Relativity announced today that it will distribute the currently titled THREE DAYS TO KILL in the U.S. on February 14th, 2014. The film is directed by McG (This Means War, Terminator Salvation), written by Luc Besson and Adi Hasak and stars Kevin Costner (Man of Steel, Jack Ryan) Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Amber Heard (Paranoia) and Connie Nielsen (Boss).
In this distinctive action-thriller, Kevin Costner plays an elite government hit man who after receiving news that he has a terminal disease, decides to give up his high stakes life to finally build a relationship with his estranged wife and daughter, whom he’s previously kept at arm’s length to keep out of danger. But when his agency offers him an experimental, potentially life-saving drug in exchange for one last mission, it’s an offer he can’t refuse – even if it means juggling his two toughest assignments yet: going after the world’s most ruthless terrorist and caring for his daughter for the first time in ten years while his wife is out of town.
EuropaCorp’s Luc Besson and Virginie Besson-Silla and Adi Hasak and Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh are producing. Relativity’s President, Tucker Tooley, will executive produce.
Tooley said: “EuropaCorp is a tremendous partner for Relativity and we are excited to continue building our relationship. McG, Kevin Costner and the entire team have done an incredible job of bringing Luc and Adi’s script to the big screen.”
Besson’s comedic action film Malavita in theatres September 20th, 2013.
Looking forward, Relativity will also release the corporate espionage thriller Paranoia (in theatres August 16, 2013), Scott Cooper’s gritty drama currently-titled Out of the Furnace (in theatres October 4, 2013), Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s daring directorial debut Don Jon (in theatres October 18, 2013) and Jimmy Hayward’s upcoming animated, hilarious buddy comedy Free Birds (November 1, 2013).
Shaking audiences at the 2012 Toronto and Telluride Film Festivals and winning an Audience Award at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival, THE ACT OF KILLING is an unprecedented film that, according to The Los Angeles Times, “could well change how you view the documentary form.” Watch the new trailer below.
In this chilling and inventive documentary, executive produced by Errol Morris (The Fog Of War) and Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man), the filmmakers examine a country where death squad leaders are celebrated as heroes, challenging them to reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of the American movies they love. The hallucinatory result is a cinematic fever dream, an unsettling journey deep into the imaginations of mass murderers and the shockingly banal regime of corruption and impunity they inhabit.
THE ACT OF KILLING opens in select theaters Friday, July 19.
On Sunday June 9 at 1PM the AMC Esquire Theatre at 6706 Clayton Road will be ground zero for fans of classic comedy. That’s because it’s the site of the Joe Besser Film Festival. The three hour program will include several highlights from Mr. Besser’s long career. There will be TV clips including segments from “The Abbott and Costello Show” and “The Joey Bishop Show” along with several solo theatrical shorts and, of course, several of his shorts as one of the Three Stooges. To get you in the mood I’m proud to present a biographical comic strip I prepared for a special edition of the St. Louis Globe Democrat newspaper. Enjoy, and I’ll see you there on June 9!
If on one night every year, you could commit any crime without facing consequences, what would you do? In THE PURGE, a speculative thriller that follows one family over the course of a single night, four people will be tested to see how far they will go to protect themselves when the vicious outside world breaks into their home.
In an America wracked by crime and overcrowded prisons, the government has sanctioned an annual 12-hour period in which any and all criminal activity—including murder—becomes legal. The police can’t be called. Hospitals suspend help. It’s one night when the citizenry regulates itself without thought of punishment. On this night plagued by violence and an epidemic of crime, one family wrestles with the decision of who they will become when a stranger comes knocking.
When an intruder breaks into James Sandin’s (Ethan Hawke) gated community during the yearly lockdown, he begins a sequence of events that threatens to tear a family apart. Now, it is up to James, his wife, Mary (Lena Headey), and their kids to make it through the night without turning into the monsters from whom they hide.
Directed by James DeMonaco (writer of Assault on Precinct 13 and The Negotiator), THE PURGE is produced by Jason Blum of Blumhouse (Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Sinister), Platinum Dunes’ partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (The Amityville Horror, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), as well as Sébastien Kurt Lemercier (Assault on Precinct 13).
THE PURGEwill be in theaters June 7.
Universal Pictures and WAMG invite you to enter to win a pass (good for 2) to the advance screening of THE PURGE on June 4that 7:00 PM in St. Louis.
Answer the following question:
Which of your friends could you trust during THE PURGE?
