The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) is the statewide group of professional film critics. OFCC members are Oklahoma-based movie critics who write for print, broadcast and online outlets that publish or post reviews of current film releases.
The OFCC announced its 10th annual awards winners in early January of 2016.
2015 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award winners:
Best Picture - "Spotlight"
Best Actor – Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"
Best Actress – Brie Larson, "Room"
Best Animated Film - "Inside Out"
Best Body of Work – Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina," "The Danish Girl," "Testament of Youth," "Burnt"
Best Director – George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Documentary - "Amy"
Best First Feature – Alex Garland, "Ex Machina"
Best Foreign Language Film - "Son of Saul" (Hungary)
Best Original Screenplay - "Spotlight"
Best Adapted Screenplay – Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, "The Big Short"
Best Supporting Actor (TIE)
Michael Keaton "Spotlight"
Sylvester Stallone "Creed"
Best Supporting Actress – Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina"
Most Disappointing Film – "Tomorrowland"
Top 10 Films
"Spotlight"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Brooklyn"
"Ex-Machina"
"The Big Short"
"Carol"
"The Revenant"
"Inside Out"
"Sicario"
"The Hateful Eight
--------------------------
Showing posts with label Adam McKay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adam McKay. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Sunday, February 21, 2016
USC Scripter Awards Go to "The Big Short" and "Show Me a Hero"
USC Libraries Scripter Award Goes Long “The Big Short”, “Show Me a Hero”
Annual honor recognizes best adaptation of the written word into film and, this year for the first time, television
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The authors and screenwriters behind the film “The Big Short” and the television miniseries “Show Me a Hero” received the 28th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award in a Feb. 20 ceremony at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library.
The Scripter Award recognizes the year’s best cinematic adaptation of the written word. For the first time, this year’s award also honors the best television adaptation.
In her remarks, USC Libraries Dean Catherine Quinlan credited the addition to the growing recognition of excellence in adaptation for television.
“Among the incredibly well-written programs on the air, on cable, and streaming today, are many, many adaptations of the written word,” she said. “So, including television for Scripter consideration seemed a fitting and natural extension of the idea Marjorie and Glenn had 29 years ago.”
In the television category, the award went to journalist Lisa Belkin, author of the nonfiction book “Show Me a Hero: A Tale of Murder, Suicide, Race, and Redemption,” and screenwriters William F. Zorzi and David Simon, who penned the teleplays for the six-part HBO miniseries “Show Me a Hero.”
Belkin said in accepting the award, “John le Carré supposedly said that watching your book become film is like watching your oxen be turned into beef jerky. But it was not like that at all. And it was because Bill [Zorzi] and David [Simon] saw it as their mission to stick to history, to bring to life people who actually lived.”
The other finalists were the writers behind episodes of “Game of Thrones” (distributed by HBO), “The Leftovers” (HBO), “The Man in the High Castle” (Amazon), and “Masters of Sex” (Showtime).
In the film category, the winners were journalist Michael Lewis, author of “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine,” and screenwriters Adam McKay and Charles Randolph, who adapted Lewis’s book into the screenplay for Paramount Pictures’ “The Big Short.”
McKay and Randolph both spoke of the contemplative spaces that libraries provide. “Coming to the library today was comforting,” McKay said. “Where the job of this place is to think, and to slow things down.” Randolph then noted that, as a USC student, he wrote his first script in Doheny Library’s Los Angeles Times Reference Room.
The other finalist films were “Brooklyn” (distributed by Fox Searchlight), “The End of the Tour” (A24), “The Martian” (Twentieth Century Fox), and “Room” (A24).
Scripter began in 1988, co-founded by USC Libraries supporters Glenn Sonnenberg and Marjorie Lord. Sonnenberg presented an honorary Scripter to Lord’s daughter Anne Archer, in honor of her family’s support of Scripter and the USC Libraries.
Accepting the award, Archer said that her mother “knew that supporting the USC Library through this unique event would be a reminder to the next generation that great writing elevates a culture.”
------------------------------
Annual honor recognizes best adaptation of the written word into film and, this year for the first time, television
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The authors and screenwriters behind the film “The Big Short” and the television miniseries “Show Me a Hero” received the 28th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award in a Feb. 20 ceremony at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library.
The Scripter Award recognizes the year’s best cinematic adaptation of the written word. For the first time, this year’s award also honors the best television adaptation.
In her remarks, USC Libraries Dean Catherine Quinlan credited the addition to the growing recognition of excellence in adaptation for television.
“Among the incredibly well-written programs on the air, on cable, and streaming today, are many, many adaptations of the written word,” she said. “So, including television for Scripter consideration seemed a fitting and natural extension of the idea Marjorie and Glenn had 29 years ago.”
In the television category, the award went to journalist Lisa Belkin, author of the nonfiction book “Show Me a Hero: A Tale of Murder, Suicide, Race, and Redemption,” and screenwriters William F. Zorzi and David Simon, who penned the teleplays for the six-part HBO miniseries “Show Me a Hero.”
Belkin said in accepting the award, “John le Carré supposedly said that watching your book become film is like watching your oxen be turned into beef jerky. But it was not like that at all. And it was because Bill [Zorzi] and David [Simon] saw it as their mission to stick to history, to bring to life people who actually lived.”
The other finalists were the writers behind episodes of “Game of Thrones” (distributed by HBO), “The Leftovers” (HBO), “The Man in the High Castle” (Amazon), and “Masters of Sex” (Showtime).
In the film category, the winners were journalist Michael Lewis, author of “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine,” and screenwriters Adam McKay and Charles Randolph, who adapted Lewis’s book into the screenplay for Paramount Pictures’ “The Big Short.”
McKay and Randolph both spoke of the contemplative spaces that libraries provide. “Coming to the library today was comforting,” McKay said. “Where the job of this place is to think, and to slow things down.” Randolph then noted that, as a USC student, he wrote his first script in Doheny Library’s Los Angeles Times Reference Room.
The other finalist films were “Brooklyn” (distributed by Fox Searchlight), “The End of the Tour” (A24), “The Martian” (Twentieth Century Fox), and “Room” (A24).
Scripter began in 1988, co-founded by USC Libraries supporters Glenn Sonnenberg and Marjorie Lord. Sonnenberg presented an honorary Scripter to Lord’s daughter Anne Archer, in honor of her family’s support of Scripter and the USC Libraries.
Accepting the award, Archer said that her mother “knew that supporting the USC Library through this unique event would be a reminder to the next generation that great writing elevates a culture.”
------------------------------
Sunday, February 14, 2016
2016 Writers Guild Awards Announced; "Spotlight," "The Big Short" Lead
The Writers Guild of America is a labor
union representing film, television, radio, video game, and new media
writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding
achievements in film, television, and radio and has been presented
annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of
America, West since 1949.
On Saturday, February 13, 2016, the
Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of
America, East (WGAE) announced the winners for outstanding
achievement in screenwriting during 2015. Winners were honored at the
2016 / 68th Writers Guild Awards at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and
New York City.
Richard LaGravenese received the 2016
Ian McClellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement. David Crane and
Marta Kauffman received the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for
Television. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory scribe John August
received the “Valentine Davies” award which is given to a member
for their humanitarian efforts. John McNamara (a WGA nominee for
Trumbo) was honored with the Paul Selvin award “given to a member
whose script best embodies the spirit of constitutional and civil
rights and liberties that are indispensable to the survival of free
writers everywhere” per the WGA. Arthur Sellers received the
Morgan Cox award for guild service.
2016 / 68th Writers Guild Awards (for the year 2015):
2016 / 68th Writers Guild Awards (for the year 2015):
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Spotlight
Written by Josh Singer & Tom
McCarthy; Open Road Films
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short
Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam
McKay; Based on the Book by Michael Lewis; Paramount Pictures
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison
of Belief
Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary
Films
DRAMA SERIES
Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Semi
Chellas, Jonathan Igla, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Tom Smuts, Robert
Towne, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Uno” (Better Call Saul)
Written by Vince Gilligan & Peter
Gould; AMC
COMEDY SERIES
Veep
Written by Simon Blackwell, Jon Brown,
Kevin Cecil, Roger Drew, Peter Fellows, Neil Gibbons, Rob Gibbons,
Sean Gray, Callie Hersheway, Armando Iannucci, Sean Love, Ian Martin,
Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Andy Riley, Tony Roche, Will
Smith; HBO
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon
Valley)
Written by Clay Tarver; HBO
COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) –
SERIES
Real Time with Bill Maher
Writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber,
Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher,
Billy Martin, Danny Vermont; HBO
COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS,
TRIBUTES – SPECIALS
Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After
The Oscars Special
Written by Jack Allison, Tony Barbieri,
Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Greg Dorris, Gary Greenberg, Josh
Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jimmy Kimmel, Bess Kalb, Jeff
Loveness, Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Joe Strazzullo, Bridger
Winegar; ABC
COMEDY / VARIETY – SKETCH SERIES
Inside Amy Schumer
Head Writer: Jessi Klein Writers:
Hallie Cantor, Kim Caramele, Kyle Dunnigan, Jon Glaser, Kurt Metzger,
Christine Nangle, Dan Powell, Tami Sagher, Amy Schumer; Comedy
Centraland Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After The Oscars Special
won for Comedy/Variety Special.
