Nov 18 2009 Jennifer Hudson Playing Controversial Winnie
No, not Winnie Cooper (thought the way she treated Kevin was sometimes kind of bullshit). Mandela!
Jennifer Hudson, the former American Idol contestant who won the oscar in her first screen role in "Dreamgirls," is ready for her next challenge. Hudson will star in “Winnie,” a drama that casts her as the former wife of South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela.While Nelson Mandela—who’ll be played by Morgan Freeman in the Clint Eastwood-directed “Invictus”-- is a universally sympathetic figure for his struggle against apartheid, his former wife is a far more complicated figure. She has been depicted as the mother and wife who was a steadfast supporter of her activist husband and who was jailed herself for campaigning for his release and fighting against apartheid. Her image was subsequently tarnished by association with a bodyguard who murdered a 14-year old alleged informer, and she was later convicted of fraud.
The filmmakers will tell the whole story, good and bad.
But will Jennifer Hudson sing a special Winnie theme song?
Hudson, who is expected to sing the film’s theme song...
Yessss. I've always said even human rights violators deserve the same theme song opportunities granted to the Men in Black. Otherwise, aren't we all violating some basic human rights? Specifically, the right to a movie theme song sung by one of your film's stars.
Oct 29 2009 Tony Scott Directing Perfect Film for Your Sad, '80s Bachelorette Party
Chippendales: The Movie, ladies! It's time to learn how muscular hunks dressed like Snagglepuss somehow became a big thing in stripping and calendar-making for sad women for a while, then suddenly stopped being a thing. And it turns out it's more interesting than you'd think. From Variety:
Tony Scott has become attached to direct a film about the rise and fall of Steve Banerjee, the man responsible for creating Chippendales, who was consumed by excess and competition when the male strip clubs became a phenomenon in the 1980s.With a tone similar to the Scott-directed "True Romance," pic will follow the improbable rise and fall of Banerjee, who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales. After hiring a New York choreographer to polish the all-male dance troupe, Banerjee became wildly rich, as well as unreasonably competitive and paranoid. Banerjee hired a hitman to murder the choreographer when negotiations went sour. After being arrested, Banerjee died in jail awaiting trial.
Wow, murder was involved in the fall of Chippendales? I'd always assumed it was somehow related to that SNL sketch with Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze. Or just people finally realizing that men dancing in portions of tuxedos is disgusting.
Oct 27 2009 People Magazine's Hottest Hunks of Various Years Competing for Sinatra Bio?
The ever-reputable Guardian claims Martin Scorsese's Frank Sinatra biopic is the setting for a casting war! Except it's not so much a war so much as three big names that they're claiming may or may not be trying to get the lead:
George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp are all fighting to land the role that will surely give the victor the best chance yet of securing the critical acclaim to match their earning power.Scorsese, who won his first best director Oscar in 2006 for The Departed, wants his current muse DiCaprio to play the Rat Pack singer. The two are putting the finishing touches to Shutter Island, their fourth film together, before Scorsese turns his attention to making Sinatra next year.
Executives at Universal, the studio financing the film, are pushing for Depp to play Sinatra, after being impressed by his performance as bank robber John Dillinger in Public Enemies this year.
But Sinatra's daughter, Tina, has her own view of how her father should be portrayed, which critics feel would be a sanitised life story. She favours Clooney, in what would be his most challenging role to date, as a safe pair of hands.
Obviously Martin Scorsese wants Leonardo DiCaprio playing Frank Sinatra. Martin Scorsese wants Leonardo DiCaprio to play every part. Howard Hughes, Gangs of New York guy, Departed guy, Shutter Island guy, muse, friend, wife, loving mother to his bushy-eyed progeny: Scorsese wants to see DiCaprio's round head in every one of those roles. And besides that, he'd probably would be a pretty decent Sinatra.
What confuses me are the latter two claims...
Continue Reading " People Magazine's Hottest Hunks of Various Years Competing for Sinatra Bio? "
Oct 8 2009 Just Give Marlon Wayans His Oscar Now
Marlon Wayans has nabbed Eddie Murphy's presumptive Oscar right out of his chubby, fat-suited hands. EW is reporting the White Chick is in talks to take over the role of Richard Pryor in an upcoming, Oscar-baiting biopic on the comedian:
Funny man Marlon Wayans is in advanced discussions to play one of comedy’s most iconic figures in the biopic Richard Pryor: Is it Something I Said for Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Prods. and Sony Pictures. The project has been written and will be directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls). Eddie Murphy was originally attached to star in the project, but he dropped out over conflicts with Paramount Pictures, which was previously on board to finance the film.