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. SEND YOUR NAME AND ANSWERS TO: michelle@wearemoviegeeks.com
3. YOU MUST SUBMIT THE CORRECT ANSWER TO OUR TRIVIA QUESTION ABOVE TO WIN.
4. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN THROUGH A RANDOM DRAWING OF QUALIFYING CONTESTANTS. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PASSES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED. DUPLICATE TICKETS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
THE PURGE has been rated R for strong disturbing violence and some language.
Universal Pictures presents a Platinum Dunes/Blumhouse/Why Not Production: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey in THE PURGE, starring Adelaide Kane, Max Burkholder. The casting is by Lisa Fields, and the line producer is Gerard DiNardi. The film’s costume design is by Lisa Norcia. The co-producer is Jeanette Volturno-Brill. The Purge’s music is by Nathan Whitehead, and the film is edited by Peter Gvozdas. The film’s production design is by Melanie Paizis-Jones, and its director of photography is Jacques Jouffret. The speculative thriller is produced by Jason Blum, p.g.a.; Sébastien K. Lemercier, p.g.a.; Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller. THE PURGE is written and directed by James DeMonaco.
Of all the ’80s slasher films, a group crowded with all sorts of efforts, Wes Craven’s A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET still reigns supreme as one of the more imaginative of the entire bunch. Nightmares have been fodder for many horror films over the decade, but here they’re particularly insidious and memorable. The film basically turned its producing studio, New Line Cinema, into a major player, gave a fresh breath of life into a genre that had grown stale, boosted the career of Craven, turned its scarred bogeyman Freddy Krueger into a pop culture icon (hat, red & green striped sweater, designer glove and all), made Robert Englund (as Krueger) a bona fide genre star, and provided a key early role for Johnny Depp. The impact A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET has made in about 29 years is undeniable. The story, for those out there who have lived under a rock all this time, deals with Krueger, a depraved murderer of children executed by a vengeful vigilante mob who lives on in the nightmares of the mob members’ children. Resourceful, feisty young Nancy (appealing Heather Langenkamp) realizes it’s up to her to combat Freddy – on his own terms – before he can continue to claim victims, while her peers and the adults around her think she’s simply going insane. Many ingenious ideas here when it comes to the world of nightmares, and as this thing plays out it’s not always clear where the nightmare ends and reality begins. The boiler room is one hell of a wonderful, atmospheric, and sinister location, and that glove, with knives attached to the fingers, really is a thing of macabre beauty. The movie is fantastically gory, yet other special effects are often just as impressive; there is an undeniable appeal in seeing effects done when the digital revolution was still years away and things were accomplished practically. The cast runs a little hot and cold as some of the performances aren’t all that hot, but it’s still a decent assemblage of talent, from veterans John Saxon and Ronee Blakley, to Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, and Depp (in his feature debut) as the imperiled kids to character players like Charles Fleischer, Lin Shaye, and Joe Unger. Langenkamps’ Nancy is a heroine for whom you do want to root, and Englund, although it hardly needs to be said, delivers a deliciously evil performance; given how silly a character Freddy eventually became, it’s nice to see him in the days when he was still plenty scary. All in all, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET is one of the quintessential films of its genre that fans should check out at some point.
And this weekend at the Tivoli, you’ll have a chance to see A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET in all its big-screen glory when it plays midnight at the Tivoli in St. Louis as part of their Reel Late Midnight series this weekend (May 31st and June 1st)
I will be there with Freddy Kruger trivia and prizes both nights so bone up on your NOES knowledge! Admission is only EIGHT BUCKS!
Runaway Features & Press On Features have wrapped on their latest feature in Los Angeles, a Sci-Fi Thriller titled THE LAST SCOUT . Paul Tanter penned the script, with Simon Phillips taking to the directors chair. The duo are the creative force behind the UK smash hit White Collar Hooligan and have branched into the Sci-Fi genre.
The film is a futuristic story of a crew of astronauts searching for a new home for humanity after Earth has been devastated by a nuclear war between the East and the West. A four week shoot has just wrapped at Hollywood’s Laurel Canyon stages, where the company built a complete spaceship.
Tanter said: “After filming White Collar Hooligan 2 in New York last year, we’ve been keen to come back to the US to shoot and this was the perfect vehicle to do so. As Sci-Fi geeks, this is something we’re very excited about and Simon has done a terrific job both behind and in front of the camera, combining the best elements of “Sunshine” and “Battlestar Gallactica”.
