In other Phoenix sibling news: Check out River (RIP) in DARK BLOOD

When I watched that trailer for THE MASTER I thought, “You make a movie with the Phoenix you have, not the Phoenix you want” (just kidding, Joaquin…you’re great). And then, lo and behold, /Film has a little story on the effort to finish DARK BLOOD, the film River Phoenix was working on when he died of a drug overdose back in 1993. Now, as a child of the 80s, I’ve always held onto fond memories of the eldest Phoenix kid (I mean, Joaquin was just that moody masturbator in PARENTHOOD…and wasn’t his name Leaf, anyway?). So it was exciting to see Dutch director George Sluizer (THE VANISHING) trot out his DARK BLOOD footage and talk about paying tribute to River:

It’s that Scientology movie: A look at THE MASTER with Joaquin Phoenix

While everyone is over the moon about the latest from Wes Anderson, another favorite Director Anderson—namely Paul Thomas of BOOGIE NIGHTS and THERE WILL BE BLOOD fame—has been makin’ waves with his newest project for months. THE MASTER follows a story that very closely resembles the inception of Scientology, the so-seductive religion of the Hollywood elite, and features a stellar cast ranging from Amy Adams to Laura Dern. Apparently, Tom Cruise (the crown prince of that Scientology elite?) got a private screening(after all, Cruise and PT Anderson go way back to MAGNOLIA). The Cruise screening, along with his alleged reservations about the film, is a clear indication that THE MASTER is a sensitive issue amongst Scientologists, who fervently follow the teachings of the extremely controversial (and long dead) L. Ron Hubbard. And now we can all get in on the speculation! The Weinstein Company released a first look trailer of the film direct from Cannes:

No zombies in Chernobyl, but plenty of other horrors

On Friday, the new horror flick CHERNOBYL DIARIES will no doubt have folks all over the country screaming and holding their hands over their eyes. Those of us old enough to remember the actual Chernobyl disaster, in which a nuclear reactor northeast of Kiev, Ukraine exploded, might take some comfort in this: the world’s worst nuclear disaster is far enough in the past that we can make scary movies about it. The nuclear industry might even embrace the film, as it allows them to figuratively pat us all on the head and remind us that radiation doesn’t really turn people into zombies.

Legal download: Revenge movies on demand

The world of film is changing. For one thing, there’s not much actual film anymore. The future is digital; more and more, it’s streaming on our computers, too. Every week in Legal Download, we survey the landscape of online movies to bring you a snapshot of what’s available. This week, we have a very particular set of skills: we know what revenge movies are available on demand.

Hollywood drama hits the red carpet at Cannes

The Cannes Film Festival is the doyenne of all film festivals. It has kept the attention of film industry and it’s supporters for sixty-five years and has no signs of slowing down. And with an abundance of red carpets opportunities, after parties, and the usual fare of celebrities reveling in the beauty of the Riviera, it’s a perfect photo opportunity for paparazzi and stars a like. Fortunately, there are plenty of smart tuxedos and evening dresses to go around. The feel in the air so far has been a return to Hollywood drama. Full-length gowns with delicate beading, and the occasional train, have graced premieres at Cannes since the late 1950′s. For men, beards and mustaches were de rigeur, as was combing back of the hair. A sort of wet look to accent the sharp lines of their suits, and the soft curves accented in their counterparts’ dresses. Of course there was plenty of cheeky behavior to be captured. But this is a family website……

Check out the set of MOONRISE KINGDOM with Bill Murray

If you’re not at Cannes (and if you are, stop reading this and go do something fabulous), then you’re probably tired of hearing about the new Wes Anderson joint MOONRISE KINGDOM. You’re tired of it because you know you won’t be able to see Bruce Willis rock highwaters and spectacles until Friday (if you’re lucky enough to live NY or LA…if not, then who knows). But, because Bill Murray loves you, he’s got a hilarious tour of the film’s set.

