Saturday, March 2, 2013

Hollywood Elsewhere: Valerie Perrine, You Bet

Hollywood Elsewhere
Movies
Valerie Perrine, You Bet
Mar 3rd 2013, 01:07

I had a nice 20-minute chat this morning with actress Valerie Perrine, who's best known for her Oscar-nominated performance as Honey Bruce in Bob Fosse's Lenny ('74). (And for which she won Best Actress at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival and Best Supporting Actress from the New York Film Critics Circle.) As I mentioned yesterday, Perrine will be doing a q & a with Larry Karaszewski between screenings of Lenny and George Roy Hill's Slaughterhouse Five on Thursday, 10.7, at Santa Monica's Aero. Perrine started in show business as a Las Vegas topless revue dancer, which she did for several years. She didn't...

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Hollywood Elsewhere: "Laugh It Up, Fuzzball"

Hollywood Elsewhere
Movies
"Laugh It Up, Fuzzball"
Mar 3rd 2013, 01:12

Reports started to circulate a couple of weeks ago about Harrison Ford returning as Han Solo in JJ Abrams' Star Wars VII. My understanding is that this is not idle conjecture and will probably happen but you know Ford -- renowned for being a tough negotiator, has to get his price and then some. Naturally the Disney guys are telling everyone to keep their yaps shut. If I were Ford, who turns 71 on July 13th, I would want to completely eliminate the possibility of anyone claiming he'll be playing Grandpappy Solo. 70 is the new 60 or even the new 55 if...

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Vulture: Shirley MacLaine Returning to Downton Abbey

Vulture
New York Magazine's arts and entertainment blog, including witty analysis of movies, TV, music, books, theater, and art, plus original video and sneak previews of upcoming releases.
Shirley MacLaine Returning to Downton Abbey
Mar 2nd 2013, 22:00


While Downtown Abbey has lost Matthew Crawley (a.k.a. Dan Stevens), Lady Sybil (a.k.a. Jessica Brown Findlay), and "thoroughly despicable human being" Sarah O'Brien (a.k.a. Siobhan Finneran), Dame Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess will continue to enjoy the company of shrill American matriarch Martha Levinson. On Saturday, Carnival Films and PBS announced that ... More »

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Entertainment News Headlines - Yahoo! News: Westwood, Gaultier, Viktor & Rolf play on style

Entertainment News Headlines - Yahoo! News
Get the latest entertainment news headlines from Yahoo! News. Find breaking entertainment news, including analysis and opinion on top entertainment stories.
Westwood, Gaultier, Viktor & Rolf play on style
Mar 3rd 2013, 00:57

Silhouettes of models behind screens that display the name of French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier as part of his Ready to Wear Fall-Winter 2013-2014 fashion collection, presented, Saturday, March 2, 2013 in Paris. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)PARIS (AP) — It's going to be a black and white Christmas this winter, judging by the lack of color on the Paris catwalk Saturday.


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FilmmakerIQ.com: Drew Barrymoore by Sante d’Orazio

FilmmakerIQ.com
Drew Barrymoore by Sante d'Orazio
Mar 3rd 2013, 02:00

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Collider: Katheryn Winnick Talks VIKINGS, Her Audition, Preparing for the Physical Role of a Viking Woman and Working with Travis Fimmel and Gabriel Byrne

Collider
Katheryn Winnick Talks VIKINGS, Her Audition, Preparing for the Physical Role of a Viking Woman and Working with Travis Fimmel and Gabriel Byrne
Mar 3rd 2013, 00:20

