the movies; Roger Ebert had to have been a package deal since he was so synonymous with the cinema.
Hard to put into words exactly how much this means to the film community in general. Suffice it to say, one of the great film critics, one of the kindest, most influential, most humane since the birth of cinema is going to be deeply, deeply missed.
Please share in the comments any thoughts or feelings or memories you may have about his writings, his musings, his blogs, his bantering with Siskel and/or Roeper.
Devine Wrath fills out our summer report card with love for Brave and Cosmopolis among others The Many Rantings of John also shares his summer movie crushes: Charlize's eyes, Jeremy's arms, Channing's everything... Boy Culture Madonna endorses Obama, wears her politics on her sleeve back PopWatch a Sex & The City for gays* called Hunting Season. *As if the original wasn't? Cinema Blend Katey's Operation Kino podcast takes on Bachelorette. They all hated it but the discussion is interesting... the way they're forced to really grapple with their negative feelings.
Movie|Line thinks Rebel Wilson (Bachelorette, Pitch Perfect) is the most interesting person in Hollywood right now Pajiba "the first five people I'd audition for a film about Amy Poehler & Will Arnett's marriage" Hollywood Elsewhere Joe Wright calls Anna Karenina "a ballet with words" and claims influence from the great filmmaking team of Powell & Pressburger (The Red Shoes / Black Narcissus) Playbill interviews Sutton Foster post Bunheads (the show has been renewed. yay!) Awards Daily a documentary on the life of Roger Ebert by the director of his beloved Hoop Dreams. It could happen! The Hairpin remembers Montgomery Clift's long suicide and major stardom
And finally here's the poster for David O. Russell's latest comedy (?) Silver Linings Playbook about two crazies in love.
The film is in black and white but Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence's antidepressants have been cut with melange*.
Friday, April 12, 2013 at 9:16PM 