Wes Anderson and Woody Allen save summer cinema

Not that sequels prequels, slapstick comedies, superhero flicks, and action/adventure thrillers can’t be intelligent, lol. But still, can we expect anything a cut above? Yes! Some warm-weather flicks are filtering in made by actual artistes with real aspirations, at least judging from the heady descriptions. Some of them are even coming before summer’s official start date. Here are some of the most promising looking options for your summer cinema plans:

We’ve got Bill Murray’s candid Cannes photos

Whether he’s chauffeuring you home in a golf cart or sneaking up behind you in public, Bill Murray commands your attention. His mere presence at the 65th Festival de Cannes is no different. He is certainly the most important member of director Wes Anderson’s party posse. They’re debuting their latest collaboration, MOONRISE KINGDOM, and while the critical consensus has been golden, a Bill Murray out in the wild will always steal the show! Take a look:

From Cannes to Hollywood: Women still shut out of film jobs that don’t require cleavage

image via Slant Magazine

That springtime film festival somewhere in the south of France is now fully under way, and we’re sad to spread the word: there are no female-directed films in competition at Cannes this year. Not that things are much better here in the US. Only five percent of the past year’s big, studio films were helmed by ladies. What gives?

Sundance Institute selects 13 projects for 2012 June directors and screenwriters labs

Sundance Institute and the Time Warner Foundation announced today the seven artists selected for the 2012 Sundance Institute | Time Warner Foundation Fellowship Program. Each Fellow was identified by one of the following core programs of the Institute: Documentary Film Program, Feature Film Program, Film Music Program, Native American & Indigenous Film Program and Theatre Program.

Now playing on Sundance Channel: Avoid Europe at all costs

I’ve got these neighbors who love “cycling holidays”. They go to different parts of Europe and pretty much spend ten days doing their own little Tour de France, or wherever. They love it because they get to see “the real countryside” and stay at little farms and inns while burning off all of the crazy food and wine they consume. Well, guess what. That sounds like real trouble to me, especially after I watched all of this week’s “now playing” contenders. This week, Sundance Channel is taking you to the mountains of old Europe, the bars of Austin, Texas and Tokyo, Japan. Give what you’re about to see, I’m going to stay right here…and maybe plan a trip to Tokyo.

2 thoughts on 5 films: The critics are trying to get along with THE DICTATOR

Going to the movies should never, ever be stressful (unless, of course, you’re planning on seeing the latest Lars von Trier flick). You want to see something new and relevant so that you can talk it up with your know-it-all friends. But you don’t want to sit through the one film that everyone thought would be great, but…isn’t. So here is our formula, simplifying the should-you-see-it conundrum: 5 new releases x 2 critical samplings = what you should go see Simple enough, right? This week we have a deadpan despot, a dreamy-eyed British lady-lover, aliens in the ocean, pregnant ladies and the men who love ‘em.

Film intelligence: Cannes do

Every week there are dozens of film news stories. Every week, we read them all and bring you the five most important ones in the single most important blog post you’ll ever read (today [at this moment]). This week: the south of France, a bus in the Bronx, and heavy competition for Jobs.

People can’t seem to stop remaking CARRIE

“They’re all gonna laugh at…who?”

There are some truly horrid things out there that just won’t die. One is the soon-to-be-remade (again!) CARRIE, Stephen King’s exceptionally underrated debut novel (if this were required reading in every American high school, there would probably be no ‘bullying crisis’) and the brilliant 1976 Brian de Palma screen adaptation with Sissy Spacek, masseur-loving John Travolta and Piper Laurie. Laurie, it’s worth noting, made the honorable mentions in our Top 10 Mothers In Legendary Films list for Mother’s Day—and come to think of it, she deserved her own maniacal place in the list itself for this Oscar-nominated role.

Legal download: The art world on demand

The world of film is changing. For one thing, there’s not much actual film anymore. The future is digital; more and more, it’s streaming on our computers, too. Every week in Legal Download, we survey the landscape of online movies to bring you a snapshot of what’s available. This week, we paint a picture of VOD movies about the art world.

THIS WEEK’S THEME: Movies About Art

DO I NEED THIS?: Pursuing happiness at the mall

Photographer and film maker Kate Schermerhorn seems obsessed with the notion of happiness: in addition to her previous documentary AFTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER (which, as you’ll probably guess, focused on marriage), she’s also the author of the photography book America’s Idea of a Good Time (which explores our “pursuit of happiness” broadly). If you’re going to dig into such a topic, and particularly its most American incarnations, you’re going to end up at the mall: we love acquiring stuff so much that we now refer to shopping as “retail therapy.” But how happy do the things we buy make us, and what are the larger costs associated with those moments of pleasure?

A hard-wired road trip: SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS

America has a great history of road movies. We’ve been able really corner the market because, well…we have more roads, but also because our culture puts a premium on finding oneself. And there is no better way of “figuring your shit out” than going on a long road trip. These sorts of films usually end up featuring an awesome twosome (THELMA AND LOUISE), because watching one person drive around the USA can be pretty boring. But, in SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS, while we’ve got an awesome twosome, we only really see one road-tripper. She just happens to be pregnant with her co-pilot.

