The Moviefone Blog

'Elysium' Trailer: Matt Damon Back as Kick-Ass Action Hero (EXCLUSIVE)

Chris Jancelewicz — 2013-06-14T10:01:00+00:00

In a goosebump-inducing new trailer for "Elysium," Matt Damon literally takes the world on his shoulders and seeks to save humanity. We can't wait for this movie.

Directed by the same man who brought us sci-fi hit "District 9" (Neil Blomkamp), "Elysium" takes place in the year 2154. Two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined planet.

The people of Earth are desperate to escape the crime and poverty that runs rampant throughout the land. The only man with the chance to bring equality to these worlds is Max (Matt Damon), an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission -- one that pits him against Elysium's Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her hard-line forces -- but if he succeeds, he could save not only his own life, but millions of people on Earth as well.

"Elysium" opens in theatres on August 9.

'Much Ado About Nothing' Star Alexis Denisof Talks Joss Whedon Genius

Rick Mele — 2013-06-12T16:25:00+00:00

After Joss Whedon finished filming his $220 million mega-blockbuster "The Avengers," he knew he had to do something to unwind. And while most people would take a well-earned vacation after a massive project like that, Whedon instead chose to make another movie. Filmed in 12 days. At his house. Because of course he did.

Inspired by informal Shakespeare readings he and his friends had been holding for years, Whedon assembled his filmmaking family and frequent collaborators like Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker to help recreate that fun, relaxed atmosphere. The result is "Much Ado About Nothing," a low-budget and lighthearted modern retelling of one of the Bard's most beloved comedies.

And with the film rolling out in theatres, Moviefone spoke to Denisof, who plays the movie's Benedick, about reuniting with his old friends for the unlikely passion project and how they managed to pull it all off in under two weeks.

Moviefone: Is it surreal at all that this movie that you shot in 12 days at a friend's house is now coming to theatres?
Alexis Denisof: [Laughs] It's amazing. It's certainly not what any of us anticipated, nor expected. This had low or perhaps even no expectations from all of us going in. Other than that, we would have a lot of fun together because we all enjoy Shakespeare and we're all friends. But that was really the extent of our hopes for it. And how much could you really expect from a movie that's shot in 12 days? But miraculously, something about that 12 days, we all came together in an extraordinary way. And the speed at which it was made has almost become one of its virtues. It's given it a very raw, live feel and a very natural, accessible style. And of course, Joss is a crazy genius, so that helps too.

When you're working on a compressed shooting schedule like this, how does that affect your approach as an actor? Is there any extra pressure on you to nail every take?
Before we started, the last thing Joss said to me when he proposed this idea of shooting the movie at his house in a 12 day span, he said, "Learn your lines, 'cause you won't have many takes." [Laughs] And that was true, we didn't have many takes, and they were long, the takes. It was pretty much the whole scene all in one go. So in one sense, it does put a pressure on you if you've become accustomed to the minutiae of TV or the usual film technique of parsing things into very small bits and shooting them, and then somewhere in an editing room far away it all gets pieced back together.

This felt more like theatre, where you put together larger and larger chunks of the play until over usually about a six-week period, you can do the whole thing all the way through in a convincing fashion that's ready for people to watch. We didn't have six weeks and we weren't doing the entire play start to finish, but it did feel like theater in a sense that you had a little bit of time to get a scene ready from start to finish and we just ran it. And there weren't many takes, so as an actor you commit to your choices, and stick to them. And if they're not working, you quickly throw them out and solve the problem. And if they are working, try to get them to work as well as they can. So while at the time, I found the constraints of 12 days to be a little bit frightening, as we progressed I actually found it to be liberating.

Were you able to get in much rehearsal time beforehand with Amy Acker?
Not in a formal way, but we immediately telephoned each other and said, "How soon can you get together, and is Joss available?" I think we had about a two-plus week period where if we could catch each other in an afternoon or in a morning, we would get together and start to read scenes and talk about scenes and characters, and as much as Joss could, he would join us. Otherwise we would just march forward on our own. I don't think the entire cast ever got together in one go to read the whole thing, even before we started shooting. It just didn't pan out; schedules didn't pan out that way. The key was that people could be there when it was time to shoot their scene, so rehearsals were on the fly. And Joss knows the house because he lives there, so he had a pretty good idea of where things would take place. That helps a lot. And we would work it out pretty quickly, in advance preferably, but some things we did work out on the fly while we were shooting.

And that left a lot of room for experimenting and creating on the spot. It really lent it a very electric, in-the-moment feel for the film, and I think people are responding to that sense of both enjoyment but also immediacy that's on-screen.

You and Amy had read as Benedick and Beatrice before, correct? When you were doing those informal Shakespeare readings at Joss' house?
Yes, "Much Ado About Nothing" was one of the plays that we read in a casual fashion at one of his gatherings. And Amy and I read in those roles and didn't know it at the time, but evidently, Joss has subsequently said that a seed was planted in his mind that if he were gonna attempt to shoot one of the plays that that would be the one to shoot, and preferably with us in those roles. I don't know exactly why, but I'm certainly glad. [Laughs] My favorite combination of workmates is Joss and Amy and myself. So this was a dream come true really.

So it could've have come completely out of left field when he approached you with this.
Well, actually it did come out of left field, because while the idea of shooting a Shakespeare reading had surfaced before in a casual way, there was never a clear idea from anyone about what it would be or how it would look. Just Joss or somebody saying, "Gosh, it'd be cool if we could film one of these readings." But I don't think anybody knew what that meant exactly, not even Joss at the time. At the time we read "Much Ado About Nothing" at his house, he didn't know how he wanted to shoot it, or if he wanted to shoot it, he just thought if he were to do it, that maybe that would be a good candidate.

But then years went by and technology changed enormously, both in how you can shoot a film, what's possible with cameras today, and also how material can be distributed direct to market. So those two elements evolved so rapidly that it suddenly occurred I think maybe first to his producing wife Kai Cole that, "Wait a minute, why don't you make that Shakespeare movie you've been talking about? It's possible to actually do it now." And of course, by then he'd had the success of "Dr. Horrible," and by success, I mean he'd experienced making something on a grassroots level for himself and distributing it directly to the audience. So in some ways, that was the inspiration.

What did you think when he first came to you with the idea?
I thought he was nuts. I thought, "Well, God, 12 days sounds crazy, and you just shot one of the biggest movies of all-time, and you were supposed to go on vacation, shouldn't you do that?" I mean, it seemed crazy to me. But I know Joss well enough to know that he's crazy in the best possible way, and I also knew that it would be the best thing for him.

Do you think this was more relaxing for him than taking a vacation would've been?
I do. He has a fertile creative brain, and for him, it's more relaxing for that brain to be busy doing what it loves to do rather than sitting stationary somewhere not able to create or refine something that he's already created. [Laughs] He's just that guy, he's just that smarter than the average bear.

Both you and Amy play the physical comedy so well in this. How much did Joss encourage you guys to really dial that up?
Well, Joss is a goofball himself, and he'll be the first to enjoy a little bit of old-fashioned slapstick. I think it was a case of, where could we go, and finding out what the limits were, and even pushing the limits a little. He knows us as actors and what our tastes and proclivities are, so I'm sure it wasn't a surprise that we would find some of the more comical elements and try to bring them out. It was just, feel free to have fun here, and if he had a silly idea, we tried it. And if Amy had a silly idea, we would try it, and if Alexis had a silly idea, we would try it. And if any of us felt that it wasn't right or it was too much or it wasn't working, then we would tone it down or try something else. But we just kept finding ourselves giggling and thinking, "Well, what the hell? Let's just do it." And because we went in without any of the pressure of a studio to make happy or doing this for anything other than our own gratification, then it left us free to really do with it what we felt we wanted to do. And that can be the best situation for making a creative leap.

We all knew going in that this was a project that was funded by and intended for the love of it, not the financial gain of it. So it was a joyful experiment and with that in mind, you just work as hard as you can and have as much fun as you can while you're doing it, and try to make it work.

"Much Ado About Nothing" is now screening.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on 'This Is the End' (and Anatomically-Correct Monsters)

Rick Mele — 2013-06-11T16:25:00+00:00

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have been behind some huge summer comedies in the past, but with "This Is The End," the longtime writing partners are behind the camera for the first time, making their directorial debut. And to ease the transition, Rogen and Goldberg enlisted the help of some of their famous friends like James Franco and Jonah Hill to play fictionalized versions of themselves in the apocalyptic comedy. As you might have guessed, this essentially translates to cracking dick jokes and ragging on each other's movies while waiting out the end of the world. Because even after all Hell breaks loose, it's never too late to make fun of "The Green Hornet."

Inspired by a short film Rogen and Goldberg helped make back in 2007 ("Jay and Seth Versus The Apocalypse"), "This Is The End" is a disaster movie for the "Superbad" set, which means it's as foul-mouthed and funny as anything else the guys have done. And when the duo came to Toronto to promote the film, Moviefone sat down with the Vancouver natives to talk about making their directorial debut, developing the movie's anatomically-correct monsters, and which cast member had the thickest skin.

Did you guys write this script with an eye to direct it?
Evan Goldberg: Yeah. When we made the short, there was no intention to direct it whatsoever. And then over time, we kept talking with Jason Stone, who made the short with us, about doing some apocalypse thing, and then we had our idea to have stars play themselves. And when we realized that together they would be great, and that our six guys would be the best guys, we were like, "Well, who would be the best director?" And that was the first time ever where we were like, "Maybe us?"

Seth Rogen: We couldn't unleash these guys on someone else. [Laughs] It wouldn't be fair.

Goldberg: Yeah, it was the only way to justify it. We're the only people who could actually get these six guys and we thought it was important that it be these six guys to do it.

What was that dynamic like, working with your friends? Would one of you have to be the adult in the room getting everybody to work?
Goldberg: It would actually usually be Seth, since he's in the middle of it with the guys. Because I'd be over there at the monitors and be like, "Guys, come on! F---ing get your s--t together!" They can't even hear me, and they can easily ignore me, but Seth's right in the room being like, "Settle. Settle. Guys, settle."

Rogen: Yeah, I would say "Settle" a lot. That was my word. I was like, " 'Settle' is code for 'Shut the f--- up and start acting.' " I was very upfront with that. That was the subtext there.

Goldberg: And eventually we realized if you just say "Action!" they have to show up. Just start rolling the cameras.

Rogen: There's like a Pavlovian thing.

There are so many great cameos during the initial party scene. How did you decide on people like Rihanna and Aziz Ansari, and was there anyone you wanted to cameo that you couldn't get?
Goldberg: There were some people we couldn't get just due to scheduling issues. Liz Banks, Edward Norton, but when it came to casting the parts, we'd written bits. We had the six main characters and we crafted the film for them. With the other celebrities, we made a bunch of bits, then we talked to them, "Well, what would you like to do? We got this bit you could do."

Rogen: We just wanted it to feel organic though. We wanted it to feel like a real party. And at a real party, there are generally some people where you're like, "Why are they here?"

Goldberg: Like, Seth had a Halloween party and Quentin Tarantino showed up.

Rogen: Yeah, exactly. And David O. Russell was there. It was like, "Who invited [them]? I've really never even met these people!" So we wanted to add that element where it feels organic and real, but at the same time, there's a few curveballs in there.

Goldberg: Our only rule was keep it young. Even though, in reality, 50-year-old dudes showed up to your party.

Rogen: Yeah, we want it to seem real and feel like hypothetically people were getting a glimpse inside a possible version of what one of these parties is actually like.

Did you write a lot of the self-deprecating jokes in the script, or did that come out of improvisation more?
Goldberg: We got the ball rolling in the script and really let the actors take it further.

Rogen: I think, if anything, the guys were more antagonistic with each other than we wanted. [Laugh] We'd often have to stop Jonah [Hill] and [James] Franco from going at each other and be like, "You guys like each other in this movie. We get it, you can make 'Moneyball' jokes all day. In this movie though, you guys wouldn't be doing that."

Goldberg: They would get lost in it, because they were having fun. They would enjoy slamming each other.

Rogen: It's true, people would just wrapped up in the joy of being able to make jokes slamming their friend's movie.

So who has the thickest skin?
Goldberg: Franco.

Rogen: Definitely Franco, yeah.

Goldberg: Franco has, like, infinite thickness. There's nothing you can do to faze him.

Rogen: And the more you think it might be something that insults him, the more entertained he is by it.

Goldberg: I literally went up to him and was like, "I want to do an art project with you. Let's do an art project about how stupid your art projects are." And he was like, "Great! I love it!" You can't faze the guy.

Do you find it sort of odd how much James Franco's celebrity has taken off?
Goldberg: I think it's the awesomest, craziest, weirdest thing anyone's ever done. His whole schtick is the most amusing thing ever. I love it.

Rogen: Yeah, I think it's awesome. He really seems to be in control of it. People seem to be fascinated by it.

Goldberg: And he doesn't seem propelled by some deep need for something. He's just having a good time.

Rogen: Yeah, as people who are his good friends who see him in his natural day-to-day environment all the time, he really is just into that stuff. He actually thinks it's interesting. If anything, he's almost embarrassed to talk about it. Like, when we ask him about it, he's like, "Aw, you guys are just gonna make fun of it." [Laughs]

Goldberg: Yeah, he starts to blush.

Rogen: "It's stupid, it's this weird project where it's a film of me s---ting on a guy." But he's genuinely into it. When I met him when I was 16 years old, he was into it. I literally have a painting hanging on my wall that he painted for me in 1998. It's not a new thing for him. I think now he's more famous, so it gets more attention.

Goldberg: Yeah, if he hadn't become a famous actor, nothing would be different, just the amount of money he'd have towards these weird causes.

How much input did the guys have in terms of developing their characters?
Rogen: Some of it we went into with, and the guys really were instrumental themselves in coming up with a lot of it, I gotta say. Like, we always knew Jonah would get raped by a demon and possessed. [Laughs] We just knew that's what we wanted to happen.

Goldberg: Not in context of the film, just in life.

Rogen: Exactly, just in life. We were very honest with Jonah. We were like, "This is where we want it to end."

Goldberg: That was the one thing, and if you're not OK with this, then we have a problem. He's like, "No, I'm fine."

Rogen: But the guys themselves had a lot of input, and I think because they were playing themselves, they didn't care if they played bad versions, they just wanted to be interesting.

Goldberg: Like Franco added the idea that he's in love with Seth, which would've been a demented thing for Seth to add.

Rogen: Yeah, exactly, you can't pitch that as the filmmaker: "How about you love me?"

Was it hard toning Danny McBride down then?
Rogen: [Laughs] In real life, Danny's like the sweetest, nicest guy.

Goldberg: Danny's the funniest. When it comes to public perception, Danny's the one where it's just like everyone's got it wrong. He crafted Kenny Powers off of people he didn't like.

Rogen: And now it's who he's associated with.

So what's the bigger disparity from real life then, Michael Cera or Danny McBride?
Rogen: Probably Michael Cera.

Goldberg: I don't know. Danny's character is really far from him. Danny's never tried to kill us.

