Monday 30 June 2014

Community Will Return!

Community Will Return!


Six Seasons and...?

Community-Returns-Yahoo-Screen


Just when those of us who still believed in the whole Six Seasons And A Movie idea thought it might all be over, the impossible has occurred: ace sitcom Community has been renewed for a sixth season, moving online to Yahoo Screen.


“I am very pleased that Community will be returning for its predestined sixth season on Yahoo,” creator / show-runner Dan Harmon said in a statement. “I look forward to bringing our beloved NBC sitcom to a larger audience by moving it online. I vow to dominate our new competition. Rest easy, Big Bang Theory. Look out, Bang Bus!”


The deal could not have come at a more fortuitous time – the cast, including Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi, Ken Jeong and Jim Rash – had contracts that were due to run out at the end of today, and production company Sony had attempted to move the show to Comedy Central and Hulu in the States, but neither deal worked out. Other companies, such as Netflix and some of the cable channels Stateside had shown no interest in reviving what was a niche appeal, relatively low-rated sitcom. Yahoo, however, has seen the advantage to nabbing something with a healthy online following. And who knows? Maybe it’ll actually attract a better audience online if more people around the world can see it. Now, about that movie…




















from Empire News

Robert Redford Will Climb To Conquer

Robert Redford Will Climb To Conquer


He's producing the adaptation of a World War II novel

Robert-Redford-Climb-To-Conquer


Robert Redford is busy getting some exercise as part of A Walk In The Woods, which is filming now. But he has his eye on something even more adventurous for a potential future project, planning to produce an adaptation of Peter Shelton’s book Climb To Conquer .


The 2003 tome, subtitled The Untold Story Of World War II’s 10th Mountain Division Ski Troop, peels back the covers on a true account of the American Army’s victory in the Italian mountains. A squad of soldiers scaled the treacherous Riva Ridge and conquered a German position that had been considered impervious. The action helped the Allies break a stalemate in Italy.


Despite this, the division is hardly the best known in World War II history – collated in the late 1930s from athletes, college scholars and officer candidates, it was the last to enter the European war theatre and suffered the highest number of casualties per day of combat. And the surviving members included the likes of Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman.


Redford has 300: Rise Of An Empire writer Kurt Johnstad in talks to script the adaptation and he’ll likely then decide whether he once to direct it rather than just produce. While there’s no set date for it yet, A Walk In The Woods should arrive next year.








from Empire News

Better Call Saul Features 'Flexible' Timeline

Better Call Saul Features 'Flexible' Timeline


It'll take place before, during and even after Breaking Bad

Better-Call-Saul-Flexible-Timeline


Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul is now shooting in Albuquerque, and, even before the first season has premiered, US cable channel AMC has renewed the show for a second. Now, according to co-creator and executive producer Peter Gould, the show – originally thought to be a straight prequel about sleazy lawyer Saul Goddman (Bob Odenkirk) – will jump around in time and could therefore feature more appearances from the likes of Bryan Cranston.


Talking to the New York Daily News, Gould explained the reasoning: “One of the great things about having a time line which is flexible is that perhaps some of it takes place before Breaking Bad, during Breaking Bad, and after Breaking Bad. That gives us the ability to bring back characters that were killed on the show.”


But while the chance to feature more of Walter White, Jesse Pinkman and other favourite characters alongside Saul, all involved – including Breaking Bad overlord Vince Gilligan – want the new series to live up to the original show. “We want to make a show that stands on it own, is its own story and is a brand extension. “We think we have a story that is worth making. We could never dream of the kind of success that Breaking Bad had and the love we got from the fans. But with Saul at a certain point you have to do the best job you can and tell the best story that entertains you, get a good response and hope people like it.”


