Seasonal Cinema Sep 4, 2008
The season offers action (Bond's latest, "Quantum of Solace"), family flicks (the animated sequel "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa"), fantasy romance (the best-seller adaptation "Twilight"), and serious stuff lining up for the Academy Awards, from Nicole Kidman's epic "Australia" to Bond star Daniel Craig's war saga "Defiance." ... Also on the action front: "Heat" co-stars Robert De Niro and Al Pacino reunite for "Righteous Kill," playing cops tracking a vigilante serial killer; Mark Wahlberg stars... (North County Times)
Fincher's 'Benjamin Button,' 'Flash of Genius' Aug 30, 2008
(Warning: graphic language); George Clooney; Joel and Ethan Cohen; trailer; Brad Pitt; Burn After Reading; John Malkovich; video; variety; Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe star in Ridley Scott's adaptation of the CIA thriller ... movie; 'Rachel Getting Married' trailer; Jonathan Demme; trailers; Anne Hathaway; 'City of God' director Fernando Meirelles directs Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo in the adaptation of Jos Saramago's epidemic novel ... Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep star in the... (Variety)
Bond is back Aug 27, 2008
The season offers action (Bond s latest, Quantum of Solace ), family flicks (the animated sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa ), fantasy romance (the best-seller adaptation Twilight ), and serious stuff lining up for the Academy Awards, from Nicole Kidman s epic Australia to Bond star Daniel Craig s war saga Defiance ... Also on the action front: Heat co-stars Robert De Niro and Al Pacino reunite for Righteous Kill, playing cops tracking a vigilante serial killer; Mark Wahlberg stars as a cop out... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
'You Can Dance, You Can Jive, Having The Time of Your Life...' Aug 20, 2008
Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast in the feature-film adaptation of the beloved musical that has been seen by more than 30 million people in 170 cities and 8 languages around the world. Bringing the timeless lyrics and melodies of iconic super group ABBA to movie audiences, Summer 2008 is the season for "Mamma Mia!". (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Cameron Diaz tops Hollywood rich list Aug 13, 2008
But she also starred in the comedy, What Happens in Vegas, and has nabbed large pay cheques for her role in the adaptation of Jodi Picoult's best-selling novel My Sister's Keeper, and a fourth installment of Shrek. Diaz was followed on the rich actress list by British beauty Keira Knightley, who earned $US32 million ($A36. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
A Holy Role For Scotus Grad Jul 31, 2008
Shanley currently is directing the film adaptation, which stars Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn and Amy Adams as Sister James. For Schmeits, the role is his first for the Nebraska Repertory Theatre, but it will be his last in Lincoln for awhile. (Beatrice Daily Sun, NE)
ABBA-adapted musical tedious Jul 25, 2008
ABBA fans will be singing along too loudly to notice or care, but casual movie-goers may find this broadway adaptation tedious. Fan favorites are sure to go over well, but lesser known songs drag. (Daily Collegian, PA)
Movie review: 'Mamma Mia!' a musical vacation Jul 19, 2008
The literalizing tendency of movies makes for more than a couple of awkward passages in "Mamma Mia!," the screen adaptation of the hit musical. There are moments that feel odd and insincere in close-up that would have played festive from 40 feet away. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Critics' Picks Jul 19, 2008
You've been away far too long, It's been three years since "Serenity," the big-screen adaptation of your short-lived series "Firefly." It's another six months till your next series, "Dollhouse," debuts on Fox. So you'll have to forgive me if I lapse into slavish overpraise here for Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, the utterly brilliant singing, dancing, Web-only action-adventure you and your brothers have cooked up. (Salon)
Mamma Mia! Review Jul 18, 2008
Does the Winner Take It All in this adaptation of the Broadway hit. by. (IGN FilmForce)
ABBA Transcends Time In Every Format Jul 18, 2008
ABBA members and "Mamma Mia" executive producers Benny Andersson and Bjrn Ulvaeus shared their excitement over the film adaptation of "Mamma Mia" with "The Early Show." (CBS/The Early Show) ... ABBA members and "Mamma Mia" executive producers Benny Andersson (composer) and Bjrn Ulvaeus (lyricist) are having the time of their lives with the film adaptation of the hugely successful musical "Mamma Mia.". (CBS News -- Early Show)
'Mamma Mia' Jul 18, 2008
The stage-to-screen adaptation is loaded with excess. But, hey, Meryl Streep comes off well. (Los Angeles Times)
STREEP SMARTS Jul 17, 2008
itself a stage adaptation of the Swedish pop group ABBA s globe-conquering song catalog seems to be made by people who have no instinctive connection to pop music ... Both adaptations reveal what impact pop music has on the aesthetics and sensibilities of filmmakers, pointing to a bigger issue: What meanings do people take from pop music. (New York Press)
