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Christopher Nolan to Batman. Bryan Singer to X-Men (and I guess you could say Superman). Sam Raimi to Spider-Man. Now, Darren Aronofsky to RoboCop. All directors who made their marks in the indie world and have moved to the studio machine. You could make the argument that out of these names Aronofsky would be the least tempted to go down this road. Is it strictly for the money, or is there a little sprinkle of youthful nostalgia? MGM has tentatively slated the RoboCop film for 2010.
MARDI GRAS QUEEN HELEN MEAHER IN DIRECTOR MARGARET BROWN’S THE ORDER OF MYTHS. COURTESY CINEMA GUILD. Though she may appear to casual observers as simply a gifted young chronicler of Southern culture, Margaret Brown’s talents extend beyond that. The daughter of Milton Brown, the songwriter who penned the catchy title song for the Clint Eastwood vehicle Every Which Way But Loose, Brown was raised in Mobile, Alabama, and since graduating from university has been highly active behind the camera. In the past decade, Brown’s filmmaking career has been impressively diverse: she first produced the Student Academy Award-winning short Six Miles […]
I gotta admit, I had no clue who Daft Punk was when I got a DVD of their first film, Electroma, in the mail. Now, I did vaguely recall the title because people were telling me that it was a bore (it premiered at Cannes in 2006). But after watching it I strongly disagree. A beautifully shot, intimate story with no dialogue, Daft Punk (Thomas Bangalter & Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo) creates a touching commentary on life and the loneliness of being an outcast. In Electroma, we follow two robots — decked out in matching jumpsuits with “Daft Punk” spelled out […]
Anthony Kaufman reports on indieWIRE today Netflix‘s folding of its production/acquisition unit, Red Envelope Entertainment. An excerpt: Due to changing marketplace conditions and the natural evolution of Netflix, according to Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, the company decided it was time to move on. “The one thing we learned this year is that there’s no shortage of produced movies and there’s no shortage of money for viable projects,” Sarandos told indieWIRE yesterday. “The best role we play is connecting the film to the audience, not as a financier, not as a producer, not as an outside distributor or marketer.” “It […]
For those of you who just check out the blog, over on the main page select stories from the Summer issue are up. That includes: This year’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, and interviews with the Duplass Brothers on their latest film Baghead, Alex Holdridge on In Search of a Midnight Kiss, James Marsh talks about his doc Man on Wire, and a rare interview with the reclusive band Daft Punk who’ve made their first film, Electroma. Plus: Lance Weiler shows how to create a fan base online, David Rosen breaks down the next telecom war, and Shelley H. […]
With the summer issue going live on the site tomorrow, which includes our 10th year doing “25 New Faces of Independent Film,” we thought it would be fun as a lead up to list “The 25” alumni. Click on the year below to read up on your favorite 25s of years past (sorry, ’98 – ’00 aren’t online). And keep your eyes peeled to the blog in the coming weeks as we’ll be catching up with some of these names to see what they’re currently up to. (If you were a 25 New Face, it’s not too late to let […]
Along with their DIY DAYS, FHTA will also use the event in L.A. this week to unveil the films that will be showcased in their traveling distribution film festival around the country in the next six months. They are… FEATURES Abel Raises Cain – directed by Jenny Able and Jeff Hockett An unprecedented glimpse into the life and bizarre career of infamous media prankster, Alan Abel, told from the viewpoint of his daughter, Jenny. An offbeat portrait of an eccentric father, the film takes the audience on an unusual ride through the myriad of outlandish stunts and satirical campaigns that […]
In a post earlier today on his website, Roger Ebert says he will no longer be involved with the show that has made him a film icon. “After 33 years on the air, 23 of them with Disney, the studio has decided to take the program named “Siskel & Ebert” and then “Ebert & Roeper” in a new direction,” he writes. Time.com is also reporting that Ebert’s co-host, Richard Roeper, will also be leaving the show (his last appearance will take place in mid August). Ebert has been off the air since 2006 due to medical problems and a dispute […]
Over at Scott Kirsner‘s CinemaTech blog, he highlights the agenda for next week’s Directors Guild of America‘s annual “Digital Day.” An excerpt: Digital Day takes place in LA next Saturday, August 2nd, and the agenda looks interesting: sessions on motion capture, 3D television, virtual worlds, and developing content for the Internet and mobile phones. The theme this year is “Size Matters: Creating Content for Big and Small Screens.” Speakers include 3D cinematography gurus Vince Pace and Steve Schklair and directors Eric Brevig (Journey to the Center of the Earth), Penelope Spheeris, Marshall Herskovitz and Demian Lichtenstein. Click here to learn […]
Nominated as one of the “Best Films Not Playing at a Theater Near You” at last year’s Gotham Awards, Jeremy & Randy Stulberg’s Off The Grid: Life on the Mesa examines a group of people who have given up the amenities we all take for granted to live an existence that includes little food, water and no electricity. In the middle of the barren prairies of New Mexico, a small community of war vets, hippies and runaways live “off the grid” in what they believe is the last strand of the American Dream, but the Stulbergs find it more often […]