The Playlist

Watch: Sinister & Intriguing Trailer For 'The Imposter'; Indomnia Picks Up Film In The U.S.

Edward Davis — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:12:12 GMT

Simple indentity theft or is it something much more sinister? There’s been a lot of talk about the documentary, “The Imposter” since it debuted at Sundance earlier this year. Hell, the intriguing premise had us and others talking about it before it was even screened. Here’s what Sundance had to say in advance. It’s 1994: a 13-year-old boy disappears from his home in San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later, he is found alive, thousands of miles away, in Spain. Disoriented and quivering with fear, he divulges his shocking story of kidnap and torture. His family is overjoyed to bring him home. But all is not what it seems. Sure, he has the same tattoos, but he looks decidedly different, and he now speaks with a strange accent. Why doesn't the family seem to notice these glaring inconsistencies? It's only when an investigator starts asking questions that this astounding true story takes an even stranger turn. Like his canny...

Sacha Baron Cohen Banned From The Oscars For Proposing To Attend Red Carpet As 'The Dictator' Character

Edward Davis — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:45:55 GMT

Well, this is probably not the way he saw this going down. The message is clear: do not fuck with the Academy or you will be left the last one not laughing. If you’ve kept your nose to the pre-Oscar grindstone this week, you’ve likely already heard that Sacha Baron Cohen was hoping he could attend the red carpet as General Aladeen, the main character from his upcoming Paramount comedy, "The Dictator." The potentially ridiculing idea (see all of Cohen’s films and the way they skew celebrity) made the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences extremely uncomfortable and the idea has, in fact, totally backfired. So concerned are they with the Cohen stunt, they have apparently pulled his ticket from the Oscars this Sunday, effectively banning the actor from appearing at the show. Wah wah wee wah. Ironically, Cohen is an Academy member and is in Best Picture nominee “Hugo,” but that’s apparently not enough. Maybe it’s...

With 'Akira' On Hold, Warner Bros Will Try Adapting The Manga 'Bleach' Instead; Peter Segal To Produce & Possibly Direct

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:28:53 GMT

Guess you can't blame them for trying, and it seems they really want to bring a manga to the big screen in one way or another. So with "Akira" dropping back into development (hell), Warner Bros. are turning their eyes to another manga property in the hopes they can get a tentpole out of it. The studio has snapped up the live action rights to Tite Kubo's "Bleach" and they've picked something that already has a massive following and a proven track record. At least overseas. Selling over 75 million copies in Japan, and spawning an animated series that has sixteen seasons (and counting), it seems fans are caught up in the life of Ichigo, a teenager with the ability to see ghosts, who squares off against Hollow, an evil lost soul. The teen makes it his mission to protect the innocent and help tortured souls find peace. So far, so good, but the talent behind this thing will once again cause fans grief. Dan Mazeau ("Wrath Of The Titans")...

'Transformers' Writer Ehren Kruger To Pen Matterhorn Based Pic For Disney

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:26:35 GMT

Given the monstrous success of the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" franchise, it's no surprise that Disney has been ramping up development on other movies-based-on-rides. You asked for this people. Last summer, they added a movie inspired by the Matternhorn to the pile that also includes a potential Tom Hanks and Tim Allen re-team for "Jungle Cruise," Guillermo del Toro's "The Haunted Mansion," Jon Favreau and Michael Chabon's "Magic Kingdom" and even something about The Enchanted Tiki Room. Anyway, it looks like the studio continues to climb up the mountain. They've hired Ehren Kruger, the guy behind throroughly empty "Transformers" trilogy, to take his blockbuster pen to the project. Formerly known under the working title "The Hill," the movie will apparently expand the scope of the ride (lord, we hope so considering it's essentially a roller coaster), and be some kind of grand adventure pic...