PREMIERE: Stars hit the blue carpet Jul 17, 2008
opening Friday, is an adaptation of the musical that has graced stages worldwide. Bride-to-be Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) lives on a Greek island with her rebellious mother Donna (Streep) and is eager to learn the real identity of her father. (USA Today -- Life)
The front-and-centre sidekick Jul 17, 2008
She is supposed to be discussing her role in the film adaptation of the frothy ABBA musical Mamma Mia ... Though she's talking about the stage musical rather than its film adaptation, at a recent sneak preview in New York the audience was visibly swept along by the same giddy good cheer that has won over the 30 million fans who have seen the live show. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
'Mamma Mia!' earns its exclamation point Jul 17, 2008
The adaptation of the long-running stage hit is a crowd-pleasing gusher of escapism, not the least of which is respite from summertime teen action fare. MAMMA MIA. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
"Mamma Mia!" may be mindless but it's a lot of fun, too Jul 17, 2008
You can have a perfectly nice time watching this spirited adaptation of the popular stage musical and, once the hangover wears off, acknowledge just how bad it is. Actually, you don't have much choice on either front. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET Jul 16, 2008
He can be seen as the adorable and buff Sky in the movie adaptation of "Mamma Mia!," the popular musical that features the songs of ABBA. 950. With photo: SH08G154PROFILE.. (Scripps Howard News Wire)
Knowing Mia knowing you Jul 13, 2008
ntar Vid Min Mila', an adaptation of an old Swedish poem about someone standing waiting for his loved one by a charcoal burner in the woods. (And no, I am not quoting lines from Spinal Tap or A Mighty Wind. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)
Streep singing just an ABBAration Jul 8, 2008
Last in the country for Evil Angels, the two-time Oscar winner set about shattering illusions, saying she did not prepare enough to sing and dance in the movie adaptation of the ABBA stage musical. It centres on a girl living with her mother on a Greek island who invites her three possible fathers to her wedding. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
In cinemas this weekend Jul 5, 2008
All the monster/horror movie cliches are present in this Stephen King adaptation, but it's still quite effective. Mes Amis, Mes Amours (15) (Lorraine Levy, 2008, Fra) Vincent Lindon, Bernadette Lafont. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)
Celebs at promotional event for "Mamma Mia!" in Berlin Jul 4, 2008
The film, an adaptation of the hit ABBA musical, will have its German premiere on July 17 ... The film, an adaptation of the hit ABBA musical, will have its German premiere on July 17 ... The film, an adaptation of the hit ABBA musical, will have its German premiere on July 17. (Xinhuanet, China)
Mamma Mia! gets the mother of all premieres Jul 1, 2008
last night as the adaptation of the hit Abba musical had its world premiere in London's Leicester Square. Hundreds of fans laid all their love on the movie's stars - including Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgrd - as they walked the azur blue carpet, a reference to the movie's mediterranean setting. (Guardian Unlimited -- Film)
Meryl Streep, Penelope Cruz offer up romance Jun 25, 2008
Meryl Streep stars in this big screen adaptation of the ABBA-packed Broadway musical. Buena Vista Pictures. (MSNBC -- Movies)
Newsweek: David Ansen remembers Sydney Pollack May 29, 2008
They met, as fellow actors, in the 1962 film "War Hunt." Redford starred in seven Pollack movies, beginning with his Tennessee Williams adaptation "This Property Is Condemned" in 1966 ... Take a look at "The Firm," his solid 1993 John Grisham adaptation. (MSNBC -- News)
Studios shop for female audiences May 29, 2008
Some see the adaptation of the popular HBO series as a test of women's box-office clout in summer, and Sex and the City is the first of several female-anchored movies headed to the screen. Kit Kittredge: American Girl (June 20), the first big-screen tale based on the popular dolls. (USA Today -- Life)
Africa on film focus of SummerFilm schedule at Music Hall May 29, 2008
Sean Penn's adaptation of Jon Krakauer's nonfiction bestseller, with an outstanding soundtrack by Eddie Vedder. R, 140 min, US, 2007. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
Ash in a Hollywood flick with Meryl Streep May 28, 2008
The movie is an adaptation of a French film, Chaos, and focuses on the distress that upshoots when a young prostitute, unintentionally, intrudes into the life of a modern middle class couple. None other than Ash will be playing the role of a prostitute, who suffers physical and mental torture. (Zee News)
Oscar-winning director Sydney Pollack dead at 73 May 27, 2008