LONG FORM ORIGINAL
Saints & Strangers
Written by Seth Fisher, Walon Green,
Chip Johannessen, Eric Overmyer; National Geographic Channel
CHILDREN’S EPISODIC
“Gortimer and the Surprise Signature”
(Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street)
Written by Gretchen Enders & Aminta
Goyel; Amazon Studios
CHILDREN’S LONG FORM
Descendants, Written by Josann McGibbon
& Sara Parriott; Disney Channel
TV NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED,
BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“Cuba” (60 Minutes)
Written by Scott Pelley, Nicole Young,
Oriana Zill de Granados, Andy Court and Robert Anderson; CBS News
TV NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE,
OR COMMENTARY
“The Storm After the Storm” (60
Minutes)
Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Michael Rey
and Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS
“American Terrorist” (Frontline)
Written by Thomas Jennings; PBS
LONG FORM ADAPTED
Fargo
Written by Steve Blackman, Bob
DeLaurentis, Noah Hawley, Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert, Based on the film
Fargo; FX
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN
CURRENT EVENTS
“The Great Math Mystery” (Nova)
Written by Daniel McCabe; PBS
DAYTIME DRAMA
General Hospital
Writers: Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa
Cascio, Andrea Archer Compton, Suzanne Flynn, Kate Hall, Elizabeth
Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Jean Passanante,
Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Chris Van Etten; ABC
RADIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS,
FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Passages”
Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon
Valley)
Written by Clay Tarver; HBO
RADIO DOCUMENTARY
“Marking the End of Vietnam: 40 Years
Later”
Written by Andrew Evans; ABC News Radio
ANIMATION
“Housetrap” (Bob’s Burgers)
Written by Dan Fybel; Fox
SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL
“Back to Reality” (Weight)
Written by Daryn Strauss;
weighttheseries.com
NEW SERIES
Mr. Robot
Written by Kyle Bradstreet, Kate
Erickson, Sam Esmail, David Iserson, Randolph Leon, Adam Penn, Matt
Pyken; USA
VIDEOGAME WRITING
Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lead Narrative
Designer John Stafford; Narrative Designer Cameron Suey; Lead Writer
Rhianna Pratchett; Additional Writer Philip Gelatt; Microsoft
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Hollywood Game Night
Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers:
Michael Agbabian, Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter, Dwight D. Smith; NBC
SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ADAPTED
“Chapter Two: Phoebe” (Heroes
Reborn: Dark Matters)
Written by Zach Craley; nbc.com
ON-AIR PROMOTION (TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA
OR RADIO)
“The McCarthys and Under the Dome
Promos”
Written by Erial Tompkins; CBS
---------------------
Friday, January 22, 2016
Indiana Film Critics Pick "Spotlight" Best Film of 2015
The Indiana Film Journalist Association (IFJA) is a film critics’ organization only formed in December 2009. It seeks to promote film criticism in the state of Indiana and also gives out its annual awards in December.
The full list of 2015 Indiana Film Journalist Association Awards:
Best Film
Winner: "Spotlight"
Runner-up: "Room"
Other Finalists (listed alphabetically):
"Anomalisa"
"The Big Short"
"Carol"
"The End of the Tour"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"The Martian"
"Steve Jobs"
"Straight Outta Compton"
Best Animated Feature
Winner: "Anomalisa"
Runner-Up: "Inside Out "
Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: "Son of Saul"
Runner-Up: "Goodnight Mommy"
Best Documentary
Winner: "Amy"
Runner-Up: "Meru"
Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, "Spotlight"
Runner-up: Matt Charman, Joel & Ethan Coen, "Bridge of Spies"
Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Emma Donoghue, "Room"
Runner-up: Adam McKay and Charles Randolph, "The Big Short"
Best Director
Winner: George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Runner-up: Tom McCarthy, "Spotlight"
Best Actress
Winner: Brie Larson, "Room"
Runner-up: Charlotte Rampling, "45 Years"
Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Greta Gerwig, "Mistress America"
Runner-up: Elizabeth Banks, "Love & Mercy"
Best Actor
Winner: Jacob Tremblay, "Room"
Runner-up: Jason Segel, "The End of the Tour"
Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Mark Ruffalo, "Spotlight"
Runner-up: Idris Elba, "Beasts of No Nation"
Best Vocal/Motion Capture Performance
Winner: Phyllis Smith, "Inside Out"
Runner-up: Tom Noonan, "Anomalisa"
Best Musical Score
Winner: Junkie XL, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Runner-up: Disasterpeace, "It Follows"
Original Vision Award
Winner: "Anomalisa"
Runner-up: "Chi-Raq"
The Hoosier Award
Winner: Angelo Pizzo, writer/director/producer
(As a special award, no runner-up is declared in this category.)
-------------------
The full list of 2015 Indiana Film Journalist Association Awards:
Best Film
Winner: "Spotlight"
Runner-up: "Room"
Other Finalists (listed alphabetically):
"Anomalisa"
"The Big Short"
"Carol"
"The End of the Tour"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"The Martian"
"Steve Jobs"
"Straight Outta Compton"
Best Animated Feature
Winner: "Anomalisa"
Runner-Up: "Inside Out "
Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: "Son of Saul"
Runner-Up: "Goodnight Mommy"
Best Documentary
Winner: "Amy"
Runner-Up: "Meru"
Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, "Spotlight"
Runner-up: Matt Charman, Joel & Ethan Coen, "Bridge of Spies"
Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Emma Donoghue, "Room"
Runner-up: Adam McKay and Charles Randolph, "The Big Short"
Best Director
Winner: George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Runner-up: Tom McCarthy, "Spotlight"
Best Actress
Winner: Brie Larson, "Room"
Runner-up: Charlotte Rampling, "45 Years"
Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Greta Gerwig, "Mistress America"
Runner-up: Elizabeth Banks, "Love & Mercy"
Best Actor
Winner: Jacob Tremblay, "Room"
Runner-up: Jason Segel, "The End of the Tour"
Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Mark Ruffalo, "Spotlight"
Runner-up: Idris Elba, "Beasts of No Nation"
Best Vocal/Motion Capture Performance
Winner: Phyllis Smith, "Inside Out"
Runner-up: Tom Noonan, "Anomalisa"
Best Musical Score
Winner: Junkie XL, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Runner-up: Disasterpeace, "It Follows"
Original Vision Award
Winner: "Anomalisa"
Runner-up: "Chi-Raq"
The Hoosier Award
Winner: Angelo Pizzo, writer/director/producer
(As a special award, no runner-up is declared in this category.)
-------------------
Monday, January 18, 2016
2016 Critics Choice Awards Announced; "Spotlight" Named Best Picture of 2015
The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada. It represents almost 300 television, radio and online critics. For additional information about the BFCA and their memberships, visit www.criticschoice.com.
The winners for the 21st Critics’ Choice Awards were announced Sunday, January 17, 2016.
The 2016 / 21st Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards – winners (for the year in film, 2015):
BEST PICTURE: Spotlight
BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
BEST ACTRESS: Brie Larson – Room
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Sylvester Stallone – Creed
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS: Jacob Tremblay – Room
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE: Spotlight
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Charles Randolph and Adam McKay – The Big Short
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson
BEST EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Inside Out
BEST ACTION MOVIE: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Tom Hardy – Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST COMEDY: The Big Short
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY: Christian Bale – The Big Short
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY: Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE: Ex Machina
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Son of Saul (Hungary)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Amy
BEST SONG: Furious 7 – “See You Again”
BEST SCORE: The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
----------------------
The winners for the 21st Critics’ Choice Awards were announced Sunday, January 17, 2016.
The 2016 / 21st Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards – winners (for the year in film, 2015):
BEST PICTURE: Spotlight
BEST DIRECTOR: George Miller – Mad
Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
BEST ACTRESS: Brie Larson – Room
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Sylvester Stallone – Creed
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS: Jacob Tremblay – Room
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE: Spotlight
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Charles Randolph and Adam McKay – The Big Short
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson
BEST EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Inside Out
BEST ACTION MOVIE: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Tom Hardy – Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST COMEDY: The Big Short
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY: Christian Bale – The Big Short
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY: Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE: Ex Machina
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Son of Saul (Hungary)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Amy
BEST SONG: Furious 7 – “See You Again”
BEST SCORE: The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
----------------------
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Central Ohio Film Critics Name "Spotlight" Best Film of 2015
The Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA) was founded in 2002 and is made up of film critics based in Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. Its membership currently consists of more than 21 print, radio, television, and new media critics. Each January, COFCA votes on a number of awards, recognizing excellence in the film industry.
The 14th Annual Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in film for 2015, were announced on January 7, 2016.
