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'Labor Day' movie due on Christmas

Written by Barbara Vancheri on .

bookcoverbvParamount Pictures has announced a limited Christmas Day release for Jason Reitman’s “Labor Day.” 
 
It’s based on a Joyce Maynard novel and stars Tobey Maguire, Clark Gregg, Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, James Van Der Beek and others. 
 
The novel tells the story of an alienated 13-year-old boy, his lonely mother and the stranger who comes into the lives one Labor Day weekend. (You can find the book in paperback if you'd like to read it before the movie comes out.)
 
Reitman was Oscar-nominated for "Juno" and "Up in the Air," both excellent movies. 

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AFI to honor Mel Brooks with lifetime award

Written by Barbara Vancheri on .

 
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MARTIN SCORSESE TO PRESENT MEL BROOKS WITH AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
 
Martin Scorsese will present Mel Brooks with the American Film Institute’s 41st Life Achievement Award. 
 
The private black tie gala will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on June 6 and will air on TNT Saturday, June 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT and as part of an all-night tribute to Brooks on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Sunday, July 24, at 8 p.m. ET.  
 
Brooks will be recognized for his range of mastery as a director, producer, writer, actor and composer.
 
 “For over 50 years, Mel Brooks has given the world its greatest gift — laughter,” said Sir Howard Stringer, chair of the AFI Board of Trustees.  “At the American Film Institute, we also want to shine a proper light on his contributions to the art form as writer, producer, director and actor — and who better to bestow this honor than one of the masters of American film, Martin Scorsese.”
 
In addition to airing the AFI Life Achievement Award special, TCM’s July 14 celebration of Mel Brooks will include two of his classic films: the rarely shown “The Twelve Chairs”  (1970), making its TCM debut, and “The Producers” (1968), the wild comedy that earned Brooks an Oscar for best original screenplay.  
 
Also included with TCM’s presentation will be classic interviews with Brooks by Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett.
 
 Proceeds from the AFI Life Achievement Award gala event directly support the Institute’s national education programs and the preservation of American film history. 
 
 
 
 

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Star Trek Into Darkness tops $84 million in North America

Written by Barbara Vancheri on .

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Note:  The following was updated at 1:50 to reflect new numbers from Hollywood.com. 
 
There was little doubt that “Star Trek Into Darkness” would be No. 1 at the box office. The question was how much money would it gross in North America?
 
trekblog2And the answer is:  $84,091,000 since opening day and $70,555,000 for Friday through Sunday. 
 
“Star Trek Into Darkness” is J.J. Abrams’ sequel to his 2009 relaunch starring, among others, former Pittsburgher Zachary Quinto as Spock, Chris Pine as Kirk, Zoe Saldana as Uhura and Benedict Cumberbatch as the villainous John Harrison.
 
Here are the early estimates from Hollywood.com with final numbers due Monday as usual: 
 
1. “Star Trek Into Darkness” — $70,555,000, with $84,091,000 since its Wednesday IMAX release. 
 
2. “Iron Man 3” — $35,182,000, bringing its North American total to $337,073,000 and more than $1 billion internationally. 
 
 
3. “The Great Gatsby” — $23,415,000, for $90,159,000 to date. 
 
4.  “Pain and Gain” — $3,100,000, for $46,574,000 since release.
 
5. “The Croods” — $2,750,000, bringing its total to $176,750,183.
 
6. “42” — $2,730,000, for $88,735,000 so far. 
 
7. “Oblivion” — $2,222,390, or $85,473,350 to date. 
 
8. “Mud” — $2,160,285 from 960 screens, for $11,587,710 so far. 
 
9. “Tyler Perry Presents Peeples” — $2,150,000, or $7,857,777  in two weekends of release. 
 
10. “The Big Wedding” — $1,100,000, or $20,197,984)  in four weeks.

 

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Hunger Games: Catching Fire cast at Cannes

Written by Barbara Vancheri on .

 
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From the Associated Press: 
 
By Jake Coyle
AP Entertainment Writer 
 
CANNES, France (AP) — Little could lessen the fever-pitched excitement for “Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” but heavy rain nevertheless dampened the film’s lavish Cannes party.
 