The History original drama series Vikings follows the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), an actual historical figure who was the greatest hero of his age.  Telling the gripping sagas of Ragnar's band of Viking brothers and his family, he rose to become a fearless warrior and King of the Viking tribes, and legend has it that he was a direct descendent of Odin, the god of war and warriors. During this recent interview to promote the March 3rd premiere, actress Katheryn Winnick – who plays Lagertha, shield maiden and wife of Viking ruler Ragnar – talked about what her audition process was like, how she prepared for the physical side of the role, what it was like to be a Viking woman, working with co-stars Travis Fimmel and Gabriel Byrne, the best and most challenging aspects of this project, her favorite moments this season, playing such a strong woman, and why she thinks people will enjoy the show.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.  Question:  What was the audition process that you went through to get this role? KATHERYN WINNICK:  I got the script from my agents and they told me that, since Michael Hirst was overseas in the UK, he wasn't taking any meetings, so I had to put myself on tape in my living room.  So, I did that and I was really nervous about the accent since I've never dealt with a Scandinavian accent before.  I worked with a dialect coach to try to get ...

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Collider: Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz Talk OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, Perks of Playing Witches, Doing Wire Work for their Fight Scene and Costumes

Collider
Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz Talk OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, Perks of Playing Witches, Doing Wire Work for their Fight Scene and Costumes
Mar 3rd 2013, 01:17

From director Sam Raimi, Oz the Great and Powerful imagines the origins of the wizard that was first brought to life in author L. Frank Baum's book The Wizard of Oz, in a fantastical adventure that utilizes 3D to enhance what is truly an awe-inspiring movie-going experience.  When small-time circus magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is unexpectedly carried from Kansas to the vibrantly beautiful Land of Oz in a tornado, he soon meets three witches – Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams) – who are unsure about whether he truly is the great wizard that they've been expecting.  In one of the biggest tales of fake it 'til you make it, Oscar must use his magical skill and a little ingenuity to help good triumph over evil. At the film's press day, co-stars Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz spoke at a press conference about working on such a big CG and effects film, the best part about playing a witch, doing all of the wire work for their big fight scene, making sure they had just the right outfit, how the costumes affected their performances, and their experiences with The Wizard of Oz.  Check out what they had to say after the jump.  Question:  Michelle, what was it like to work on such a big CG and effects film, compared to the smaller indies that you've done? MICHELLE WILLIAMS:  I knew the moment that I met Sam that it wasn't really going to be that different from other experiences ...

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Digg Top Stories: Thousands Of Illegal Immigrants Released

Digg Top Stories
Digg - What the Internet is talking about right now
Thousands Of Illegal Immigrants Released
Mar 2nd 2013, 21:16

The Homeland Security Department released from its jails more than 2,000 illegal immigrants facing deportation in recent weeks due to looming budget cuts and planned to release 3,000 more during March.

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Entertainment New: Lifestyle, Sports & Celebrities - Businessweek: Entertainment

Entertainment New: Lifestyle, Sports & Celebrities - Businessweek
Page2RSS Monitored Page: Entertainment New: Lifestyle, Sports & Celebrities - Businessweek (http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/entertainment)
Entertainment
Mar 3rd 2013, 01:07
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Hollywood Reporter: The Onion Mocks Itself for Quvenzhane Wallis C-Word Tweet

Hollywood Reporter
The Onion Mocks Itself for Quvenzhane Wallis C-Word Tweet
Mar 3rd 2013, 01:00


A satirical piece claims the publication has "never been more popular, more admired, or more respected among Americans."

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MOVIEHOLE: ‘Oz : The Great & Powerful’ Review : So easy on the eyes you’ll swear it sponsored by Cucumber

MOVIEHOLE
Movie, TV & Entertainment News | Film, DVD & Blu-Ray Reviews | Celeb Interviews | Movie Trailers | Freebies
'Oz : The Great & Powerful' Review : So easy on the eyes you'll swear it sponsored by Cucumber
Mar 3rd 2013, 01:12

Ignoring the odd, erm, pot hole, the Yellow Brick Road has never looked so gloriously eyegasmic as it has in cinema’s latest return to Oz.

Sam Raimi’s “Oz : The Great & Powerful” adds unyielding sunlit tar to the ‘Wizard of Oz’ legacy with a beautifully-looking, majestically entrancing and effortlessly-transporting escape that maximizes the full potential of an elongated colour palette and, predominately, often-abused 3d trickery.