2015 / 14th Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards – winners:
Best Film
1. Spotlight
2. Inside Out
3. Room
4. Mad Max: Fury Road
5. Ex Machina
6. Sicario
7. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
8. The Revenant
9. The Big Short
10. The Martian
Best Director
• Tom McCarthy - (Spotlight)
• Runner-Up: George Miller - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Actor
• Leonardo DiCaprio - (The Revenant)
• Runner-Up: Michael Fassbender - (Steve Jobs)
Best Actress
• Brie Larson - (Room)
• Runner-Up (tie): Saoirse Ronan - (Brooklyn)
• Runner-Up (tie): Alicia Vikander - (The Danish Girl)
Best Supporting Actor
• Benicio Del Toro - (Sicario)
• Runner-Up: Oscar Isaac - (Ex Machina)
Best Supporting Actress
• Alicia Vikander - (Ex Machina)
• Runner-Up: Jennifer Jason Leigh - (The Hateful Eight)
Best Ensemble
• Spotlight
• Runner-Up: The Hateful Eight
Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work)
• Alicia Vikander - (Burnt, The Danish Girl, Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Seventh Son, and Testament of Youth)
• Runner-Up: Domhnall Gleeson - (Brooklyn, Ex Machina, The Revenant, and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens)
Breakthrough Film Artist
• Alicia Vikander - (Burnt, The Danish Girl, Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Seventh Son, and Testament of Youth) - (for acting)
• Runner-Up: Sean Baker - (Tangerine) - (for producing, directing, screenwriting, film editing, cinematography, camera op)
Best Cinematography
• Emmanuel Lubezki - (The Revenant)
• Runner-Up: John Seale - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Film Editing
• Margaret Sixel - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
• Runner-Up: Joe Walker - (Sicario)
Best Adapted Screenplay
• Charles Randolph and Adam McKay - (The Big Short)
• Runner-Up: Emma Donoghue - (Room)
Best Original Screenplay
• Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy - (Spotlight)
• Runner-Up: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley - (Inside Out)
Best Score
• Ennio Morricone - (The Hateful Eight)
• Runner-Up: Junkie XL - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Documentary
• The Look of Silence
• Runner-Up: Amy
Best Foreign Language Film
• Phoenix
• Runner-Up: Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes)
Best Animated Film
• Inside Out
• Runner-Up: Anomalisa
Best Overlooked Film
• The Tribe (Plemya)
• Runner-Up: The Gift
---------------------
The 14th Annual Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in film for 2015, were announced on January 7, 2016.
2015 / 14th Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards – winners:
Best Film
1. Spotlight
2. Inside Out
3. Room
4. Mad Max: Fury Road
5. Ex Machina
6. Sicario
7. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
8. The Revenant
9. The Big Short
10. The Martian
Best Director
• Tom McCarthy - (Spotlight)
• Runner-Up: George Miller - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Actor
• Leonardo DiCaprio - (The Revenant)
• Runner-Up: Michael Fassbender - (Steve Jobs)
Best Actress
• Brie Larson - (Room)
• Runner-Up (tie): Saoirse Ronan - (Brooklyn)
• Runner-Up (tie): Alicia Vikander - (The Danish Girl)
Best Supporting Actor
• Benicio Del Toro - (Sicario)
• Runner-Up: Oscar Isaac - (Ex Machina)
Best Supporting Actress
• Alicia Vikander - (Ex Machina)
• Runner-Up: Jennifer Jason Leigh - (The Hateful Eight)
Best Ensemble
• Spotlight
• Runner-Up: The Hateful Eight
Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work)
• Alicia Vikander - (Burnt, The Danish Girl, Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Seventh Son, and Testament of Youth)
• Runner-Up: Domhnall Gleeson - (Brooklyn, Ex Machina, The Revenant, and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens)
Breakthrough Film Artist
• Alicia Vikander - (Burnt, The Danish Girl, Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Seventh Son, and Testament of Youth) - (for acting)
• Runner-Up: Sean Baker - (Tangerine) - (for producing, directing, screenwriting, film editing, cinematography, camera op)
Best Cinematography
• Emmanuel Lubezki - (The Revenant)
• Runner-Up: John Seale - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Film Editing
• Margaret Sixel - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
• Runner-Up: Joe Walker - (Sicario)
Best Adapted Screenplay
• Charles Randolph and Adam McKay - (The Big Short)
• Runner-Up: Emma Donoghue - (Room)
Best Original Screenplay
• Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy - (Spotlight)
• Runner-Up: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley - (Inside Out)
Best Score
• Ennio Morricone - (The Hateful Eight)
• Runner-Up: Junkie XL - (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Documentary
• The Look of Silence
• Runner-Up: Amy
Best Foreign Language Film
• Phoenix
• Runner-Up: Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes)
Best Animated Film
• Inside Out
• Runner-Up: Anomalisa
Best Overlooked Film
• The Tribe (Plemya)
• Runner-Up: The Gift
---------------------
Friday, January 8, 2016
2016 USC Libraries Scripter Award Nominations Announced
28th annual Scripter Award ceremony has a TV twist
For the first time, this year’s event honoring adaptations of the written word includes episodic television writing
The USC Libraries have named the finalists for the 28th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award. Since 1988, the annual ceremony has honored the authors of printed works alongside the screenwriters who adapt their stories. This year, for the first time, Scripter will honor excellence in adaptation of the printed word into a television episode in addition to a feature film. The television and film finalists compete in separate categories for their own Scripter.
The finalist writers for film are in alphabetical order by film title:
Screenwriters Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for The Big Short, adapted from Michael Lewis’ nonfiction work The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Novelist Colm Tóibín and screenwriter Nick Hornby for Brooklyn
Screenwriter Donald Margulies for The End of the Tour, adapted from David Lipsky’s memoir “Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace”
Novelist Andy Weir and screenwriter Drew Goddard for The Martian
Emma Donoghue for the novel and screenplay of Room
The finalist writers for television episodes are in alphabetical order by series title:
Screenwriters David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for the episode “Hardhome” from Game of Thrones, adapted from the fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R. R. Martin
Damon Lindelof and Jacqueline Hoyt for the episode “Axis Mundi” from The Leftovers, based on the novel by Tom Perrotta
Frank Spotnitz for the episode “The New World” from The Man in the High Castle, based on the novel by Philip K. Dick
Michelle Ashford for the episode “Full Ten Count” from Masters of Sex, based on the biography by Thomas Maier, Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love
Screenwriters William F. Zorzi and David Simon for the miniseries Show Me a Hero, based on the nonfiction book by Lisa Belkin
Chaired by Howard Rodman, USC professor and president of the Writers Guild of America, West, the 2016 Scripter selection committee selected the finalists from a field of 73 film and 18 television adaptations.
Serving on the selection committee, among many others, are film critics Leonard Maltin, Anne Thompson and Kenneth Turan; authors Michael Chabon, Michael Ondaatje and Mona Simpson; screenwriters Graham Moore, John Ridley and Erin Cressida Wilson; producers Gale Anne Hurd and Suzanne Todd; and USC deans Elizabeth Daley of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Catherine Quinlan of the USC Libraries.
The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a black-tie ceremony on Feb. 20, 2016, in the Doheny Memorial Library. Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford will serve as honorary dinner chairs.
For more information about the Scripter — including ticket availability, additional sponsorship opportunities and a list of sponsors — email scripter@usc.edu or visit scripter.usc.edu.
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For the first time, this year’s event honoring adaptations of the written word includes episodic television writing
The USC Libraries have named the finalists for the 28th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award. Since 1988, the annual ceremony has honored the authors of printed works alongside the screenwriters who adapt their stories. This year, for the first time, Scripter will honor excellence in adaptation of the printed word into a television episode in addition to a feature film. The television and film finalists compete in separate categories for their own Scripter.
The finalist writers for film are in alphabetical order by film title:
Screenwriters Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for The Big Short, adapted from Michael Lewis’ nonfiction work The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Novelist Colm Tóibín and screenwriter Nick Hornby for Brooklyn
Screenwriter Donald Margulies for The End of the Tour, adapted from David Lipsky’s memoir “Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace”
Novelist Andy Weir and screenwriter Drew Goddard for The Martian
Emma Donoghue for the novel and screenplay of Room
The finalist writers for television episodes are in alphabetical order by series title:
Screenwriters David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for the episode “Hardhome” from Game of Thrones, adapted from the fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R. R. Martin
Damon Lindelof and Jacqueline Hoyt for the episode “Axis Mundi” from The Leftovers, based on the novel by Tom Perrotta
Frank Spotnitz for the episode “The New World” from The Man in the High Castle, based on the novel by Philip K. Dick
Michelle Ashford for the episode “Full Ten Count” from Masters of Sex, based on the biography by Thomas Maier, Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love
Screenwriters William F. Zorzi and David Simon for the miniseries Show Me a Hero, based on the nonfiction book by Lisa Belkin
Chaired by Howard Rodman, USC professor and president of the Writers Guild of America, West, the 2016 Scripter selection committee selected the finalists from a field of 73 film and 18 television adaptations.
Serving on the selection committee, among many others, are film critics Leonard Maltin, Anne Thompson and Kenneth Turan; authors Michael Chabon, Michael Ondaatje and Mona Simpson; screenwriters Graham Moore, John Ridley and Erin Cressida Wilson; producers Gale Anne Hurd and Suzanne Todd; and USC deans Elizabeth Daley of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Catherine Quinlan of the USC Libraries.
The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a black-tie ceremony on Feb. 20, 2016, in the Doheny Memorial Library. Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford will serve as honorary dinner chairs.
For more information about the Scripter — including ticket availability, additional sponsorship opportunities and a list of sponsors — email scripter@usc.edu or visit scripter.usc.edu.
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Thursday, January 7, 2016
2016 Writers Guild Awards Screenplay Nominations Announced - Complete List
The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, video game, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.