Review: David Wain's Easygoing 'Wanderlust' Is A Light, Shaggy, Scruffy & Diverting Comedy

The Playlist — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:41:27 GMT

While it's their first collaboration, one would be completely excused if they believed writer/director David Wain ('Wainy Days," "Stella," "Role Models") and Judd Apatow ("Knocked Up," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," etc.) had been working together for years. Clearly kin-like comedic souls or brothers from another mother, Wain and Apatow have been drinking from the same sweet and sour pool for some time (Wain's previous effort "Role Models" especially feels like an Apatow production). And while Wain's comedy has skewed a little bit more delicious immature and stupid (in a good way) than Apatow's signature blend of heart and potty humor, "Wanderlust" strikes the perfect mix and yet still feels like an entirely Wain-ian effort (as if Apatow only gave a few nurturing notes, but then signed off and said, "This is good to go"). And while the comedic, light and sometimes downright hilarious...

'Spartacus' Star Jai Courtney Lands Role As John McClane's Son In 'A Good Day To Die Hard'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:20:08 GMT

Well, the decision has been made and despite meeting with a handful of young character actor types like Ben Foster, Aaron Paul and Paul Dano, Bruce Willis and Fox have opted to go the hardbody route, selecting "Spartacus: Blood & Sand" star Jai Courtney to play John McClane's son in "A Good Day To Die Hard." According to Deadline, it came down to Courtney and Willis' "The Expendables 2" co-star Liam Hemsworth, with the muscles of the former presumably winning out. The actor has been on the rise of late, booking a role in the Tom Cruise thriller "One Shot" and apparently in Stuart Beattie's forthcoming "I, Frankenstein." This new movie will take John McClane to Russia where he gets introduced to his equally hard-assed son and together they have to blah blah blah democracy blah blah blah stuff explodes. Let's just hope they get a great villain... Anyway, "Max Payne" helmer John Moore will get...

John Cusack, Evan Peters & Shannon Woodward Join Emma Roberts In 'Adult World'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:06:00 GMT

With production now underway, the cast members joining Emma Roberts for "Adult World" have been rounded up and it's not a bad bunch at all, mixing up a solid veteran with a bunch of rising talent. John Cusack will hang out with "American Horror Story" star Evan Peters and "Raising Hope" actress Shannon Woodward in the upcoming film. Directed by Scott Coffey ("Ellie Parker"), who also oversaw the rewrite of the script by Andrew Cochran, the indie flick will find Roberts will playing Amy Anderson, a Stanford grad with dreams of becoming a poet who gets stuck working in an erotic bookstore to help pay off her mounting debt. Cusack will play Amy's hero and mentor, the delightfully named poet Rat Billings, with Woodward as her punk/goth roommate Candace and Peters as Manny. Cameras are rolling on this one already in upstate New York and this smells like a Sundance pic all the way. [Deadline/Deadline]

Dan Aykroyd Was Nominated For An Academy Award? The Oscar Nominations That Time Forgot

Oliver Lyttelton — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:47:02 GMT

You would think that an Oscar nomination would be a total career-changer once you get it. The top prize from your peers, even just a nomination can see you offered all kinds of new opportunities. But sometimes, that can be a short-term effect: looking over lists of past winners in the major categories, all but the most comprehensive film nerd or awards buffs will find more than a few films and performances that they never knew existed, let alone gone anywhere near the Academy Awards. As part of our continuing countdown coverage to the Oscars on Sunday, we've run down the actors and actresses, along with the screenplays (a category that always throws up a few surprises), that you might well have forgotten were once Oscar-nominated. We've excluded Best Director nominees, because they tend to be better known (although if you remembered that Atom Egoyan was nominated for "The Sweet Hereafter," your memory is better than ours...) Are there other nominees that you...

