The Screening Log - blogging film

Seen on: November 5, 2009

The players: Director: Grant Heslov, Writer: Peter Straughan, Cast: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Rebecca Mader, Stephen Lang

Facts of interest: Inspired by Jon Ronson's book.

The plot: A journalist may finally find his big story when meets a man who claims he is a psychic soldier with paranormal powers.

Our thoughts: Grant Heslov’s “The Men Who Stare at Goats” is a bizarre little film, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s as funny as it’s awkward, and that’s certainly a good thing. This light comedy may not be very meaningful, but it’s filled with a solid dose of witty moments and a bunch of excellent acting performances.

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Monday

26Oct2009

Matt Damon, Josh Brolin to join 'True Grit'

Monday, October 26, 2009 at 5:31PM | By

Joel and Ethan Coen are known for working with great actors, and the cast for their next film "True Grit" is getting better and better. The latest to join the Paramount project: Matt Damon and Josh Brolin.

Variety says Damon and Brolin are in talks to join Jeff Briges in the Coen's new version of the 1969 Western based on the book by Charles Portis. The film heads into prod soon and will open next year.

Bridges is on board to play a U.S. marshal who joins forces with a lawman (Damon) and a 14-year-old girl to track down her dad's killer. Brolin would play the bad man. The Coens also penned the screenplay.

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Thursday

10Sep2009

Latest casting details: Jeff Bridges to reunite with Coens; Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page join 'Super'

Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 11:38PM | By

• Jeff Bridges (in the pic on the left) is in talks to reunite with Joel and Ethan Coen on their new version of "True Grit," based on the book by Charles Portis. The story will follow a girl joining a U.S. marshal and one of his colleagues on the mission to find the killer of her father. Bridges, of course, starred in the Coens' "The Big Lebowski." (via Variety)

• Rainn Wilson ("The Rocker"), Ellen Page ("Whip It") and Liv Tyler have boarded James Gunn's comedy "Super," about an average guy (Wilson) who develops a pseudo-superhero alter ego after his wife (Tyler) falls victim to the charm of a drug dealer. Gunn also wrote the "Dawn of the Dead" remake. (via Variety)

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Tuesday

04Aug2009

Watch Justin Timberlake in 'Open Road' trailer

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 11:32AM | By

Justin Timberlake is back on the big screen in Michael Meredith's upcoming drama "The Open Road," and a trailer for the indie flick has just popped up online. Watch it after the jump.

Timberlake plays a young man looking to reconnect with his long-lost father (Jeff Bridges) -- a famous athlete -- and bring him back to the bedside of his ailing mother (Mary Steenburgen).

"The Open Road" doesn't look like anything that will explode at the box office, but as long as it's done right, it may pull some fans. The trailer's got me interested at least.

Plus, Timberlake's proven before he's fully capable of delivering a solid big-screen performance. He really did some impressive work in "Alpha Dog." Watch for "Road" in theaters Aug. 28, 2009.

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Sunday

05Oct2008

Review: “How to Lose Friends & Alienate People”

Sunday, October 5, 2008 at 12:38PM | By

Seen on: October 4, 2008

The players: Director: Robert B. Weide, Writer: Peter Straughan, Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Simon Pegg, Jeff Bridges, Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson

Facts of interest: Inspired by the book by Toby Young.

The plot: A British journalist (Pegg) discovers a way into the world of celebrities when he's offered a job at a prestigious New York magazine.

Our thoughts: “How to Lose Friends & Alienate People” marks Simon Pegg’s latest effort in a lead role, and while the British comedian puts on a decent enough show, everything around him falls to pieces early on. Inspired by the life of Toby Young, the film focuses on a British celebrity journalist who gets the unique opportunity to work for Sharps, New York’s most respected magazine.

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Saturday

13Sep2008

McGregor, Spacey to ‘Stare at Goats’

Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 8:40AM | By

Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges are in talks to join George Clooney in Grant Heslov’s upcoming adaptation of “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Based on the book by British journalist Jon Ronson, the film is set in Iraq and follows a reporter named Bob Wilton (McGregor), who may be in for the story of his life when he encounters Lyn Cassady (Clooney), a psychic solider who claims to be the result of the military experimenting with the paranormal.

Spacey plays a Larry Hooper, a former psychic soldier who is now in charge of an Iraqi prison camp. As for Bridges, he jumps into the role of Bill Django, the creator of the army’s psychic solider program.

McGregor was last seen in “Deception.” Some of his upcoming projects include “Amelia,” “I Love You Phillip Morris” and “Angels & Demons.”

Spacey last starred in Robert Luketic’s “21.” He is currently filming “Shrink” for Jonas Pate. As for Bridges, he most recently played Obadiah Stane in this summer’s blockbuster “Iron Man.” He will next be seen in “How to Lose Friends & Alienate People.”