On Wednesday, January 6, 2015, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in screenwriting during 2015. Winners will be honored at the 2016 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 13, 2016, at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Bridge of Spies, Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen; DreamWorks Pictures
Sicario, Written by Taylor Sheridan; Lionsgate
Spotlight, Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy; Open Road Films
Straight Outta Compton, Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff; Universal Pictures
Trainwreck, Written by Amy Schumer; Universal Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short, Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay; Based on the Book by Michael Lewis; Paramount Pictures
Carol, Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy; Based on the Novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith; The Weinstein Company
The Martian, Screenplay by Drew Goddard; Based on the Novel by Andy Weir; Twentieth Century Fox
Steve Jobs, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the Book by Walter Isaacson; Universal Pictures
Trumbo, Written by John McNamara; Based on the Biography by Bruce Cook; Bleecker Street Media
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Being Canadian, Written by Robert Cohen; Candy Factory Films
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Written by Brett Morgen; HBO Documentary Films
Prophet’s Prey, Written by Amy J. Berg; Showtime Documentary Films
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On Wednesday, January 6, 2015, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in screenwriting during 2015. Winners will be honored at the 2016 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 13, 2016, at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Bridge of Spies, Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen; DreamWorks Pictures
Sicario, Written by Taylor Sheridan; Lionsgate
Spotlight, Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy; Open Road Films
Straight Outta Compton, Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff; Universal Pictures
Trainwreck, Written by Amy Schumer; Universal Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short, Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay; Based on the Book by Michael Lewis; Paramount Pictures
Carol, Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy; Based on the Novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith; The Weinstein Company
The Martian, Screenplay by Drew Goddard; Based on the Novel by Andy Weir; Twentieth Century Fox
Steve Jobs, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the Book by Walter Isaacson; Universal Pictures
Trumbo, Written by John McNamara; Based on the Biography by Bruce Cook; Bleecker Street Media
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Being Canadian, Written by Robert Cohen; Candy Factory Films
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Written by Brett Morgen; HBO Documentary Films
Prophet’s Prey, Written by Amy J. Berg; Showtime Documentary Films
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Friday, December 18, 2015
Chicago Film Critics Chooses "Mad Max: Fury Road" as Best Picture of 2015
The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that hands out the Chicago Film Critics Awards, hold critics roundtables, and takes on industry and artists’ rights issues. The parent association was founded in 1990 by film critic Sue Kiner after the successful launch of the Chicago Film Critics Awards in 1989.
Now in its 26th year, the CFCA announced the winners of Chicago Film Critics Association Awards during their year-end awards dinner held on the evening of Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
2015 / 26th Annual Chicago Film Critics Association Award winners:
BEST PICTURE
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller--Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio--The Revenant
BEST ACTRESS
Brie Larson--Room
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio Del Toro--Sicario
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander--Ex Machina
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Spotlight--Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short--Adam McKay & Charles Randolph
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mad Max: Fury Road--John Seale
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Hateful Eight--Ennio Morricone
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST EDITING
Mad Max: Fury Road--Jason Ballantine & Margaret Sixel
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Son of Saul (Hungary)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Inside Out
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Jacob Tremblay--Room
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Alex Garland--Ex Machina
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Now in its 26th year, the CFCA announced the winners of Chicago Film Critics Association Awards during their year-end awards dinner held on the evening of Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
2015 / 26th Annual Chicago Film Critics Association Award winners:
BEST PICTURE
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller--Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio--The Revenant
BEST ACTRESS
Brie Larson--Room
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio Del Toro--Sicario
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander--Ex Machina
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Spotlight--Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short--Adam McKay & Charles Randolph
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mad Max: Fury Road--John Seale
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Hateful Eight--Ennio Morricone
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST EDITING
Mad Max: Fury Road--Jason Ballantine & Margaret Sixel
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Son of Saul (Hungary)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Inside Out
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Jacob Tremblay--Room
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Alex Garland--Ex Machina
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Review: "Marvel's Ant-Man" is a Tiny Marvel
[A version of this review first appeared on Patreon.]
Ant-Man (2015)
Running time: 117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence
DIRECTOR: Peyton Reed
WRITERS: Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish & Adam McKay and Paul Rudd; from a story by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish (based on the comic book created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCER: Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Russell Parker
EDITORS: Dan Lebental and Colby Parker, Jr.
COMPOSER: Christophe Beck
SUPERHERO/SCI-FI and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY
Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Abby Ryder Fortson, Michael Pena, David Dastmalchian, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Hayley Atwell, John Slattery, Martin Donovan, Garrett Morris, Anthony Mackie, and Stan Lee
Ant-Man is a 2015 superhero film and sci-fi action-comedy film directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Marvel Studios. The film focuses on the Marvel Comics character, Ant-Man, who first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 (cover date: September 1962) and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby. Ant-Man the movie focuses on an ex-con who is given a super-suit that shrinks the wearer to microscopic size while increasing the wearer's strength, so that he can use it to pull off a heist that will save the world.
Ant-Man opens in the year 1989. Scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) discovers that his colleagues at S.H.I.E.L.D. are attempting to duplicate his shrinking technology, which he calls the “Pym particle,” so he quits. Pym once used that shrinking tech to power his “Ant-Man” suit. In the present day, the now-retired Pym discovers that his protégé at Pym Technologies, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), is also trying to duplicate the “Pym particle.” In fact, Cross is very close to doing so and has even built his own shrinking suit, which he calls “Yellowjacket.”
Pym and his estranged daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), believe that the only way to stop Cross is to steal the “Yellowjacket” suit and all of Cross' data and research. To do that, they will have to break into the heavily-secured Pym Technologies building, and that means someone will have to wear the Ant-Man suit. Is down-on-his-luck ex-con and master thief, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), the perfect person to be the new Ant-Man?
As Marvel's superheroes go, Ant-Man is D-list, as far as familiarity with the public is concerned. To bring him to the big screen, Marvel needed the right actor. Paul Rudd is the right actor; he is irresistibly likable. I have been a fan of his since I first saw him in Clueless about two decades ago. His affable charm sells the idea of Scott Lang as a well-meaning criminal with a just cause. If you find Ant-Man to be a silly concept, Rudd makes it all seem less so. Everything about him says just-right.
Meanwhile, the rest of the cast is pretty good. Corey Stall, who has been giving dramatic heft to FX's summer vampire television series, “The Strain,” since 2014, is Marvel's best villain-of-the-first-movie since Jeff Bridges menaced the first Iron Man film. Michael Peña as Luis, Scott's friend, is good, although the character sometimes seems a bit like an out-of-place oddity. Evangeline Lilly is lost in make-up as Hope van Dyne, who is also an oddity in this film.
I guess “odd” is the theme for Ant-Man the movie. I can't believe how much I like this movie. I saw Ant-Man at an early matinee on a Friday afternoon. There were a few children in the audience, and they loved the movie, often squealing with delight. I was dignified enough to force my squeals into hearty laughs.
Of all the Marvel Studios films, Ant-Man is the one that most effectively uses the avalanche of CGI and special effects we have come to expect of modern summer blockbusters, fantasy films, and superhero movies. I would dare say that just about every use of computer-generated imagery and effects in Ant-Man is in context, serving the narrative. Ant-Man is like The Matrix (at least the first one) in that all of the movie and computer magic is justified. I want a sequel, so I'm asking the rest of the world to join me in loving ants and Ant-Man as you never thought you could or would.
8 of 10
A
Sunday, July 19, 2015
The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint syndication rights and fees.
Friday, November 13, 2015
New Poster for "The Big Short," Satrring Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling
THE BIG SHORT
In Theaters December 11, 2015
PARAMOUNT PICTURES and REGENCY ENTERPRISES Present
A PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT Production of
AN ADAM MCKAY Film
“THE BIG SHORT”
Executive Producers Louise Rosner-Meyer Kevin Messick
Produced By Brad Pitt Dede Gardner Jeremy Kleiner Arnon Milchan
Based Upon the book by Michael Lewis
Screenplay By Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
Directed By Adam McKay
http//thebigshortmovie.com
When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything. Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis (The Blind Side, Moneyball), and directed by Adam Mckay (Anchorman, Step Brothers) The Big Short stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.
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Monday, October 19, 2015
"The Big Short" Teaser Poster Debuts
THE BIG SHORT
In Theaters December 11, 2015
The film will premier at the AFI Festival on November 12, 2015
PARAMOUNT PICTURES and REGENCY ENTERPRISES Present
A PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT Production of
AN ADAM MCKAY Film
“THE BIG SHORT”
Executive Producers Louise Rosner-Meyer Kevin Messick
Produced By Brad Pitt Dede Gardner Jeremy Kleiner Arnon Milchan
Based Upon the book by Michael Lewis
Screenplay By Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
Directed By Adam McKay
When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything. Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis (The Blind Side, Moneyball), and directed by Adam Mckay (Anchorman, Step Brothers) The Big Short stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.
http//thebigshortmovie.com
SOCIAL
https://www.facebook.com/TheBigShortMovie
https://twitter.com/TheBigShort
https://instagram.com/TheBigShortMovie
https://www.youtube.com/user/Paramount
#TheBigShort
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Saturday, September 26, 2015
Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler Begin Shooting Their Unnamed Comedy
Shooting Underway on New Line Cinema’s Latest Comedy Starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler
Ferrell and Poehler Reteam, Under the Direction of Andrew Jay Cohen
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography is underway in Los Angeles on New Line Cinema’s yet-to-be-titled comedy starring Will Ferrell (“Get Hard,” upcoming “Zoolander 2”) and Amy Poehler (upcoming “Sisters,” TV’s “Parks and Recreation”), under the direction of Andrew Jay Cohen in his feature film directorial debut.