Stars of the “Hunger Games” sequel, Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Sam Clafin, arrived Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival. “Catching Fire,” perhaps more than any other film not actually screening at Cannes, is seeking to use the festival’s global platform to promote the highly anticipated sequel.
 
Digital flame billboards have constantly burned by the Majestic Barriere hotel. The cast posed for photographers Saturday. And in the evening, Lionsgate held a lavish soiree beside the beach on the Croisette, complete with flowing liquid chocolate and parading models dressed in the film’s ornate costumes.
 
But a planned stunt at the party to promote the film was scuttled due to the poor weather that has plagued the first five days of the French Riviera festival. Lawrence made an enthusiastic appearance, but later fled, grimacing — like other guests — at the cold raindrops.
 
“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” will be released in late November.
 
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Top photo:  From left, actors Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Sam Claflin in Cannes on Saturday. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP)
 
Bottom photo: Actress Jennifer Lawrence poses for photographers as she arrives for the screening of the film “Jimmy P." at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Saturday. (AP Photo/Lionel Cirroneau)

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Tease of Friday Zach Quinto chat

Written by Barbara Vancheri on .

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I spent time on the phone recently with Zachary Quinto talking about “Star Trek Into Darkness” and you can find my story in Friday’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (online or old-fashioned way in the paper).
 
Here are some tidbits I couldn’t squeeze into the piece: 
 
PRESSURE OF SUMMER EXPECTATIONS:  “I feel it in as much as I want the movie to do well. And I’m proud of it and I’m so grateful that I have an opportunity to work at this level and I want that to continue. 
 
“I’m certainly aware of the movies coming out and the strategy that studios employ. I imagine I’m probably more aware of it because of my other nature as a producer but, yeah, I want the movie to do well and I want people to go see it, but I want them to go see it and I want it to do well because it’s good.”
 
He said the “Star Trek” cast had been met with enthusiasm and support as it literally traveled the world “and, hopefully, that will translate into a successful performance at the box office.” 
 
secondzachWHAT HE LEARNED FROM DIRECTOR J.J. ABRAMS:  “I would say primarily that it’s always possible to maintain a level of respect and equanimity and humor, even in very stressful situations which could — under different situations —  be very overwhelming. 
 
“I’ve never known somebody to operate on so many levels with such a sense of ease and good nature. And I’ve also learned that it’s important to surround yourself with people that you trust and although the decisions in every case end up coming back to J.J., what makes him so unique and so legendary in his own time, I believe, is that he understands that he needs to be advised and guided by people who are also at the top of their game. 
 
“So anybody who is on one of his sets really is able to contribute and he’s so collaborative that it’s inspiring on many levels.”
 
HIS HAIR:   Spock’s bangs are more high-maintenance than Michelle Obama’s so maybe it’s no surprise that the Pittsburgh native took the opportunity to change up his look while touring the world for “Star Trek Into Darkness.” 
 
“I’ve had a couple of haircuts, actually, while traveling around. I love to take this opportunity to change up my look and experiment with different versions of style, and when I’m on a trip like this, I have the luxury of doing this.” 
 
ON HOW BEING A PRODUCER HAS CHANGED HOW HE VIEWS HIS JOB:  “On some levels, I’ve learned things as a producer that no actor should ever have to know. It’s been interesting to navigate those roads and I’ve really had to cultivate a series of boundaries that allow me to protect myself from some of that stuff.
 
“Just in terms of the way actors can be talked about and the way that ‘value’ (quote-unquote) of actors plays into the ability to get movies made and the ability to tell stories and it can be very ugly, actually, and so I’ve really worked to make sure that I preserve my own experience as an actor and I don’t corrupt my vision what it means to pursue my career as an actor and because of sides of the business that I’ve seen that I wouldn’t see if I wasn’t a producer. 
 
“But I do have more of an understanding of what it takes to get movies made and certainly a movie of this size and this budget, I realize that more money doesn’t necessarily mean more freedom and so I do think I have a little bit more of an innate understanding and awareness of where I fit in to the overall picture.”

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