PIFF '12 Review: All Is Not What It Seems In Beautifully Shot 'The Loneliest Planet'

Erik McClanahan — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:32:01 GMT

A review from the 35th Portland International Film Festival. It’s true that “The Loneliest Planet,” directed by Julia Loktev (“Day Night Day Night”), is the kind of film that works best if you know little to absolutely nothing about it going in. But then again, couldn’t that be said for just about every film? So before we write this review, let’s get the basics out there: a young couple (played wonderfully by Gael García Bernal and Hani Furstenberg), engaged to be married, is backpacking in the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia. They hire a guide to lead them on a hike filled with stunning vistas, and…something happens that changes things, irrevocably. Sure, it’s a simple enough plot, but where this assured sophomore fiction effort from Loktev becomes quite interesting is in its complex character moments and subtle nuances. This is the kind of film that many will decry for being boring; they will almost...

Edgar Wright To Direct Johnny Depp In Disney's Reboot Of '70s Horror Series 'The Night Stalker'

Oliver Lyttelton — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:21:20 GMT

It's been a year and a half since "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" hit theaters, and director Edgar Wright has continued to remain mum on what might be next. He's been busy, for certain, with Marvel movie "Ant Man," and original scripts for "Baby Driver" and "Shaun of the Dead"/"Hot Fuzz" follow up "The World's End" all percolating, but with little firm news on any as they continued to be developed. Well, it's unlikely to be his next film, but it's just been revealed that Wright's got another project, and it's with the biggest movie star on the planet. Deadline report that Disney have attached Wright to direct "The Night Stalker," a big-screen reboot of the 1970s TV movie and subsequent series that will star and be produced by Johnny Depp. The show starred Darren McGavin as Las Vegas newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak, who comes up against vampires at first, and then a variety of...

I Want You To Come So Bad: New Trailer For 'American Reunion'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:45:08 GMT

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or something. With the "American Pie" franchise spawning seven sequels/spinoffs -- including this spring's "American Reunion" -- they haven't changed the format of the films (for better or worse), and with the entire gang now back together, cum-stuck pages of porno mags still rank as high comedy. A new trailer has landed for the sequel which finds our aged cast getting back together for their high school reunion and seemingly battling a new generation when it comes to sexual hijinks. Jim contemplates banging the girl he used to babysit who has just turned eighteen, while Stifler rails against this day job by shitting in a cooler belonging to some no good kids. Eugene Levy and Jennifer Coolidge are there to mine laughs out of the sex-between-older-people-is-gross category, while we barely spend any time with the rest of the female cast. Anyway, if you liked the other movies, you'll probably like...

Review: 'The Forgiveness Of Blood' A Tight, Taut, Grounded Dramatic Thriller

Christopher Bell — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:27:03 GMT

Despite this country being home to a number of diverse cultures and ethnicities, American cinema (both indie and Hollywood) skews heavily toward the Exciting Stories Of The White Man. Of course, some of our favorite films fall into this extremely vague category, but it certainly would be nice to see different individuals represented on the silver screen. Filmmaker Joshua Marston seems to recognize this issue and does one better -- Los Angeles-bred, the director has journeyed to completely different countries for his feature films: Ecuador for "Maria Full of Grace" (story set in Colombia) and Albania for his latest, the taut and quiet thriller-drama "The Forgiveness of Blood." He's not simply given a pass solely for venturing out of the safe confines of home (in that sense, anyone with a plane ticket and a Canon 7D would be knighted); his work successfully showcases the life of each respective country without ever feeling exploitative, melodramatic or false. The...

New Posters For 'Men In Black 3,' 'Frankenweenie,' 'Lockout' & 'Bel Ami'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:55:41 GMT

From a costume to drama to a mega-sequel to an animated reboot and a big dumb popcorn movie, there's something here for everybody, so let's get started, shall we? First up, a new poster for "Men In Black III" has dropped, and thankfully it won't give you a seizure like the previous ones. Instead, this one throws the big heads on everyone involved on it (clever!), gives them some Ray-Bans and then drops a clunky, obvious, thought-of-it-in-two-seconds tagline, Back In Time. We would've gone with Black In Time, but we got voted down at the meeting. "Men In Black III" opens on May 25th. Next up, Tim Burton is a busy boy in 2012 not only dropping "Dark Shadows" but also a feature-length version of his short, "Frankenweenie." Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Martin Landau and Catherine O’Hara are among the voice cast in the story that will center around a young Victor Frankenstein who reanimates his dog after it's...