Rogen: Michael does own that windbreaker. [Laughs]

What made you settle on doing the Biblical end of the world as opposed to a more generic apocalypse?
Rogen: The overall thought was, what if they were right? What if all The Book of Revelations was right? How would it go?

Goldberg: And we like to talk about how no one can get mad at us for what we've done here. The people who think that's gonna happen, we're just doing what you think's gonna happen.

Rogen: The original draft of the script said, "Based on the book by God." We didn't send it out like that though.

Goldberg: We should've.

Rogen: But to us it was really, it was almost the craziest part of the movie. And it was honestly the part that we expected to meet the most resistance on. We thought if the studio has one thing they'll fight us on, it's the fact that we're tackling religion head-on.

Goldberg: And they didn't say a damn thing.

Rogen: They literally never said anything about it. They didn't care about that at all. It was all whether or not we should play ourselves. That was like every conversation we had with them.

Can you talk a bit about how you developed the look of the monsters?
Goldberg: When it came to the monsters, we, in our amateur director move, did what everyone does. We were like, "We're gonna use real s--t, we're not gonna use computers." So we constructed suits, and the whole time, the VFX guy, he kept looking at us. And we were like, "You don't think this is gonna make it into the movie?" He's like, "Just do what you want, it's fine. I budgeted for this. Don't worry."

Rogen: And then you watch it and you're just like, "Yeah, it's a dude in a suit running around chasing us."

Goldberg: Society's gone so far towards CG that in my head we could do some Guillermo Del Toro s--t, but only he can. And even he's making giant CG monsters now. So it's over. CG.

Rogen: We wanted them to have a classic kinda hellish look.

Goldberg: But obviously with a bit of...

Rogen: With dicks. [Laughs] It's funny. At first, we didn't give the big monster a dick. And then we gave him a little dick, and then we were like, "Eh, just give him a big giant dick." [Laughs]

Who modeled it?
Goldberg: Someone in Montreal. God, I'll never forget, we came into the visual effects house one time, and they were like, "No, no, it should be like..." [swings his arm around]

Rogen: [Laughs] Yeah, they were acting it out. "Floppier!" was a direction we gave a lot. We'd always talk to our effects house over the phone because they were in Montreal and we'd always be like, "Floppier!"

Goldberg: And they were so obsessed. They were like, [in a French accent] "A penis would not go like this! It would not!" And we're like, "Just make it f---ing floppier, guys!"

Rogen: "Who cares?! Make it floppier! It's much better."

"This Is The End" opens in theatres on June 12.

'The Purge': How To Survive This Movie

Rick Mele — 2013-06-07T14:02:00+00:00

This week, high-concept horror/thriller "The Purge" asks moviegoers a question straight out of Psych 101: what would people do if there were no consequences? And since this is a horror/thriller, the answer is obviously murder, and lots of it.

Set in 2022, "The Purge" takes place in an America where, thanks to the "New Founding Fathers," the authorities officially look the other way for an annual 12-hour period as its citizens are encouraged to "release the beast" in the interest of curbing violent crime the rest of the year. Or in other words, it's society's ultimate cheat day. It's also good business for a home security system salesman like James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) and his family. That is, until the Sandins give refuge to a man (Edwin Hodge) on the run from a group of masked machete-wielding revelers and become the group's new targets.

And since the movie's cautionary tagline of "Survive the night" could just as easily apply to sitting through the uneven thriller, I put together the following survival guide to help you make it through "The Purge." Ignore it at your own risk.

Know what you're getting into.
Writer/director James DeMonaco clearly hit on an interesting idea with "The Purge," with its premise of a government-sanctioned night of anything-goes violence. But it's also something of a bait-and-switch, because despite the veneer of cynical social commentary, the movie ultimately ends up becoming just another generic home invasion thriller, only with a more convoluted reason for why no one's coming to help the Sandins.

And sure, the opening act sets up a few intriguing themes: violence's place in society, literal class warfare, how far you'd go to save your family. Movies like "Straw Dogs" and "A Clockwork Orange" became classics by exploring similar ideas. But just stating themes isn't enough. You have to, you know, actually go somewhere with them. And much like its handling of the high-concept premise, "The Purge" seems satisfied with simply tossing the idea of those concepts out there, then ignoring them to get back down to business: terrorizing the Sandins. But hey, don't those masks look creepy?

Throw things like reason and logic out the window.
Then you might as well board that window up, because if you want to make it through "The Purge," you need to accept the fact that neither are ever getting back in. It's one thing to ask audiences to suspend their disbelief, especially in a movie with a speculative premise like this. It's another to ask them to accept the fact that major characters act irrationally and disappear for long stretches not because it makes any sense, but because it's more convenient for the movie to keep tensions high by having everyone constantly looking for one another in a dark house. And eventually, the plot simply devolves into random people popping up to either harm or save the Sandins at regular intervals. The hope is that you'll be so wound up you won't notice things like the bad guys being able to pull down giant steel barricades on every door and window in the house all at once with what appears to be one truck and a magical set of chains. Maybe that's why the neighbors are so passive-aggressive about those purge security systems James sold them.

Don't get too attached to anyone.
Fortunately, this probably won't be much of an issue, because none of the characters are developed enough to become cause for concern. Really, the Sandins are just a blank slate nuclear family for us to project our anxieties onto. And so the only thing we really know about Mary (Lena Headey) is that she's capable of making a dinner without a single carb, while Hawke's James is a salesman that can apparently flip a switch and turn into Rambo for a few minutes. The kids aren't given much more in the way of character development either, unless you count their impressive ability to make terrible decisions. Even the film's main villain (Rhys Wakefield), a preppy blonde kid wearing a blazer and a seriously unsettling smile, is barely given enough screen time to register. The cast all do their best, but it's a losing proposition.

Take deep breaths.
Where "The Purge" does work though is as a thriller, once you get past all the irrational characters making questionable (at best) choices, that is. Because what DeMonaco's film lacks in plot it makes up for in tension. With most of the movie taking place in a darkened house, the director uses that to his advantage, though it's far more effective when he's making us squirm uncomfortably by showing the would-be purgers silently stalking their prey than spooking us with sudden shocks. And when the action ratchets up in the third act, it gives the audience something to cheer about, even if we're ostensibly supposed to be reexamining our bloodlust.

It's only 85 minutes.
Even after the movie goes off the rails though, just remember: much like the purge itself, there is an end in sight. And the film's sub-90 minute runtime ensures that the terror doesn't drag on for very long. Of course, because of this, it feels oddly hacked up in parts, with potential character development dropped for the sake of a quicker pace. Still, "The Purge" certainly won't be an endurance test, even if it tests your patience in other ways.

"The Purge" opens on June 7.

7 Reasons We're Excited About 'The Internship'

Annette Bourdeau — 2013-06-06T14:41:00+00:00

A lot of people are looking forward to seeing "The Internship" for a couple of key reasons: it's the first movie to reunite "Wedding Crashers" co-stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, and it has unprecedented footage of the famed Google campus in Mountain View, California.

The film is even being referred to as "The Google Movie" in many circles because of the level the tech giant was involved in production. It served as a consultant, and allowed extensive filming at its campus. While not all of the "Google" scenes were actually filmed at Google, the company's stamp is reportedly all over the movie, with its trademark culture on full display.

"The Internship" follows two middle-aged salesmen (Wilson and Vaughn) who score coveted internships at Google to prove that they're not irrelevant in today's tech-dominated world. Naturally, hilarious antics ensue as they try to compete with young tech-savvy whippersnappers.

It's a great premise, so it's hard not to get our hopes up about this one. But, it's been a while since Wilson or Vaughan has been in anything good. Both have had a series of bombs, like Wilson's "The Big Year" and "How Do You Know," and Vaughn's "The Watch" and "The Dilemma."

Yet a lot of people are still really excited about seeing them back together on the big screen. In fact, at press time a whopping 96 percent of Rotten Tomatoes users said they wanted to see it. It's easy to understand why -- Wilson and Vaughn were so good together in "The Wedding Crashers." Maybe their comedic chemistry will help end their losing streak at the box office. Fingers crossed.

In the meantime, here are the top seven reasons why we'll be seeing "The Internship" the first chance we get.

1. A peek inside Google's famous HQ. Now is our chance to see what we've been hearing about for all of these years depicted on the big screen: the Segways, the on-site massages, the nap pods, the laundry services. Yes, laundry services!

2. "The Wedding Crashers" montage scene. This was one of the best montages ever (and it made the song "Shout" a wedding staple for years to come). Here's hoping Wilson and Vaughn can recreate that montage magic in "The Internship."

3. Seeing Wilson and Vaughn school some young 'uns. Vaughn did it so well as Beanie the fast-talking stereo salesman in "Old School," we can't wait to see him unleash some life lessons again.

4. Hansel. Wilson's iconic "Zoolander" character cemented Wilson's status as a gifted comedic actor. Yes, gifted. Hansel wasn't an easy character to pull off, but Wilson did it brilliantly.

5. Trent. I think people will always have a soft spot for Vaughn, thanks to his portrayal of the classic conflicted '90s dude Trent in "Swingers."

6. Rose Byrne. She's consistently great in everything she's in, from "Damages" to "Bridesmaids" to "Get Him to the Greek." In "The Internship," she plays an uptight exec whose patience is tested by the two middle-aged interns. As she proved in "Damages" and "Bridesmaids," few actresses do "tightly wound" better than she does.

7. "Rushmore." Wilson co-wrote this classic Wes Anderson flick -- so we hope he helped Vaughn with "The Internship" script, because, let's face it: Wilson's got a far better track record as a writer than Vaughn does. (Wilson has classics like "Rushmore," "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Bottle Rocket" under his belt, while Vaughn's writing credits include "Couples Retreat" and "The Break-Up.")

"The Internship" opens on June 7, 2013.

(Photo Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox)

New DVD Blu-Ray: 'Warm Bodies,' 'A Good Day to Die Hard,' 'Identity Thief'

Natasha Young — 2013-06-04T14:45:00+00:00

Moviefone's New Release of the Week
"Warm Bodies"
What's it about? Zombie apocalypse meets quirky love story in this new take on the genre.
Why we're IN: We like zombies, we like indie romance comedies - who knew putting the two together would actually work?

Watch an Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Clip from "Warm Bodies"
Moviefone's Blu-ray of the Week
"Clint Eastwood 20 Film Collection"
What's it about? Finally, all of Clint Eastwood's greatest hits are available in crystalline Blu-ray!
Why we're IN: This massive set includes favorites "Dirty Harry", "Letters From Iwo Jima", and "Million Dollar Baby", and a brand-new documentary "Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story," chroniciling his work behind the camera.

Watch an Exclusive Scene from "Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story"

CLICK HERE TO ENTER OUR TWITTER GIVEAWAY AND WIN THE "CLINT EASTWOOD 20 FILM COLLECTION -- AUTOGRAPHED BY MR. EASTWOOD, HIMSELF!

New on DVD & Blu-ray
"Escape From Planet Earth"
What's it about? This 3D animated family comedy, featuring the voices of Brendan Fraser, Jessica Alba, and William Shatner, brings aliens to Earth -- the twist is, the aliens are the good guys. That's about as interesting as it gets in this film squarely written for uncritical kid audiences.
In or Out: OUT (unless you're a little one).

"A Good Day to Die Hard"
What's it about? This late and perhaps final sequel in Bruce Willis' "Die Hard" franchise is certainly action-packed, but critics pan the film for falling behind where its plot and the quality of its effects are concerned. Not even the badassiest of badasses was able save this one.
In or Out: OUT.

Watch an Exclusive Clip from "A Good Day to Die Hard"
"Identity Thief"
What's it about? Jason Bateman plays an unwitting man whose identity is stolen by a brash and portly woman, aptly played by Melissa McCarthy. Instead of doing the reasonable thing, Sandy (Bateman's character) opts for some vigilante justice. Unfortunately, this comedy manages to miss the mark in spite of its stock of funny actors.
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"It's A Disaster"
What's it about? Four couples meet for brunch, which is unfortunately interrupted by the end of the world. Hilarity ensues as the couples (played by Julia Styles and David Cross, among others) try to resolve their relationship issues in the midst of doomsday. It's not a disaster: it's another clash of the genres done right, and those are far and few between.
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"12 Rounds: Reloaded"
What's It About? Pro wrestler Randy Orton takes on WWE Films' action franchise, playing an EMT worker forced to play deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a mysterious foe; it's your typical direct-to-video action movie catering to hardcore WWE fans only.
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"Mad Max Trilogy"
What's it about? A post-apocalyptic action trilogy starring Mel Gibson in his heyday, you can marathon all three films in Blu-ray: "Mad Max", "The Road Warrior", and "Beyond Thunderdome".
In or Out: IN.

"Alfred Hitchcock: The Essentials Collection"
What's it about? Inimitable horror director Alfred Hitchcock's films, especially "Psycho" and "The Birds", helped define a genre - and they are still as great as ever, if you can get past how antiquated the special effects look today. Now, five of Hitchcock's greatest feature films are available in Blu-ray!
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Photo Credit: Summit

Jesse Eisenberg on 'Now You See Me,' Woody Harrelson's Allure

Chris Jancelewicz — 2013-05-31T16:33:00+00:00

In "Now You See Me," Eisenberg plays J. Daniel Reid, a wise-cracking smartass illusionist who knows his way around a deck of cards. Indie favourite Jesse Eisenberg hit the big time in 2010's "The Social Network," garnering Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for his portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Since then, he's been a bit under-the-radar, and has resurfaced for a role no one would expect him to play.

In "Now You See Me," Eisenberg plays J. Daniel Reid, a wise-cracking smartass illusionist who knows his way around a deck of cards. He's got confidence and swagger, and is the best in the world at what he does. Eisenberg breaks free of his typical casting specs -- nerdy, shy, unsure -- and becomes an entirely different creature in this magical caper.

Moviefone Canada caught up with Eisenberg on a press tour in Toronto, where he spoke about playing a different sort of role, reuniting with Woody Harrelson and who was most like their magician character.

Moviefone Canada: One of the film's strengths is its ensemble structure. Would you say you thrive in that sort of working environment?
Jesse Eisenberg: Oh, yes. I like working with great actors, it makes my job easier. You don't realize how much it makes your job easier until you work with the alternative, which makes life really difficult.

Did you enjoy working with such big names?
The nature of my character is that he's teamed up with these other great magicians, and initially it feels like a competition with them. But on-set, we didn't feel that, so it allowed us to bring our own sense of humour to the project and make light of it. I like to work in the same way that Woody Harrelson does, which is improvise and bring your own personality into it, and so we were encouraged by the director to bring ourselves into the characters.

What did you learn about the illusionist's life? How did you study the tricks?
I always try to learn as much as I can about the character I'm playing. This had a unique requirement, because my character is the best in the world at something, so I learned as much as I could over the four weeks of rehearsal and the months of shooting. I would plan out what tricks I needed to know and for what time. I worked with a few different magic consultants; the main one is David Kwong, he's great. He taught me a lot about magic, the sleight of hand and the performing of it. I was able to use my imagination because I perform a lot on stage in New York City, so I know what it's like to be in front of people and command an audience.