"Havana" (1990), another venture with Redford, was a commercial failure, but Pollack soon returned with the box office smash "The Firm," an adaptation of John Grisham's thriller starring Cruise. Last summer, Pollack pulled out of directing a film about the disputed 2000 US presidential election for cable channel HBO, after falling ill. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Summer season savers May 23, 2008
"Mamma Mia!" ---- Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan star in this adaptation of the ABBA-based stage musical ... "The Clone Wars" ---- Animated adaptation of the "Star Wars" sequel with new characters and storylines. (North County Times)
NHS trust slammed for releasing two mental patients who went on to ... May 18, 2008
JERRY SELLS WEDDING GOWN. Jerry Hall is to auction off the wedding dress she wore to marry Mick Jagger. (Daily Mail)
Hot summer movies May 16, 2008
The bad: A TV adaptation - see the entry for Sex and the City. The ugly: The original series was created by comedy legends Buck Henry and Mel Brooks, while this version is helmed by the director of 50 First Dates. (The Clarion-Ledger)
It looks like a big summer at the box office May 14, 2008
"Wanted": Russian filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov ("Nightwatch") makes his Hollywood debut with this adaptation of the graphic novel about an ordinary guy (James McAvoy) recruited by the appropriately-named Fox (Angelina Jolie) to join an elite squad of assassins ... "Mamma Mia!": The idea of sitting through a film adaptation of the junky Broadway smash is made more palatable by the casting of Meryl Streep as the mother of a young bride-to-be (Amanda Seyfried) trying to figure out who her real... (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Coming soon: The post-female American cinema May 8, 2008
Meryl Streep stars in the adaptation of the jukebox musical "Mamma Mia!," and Anna Faris stars in a comedy called "The House Bunny," in which she plays a Playboy Bunny who is ejected from the Mansion because she's too old. In a trailer for the movie, Faris's pretty-in-pink character responds to her firing with surprise. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Universal joining Blu-ray bandwagon in the summer Apr 17, 2008
Among them are the studio's five big feature films of the summer, including "The Incredible Hulk," with Edward Norton, William Hurt and Liv Tyler; "Wanted," an action thriller starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie; "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"; "Mamma Mia," the adaptation of the musical starring Meryl Streep; and the sequel "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," with Brendan Fraser and Jet Li. Universal officially will enter the Blu-ray market July 22 with a trio of films from its "Mummy"... (Yahoo News -- Technology)
Are You A Sexy, Sassy, Confident 40+ 'Dynamo'? Apr 15, 2008
Universal Pictures' upcoming musical romantic comedy in which Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan lead an all-star cast in the adaptation of the beloved musical, to celebrate the "Dynamo" in 40+ women ... Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan lead an all-star cast in the feature-film adaptation of the beloved musical that has been seen by more than 30 million people in 160 cities and 8 languages around the world. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Oscar-winner, monster and witty ditties Apr 11, 2008
The ``blood'' in the title of writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson's mesmerizing tale (a loose adaptation of Upton Sinclair's novel ``Oil. refers not only to the violence Plainview will ultimately bring about, but also various other essences, including the ``blood of the Lamb'' spoken about in church, the blood ties that hold even most dysfunctional families together, and the thick, black blood of the Earth, the oil that Plainview covets. (Kalamazoo Gazette, MI)
DVD reviews: 'Will Be Blood,' 'Walk Hard' Apr 11, 2008
Sense & Sensibility Days after its PBS premiere, the latest Jane Austen adaptation comes to DVD. The miniseries stars Hattie Morahan as Austens prudent lady and Charity Wakefield as her starry-eyed sister as they maneuver the complications of romance and society in staid Britain. The two-disc set includes the BBC special Miss Austen Regrets, commentary and interviews with cast and crew. (MSNBC -- Movies)
IMMIGRANT MATTERS Apr 10, 2008
Streep was the best thing in the fraudulent The Hours, unexpectedly funny and credible in Adaptation, dauntingly fierce in The Manchurian Candidate, authentically officious in Rendition, dazzling and heartfelt in A Prairie Home Companion. Her two most unusual roles are a sell-out journalist in Lions for Lambs and now as a dissembling patroness in Dark Matter. (New York Press)
De Niro, Barrymore top 'Fine' cast Apr 9, 2008
In February, Miramax agreed to team with Pathe on "Cheri," an adaptation of the 1920s novel by French author Colette that reteams "Dangerous Liaisons" star Michelle Pfeiffer, director Stephen Frears and screenwriter Christopher Hampton. Barrymore will next be seen in "He's Just Not That Into You" and "Grey Gardens"; Beckinsale in "Nothing But the Truth," "Winged Creatures" and "Whiteout"; and Rockwell in "Frost/Nixon." Special Report. (Variety)