'Electrick Children' Stars Rory Culkin & Liam Aiken On Their Roles In The Film & Growing Up Onscreen

Jessica Kiang — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:55:04 GMT

A small, indie, debut film from writer/director Rebecca Thomas, "Electrick Children" features a trio of young central performances and it really caught our eye at the Berlin Film Festival last week (review here). Having spoken to the film's lead and potential break-out, Julia Garner (check out that interview here), we then got to sit down with her two co-stars, both of them child stars-turned-promising young actors, Rory Culkin and Liam Aiken. Rory Culkin Graduating swiftly from playing younger versions of his brothers Macauley ("Richie Rich") and Kieran ("Igby Goes Down"), Rory Culkin seems to have a made a career already out of playing damaged or vulnerable characters, from the asthmatic son in "Signs" to the bullying victim in "Mean Creek" to the centre of the crumbling, dysfunctional family in "Lymelife." In "Electrick Children" that trend continues, as he plays Clyde, a dropout and...

Geoffrey Rush Sought To Take Over Lead In Former Marlon Brando & Johnny Depp Project 'Divine Rapture'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:21:03 GMT

At the best of times, particularly in the latter stages of his career, Marlon Brando was pretty unpredictable; you never knew what you might get from the mercurial actor once he was on set. But in the case of the never-made "Divine Rapture," the filmmakers never got a chance to see what might happen out of their starry production. Set to star Brando, his friend Johnny Depp (they worked together on "The Brave" and "Don Juan DeMarco") and Debra Winger, the film was all set to shoot in Ballycotton, Ireland (indeed, you can see the cast in costume above) when producers CineFin failed to secure the $4 million they needed to make the movie, leaving the movie and many villagers in the lurch. This was back in 1995, however producer Barry Navidi (Al Pacino pics "The Merchant Of Venice," "Wilde Salome" and the upcoming "King Lear") has stuck with it and it looks like nearly two decades later, the movie will be made. "I'm...

Diane Kruger On 'Farewell, My Queen,' The Value Of Beauty In Hollywood & Finding A Leopard In Her Shower

Jessica Kiang — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:56:03 GMT

Having followed what has become a fairly well-trodden path from modelling into acting, Diane Kruger seems determined to ensure that her career is more diverse and challenging than that label might suggest. In this endeavor she is undoubtedly helped by being fluent in German, French and English, meaning she can pursue roles in all three languages, and critically, for her, be part of the French cinema that she loves: "...there's a poetry to it, for me it’s what makes me dream...the kind of movies that I could [watch and then] die and go to heaven." Attending the Berlin Film Festival to promote her latest French-language film, festival opener "Farewell, My Queen" (review here), we were part of a small group of press who got to talk to Kruger during her quick visit. Kruger plays Marie Antoinette in the film, but here the interpretation of the French Queen is coloured by the suggestion of a passionate same-sex relationship with real-life friend and...

Sundance Sensation 'Beasts Of The Southern Wild' Arrives On June 29th

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:36:53 GMT

As usual, the Sundance Film Festival this year had its share of buzzworthy films, but no movie was talked about more by people in Park City than Benh Zeitlin's "Beasts Of The Southern Wild." The debut feature from the helmer drew breathless praise, even as critics struggled to put into words the exact nature of the reportedly deeply evocative, Grand Jury prize-winning film. Our own A-grade review of the movie said it's "as unique as it is uneven, as unforgettable as it is uncomfortable, and trembles with the energy, bravura and passion of director Zeitlin, his cast and his crew like some rough animal snorting and stamping with horrible wonder and the possibility of both loss and understanding." Hell, yeah. And Fox Searchlight is wasting no time getting it in theaters. Box Office Mojo (via /Film) has tweeted: "Fox Searchlight just scheduled Sundance sensation BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD for a limited bow on June 29, 2012." The summer slot...