After Scott (Ferrell) and Kate (Poehler) Johansen lose their daughter Alex’s college fund, they become desperate to earn it back so she can pursue her dream of attending a university. With the help of their neighbor Frank (Jason Mantzoukas), they decide to start an illegal casino in the basement of his house.
Cohen directs from a script he wrote with Brendan O’Brien; the pair previously wrote the 2014 hit comedy “Neighbors.” Good Universe’s Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake are producing, along with Ferrell, Adam McKay and Jessica Elbaum through their Gary Sanchez banner, and Cohen and O’Brien. Good Universe’s Spencer Wong executive produces with Gary Sanchez’s Chris Henchy, and also Marc S. Fischer.
Also starring with Ferrell, Poehler and Mantzoukas (upcoming “How to Be Single,” FX’s “The League”) is Ryan Simpkins (“Arcadia”) as Scott and Kate’s college hopeful daughter, Alex, along with popular comedic actors Nick Kroll (“Vacation,” TV’s “Kroll Show”), Jessie Ennis (TV’s “Veep,” “G.B.F.”), Rob Huebel (“Horrible Bosses 2,” “The Descendants”) and Cedric Yarbrough (TV’s “Reno 911!”).
The creative filmmaking team behind the camera includes director of photography Jas Shelton (upcoming “Keanu,” “Jeff, Who Lives at Home”), production designer Clayton Hartley (“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” “We’re the Millers”), editor Evan Henke (“The Interview”) and costume designer Christopher Oroza (“Hollywood Adventures”).
The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
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Ferrell and Poehler Reteam, Under the Direction of Andrew Jay Cohen
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography is underway in Los Angeles on New Line Cinema’s yet-to-be-titled comedy starring Will Ferrell (“Get Hard,” upcoming “Zoolander 2”) and Amy Poehler (upcoming “Sisters,” TV’s “Parks and Recreation”), under the direction of Andrew Jay Cohen in his feature film directorial debut.
After Scott (Ferrell) and Kate (Poehler) Johansen lose their daughter Alex’s college fund, they become desperate to earn it back so she can pursue her dream of attending a university. With the help of their neighbor Frank (Jason Mantzoukas), they decide to start an illegal casino in the basement of his house.
Cohen directs from a script he wrote with Brendan O’Brien; the pair previously wrote the 2014 hit comedy “Neighbors.” Good Universe’s Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake are producing, along with Ferrell, Adam McKay and Jessica Elbaum through their Gary Sanchez banner, and Cohen and O’Brien. Good Universe’s Spencer Wong executive produces with Gary Sanchez’s Chris Henchy, and also Marc S. Fischer.
Also starring with Ferrell, Poehler and Mantzoukas (upcoming “How to Be Single,” FX’s “The League”) is Ryan Simpkins (“Arcadia”) as Scott and Kate’s college hopeful daughter, Alex, along with popular comedic actors Nick Kroll (“Vacation,” TV’s “Kroll Show”), Jessie Ennis (TV’s “Veep,” “G.B.F.”), Rob Huebel (“Horrible Bosses 2,” “The Descendants”) and Cedric Yarbrough (TV’s “Reno 911!”).
The creative filmmaking team behind the camera includes director of photography Jas Shelton (upcoming “Keanu,” “Jeff, Who Lives at Home”), production designer Clayton Hartley (“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” “We’re the Millers”), editor Evan Henke (“The Interview”) and costume designer Christopher Oroza (“Hollywood Adventures”).
The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
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Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Archie Comics Characters Headed for Broadway
ADAM MCKAY AND FUNNY OR DIE JOIN ARCHIE COMICS TO CREATE A NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL BASED ON THE CHARACTERS OF THE BELOVED COMIC SERIES ARCHIE.
Writer/Director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights, You're Welcome America) and Funny Or Die have joined forces with Archie Comics, one of the most popular comics ever produced, to bring Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and the Riverdale gang to Broadway in an all-new musical. McKay is slated to bring his singular brand of comedy to the musical, writing the book for the show, with a creative team and timing for a New York run to be announced at a later date.
Funny Or Die will serve as a presenting partner. CEO Jon Goldwater and CCO Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa will oversee for Archie Comics. The partnership was packaged by Triptyk Studios (An American in Paris, You’re Welcome America, Xanadu) who will reteam with their You’re Welcome America partners for the endeavor. Tara Smith, B. Swibel and Adam Westbrook will oversee development for the company and present on Broadway.
Adam McKay said, “Archie represents a bygone era of America. And like all bygone eras, there are elements we miss and elements that should be bygone. This will be a musical that deals with both those realities in a bright, colorful and slightly demented way.”
Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics CEO/Publisher, said, “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Adam McKay and Funny Or Die to finally bring Archie to the stage. We’ve always thought that Archie was destined to be a big Broadway star – and now that moment has come! I’ve long admired Adam’s work and the pairing of Archie’s world with his brilliant humor and sensibility is the perfect fit. We look forward to developing this project together with this incredible team.”
Visit www.ArchieMusical.com for more information and to sign-up for updates. Follow the development of the Archie musical on all social media channels @ArchieMusical
ABOUT ARCHIE COMICS:
Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Afterlife With Archie, the Dark Circle Comics superhero characters (The Black Hood, The Fox, The Shield and more), Li’l Jinx and many more. Archie Comics have sold over 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, Archie characters have been featured prominently in animation, television, film and music. Follow Archie Comics on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the Archie Comics Store.
About ADAM McKAY
Adam McKay is a writer, director, and producer who is best known for directing the Anchorman films, Talladega Nights and Step Brothers, all of which he also co-wrote with longtime partner Will Ferrell. He is a former head writer of “Saturday Night Live,” one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade and the co-creator of the largest comedy website in the world, Funny Or Die. On Broadway, McKay directed the Tony Award-nominated You’re Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush. Most recently he wrote and directed an adaptation of Michael Lewis’ bestseller The Big Short, starring Brad Pitt and Christian Bale and was credited as a writer on Marvel’s Ant-Man.
About FUNNY OR DIE
Funny Or Die launched in April 2007 and has grown into a premier comedy brand and production studio known for creating award-winning, high-quality content with a global audience of more than 70 million. Funny Or Die’s social media division produces content for over 15 platforms and is the #1 comedy brand on both Twitter and Facebook. Funny Or Die is the top destination for celebrity-driven comedy videos and highly topical political commentary. Funny Or Die's founders are Gary Sanchez Productions (Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Chris Henchy), and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Judd Apatow is also a principal partner.
About TRIPTYK STUDIOS
TriptykStudios makes works for theater, film, television, web and arts education, and is led by producer TARA SMITH and writer-producers B. SWIBEL & ADAM WESTBROOK. Recent select theater work includes Tony-winning hit An American in Paris; the award-winning hit Xanadu; Broadway smash You're Welcome America from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay; the critically acclaimed revival of The Seagull starring Carey Mulligan; The Performers starring Henry Winkler; NY Times Critic’s pick My Daughter Keeps Our Hammer. Triptyk premieres Amelie, a new musical, starring Samantha Barks, at Berkley Repertory this summer, before seeing Xanadu make its London premiere this October. They recently announced the new Stevie Wonder musical, Freedom Run, with NBC/Universal Stage.
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Writer/Director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights, You're Welcome America) and Funny Or Die have joined forces with Archie Comics, one of the most popular comics ever produced, to bring Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and the Riverdale gang to Broadway in an all-new musical. McKay is slated to bring his singular brand of comedy to the musical, writing the book for the show, with a creative team and timing for a New York run to be announced at a later date.
Funny Or Die will serve as a presenting partner. CEO Jon Goldwater and CCO Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa will oversee for Archie Comics. The partnership was packaged by Triptyk Studios (An American in Paris, You’re Welcome America, Xanadu) who will reteam with their You’re Welcome America partners for the endeavor. Tara Smith, B. Swibel and Adam Westbrook will oversee development for the company and present on Broadway.
Adam McKay said, “Archie represents a bygone era of America. And like all bygone eras, there are elements we miss and elements that should be bygone. This will be a musical that deals with both those realities in a bright, colorful and slightly demented way.”
Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics CEO/Publisher, said, “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Adam McKay and Funny Or Die to finally bring Archie to the stage. We’ve always thought that Archie was destined to be a big Broadway star – and now that moment has come! I’ve long admired Adam’s work and the pairing of Archie’s world with his brilliant humor and sensibility is the perfect fit. We look forward to developing this project together with this incredible team.”
Visit www.ArchieMusical.com for more information and to sign-up for updates. Follow the development of the Archie musical on all social media channels @ArchieMusical
ABOUT ARCHIE COMICS:
Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Afterlife With Archie, the Dark Circle Comics superhero characters (The Black Hood, The Fox, The Shield and more), Li’l Jinx and many more. Archie Comics have sold over 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, Archie characters have been featured prominently in animation, television, film and music. Follow Archie Comics on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the Archie Comics Store.