I'm sure the comedy legend's soul will be pleased to know he'll be represented by a co-creator of the Scary Movie franchise. But I wonder, does the Happy Madison connection mean we'll be seeing Sandler as Gene Wilder or someone? The two of them recreating scenes from See No Evil, Hear No Evil might be one of the worst ideas my brain has ever whispered.
Anyway, forget what I said about Wayans winning an Oscar for this. Upon hearing this news, Jamie Foxx immediately announced, "Oh, shit, uh... I'm making a Bill Cosby thing then."
Aug 24 2009 Hell-nooooooooo! No, Robin Williams is Not Playing Susan Boyle
Today in movie news British tabloids have clearly made up:
Robin Williams has reportedly revealed that he has been asked to play Susan Boyle in a biopic of the singer.He told the Daily Star: "I've been asked if I want to play Susan in the movie. I think she's incredible. That clip of her singing on Britain's Got Talent was extraordinary. So inspiring. It was quite a shock when she began to sing."
He continued: "I saw some other clip of her singing 'Cry Me A River' a few years ago. It was incredible. She's got a really great voice."
Shut up, Daily Star. Someone on your writing staff falling asleep watching Britain's Got Talent and Mrs. Doubtfire on consecutive nights does not mean Robin Williams is playing Susan Boyle in a biopic. Furthermore, I seriously doubt anyone would ever, ever make a Susan Boyle movie. It would be either extremely boring, extremely depressing, or both, and we'd all already know the lackluster ending: her achieving reasonable but fleeting notoriety for her nontraditional combination of being old and unattractive yet somehow having a good voice (though not good enough to win a competition). Oh, wait, I guess now the even more depressing ending would be that she finally gets a biopic where she'd played by a man. That sounds like a great plan for a film.
Besides, Robin Williams has never gone eight sentences without some kind of nonsensical/topical/once-topical impression or spastic freak-out. At least add a "[stands on chair; seems to be imitating Elvis?]" if you want your fake quote to be believable.
Williams: 'I've been asked to play Boyle' [Digital Spy]
Aug 14 2009 'Amelia' Poster: Earhart Loves Mall-Based Clothing Outlets
Not even someone as historically relevant and respected as Amelia Earhart is safe from the classic ass-towards-the-camera poster design. The piloting glass ceiling may have shattered, but the show-me-your-ass ceiling still remains.
'Amelia' Poster [TrailerAddict]
Aug 11 2009 Hank Williams Will See You in Theaters
The biopic wheel has been spun and it looks like our next film about someone famous and now dead will be... Hank Williams!--one of only a handful of people who don't really annoy me when in a cowboy hat. Details:
Nashville-based 821 Entertainment Group and Strike Entertainment have teamed to turn the life of country music icon Hank Williams into a feature film.The package includes cooperation with the Hank Williams estate that gives the production use of his most memorable recordings. Also, 821 has optioned the rights to "Hank Williams: The Biography," a book by Colin Escott that is being used as a resource by Abraham. Escott will be associate producer.
Williams ranks high among the most influential country music singer-songwriters, and he lived a life as hard as any character in a country song. After growing up dirt poor in Alabama during the Depression, Williams skyrocketed to fame with 11 No. 1 hits, including classics "Cold, Cold Heart," "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry."
Williams also suffered from spina bifida, which led him to turnto alcohol and morphine for pain relief. Haunted by demons and bad habits, Williams died in 1953 at age 29.
No word yet on who will portray the iconic country artist, but that doesn't mean we can't go ahead and engrave the bottom of an Academy Award with: "for his role in Hank."
Aug 6 2009 This 'Creation' Photo Will BLOW YOUR MIND
THINK ABOUT IT, dude. Paul Bettany as naturalist Charles Darwin, and he's holding this mirror up--only instead of YOUR reflection, it's an ORANGUTAN! Evolution, you know? Think about it.
More shots from the biopic here.
Jun 26 2009 'Amelia' Trailer: Old Guys, Please Refrain From Shouting "I Know How It Ends!" and Chuckling
Coming soon to lists of things that will probably win Oscars, Hilary Swank and Richard Gere in the melodramatic story of the world's greatest ladypilot: Amelia. As you can see in the above screenshot, the biopic seems to support my controversial theory that Earhart's disappearance was the result of arbitrarily climbing out of her plane, standing on the wings, and waving until she fell off. I knew it:
Jun 16 2009 Will Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning Girl-Go-Wild for 'Runaways'?
Girl-on-girl kissing. Aside from drinking, it's the most heavily encouraged activity in your dorm. Everyone wants to see it, but what if you can't find two drunk, attention-starved coeds to deliver it? Where do you go then?