Mirren set for role as Mrs Tolstoy Apr 2, 2008
The movie will be directed by Michael Hoffman, who previously shot the 1999 film adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream and the 1995 costume drama Restoration. The production is an adaptation of the eponymous 1990 book by Jay Parini and begins filming in Germany next week ... Mirren, who is of Russian descent, recently completed production on State of Play, the Hollywood adaptation of the hit BBC TV series, in which she took the role of the tough newspaper editor, portrayed by... (Guardian Unlimited -- Film)
Oscar Winners from the Late 1970s Mar 28, 2008
Funny and sad by turns, the film doesn t always fire on all cylinders, but still became the first movie since It Happened One Night (1935) to win all five major Oscars best picture, lead actor and actress (Nicholson and Fletcher), best director (Milos Forman), and best screen adaptation. 1976 Best Picture: Rocky. (Suite101.com)
UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT TRAILER FOR 'MAMMA MIA!' Mar 18, 2008
About "MAMMA MIA!" Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast in the feature-film adaptation of the beloved musical that has been seen by more than 30 million people in 160 cities and 8 languages around the world. Bringing the timeless lyrics and melodies of iconic super group ABBA to movie audiences, Summer 2008 is the season for "Mamma Mia!" The three women who created the worldwide smash stage hit -- global producer Judy Craymer, writer Catherine Johnson and director Phyllida Lloyd -- repeat their... (PR Newswire)
Coens and Keira line up for Oscars 2009 Mar 7, 2008
Other heavyweights expected to be ready in time are Ron Howard's stage adaptation Frost/Nixon with Martin Sheen and Frank Langella, Baz Lurhmann's sweeping epic Australia with Nicole Kidman and High Jackman, a lavish big-screen treatment of Brideshead Revisited and biographies on the political figures Harvey Milk and Che Guevara. Video. (Guardian Unlimited -- Film)
Rising star Amy Adams' career seems enchanted Mar 5, 2008
It's an adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. This month, she starts shooting her second Streep project, the food flick Julie & Julia. (USA Today -- Life)
Viggo Mortensen Feb 22, 2008
A slight, thoughtful presence, he's bearded in preparation for his role in The Road, an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic novel, co-starring Charlize Theron; he has just completed Ed Harris's western Appaloosa, and Good, from the CP Taylor play set in 1930s Germany. Mortensen was 43 when he landed the role of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, ending a long stint on the supporting actors' bench (The Indian Runner, Carlito's Way, Portrait of a Lady), but his choices since then -... (Guardian Unlimited)
DAY LEWIS WINS THE BRITS... Feb 11, 2008
Despite Atonement stars McAvoy and Miss Knightley both coming away empty-handed, the adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel did win best film. Atonement picked up only one other award - for production design - a disappointment for the team behind the movie which had received 14 Bafta nominations. (The Drudge Report)
Next year's contenders Feb 9, 2008
"Road" is only one of several Rudin productions slated for 2008 release: Others include the Weinstein Co.'s "The Reader," which reteams Rudin with "The Hours" helmer Stephen Daldry and scribe David Hare; and Miramax's adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer- and Tony-winning "Doubt" with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Two thesps who drew early kudos buzz this season seem like possible contenders for next year's actor race: Benicio Del Toro as Che Guevara in "The Argentine," the... (Variety)
Granite Theatre audition on short list of writer's theatrical experiences Jan 29, 2008
My only acting experience was being the star in the 6th grade adaptation of Androcles and the Lion. I walked into the theatre and promptly walked right back out. (Westerly Sun, RI)
Movie musicals rule again Jan 24, 2008
Most of us know of the 1958 film adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein South Pacific musical based on James A. Micheners Tales of the South Pacific. The film starred Rossano Brazzi and Mitzi Gaynor in leading roles, with Juanita Hall as Bloody Mary, a role Hall had played in the original stage production. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Meet the Oscar nominees Jan 24, 2008
Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried star in the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical that features ABBA songs. Coming July 2008. (MSNBC -- Movies)
Hit me with your best shots Dec 30, 2007
Julian Schnabel's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, a hit in Cannes this year, is released on the 14th; hardly a great date movie for Valentine's Day, it is nevertheless a brilliant adaptation of French Vogue editor Jean-Dominique Bauby's account of his own confinement after a stroke ... The Baader-Meinhof Complex, Uli Idel's adaptation of Stefan Aust's account of the '70s terrorist gang, is a lonely example later in the year. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