About ADAM McKAY
Adam McKay is a writer, director, and producer who is best known for directing the Anchorman films, Talladega Nights and Step Brothers, all of which he also co-wrote with longtime partner Will Ferrell. He is a former head writer of “Saturday Night Live,” one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade and the co-creator of the largest comedy website in the world, Funny Or Die. On Broadway, McKay directed the Tony Award-nominated You’re Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush. Most recently he wrote and directed an adaptation of Michael Lewis’ bestseller The Big Short, starring Brad Pitt and Christian Bale and was credited as a writer on Marvel’s Ant-Man.
About FUNNY OR DIE
Funny Or Die launched in April 2007 and has grown into a premier comedy brand and production studio known for creating award-winning, high-quality content with a global audience of more than 70 million. Funny Or Die’s social media division produces content for over 15 platforms and is the #1 comedy brand on both Twitter and Facebook. Funny Or Die is the top destination for celebrity-driven comedy videos and highly topical political commentary. Funny Or Die's founders are Gary Sanchez Productions (Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Chris Henchy), and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Judd Apatow is also a principal partner.
About TRIPTYK STUDIOS
TriptykStudios makes works for theater, film, television, web and arts education, and is led by producer TARA SMITH and writer-producers B. SWIBEL & ADAM WESTBROOK. Recent select theater work includes Tony-winning hit An American in Paris; the award-winning hit Xanadu; Broadway smash You're Welcome America from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay; the critically acclaimed revival of The Seagull starring Carey Mulligan; The Performers starring Henry Winkler; NY Times Critic’s pick My Daughter Keeps Our Hammer. Triptyk premieres Amelie, a new musical, starring Samantha Barks, at Berkley Repertory this summer, before seeing Xanadu make its London premiere this October. They recently announced the new Stevie Wonder musical, Freedom Run, with NBC/Universal Stage.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Adam McKay's "The Big Short" Announces Cast Brad Pitt and Steve Carell
PARAMOUNT PICTURES, NEW REGENCY AND PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE BALE, CARELL, GOSLING AND PITT COMING ABOARD “THE BIG SHORT” FROM DIRECTOR ADAM MCKAY
PRODUCTION HAS BEGUN IN NEW ORLEANS
HOLLYWOOD, CA – Paramount Pictures, New Regency and Plan B Entertainment today announced casting for “THE BIG SHORT,” with Christian Bale (“AMERICAN HUSTLE,” “THE DARK KNIGHT” trilogy), Steve Carell (“FOXCATCHER”), Ryan Gosling (“DRIVE,” “CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE”) and Brad Pitt (“FURY,” “WORLD WAR Z”) coming aboard the project for director Adam McKay (the “ANCHORMAN” films, “THE OTHER GUYS”). The film also stars Melissa Leo (“THE FIGHTER,” “FROZEN RIVER”) and Marisa Tomei (“CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE,” “THE WRESTLER”).
The film’s screenplay is written by McKay, from a script by Charles Randolph (“LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS”), based on Michael Lewis’ bestselling non-fiction book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine.
“THE BIG SHORT” is the remarkable true story of the genius contrarian investors who, recognizing just how insane the housing bubble had become, figured out how to “short” the market prior to the financial collapse of 2008.
Rounding out the cast is Tracy Letts (“Homeland,” “ELVIS & NIXON”), Hamish Linklater (“The Newsroom,” “42”), John Magaro (“UNBROKEN,” “NOT FADE AWAY”), Byron Mann (“THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS,” “RISE OF THE LEGEND”), Rafe Spall (“LIFE OF PI,” “PROMETHEUS”), Jeremy Strong (“SELMA,” “ZERO DARK THIRTY”) and Finn Wittrock (“UNBROKEN,” “American Horror Story”).
The movie will be produced by Academy Award®-winners Pitt, Dede Gardner (“SELMA,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”) and Jeremy Kleiner (“SELMA,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”) via their Plan B Entertainment banner.
Production has begun in New Orleans.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About New Regency
Founded in 1991 by renowned producer Arnon Milchan, New Regency is actively engaged in entertaining the world. The company has produced some of the most successful and critically-acclaimed films of all time with over 125 films and more than 50 television series in the company’s vast library, including 2014 Academy Award®-winning Best Picture, “12 Years A Slave.” New Regency is also dedicated to continuing to foster its unparalleled filmmaker relationships and today boasts partnerships with most acclaimed and sought-after creative forces in the industry.
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PRODUCTION HAS BEGUN IN NEW ORLEANS
HOLLYWOOD, CA – Paramount Pictures, New Regency and Plan B Entertainment today announced casting for “THE BIG SHORT,” with Christian Bale (“AMERICAN HUSTLE,” “THE DARK KNIGHT” trilogy), Steve Carell (“FOXCATCHER”), Ryan Gosling (“DRIVE,” “CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE”) and Brad Pitt (“FURY,” “WORLD WAR Z”) coming aboard the project for director Adam McKay (the “ANCHORMAN” films, “THE OTHER GUYS”). The film also stars Melissa Leo (“THE FIGHTER,” “FROZEN RIVER”) and Marisa Tomei (“CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE,” “THE WRESTLER”).
The film’s screenplay is written by McKay, from a script by Charles Randolph (“LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS”), based on Michael Lewis’ bestselling non-fiction book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine.
“THE BIG SHORT” is the remarkable true story of the genius contrarian investors who, recognizing just how insane the housing bubble had become, figured out how to “short” the market prior to the financial collapse of 2008.
Rounding out the cast is Tracy Letts (“Homeland,” “ELVIS & NIXON”), Hamish Linklater (“The Newsroom,” “42”), John Magaro (“UNBROKEN,” “NOT FADE AWAY”), Byron Mann (“THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS,” “RISE OF THE LEGEND”), Rafe Spall (“LIFE OF PI,” “PROMETHEUS”), Jeremy Strong (“SELMA,” “ZERO DARK THIRTY”) and Finn Wittrock (“UNBROKEN,” “American Horror Story”).
The movie will be produced by Academy Award®-winners Pitt, Dede Gardner (“SELMA,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”) and Jeremy Kleiner (“SELMA,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”) via their Plan B Entertainment banner.
Production has begun in New Orleans.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About New Regency
Founded in 1991 by renowned producer Arnon Milchan, New Regency is actively engaged in entertaining the world. The company has produced some of the most successful and critically-acclaimed films of all time with over 125 films and more than 50 television series in the company’s vast library, including 2014 Academy Award®-winning Best Picture, “12 Years A Slave.” New Regency is also dedicated to continuing to foster its unparalleled filmmaker relationships and today boasts partnerships with most acclaimed and sought-after creative forces in the industry.
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Friday, November 7, 2014
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg Unite for "Daddy's Home"
FERRELL AND WAHLBERG TO STAR IN “DADDY’S HOME” FOR PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND RED GRANITE IN ASSOCIATION WITH GARY SANCHEZ
Paramount Pictures and Red Granite Pictures in association with Gary Sanchez Productions announced today that Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are set to star in “DADDY’S HOME.” Red Granite Pictures will co-produce and co-finance the film, which Paramount Pictures will distribute worldwide. The film is expected to begin shooting later this year.
Sean Anders (“HORRIBLE BOSSES 2,” “THAT’S MY BOY”) will direct the screenplay written by Brian Burns (“Blue Bloods,” “Entourage”), with revision by Anders and John Morris (“HORRIBLE BOSSES 2,” “DUMB AND DUMBER TO”), Chris Henchy (“THE CAMPAIGN,” “THE OTHER GUYS”), Adam McKay (“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEDGEND CONTINUES,” “THE CAMPAIGN”) and Etan Cohen (“MEN IN BLACK 3,” “TROPIC THUNDER”).
Morris will produce with Ferrell, Henchy and McKay through their Gary Sanchez Productions banner (“TAMMY,” “GET HARD”). The executive producers are Riza Aziz, Joey McFarland and David Koplan (“DUMB AND DUMBER TO,” “THE WOLF OF WALL STREET”) from Red Granite Pictures along with Kevin Messick (“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” “THE OTHER GUYS”) and Jessica Elbaum (“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES”) of Gary Sanchez, Sean Anders and Diana Pokorny (“HORRIBLE BOSSES” 1 & 2, “THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE”).
Adam Goodman, President of Paramount Film Group said, “Will and Mark are the absolute perfect on-screen duo to take on this hilarious project. With Anders at the helm, and our partners Red Granite on-board, we are thrilled this movie is getting underway.”
Riza Aziz, Co-Chairman of Red Granite Pictures adds, “We're particularly excited not only to reunite with the wonderful Paramount team but to collaborate again with the comical genius of Sean Anders and John Morris, who we had the pleasure of working with on Dumb and Dumber To. And we are thrilled to partner with Will, Mark and Gary Sanchez. We look forward to an inspiring, hilarious adventure.”
