Sony Pictures Classics took North American rights to the latest film by Woody Allen, starring Alec Baldwin, Cate Blanchett, Bobby Cannavale and more. Also in Tuesday's news round-up, Australia's Academy picks its nominees just two days before the Oscar noms; the Domestic Box Office hits a record; Mark Romanek is exiting Cinderella; and R.I.P. director David R. Ellis.
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"Chapter One: He adored New York City."
As images and reports rolled in from Hurricane Sandy's destructive tour through the Big Apple I thought of my East Coast friends and family affected by the storm, and of Manhattan, Woody Allen's great cinematic ode to the city — his city: Tough, romantic, and everything in between.
All those terrifying images of flooded streets and New York at an unimaginable standstill reminded me of happier times, by way of the magical moments the movies have seared into my consciousness over the years. This photo for example, taken Monday near the 59th Street Bridge as Sandy approached New York, depicted surging waters looming near where Allen and Diane Keaton shot Manhattan's iconic bridge scene — one of the most beautiful, dreamy moments of New York there is.
The New York that was beaten up, wind-whipped, and deluged over the past few days is a scary, unrecognizable New York. But the spirit of New York (and New Jersey, not to mention other affected cities and states along the East Coast) endures as folks begin rebuilding. I go back to the New York — romanticized, yes, but alive and bustling the way that NYC should be and will be again — of Manhattan's opening scene, which flashes through the city as Allen's voice-over and George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" bring it to life.
Even if only brief respites from the reality of what folks have to deal with out there, the movies can remind us of what makes life worth living; feel free to add your own indelible NYC movies and moments below. Meanwhile, NYC Movieliners Brian Brooks, Frank DiGiacomo, and Alison Willmore are powering through the insanity, as you'll see in the coming days. Send good vibes and warm thoughts their way.
Also in Friday afternoon's round-up of news briefs: The estate of author William Faulkner is suing over a quote used in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris; Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi wins a major peace prize; And a preview of the weekend's Specialty Release newcomers.
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Greta Gerwig has gone from so-called Mumblecore actress, appearing in indie titles LOL, Hannah Takes The Stairs and Nights and Weekends to bigger fare by the likes of Ivan Reitman and Woody Allen in No Strings Attached and the recent To Rome with Love. But what most audiences may not know, is that she's picked written some of the material she's played on screen, including her latest Frances Ha, which she co-wrote with director Noah Baumbach. The comedy is Gerwig's second match-up with Baumbach following 2010's Greenberg and the pair began bouncing ideas off each other, eventually creating the hysterical black and white feature that debuted at the recent Toronto International Film Festival and will be having its U.S. premiere at the upcoming New York Film Festival.
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New York was central to most of Woody Allen's film career until he headed to Europe in the mid-2000s, with features set in London, Paris, Rome and Barcelona, but if some Allen fans have their way, he'll be shooting in Israel. Now that he has To Rome With Love making its way to screens in the U.S., the Oscar-winning filmmaker is reportedly headed to San Francisco for his next project, which will star Alec Baldwin, Cate Blanchett, Bobby Cannavale and curiously, Andrew Dice Clay. But if a group of L.A.-based Jewish campaigners have any say, his follow-up will be in Israel and they're looking to put their crowd-funding wares to the test in order to lure Allen to film in the Jewish state.
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This weekend's new theatrical offerings include a massive array for any taste. In the studio realm, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter marks the 16th Prez as a savior from Vampires, Pixar's Brave centers on a Princess who must save her kingdom. Focus' Seeking a Friend for the End of the World pits a mismatched man and woman on an unlikely road trip, while doc The Invisible War is a fascinating but sad exposé on the sad truth about sexual assault in the U.S. military. Fellow doc Kumaré, meanwhile follows a man posing as an Eastern guru who builds his own following in Arizona.
Woody Allen has cemented an historic onscreen legacy by managing to play a grand total of one single character for the last 47 years. (What versatility!) Needless to say, it’s been one hell of a character: Allen’s extreme version of himself, trading on some of the most base cultural stereotypes out there about New Yorkers, Jews and intellectuals, has, logically or not, repeatedly held mainstream America’s interest. Yet, in a halfhearted nod to the idea of variety, Allen hasn’t always played the character himself – due to the constraints of age, style, and physical type, he’s occasionally enlisted actors to come in and do their best Woody Allen imitation over the years. With a new addition to the coterie coming in To Rome With Love – Jesse Eisenberg is a neo-Woody if ever there was one – it’s worthwhile to take a look back at Allen’s nine most entertaining surrogates.
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Before last year’s wistfully joyous Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen’s movies had gotten so self-conscious and sour-spirited — alleged “returns to form” Match Point, Cassandra’s Dream and Vicky Cristina Barcelona included — that it was hard to have any hope for his future. Do older filmmakers really need a future, especially if, as Allen has, they’ve already banked more than a career’s worth of fine work amid the failures? If they really enjoy working, as Allen seems to, I think they do — a future to shoot for, even if it’s just tomorrow as opposed to next year, might be the very thing that makes them feel alive.
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Some were skeptical that Woody Allen would make an appearance at the opening night of the LA Film Festival, even with his latest Euro-whimsy To Rome With Love premiering in the kick-off slot Thursday night. But show up Woody did, with five of his starlets in tow — including Alison Pill, Greta Gerwig, and a dazzling Penelope Cruz — to debut his 43rd feature film with a few charmingly self-deprecating zingers.
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The Los Angeles Film Festival opens Thursday night with Woody Allen's To Rome with Love and the event even scored the presence of the director himself — at least, according to reports. But after the spectacle of opening night carries into the main core of the festival's selection, new and established filmmakers from around the world will be screening their latest in the festival's various sections. Movieline asked filmmakers in the LA Film Festival's Narrative and Documentary competitions to share some thoughts on their work. Also take a look at their trailers and be in the know…
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Also in Thursday's quick round up of film news, ARC Entertainment is bringing Fat Kid to the States, Meryl Streep gives her two cents on big studio flops, and audiences just are not heading to theaters frequently like they used to.
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Also in Monday afternoon's news round up, Outfest unveils its 30th anniversary lineup, Ashley Tisdale joins the next Scary Movie, Cannes and Sundance winner Beasts of the Southern Wild is set to open Stateside film festival, Matt Dillon and Brendan Fraser are among the cast set for a new dark comedy, Christina Ricci will join Susan Sarandon in an upcoming project and Christopher Nolan says good bye to Howard Hughes pic.
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Also in this week-ending, Friday afternoon edition of Biz Break: MGM gets into the Ray Bradbury business, how Obama lost Hollywood, and more...
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The Los Angeles Film Festival unveiled its lineup of nearly 200 features, shorts and more today. This year's event, which comprises work from 30 countries, will open with the North American premiere of Woody Allen's To Rome With Love (as previously announced), while the world premiere of Warner Bros.' Magic Mike by Steven Soderbergh will close out the festival, which runs June 14 - 24 at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles.
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Scan the latest from a busy Monday news day in Movieline's newly minted Biz Break. Following this morning's edition of the new column is a slew of casting news from Iron Man 3 to Woody Allen's next project, while the folks at CAA caught a surprise break from the office today thanks to a power outage.
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