Answer: to The Runaways, the upcoming biopic on Joan Jett and her early days with the all-girl band, which apparently involves girl-on-girl kissin'. Oh, but did I mention the kiss would involve 15-year-old Dakota Fanning? Yikes. Your woooooo!-or-not-to-woooooo! judgment call:
Life & Style reports that there's a makeout scene between Kristen's Joan and Dakota's Cherie Currie in the film, which is currently in rehearsals in Hollywood.
(Thanks for the link, Alena.)
Well, now we know what scene will get so blown out of proportion that it will incite controversy that completely overshadows every other aspect of the film.
Not here, though. At I Watch Stuff, I say we are done discussing a filmed kiss between consenting teenagers. Let's be mature. In Europe, it wouldn't even be a big deal. No one would be spit-taking the wine they're allowed to drink at an early age. Grow up, girl-on-girl kiss controversy-makers. End of discussion. Instead, let's blow out of proportion the even-less-actually-controversial subject of how Fanning's character, Cherie Currie, apparently went from being a Runaway to being a master chainsaw artist on the local news:
Continue Reading " Will Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning Girl-Go-Wild for 'Runaways'? "
Jun 11 2009 Twilight's Haircut Indicates Fondness for Rock & Roll
Sorry to remind you, hardcore Joan Jett fans, but Kristen Stewart is playing Joan Jett in an upcoming biopic called The Runaways, and now, as you can see above, she's got the haircut to prove it.
I'm still not completely sold on the idea of the Twilight star playing Jett, but now that I'm seeing her with the hair and everything, I'm thinking she might do a pretty decent job as Keith from Voltron:
The Runaway [Jezebel]
May 27 2009 Scarface Now a Humane, Merciful Killer
In perfectly-matched haggard old face casting news, THR is reporting Al Pacino is in talks to star in an cleverly-titled HBO biopic about Dr. Jack Kevorkian:
Al Pacino is in negotiations to star in "You Don't Know Jack," an HBO Films biopic about Dr. Jack Kevorkian that Barry Levinson will direct.Kevorkian, also known as Dr. Death, assisted in more than 150 cases of suicide and had beaten the state court system in Michigan numerous times, but was finally convicted after he willingly sent a videotape of himself euthanizing a terminally ill man to "60 Minutes." He was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 and is serving his sentence in a maximum-security prison in Michigan.
The film will trace his rise as he builds his infamous "Mercy Machine," conducts his first assisted suicide, and starts a media frenzy with his epic legal battles defending a patient's right to die.
But who to play Kevorkian's creepy sleazebag lawyer, Geoffrey Fieger? Alan Rickman?
Can anyone come up with someone better in the comments? Or maybe get involved in a lengthy debate about the ethics of euthanasia? Please don't.
May 14 2009 Scorsese Directing Sinatra Biopic, DiCaprio Undoubtedly Starring
In a grouping of Italian favorites the likes of which has previously only been seen on an Olive Garden menu, Martin Scorsese has signed on to direct and produce Universal's long-planned Frank Sinatra biopic. From Variety:
Universal Pictures and Mandalay Pictures are teaming on "Sinatra" and have brought on Scorsese — who has long flirted with a biopic on singer-actor Frank Sinatra — to direct and produce.Phil Alden Robinson is writing the screenplay.
Although no actor is attached to star in the film, Schulman said Leonardo DiCaprio is an obvious candidate because he has become Scorsese’s go-to actor over the past decade, having starred in the director’s past four features: "Gangs of New York," "The Aviator," "The Departed" and the upcoming "Shutter Island." Because any music in the film will come from Sinatra’s recordings, it will not be necessary to cast an actor who is a proficient singer.
Well, of course DiCaprio is going to play Sinatra. And I'm sure he'll do a fine job with it. But what I'd really like to see is DeNiro in a role--probably something mob-related--along with the inexplicable inclusion of Tony Montana, Al Pacino's character in Scarface, so that pizza places could just have this one poster and cover all their bases.
Mar 24 2009 Anne Hathaway to Birth Liza Minelli
Welp, Anne Hathaway has guaranteed herself one more Academy Award nomination. Delving even farther into "take me seriously" territory, the actress has signed on to star in stage and screen adaptations of Get Happy, a biography on the life of Judy Garland:
Anne Hathaway will play Judy Garland in the Weinstein Co.'s legit [stage] and film adaptations of the Gerald Clarke-penned biography "Get Happy."VP of production and development Ben Famiglietti, whose purview includes both film and legit productions, said it is unclear which version would come first. The stage version would naturally be cheaper and quicker to produce, but some filmmakers could even guide both, starting with a film.