“DADDY’S HOME” follows a mild-mannered radio executive (Ferrell) who strives to become the best stepdad to his wife’s two children, but complications ensue when their freewheeling and freeloading real father (Wahlberg) arrives, forcing him to compete for the affection of the kids.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Red Granite Pictures
Red Granite Pictures is an American film finance, development, production, and distribution company, co-founded by Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland in 2010. Aziz and McFarland serve as co-Chairmen and producing partners. Randy Hermann serves as CFO, David Boyle serves as Business Affairs and Production Legal, David Koplan serves as President of Production, while Danny Dimbort and Christian Mercuri serve as co-Presidents of the distribution arm, Red Granite International. The company was formed in 2010 but formally announced its executive team in May 2011 at the Cannes Film Festival. Red Granite has developed, produced, and structured financing for a slate of films representing more than $400 million in revenue.
Red Granite Pictures made its debut with Friends with Kids, a romantic comedy written and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt. Friends with Kids stars Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, and Megan Fox. Following Friends with Kids, Red Granite Pictures executive-produced and handled foreign distribution for the dramatic thriller Out of the Furnace starring Christian Bale, Zoe Saldana, Forest Whitaker, and Casey Affleck and directed by Scott Cooper. Out of the Furnace was released on December 6, 2013 by Relativity Media.
Red Granite Pictures next released the highly anticipated film The Wolf of Wall Street on December 25, 2013. The Wolf of Wall Street was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Jon Favreau and Rob Reiner. The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. The Wolf of Wall Street has achieved tremendous box office success and critical acclaim - including a Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy for star Leonardo DiCaprio and five Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Best Director (Martin Scorsese), Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Terry Winters).
Following The Wolf of Wall Street, Red Granite Pictures Produced Horns and Dumb and Dumber To. Horns, a supernatural thriller starring Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple, Max Minghella, Joe Anderson, Heather Graham and directed by Alex Aja is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Joe Hill. Horns will be released October 31, 2014 by Dimension-RADiUS. Dumb and Dumber To is an American buddy comedy film co-written and directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly. It is a sequel to the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber. The film stars Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Laurie Holden, Rob Riggle and Kathleen Turner. Dumb and Dumber To will be released on November 14, 2014 by Universal Pictures.
Red Granite’s development slate for 2015 includes The Brigands of Rattleborge and The General. The Brigands of Rattleborge, blacklist’s number 1 script of 2006, is a western revenge story and The General is a gritty look at the story of George Washington.
Paramount Pictures and Red Granite Pictures in association with Gary Sanchez Productions announced today that Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are set to star in “DADDY’S HOME.” Red Granite Pictures will co-produce and co-finance the film, which Paramount Pictures will distribute worldwide. The film is expected to begin shooting later this year.
Sean Anders (“HORRIBLE BOSSES 2,” “THAT’S MY BOY”) will direct the screenplay written by Brian Burns (“Blue Bloods,” “Entourage”), with revision by Anders and John Morris (“HORRIBLE BOSSES 2,” “DUMB AND DUMBER TO”), Chris Henchy (“THE CAMPAIGN,” “THE OTHER GUYS”), Adam McKay (“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEDGEND CONTINUES,” “THE CAMPAIGN”) and Etan Cohen (“MEN IN BLACK 3,” “TROPIC THUNDER”).
Morris will produce with Ferrell, Henchy and McKay through their Gary Sanchez Productions banner (“TAMMY,” “GET HARD”). The executive producers are Riza Aziz, Joey McFarland and David Koplan (“DUMB AND DUMBER TO,” “THE WOLF OF WALL STREET”) from Red Granite Pictures along with Kevin Messick (“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” “THE OTHER GUYS”) and Jessica Elbaum (“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES”) of Gary Sanchez, Sean Anders and Diana Pokorny (“HORRIBLE BOSSES” 1 & 2, “THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE”).
Adam Goodman, President of Paramount Film Group said, “Will and Mark are the absolute perfect on-screen duo to take on this hilarious project. With Anders at the helm, and our partners Red Granite on-board, we are thrilled this movie is getting underway.”
Riza Aziz, Co-Chairman of Red Granite Pictures adds, “We're particularly excited not only to reunite with the wonderful Paramount team but to collaborate again with the comical genius of Sean Anders and John Morris, who we had the pleasure of working with on Dumb and Dumber To. And we are thrilled to partner with Will, Mark and Gary Sanchez. We look forward to an inspiring, hilarious adventure.”
“DADDY’S HOME” follows a mild-mannered radio executive (Ferrell) who strives to become the best stepdad to his wife’s two children, but complications ensue when their freewheeling and freeloading real father (Wahlberg) arrives, forcing him to compete for the affection of the kids.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Red Granite Pictures
Red Granite Pictures is an American film finance, development, production, and distribution company, co-founded by Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland in 2010. Aziz and McFarland serve as co-Chairmen and producing partners. Randy Hermann serves as CFO, David Boyle serves as Business Affairs and Production Legal, David Koplan serves as President of Production, while Danny Dimbort and Christian Mercuri serve as co-Presidents of the distribution arm, Red Granite International. The company was formed in 2010 but formally announced its executive team in May 2011 at the Cannes Film Festival. Red Granite has developed, produced, and structured financing for a slate of films representing more than $400 million in revenue.
Red Granite Pictures made its debut with Friends with Kids, a romantic comedy written and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt. Friends with Kids stars Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, and Megan Fox. Following Friends with Kids, Red Granite Pictures executive-produced and handled foreign distribution for the dramatic thriller Out of the Furnace starring Christian Bale, Zoe Saldana, Forest Whitaker, and Casey Affleck and directed by Scott Cooper. Out of the Furnace was released on December 6, 2013 by Relativity Media.
Red Granite Pictures next released the highly anticipated film The Wolf of Wall Street on December 25, 2013. The Wolf of Wall Street was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Jon Favreau and Rob Reiner. The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. The Wolf of Wall Street has achieved tremendous box office success and critical acclaim - including a Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy for star Leonardo DiCaprio and five Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Best Director (Martin Scorsese), Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Terry Winters).
Following The Wolf of Wall Street, Red Granite Pictures Produced Horns and Dumb and Dumber To. Horns, a supernatural thriller starring Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple, Max Minghella, Joe Anderson, Heather Graham and directed by Alex Aja is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Joe Hill. Horns will be released October 31, 2014 by Dimension-RADiUS. Dumb and Dumber To is an American buddy comedy film co-written and directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly. It is a sequel to the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber. The film stars Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Laurie Holden, Rob Riggle and Kathleen Turner. Dumb and Dumber To will be released on November 14, 2014 by Universal Pictures.
Red Granite’s development slate for 2015 includes The Brigands of Rattleborge and The General. The Brigands of Rattleborge, blacklist’s number 1 script of 2006, is a western revenge story and The General is a gritty look at the story of George Washington.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Negromancer New Bits and Bites: June 8 to June 14, 2014 Update #6
OBIT:
From the New York Times and Variety: The Academy Award-nominated actress Ruby Dee died on Wednesday, June 11, 2014. She earned her lone Oscar nomination in 2008 for her turn as the feisty mother in American Gangster. She won an Emmy Award in 1991 for her role in the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" television movie, Decoration Day.
Dee is also best known her role as "Ruth Younger" in A Raisin in the Sun, both onstage, beginning in 1959, and in the 1961 film adaptation. Dee often worked with her late husband, Ossie Davis, who died in 2005. My heart is breaking, but I know Davis and Dee are together again. Negromancer sends condolences to her family and friends.
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MOVIE NEWS:
From Hitfix: Jason Momao, of the 2011 Conan the Barbarian remake and of "Game of Thrones" will apparently be playing Aquaman in "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice."
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From The Hollywood Reporter: The Millennium Falcon apparently broke Han Solo.
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From Shadow and Act: A talk with Supremacy director, Deon Taylor.
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From Entertainment Weekly: Vincent D'Onofrio will play the villain "Wilson Fisk" in Marvel TV's 13-episode series, "Daredevil," that it is producing for Netflix. Daredevil is one of four series that Marvel is producing for Netflix. It is also producing a spinoff of "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD," entitled, Agent Carter, which will appear on ABC.
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From Shadow and Act: Wanna be an extra in Don Cheadle's Miles Davis biopic?
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From Variety: Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua are in early talks to team up for MGM's planned remake of The Magnificent Seven (which starred Steve McQueen and Yul Brenner). Washington and Fuqua first teamed on 2001's Training Day, for which Washington won a best actor Oscar. Their current team-up, The Equalizer (a remake of the 1980s TV series) is due this September.
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From Moviehole: Guillermo del Toro is working on a script for a sequel to Pacific Rim with Zak Penn.
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From BuzzFeed: Hugh Jackman has shaved his head to play Blackbeard in Pan. The photo is on Jackman's Instagram account.
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Care about the 2014 / 68th annual Tony Awards? Playbill has this article with a list of the winners, which also includes the nominees.
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"Tracy Morgan Crash" driver turned himself in and posted bail . Walmart is profoundly sorry.
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The Fault in Our Stars has the edge over Tom Cruise at the June 6-8, 2014 box office.
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Marvel officially announced that Peyton Reed (Bring It On, The Break-Up, Yes Man) will direct 2015's Ant-Man movie. Edgar Wright had been attached to the project since 2006, but recently walked away apparently due to creative differences with Marvel. Marvel's statement from its website:
When Marvel's "Ant-Man" hits theaters July 17, 2015, director Peyton Reed will help shepherd the hero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a cast led by Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, with writer Adam McKay contributing to the film's script.
