The Screening Log - blogging film

It's Kind of a Funny Story,

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Thursday

10Sep2009

'9' tops Wednesday box office with $3M

Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 5:35PM | By

Shane Acker's animated adventure "9" delivered a solid start at the North American box office Wednesday with a decent estimated gross of $3.1 million from ticket sales at only 1,653 locations.

Released by Focus Features, "9" is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity has lost a fierce battle against an army of machines. It's up to a group of puppet-like “stitchpunk” beings to survive in dangerous conditions.

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Monday

22Jun2009

Daily news dose: Charles Gibson to direct 'Goblin;' Alain Chabat attached to star in 'Dubber'

Monday, June 22, 2009 at 8:27PM | By

Here is your dose of film news for June 22, 2009:

• Oscar winner Charles Gibson, who worked as visual effects artist on films such as "Terminator Salvation" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," will make his directorial debut with "The Goblin," a comedy about a family who encounters a goblin in their new home. Geoff Rodkey wrote the script. (Variety)

• Universal will develop a comedy based on a pitch by Stacey Harman. The plot will center on a group of women who do anything but work on a corporate trip. Harman also wrote "Shared Fare," which DreamWorks is developing with Brian Robbins. (Variety)

• Focus Features is gearing up to develop "The Dubber," a comedy French actor Alain Chabat (pictured) is attached to star in. Mark and Jay Duplass wrote the most recent script (earlier writers include David Gilcreast, Jay Chandrasekhar, Richard Raddon and Marina Zenovich), about a man who ends up doing more than providing the French dubbing voice for a Hollywood star. (Variety)

• Cher is joining Christina Aguilera in Steven Antin's "Burlesque," a musical that follows a small-town girl who finds love and success in a Los Angeles neo-burlesque club. Cher is set to play the club's owner, who struggles to keep her business open. Cher last starred in "Tea with Mussolini" (she briefly appeared in "Stuck on You). (Variety)

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Thursday

30Apr2009

'Tell No One' remake set at Miramax

Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 4:47PM | By

No, I still haven't seen Guillaume Canet's French thriller "Ne le dis à personne" (Tell No One), but I've heard great things about it, and I'll definitely try to watch it some time this summer. The film was a success in France and even delivered a solid box office run in the U.S., and according to Variety, Miramax and Focus Features are planning to develop an English language remake.

Apparently, the studios are eyeing a production start date of spring 2010. No director or cast is currently attached. Based on the novel by Harlan Coben, the French thriller followed a pediatrician who's spent several years grieving the death of his wife when he suddenly discovers she may still be alive. François Cluzet, Marie-Josée Croze, André Dussollier, Kristin Scott Thomas and François Berléand starred.

From what I've heard, "Tell No One" is a complex thriller with plenty of intriguing twists, and even though I still have to check it out, I somehow hope the Hollywood version won't alter the story line too much to make it more accessible to a larger audience. Knowing Hollywood, that's exactly what's going to happen, but then again, we do always have the original, right. Okay, now I really have to see this one.

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Monday

12Jan2009

Daily news dose: Focus Features sets release dates; Claude Berri dead at 74

Monday, January 12, 2009 at 7:56PM | By

Here's your dose of quick news bits for Jan. 12, 2009...

• Focus Features today announced a bunch of release dates for some of their 2009 films. For starters, Rob Marshall's musical "Nine" will open Nov. 25. Joel and Ethan Coen's "A Serious Man" will open in limited release Oct. 2, while Mikael Håfström's John Cusack vehicle "Shanghai" is set for Sept. 4. Sam Mendes' comedy "Away We Go" will start June 5.

• Legendary French filmmaker Claude Berri died Monday in Paris. He was 74. Some of Berri's notable directing efforts include "Germinal," "Jean de Florette" and "Lucie Aubrac." He also established a fabulous career as producer, developing successful films such as "Welcome to the Sticks" and "The Secret of the Grain." He will be greatly missed. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• The folks at Bloody-Disgusting today landed some "Scream 4" news. Although none of this has been confirmed yet, Kevin Williamson is apparently on board to write a draft. Also, Wes Craven may return to helm the fourth film in the series, which will be a younger version. Finally, rumor is David Arquette, Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell may be offered cameos in the sequel.

• Kristin Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff have signed on to star in Sam Taylor-Wood's "Nowhere Boy," a film about John Lennon's early years. Aaron Johnson stars as Lennon, while Thomas playshis Aunt Mimi. Duff is on board as his mother. Matt Greenhalgh wrote the script. (Variety)