THE LAST SCOUT stars Peter Woodward, Blaine Gray, Rebecca Ferdinando, Simon Phillips, Deji LaRay, Rita Ramnani, Petra Bryant and Paul Thomas Arnold.
Principle photography on TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES began this April in New York City and one of our readers visiting the Big Apple on May 20 sent us these set photos over the weekend from the upcoming reboot.
Directed by Jonathan Liebesman (WRATH OF THE TITANS), the Times Square images include stars Megan Fox, Will Arnett and a few shots of the Heroes in a Half Shell in pre-cgi mode.
The film also features William Fichtner, Danny Woodburn as Splinter, Alan Ritchson as Raphael, Pete Ploszek as Leonardo, Jeremy Howard as Donatello, and Noel Fisher as Michelangelo.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES is to be produced by Nickelodeon Movies and Michael Bay‘s production company Platinum Dunes, and distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Turtle Power will be unleashed into theaters June 2014.
After a week of stars, filmmakers, and worldwide media coverage on the Croisette, the 2013 Cannes Film Festival came to an end today. The Palme d’Or went to BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR from director Abdellatif Kechiche, best director award went to Amat Escalante for HELI, while the Jury Grand Prix went to the Coen Bros. for INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS.
The Closing Ceremony of the 66th Festival de Cannes took place at the Grand Théâtre Lumière where the Jury, presided over by Steven Spielberg, revealed the award winners.
Audrey Tautou hosted Uma Thurman on the stage to award the Palme d’or to the best film among the 20 in Competition. Taking place May 15 – 26, director Baz Luhrmann’s THE GREAT GATSBY kicked off the 66th Festival in the Grand Théâtre Lumière of the Palais des Festivals, out of Competition in the Official Selection.
With films such as INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS scheduled to be released on December 6 of this year, how does a Cannes win translate come Academy Awards time when the nominations are announced on January 16, 2014? Gregory Ellwood over at HitFix writes on the Cannes / Oscar combo: “For every “Pulp Fiction” and “Moulin Rouge!” there were multiple years where awards season and Cannes barely intertwined. 2013 looks like something of a mixed bag for films hoping to find recognition from the Academy down the road.”
Palme d’Or: LA VIE D’ADÈLE – CHAPITRE 1 & 2 (Blue Is The Warmest Colour) by Abdellatif Kechiche with Adèle Exarchopoulos & Léa Seydoux
At 15, Adele doesn’t question it: girls go out with boys. Her life is changed forever when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire, to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adele grows, seeks herself, loses herself, finds herself…
The President of the Jury, Steven Spielberg, explained that “The Jury took note of the excellence of three artists: Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux et Abdellatif Kechiche.”
After receiving his award from American actress Uma Thurman, the winner, accompanied by his two actresses, declared: “I want to remind everyone of a man who helped me find my way, who I love and who I miss: Claude Berri. I want to dedicate this prize and this film to the wonderful young people of France.”
The Jury Grand Prix: INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen.
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS follows a week in the life of a young folk singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) is at a crossroads. Guitar in tow, huddled against the unforgiving New York winter, he is struggling to make it as a musician against seemingly insurmountable obstacles-some of them of his own making.
The Grand Prix was awarded by Kim Novak, guest of honour at the Festival de Cannes.
The prize was received by the lead actor, Oscar Issac, who was very moved to meet Kim Novak on stage. He said that the Coen brothers had not been able to get back from New York, and he passed the microphone to the producer of the film, Olivier Courson. The president of Studio Canal said: “It was a great honour to accompany the Coen brothers in this first film in New York, for this first major role for Oscar Isaac,” before reassuring everyone that the cat in the film was doing fine.
Best Director: Amat Escalante for HELI.
Estela is a 12 year old girl who has just fallen crazy in love with a young police cadet who wants to run away with her and get married. Trying to achieve this dream, her family will have to live the violence that is devastating the region.
After receiving his award from Forest Whitaker, the winner said: “I’d like to thank this Jury for making this brave decision. It is a sign of hope for Mexico. Hopefully our suffering will come to an end very soon.”
Award for Best Actress: Bérénice Bejo – LE PASSÉ (The Past) by Asghar Farhadi.
Following a four year separation, Ahmad returns to Paris from Tehran, upon his French wife Marie’s request, in order to finalize their divorce procedure. During his brief stay, Ahmad discovers the conflicting nature of Marie’s relationship with her daughter Lucie. Ahmad’s efforts to improve this relationship soon unveil a secret from their past.