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
The Hollywood Reporter has more on the announcement, including news that Adam McKay (the Anchorman movies) will polish the script.
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How Seth Rogen makes movies from The Wrap.
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COMIC BOOKS:
From Newsarama: Frank Miller, the man who created and worked on such highly influential and/or memorable comic books as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Daredevil, and Sin City (to name a few), would like to work on Captain America. Please, make it happen Marvel.
MISCELLANEOUS:
From HuffPost Science: Girth matters... apparently more than size/length.
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Apparently Dwayne Johnson wants you to follow the diet and fitness routine he used to become buff for the upcoming Hercules.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Negromancer News Bits and Bites for Saturday, May 31, 2014
The Washington Post began the walk back on Ann Hornaday's May 25th column/rant that blamed in part the recent Isla Vista massacre on the films like those made by Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow. Hornaday responded to the controversy of her original column.
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Actor Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) will apparently play Thanos in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (due August 1, 2014).
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Apparently, Quentin Tarantino left enough of Django Unchained on the cutting room floor that he wants to re-edit the film:
“My idea, frankly, is to cut together a four-hour version of 'Django Unchained,'” he said on Friday. “But I wouldn’t show it like a four-hour movie. I would cut it up into hour chapters. Like a four-part miniseries. And show it on cable television. Show it like an hour at a time, each chapter.”
Tarantino won a best original screenplay Oscar for the film. More at Variety.
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Monsters and Godzilla director Gareth Edwards has apparently signed on to direct one of Walt Disney's Star Wars spinoff films. Garry Whitta (Book of Eli) is writing the script for the spinoff. Which spinoff: no one knows.
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Edgar Wright has apparently left Marvel's Ant-Man movie.
The directors interviewing to replace Wright are Rawson Marshall Thurber (We're the Millers), Adam McKay (the Anchorman movies), and Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland)
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Bunny Yeager, the pin-up model turned photographer, died Sunday, May 25, 2014. She was 85. This New York Times obituary gives an overview of her life and work. Yeager famously photographed pin-up queen, Bettie Page, in a leopard-print swimsuit. I recently reviewed the documentary, Bettie Page Reveals All, which has a segment on the Page-Yeager combination.
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Herb Jeffries was a pioneering actor in Westerns that were targeted at African-America. Best known as the "Bronze Buckaroo," Jeffries died Sunday, May 25, 2014, He was 100-years-old.
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Actor Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) will apparently play Thanos in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (due August 1, 2014).
-------------------------
Apparently, Quentin Tarantino left enough of Django Unchained on the cutting room floor that he wants to re-edit the film:
“My idea, frankly, is to cut together a four-hour version of 'Django Unchained,'” he said on Friday. “But I wouldn’t show it like a four-hour movie. I would cut it up into hour chapters. Like a four-part miniseries. And show it on cable television. Show it like an hour at a time, each chapter.”
Tarantino won a best original screenplay Oscar for the film. More at Variety.
-----------------
Monsters and Godzilla director Gareth Edwards has apparently signed on to direct one of Walt Disney's Star Wars spinoff films. Garry Whitta (Book of Eli) is writing the script for the spinoff. Which spinoff: no one knows.
------------------
Edgar Wright has apparently left Marvel's Ant-Man movie.
The directors interviewing to replace Wright are Rawson Marshall Thurber (We're the Millers), Adam McKay (the Anchorman movies), and Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland)
------------------
Bunny Yeager, the pin-up model turned photographer, died Sunday, May 25, 2014. She was 85. This New York Times obituary gives an overview of her life and work. Yeager famously photographed pin-up queen, Bettie Page, in a leopard-print swimsuit. I recently reviewed the documentary, Bettie Page Reveals All, which has a segment on the Page-Yeager combination.
-----------------
Herb Jeffries was a pioneering actor in Westerns that were targeted at African-America. Best known as the "Bronze Buckaroo," Jeffries died Sunday, May 25, 2014, He was 100-years-old.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Review: "Anchorman 2" is Enough... Really
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
Running time: 112 minutes; MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual content, drug use, language and comic violence
DIRECTOR: Adam McKay
WRITERS: Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (based on characters created by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay)
PRODUCERS: Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Patrick Capone and Oliver Wood (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Brent White and Melissa Bretherton
COMPOSERS: Andrew Feltenstein and John Nau
COMEDY
Starring: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steven Carell, David Koechner, Christina Applegate, Dylan Baker, Meagan Good, Judah Nelson, James Marsden, Greg Kinnear, Josh Lawson, Kristen Wiig, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Bill Curtis (narrator) and Harrison Ford with Will Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kirsten Dunst, Marion Cotillard, and Joe Washington
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is a 2013 comedy directed by Adam McKay and written by McKay and actor Will Ferrell. The film is a sequel to Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Anchorman 2 finds Ron Burgundy putting the 70s behind him and returning to New York City to take a 24-hour news channel by storm.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues begins in New York City where Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) are the husband and wife co-anchors of WBC News. Then, Veronica is promoted, while Ron is fired. Ron returns to San Diego, but soon gets an offer to return to NYC. GNN – Global News Network – is the world’s first 24-hour news network, and they offer Ron a job.
Ron gets to form his own news team, so he reassembles his old gang: lecherous beat reporter, Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd); Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), the mentally challenged weatherman; and Champ Kind (David Koechner), the chauvinist, racist, and dude-cowboy sports reporter. Back in NYC, Ron discovers that Veronica has moved on from their relationship, and he struggles to connect with his son, Walter (Judah Nelson). GNN also proves to be filled with people that don’t like Ron and are determined to keep him from becoming a star in the big city.
However it worked out, having nine years pass between the first Anchorman movie and the sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, is a good thing. If the sequel had been released even as late as five years after the original, I think it would have been too soon. Nine years later, audiences are again ready for more of the utterly ridiculous antics of Ron Burgundy and his three clownish amigos plus one chick. Yes, there are new characters, but the sequel is more of the same.
The noticeable difference is that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay gleefully poke fun at and mock cable news networks and the non-news, infotainment media junk food that these networks have elevated to top story status over the last two decades. This includes car chases, celebrity scandals, missing white girls, and other lurid news. Without being named, FOX News takes the biggest hits from Anchorman 2.
A lot of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues made me laugh out loud, but I found that the film was too long at almost two hours of runtime. I was ready for it to be over, even with all the movie star and celebrity cameos that fill the last act like sparkly roaches. Do I want more Ron Burgundy? Ask me in another nine years.
6 of 10
B
Friday, April 11, 2014
The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Paramount Picture's Announces New Adam McKay Project - "The Big Short"
McKAY TO TAKE ON PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND PLAN B’S “THE BIG SHORT” FROM ACCLAIMED WRITER MICHAEL LEWIS
Paramount Pictures and Plan B announced today that writer / director Adam McKay has come aboard to adapt and direct “THE BIG SHORT,” based on the acclaimed book by Michael Lewis.
Based on Lewis’ best-seller The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine about the housing and credit bubble of the 2000s, the film will be produced by Paramount and Brad Pitt's Plan B. Pitt previously starred in and produced Lewis’ “Moneyball,” which earned an Academy Award®-nomination for Best Picture.
"Michael Lewis has the amazing ability to take complex formulas and concepts and turn them into page turners. Plan B and I connected over that breathless quality the book has. Very excited to jump into this," said McKay.
Said Adam Goodman, Paramount Film Group President, “I am so excited as this project marks my third collaboration with Adam McKay – a tremendously talented filmmaker and one of my favorite storytellers.”
Said Plan B, “There are those rare literary treasures - as with “THE BIG SHORT” - that park in the harbor and you just wait, with hope. Adam McKay is a singular voice and talent and a ferocious mind – the vector of Adam and this book is what a producer dreams of.”
McKay most recently co-wrote, produced and directed the sequel “ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” for Paramount Pictures. The hit film has grossed over $170m globally. He is repped by WME and Mosaic.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
Paramount Pictures and Plan B announced today that writer / director Adam McKay has come aboard to adapt and direct “THE BIG SHORT,” based on the acclaimed book by Michael Lewis.
Based on Lewis’ best-seller The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine about the housing and credit bubble of the 2000s, the film will be produced by Paramount and Brad Pitt's Plan B. Pitt previously starred in and produced Lewis’ “Moneyball,” which earned an Academy Award®-nomination for Best Picture.
"Michael Lewis has the amazing ability to take complex formulas and concepts and turn them into page turners. Plan B and I connected over that breathless quality the book has. Very excited to jump into this," said McKay.
Said Adam Goodman, Paramount Film Group President, “I am so excited as this project marks my third collaboration with Adam McKay – a tremendously talented filmmaker and one of my favorite storytellers.”
Said Plan B, “There are those rare literary treasures - as with “THE BIG SHORT” - that park in the harbor and you just wait, with hope. Adam McKay is a singular voice and talent and a ferocious mind – the vector of Adam and this book is what a producer dreams of.”
McKay most recently co-wrote, produced and directed the sequel “ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” for Paramount Pictures. The hit film has grossed over $170m globally. He is repped by WME and Mosaic.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
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