Walt Disney Animation Studios director John Musker was in Chicago this week and addressed students of The Second City Training Center and Harold Ramis Film School. I didn’t take a lot of notes during the Q&A session but here’s a recap of what I did jot down. Musker has an impressive resume over the years, having co-directed The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, The Princess and The Frog, and most…
"John Musker on Animation, Filmmaking, and Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers"Category: Movies
Following the world premiere of Darkest Hour on Friday night at the 44th Telluride Film Festival, Gary Oldman’s Oscar for Best Actor is more than likely his to lose. The next stop for the film, directed by Joe Wright (Atonement) from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, will be the Canadian premiere on September 11th at the Toronto International Film Festival. Oldman leads a cast that includes Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup,…
"Telluride: Darkest Hour puts Gary Oldman in Oscar race for Best Actor"
Brisgby Bear was a cute heartfelt film that made its debut at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The film, directed by Dave McCary, was on my radar from the moment that Sundance released their program lineup. It’s barely even made $500,000 at the box office and this just isn’t right. The star-studded cast alone should be enough to draw folks to the box office: Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Jorge Lendeborg Jr.,…
"Brigsby Bear was Criminally Unseen in 2017"
The lineup was announced this morning for the 44th Telluride Film Festival. Not surprisingly, there are a handful of films making their premiere and will likely be considered for the Oscars. The Telluride Film Festival will take place Friday, September 1 – Monday, September 4, 2017. “Telluride Film Festival has long been a platform for films from many different cultures and backgrounds that celebrate diversity,” said Telluride Film Festival executive director Julie Huntsinger. “We feel…
"Lineup announced for 44th Telluride Film Festival"
August has been a down month at the box office even as we head towards a Labor Day weekend that won’t see the studios release a huge film. But for so many films selected for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, it’s been an even bigger struggle to make a dent. Throw in the wide releases this past month and the box office is really telling. Overall weekend grosses have dropped from $122,787,691 at the start…
"What happened with Indie Films at the Box Office in August?"
Director James Cameron made the news for some disparaging comments about Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins ripped him in response and rightfully so. Cameron told The Guardian‘s Hadley Freeman: “All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywood’s been doing over Wonder Woman has been so misguided. She’s an objectified icon, and it’s just male Hollywood doing the same old thing! I’m not saying I didn’t like the movie but, to me, it’s a step backwards.…
"Patty Jenkins rips James Cameron over Wonder Woman comments"
Martin Scorsese has come on board to produce an origin film of The Joker for Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Entertainment with The Hangover’s Todd Phillips on board to direct. Phillips will co-write the screenplay with Scott Silver (8 Mile, The Fighter). Is Phillips really the best person to direct this film? For all the talk about Rotten Tomatoes making or breaking a movie, there’s only two films marked as Certified Fresh for Phillips: Borat:…
"The Joker Origin Movie: Martin Scorsese to produce, Todd Phillips direct"
The first films were announced today for the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival. This year’s festival will run October 12-26 and will be headlined by special presentations of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Goodbye Christopher Robin, and The Square. One change entering this year’s edition is that Mimi Plauché took over for Michael Kutza as the artistic director of the festival. Kutza is now the CEO and president of Cinema/Chicago. The following films have been…
"53rd Chicago International Film Festival: First Films Announced"
Actor Morgan Freeman has been named as the 54th recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award. “I am thrilled to announce Morgan Freeman as this year’s recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award. Some actors spend their entire careers waiting for the perfect role. Morgan showed us that true perfection is what a performer brings to the part,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “He is innovative, fearless and completely unbound by expectations. As a chauffeur,…
"Morgan Freeman to receive 2017 SAG Life Achievement Award"
NEW UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM Lucasfilm has greenlit an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie to take place in some time period set in the Star Wars universe. What we do know is that Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry is in talks to lead the stand-alone story according to The Hollywood Reporter. What we don’t know yet is when in the saga that it will take place. All betting money appears to be the time period between the end…
"Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi movie greenlit, time period unknown"