Was this sort of character liberating for you to play?
It was fun to play a character that's so confident about performing. When I read the script I was doing a show in New York where I was nervous on-stage every night. This character gave me an opportunity to break out of that and to feel confident about going on stage. I think it's always good for actors to play roles that serve them in some personal way. It makes them instinctively much more interested in their character and so with this, it gave me the opportunity to live out a certain fantasy. It was self-serving, in a way.

He was a bit dickish, too.
Yeah, he was arrogant. He thinks he's the best, and has that attitude. He's frustrated that he has to collaborate with other magicians. It's fun to play, and to bring some humour to it. Woody Harrelson's character also thinks he's the best, too, so we have this sort of rivalry.

So you're quite different from your character -- who among this cast bears the most similarities to theirs?
I always thought Woody Harrelson is quite a persuasive guy. He's the kind of guy who can call you up in the middle of the night and tell you, "Let's all go get a donut!" And you're thinking it's the middle of the night, but somehow you still get up and go get a donut. His character is a hypnotist, and so he's always trying to hypnotize us. You can't tell if it's him being charming and persuasive, or if it's the hypnotism. I think he indulged in his character, but I also think it's just naturally him.

You've worked with him before, so who would know better than you?
Yeah, on the "Zombieland" set, he would still be charmingly persuasive, even though his character in the movie is a guy I don't like.

What would you say to people who're skeptical about magic movies?
I would say this movie focuses more on heists that these guys pull, and you're following the FBI trying to bring them down. It's more like "Oceans 11" or "The Usual Suspects" than a magic movie. It just so happens that the characters are using magic to pull off these heists. It's more like your traditional caper film.

"Now You See Me" opens in theatres on May 31.

'American Mary': Soska Twins Talk Modern Horror

Jason Gorber — 2013-05-31T15:24:00+00:00

High pitched screams echoed down the hallway as I waited to chat with the Soska Twins, Canada's Twisted twin actor/director team. They had just been shown a singed-by-David Cronenberg poster of "Dead Ringers," and their outburst of joy was both startling and infectious, much like their latest film "American Mary."

Behind the jet black hair, pointed features and tight, matching sleeveless T-shirts, Jennifer and Sylvia Soska are part of a new breed of independent, intelligent Canadian filmmakers pushing at the bounadries of genre expectation. "Mary" is part of a long line of thoughtful-yet-visceral Canadian movies that fall broadly under the horror genre, a line that draws straight from Cronenberg himself.

Jen, with her slightly raspier, lower-pitched voice, begins the conversation with a mixture of politeness and crudeness that's definitively Canadian: "Do you mind us cussing? Or should we mind our Fs and Cs?"

When I suggest that the film's themes felt almost autographical, Sylvia agrees. "It's a strange experience, because I am a very private person, so to make a film that's reflective of our own lives, and our own struggles, is a very weird, naked feeling. There are people that know me and think, 'Oh my God, that's exactly like you!', and I say [in an unconvincing tone] no, no, that's all a made-up and fantasy!"

The goal of their work seems simple yet profound: "I wanted it so that people who're weird like Jennifer and I to feel that they're less weird. People with split tongues are people too!"

The lead part was written for Katherine Isabelle, an actress Jennifer describes as "the thinking woman's scream queen." Isabelle came to horror fans' attention a decade ago with another genre film with big ideas, the coming-of-age werewolf classic "Ginger Snaps."

I ask whether there's a challenge convincing people to see a film that they might be intimidated by, both in terms of the subject matter and the unconventional style of the twins themselves: "'American Mary' is a horror movie that you don't have to look away from" argues Sylvia. "We made the film for my mom! When you're at that really tense moment and think you have to look away, I challenge you to keep watching!"

Jennifer is somewhat more philosophical about the challenge: "Horror is synonymous with crap now. They shoot it like porn -- as long as you get the breasts and the blood there's not that much in there. What I liked about horror growing up is that it had a philosophy. Yes, we go to fantastical places, but we talk about very real issues."

And what are those issues that "American Mary" tackles? "Believe it or not, it's about working woman's struggles in a male-dominated work field, it's about acceptance for who you are despite individual characteristics of what your aesthetic is. It's about the recession, and it's about radical feminism."

Jennifer admits to being "unsure whether that makes for a fun movie." The film has the ambition of being a "character piece about flawed characters trying to make it in today's world." Still, there were challenges early on. "When we were trying to pitch it, people were saying, 'body modification, that's disgusting!' People who aren't going to get it aren't going to get it, but people who do get it are going to appreciate that it wasn't shoved down their throats. It ends with questions, it doesn't tell you what to think."

"We joke that I'm the Joss Whedon, and she's the Lars Von Trier," says Jen. "I put the heart in, and she rips it out, rapes it, and puts a cigarette out in it." Regardless, arguments couldn't fester with such a tight schedule. "We shot for fifteen days," Jennifer explains, "So we had no time to even have a discussion. If we honestly couldn't agree, it was just OK, you have your [expletive] way, but that's just on this one!"

Are the arguments are always about the film? Have they really moved beyond any sibling friction? "We decided a long time ago that work is first, each other is second, and everything that other people put first is third -- family, our health, religion, our country. There's no time for ego, if it's best for the film, that's what you have to do."

Now that they've developed a devoted following, are the twins locked into doing horror films for the rest of their career? "I don't think our love affair with horror is going to end," Sylvia admits. However, "We thought 'Dead Hooker In The Trunk' was a road movie, and we thought 'American Mary' was a romantic comedy about a working woman."

For Sylvia, it comes down to this: "I want to mix it up, make completely different subgenres. Jennifer and I started with horror movies when we were 10, so we're working on a film that's PG, so that kids can watch it. An intelligent one, so that it's not talking down to them." "I get all verklempt and teary," Sylvia comically sniffles when talking about their legions of young fans, "It's horrible for my image. I'm supposed to be scary!"

"American Mary" is screening in theatres and will be available on DVD in Canada on June 18.

David Walpole, Canadian Actor, Wants 'Star Wars: Episode 7' Audition

Aaron Broverman — 2013-05-31T12:50:00+00:00

One huge "Star Wars" fan is using the force of a viral video (watch above) to try and win a role on the highly anticipated sequel, "Episode 7."

David Walpole, a Toronto-based actor from Hamilton, Ontario and a "Star Wars: fan since childhood, has launched a desperate YouTube appeal to director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, touting why he'd be a great addition to the cast alongside Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia.

As one of the hosts of YouTube pop culture show "Inform Overload," Walpole is always tracking the latest viral trends and one turned out to be regular people asking celebrities to make their dreams come true -- from prom dates to makeovers. So, putting his love of "Star Wars" together with his need to get in front of casting directors, he decided to go for broke.

"'Star Wars' is a $4.2 billion franchise with a huge cult following and I know it inside and out, so it seemed like a no-brainer," he says. "I thought, I'm going to do this for the fans and put in some jokes that the fans will be proud of, but also write a script that the people who aren't fans can understand." Some of the self-described strengths Walpole revealed in the video include his preference for the Blue Milk of Tatooine and his perfectly coiffed Han Solo hair.

Of course, he realizes it's going to take a little more than that, but he says he's absolutely up to the challenge. "I don't want to do background," he insists. "I'm a speaking actor and I know I can do it because I've had sufficient training in it and if I get one of those [big] roles, I'm going to do it the right way." So, what is the right way to play a character in "Star Wars"? Well, according to Walpole, if you're playing Han Solo's son Jason, for example, you need to nail the mannerisms Harrison Ford employs to play Han himself. Not an imitation, but slight similarities in the ways he laughs, talks, or even smirks.

"My agent has been very supportive, but he and my dad have a very similar philosophy which is, 'Don't sit at home and wait for the phone to ring, go out and get it yourself,'" he says. "I want to people to actually say, 'Wow, this guy's actually taking his career into his own hands."

But Walpole isn't just doing this to further his career. All the ad proceeds generated from the almost 13,000 views will be donated to Charity: Water -- a non-profit dedicated to providing safe and clean drinking water for developing nations. So far, J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy haven't come calling, but Walpole is far from discouraged. He's already sent the video to Lucasfilm, George Lucas and Abrams' representation, hoping that eventually it will reach the right people.

Besides, if that doesn't work, he's got an ace up his sleeve: "The real goal for this is to get the thing so bloody viral that it goes screaming all over the Internet and the people who are going to go to "Star Wars" Celebration in Europe, because that's where Kathleen's going to be, are saying, 'Whoa!' and talking about this."

Kanye West, 'Jetsons' Movie Creative Director? Not So Fast

Sharon Knolle — 2012-01-06T18:30:00+00:00

Was there anything to Kanye West's claim -- made during his massive 86-tweet spree the other day -- that he's the "creative director" on the 'Jetsons' movie? "There is no such thing on a movie," Denise Di Novi, who's producing the project, told Vulture, in case you needed clarification on that. But, West, who's a huge fan of the '60s space-age family, did talk to Di Novi and partner Donald De Line and may end up involved in the film in some capacity. Just not as the non-existent "creative director."

Among the rapper's many far-out tweets was this puzzling entry: "I was just discussing becoming the creative director for the Jetson movie and someone on the call yelled out.. you should do a Jetsons tour!"

De Line explained that the 10-minute conference call with West was "preliminary and exploratory and introductory.

"We explained how our process usually works, that usually there's a screenplay, and a director in place first, and that this was ... a nontraditional way, but then, he's a guy with his fingers in a lot of pies, and who likes to work out-of-the-box." No kidding.

Turns out West has long been trying to get on board the project. "The last two years I had various forms of communication from the studio that he had this real love and interest in 'The Jetsons' as an artist," explained De Line, "My response was always ... 'Well, that's great. We'll let him know when we have a screenplay.' I was thinking he was interested in it on a musical level, but apparently he's deeply interested in art and architecture and wanted to be involved."

Despite the title mix-up, Di Novi was impressed by West. "I don't know him; until yesterday, I'd never talked to him in my life ... but I loved his passion for 'The Jetsons.' He gets the whole thing about the future that never was. He sees us living on a precipice of technology -- cameras in your eye, your mind as a remote control to fire lasers -- and wonders how things are going to break, for good or for bad."

So is West working on the movie or not? Di Novi says no, but that their "free-form conversation" ended in a "'If you come up with any ideas, let us know,' kind of way."

[via Vulture]

[Photo: AFP/Getty]

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Sienna Miller Pregnant: Report

Sharon Knolle — 2012-01-06T13:30:00+00:00

Sienna Miller and her boyfriend, 'Pirate Radio' actor Tom Sturridge, are reportedly expecting a child, according to Us Weekly. There's no confirmation from the actress's camp and a rep for Sturridge told the magazine, "We don't comment on our client's personal lives." A source tell the magazine that the two are "really good together" but "don't have any plans to marry right away, if at all."

Miller is currently filming 'Nous York' and is slated to portray Tippi Hedren in a TV movie about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds.' She's best known for her role as Edie Sedgwick in 'Factory Girl' and her famous ex-beaus, including Jude Law and Balthazar Getty.

Sturridge is the son of director Charles Sturridge and happens to be pals with Robert Pattinson: The resulting double dates with Kristen Stewart have surely been well-documented by the paparazzi.

UDPATE: Miller's sister, while not confirming, has tweeted that she's thrilled with the news.

[via Us Weekly]

[Photo: FilmMagic]

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'Hunger Games' Protest: Musicians' Union Targets Film

Sharon Knolle — 2012-01-05T17:40:00+00:00

It looks like not everyone is excited about 'The Hunger Games.' The American Federation of Musicians plans to protest 'Hunger Games' studio Lionsgate on Thursday, because the union is up in arms over the studio not using AFM musicians to score the film, which is now in post-production.

"The American Federation of Musicians is moving to organize the independent film studio Lionsgate, and we are working right now toward securing AFM coverage for all musicians who might be employed on their upcoming movie, 'The Hunger Games,'" AFM president Ray Hair recently told members. He pointed out that the "director [Gary Ross], cinematographers, editors, actors, writers are all receiving union wages, benefits and protections for this U.S.-filmed movie, and so it should be for the musicians."

He added, "Our goal is that Lionsgate recognize the importance of being a responsible employer, as well as the unparalleled value of working with the world's finest musicians ... our AFM members."

The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. The score was to have been done by Danny Elfman, but scheduling conflicts caused him to bow out with James Newton Howard taking over. The soundtrack will include songs from Taylor Swift, The Decemberists and Lawrence singing 'Rue's Lullaby.'

[via Deadline]

[Photo: Lionsgate]

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Jessica Chastain to Make Broadway Debut in 'The Heiress'

Sharon Knolle — 2012-01-05T17:20:00+00:00

Jessica Chastain -- the "It" actress who's likely to get an Oscar nomination for one of her umpteen-diddly movies of 2011, including 'The Help' and 'The Tree of Life' -- is now prepping to conquer Broadway. She'll make her Broadway debut this fall in 'The Heiress.' It's a role that won an Oscar for Olivia de Havilland back in 1950. Since she'll be playing an unattractive 19th-century heiress, she'll likely be "uglified" with heavy eyebrows, as was de Havilland.

This will also be the first Broadway venture for Paula Wagner, who'll co-produce. "I was immediately struck by Jessica's talent and skill when I saw her on stage opposite Al Pacino in Salome," Wagner told THR. "She is an actress with that rare ability to transition effortlessly between the stage and screen."

'The Heiress' premiered in 1947 and has had four previous Broadway productions. The last, in 1995, won Tony Awards for Best Revival and Lead Actress for Cherry Jones.

Chastain, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Drama, is nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in 'The Help' and an Independent Spirit Award for 'Take Shelter.' Her 2011 credits include 'The Tree of Life,' 'Coriolanus' and 'The Debt.'

[via THR]

[Photo: Getty]

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Matt Damon Pulls Out of Directorial Debut, May Still Star: Report

Sharon Knolle — 2012-01-05T16:00:00+00:00

"Script issues" are supposedly to blame for Matt Damon's decision not to direct his first film, although he's reportedly still game to star in the film, according to Vulture. Damon's decision to forego directing duties on the untitled movie -- which is the brainchild of John Krasinski and Dave Eggers -- is all the stranger since Damon co-wrote the script with Eggers (of McSweeney's fame).

Perhaps Damon didn't want to wear three hats in the film, in which he'd play a salesman whose arrival in a small town changes his life. (And, presumably, vice versa, given the way these things usually play out.)

Krasinski and Frances McDormand were also set to star, although the fate of the project seems up in the air. The obvious suggestion: Get Oscar-sharing buddy Ben Affleck to direct.

[via Vulture]

[Photo: AP]

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11 Canadian Movies -- and Movie Stars -- That Made Us Happy in 2011

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-12-28T13:45:00+00:00

Movie fans had much to be happy about in 2011. Mega-stars like Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock all had at least one major release. The final 'Harry Potter' installment debuted -- and didn't disappoint. And most importantly, 'The Muppets' returned to the big screen for the first time in 12 years!

Canadian movie aficionados -- and fans of Canadian movie stars -- also had a lot to appreciate in 2011. Our fair country produced a wide collection of great flicks this year, ranging from heart-wrenching ('Take This Waltz') to, well, gut-spilling ('Hobo With a Shotgun'). Ah, diversity.