Top 10 MILFs (Moms In Legendary Films)

Mother’s Day might be upon us, but no, we are not going the cheap route and talking about the MILFs you’re used to (although we do love Jennifer Coolidge in everything she does; even AMERICAN PIE). This list is dedicated to a far more select—and somewhat more matronly—group, namely Moms In Legendary Films. Absolutely everyone out there has something to say about how to be the best mom (as evidenced by the latest cover of TIME, which proclaims “Are You Mom Enough?” and displays a rather distinctive approach). That’s why it’s best to fall back on these sterling examples of maternal heroism (and in some cases, villainy). Whatever the case may be, parenting can be a real bitch, and these women are definitely Mom enough.

Schiaparelli and Prada at the Met: A Baz Luhrmann joint

For an exhibition, juxtaposing two designers working in different time periods to showcase their resemblances is no major feat. Especially when, on paper, the two designers happen to be independent women with a proclivity for expressing their opinions candidly. So when their opposing intentions, differing philosophies, and social obstacles garner similar results, something beyond a well-placed mannequin in a glorified diorama is needed to explain the uncanny results. Cue Baz Lurhmann.

Now Playing on Sundance Channel: Sex served three ways

This week you’ve got a choice. Do you want your sex served up David Lynch style, erotic shaman style or Michael Fassbender style? And because we love you, you can pick one or take them all. Plus, Claire Danes rocks some Thai prison chic for the 90s fans out there.

Film intelligence: The end is nigh

Every week there are dozens of film news stories. Every week, we read them all and bring you the five most important ones in the single most important blog post you’ll ever read (today [at this moment]). This week: the world ends, the road to Cannes begins, and the Avengers get slapped with a hulking clean-up bill.

Sundance Institute selects 13 projects for 2012 June directors and screenwriters labs

Sundance Institute today announced the 13 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah from May 28 through June 28. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Founding Director of the Institute’s Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Italy, Romania, Australia, Algeria, France, Chile and the UK.

Top 10 transgender films

In honor of TRANSGENERATION airing Tuesdays at 10p on Sundance Channel, we wanted to curate a screening list of the best transgender-themed flicks out there. In order to make our list, the films in question had to feature a sympathetic portrayal of a transgendered character in a leading role — hence PSYCHO and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS did not make the cut. No, the following films are all thoughtful, moving depictions of people struggling through life — people who are human first, transgendered second.

Legal download: Mental hospitals on demand

The world of film is changing. For one thing, there’s not much actual film anymore. The future is digital; more and more, it’s streaming on our computers, too. Every week in Legal Download, we survey the landscape of online movies to bring you a snapshot of what’s available. This week we get nuts with movies set in mental hospitals.

THIS WEEK’S THEME: Mental Hospitals

For most of us, mental hospitals, psychiatric wards, and insane asylums, are places we only know from movies. Lucky us. If real mental hospitals are anything like the ones in movie then a) our health care system is in worse trouble than I already thought and b) they’re places not just for the insane, they’re places that make you insane. You may go in accidentally, or for a job, or undercover, but those kinds of plans always end up backfiring on the characters who hatch them. On a side note, there’s a lot of memorable movies set in mental hospitals you won’t find in this week’s Legal Download — classic potboilers like Sam Fuller’s SHOCK CORRIDOR, empathetic John Hughesian teen dramedies like IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY and more — simply because they’re not yet available on VOD or streaming. Don’t worry, though; there’s enough memorable ones here to keep you from going psycho.

AVENGERS as high art, runway fashion and some stuff for the rest of us

THE AVENGERS became a bonafide hit after making over $200 million over the past weekend and in the process setting a record for the biggest opening before adjusting for inflation. That’s some serious “geek” spending power right there. I’m happy for director Joss Whedon and after the success of this film the (Skrull filled) sky is the limit for him. The pop culture impact this film is having can be seen across multiple sandboxes in the web as a point of reference ranging from The Economist to Botticelli. Or rather with apologies to Botticelli, Julian Totino Tedesco created the above Avengers-themed illustration inspired by the master painter’s “The Birth of Venus.” Tedesco’s painting was one of many by various artists commissioned by Marvel to create Avengers covers in the style of famous paintings and genres. If Seurat were alive today and an Avengers fanboy he might’ve painted something like this.