There's no script, Michael Bay has not signed on to direct, nor has Shia LaBeouf inked a deal to star, but Paramount and DreamWorks have a release date for TRANSFORMERS 2. Hoping to sign the director and star, as well as lock down a script, soon, the studios is eying June 26, 2009 as the release date for the sequel to this summer's blockbuster.
Having missed THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY in the theaters, I recently caught it on DVD, finding it to be one of the best films of 2007. The Cannes Film Festival winner from director Ken Loach deals with the Irish Republican Army's rebellion against the British in the 1920s and the subsequent civil war. Wanting to encourage people to see the film, I felt it was a good idea to build this week's lineup around the film. So I picked four additional films that feature the IRA. Some deal with the freedom fighters/terrorist (depends on your point of view) more directly, however all five films are fascinating tales.
Because it is the most historical of the films, I've chosen THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY as the film to kick off This Weekend's Film Festival. Cillian Murphy stars as a young doctor who reluctantly joins the IRA, eventually becoming one of its strident leaders. The film is clearly from the Irish point of view, painting out the British as vicious oppressors. However, what's new is the depiction of the civil war between the supporters and opponents of the treaty with the British. Pitting Murphy's Damien against his own brother, the film illustrates powerfully the divisions that split the Irish, leading to the formation of the IRA that most people know today. Within the personal stories of the characters, this tale of war takes on Greek proportions. To paraphrase my original review, the filmmakers are smart enough to present the complex questions and allow the audience to form their own answers.
I remember the reaction to this shocking film when it first came out. It became a lightning rod for debate. The big secret has become common knowledge, however I will still avoid revealing it in this review. After 15 years since its release, there are younger viewers who may still be innocent in their film history to not know the twist. Having not seen the film until after learning the secret, the impact of the film wasn't ruined, however I can only imagine the shock for those lucky enough to go into the film unaware. I wouldn't want to ruin that for anyone, because the twist is amazingly handled and can only add to the freshness of the first experience if unknown.
The story begins as British soldier Jody (Forest Whitaker, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) is lured into a kidnapping trap by IRA member Jude (Miranda Richardson, SPIDER). The IRA wants to trade Jody for one of their members who is under interrogation. Fergus (Stephen Rea, MICHAEL COLLINS), a humane IRA soldier, is assigned to watch Jody and over a few days the two men develop a friendship. Jody asks Fergus to visit his girl Dil (Jaye Davidson, STARGATE) in London if he is eventually killed. This opening sequence concludes in a very unexpected and ironic way. Following this, Fergus ends up in London going by the name Jimmy. He finds Dil, who works as a hairdresser by day and a singer in a pub at night. Fergus/Jimmy protects her from an abusive boyfriend, soon developing a romantic relationship with her. His secret of kidnapping Jody weighs on his soul, but he will find out that Dil has her own secrets as well. Fergus/Jimmy wants to protect Dil, but his violent past will come back to haunt him.
SCENE Film & Media is hosting an afterwork networking mixer for New York's media, arts and entertainment world. The event brings together professionals from New York's media, arts and entertainment industries for a night of drinks, hors d'oeuvres, networking and conversation, beginning at 6:30 pm. It will take place at Alibi, 116 Macdougal Street, New York, New York. Complimentary appetizers will also be provided. Registration required. Register at scenemixer.eventbrite.com.
The Great Lakes Independent Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing independent films in the digital medium, exploring the hybrid of filmmaking in the digital age. From the feature narrative genre to documentary, animation and experimental "film," the festival celebrates the film arts in dynamic transition.
35th Annual Annie AwardsGlendale, California, USAFeb. 8, 2008Deadline: Oct. 5, 2007
Honoring outstanding achievements and excellence in the field of animation, awards will be presented in twenty-three categories, including best animated feature, home entertainment, short subject, television production, television commercial and videogame, as well as individual excellence in areas ranging from production design, character animation, character design, and effects animation to storyboarding, writing, directing, music, and voice acting.
Webby Awards 2008New York, New York, USAJune 2008Deadline: Oct. 26, 2007
The Webby Film and Video Awards, the leading international honors for original film and video premiering on the Internet, has added 19 new categories, including Music, Sports, Technology, and Travel, as well as new technical categories recognizing excellence in editing, sound design, writing and use of animation.
2nd Annual Aniboom Awards World Wide WebJan. 15, 2008Deadline: Dec. 31, 2007
Aniboom (www.aniboom.com), the premier multi-platform animation network that partners with untapped animation talent from around the world to create independent animated content for global distribution, is holding its 2007 Aniboom Awards.
Bruce Shutan reports on how Beatles musical, Across the Universe, proved a psychedelic challenge for vfx artist Peter Crosman.
On the back of Buena Vista's investment in an all new TUROK videogame, Turok Prods. has completed an all-new TUROK animated feature titled TUROK: SON OF STONE. The Weinstein Company presentation will be released domestically by the company's subsidiary Genius Products. Gold Key, the games division of Classic Media, and home of properties such as MAGNUS ROBOT FIGHTER, DOCTOR SOLAR and M.A.R.S, will be selling the film at this year's American Film Market (AFM).
Corus Entertainment's 24/7 preschool channel Treehouse will no longer be the only network of its kind in Canada when Astral Media's Family Channel launches Playhouse Disney at the end of November. The channel will feature programming from Disney, together with such original Canadian content as FRANNY'S FEET, THE SECRET WORLD OF BENJAMIN BEAR and KING.