To top it all off, our homegrown roster of mega-stars made us proud on the international stage, whether they were behind the cameras (David Cronenberg and Jason Reitman) or working their magic in front of them (sweet, sweet Ryan Gosling; sweet, sweet Ryan Reynolds).

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[Top Photo: Alliance Films]

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'The Iron Lady': Two Meryl Streep Photos You Haven't Seen [Exclusive]

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-12-20T14:45:00+00:00

You probably think you've seen all the stills out there for 'The Iron Lady.' Well, you've thought wrong! Alliance Films has made two new images -- one of Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher and one with Streep and co-star Jim Broadbent -- available to the Canadian public.

Following the trials of one-time British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 'The Iron Lady' is a fascinating portrait of the oft-misunderstood leader. Check out the latest pics from this film after the jump.

(Due to some limitations in our blog structure, we cannot post the full-sized image. Please click directly on the picture to see it in its entirety.)

[Photos Courtesy of Alliance Films]

David Cronenberg on 'A Dangerous Method,' Viggo Mortensen Love and Defending Keira Knightley

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-12-05T13:20:00+00:00

Canadian director David Cronenberg's latest, 'A Dangerous Method,' takes us into a world most of us haven't frequented since college -- sexual psychology, Sigmund Freud, the id and the superego. Never one to shy away from the hard stuff, Cronenberg introduces us to fledgling shrink Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) as he attempts to help the labelled psychopath Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley), who is dealing with repressed sexual abuse at the hands of her father. Along the way, we get several delicious appearances by Viggo Mortensen as Freud himself, who muddies the waters with his interjections into the Jung-Spielrein relationship.

Based on a true story, 'Method' follows Jung from the beginning of his career to his eventual descent into madness. All cerebral and sometimes kinky, 'A Dangerous Method' strives to be totally accurate, right down to Spielrein's tics. Moviefone spoke with Cronenberg about his Viggo love, his Keira love and, yes, his Robert Pattinson love.

What a pleasure it is to talk to you. I grew up watching 'The Fly.'
[Laughs] Oh, good! I hope it hasn't warped you totally.

Not totally. But speaking of mental health - Freud. Jung. Sex. Psychology. Are these areas of interest for you, a partial impetus for making 'A Dangerous Method'?
How could they not be areas of interest for everyone? Obviously, this is the first movie I've made that's specifically about Freud and Jung, but the first film I ever made was a short called 'Transfer,' which was about a psychologist and his patient. Obviously that unique relationship that Freud invented, between a psychotherapist and his patient, is of interest to me. We accept that as a very standard interaction between two people, but it's really rather a strange one if you think about it.

On some level, were you trying to convey the ravages of secrecy and repression, and working those out through psychotherapy?
The first thought in all of our minds was accuracy. The movie was very, very accurate. We have 50 pages of documentation by Jung himself about what Sabina Spielrein's symptoms were when she came to the Burgholzli, and he describes her facial tics in great detail. He calls them deformations. We wanted to be neutral as well, since these characters were so interesting and charismatic. If you want to analyze it, of course, you can say here's a woman who's being asked for the first time to talk about her problems -- because it's the "talking cure." Up to that point, no one ever listened to crazy people, but here's Freud positing, "You really should listen to crazy people because what they say is the key to how you can help them." The scene we shot with Sabina [Keira Knightley] and Jung [Michael Fassbender] was basically the first time the talking cure had ever been used on a patient.

That scene is particularly powerful, and interestingly shot.
Again, we wanted it to be as accurate as possible. This is a woman who comes from a wealthy family, who is being asked to express these things that, for her, have always been unspeakable, just hideous, horrible things that she's been tormented by. She's trying to get the words out, but she's also trying to get them back in at the same time.

Some critics have been rather -- well, critical -- of Knightley's depiction of Spielrein, saying her performance is over-the-top and exaggerated. Any thoughts about that?
We felt her portrayal was accurate. There are actually photographs from the turn of the century, which a French psychiatrist took of his patients, and there is some shot footage too, which we worked off of. People are ignorant about this, and they have a response which has more to do with what their idea of acting is, rather than the accuracy of the movie.

I think a lot of people are uncomfortable with the tics, too.
Oh yes, that is absolutely true. When you see those patients, you're made to be uncomfortable, because in a way it's like watching somebody mutilate themselves, deform themselves.

Another wonderful element of this movie is the emphasis on conversation and analysis. Do you feel, in contemporary times, this approach has been commercialized and, in a way, made redundant?
When you think about it, it always had to be commercialized. Jung was fortunate in that he had a wealthy wife and he didn't have to make money from psychotherapy, but Freud did. He was in an interesting position because he essentially had to monetize psychotherapy. People knew about paying to go see a regular doctor, but people didn't understand why you would have to pay a doctor to sit behind you and listen to you. Unfortunately, that's always been a question about psychoanalysis, right from the very beginning. It's interesting, I just read an article in The New York Times about how it's now becoming quite popular in China. Freud is really hot in China! [Laughs]

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Critics are also saying this is a bit demure for a Cronenberg film.
That has nothing to do with me, it has to do with them. As I've often said, when I make a movie, it's like I've never made another movie before. I give the movie what it needs, what it wants. This is very familiar to me. When I made 'The Dead Zone,' that was very demure for me, considering what I'd done before. The stuff I would do in 'Shivers,' for example, is nothing like what I would do for 'Dead Zone.' You don't impose things on your other movies just because people like those movies or expect whatever element in them. I have to ignore that, you know?

I've always been of that school, too. Each movie is its own island.
It's true. Creatively, that is exactly the truth. Those other considerations -- genre, themes -- those are critical and marketing questions, not creative questions.

Viggo Mortensen was recently on the record saying that you don't receive enough recognition from the Academy. Is this something that concerns you at all?
No. It really doesn't. Viggo and I talked about this. We said that we've both had enough attention to last a lifetime. Of course, if you do a movie, you want people to like it, you want them to see it, you want them to be interested in it. You want your movie to get attention, but in terms of awards, you put them on a shelf somewhere and that's it! Even with an Oscar, it's the same thing.

And it's not like your movies are completely ignored at the Oscars...
Yeah, and the review we got from AO Scott at the New York Times for this movie ... you can't get a better review than that.

Would you ever agree to calling Viggo one of your muses?
No, though it is a sweet thought. I like Viggo. In fact, I love Viggo and we get along great. But I just shot 'Cosmopolis' and Viggo's not in it! [Laughs] I would hate to think I abandoned my muse to make that movie. No, but seriously, we love to collaborate and we love to be colleagues making a movie, there's no question about that. But you do an actor a great disservice by miscasting.

Your casting of Robert Pattinson in 'Cosmopolis,' someone whose acting might not be as critically lauded as Mortensen's, was obviously a well-thought-out decision, then.
Well, Keira's acting doesn't always get praise from high-brow critics, either. I would use that parallel. You have a young actor who's found success with a franchise just like Keira did with 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' who's underrated because of that. In each case, they're too pretty and too successful so people are jealous. As a result, people assume that they can't possibly be good actors.

So what was the exact motivation for casting Pattinson in 'Cosmopolis'?
He's the right age, he's got the right screen presence, and when I looked at his other work I thought he'd be really interesting for the role. Casting is a black art - it's a bit mysterious how you come to these things - and it's subjective, too, of course. As a director, there are no rules to guide you. You have to go with your gut, ultimately.

[Photo: E1 Entertainment]

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Michael Fassbender: Everyman, Chameleon, Sex Symbol

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-11-24T15:00:00+00:00

That Michael Fassbender is quite the chameleon, isn't he? He's like a male Kate Winslet, seamlessly dashing between contemporary and old-timey roles. Few (if any) actors today are as versatile. From Spartan times to the swingin' '60s, it seems as though Fassbender has tackled almost every major movie-friendly era.

So it's no surprise that iconic director David Cronenberg cast Fassbender as Carl Jung in 'A Dangerous Method,' which hits theaters this week. Fassbender melts into his role as the conflicted psychiatrist struggling with his relationships with frosty mentor Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen), unhinged patient/lover Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) and his long-suffering wife, Emma (Sarah Gadon).

Fassbender clearly has the acting chops to pull off playing characters from a range of different eras. He also has the right look for it -- his face is just as believable in the WWII drama 'Band of Brothers' as it is in the 19th century epic 'Jane Eyre.' Hopefully he can resist the lure of Botox and facelifts that other Hollywood actors have succumbed to (cough, cough, Sylvester Stallone, cough, cough, Mickey Rourke). After all, facelifts just weren't done in the 19th century.

After seeing Fassbender decked out in early 20th century duds in 'A Dangerous Method,' we decided to wrangle up a gallery of his other memorable roles that highlight his incredible range - from a centuries-old warrior in Sparta to a modern-day New Yorker. Up next for Fassbender: something set in the future. (OK, not really. But we can dream! Imagine how cool Future Fassbender would look!)

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[Photo: Sony Pictures Classics]

Marvel's 'The Avengers' Character Posters: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Hiddleston in Full Superhero Mode [Exclusive]

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-11-17T12:01:00+00:00

Fans of comics and comic book movies, rejoice! Moviefone Canada and Disney Canada are pleased to present brand new character posters from upcoming blockbuster 'The Avengers,' set for release on May 4, 2012. The movie focuses on the formation of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division), a group of superheroes banding together to defeat extraterrestrial invaders. The new character posters feature S.H.I.E.L.D. members Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), along with the film's central bad guy, Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

Check out the poster after the jump. (Due to the constraints of the blog, we realize the image is a bit tough to see. Just make sure you click on the image to see full, high-resolution version.)

If you want to see what all the buzz is about, you can check out the full trailer below.

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'Face Off' Stars Celebrate 40th Anniversary of the 'Original' Canadian Hockey Movie

Bryan Cairns — 2011-11-15T09:00:00+00:00

Sharpen those blades, dust off that hockey jersey and get ready to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic Canadian hockey movie 'Face Off.' The star-studded Blu-ray/DVD combo pack is being released in Canada on November 15.

This underground cult favourite follows hot young rookie Billy Duke (Art Hindle) as he joins the Toronto Maple Leafs and falls for Sherry Nelson (Trudy Young), a local singer who has issues with his aggressive nature. The two stars of the movie, along with Video Service Corp president Jonathan Gross, spoke exclusively to Moviefone Canada about why 'Face Off' is the original Canadian love story movie and how it paved the way for other hockey flicks.

Can you believe it's been 40 years since 'Face Off' came out?
Art Hindle: It's gone fast. We looked at the movie and it brings back wonderful memories. There's nothing wrong with nostalgia.

Trudy Young: No. Now I'm going, "Oh my God! I really am 61," because I was 21 when we did it. It's hard to believe. Sometimes it feels like yesterday and other times it feels like forever. The memories have been coming back with the DVD commentary. I thought to myself, "Oh, I don't want to watch this again." I can't stand watching myself and I had no idea we were going to have to watch the whole film. Actually, once it started and we were remembering funny things that happened, it was so much fun.

Why has 'Face Off' resonated with so many people?
TY: I think because of the hockey. What's Canada best-known for besides hockey? Also, it was a love story. The comments I hear are, "I love that movie. I cried when you died at the end." It was Canada's first love story.

Why do you have such a soft spot for this movie, Jonathan?
Jonathan Gross: I'm not 22 anymore, so if you look at your life and what Canada used to be, or what triggers an emotional response, 'Face Off' is one of those for me. When you're a kid and go to the movie theatre for 'Face Off's opening night 40 years ago, which is what I did, you remember it. A lot of guys my age spent a lot of time in Maple Leaf Gardens following the Leafs back then. Looking at my whole life, I don't think I was more passionate about hockey than when I used to live it like that.

Before sitting down for the commentary, when was the last time you saw 'Face Off'?
AH: Actually, I was living in L.A. and periodically, it was on Pay TV. It's not like I haven't seen it over the years. There was a big gap in time where I hadn't seen it, or I didn't want to see it. It was my second film. When you do something and you see all the warts and moles in it, it's ... I won't say damaging, but it shakes your confidence. You don't really go back and revisit it. Although, when I first moved to L.A. in 1974, it was the film everybody would look at when hiring me.

Was it strange revisiting this favourite again?
JG: My emotional response from seeing it again was different than I had anticipated. It wasn't the acting or Art and Trudy that I got emotional about; it was the hockey. I don't remember my mother's maiden name, but I remember all the players. I had the hockey cards for a lot of those guys. These guys were gods. It wasn't about the money or who was earning what. They would play 17 years for the same team.

In the beginning, you couldn't skate, Art. How much of you is that on the ice?
AH: Well, anything shot from behind is pretty much Jim McKenny. They shot him in actual games. Then at the end of our shoot, which was two months long, we took over Maple Leaf Gardens' ice, and we blended the shots together. Anywhere you see my face, I'm on the ice. I actually scrimmaged with teams like the Blackhawks, the Bruins and the Rangers. You couldn't do this movie today. The NHL and Players' Association wouldn't let you.

And Trudy, could you sing before your character was introduced in that bar?
TY: They gave me a few singing classes. I was a dancer, but I've had to sing before. I did a play out in Edmonton where I had to sing and dance. Producer Johnny Bassett wanted to put me in white go-go boots, but I talked him out of that. I wore my own clothes. She's supposed to be a folk singer, so she's not going to wear white go-go boots!

How big of a deal was it having all those famous hockey players do cameos?
AH: Oh, it was a huge deal. First, for the film, it adds so much reality to it. Secondly, quite a few of them have since become my friends. It adds credibility. Try imagining a baseball film and A-Rod walking with the actor.

'Face Off' is considered a Canadian classic, but how was it initially received?
AH: It was a big deal. There was an old theatre right beside Maple Leaf Gardens called the Carlton. It was a red-carpet event. I remember there used to be a bar in the Gardens. We waited there, they put us in a limo outside that door and we came around the corner. We actually didn't drive up. The limo broke down, so we had to push it to the red carpet, get in it, and then get out for the photo grabs. Very Canadian. There were so many interviews. By the time I got into the theatre, there were no seats left. They hadn't thought to reserve any, so I ended up in the balcony in the back row.

I understand there was supposed to be a sex scene between Billy and Sherry. What happened?
TY: Actually, I didn't really want to do it because I'm pretty shy and I was very uncomfortable, although Art and I had fallen in love during the film. We lived together a few years after that. I had just done 'The Reincarnate' and they got a double for a little sex scene for me. Anyway, they had this bed set up and some drapes. Art, the silly guy, came running out when they called "Action!" in full hockey gear, and jumped on the bed. That's when Johnny realized we didn't need this scene, so it never got filmed.

Was there anything you learned from Art and Trudy's commentary?
JG: An absolute ton of stuff. I'm shocked at what I learned and what it was like to make movies back in the '70s. Trudy said sometimes they had to bring their own clothes to the set. When Art was talking about jumping on the train, the train kept going. It actually picked him up and dropped him off somewhere. These are great stories. This was a high-end film back in the day, but it was guerilla shooting. The stupid convertible with the top down in the winter ... what the hell was that?