From its alluring black-and-white opening, to its eye-stealing special and visual effects, a production design so pretty it’d make Luhrmann get soggy-jeaned, and an unforced facility in making disbelieving whiners believe (in, well, such a ridiculously fun but rather goofball place – no offense to those who already dance with tin men on open roads), the prequel to the ’30s classic is Raimi (“Spider-Man”, “Evil Dead”) doing what he does his best – being creative. He’s also not going all date night by doing things in halves.

The former horror wunderkind – and his $200 million dollar budget – utilizes today’s filmmaking technology to lay a stencil down that’s so easy on the eyes, you’ll swear it sponsored by cucumber.

Oscar ‘Oz’ Diggs (James Franco) a charismatic, charlatan circus magician is whisked away in a hot air balloon following an altercation at the fair. Barely off the ground, the balloon is swept up in a tornado; moments later, ‘Oz’ arrives in.. Oz. Greeted by the endearing witch Theodora (Mila Kunis), who is convinced Oz is the wizard the land has been waiting for, the bewildered magician is taken to a castle in the Emerald City. There he’s shown a room full of treasure. The treasure is his, Theodora and sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz) assure Oz, but only if he kills their adversary, white witch Glinda (Michelle Williams). With a couple of new friends in tow (including a talking monkey and china doll), Oz sets off down the Yellow Brick Road to slay the supposedly-rotten Glinda.

Abandoning the dark themes and scare-the-kiddie factor of 1985′s poorly-received “Return to Oz” (which, granted, is nowadays considered a cult classic- talking chickens grow on you, it seems), “Oz” takes its cues directly from the original and best, Victor Fleming’s 1939 flick “The Wizard of Oz” (Don’t believe the BS PR spiel about it being based upon the book). Earlier flick, of course, didn’t have the whiz-bang technology at its disposal that this one does, but for its time, it’s look, feel and tone was unlike anything we’d seen before (remember how amazing it was when the B/W palette of Kansas dissolved into the colourful world of Oz!? Some are still playing with their VCR trackers looking for an explanation!). More so, Fleming’s film encompassed – largely through its characters – something magical. Something warm. Something to smile about. Raimi tries to apply that here, mostly succeeding too, sticking closely to the itinerary the original film took, while attempting to startle as much as spur smiles.

“Oz” is, even with its problems, as close as companion piece to “The Wizard of Oz” Hollywood has gotten. Unlike previous attempts, it at least feels part of the same world; most of the latter-day “Oz” projects, look and feel about as much like the original Fleming film as a plastic cup does a glass.

Though “Oz” fixes on the ‘Wizard’ character, rather than ‘Dorothy’, and is set years before Toto’s ma even considered spending time with a twister, Raimi’s film is in essence a re-telling of the earlier film : Earthling gets caught up in a windstorm, lands in an amazing fantasy land, is seen as somewhat of a savior by its people, and with the help of a few dissimilar friends he/she meets along the way, ultimately defeats evil.
It’s a fairly predictable affair, and yet that’s not a problem because – as well-worn VHS tapes of “Wizard of Oz” attest – the formula works. Oh! In the case of this one though, there is a surprise in finding out which of the three witches on hand is the ultimate “Wicked Witch”, because all are so apt at convincing the visitor they’re of noble intention. So that’s new. That’s different. But even when you have guessed who’s who, there’s enough cuter than cute characters (dare you not to adore the monkey and china doll!), awesome displays of visual effects, and terrific talent to keep you entangled in its tale. Which brings us to Oz himself..

If there’s been one misstep in the conception of Raimi’s “Oz” it’s the casting. As the man named Oz, and only after Robert Downey Jr (and later, Johnny Depp) stepped out, James Franco lacks a certain leading man magnetism and charm, and gets away – just barely – only because of some clever lines and a goofy ‘look what I smuggled onto my set under my top hat, guys!’ smile.
As he proved in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, Franco’s a natural when it comes to interacting with computer-generated characters on screen, but the man struggles to convince when he’s the only one in frame. The film needed a matinee idol to play the charming, eccentric wizard not someone resembling the new detentioned class clown. He’s serviceable, but so is a first generation Apple Mac and it doesn’t get you too far.

