'Twilight' Takes A Big Bite Out Of The Box Office With Record-Breaking Opening Weekend Nov 24, 2008
The "Twilight" opening is one of the most successful ever recorded for an independent film. The film's average Cinema Score grade was "A-." The audience skewed 75 percent female, and 55 percent of the moviegoers were under the age of 25. (VHI.com -- Music News)
Records set as folk escape 2 movies Nov 19, 2008
"I just hope it doesn't affect things in a way where the direction of movies becomes what has happened lately -- where these bigger films drive everything, and the independent film world is trying to find its way," he said. "It doesn't seem like it's going to be positive for the film industry in that way, in the same way it's not going to be positive for anybody until we get through this time.". (The Australian)
`Madagascar' sequel leads the pack with $63.1M Nov 11, 2008
Movie Showtimes: Browse by location: (Zip Code). POSTED: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 7:45 AM CST Ap. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Pop Tarts: McCain-Lovin' Heidi Montag Buys 'Obama' Themed Portrait Mocking Her Breasts Oct 31, 2008
"Sarah Palin will do well. She is such a strong, independent woman. I'm her biggest fan.". Also spotted at the soiree was the likes of Taryn Manning, Jesse Metcalf, Bobby Trendy, Alexis Arquette and some F-list reality TV peeps. (Fox News)
Dailymotion and Warner Bros. Television Group Bring 'jPod' to Life on the Web Oct 8, 2008
--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dailymotion, the worlds largest independent video entertainment website, and the Warner Bros ... A top 50 website worldwide, Dailymotion is the world's largest independent video entertainment website and the second largest video website overall (source: comScore, June 2008). (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Dailymotion and Warner Bros. Television Group Bring 'Jpod' to Life on the Web Oct 7, 2008
(PRWEB) October 7, 2008 -- Dailymotion, the world's largest independent video entertainment website, and the Warner Bros ... A top 50 website worldwide, Dailymotion is the world's largest independent video entertainment website and the second largest video website overall (source: comScore, June 2008). (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
Independent.co.uk Web Sep 21, 2008
Tropic Thunder (15) - Film Reviews, Film The Independent ... from The Independent & The Independent on Sunday. (Independent)
'Thunder' rumbles past 'Knight' Aug 18, 2008
New Line, Warner Independent and Picturehouse are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a consortium of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Sony Corp., Comcast Corp., DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Quadrangle Group; Lionsgate is owned by Lionsgate Entertainment Corp.; IFC Films is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.. 2008 The Associated Press. (The Palm Beach Post)
Dreamgirls Wins Big at the Golden Globes Aug 18, 2008
Then she tops it all off with a smart plea to pretty please have independent films played on more screens throughout the country. Is there a classier woman in Hollywood. (Yahoo News -- Golden Globe Awards)
Danny McBride is in the 'Express' lane to fame Aug 15, 2008
"We were so excited," McBride says of his trip to the festival that celebrates independent film. "We got all this free (stuff) but left without a deal and went back to our jobs. But Foot Fist was being passed around town, and we didn't even realize how much it was being passed around until we started getting calls.". (USA Today)
Protesters decry "Tropic Thunder" in Vermont Aug 14, 2008
Deborah Lisi-Baker, executive director of the Vermont Center for Independent Living, says Vermonters should boycott the movie because of its depiction of "Simple Jack," a Ben Stiller character who's called a retard, a moron and an imbecile by others. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. (WCAX.com, VT)
August Delivers Good Movies for a C... Aug 2, 2008
Then add each of their independent offshoots, as well as any actual independent production and distribution companies. Combine all these, and the final tally for movies each year goes well over 200 films. (Suite101.com)
Revealed: best paid stars Jul 25, 2008
Depp (45), who straddles both commercial movies including the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series and more challenging, independent roles, earned $72-million in same period. Director Tim Burton's favorite actor, Depp was also nominated to the 2007 Oscars for his starring role in 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. (iAfrica.com)
`Step Brothers' Ferrell, Reilly reunite as duo Jul 24, 2008
Step Brothers' Ferrell, Reilly reunite as duo. In this Sept. 7, 1976 file photo, entertainers Dean Martin, left, and Jerry Lewis appear together on Lewis's annual telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Las Vegas, Nev. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