What lies beneath Dec 30, 2007
Armistead Maupin, the San Francisco-based author who was instrumental in getting Linney cast as the jumpy ingenue Mary Ann Singleton in the 1993 television adaptation of his urban saga, Tales of the City, and who now counts the actress as a close personal friend, says this may be Linney's southern side coming out. Laura grew up in New York, but she was raised by southerners, so she has that gentility and courtesy that often comes with a southern upbringing,' Maupin tells me over the phone. (Guardian Unlimited)
Hollywood lines up Euro feast Dec 22, 2007
But negative writeups La Repubblica called it a multinational mess arent expected to yield lovely returns for the Mike Newell-helmed Gabriel Garcia Marquez adaptation. Hollywood stars play prominently in Italys Christmas arthouse offerings. (Variety)
5Top: Memorable Nicolas Cage films Dec 18, 2007
Adaptation (2002) ... Nominated for three Oscars Cage, Streep, Kaufman plus a win for Chris Cooper, Adaptation is a thinking mans movie and the kind that make for some longwinded post-viewing discussion. (MSNBC -- News)
Amy's fairytale of New York Nov 18, 2007
Her next role is playing opposite Meryl Streep in Doubt, John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which goes into production next month. No shortage of juicy roles there, but 'I've yet to bring my true character completely to a part. (The Observer)
'Lions' struggles against Euro critics Nov 10, 2007
Studio Hamburgs modern-day, English-language adaptation of the classic kid detective book series by Robert Arthur, Jr., The Three Investigators boasts a built-in audience as Three Investigator audio books remain wildly popular in Germany; pic goes out via Disney. A slew of broadly aimed titles are again crowding the field in Germany and questing for a slice of the box office pie. (Variety)
Studios bank on original films for the holidays Nov 9, 2007
It will be matched against Disney's "Enchanted," a mix of animation with live action where fantasy collides with the real world, and "His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass" from Time Warner's New Line unit, an adaptation of the first of three fantasy novels in the vein of the studio's own "Lord of the Rings." ... Meantime, Paramount and DreamWorks are releasing "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Reportedly a rather bloody adaptation of the hit musical, "Todd" features Johnny Depp... (Seacoast New Hampshire)
Bouillabaisse? Its mere Childs play for Oscar-winner Meryl Nov 4, 2007
Streep will co-star as the PBS kitchen magician in Nora Ephron s film adaptation of Powell s best-selling book. Amy Adams of Catch Me If You Can fame will portray Powell, a government drone who made it her mission to prepare all 524 recipes in Child s 1961 food bible in the span of one year, in a broken-down, ill-equipped Big Apple apartment kitchen. (Boston Herald)
Hollywood's holidays Oct 31, 2007
With frequent collaborator Johnny Depp in the title role, Burton finally succeeds with an adaptation of the musical about the murderous 18th century Londoner who turns his barber business into a shop of horrors ... Also on the crime front is "Hitman," with Timothy Olyphant starring as a genetically engineered assassin in an adaptation of the video game, and Woody Allen's "Cassandra's Dream," the filmmaker's third-straight tale set in England ... Javier Bardem, Catalina Sandino Moreno and... (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
Adapting literary classics can be risky Oct 26, 2007
In fact, adaptations have gotten so commonplace that often no one really remembers the source material ... I understand why adaptations are made, I really do ... But then again, there are also the prestige literary adaptations, movies that live and die on the success of the novels they re based on. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Ben Affleck wins with directorial debut Oct 18, 2007
Following his acting prize from the Venice Film Festival last year for his rueful turn as George Reeves in Hollywoodland, he makes his directorial debut with an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's Gone Baby Gone, the story of a Boston private investigator involved in a child abduction case. Affleck, playing it very cagey on his first film, follows Clint Eastwood's template for translating Lehane to the screen: do a fairly close adaptation, shoot it in Boston and use Morgan Freeman. (Now Toronto)
London Film Festival Oct 16, 2007
Film Festival News, Reviews, Photos and Videos by Variety. FEATURES London fest welcomes suits, civilians Event courts industry honchos, local film fans By Posted: Wed. (Variety)
Queen of accents Oct 13, 2007
New York literati: The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Adaptation (2002). Queenly ant: The Ant Bully (2006). (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Film: The Nanny Diaries Oct 1, 2007
The movie adaptation changes a few details about Nanny. She's now a graduate, rather than a student, and she's called Annie Braddock. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