The first season will arrive next year, followed by the second in 2016, with Odenkirk as Saul and Jonathan Banks as fixer Mike Ehrmantraut, and Michael McKean will play a new character named Dr. Thurber.




















from Empire News

New Foxcatcher Poster Online

New Foxcatcher Poster Online


Channing Tatum's part of a tragic true story

After wowing audiences at the Cannes Film Festival, Bennett Miller’s Moneyball follow-up Foxcatcher is already blessed with the sort of healthy awards buzz most films have to wait until they’re on general release to receive. The new poster for the drama, featuring Channing Tatum as Mark Schultz, is below. {Foxcatcher}


In the very real story Foxcatcher chronicles, chemical fortune heir John du Pont (Steve Carell) recruits. Schultz and his brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) with a lucrative offer. The man has a dream of creating a winning US wrestling team for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. To that end, he’s created a state-of-the-art training facility on his estate and he wants the Schultz brothers to train the team.


Flattered by the attention and entranced by du Pont's majestic world, Mark comes to see his benefactor as a father figure and grows increasingly dependent on him for approval. Soon du Pont's erratic behaviour and cruel psychological game-play begin to erode the athlete's already shaky self-esteem. Meanwhile du Pont becomes fixated on Dave, who exudes the confidence both he and Mark lack, knowing that these are things even his money cannot buy. Fuelled by du Pont's increasing paranoia and alienation from the brothers, the trio is propelled towards a tragedy no one could have foreseen… {Foxcatcher poster}


Foxcatcher has a November 14 release date set for the US, and is currently pencilled in for a December 25 slot in the UK.





















from Empire News

New Guardians Of The Galaxy Posters Land

New Guardians Of The Galaxy Posters Land


Groot, Gamora & Rocket feature in fresh images

If your Guardians Of The Galaxy poster needs haven’t already been met with the range of images already out there for Marvel’s latest, then director James Gunn has the answer. He’s hit Twitter today to unveil new pics featuring lethal assassin Gamora, hulking tree-creature Groot and snarky Raccoon-alike warrior critter Rocket. {New Guardians Of The Galaxy Posters}


Rocket, of course, is the genetically tinkered beastie with a bad attitude, Bradley Cooper’s vocal stylings and a penchant for weaponry. He’s often found teamed up with hired plant / muscle Groot, a hulking Ent-like creature that sounds like Vin Diesel and who only says one thing: “I am Groot”. {Three New Guardians Of The Galaxy Stills}



They’ll become part of a bigger team in the new film, which finds alien-napped human Peter “Star Lord” Quill (Chris Pratt) taking on the unofficial mantle of leader for a rag-tag bunch of assassins, thieves, bruisers and maniacs when a bigger threat endangers their star-trekking endeavours. First thrown together in prison, Rocket, Groot, Quill, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax (Dave Bautista) must find some way to work together. {Guardians Of The Galaxy Character Posters}


Also today via the medium of Twitter, Gunn has teased the appearance of Michael Rooker as Yondu – and you can find that right here. In addition to gracing the cover(s) of the latest Empire, Guardians Of The Galaxy will arrive in UK cinemas on July 31.








from Empire News

97% Stop Making Sense

Stop Making Sense was the first feature-length documentary effort of filmmaker Jonathan Demme. The director's subject is The Talking Heads, a new-wave/pop-rock group comprised of David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison. The film...



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

The Purge: Anarchy

The chaos continues in this Universal Pictures sequel produced by Jason Blum. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

Sex Tape

Jay (Jason Segel) and Annie (Cameron Diaz) are a married couple still very much in love, but ten years and two kids have cooled the passion. To get it back, they decide - why not? - to make a video of themselves trying out every position in THE JOY...



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

Planes: Fire And Rescue

Adventure flies higher than ever before in this sequel to Disney's Planes. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

And So It Goes

There are a million reasons not to like realtor Oren Little (Michael Douglas), and that's just the way he likes it. Willfully obnoxious to anyone who might cross his path, he wants nothing more than to sell one last house and retire in peace and...



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

36% Wish I Was Here

Director Zach Braff's follow-up to his indie breakout hit "Garden State" tells the story of a thirtysomething man who finds himself at major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his career, and his family. (c) Focus



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

63% Mood Indigo

Eminently inventive Michel Gondry finds inspiration from French novelist Boris Vian's cult novel to provide the foundation for this visionary and romantic love story starring Audrey Tautou (Amélie, Coco Before Chanel) and Romain Duris (The Beat My...