Simple decision - Bring Favre back to Pack Jul 7, 2008
This website is an unofficial and independent source of news and information, and is not affiliated with any school, team or league. (PackerReport.com)
Viagra introduces its latest celebrity backer: the devil Jul 2, 2008
from The Independent & The Independent on Sunday. Wednesday, 2 July 2008. (Yahoo News -- Men's Health)
Dramatic pause Jun 28, 2008
Hollywood production is expected to stop altogether next week with only a few independent projects continuing because they have been given special permission by the union. Tom Hanks is lending his support to the AFTRA contract deal. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Summer season savers May 23, 2008
"The Animation Show 4" ---- All-new collection of independent animated shorts. June 20. (North County Times)
Reel Summer Fun May 11, 2008
From early May to mid-August, you can pretty much count on the following every week: (1) One hugely expensive event movie, which is either a sequel in itself or is designed to spawn sequels; (2) Several comparatively cheap genre pictures - usually horror movies or romantic comedies or dramas with Morgan Freeman; (3) A gutsy little independent film with a flashy premise that mainstream audiences might find some interest in ... Following is our summer preview, with movies broken into three... (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Stars and their silent partners Apr 12, 2008
"I was an independent producer for 15 years, and it's much easier having Ben Stiller as a partner." ... "A lot of people take on deals off the heat of film. They get supported by a studio. But in a lot of cases, nothing happens. We talked about that when we first started. We went independent for a very long time.". (Variety)
Newest "Indiana Jones" being filmed on Big Island (1) Apr 8, 2008
Helena Independent Record; a division of Lee Enterprises Copyright. 2007 Associated Press. (Helena Independent Record)
Industry Buzz Mar 30, 2008
Four years ago, Nicholson turned to the classic Cinemascope format to shoot "Shotgun Stories." The Arkansas revenge saga about feuding half brothers earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination after winning the Seattle International Film Festival's New American Cinema Award and grabbing the opening slot at this year's San Francisco Independent Film Festival. It opens Friday in the Bay Area. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
In 'Drillbit Taylor,'a collection of second-hand gags falls flat Mar 28, 2008
Video Mark Simon looks at the independent films on show at the 2008 Forum. A.O. Scott reviews 'Fool's Gold' starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Accountants in the movies. By Rob Lewis Mar 5, 2008
The Accountant (2001)This comedy short by independent writer and director Ray Kinnon actually won an Oscar, as well as being voted top movie in three different film festivals. McKinnon also stars as the heavy-drinking, paranoid accountant who is summoned to a Georgia farm to keep the bailiffs away. (Accounting Web, UK)
Walken in to claim his pudding pot Feb 16, 2008
"C'mon -- those bears! They are really good.''Lining up for AIDS relief Bobby Shriver spent Valentine's Day raising some serious dough for AIDS relief in Africa. The oldest child of Eunice Kennedy and Sargent Shriver was in New York for the Product (RED) auction at Sotheby's. The event, which raised more than $40 million, attracted an A-list crowd that included Bono, Jordan's Queen Noor, Michael Stipe, Dennis Hopper, Martha Stewart, Christy Turlington, Brian Williams, and Anna Wintour. (A piece... (Boston Globe)
Michelle Williams: My heart is broken over Heath Ledger Feb 2, 2008
"All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day. His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals and takes steps two at a time and we know that he is with us still. She will be brought up with the best memories of him.'' Ledger, 28, and Williams lived together in New York and there was speculation they planned to marry, although they never officially confirmed an engagement. Ledger was found dead in his bed on January 22 in his New York... (NEWS.com.au)
Get animated over '08 media predictions with our contest Jan 2, 2008
New Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes will recycle his cable division into an independent unit. Rupert Murdoch will save trees by making The Wall Street Journal free online. (USA Today -- Money)
2007: The year of big-star movie flops Dec 28, 2007
Most if not all of these projects probably looked great on paper, and many awful movies made a fortune this year (Spider-Man 3, for instance, raked in $337 million) while lots of deserving and delightful films were left hoping for an audience on DVD. (And lets not even talk about the dozens of great foreign and independent titles that barely get seen in New York or Los Angeles and are lucky to even snag playdates anywhere in between. . (MSNBC -- News)