U.S. media company Starz, LLC has announced the opening of one of Canada's largest studios and the appointment of veteran animation executive David Steinberg to run it. Initially the studio will have 150 employees, but it is expected to grow substantially as new projects begin production. The studio will produce computer-generated animated feature films and more.
Veteran Nickelodeon executive Paula Kaplan has been promoted to the newly created position of Executive Vice President, Talent and West Coast General Manager, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. In her new role, Kaplan will continue to oversee talent and casting for the many businesses of Nickelodeon, including television, digital and consumer products, as well as MTVN Kids and Family Group brands The N, Nick at Nite, and Noggin, while expanding to include talent development and music.
Cartoon Network announced that it has commissioned a third series of SKATOONY, the animated game show that pits real-life kid contestants against cartoon characters. The re-commission reflects the unprecedented success of the show, which first aired on CN in November 2006. Series two was produced earlier this year and is due to air beginning September 28, 2007.
The news follows CN's recent international distribution deal with Target Entertainment to represent sales of SKATOONY's format and program rights.
With VFXWORLD editor Bill Desowitz away at //ADAPT, I'm here this week to fill you in on what is new on the site. Tom McLean surveys some of the top specialists in the field to learn how previs is evolving as a problem-solving tool while Bruce Shutan turns our eyes toward the psychedelic vfx of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. As we move into the month of October, VFXWORLD will focus its feature coverage on television, so keep tuned!
Rick DeMottManaging Editor
Summit Ent. has picked up the U.S. distribution rights to the 3-D animated feature, FLY ME TO THE MOON, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. nWave, in association with Illuminata Pictures, produced the film. Summit plans to release the movie on Feb. 15, 2008, in IMAX 3-D and 3-D-equipped digital-cinemas.
Gonzo's AFRO SAMURAI feature film will be released in theaters in Japan on Oct. 27, 2007, reports VARIETY. Featuring the voice of Samuel L. Jackson, the film is based on Takashi Okazaki's manga, which chronicles the tale of a samurai's quest to find the people who murdered his father.
The five-episode TV series aired on Spike TV in January. It was broadcast on Wowow in Japan in May.
Jackson, who also produced the TV series and feature, leads the voice cast, which also includes Ron Perlman and Kelly Hu. The hip-hop soundtrack was composed by RZA.
In the 16-year court battle over WINNIE THE POOH royalties, Disney came out ahead again as a California appellate court upheld the dismissal of the case on grounds of misconduct, VARIETY reports. A three-judge panel ruled that L.A. Superior Court Judge Charles McCoy's 2004 decision to throw out the case was justified after the plaintiffs, the Slesinger family, altered and destroyed documents.
Oct. 17-18, 2007Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles
2 Days / 30+ Speakers / 500+ Attendees / Biz-Matching Opportunities
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
This week in AWN's Forums, a wannabe animation writer needs some advice. There's a thread collecting members' favorite children's book artists. RATATOUILLE is still a hot topic on the forums. A member needs some Flash vectoring help. Another member wonders if it is possible to teach themselves 2D. A senior member has started a thread to talk about the forthcoming animated SPACEBALLS TV series. Moderator Larry L wants to know if members would be interested in workshops conducted in the forums.
Including this film, I have only seen two of the four full-feature films that actor Sean Penn has directed. While the thriller THE PLEDGE left no real lasting impression on me, INTO THE WILD has stuck in my mind for days after seeing it. Penn adapted Jon Krakauer's bestselling non-fiction tome with great depth and passion. It's a project that come Oscar time could be shined upon brightly. It deserves it; it's one of the best films of the year.
Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch, LORDS OF DOGTOWN) was an idealistic, determined and selfish young man, who gave away all his savings to Oxfam, burned his ID and hit the open road. Changing his name to Alexander Supertramp, Chris partly abandoned a chance to go to Harvard Law as a form of rebellion against the lies of his conservative, warring parents Walt and Billie (William Hurt, ACCIDENTAL TOURIST & Marcia Gay Harden, POLLOCK). We get a perspective on his troubled home life from the voice over of his younger sister Carine (Jena Malone, SAVED!). Chris's goal is to venture out into the complete wilderness of Alaska, following the inspiration of his literary heroes Jack London, Henry David Thoreau and Leo Tolstoy. His first significant encounter is with the hippie travelers Rainey and Jan (Brian Dierker & Catherine Keener, THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN), but leaves them when he begins to feel like a third wheel. Along the way he will work on a farm for Wayne Westerberg (Vince Vaughn, SWINGERS). There is a hint of romance when he meets a teenager named Tracy (Kristen Stewart, ZATHURA) at a hippie commune. Later, he develops a friendship with the kind old man Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook, 1980's THE FOG), who teaches him leatherwork.
The PICNIC'07 conference welcomes some of the world's most forward-thinking people to Amsterdam's Westergasfabriek. The annual PICNIC event brings together diverse professionals to exchange ideas and information on creative cross media content and technology.
Facets Multi-Media is launching the Facets Kids Film Network, a major initiative to bring quality children's films to new, broader audiences. Facets will present the network's first "Best of the Fest" program, featuring a one-hour selection of 10 award-winning short films from the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, the nation's oldest and largest festival of films for children.
Enteries for the 4th abuja international film festival scheduled for the beautiful city of abuja are being accepted from filmmakers in the following genres - features, documentary, shorts, animations and experimental films. deadline for submission of entries is 30th june 2007 and film format could be dvcam, dv, hdv, 16mm, 35mm. screeners should be sent on vcd or dvd format before entries dealine. details of submission can be accessed from www.nffo.org or you could email info@nffo.org, abujaintfilmfest@nffo.org for more information.
