Film

60-second spot of Peter Berg’s ‘Battleship’ to air during Super Bowl

by Brittney Franklin on February 5, 2012

If you’ve been to the movies recently, you probably caught the teaser for the latest board game-inspired film, Battleship. What most know as the military-based game of strategy is amped up with aliens that had many thrown for a loop, not sure what to expect based on its simplistic origins.

However, during tonight’s Super Bowl between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, a second, longer trailer will air that’s set to clear some of the confusion and give viewers a better look into the effects of the film. “Universal has spent generously for this, to show our aim to deliver major summer entertainment. The scope of the film will be apparent in the Super Bowl spot,” said Battleship director Peter Berg to Mike Fleming of Deadline. Spots for NBC’s The Voice and injury prevention awareness for the NFL, both directed by Berg, are also set to air during the big game.

Taylor Kitsch, who stars in Battleship, was Berg’s discovery from book-turned-film-turned-TV-series Friday Night Lights. “He’s for real, a young Bruce Willis, a good looking athletic guy who is smart, sarcastic, self deprecating, and willing to fuck things up five times and get it right on the sixth,” Berg said. “He has the ability to move from humor to heroic behavior.” This year, he’ll also be starring in Disney’s John Carter, Berg’s action-drama Lone Survivor and director Oliver Stone’s Savages. Said Berg, “The first person who saw Battleship footage was Oliver Stone, because he was thinking of casting Taylor in Savages. Now, if I had to make a list of 10 guys who’d see this film first, I wouldn’t imagine Oliver being on it. He watched half an hour, and left with a quiet smile. The next day he cast Taylor in Savages.”

Filmed in Baton Rouge, Battleship also stars Liam Neeson (The Grey), Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) and Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It).

Man your battle stations, the shots are called May 12, 2012.

Source: Deadline

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New Orleans sets the scene for “A Little Bit of Heaven”

by Lindsay Madatic on February 1, 2012

What happens when you combine Kate Hudson, Kathy Bates, Whoopi Goldberg and the city of New Orleans? Throw in a few common New Orleans’ landmarks and some glitzy jazz tunes, and you get Nicole Kassell’s (The Woodsman) newest romantic comedy/drama, A Little Bit of Heaven.

Written by Gren Wells, A Little Bit of Heaven was shot and is set in the Crescent City. The film tells the story of a young commitment-phobic woman who forms an unexpected relationship with her doctor. Marley Corbett (Hudson) is young and beautiful but afraid of opening herself up to true love. However, a life-altering visit to Dr. Julian Goldstein (Bernal) may change the way she views commitment and the world in general. Will Corbett remain closed off to the idea of love, or will Dr. Goldstein open her heart to emotions and experiences she stopped believing in years before?

The film was first released in Ireland and the UK in February of 2011. Since then, it has seen worldwide releases including Greece, Brazil, and Italy to name a few. Millennium Entertainment has acquired the North American distribution rights to the romantic drama/comedy. They will utilize a multi-platform release, including VOD launching April 3 and a platform theatrical release on May 4th with ancillary to follow on June 12th.

Source: indiewire, imdb, deadline

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Ben Kingsley joins ‘Ender’s Game’

by Jenny Bravo on February 1, 2012

Last seen in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo with future co-star Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley signs on for Gavin Hood’s Ender’s Game.

Kingsley will play the role of Mazer Rackham, a well-known war hero who trains Butterfield’s Ender during his time in Command School. Another recent addition, Brandon Soo Hoo, is set to play Fly Molo. Confirmed cast members include Harrison Ford, last year’s Oscar nominee Hailee Stanfield and Abigail Breslin.

The release date of the sci-fi adventure is set for March 15, 2013, with production kicking off next month in New Orleans.

Source: Deadline

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‘Lay the Favorite’ bought by the Weinstein Company

by Elizabeth Glauser on January 30, 2012

The New Orleans-shot comedy Lay The Favorite premiered at Sundance this past week hoping to be one of the many indie films purchased by a studio. The film was acquired by the Weinstein Company right after the close of the festival and the company is looking to distribute the picture theatrically and on VOD this fall.

The film has a long list of famous faces including Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vince Vaughn and Laura Prepon. The Town‘s leading lady Rebecca Hall plays Beth Raymer, a woman who familiarizes herself with veteran Vegas gamblers to work the sports book system to her favor. The film, based on Raymer’s memoirs, was directed by Stephen Frear and adapted for film by D.V. DeVincentis, who previously worked together on the John Cusack comedy High Fidelity.