Gus Van Sant to Direct Sean Penn as Harvey Milk; Focus Features to Distribute Milk Worldwide; Nov 17, 2007
Gus Van Sant has directed such films as Mala Noche (a restored version of which was re-released earlier this year), Drugstore Cowboy (which won Best Film and Best Director from the National Society of Film Critics), My Own Private Idaho (which earned him an Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay), To Die For (for which Nicole Kidman won a Golden Globe Award), Good Will Hunting (for which he received a Best Director Oscar nomination), Finding Forrester (which was honored at the 2001 Berlin... (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
'Lions' struggles against Euro critics Nov 10, 2007
Liberal Hollywood sends its big guns into the war on terror and winds up in a dreadful mess, wrote Anthony Quinn in the Independent. The Guardian reviewer Peter Bradshaw described it as dull, inert, schoolteacherly, desperately self-conscious. (Variety)
Does star power equal box office? Oct 20, 2007
Actors weren't simply independent contractors; they were cogs in the giant dream factory. Today there's no such support system. (Variety)
Curtain rises Friday on 4th annual International Film Festival Oct 11, 2007
From shorts to full-length award-winning documentaries and American Independent films, this year's Festival is jam-packed with drama, laughter and inspiration ... he Gymnast won the Cleveland International Film Festival's Best American Independent Film and awards at the Durango and Sana Fe film festivals and L.A. Outfest ... This is another example of a great low-budget American Independent Film. (Mount Shasta News, CA)
Game Plan' repeats as box-office champ with $16.6 million Oct 10, 2007
In the Valley of Elah,'' Warner Independent, 1,338,190, 978 locations, 1,368 average, 5,354,603, four weeks. 16. (Rensselaer Republican, IN)
'Game Plan' still a box office winner Oct 8, 2007
Warner Independent added 216 theaters for In the Valley of Elah in its fourth weekend. Iraq war drama grossed $1. (Variety)
The Heartbreak Kid returns-without the poignancy Oct 6, 2007
The Independent 2007 ... The Independent, covering Columbia and southern Rensselaer counties in New York State. (Hillsdale Independent, NY)
Beyond the Multiplex Oct 5, 2007
I count 12 more-or-less new independent films reaching audiences this week, and that's not counting some intriguing mainstream fare (like George Clooney's star turn in "Michael Clayton"), the launch of a New York on the terrific French director Arnaud Desplechin and the films that inspired him, or the outstanding array of premieres on offer at the Of course I'm not confident that I've made the right choices of what to cover and what to skip; making any choices in the face of this onslaught feels... (Salon)
Ben Stiller's choice in the 'Heartbreak Kid' Oct 1, 2007
" Monaghan is busy enough to prove that her pixie-ish good looks don't define her range. Besides "Heartbreak Kid," she'll also be seen this fall in Ben Affleck's directorial debut, the decidedly downbeat "Gone Baby Gone," as a pragmatic private-eye sidekick to Casey Affleck. She's also just finished producing her first film, an independent called "Trucker," which required her to get a license to drive 18-wheel tractor-trailers in order to play the lead role. "Producing is definitely something I... (New York Daily News)
'Enthusiasm' uncurbed Sep 25, 2007
"I always knew she was strong-willed and we are very proud of her. She's always been an independent person," she said. Mrs. Fairchild said that, when Laura would frequently call home to say hello, she and her husband would remind her that she was welcome back anytime. (Scranton Times, PA)
Film Festival does more than show films Sep 21, 2007
The Festival, founded and directed by Jeffrey Winters, has always been a jam-packed three days that features great American Independent films, award winning foreign features, documentaries and much more for anyone who wants to look more closely at the art of filmmaking itself. Q sions with filmmakers will again be held after some showings this year, and a free filmmaking seminar will feature director Jerry Alden Deal, who recently concluded shooting a feature film on Mt. Shasta and at other... (Mount Shasta News, CA)
Heartbreak Kid Sep 10, 2007
Hunt is on for festival gems Deals rolling at film festival Sayles' film kicks off Independent Film Week Film unit nabs North American rights Advertisement. 2007 , a division of All rights reserved. (Variety)
Television movies for the week of Sept. 2 Sep 2, 2007
In turn-of-the-century Australia, an independent woman tries to make a career as a writer despite pressures to marry. (G) (1:45) TMC: Mon. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Skating on thin ice Jun 23, 2007