Isaach de Bankole & David Wilmot Join John Michael McDonagh's 'Calvary'

Joe Cunningham — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:15:01 GMT

If you managed to catch John Michael McDonagh's "The Guard" last year, you'll surely agree that it was right up there with "Bridesmaids" in contention for the title of The Funniest Film of 2011. And here's something we don't say very often, but let's give the Golden Globes a whole heap of credit for nominating Brendan Gleeson for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy when most of the other major awards ceremonies forgot about the film (even the BAFTAs only managed to recognize it in one category). Gleeson and his co-star Don Cheadle were excellent in the movie, and we can't stress enough how much you should seek out this wicked black comedy if you haven't seen it yet. McDonagh and Gleeson will reunite for "Calvary," the director's sophomore effort, which will see Gleeson (this time playing the straight man) as a priest who becomes a pariah in his parish after being involved in an abuse scandal. We were on board with...

Review: 'Tomorrow, When The War Began' Is A Fairly Engaging Australian Riff On 'Red Dawn'

Drew Taylor — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:58:01 GMT

There's always been a kind of frayed-edged dangerousness to Australian cinema, a lawlessness that brought refreshing unpredictability to even the most tired of genres. The wildness that defines Australia, with its craggy rock formations and weird-ass creatures, seeps into its movies, to the point that even "Tomorrow, When the War Began," a fairly shopworn riff on "Red Dawn" (as filtered through untold modern young adult novels), feels more essential and engaging, if only for its earthy Australian-ness. The movie begins with a video transmission from our lead character, the spiky high school student Ellie (Caitlin Stasey), which lingers just long enough for you to think, "Oh lord is this going to be another found footage movie?" Thankfully, it's not. And quickly we realize that it was a framing device, and that most of the movie will take place in flashback (hence the movie's grammatically wonky title). Despite the eeriness of the brief...

'Jane Eyre' Screenwriter Moira Buffini To Adapt Erin Morgenstern's Bestseller 'The Night Circus' For 'Harry Potter' Producer David Heyman

Oliver Lyttelton — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:45:00 GMT

Few producers can claim to have the track record of David Heyman. The son of veteran producers John and Norma Heyman, he was behind a couple of projects in the 1990s -- Tupac Shakur vehicle "Juice" and underrated cannibal tale "Ravenous" among them -- but came to fame as the smart cookie who optioned J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" for the big screen. Pairing with Warner Bros, he shepherded the book and its six sequels to an eight-film run of mega-grossers: each entry in the series is among the 35 all time top-grossers. He's had some big successes away from the Potter world, including "I Am Legend" and "The Boy With The Striped Pyjamas," and has lots more in the works, including Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity," which is next up. But with Hogwarts firmly in the past, he's looking for his next phenomenon, and has just hired a screenwriter for one of the possibilites. Heat...

Watch: 4 Wild Clips From 'Project X'

Benjamin Wright — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:44:00 GMT

While advanced word on the quality of the Todd Phillips-produced party flick “Project X” has been a bit quiet so far, after two enticing trailers and with a creative team that includes music video director Nima Nourizadeh and “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” screenwriter Michael Bacall co-writing this one, we’ve remained cautiously optimistic. Just as the film is set hit theaters next week, the promotion machine looks like it’s about to kick off in a major way. Just yesterday we saw the party getting out of hand in a series of stills from the film, and now Trailer Addict hits us with four clips that lend a little more context to those images and much more. The four clips pretty much portray the film as a found footage “Superbad” pushed to extremes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the film is as humorous as these four clips are, although from the looks of it the found footage conceit seems to be easily disposable here as it...