Source: Deadline

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Big win for ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ at Sundance

by Elizabeth Glauser on January 30, 2012

The Sundance Film Festival gives indie films the opportunity to shine and a platform for wide release. Past breakout successes from the fest include Little Miss Sunshine, Precious and the Baton Rouge-shot drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape. This year’s big breakout, like Sex, Lies, and Videotape, was a Louisiana shot drama called Beasts of  the Southern Wild. The film scored big success at the fest winning the Grand Jury prize as well as being purchased  by Fox Searchlight pictures for distribution.

In director Behn Zeitlin’s feature debut, 6-year-old Hushpuppy faces the end of the world in an ideallic fairytale setting. Her ailing father aides her by teaching her how to survive without him as she faces signs of the apocalypse. The film boasted no big names but rather featured local talent from Louisiana. The breakout star is young Quvenzhané Wallis, now 8 years old, who played the tale’s lead tyke.

Zeitlin, a New York native, became inspired by the Big Easy and has created short films revolving around it. The director collaborated with Lucy Alibar to adapt her play. The two wrote the screenplay to allow for flexibility when working with young, inexperienced actors. This collaborative spirit may have come from the director’s involvement in Court 13, a collective of filmmakers aiming to create big stories with the help of community rather than big budget financing. The collective now resides in New Orleans and had all hands on deck for the filming of Beasts.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Court 13, and Sundance

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Winners from the Sundance Film Festival

by Elizabeth Glauser on January 30, 2012

The Sundance Film Festival wrapped up this weekend in Park City, Utah with its award ceremony. The nights big winner was the Louisiana-shot Benh Zeitlin film Beasts of the Southern Wild taking home the Grand Jury Prize. Another big feat went to The Surrogate starring John Hawkes and Helen Hunt, which was the biggest seller of the 10 day festival going to Fox Searchlight Pictures for $6 million. The film buying frenzy associated with Sundance started off slow, but after a few days many films were picked up by studios including Lay the Favorite, Beasts of the Southern Wild and Safety Not Guaranteed. Continue reading for the full list of winners from the fest.

GRAND JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY- The House I Live In

WORLD CINEMA JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY- The Law in These Parts

WORLD CINEMA JURY PRIZE: DRAMATIC- Violeta Went to Heaven

AUDIENCE AWARD: U.S. DOCUMENTARY- The Invisible War

AUDIENCE AWARD: U.S. DRAMATIC- The Surrogate Continue reading…

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The ‘More Than Acting’ Workshop Weekend

by Jenny Bravo on January 30, 2012

Calling all actors in need of a mentor! NYC Master Teacher Deena Levy offers a one weekend intensive acting event for aspiring students, combining methods of the “whole person” approach and Levy’s four-part process. Levy works with students to hone their craft in regards to basic technique to the tougher fields of confidence, individual strengths and human vulnerable acting. Previous pupils include The Blind Side’s Kim Dickens, G.I. Joe’s Channing Tatum and The Good Wife’s Juliana Margulies.

Dickens raves of Levy, “She’s passionate, she’s soulful, she’s artful and incredibly experienced and talented, and she’s fun. She’s a warm person, and she created this really safe place to explore. But she also had a wonderful technique and a process.” The workshop spans to actors of all levels, with a limited space of 18 students per class.  Nom de Guerre Films sponsors this two-day exclusive opportunity, making the cost more affordable for local talent. Reserve your calendars for March 3, 10 am- 6 pm, and March 4, 10 am- 7 pm. For more information, email nicelle@nomdeguerre.tv and visit www.deenalevy.com.

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“Black Rock” picked up at Sundance Film Festival

by Lindsay Madatic on January 29, 2012

Black Rock has been picked up by Upstart LD Distribution after a midnight screening at the Library during the Sundance Film Festival. The deal was made by Submarine’s Josh Braun and LD president David Dinerstein and was reportedly priced in the seven-figure range.

The film is directed by Katie Aselton and written by Louisiana native Mark Duplass, her husband and one half of the writer/director team “The Duplass Brothers.” What is said to be a combination of Deliverance and Thelma and Louise, Black Rock stars Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns), Lake Bell (No Strings Attached) and Aselton (TV’s The League). It is set on a remote coast in Maine, and portrays three female friends who organize a girls’ weekend which results in a deadly fight for survival. The Indie thriller is set to release theatrically later this year.

Source: Deadline

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New trailer for Nicholas Cage thriller ‘Seeking Justice’

by Elizabeth Glauser on January 26, 2012

The New Orleans-shot actioner starring Nicholas Cage ‘Seeking Justice’ hits theaters March 16 but a new version of the trailer gives audiences a sneak peek. Cage stars as a man seeking revenge for the attack on his wife. He soon discovers that revenge is a more difficult business than he thought.  Take a look at the new trailer below:

Source: Slashfilm

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