Did 'Face Off' pave the way for other hockey films such as 'Slap Shot,' 'Youngblood' and 'The Mighty Ducks'?
AH: I think it did. Other than an old John Wayne movie, which was about hockey if you can believe it, this was the first time in a long time that anybody had thought to make a dramatic film in the milieu of hockey. A few years later, when I was living in L.A., George Roy Hill, who directed 'Slap Shot,' asked me to come in for meetings and considered using me at one point. He asked me a lot of questions about how we shot the on-ice stuff because it was all alien to him. That film was less reality-based than ours, of course.

Finally, do you have any standout moments from 'Face Off'?
TY: I wasn't one who liked to be recognized and asked for autographs. A lot of times, I used to pretend I wasn't her. I'd just say, "Oh, I look like Trudy Young, but I actually race horses." I had a horse and could answer any questions if they asked.

Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez: 'The Way' Is Not a Gimmick

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-11-04T10:00:00+00:00

The father-son relationship has been done to death in movies, but it's never been depicted quite like this. 'The Way,' written and directed by Emilio Estevez, stars the iconic Martin Sheen, who also just so happens to be Estevez's father. The movie follows the journey of Tom (Sheen), a curmudgeonly man who ventures to Europe to recover the body of his son (Estevez), who died while traveling on the "El Camino de Santiago," a popular hike that stretches from France to Spain.

Sheen leads the film with echoes of 'Apocalypse Now,' except where he was once wide-eyed and youthful, his look and demeanor now speak of wisdom and worldliness. It's fascinating to see him several decades later roaming in a foreign, beautiful landscape. Moviefone caught up with the father and son (as well as producer David Alexanian) as they traveled across North America on their 'The Way' tour.

'Tree of Life' recently came out on DVD - do you still speak with Terrence Malick?
Martin Sheen: He won't permit anyone to speak with him. I'm being serious. He is the most shy person I've ever met in my life. He was living in Paris years ago, and we got reacquainted in 1981. One day we were walking down the street and someone recognized me ... and he just kept on going, just kept on walking. He's hopelessly shy. He lives in Texas with his wife, the love of his life, they grew up together ... but it took two wives in between to get back to that. [Laughs] He is one of the most mysterious, wonderful characters. We have never ever discussed films, not any film he's done or he's gonna do. Not ever.

How did 'The Way' come to be?
MS: My father was born just outside of Santiago, so I grew up knowing about it. I always had that fantasy that I would walk the Camino de Santiago. In the summer of '03 when we were on a break from 'The West Wing,' and Emilio's son Taylor was working for me as a young assistant. We were [driving] on the Camino and we stopped at a little restaurant along the way, and Taylor met his future wife -- they're married now. Her mother's name is Miracle (in Spanish), and I thought "Hmm ... there's something going on here." I came home and had some explaining to do about why his son wasn't with me. Emilio picked it up from there and had his own journey with it.

What was it like shooting your father, Emilio?
MS: He didn't shoot me! [Laughs]

Emilio Estevez: We're very close. I live right down the street from him. The film was an organic extension of how we live. I wrote the role for him and I didn't want to do the film with anyone else.

David Alexanian: The audience is a beneficiary of this relationship. He's able to go to places with Martin that I don't think any director have been able to, and vice versa. In the 40 days we had to shoot, I have to say Martin gave a wonderful performance for Emilio. People are responding to it because they can see that it's authentic.

EE: I don't think he's been as good in a film since 'Apocalypse Now.' This was not a gimmick or a gig. We weren't gigging. This was something we took very personally. I was not tolerating any sloppiness from the cast and crew. I constantly demanded that he not fall back on any tricks. [Laughs] I wanted him to stay in character. He wanted to jump into crowds and shake hands, be friendly. I kept having to remind him that this character is not a friendly guy. Here's a guy with a hardened shell around him, and I wanted him to keep up that veneer for as long as possible. Until it was time to crack it, then crack it a little more, and then have him be fully realized and awake before the end of the film.

MS: I wouldn't have been there without him. It was the best part I've had in a long while. It's the first time I've ever had to carry a film since 'Apocalypse.' I'm not a young guy, so I had some anxiety that I couldn't live up to his expectations. Emilio assured me that I was the first violinist and there would be crescendos and valleys, and just to trust him. And I did. Frankly, I followed him across the Camino. I knew he was onto something very, very special.

Any reason for this particular cast of characters (American, Canadian, Dutch and Irish)?
EE: Nobody's pretty in this movie. Nobody is glamorous, nobody's hip. Nobody's cool. Nobody's contemporary. Everyone is wonderfully and beautifully flawed, like everyone in the world. That's why people are connecting to the film. People are beautiful wrecks.

DA: The film and the Camino are trying to celebrate what we have in common, whereas so much of what's going on outside today is we're highlighting differences. Constantly.

EE: A lot of miracles happened during production. They started out as coincidences and then we stopped calling them that because they were truly magical moments. We were warned against shooting in the north of Spain because apparently it rains all the time, and it only rained twice -- and on those two days we were shooting interiors. We were told we wouldn't be able to shoot in the cathedral, and then they ended up letting us film there. There was a screening in Colorado, a 24-plex. The power goes out, except in screening room 22, where 'The Way' was playing. It was amazing, almost meant to be.

'The Way' is already playing in limited release in the US, and has a limited release in Canada starting Nov. 4.

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Fan of Grace Kelly? Might Want to Visit This Exhibition in Toronto

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-11-03T14:20:00+00:00

Grace Kelly embodies the fantasy of nearly every woman on Earth: she won an Oscar, married a prince and became a princess. She was also the muse to many directors, most notably the late, great Alfred Hitchcock.

Toronto's TIFF Bell Lightbox, the home to the Toronto International Film Festival, is showcasing artifacts and collectibles based on Kelly's remarkable life. 'Grace Kelly: From Movie Star to Princess' is making its only North American stop in Toronto -- and it continues through to Jan. 22, 2012. If you want to see items like Kelly's actual Oscar, the gown she wore to the Academy Awards or an exact replica of her bridal dress, then you may want to book a plane ticket to Canada.

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For more information and complete schedule/listings at TIFF Bell Lightbox, visit their website.

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10 Ways to Know You've Joined a Cult (At Least in Movies)

Rick Mele — 2011-10-28T10:00:00+00:00

Already a critical hit thanks to its film festival runs, 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' is generating no shortage of buzz these days. The haunting indie drama stars Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a young woman who struggles to reintegrate into normal life after escaping from a cult in the Catskills. But writer/director Sean Durkin's feature debut isn't the first movie to delve into the dangerous grasp cults can hold over their followers. And with 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' out now in theaters (try ordering that ticket five times fast), Moviefone thought it was time revisit some true "cult" classics; because if you're a little wary about why that new social club you signed up for keeps asking you to try the Kool-Aid, here are the top 10 ways to know you've joined a cult -- in the movies at least.

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Malin Akerman and Tyler Labine on 'Cottage Country,' Killing Family Members and Angry Squirrels

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-10-27T17:30:00+00:00

'Bad Teacher' scene-stealer Lucy Punch is shivering in the cold cottage country air as Daniel Petronijevic ('Happy Town') takes aim at her with a bow and arrow. Tyler Labine ('Rise of the Planet of the Apes') jumps in to stop the madness, while Malin Akerman ('Watchmen') takes everything in from a safe distance. The four funny people are filming a scene for 'Cottage Country,' a new dark comedy about an eager-to-please yes-man (Labine) trying to create the perfect getaway for himself and his super-hot girlfriend (Akerman).

Much to his chagrin, his incredibly annoying brother (Petronijevic) shows up with his loopy girlfriend (Punch). Determined not to get pushed around anymore, Labine stands up for himself -- and winds up killing his brother! Hilarious antics ensue in this flick, set to hit theaters at some point next year.

The movie is set in the summer, but the fall Ontario weather has been far from warm. The chilly climate has been a particular shock for Akerman, who just finished shooting 'Rock of Ages' in balmy Miami alongside Tom Cruise and Paul Giamatti.

Moviefone braved the wind, rain and cold for a day earlier this month to chat with Akerman, Labine and Petronijevic about why you won't want to miss this wacky little dark comedy. (Brace yourself for Labine's amazing squirrel impression. It's priceless.)

['Cottage Country' Photo Courtesy of Christos Kalohoridis/Alliance Films]

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'The Hunger Games' Gale Poster Released [Moviefone Exclusive]

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-10-27T13:00:00+00:00

'The Hunger Games' release may be just under six months away, but the fever is certainly amping up. Fans are going crazy for the first installment of the three-movie (at least) series, which is set to be released on March 23, 2012.

Alliance Films has provided Moviefone Canada with the exclusive poster of Liam Hemsworth as lead character Gale. Ladies, try not to salivate! Check out the poster after the jump.

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland and Lenny Kravitz, 'The Hunger Games' is coming soon. Check back to Moviefone for more about the highly anticipated adaptation in the lead-up to release. For more on 'The Hunger Games,' head over to the official capitol website.

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Legendary Illustrator Chris Foss Recalls His Blowout With Stanley Kubrick and Antics on 'Alien' Set

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-10-13T17:30:00+00:00

Chris Foss has had the sort of career many young men would dream of. He has worked as a visual consultant on some of the most influential movies of our time, including 'Alien,' 'Superman' and Alejandro Jodorowsky's famously scrapped version of 'Dune.'

He even had the chance to tell off a director he once admired greatly: Stanley Kubrick. The two butted heads constantly when Foss was brought in to work on Kubrick's 'AI,' resulting in a blowout that ultimately led to Foss being frozen out of the project altogether.

Foss got his first big break illustrating for Penthouse magazine when it was in its infancy. Shortly afterwards, he was asked to illustrate the groundbreaking book 'The Joy of Sex' -- which was a risky venture at that time in England -- but the rabble-rouser in Foss delighted in the controversy. The classic book is now celebrating its 40th anniversary, and even Foss is surprised by its longevity.

Of course, he is probably best-known for his prolific production of iconic book covers for science-fiction novels by everyone from Isaac Asimov to E.E. 'Doc' Smith. British publisher Titan Books has just released a collection called 'Hardware: The Definitive Works of Chris Foss,' which showcases some of his most memorable pieces, from the covers to his conceptual work for 'Alien,' 'AI' and the ill-fated 'Dune.'

Foss spoke with Moviefone from his London home about everything from sneaking around the 'Alien' set to his famous blowout with Kubrick.

How did you react when you were asked to illustrate 'The Joy of Sex'? Were you worried about an obscenity lawsuit?
Yes. In England we were very, very stuck in our ways. We had a famous obscenity trial called the Oz trial, around a magazine called Oz that did a schoolgirl's edition. Then up came this project, and the editor I was dealing with used to give me these little furtive briefings. He said it's a sex education book. It was quite unheard of to have actual sexual situations being so openly published. We got them to write a good contract whereby they agreed to defend us if it was ever taken to court. There was always a risk in the UK of some prurient little so-and-so making a show-trial out of it.

What was the process of working on it like?
I would sit in the publisher's office while he would describe these rather erotic positions. The other artist Charles and his lovely German wife actually posed for all of the positions. We had this hilarious situation where I'm trying to shoot it all in a flat where the power was being turned off at regular intervals [due to the miner's strike at the time]. We would try to get through X number of positions, like a checklist.

Was 'Dune' the first film you did concept work for?
It was. And I wish it had not been the first because I thought all films were like that. 'Alien' only happened because of 'Dune.' And 'Dune' in turn fathered so many other films and concepts. Alejandro was this extraordinarily quixotic person, and quixotic in every sense of the word.

From there, did you move on to 'Superman'?
We were all waiting to restart 'Dune' after Christmas; we had total loyalty to 'Dune.' And then the 'Superman' people came along. My initial reaction was, 'What a stupid thing, to make a film of a strip cartoon.' And there you go, history's proven me different. They wined and dined me and insisted I come and worked on 'Superman.' I thought, well, I'll do it until 'Dune' starts up, and of course 'Dune' never did. So I worked on 'Superman.'

Meanwhile, Dan O'Bannon, who was going to be the special effects man on 'Dune,' went back to America and had no money and slept on his friend's sofa. They dug up some of their old stuff, including a script called 'They Bite'. Then the moneymen said 'Hey, there's money in this science fiction, what have we got?' So 'Alien' went from being a fledgling concept to having huge amounts of money pumped into it. Incidentally, the great famous scene where the alien pops out of the guy's stomach is based on Dan, who had the most terrible food poisoning and had to be taken to the hospital and imagined that an alien was trying to burst out of him!

How did that experience compare to working on 'Dune'?
Well, of course, the contrast could not have been bigger. I ended up being installed in a Hollywood producer's house and so I saw the whole background to the thing. And the whole thing was as two-faced as it came. It made me realize what a wonderful thing 'Dune' was. Then the last one I worked on was for dear Stanley Kubrick [on 'AI'], and that was an experience. I was installed up in his mansion in St. Albans.

What was that like? I know you were really influenced by his early work.
In a way, it was quite sad. Stanley is legendary for treating people quite badly, wanting just to beat them down. As you can well imagine, I won't take much stick from anyone. So he was fairly confrontational but always backed down.

What do you think the secret to his success was? As a creative person, how could he get such great work treating people like that?
Well this is the puzzling thing! The staff were all failed actors, and he beat them down and convinced them that they were nothing. It looked like a 1920's horror film, everyone was sort of hunched over. One day I came back after what we would call a rather good lunch, and Stanley is standing in my room scowling at the picture, and this has been repainted more times than you've had hot dinners.

He said, "This picture's not working," and I absolutely blew up. I said, "Stanley, this picture is not working because the concept is not working, because the film is not working, because there is no clear concept!" And he hit the wall and said, "OK, no clear concept, no clear concept" and walked out. And then the next week when I called to say my car wasn't working, I was late, they said, "Well actually, Chris, you don't need to come back." But you see, in '2001,' there's no ending! A friend of mine had been hired to visualize concepts because Stanley could not work out '2001,' and it has no ending, as you well know.

It sounds like 'Dune' was your favorite film project. Of the others, do you have any favorite moments?
We had terrific fun in Los Angeles on 'Alien.' We were hidden away in funny little washrooms because me and Ron Cobb, the other artist, were non-union. One day we were working in our funny little set of rooms, and this voice comes up: "This is the police, come out with your hands up!" And we got down below the window and said, "Don't shoot! We've got hostages!" This guy ran up the stairs and it became obvious they were doing a take of 'Starsky & Hutch.'

You mentioned in the book you have an idea for a movie, 'The Crab.' Can you tell me a bit about the concept?
I don't want to say too much because people always steal these things. Basically these two girls have found a highly mutated crab on one planet, and realized it could be quite valuable and decide to take it to another planet to make some money. And of course this thing still keeps mutating. Two problems they have is a) it keeps devouring all forms of plastic, which of course is the standard material and he's actually eating bits of the ship and b) it's growing at a rapid rate. And that's the actual theme of the thing.

Would you direct it yourself?
Who knows? With films you've got to be in the right place at the right time with the right money.