While Garland's life and legacy have been explored before in popular culture, Weinstein noted Clarke's take "is particularly outstanding because of its exclusive details from her own writings."
Famiglietti said Hathaway's commitment has already prompted strong interest from filmmakers, screenwriters and librettists.
Considering that the majority of my Judy Garland knowledge comes from The Wizard of Oz and three seconds in a Looney Tunes cartoon I didn't understand as a child, I'm probably not the best person to evaluate this casting. I guess Anne Hathaway seems pretty Garlandish, right?
Anne Hathaway gets 'Happy' [Variety]
Dec 4 2008 'Che' Poster, Trailer, Revolutionary
For a limited time, IFC will be releasing the two parts of Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevara biopic, The Argentine and Guerilla, as a single film appropriately entitled Che. To promote the event, they've released a poster that makes it seem like Che is a militant, 200-foot giant crushing remote villages beneath his feet. The trailer shows this is not the case:
Dec 3 2008 'Twilight' Girl to Play Joan Jett
Kirsten Stewart, also known as girl from Twilight, has been cast in the role of Joan Jett in Floria Sigismondi's The Runaways. From THR:
Fresh from the success of "Twilight," Kristen Stewart is set to portray Joan Jett in "The Runaways," the rock 'n' roll biopic of the 1970s all-girl band.The Runaways were hugely influential as the first successful all-girl hard rock band; its members included guitarists Jett and Lita Ford, drummer Sandy West, singer-keyboardist Cherie Currie and bassist Jackie Fox. The band was brought together in late 1975 by impresario Kim Fowley, who thought a novelty act of teenaged girls performing in leather and lace would be an easy sell, but the girls ended up proving to be serious and influential musicians with songs like "Cherry Bomb." The band lasted about four years together, falling apart over management and money issues.
The film will revolve around Jett and Currie and follow them from the band's meteoric rise as teenagers to their dissolution and disillusionment.
While Stewart will take on the role of Jett, Cherie Currie will reportedly be played as a thin, pale, poofy-haired guy who is deeply in love with her despite differences in their lifestyle.
Nov 24 2008 'Notorious' Poster is Pretty 'Big'! (Wink!)
"No dream is too big." Get it? BIG. Reference to his name.
Notorious Poster [Trailer Addict]
Nov 12 2008 Jerry Garcia Biopic Coming (in a Foul-Smelling Van)
Producers of Little Miss Sunshine, Election, and Hamlet 2 are teaming up to bring to screens a film about the early life of Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. Here's what the Hollywood Reporter says:
The untitled project will focus primarily on Garcia's early life in the Bay Area before he joined the band that would become the Grateful Dead -- a period that includes a stint in the military, a life-changing car accident and his first creative encounters with members of the Northern California music scene including future Dead bassist Phil Lesh.Producers have acquired rights to Robert Greenfield's book "Dark Star," an oral history of Garcia from dozens of people who knew him, including musicians, relatives and artist friends like Ken Kesey. Music rights also are being negotiated, though given that the period in Garcia's life that's covered is pre-Dead, producers could avoid some of the trickier negotiations.
I really hope they try to cram in some hints at the development of later Grateful Dead songs. Maybe a scene where a woman named Bertha upsets Garcia to the point that he asks she stops coming around. Or someone reminding him that every silver lining's got a touch of grey. Or some literal truckin'. The inclusion of any of those scenes will make me less annoyed when the guy they get to play him is auto-nominated for an Oscar.
Nov 5 2008 'Cadillac Records' Trailer Will Buy You a Sweet Car
Sony has released the trailer to Cadillac Records, the story of Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Etta James (Beyoncé), Big Willie Dixon (Cedric t. Entertainer), and Chess Records owner Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody). If most single-musician biopics have a decent chance at a big award, imagine what this chewed up wad of them will do when it gets spat into theaters. Time for Beyoncé to win those trophies she missed with Dreamgirls and Austin Powers in Goldmember!
Continue Reading " 'Cadillac Records' Trailer Will Buy You a Sweet Car "
Oct 24 2008 'Notorious' Trailer: Being a Rapper Sure is Hectic!
The Notorious B.I.G. movie has a new trailer, so as per usual, here is that to watch. I doubt it's going to bring the Oscar buzz of other recent music biopics, but it does look good enough that if it were on VH1 as a TV movie special event, and I spent two hours watching it from my couch, I would not feel that bad about myself.
Continue Reading " 'Notorious' Trailer: Being a Rapper Sure is Hectic! "