Thankfully, Raimi’s surrounded Franco with more appealing thesps -Michelle Williams, beautiful and commanding as Glinda, and Rachel Weisz, seemingly enjoying doing something lighter than her usual fare (I refer to her work in films like “The Constant Gardner” not “The Mummy Returns”), doing her best Bette Davis as Evanora. If there’s a weak link of the witches it’s young Mila Kunis (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) who, though cuter than a size 000 jumpsuit, doesn’t have the oomph to play a fireball flinger. She looks like a kiddie swimming in the big pool here, sadly.

In addition, the voice talent of Zach Braff and Joey King are perfectly matched to their marvelously created CGI characters; in fact, they might even be the standouts of the show.

But Franco? Yeah, still not sold on the guy. Just like the man in the movie, he seems to be someone rather ordinary whose lucked himself into something big (Raimi likely felt he owed him after putting him through the travesty that was “Spider-Man 3″).

Considering the obstacles this flick had to work around, for instance not being able to feature anything that even resembled anything out of the Warner owned ”Wizard of Oz” (so, the Yellow Brick Road, Emerald City, Green Witch etc.. all look a little different here), one can forgive the film’s miscasting and also the slightly cluttered and chaotic third act. What’s the issue there? Well, it just gets a little bit too “Spider-Man 3″, in that there’s too much going on and none of it especially gripping. It’s a bit of an ‘all-in’.

Franco’s miscasting and a cluttered third act don’t rip up the Yellow Brick Road though, they merely add a couple of fading, unsightly skid marks to it.

A few critics have already deemed the film a disappointment, suggesting “Oz” is essentially the cinematic equivalent of Miss Universe (you know, all looks, no smarts), but if you get onto the library microfiche and look up reviews for ”Wizard of Oz” (1939), published on the day of its release, you’ll find their ancestors wrote something similar about it. Give it a couple of decades; watch disappointment evolve.

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News: 'Intouchables' Star Omar Sy Joins 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past'; Halle Berry Looking Like She'll Return

News
News from IndieWire
'Intouchables' Star Omar Sy Joins 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past'; Halle Berry Looking Like She'll Return
Mar 2nd 2013, 23:04

It's probably pretty well accepted that we're skeptical of "X-Men: Days Of Future Past." Will it be the "Terminator: Salvation" of the series? Yes, we're happy that Bryan Singer is back (sorry about the box-office on "Jack The Giant Slayer," dude), but not only is time travel a thorny bitch, it gets even more complicated (and admittedly ambitious) to mix characters from different eras of a franchise. 'Days Of Future Past' will mix members of the original "X-Men" cast – Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore, etc. with members of the "X-Men: First Class" cast – James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, etc. Essentially, that's the younger versions of Professor X and Magneto meeting up with the older versions in some wacky time travel scenario that feels like a recipe for disaster (continuity will be a bitch).

Two more members – one old, one new – have joined the cast. The latest is Omar Sy, the star of the French-language international hit, "The Intouchables." Singer himself tweeted this afternoon that the actor had joined the cast, but no details on who he'll play yet (presumably some kind of mutant; he looks like he could play a Morlock with that strangely lithe body). Sy will next be seen in Michel Gondry's "Mood Indigo." While confirmed so far from the original cast are Wolverine (Jackman), Rogue (Rogue), Iceman (Ashmore) and Kitty Pryde (Page), many fans have asked about Halle Berry's Storm character. Singer's said he'd liked to include the actress in the film, but it would be a matter of finding an organic way to introduce her into the storyline.

But asked recently about the gig, Berry sorta/kinda said she'd probably/maybe/almost certainly/though who knows might join the film. Ah, good ol' probabilities. They will likely factor into the quality of coherence in 'Days Of Future Past,' which is due in theaters July 18, 2014. Oh, and extra credit for nerds. Jennifer Lawrence won't be wearing painted-on Mystique skin in the movie. Instead, she'll wear a fake latex skin costume or somesuch whatsit. Zomg.