Why Staying Loyal to the Original Movie Might Save 'Footloose'

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-10-13T15:30:00+00:00

Sometimes remakes are a good idea. Case in point: Baz Luhrmann's stylized 1996 take on 'Romeo + Juliet.' The story has been told countless times before on both stage and screen, but Luhrmann masterfully brought something new to the table without compromising the integrity of the original story.

This elusive combination is tough to pull off, which is why we have so many sub-par remakes (Cough, cough -- 'Fame' -- cough, cough). This week marks the release of yet another remake. This time around, Hollywood is rolling out 'Footloose' without a side of Bacon. (Yes, I mean Kevin.) To do another 'Footloose' without Bacon on board just seems wrong.

Clearly, producers are hoping that 'Footloose' will tap into the current insatiable appetite audiences seem to have for all things dance. Just look at the undying popularity of shows like 'Dancing With the Stars,' and 'So You Think You Can Dance,' not to mention the inexplicably lucrative dance movie franchises like 'Step Up' and 'Save the Last Dance.'

While the original 'Footloose' opted to cast an actor in the starring role (the Bacon), the remake is taking a gamble on a professional dancer (Kenny Wormald). 'DWTS' alum Julianne Hough co-stars as the new Ariel, a.k.a. the preacher's daughter.

This move may serve as a bit of a red flag. The 'Fame' remake was widely criticized for being all sizzle, no steak. It had plenty of dazzling dance scenes, but lacked the emotional core that made the original 'Fame' such a classic. The fact that the new 'Footloose' features dancers rather than actors indicates it may be headed in the same direction.

That said, there's been plenty of buzz about the new 'Footloose' being incredibly loyal to the original. Who knows, maybe casting dancers in the main roles in a movie about passion for dancing is an inspired decision. We shall see. In the meantime, I've compiled a list of other remakes that stuck very, very close to the originals they were paying homage to -- with mixed results.

'Let Me In,' 2010 ('Let the Right One In,' 2008). While this is an excellent remake, it's so loyal to the original that it's quite obvious it was made purely to appeal to people too lazy to read subtitles. 'Let Me In' features all of the signature scenes the Swedish original did, including the cute Rubik's cube exchange, the hospital fire and, of course, the pool confrontation.

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'Psycho,' 1998 ('Psycho,' 1960). Gus Van Sant's remake may have been a little too faithful to Hitchcock's classic for some people's liking. It performed poorly at the box office, and critics asked what the point of the shot-by-shot remake was. The critical consensus seemed to be that, even though Van Sant's version was in color, it really didn't bring anything new to the table to make the endeavor worthwhile. Ouch.

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'Quarantine,' 2008 ('REC,' 2007). Like 'Let Me In,' this remake seems geared towards North Americans who don't like reading subtitles. 'Quarantine' is an incredibly faithful adaptation of the popular Spanish horror flick. It stars 'Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter as TV reporter Angela Vidal (they didn't even change the heroine's name from 'REC,' not that there's anything wrong with that) who's covering mysterious events at an apartment building as they unfold.

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'Arthur,' 2011 ('Arthur,' 1981). The contemporary Arthur, played by Russell Brand, is a smidge more politically correct than his '80s counterpart, embodied by Dudley Moore. While the plot is more or less the same, the changes the contemporary version did make made all the difference, and ultimately hurt the remake. The most glaring offense? Replacing Arthur's feisty, fun-loving gal (Liza Minnelli) with a boring goody-goody tour guide (Greta Gerwig). If modern Arthur had a formidable partner in crime, the remake may have done the original justice.

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'Freaky Friday,' 2003 ('Freaky Friday,' 1976). Who doesn't love a good body-swapping comedy? The most recent remake, featuring a pre-breakdown Lindsay Lohan, remained quite true to the 1976 version starring Jodie Foster. It integrated a few twists to keep things relevant to a 21st century audience, such as the additions of the battle of the bands and a bad-boy biker love interest played by teen heartthrob Chad Michael Murray.

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Kim Bubbs Divulges Spoiler-Free Secrets From 'The Thing' and 'On the Road'

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-10-11T14:00:00+00:00

Get ready to start seeing a lot more of Kim Bubbs. The Canadian-born actress appears in two highly anticipated films set to hit the big screen in the near future: this week's release 'The Thing,' which serves as a prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 cult classic of the same name, and 'On the Road.'

Bubbs stars alongside Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley and Bella herself, Kristen Stewart, in 'On the Road,' the much buzzed-about adaptation of Jack Kerouac's famous novel. Moviefone caught up with the budding star to find out more about 'The Thing' and what it was like working with Hedlund in 'On the Road.'

What sparked your interest in 'The Thing' initially?
I thought that it was a brilliant idea to prequel John Carpenter's film. 'The Thing' provided a great opportunity to see what happened at the Norwegian base because it's shrouded in mystery. We don't know exactly what took place there. And I liked the fact that there were two women in this one.

How did it affect the dynamic while filming, having another woman on the team?
We had a great time. Mary Elizabeth [Winstead, of 'Scott Pilgrim vs The World'] is amazing. She's so professional and talented. We had such a great time as an ensemble cast as well. Everybody got along. It felt a lot like summer camp.

How does this compare and lead into John Carpenter's version?
Well, there was a lot of care taken with this film because Carpenter's version is a cult classic and we wanted to respect that. The special effects were done by hand and there was a lot of puppetry in Carpenter's version, and that element is in this film, which is great. Our film and his are definitely from the same universe. While it has the same type of feel, it is also a film that can really stand on its own.

So it may appeal to an audience beyond original fans of 'The Thing'?
Oh, absolutely! One of the things that's really interesting are the elements of paranoia, isolation, not knowing who to trust -- that whole psychological element is really intriguing and compelling to watch.

What was it like shooting? I heard that you had a pretty elaborate set in Toronto...
Yeah, it was amazing. It was so impressive to see all of the work that the special effects team did. We did some work with green screens, but a lot of the puppets and the stuff was on set, so it was really awesome to interact with it and see all the artistry behind it.

Without giving too much away, can you describe the puppetry a bit more and the types of effects we can expect to see?
The creature has to make sense for both films, so you will see some similarities between certain creatures.

How did you get involved with 'On the Road'? That sounds like a cool project.
Yes! It's a really cool project, and it's a total departure from 'The Thing.' It's based on Jack Kerouac's famous book, and shot in seven locations throughout the world. In that film I play Sal Paradise's -- played by Sam Riley -- real, true gal. At the end of his adventures he decides to change his life and settle down with Laura, who is my character. Great cast. The director is Walter Salles, who directed 'The Motorcycle Diaries.' I think it's going to be a really exciting project coming out next year.

There are a lot of big names in the movie, like Kristen Stewart and Garrett Hedlund. What was the dynamic like on set?
Most of my scenes were with Garrett Hedlund and Sam Riley, who are fantastic. They're amazing. This is a film that really toured around, just like the book. The funny part is that shooting 'The Thing,' we were wearing snowpants in May, June, and we were boiling. Then shooting 'On the Road' it was December and I was in a strapless ball gown. It was quite funny.

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Laughing in the Face of Death: '50/50' and Other Terminal Illness Movies That Buck Convention

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

You'd think a movie about a young man battling a terminal disease would be a huge downer -- a la 'Dying Young' -- but '50/50' isn't your average death's door tearjerker. The funny new flick offers plenty of laughs along with the tender moments, and manages to find humor in an incredibly depressing situation.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Adam, a 27-year-old radio producer diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that has a 50/50 survival rate. (Hence the title.) His best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen) becomes Adam's rock, driving him to doctor's appointments and distracting him with nights on the town. Of course, this isn't the first time Rogen has played a character attending to someone facing a terminal disease. Remember 'Funny People'? Rogen dutifully tucked in Adam Sandler's ailing character each night. But I digress. Back to '50/50.'

It's refreshing to see a 'terminal illness' movie that isn't all about a doting woman nursing the patient back to health (cough, cough, 'Dying Young'), and ultimately leading into a sappy, sappy, sad, sappy love story.

After all, it's pretty easy for this particular genre to get schmaltzy. (Cough, cough, 'A Walk to Remember.') Sure: 'Terms of Endearment' is a great movie, but everything about it seems carefully calculated to extract tears.

If you're looking for something a little more subversive with plenty of inappropriate death-related jokes, you may want to try one of these instead. Behold, a list of my five favorite movies about people battling terminal illness. (Sorry, 'Last Holiday.' You didn't make the cut. While I like the premise of this Queen Latifah laugh-riot, the flick itself falls very, very short. And even though I give 'The Bucket List' credit for popularizing the phrase and tackling death in a fresh new way, watching Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman skydiving didn't quite make my top-5.)

'The Royal Tenenbaums.' Royal's stomach cancer may not be real, but I would still argue that this fits the 'terminal illness' genre because of how his alleged illness causes everyone around him to behave. Royal's fake cancer wins him a spot back in the family home, and garners attention from his estranged family. Sure, he gets caught. But he got in some much-needed face time with the family while the ruse lasted.

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'Igby Goes Down.' I realize it may be a bit of a spoiler to reveal who comes down with the terminal illness in this flick, so I won't. I will say that it made my list because of its refreshingly cynical approach to death. A lot of flicks present the dying person as some sort of flawless angel. Not this one. (Bonus points for featuring Bill Pullman AND Jeff Goldblum. Extra bonus points for seeing Kieran Culkin yell 'Sookie!!' to Claire Danes years before Bill and Eric made it all the rage on 'True Blood.')

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'Beaches.' OK, it's a little schmaltzy. But Bette Midler saves 'Beaches' from being too syrupy sweet. Her dying BFF of 30 years, Hillary, was kind of a rich bitch at times, but ultimately their friendship was able to stand up to betrayal, jealousy and even a bizarre love triangle. The Divine One gets to share Hillary's last moments with her at the beach. Like '50/50,' this is a touching story about friendship. Plus, it's the flick that brought us 'The Wind Beneath My Wings.'

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'Moulin Rouge.' It figures Satine (Nicole Kidman) would meet the man of her dreams (Ewan McGregor) just before falling ill with TB! (The old-timey disease is a good reminder that this super-stylized movie is indeed a period piece.) Even though there are plenty of professions of undying love, the singing, dancing and John Leguizamo keep 'Moulin Rouge' from being just another tragic love story.

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'My Life Without Me.' As if being diagnosed with a terminal illness at age 23 wasn't bad enough, Ann (Sarah Polley) also has a husband (Scott Speedman) and two kids. Damn! She embarks on her own bucket-listy journey, which includes some steamy encounters with Mark Ruffalo. Again, this one scores points for eschewing the whole dying-person-can-do-no-wrong trap.

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('50/50' image courtesy of Summit Entertainment)

Pop-Star Dads, Talented Daughters: Lily Collins and Other Rising-Star Actresses

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-09-22T15:00:00+00:00

Remember when rock stars produced supermodel children? Keith Richards spawned catwalk queens Theodora and Alexandra. Keith's bandmate Mick Jagger produced international supermodel Lizzy Jagger. This phenomenon extends beyond The Rolling Stones, believe it or not. Look no further than Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon's daughter Amber as proof. It probably doesn't hurt that all of these children of rock stars had a little help from their mothers' genes -- their mamas are all supermodels.

But there's a new trend among daughters of famous musicians. Many of them are breaking into acting, and are doing quite well at it. Look at Lily Collins. Who'd have thought that "Another Day in Paradise" crooner Phil Collins would one day spawn Hollywood's latest It-Girl? You may remember her as Sandra Bullock's daughter in 'The Blind Side,' the role that first brought her into the spotlight.

Since then, she's won the coveted title role in 'Snow White' opposite Julia Roberts, and this week, you can catch her in 'Abduction,' an action thriller co-starring 'Twilight' hunk Taylor Lautner.

And she isn't the first daughter of a pop star to make a splash in Hollywood. With that in mind, here's a list of the top five actresses who have a famous musical dad (or granddad). I'm guessing model/artist/brooding teenager Frances Bean Cobain, daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, won't be far behind.

Zoe Kravitz: There's no denying that Zoe won the gene pool lottery. It appears as though her ridiculously beautiful parents, actress Lisa Bonet and rock star Lenny Kravitz, passed along more than just good looks. The young Kravitz (and rumored girlfriend of Michael Fassbender) can sing and act (and model, obviously. I mean, look at her). She most recently appeared alongside Fassbender in X-Men: First Class.

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Rashida Jones: Quirky, funny, down-to-earth Rashida is nothing like what you may expect the daughter of a music tycoon as powerful as Quincy Jones to be. Maybe it's that endearing, relatable quality that has helped her movie career take off. She shone as Paul Rudd's cool fiancé in 'I Love You Man,' and she charms again as Zooey Deschanel's hipster-lawyer girlfriend in this summer's 'My Idiot Brother.'

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Liv Tyler: Who knew Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler's lips could actually look good on a woman? Lucky for Liv, Tyler's oversize features work incredibly well when balanced on her delicate face. Looks aside, Liv has proven time and again that she has the acting chops to back up her famous last name. My favorite Liv role to date? Corey the goody-goody with a secret in 'Empire Records.'

Riley Keough: It's pretty much impossible for Elvis Presley's granddaughter to have a normal life, isn't it? So it's probably for the best that Lisa Marie's daughter is embracing a life in the limelight, first as a model and now as an actress starring in flicks like 'The Runaways.' Up next? 'The Good Doctor' with Orlando Bloom.

Miley Cyrus: Say what you will about Miley, but she can actually act. After all, being the daughter of Achy Breaky crooner Billy Ray Cyrus doesn't exactly come along with the same privileges and connections as say, being Bruce and Demi's daughter would. Hanna Montana is probably still her best role, but she wasn't too bad exercising her dramatic muscles in 'The Last Song.' Her devoted fans will be able to catch her on the big screen again in the spring in 'LOL,' co-starring (coincidentally) Demi Moore.

TIFF 2011 Wrap-Up: A Festival Of Rumours, Risks And Paul Williams

Jason Anderson — 2011-09-19T18:00:00+00:00

Given that the Toronto International Film Festival has become synonymous not just with marathon movie-viewing but with obsessive star-spotting, it's fitting that this year's juiciest behind-the-scenes story had to do with where you did or didn't look.

Halfway through the festival, which wrapped up Sunday after a 10-day run, reports surfaced about an incident involving Madonna as she headed into a press conference for her new film 'W.E.' Representatives of the pop-superstar-turned-terrible-

actress-turned-iffy-movie-director allegedly insisted TIFF volunteers face the wall as Madonna walked past, so the non-famous volunteers wouldn't disturb her by ogling.

Naturally, the story's rapid spread prompted a wave of vigorous denials by Madonna's people and other bystanders. The controversy may have also provided a convenient distraction for other visiting celebrities whose transgressions escaped the media's attention. We're still chasing a totally unsubstantiated report that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie requested that a bistro be cleared of all other diners so they didn't have to see their "fat stupid faces."

Such is the chaos that TIFF creates: just about anyone can do anything and it will still sound believable. Was the gossip over Madonna any more surprising than hearing that 'The Ides of March' actress Evan Rachel Wood showed off a little box that contained one of her teeth which was knocked out at a Paris nightclub the week before? Or that 70s icon Paul Williams was still alive? (Fittingly, he's the subject of a future cult classic called Paul Williams: Still Alive.)