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

45% I Origins

I ORIGINS, the second feature film from writer and director Mike Cahill, tells the story of Dr. Ian Gray (Michael Pitt), a molecular biologist studying the evolution of the eye. He finds his work permeating his life after a brief encounter with an...



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

Sunday 29 June 2014

Transformers: Age Of Extinction Batters The US Box Office

Transformers: Age Of Extinction Batters The US Box Office


Autobots roll out over everyone else


Proving they’ve got a similar drawing power to, er, Mrs. Brown’s Boys D’ Movie over here, Michael Bay’s robots in disguise once again dominated the US box office as Transformers: Age Of Extinction romped home to a competition-free weekend and a $100 million opening. That makes Optimus and co. the highest grossing openers in 2014 and, while critics have almost unanimously slaughtered the film, the big launch might actually help 2014’s box office prospects perk up in comparison to last year.


Extinction’s opening is not actually a record – it has to squeeze in beneath 2009’s Revenge Of The Fallen on the Transformers opening list, which means a set of giant, robotic testicles is… No, we won’t go there. The new arrival meant little change for the rest of the chart, with 22 Jump Street holding strong in second place and only dropping 43.9% from last weekend, earning $15.4 million in the process. How To Train Your Dragon 2 also dug its claws in, staying third for $13.1 million.


The main mover in the top five this week was Think Like A Man Too, which dropped heavily after its successful launch at the top last week, pointing to its main audience showing up early. It took in $10.4 million in fourth. Maleficent, meanwhile – which has just crossed the $200 million mark at the US box office and boasts $585 million worldwide – maintained its position at fifth.


Jersey Boys, which doesn’t appear to be showing great staying power, dropped from fourth to sixth place, adding $7.6 million for a $27.3 million total to date. Edge Of Tomorrow fell one place to seventh, earning $5.2 million and seems unlikely to hit $100 million domestically, though It has crossed $318.6 million worldwide. The Fault In Our Stars went down to eighth, making $4.8 million, while X-Men: Days Of Future Past was ninth with $3.3 million and $223.3 million total in the States. The mutant movie has, tellingly, now pushed past $700 million globally, which means by the terms of a bet between director Bryan Singer and writer/producer Simon Kinberg, the latter has to get a tattoo…


Talking of tattoos, Jon Favreau’s inked character Carl Casper will be happy to hear that Chef has spent another week in the top 10, falling just one place to 10th with $1.6 million this weekend and $19.4 as its US total so far.


To see giant robot dinosaurs destroy everything in their path in the full chart listings, head to Box Office Mojo. If you need pain pills after that, consult your doctor. If real alien robots are the cause, consult The Doctor.




















from Empire News

First Trailer For The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby

First Trailer For The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby


James McAvoy & Jessica Chastain live, love, lash out

Once upon a time there were two versions of The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby: one from a “His” point of view, focusing on Conor (James McAvoy) and “Hers”, following Eleanor (Jessica Chastain). For this year’s Cannes film festival and now the drama’s release, the films have been combined into one, “Them” version, and the first trailer is online via Yahoo.



Eleanor Rigby traces the early courtship of Chastain’s title character and McAvoy’s charmer, their bright and consuming love and the tragedy that drives a wedge between them, resulting in Eleanor attempting suicide early in the film. They then have to pick up the pieces of their lives and their relationship.


We saw the combined film at Cannes and liked it, with some reservations, but it would still be interesting to have all three cuts for comparison. Perhaps the home entertainment release will provide that satisfaction.


With Viola Davis, Bill Hader, William Hurt, Ciaran Hinds, Ryan Eggold, Archie Panjabi and Isabelle Huppert also in the film, The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby hits US cinemas on September 26, but has yet to lock in a UK date.








from Empire News

New Releases on Netflix - RoboCop



When Detroit cop and family man Alex Murphy is critically injured in the line of duty, a robotics firm transforms him into an experimental crime-fighting cyborg, though he remains haunted by his human past in this reboot of the 1980s sci-fi classic.



from New Releases This Week

New Releases on Netflix - Like Father, Like Son



When successful businessman Ryota Nonomiya learns that his 6-year-old son was switched at birth with another child, he and his wife must decide whether to seek out their biological son or choose the boy they've been raising.