'Community' Confirmed For March 15th Return; Brie Larson Joins Nick Stoller's Comedy Pilot & Milo Ventimiglia Goes 'L.A. Noir'

Benjamin Wright — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:21:04 GMT

While Playlist favorite “Parks and Recreation” continues to light up our Thursday nights with a dose of refreshingly smart comedy amidst two holdovers in “The Office” and “30 Rock,” some have been taking to all forms of social media to mourn the midseason loss of “Community,” which occurred this past winter. If you’ll remember, there was a pretty significant outcry over the cult series being yanked from its 8 p.m. time slot for the return of “30 Rock,” with a slate of episodes still left to air. For some fans, it started as a tweet from series showrunner Dan Harmon that read, “What you call 8:00, we call home. Community returns to Thursday nights on March 15th,” for others it was sites like Deadline that proclaimed that the cult hit was back with a vengeance in its normal time of 8 p.m. on Thursdays. While word on whether the hotly debated ratings of this hilarious live action cartoon will bump it into a...

Watch: Trailer For SXSW & Berlin Pic 'Electrick Children' & A Quick Chat With Star Julia Garner

Jessica Kiang — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:02:03 GMT

Seeming even younger than her 18 years, Julia Garner, the lead in Rebecca Thomas' debut feature "Electrick Children" (reviewed here) delivers one of those performances that marks a new star in the ascendant. Juggling upcoming roles and sweetly new to the world of press junkets and promotion, we spoke briefly with Garner at the Berlin Film Festival where the film played to a very warm reception on the opening night of the Generation Section. The movie will continue to earn buzz as it rolls into SXSW next month in Austin. The offbeat story follows a teenage girl who believes she has become pregnant via an immaculate conception, and journeys with her brother to Las Vegas where believes she will find the person responsible for making it happen. Watch the trailer for the film below (via Quiet Earth). What attracted you to the project? Well the thing is is that I audition -- I audition a lot. I really liked the script and it was a really interesting story and I...

Dominic Cooper & Karoline Herfurth Join Brian De Palma's 'Passion'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:45:02 GMT

After a few stalled efforts and possible projects that didn't quite get moving, Brian De Palma's "Passion" is going full steam ahead, and it looks like it could be his starriest outing since "The Black Dahlia." The film, a loose remake of Alain Corneau's "Love Crime," already has Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace slotted as the dueling leads, and now two more excellent actors are coming aboard. According to German site MediaBiz (via De Palma A La Mod) Dominic Cooper and Karoline Herfurth have landed roles in the film as well, though it's not clear who they will be playing. The story, which fits right into De Palma's pulpy wheelhouse, tweaks Corneau's film slightly and will focus on a woman who turns to murder when a boss steals her idea. It's basically the dream movie of anyone who has been screwed over by a superior. For Cooper, this continues his ridiculously busy year with "Summer In February" already...

Jennifer Ehle & Nash Edgerton Will Hunt Osama Bin Laden With Kathryn Bigelow

Joe Cunningham — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:23:03 GMT

If Osama Bin Laden weren't already dead, we might fear for his safety purely based on the strength of the cast Kathryn Bigelow is assembling for her (still untitled) "Kill Bin Laden" flick. Oscar winner Mark Boal ("The Hurt Locker") wrote the script and Joel Edgerton and Jessica Chastain will head a cast that also includes Mark Strong (as a good guy this time...surely?), Jason Clarke, Edgar Ramirez, Kyle Chandler and Chris Pratt. And now the production has added two more to bolster that cast. The first is Jennifer Ehle -- an actress whose career seemed to be picking up steam last year. She had small roles in four impressive movies ("The King's Speech," "The Adjustment Bureau," and "The Ides of March") and impressed in a slightly more substantial role in "Contagion." In fact, you could argue that Ehle played a bigger part there than some of the more high-profile names that made it onto the poster (*cough*...