TIFF did finish with a genuine surprise with the announcement of the Cadillac People's Choice Award. The audience prize has been an early indication of awards-season glory for other TIFF films such as 'Slumdog Millionaire,' 'Precious' and 'The King's Speech.' Though many expected this year's award to go to a higher-profile flick like Alexander Payne and George Clooney's The Descendants or Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt's Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, it went to Where Do We Go Now, a little-known drama-comedy by Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki. It remains to be seen if the film will be an Oscar contender, but the win is a welcome one for veteran TIFF-goers prone to worrying about Hollywood's dominance over the festival.

Similarly, critics and audiences seemed to have little love for Gala selections like Butter (a politically themed comedy about a butter-carving competition starring Jennifer Garner) and Trespass (which, despite starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman, had straight-to-video written all over it). And Madonna has more than enough bad press for W.E. alone - her period romance was like a combination of The King's Speech and "Justify My Love" -- without the subtlety.

Other films were divisive because of their risqué subject matter and polarizing performances. Shame, the second feature by British artist-turned-filmmaker Steve McQueen, generated big buzz thanks to Michael Fassbender's raw, clothes-optional performance as a sex addict in New York. The actor was just as strong in David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method, even though he was out-crazied by Keira Knightley in her role as a mental patient who becomes Carl Jung's lover. In Rampart, Woody Harrelson earned raves as a crooked cop in a downward spiral. Even nastier was Matthew McConaughey's demonic detective in Killer Joe, a seedy Texan noir that put Gina Gershon on the receiving end of the harshest treatment suffered by anyone on screen at TIFF.

Anyone, that is, except for the dozens of stuntmen who get beaten up by Iko Uwais in The Raid, the intense Indonesian martial-arts flick that won the audience award for TIFF's Midnight Madness program. For all of his bone-breaking, head-crunching efforts, Uwais became one of TIFF's breakout stars, a distinction that was also earned by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's younger sister Elizabeth, who gained serious cred for her turn as a cult-escapee in Martha Marcy May Marlene. Perhaps someday these two will be getting their people to protect them from the prying eyes of commoners. Because what good is fame if you can't abuse it?

Oliver Platt on 'The Oranges,' Subversive Behavior, and Unconventional Holiday Movies

Rick Mele — 2011-09-19T11:00:00+00:00

A veteran of film, TV and theater, Oliver Platt is one of the key pieces in the ensemble puzzle of 'The Oranges,' playing opposite his former 'West Wing' co-star Allison Janney as Terry Ostroff. When Terry's daughter (Leighton Meester) starts dating his best friend (Hugh Laurie), it throws all of their lives into disarray. But credit Platt and director Julian Farino's unconventional suburban comedy for not taking the obvious route and instead finding off-beat humor in an otherwise tricky situation. And while Terry may be the most subdued of the bunch, he's also the glue that holds the two families (and the movie) together.

On the heels of the movie's Toronto Film Festival premiere, Moviefone talked to Platt about the subversive comedy and why 'The Oranges' just might be the next great Christmas movie.

How'd you enjoy the reaction last night? People seemed to love the movie.
I have to say, I loved it. I was very surprised. You know, this is not just blowing smoke, but the Toronto Film Festival has, amongst the festival community, really has the best reputation [as] the premiere festival audience. They're enthusiastic, film literate. Rooting for movies. Sort of all of the good clichés of a cinematically-disposed population and none of the bad ones. No waiting for people to fail, no sitting back on their heels, you know, show me, show me, show me. It's really nice. It's one of the reasons people love to come here.

This script came with a lot of buzz attached. What did you think when you first read it?
Julian [Farino] sent it to me, and we spent about an hour just talking about it, me walking around my garden in New York and him walking around his garden in Los Angeles. Terry's one of those characters that I perceive and describe as beautifully underwritten. What was very clear to me was the arc of the storyline, thematically and narratively, that was very, very clear in Terry. So it was a great opportunity to hopefully strip [everything] away and show that. The good thing about movies is that it's a visual medium, so the fun thing is to show, instead of tell. It's easy to tell.

Is that something you look for when you chose your roles?
The seven or eight people who pay attention to what I do on a consistent basis will laugh, but I always enjoy opportunities to be more understated and to try to tell stories in more of a subtle way. And I think Terry is a muted character. He's a muted character who sort of sublimates his passion for life. I think his relationship is somewhat dormant and he rediscovers it. The effect that this event has is that it actually wakes him up too, which is the strange and beautiful thing about the movie.

Despite the heavy subject matter -- an affair, a marriage breaking up -- the movie actually has a surprisingly positive attitude.
And that's what is so subversive about the film! I don't think the movie is trying to tell you this is good. The movie is just telling you things are not always what they seem and that morality isn't meant to be simplistic. Which is why I think it's an interesting movie.

Do you think the movie could be a tough sell because of that subversive approach?
I think that that's a really interesting question. I think that it's a trickier sell. But I also think if you can navigate that and get the movie in front of a lot of people, then a lot more people will see it. Because I think that it's actually also a deceptively commercial movie. It's very entertaining.

And a deceptively good holiday movie too. Do you see this as a holiday movie, or is that setting almost incidental?
Well, you know what the funny thing is? The thing about the holidays is there's so much pressure to have a good time, and often we're all so relieved when the holidays are over, not to have to have this smile plastered on my face, tell everybody how much I love them. Of course, that's the best part when you finally get to do that, but celebrating and being joyous automatically, on command for a month -- which is basically in the States what the holiday season is -- it's exhausting!

But in a weird way, I was going to say I think that this is actually a great Christmas movie. And at first I was going to say counterprogramming, but then I go, 'Is this really counterprogramming anymore?' Because this type of dark Christmas movie has actually become a mainstream thing. Because the truth is, this is not 'Bad Santa.' And actually the movie ends up being very uplifting. If you really follow the story and you can get past the conventional morality, I think it's a very uplifting movie. Especially because the movie's not telling you what to say. It's certainly not approving anybody's behavior or disproving anybody's behavior. It's just telling you to keep your eyes open.

Leighton Meester Gossips About Her Role in 'The Oranges'

Rick Mele — 2011-09-18T21:20:00+00:00

Leighton Meester moves from the city to the suburbs in 'The Oranges,' a new ensemble comedy from veteran TV director Julian Farino, but the drama stays the same. In the film, Meester plays Nina Ostroff, who returns home after a five-year absence and upsets the delicate balance of their quiet New Jersey suburb. Despite Nina's parents trying to set her up with their neighbors' and best friends' eligible son (Adam Brody), Nina instead falls for his father David (Hugh Laurie) -- and the feelings are mutual.

Movies about May-December romances aren't exactly rare, but they're rarely this funny, and Moviefone sat down with Meester at the Toronto Film Festival to find out her opinion on the film's unconventional love story and how the cast came together as one big happy family.

How was the premiere?
It was fun, it was very fun!

Was that the first time you'd seen the movie?
No, I have seen it before, but not in a room filled with people. It was very different. It was a very interesting experience, everybody was laughing. It was cool.

Considering most people are probably initially skeptical of the movie's love story, is it validating to get such a positive response?
Yeah! I mean, it's a delicate subject and I think it's very funny, but it's funny in the way that life is funny. So I think that's probably why it works. It's got a lot of tension and awkwardness but then it sort of cools off. But it's definitely nice to hear people laughing when they're supposed to laugh. [Laughs]

I think Alia Shawkat's character reacting so strongly against David and Nina's relationship helps the audience buy into what's happening. It almost makes them seem sympathetic.
I think that anybody who watches it will probably have that reaction at first. They at first want to rebel against it, they want to say, 'No, this is crazy and selfish.' And then eventually you do root for their love and want it to work, because it's genuine and it's real. And I think that it does ask that question of what is morality, what is love, what is being selfish? Is it being selfish to find love and take the opportunity to experience it, or is it selfish for people to not want them to have it because it's "wrong," according to other people?

How'd you get attached to the project?
I read the script and I, of course, fell in love with it. Every time I [told people], 'I did 'The Oranges,'' I got, 'Oh, I loved that script!' But then I met with Julian [Farino], who I'd actually known for quite a long time. And he initially told me a few years ago that I was maybe a bit too young for [the part]. Then, of course, two years later when they were actually making it, it was fine. It worked.

I had a very funny audition with Julian. I had it in my dressing room at work. He came to visit me on set, I was working. And they kept on coming and knocking on my door. The director of photography was there, filming me. And he would pan from me, then over to the door, where somebody was knocking, somebody from the set, and then pan back over and we would finish the scene. I'm kind of curious to see it.

You had worked with Hugh Laurie before, right?
I had, yes!

Did that help smooth over any potential awkwardness?
Yeah, it was really nice that we had already met and worked together. I already had a sense of what he's like. And I was aware of his talents. People always talk about having nothing but admiration and positive feelings about somebody, but he ruined everything! [Laughs] No, he's so funny and smart and talented and made everything wonderful.

How was the atmosphere on set? It seemed like you guys had a lot of fun with this.
These [characters] were people who have known each other for years. And you get to know each other very quickly on set, but it was accelerated by the fact that Julian -- he's brilliant -- he just shoved us in a room together and said, 'Okay, here you go.' So we ate and drank and talked and, of course, rehearsed a bit.

And then during the movie we were all put in a house together, with our own rooms. You could hear Hugh playing the piano downstairs and we would all have dinners around a big table. So the atmosphere was fun and funny. And also, Julian has a really cool point of view and he adds a lot of levity, particularly in scenes that got very dramatic. He makes them funny.

You have a background in television, and so does Julian and the rest of the cast. How much do you have to change your approach for a movie?
It's completely different. The setting is different, the timing is different, the hours are different. And the character is different. You get to plan your character from beginning to end and experience your arc as one thing, as opposed to something that lasts for years. You get to develop the backstory and what's happening beyond the film and afterwards. In a show, you really can't do that, which is good and bad.

But Julian is such a wonderful director, any way you look at it. I really enjoy working with him. He's funny. I think the best thing about him is that I noticed that with different people and different ages and different backgrounds on the film, he never had a female or male point of view. It never felt like I was talking to just a man when he was talking about my character. He definitely had a really great understanding somehow -- I don't know how, you could ask him -- of how a 20-something year-old girl would behave in a situation, and then be able to turn around and talk to a 50-year-old man about what his reaction would be like.

In Honor of 'Straw Dogs,' 5 Other Movies You Might Not Realize Were Books First

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-09-15T20:00:00+00:00

We're all well aware that 'The Help' was a book before it became a blockbuster Emma Stone movie, but did you know that the upcoming Ryan Gosling flick 'Drive' was borne as a deliciously noir page-turner?

You may also be surprised to learn that this week's release 'Straw Dogs' isn't just a remake of the 1971 flick of the same name starring Dustin Hoffman. The story originated as a novel, the long out-of-print 'The Siege of Trencher's Farm' by Gordon Williams, originally published in 1969. Thanks to renewed interest in the story (due to the latest adaptation starring Alexander Skarsgard, Kate Bosworth and James Marsden), British publisher Titan Books is re-releasing the pensive thriller.

While the movie dials up the action, suspense and violence to create a nail-biting horror, the book employs more of a slow build that emphasizes the culture clash at play when an American professor moves into a farm next to an isolated community in northern England. The villagers are suspicious of the fancy American next door, and all hell breaks loose when he winds up reluctantly protecting an escaped child killer from the villagers thirsty for vigilante justice. The professor struggles with his staunch anti-violence stance while he tries to protect his family.

In the movie, on the other hand, the protagonist played by Marsden seems a little more capable of defending his family against a pack of angry irrational men than the book's meek, nerdy professor. This time around, our hero is a Hollywood screenwriter who accompanies his wife (Bosworth) back to her remote town in the deep South. The local hicks (including Skarsgard) don't take kindly to Mr. Hollywood.

While the movie is obviously inspired by the book, it does take a lot of liberties. The book's married couple certainly has their share of difficulties, but a sexy ex-boyfriend who looks like a Swedish god is not among them. Also, the book's mentally challenged little girl is a sexy teenager (Willa Holland of 'Gossip Girl') on the big screen. The book has more (possibly molested) sheep, too. Baaaa.

This year, the theatres have been teeming with film adaptations of high-profile best sellers, from 'Water for Elephants' and 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' to the latest 'Twilight' and 'Harry Potter' installments. However, there has also been a healthy helping of flicks based on books that haven't been dominating book clubs, bestseller lists, tea parties and slumber soirees. Here are five 2011 releases you may be surprised to learn began as novels.

'Drive.' Based on 'Drive' by James Sallis. It's obvious why this slick thriller nabbed Hollywood's attention. It has all the elements of a big screen suspense, including an enigmatic hero, heists gone sour and amazing chase scenes. Throw in Ryan Gosling, Bryan Cranston, Carey Mulligan and Christina Hendricks and you've got yourself movie gold.

'Limitless.' Based on 'The Dark Fields' by Alan Glynn. A drug that turns you into a super-productive winning machine? Sign me up! The intriguing premise of Glynn's techno-thriller translated well onto the big screen, with Hollywood hot stuff Bradley Cooper tackling the starring role. Too bad the movie left out the part about the President also being doped up on MDT. Like 'Trencher's Farm,' 'The Dark Fields' was re-released to coincide with the 'Limitless' theatrical launch.

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'Unknown.' Based on 'Out of My Head' by Didier van Cauwelaert. Who knew the life of a botanist could be so full of intrigue? Liam Neeson does an excellent job playing van Cauwelaert's confused amnesiac protagonist. The filmmakers were wise to set the story at a conference in Berlin -- being away from home compounds our hero's disorientation.

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'The Thing.' Based on 'Who Goes There' by John W. Campbell Jr. This 1938 novella is often cited as one of the best sci-fi novellas ever written. The fact that a sci-fi story that's over 70 years old still resonates with audiences today more than speaks for itself. No wonder it's been adapted for the big screen so many times. Next up: the October release of 'The Thing,' a prequel to its 1982 predecessor of the same name.

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'The Eagle.' Based on 'The Eagle of the Ninth' by Rosemary Sutcliff. This historical adventure novel was ripe for Hollywood's picking. After all, old-timey epics about major quests have a history of performing well at the box office (cough, cough, 'Lord of the Rings'). Besides, parlaying the story into a film provided an excellent excuse for Jamie Bell to appear shirtless on the big screen.

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Vanessa Paradis and Jean-Marc Vallée Talk Love, 'Café de Flore,' and the Power of Music

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-09-14T17:00:00+00:00

Leave it to 'C.R.A.Z.Y.' director Jean-Marc Vallée to take a love story and make it completely unconventional. In 'Café de Flore,' which stars Vanessa Paradis and Kevin Parent, Vallée intersects two divergent tales: one about a mother of a child with Down syndrome in 1969 Paris, and the other about a successful DJ in modern-day Montreal. The movie is a dizzying, beautiful story about familial love, and Vallée illustrates that love through a magnificent musical soundtrack which features Sigur Ros, Pink Floyd and many others.

Moviefone caught up with Vallée and Paradis at the Toronto Film Festival, where they spoke to us about love's ability to transcend hardship, working with Down syndrome children and the power of music.