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Headlines from Hitfix.com: 'Walking Dead' producers say show will 'visit some dark places'

Headlines from Hitfix.com
'Walking Dead' producers say show will 'visit some dark places'
Mar 2nd 2013, 19:59

Robertkirkman_photo_gallery"Walking Dead" creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman and producer David Alpert talk going back to the comic book origins

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Headlines from Hitfix.com: Box office: 'Jack the Giant Slayer' tops slow Friday with disappointing debut

Headlines from Hitfix.com
Box office: 'Jack the Giant Slayer' tops slow Friday with disappointing debut
Mar 2nd 2013, 18:21

Jack-the-giant-slayer_gallery_primary_photo_galleryBryan Singer's "Jack the Giant Slayer" -- starring Nicholas Hoult and Ewan McGregor -- may not live happily ever after at the box office. The pricey pic earned $7.7 million on Friday night, and will likely pick up around $25 million for the weekend. It was enough for the film to debut at No. 1, topping fellow newcomers "21 & Over" and 'The Last Exorcism Part II."

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Headlines from Hitfix.com: 'Red Widow''s Goran Visnjic and Sterling Beaumon talk short season, good murder

Headlines from Hitfix.com
'Red Widow''s Goran Visnjic and Sterling Beaumon talk short season, good murder
Mar 2nd 2013, 22:22

Red-widow_photo_galleryHitFix's Liane Bonin Starr talks to Goran Visnjic and Sterling Beaumon of the new series "Red Widow" about good kills, short seasons and taking a "Breaking Bad" attitude to a network show.

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Headlines from Hitfix.com: 'Gilmore Girls' star Alexis Bledel joins Jason Ritter in Fox pilot 'Friends & Family'

Headlines from Hitfix.com
'Gilmore Girls' star Alexis Bledel joins Jason Ritter in Fox pilot 'Friends & Family'
Mar 2nd 2013, 22:32

Bledel_photo_gallery"Gilmore Girls" star Alexis Bledel is heading back to TV in her first staring role since that show went off the air in 2007. Bledel has signed on as the female lead in the FOX comedy pilot "Friends & Family," which already stars Jason Ritter.

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Headlines from Hitfix.com: 'The Unit' star Dennis Haysbert signs on for TV drama pilot 'Backstrom'

Headlines from Hitfix.com
'The Unit' star Dennis Haysbert signs on for TV drama pilot 'Backstrom'
Mar 2nd 2013, 23:08

Haysbert_photo_galleryDennis Haysbert, best known for "24" and "The Unit" (and those pesky ads for Allstate Insurance), is returning to CBS and 20th Century Fox TV in the drama pilot "Backstrom."

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Headlines from Hitfix.com: Reality TV Roundup: The latest on 'Amazing Race,' 'Top Chef,' 'Survivor' and more

Headlines from Hitfix.com
Reality TV Roundup: The latest on 'Amazing Race,' 'Top Chef,' 'Survivor' and more
Mar 3rd 2013, 00:12

The-amazing-race_photo_galleryHitFix's Liane Bonin Starr wraps up everything that's happened in reality TV this week, including the latest on "The Bachelor," "Survivor: Caramoan," "The Amazing Race," "Top Chef: Seattle," "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and more. You're welcome.

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Headlines from Hitfix.com: Brooklyn Decker joining James Van Der Beek for 'Friends With Better Lives' pilot

Headlines from Hitfix.com
Brooklyn Decker joining James Van Der Beek for 'Friends With Better Lives' pilot
Mar 3rd 2013, 00:38

Brooklyn-decker-is-a-country-music-fan_gallery_primary_photo_galleryBrooklyn Decker is going back to modeling. Sort of. The "Just Go With It" and "Battleship" star has signed on to play the female lead opposite James Van Der Beek in the CBS comedy pilot "Friends With Better Lives."

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