from New Releases This Week

New Releases on Netflix - The Lunchbox



When Mumbai's eerily reliable lunchbox delivery service erroneously sends a meal prepared by a young housewife to a lonely widower on the brink of retirement, the mistake ignites an exchange of notes and mutual fantasy between them.



from New Releases This Week

New Releases on Netflix - The Returned



Adding a new twist to the genre, this horror epic is set in a future where zombies can turn back into humans with the aid of a special protein. But it only works for 36 hours, creating an ugly situation when demand for the antidote exceeds supply.



from New Releases This Week

New Releases on Netflix - The Unknown Known



Documentarian Errol Morris turns his lens on Donald Rumsfeld, who served as U.S. secretary of defense during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Reading from his vast collection of Pentagon memos, Rumsfeld attempts to explain his often-obscure language.



from New Releases This Week

New Releases on Netflix - Son of God



A follow-up to the landmark 2013 miniseries The Bible, this feature follows the life of Jesus Christ from his humble birth to his resurrection. Filmed in authentic historical locales, this epic presentation brings new life to the miraculous story.



from New Releases This Week

Saturday 28 June 2014

America

Someone once observed: "America is great because she is good; if she ever ceases to be good she will cease to be great." Today that notion of the essential goodness of America is under attack, replaced by another story in which theft and plunder are...



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

Friday 27 June 2014

100% Wrinkles

Martin Sheen (The West Wing, The Departed), Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises, Weeds), and George Coe (Funny People, Archer) lead a cast of eccentric characters who rebel against authority in this wonderfully animated and poignant comedy for...



from Rotten Tomatoes: Upcoming Movies

Film4 FrightFest announces full 2014 line-up





FrightFest have announced the line-up for this year's horror-fest, and it's pretty special.


In fact, we'd argue it's the best selection in the festivals long (and great) history.


Here's the official press release:


Are you ready for a monstrous and memorable mayhem of killer claws, cannibalism, cult classics, murderous musicals, chiller thrillers, graphic novel action and sick celluloid masterpieces? Then prepare yourself for the biggest, strongest and most eclectic must-see programme in Film4 FrightFest’s history.


From the opening night turbo-driven thrill-ride THE GUEST to the UK premiere of the closing night mesmeric sci-fi fantasy THE SIGNAL, FrightFest has netted the latest works from genre big-hitters such as Eli Roth (THE GREEN INFERNO), Alan Moore and Mitch Jenkins (SHOW PIECES), Tommy Wirkola (DEAD SNOW 2: RED VS. DEAD), Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller (SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR), Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo (AMONG THE LIVING), Fabrice Du Welz (ALLELUIA), Nacho Vigalondo (OPEN WINDOWS and EXTRATERRESTRIAL), John McNaughton (THE HARVEST), Adam Green (DIGGING UP THE MARROW), Nicolas McCarthy’ (HOME), Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson (ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE), Adrian Garcia Bogliano (LATE PHASES), Greg Mclean (WOLF CREEK 2), Eduardo Sanchez (EXISTS) and Milan Todorovic (NYMPH).


Plenty of genre movies have been garnering massive critical attention from other signature festivals which FrightFest has embraced, including: the moving and charming LIFE AFTER BETH, the laugh-out-loud crowd-pleaser ZOMBEAVERS, Jennifer Kent’s utterly beguiling THE BABADOOK, the extraordinary German slasher THE SAMURAI, the ‘Glee’-ful STAGE FRIGHT, the Hollywood rags to witches STARRY EYES, the hugely entertaining HOUSEBOUND, the unique R100, the cult of the damned FAULTS, the Kiwi corker I SURVIVED A ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST and Jay Weisman’s sci-fi mindbender SHOCKWAVE DARKSIDE 3D



Film4 FrightFest has always shone a spotlight on British talent and this year is no exception - sharply spearheaded by Luke Hyams’ unusual X MOOR, Phil Hawkins’ THE LAST SHOWING, featuring horror icon Robert Englund in his best starring role in years, Adam Spinks’ creature feature THE EXPEDITION, John Shackleton’s supernatural horror THE SLEEPING ROOM, Ivan Kavanagh’s sinister THE CANAL, Oliver Frampton’s urban nightmare THE FORGOTTEN, Jeremy Wooding’s wild western BLOOD MOON, Edward Boase’s spooky THE MIRROR and Simeon Halligan’s truly shocking WHITE SETTLERS.