All About 'Afghan Luke': British Columbia Desert, Heat and the Truth About Afghanistan

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-09-14T12:35:00+00:00

Probably the last thing you'd expect from 'Trailer Park Boys' director Mike Clattenburg is a semi-humorous look at the war in Afghanistan. But that's precisely what you get at this year's Toronto Film Festival: Clattenburg and writer Barrie Dunn collaborated on 'Afghan Luke,' a movie about an of-sorts embedded journalist as he tries to uncover The Ultimate Story from the war-ravaged country.

Of course, there is some commentary on the current war in the Middle East, but the film also looks at the state of affairs in a country we don't know very much about (but like to think we do). It also examines the ethics of journalism -- what is the story we're looking for, and to what point will we go to find it? Starring Nick Stahl, Steven Cochrane and Nicolas Wright, the movie is up-close and personal in its examination.

Moviefone sat down with the guys to talk about 'Afghan Luke,' the inspiration behind the film and what the military had to say about it.

Ingrid Veninger on the Introspective 'i am a good person/i am a bad person'

Rick Mele — 2011-09-12T22:00:00+00:00

With 30 years of experience as an actor, producer, writer and director, Ingrid Veninger is a veteran when it comes to the film festival circuit. And with her latest film 'i am a good person/i am a bad person,' the Toronto filmmaker draws on that wealth of experience to play Ruby White, also a Toronto filmmaker, who struggles with personal and professional crises while touring European festivals with her daughter Sara (played by Veninger's real-life daughter Hallie Switzer).

After premiering 'MODRA' to acclaim in Toronto last year, Veninger returns to the Toronto Film Festival for her latest film. Moviefone sat down to talk to her about how 'i am a good person/i am a bad person' came together so quickly and where the line between fiction and reality blurs.

So I know there's a tradition of movies about making movies, but not so much movies about promoting movies. What inspired you to make this film?
Oh, just the general slog of being an independent filmmaker. I started out as an actress and then moved into producing, and I really always felt it was my duty as a producer to maximize the potential of the film in the marketing/distribution end. So I've been known to do a lot of grassroots/street marketing, from 'Gambling, Gods and LSD,' which was over 10 years ago, onwards. And some of that's been really humiliating.

[But] that's what you have to do. Especially in a festival like Toronto, it's so easy to get lost, and if people don't know the film exists, they can't come. So some of the themes in 'i am a good person/i am a bad person' come from those experiences. Just sucking it up and having the nerve to be embarrassed and humiliated in the name of trying to get as many people as possible to see the film.

The film gets pretty meta at times, but just how meta is it? I know your real-life daughter played your daughter in the film.
Yeah, my daughter starred in 'MODRA' -- that was in the film festival last year -- and we were actually scheduled to present 'MODRA' at the Bradford International Film Festival in England [the film's first stop]. I only conceived of wanting to make another film at the end of January. Then 'MODRA' had its release in February, and so I had some time in March to sit down and write, but our flights were booked for March 20th. And I really wanted to attend Toronto, my goal was to ideally have a film that could at least be considered. That meant I had to start shooting in March -- what did I have? I had a film festival trip.

In between I thought, maybe a trip to Paris because I knew some actors in Paris. Mathieu [Chesneau] had acted in 'MODRA,' he lived in Paris. Okay, so now I had three locations, it was March 1 and I had 19 days to write the script. Who else did I have? I had myself, I had my daughter. Our trips were already booked, those flights were already paid for. Those hostel rooms were already booked.

But it's fictional in a sense that we never had those experiences, those were all imagined. And my relationship with my daughter is very different from the one in the film. But it was really fun to play opposite each other like that, and we had really a lot of fun making this movie. I would say more fun than we had making 'MODRA,' which is perceived to be a more joyful film.

At times the film has almost a documentary feel, especially with the scenes in the park. Did you go into it attempting to blur that line a little bit?
I guess because I started as an actor, the line is a very interesting question for me. You know, how much do you use from your personal life, where does the real world cross over into the fictional? And in the process of making the film, I've been inspired by a lot of people, like Cassavetes and the neo-realists and the humanist tradition of using the real world and non-professional actors and mixing them with professional actors in a fictional world.

I wanted a small crew, because I wanted to be flexible so I could be really spontaneous and allow the accidents and the unexpected things to kind of come into our fictional, made-up world. Like the poet in the park, right? He's a real guy, who I noticed out of the corner of my eye. We were shooting a scene, he spontaneously approached us, interrupted our shoot, he started reading his poems, I knew he had to be in the movie. But you can't just shoot it ad hoc, it has to be acted. [So we] paid him some money, got him to sign a release, and now I could direct him. And so when he actually comes in the scene in the film and asks if he can read the poem, that's Take #5. It didn't just happen spontaneously, the mic has to be on him, the camera has to be [rolling]. So there is a plan, but then I want to be able to lift off from that, I guess as the documentarians do.

When you direct and star in something like this, playing a filmmaker, do you think people have a hard time divorcing the character you play from the real you?
I did think of -- I've had blonde, bleached blonde dreads -- I didn't think about it seriously, but I thought well, if my hair was different ... I mean, there's going to be dreadlocks no matter what, but if I had blonde dreads at the Q&A, then maybe people would [find it] easier to be able to distinguish and say, 'Oh, that was a performance because she had the brown hair, and now she has the blonde hair, so that wasn't her.' But my hair is the same. I think it's interesting, if I dressed radically different, like a rubber pantsuit with like black makeup, they'd go, 'Oh, that wasn't her in the movie, she's crazy in real life.'

But those are such superficial things. I'm not that person. I wrote a character that I was interested in exploring, and it's a combination of yes, being a filmmaker, yes, struggling to get my films screened, yes, always questioning what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. Those are things every filmmaker struggles with, they're not unique. It just happens to be me and I kind of look the same.

What do you anticipate the Q&As will be like for this film?
Well, we're sold out, so there's going to be more than 15 people. There's going to be 500 or 600 people on Saturday night. I know our first and second screenings are sold out, so I can't wait. My Paris actors are in town, my daughter will come in. The cast will be there, seeing the film for the very, very first time.

It'll be really exciting for me to have the dialogue with the audience about the film. I'm so curious to know if the humor comes across. I hope there are a lot of laughs. And that people that don't make films can engage with this character that's obviously so consumed and immersed in what she's doing that she's losing herself. I hope it's not a film for filmmakers, I hope it's a film for anybody that is trying to do something they love and has maybe gotten lost along the way and is trying to find their way back.

What's the toughest question you've ever been asked at a Q&A?
The budget question is a tricky one, and I always get asked it. And I never want to be coy with that answer about revealing the budget, because that seems silly. But it really does equate to the value people put on something. So like if you're buying a shirt, buying a piece of furniture, buying anything, if you say you made it for very little money, that equates to the value and the importance of the thing. If you say you made it for a lot of money, people think you overspent.

And otherwise, in Bratislava, the first question was, 'Do you consider yourself a filmmaker?' Which wasn't awful, and it didn't stump me [like it stumps Ruby in the film], but it was a little bit like, 'Wow, you clearly did not like this film. Alright, I'm trying to be a filmmaker, man. What can I say?'

'i am a good person/i am a bad person' screens at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 13th at the TIFF Bell Lightbox at 12:30PM and again on Sept. 17 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox at 8:45PM.

Sarah Polley Talks 'Take This Waltz,' Human Love and Why Her Movie Might Make You Uncomfortable

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-09-12T14:30:00+00:00

Canadian actor/director Sarah Polley's latest directorial venture, 'Take This Waltz,' strays into uncomfortable territory: we follow a young woman (Margot, played by Michelle Williams) who contemplates leaving her doting husband (a subdued Seth Rogen) for the new titillating neighbor (Luke Kirby). The movie floats through a colorful Toronto landscape as Margot bounces between commitment to her husband and curiosity about the new guy. Moviefone caught up with Polley at the Toronto Film Festival to discuss love, non-salacious nudity and why this movie is making some people feel unsettled.

I felt like this movie was a commentary on human relationships. Would you agree with that?
Yeah, I do. I think, more to the point, it's about the idea that generally in life we feel there's something missing and we try to figure out a way of covering that space and going after things to fill it. We assume that we'll then feel fundamentally different about being alive when we've fulfilled that thing. So the most obvious thing to explore that concept was desire and falling in love. I think that's the way we think we'll be able to reinvent ourselves, reinvent our lives and take away the gap within us. So I wanted to explore that and how difficult it is to actually feel like something isn't missing.

Why the oversaturation, the heightened color of the film?
Well, I thought if I make a film about desire, I really want to embrace and go into how it feels when you first fall in love or fall in lust. The world does come alive, it's in Technicolor, things pop and you notice color where you didn't notice color and you notice sound where you didn't notice sound. It's like all of your senses are heightened into this hyper-real state. So I wanted the audience to have the experience that Margot has, of just falling into that sweltering desire at the beginning of a relationship.

I also wanted to capture Toronto in the somewhat-romanticized way I experience Toronto, which is through rose-colored glasses. I do feel in the summer, when it's humid, hot and sticky that it's kind of a sexy, hot, humid, popping colorful place. I think you have to live here to discover that side of it -- Toronto's not necessarily a city that jumps out at you if you're here for five nights. But if you actually live in the downtown areas where there's amazing residential areas in the middle of this urban environment, it's pretty amazing.

You told me that this movie is your love song to Toronto. Were the locations that you used in the movie areas that you were familiar with, or did you discover any new places?
Some of them I certainly knew, like Kensington Market, more iconic places like that. But we discovered a lot as well. The location scouting was awesome, because a lot of it was just walking down streets with the production designer and seeing the city anew and finding corners and pockets that we didn't know about, but were very close to us.

Very cool. I really liked the fact you used the Centre Island Scrambler in the movie.
That is actually one of my favorite things to do in Toronto -- that's autobiographical.

Do they actually play the song there ['Video Killed the Radio Star']?
When I've been on it a couple times, they've played that song and the ride is infinitely better when they do. To the point where I sometimes try to make my way to the booth in the dark to ask them if they can play that song instead. They're generally kind of grumpy with the request, but it's awesome. I will go on it 11 times, sometimes alone as a grown woman, and it's kind of scary.

Were you trying to differentiate between sexual love and friendship love? With Seth Rogen, Williams has the jokey, friendship-y type of love, and there isn't so much of a sexual connection there.
I wouldn't say trying to differentiate, but I do feel like I wanted to explore what happens to a sexual relationship when you become very familiar with each other. Like, does it end the passion or can those two things exist? I've seen passion and familiarity co-exist, but it's rare and it's difficult. Because, in a strange way, a lot of romantic love and a lot of that passionate, honeymoon period is a lot about the mystery of the other, so what happens when that mystery goes away?

There's this great line that Bette Davis says: "50 percent of a woman's charm is mystery." I think that's not just women, I think it's men too, and I think that we lose our charm to each other somewhat when we lose our mystery. So then what? And I think that's the question that it's hard for us to ask generally, "So then what?" It's not a question we're prepared for. We're just supposed to find the person we're in love with and settle down, and everything's gonna be great, but it takes a lot of work, I think. It also involved being satisfied that things aren't always going to be perfect. And that doesn't necessarily mean the end of the world.

The nudity was refreshing because it wasn't so salacious; it was more respectful in a way. Was that your intention?
I just didn't want to shy away from nudity in the film because I've had so many conversations with older women, with friends in the shower at the YWCA ... I've always just wondered, it's so weird that I wouldn't be able to put this in a movie without everybody making a really big deal out of it. So I just thought, "Screw it, I'm gonna do it. I don't care if people make a big deal out of it." I wanted to show women's bodies honestly, the way they look and not oversexualized or over-lit all the time. There's a lot of incidental nudity in the film, and there's sexual nudity as well, but if I'm going to have sexual nudity, I also want to have incidental nudity because somehow otherwise it's dishonest.

Tell me more about the pool aerobics scene with that Aquafit instructor, because honestly, I was crying with laughter.
Oh, I'm so glad! That's definitely a function of finding a really awesome actor and letting him go. And it was really funny because I said, "Maybe we can go to a couple classes just to get a sense of what the classes are like." And I'd written a little bit for the instructor, based on the instructors I've had. But I'm a very non-athletic person, so that was a huge challenge for me. Damien really took the role and ran with it... literally!

What's it like working with traditionally funny people like Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman and then putting them into more dramatic roles?
It was amazing. It was intimidating, but it was great. I always felt like both Sarah and Seth had great dramatic performances in them. And as a fan of both of theirs, I've always hungered to see them do dramatic stuff. It was kind of a selfish move on my part, just wanting to see them in a movie doing that. The weird thing about Seth Rogen is, as much as he's a great comedian, he might be an even better dramatic actor.

Michelle Williams is fantastic. Is there any particular element that you try to infuse in your female characters?
Yeah, we had lots of talks. Michelle's quite a bit like Julie Christie in that she's one of the best actresses in the world, who could do anything on their own, but actually wants and likes a lot of direction. So we had long, very intensive conversations about the character. And it's a complicated character. She's not always necessarily sympathetic to every audience member and she's not always completely understanding.

I think it's a very, very tricky tightrope walk to play that character and not go extremely one way or the other. What I find fascinating about this film is that people really project their own relationship history onto it. So there are people who are like, "I loved Margot! Finally somebody made a film that I can relate to" and other people are like, "I just wanted to kill her, she's so selfish." I'm so thrilled by that because I feel like people are projecting their own lives onto the film and feeling passionate and somehow supporting their point of view. Even what she does at the end -- there are some people who have judged it so intensely. It makes me so happy to know that people are that invested in the film.

Bryan Cranston on 'Drive,' His First Car and Riding a Fake Horse With Taylor Kitsch

Chris Jancelewicz — 2011-09-12T09:00:00+00:00

Most people know Bryan Cranston from TV -- namely 'Breaking Bad' and 'Malcolm in the Middle' -- but as of late, and predominantly due to his acting chops, Cranston has emerged as a big-screen tour de force. One of his latest movies, 'Drive,' which co-stars Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan, features Cranston as the apathetic mechanic Shannon. Moviefone caught up with Cranston at the Toronto Film Festival, where he talked to us about everything (and we mean everything!) from his first car to riding a fake horse with Taylor Kitsch.

Rob Lowe on Playing a Hockey Coach in 'Breakaway' and His Dance Scene With Ludacris

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-09-11T08:00:00+00:00

Rob Lowe never knows where his career will take him next, and that's exactly the way the seasoned actor likes it. He strives to choose projects that people wouldn't expect to see him in, which is one of the reasons he was drawn to the endearing Canadian hockey movie 'Breakaway.' He plays the reluctant coach of an ambitious Sikh-Canadian hockey team, 'The Speedy Singhs.' Filming in an arena again reminded Lowe of his 'Youngblood' days, when he co-starred with Patrick Swayze as an up-and-coming young hockey star. Moviefone caught up with Lowe during the Toronto International Film Festival in the hours leading up to 'Breakaway's international premiere, and chatted about everything from his favorite inspirational movie speeches to his surreal Bollywood dance scene with the entire cast (and Ludacris!).

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