Heder, who is most widely recognised for his critically acclaimed role in the independent hit Napoleon Dynamite, acknowledges the quirky character has a cult following, but says he loves that. "It's cool when you have fans because that means that people enjoyed the movie," says the father-of-one. (Daily Telegraph)
New 'Nancy' Drew anything but clueless Jun 14, 2007
"Self-destructive characters are always being romanticized, but you can be a well-behaved, intelligent, independent person and be happy. We could have said, 'Let's sex her up,' and people might have gone along with that. But that's not what's interesting.". Though Roberts is 16, the PG-rated movie aims at a younger audience probably not older than 13. (USA Today)
More of this story May 4, 2007
Kauai will again reprise its role as a verdant Vietnam, a part it has played in such films as Flight of the Intruder, Uncommon Valor and the 2003 independent film Missing Brendan. Stiller, who owns a home on Kauai and married actress Christine Taylor on the North Shore in 2000, is set to direct. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
300 battles Pirates at MTV Awards May 2, 2007
Silverman, famous for her irreverent style, hosted the Independent Spirit Awards earlier this year. Pirates stars Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley are both nominated in the best performance category, vying against 300's Gerard Butler, Will Smith for his role in The Pursuit of Happyness and Dreamgirls' Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Nickelodeon pours it on for Kids' Choice Awards Apr 3, 2007
One hope at the kids' channel is "The Naked Brothers Band," which began as an independent 2005 mockumentary but caught the eye of Nickelodeon and was launched as a series in February. The show is saucy (but not as saucy as its title suggests), which fits the ethos of Nickelodeon. (Orlando Sentinel)
Coming attractions: NYC's spidey sense is tingling Mar 30, 2007
Taylor's acting career has focused largely on theater and independent films. Her last extensive TV work was on HBO's Six Feet Under, playing the wife of Peter Krause's Nate Fisher. (USA Today -- Life)
Groundswell breaks new ground Mar 30, 2007
London, who founded the independent production and financing company in February 2006 with $55 million in equity funding, also announced additions to his executive team, including chief financial officer Peter Herzig and exec VP of production Cotty Chubb ... Groundswell's original equity partners, Lexington Film Funding and Crescendo Independent Film Fund, have transferred their interest into the new entity ... While he'll partner with studio specialty divisions on a case-by-case basis, he's... (Variety)
MRB Hits Grand Slam at Sports Emmys Mar 28, 2007
MRB Productions was launched in 2001 by Emmy Award winning Matthew Brady and specializes in commercials, television & independent features. MRB's award winning team of directors consists of: Mark Teitelman, Rico Labbe, Branson Veal, Michael Wang, Brian O'Connell, Gary Califano, and Jeremy Haft. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Mission Improbable: Tom Cruise as Mogul Mar 4, 2007
All of them experienced mixed results as they ran up against the brutal economics of a hit-and-miss industry in which independents often lack the size needed to overcome the financial vagaries of filmmaking ... For actors like Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, that has meant deals as independent producers that give them a stronger hand in developing their pet projects and bestow production fees and credits on them ... The venture made him a tidy fortune, an... (Shoals TimesDaily)
Interview : Gaspard Ulliel Feb 9, 2007
There seems to be the big budget films and the very small independent films and nothing in between. Its hard to make something somewhere in between. (Moviehole)
Spielberg not entirely happy with PARAMOUNT-DREAMWORKS deal... Developing... Feb 5, 2007
Ms. Snider said she was concerned that the wording diminished both her status and the perception of DreamWorks as an independent home for filmmakers. There is no doubt when the press release went out, I was upset by it, she said. (The Drudge Report)
Critic's Choices Jan 21, 2007
She has appeared on The Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon and ABC's, "Good Morning America." White also played a role in "The Independent," a film starring Jerry Stiller and Janeane Garofalo. Along with White, eight comedians will be competing for the top three places which will be decided by celebrity judges. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Dreamgirls Wins Big at the Golden Globes Jan 17, 2007
Then she tops it all off with a smart plea to pretty please have independent films played on more screens throughout the country. Is there a classier woman in Hollywood. (Yahoo News -- Golden Globe Awards)