Discovering and nurturing new talent from across the globe has always at the heart of FrightFest’s manifesto and this year’s ever-popular Discovery Strand is testament to this, boasting thirty-eight films which includes THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME, the first ever horror movie from Venezuela, Matthew, A. Brown’s startling neo-noir revenge thriller JULIA, Casey La Scala’s rapture survival THE REMAINING, Chad Archibald’s maniac-franchise-in-the-making THE DROWNSMAN, the mumblecore insidious CREEP, the intestinal gag-filled BAD MILO!, the shattering TRUTH OR DARE, the surprising ALTERGEIST, the king of the hill PRESERVATION, the bodysnatching HONEYMOON, Lowell Dean’s hilarious midnight movie WOLFCOP, the cyber chiller THE DEN, the Australian urban legend LEMON TREE PASSAGE, Ben Wagner’s intimate DEAD WITHIN, the giallo-infused ANOTHER, the inevitable WRONG TURN 6 and Ate de Jong’s psycho-sexual horror DEADLY VIRTUES.



Plus there some brilliant documentaries receiving their UK premieres: Alexandre O. Philippe’s Zombie culture reveal, DOC OF THE DEAD and Erik Sharkey’s touching portrait of Drew Struzan, DREW: THE MAN BEHIND THE POSTER. There is also the World Premiere of David Gregory’s LOST SOUL – THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU.



The retrospective selection this year includes restored versions of Stanley Kubrick’s THE SHINING, Wes Craven’s A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, Jorg Buttgereit’s NEKROMANTIK and Giulio Paradisi’s cult exploiter THE VISITOR, each with significant talent attachment and presented by writer, critic, broadcaster Kim Newman.



Plus there is a special presentation of James Ward’s mind-bending horror-sci-fi COHERENCE by THE DUKE MITCHELL FAN CLUB @ FILM4 FRIGHTFEST plus their in-house party.


With a record number of female directors showing their work this year in both the main sections and in the short film showcases, the return of the ‘Shortcuts To Hell’ competition in association with Horror Channel and Movie Mogul, the ‘Turn Off Your Bloody Phone!’ entries and the usual bloody red carpet gathering of stars, directors and surprise guests, Film4FrightFest continues to be the single most important event of 2014 in the UK genre calendar.



This year’s guest list and the Short Film Showcase entries will be announced soon.



Alan Jones, Festival co-director, said today: “Everything genre-wise you’ve been hearing about - and a whole lot you haven’t yet - has been included in the programme to ensure our move to the Vue will be the most exciting and game-changing genre event of the year. Humbly, we cannot overestimate how much work has been done by Team FrightFest in planning this move in every detail to ensure your complete satisfaction with the venue arrangements, the operating duties and the comprehensive multi-levelled programming. While everything looks to be changing, nothing is fundamentally changing in terms of retaining our unique, all-inclusive atmosphere and the wellbeing of everyone who attends.”



Julia Wrigley, Head of Film4 Channel, added: “It’s fantastic to be back for our eighth year of fear as headline sponsors of Film4 FrightFest. For us, it’s still a great place to get reacquainted with favourite filmmakers and make exciting discoveries, many of which end up on the channel. We can’t wait to settle into a new venue to see what the team has in store for us, while our FrightFest fortnight on Film4 allows viewers to invite the horror and excitement into their own home.”



Festival & day passes go on sale from 28 June. Tickets for Individual films are on sale from 19 July.



Bookings: http://ift.tt/1mlUBus

08712 240 240 (24 hour booking line)



Screens 5, 6 & 7 will house the main event while the Discovery strands will play in Screens 3 & 8.



For full programme details go to: www.frightfest.co.uk


Cool, right? And that's not the end of the announcements - stay tuned to Total Film for some future surprises!


















via Total Film