Best performance by an actor: Bruce Dern – NEBRASKA by Alexander Payne.
A poor old man living in Montana escapes repeatedly from his house to go to Nebraska to collect a sweepstakes prize he thinks he has won. Frustrated by his increasing dementia, his family debates putting him into a nursing home — until one of his two sons finally offers to take his father by car, even as he realizes the futility.
En route the father is injured, and the two must rest a few days in the small decaying Nebraska town where the father was born and where, closely observed by the son, he re-encounters his past. (Don’t worry — it’s a comedy.)
Shot in black and white across four American states, the film blends professional actors with non-actors and aspires to mirror the mood and rhythms of its exotic locations.
The Prize for Best Screenplay: to Jia Zhangke, for Tian Zhu Ding (A TOUCH OF SIN).
An angry miner revolts against the corruption of his village leaders. A migrant worker at home for the New Year discovers the infinite possibilities a firearm can offer. A pretty receptionist at a sauna is pushed to the limit when a rich client assaults her. A young factory worker goes from job to job trying to improve his lot in life.
Four people, four different provinces. A reflection on contemporary China: that of an economic giant slowly being eroded by violence.
On receiving the award from the actress Asia Argento, the winner declared, “It’s a great honour. The cinema allows us to believe in life.”
Jury Prize: SOSHITE CHICHI NI NARU (Like Father, Like Son / Tel Père, Tel Fils) by Hirokazu Koreeda
Ryota has earned everything he has by his hard work, and believes nothing can stop him from pursuing his perfect life and living as a winner. Then one day, he and his wife, Midori, get an unexpected phone call from the hospital. Their 6-year-old son, Keita, is not their son – the hospital gave them the wrong baby.
Ryota is forced to make a life-changing decision, to choose between “nature” and “nurture”. In the meanwhile, seeing Midori’s devotion to Keita even after learning his origin, and communicating with the rough yet caring family who raised his blood son for the last six years, Ryota also starts to question himself: has he really been a “father” all these years…
The moving story of a man who finally faces himself when he encounters an unexpected wall for the first time in his life.
Un Certain Regard 2013 were presented in competition to 17 films hailing from 15 different countries. 6 of the works were first films.The Bling Ring directed by Sofia Coppola opened the program out of competition. Under the presidency of Thomas VINTERBERG (director – Denmark), the Jury was comprised of ZHANG Ziyi (actress – China), Ludivine SAGNIER (actress – France), Ilda SANTIAGO (Head of Festival do Rio – Brazil) and Enrique GONZALEZ MACHO (producer, distributor, exhibitor – Spain).
SHORT FILMS
Palme d’Or:SAFE by MOON Byoung-gon
Special Mention – Ex-aequo
HVALFJORDUR (Whale Valley / Le Fjord des Baleines) by Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson 37°4 S by Adriano Valerio
CAMERA D’OR : ILO ILO by Anthony Chen presented in the Directors’ Fortnight
The Jury of the 66th Festival de Cannes had to decide between the various films in Competition. The prizewinners were announced during the Closing Ceremony on May 26th, culminating in the coveted Palme d’Or.
THE COMPETITION JURY 2013
Steven SPIELBERG, President – Director, Producer, Writer / United States
Vidya BALAN Actress / India
Naomi KAWASE Director / Japan
Nicole KIDMAN Actress, Producer / Australia
Lynne RAMSAY Writer, Director, Producer / United Kingdom
Daniel AUTEUIL Actor, Director / France
Ang LEE Director, Producer, Writer / Taïwan
Cristian MUNGIU Writer, Director, Producer / Romania
YouTube Comedy Week kicked off this week and is showcasing the best of comedy with live events, video premieres and creative collaborations from the world’s funniest people. From May 19-25, YouTube Comedy Week is bring together the biggest names in comedy on YouTube and beyond to create a one of a kind experience for comedy fans.
To kick things off YouTube put together THE BIG LIVE COMEDY SHOW, a live 2-hourcomedy variety show that was live streamed across the globe featuring Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen, Vince Vaughn, The Lonely Island, Key & Peele, Reggie Watts and many more comedy stars. The show was produced by JASH channel co-founder Daniel Kellison, along with Joel Gallen.
The all-star list of performers includes:
3 Loco, Barely Political, Beardyman, Brody Stevens, Craig Robinson, Dax Flame, Epic Meal Time, Eric André, FIDLAR, Garfunkel & Oates, Gregory Brothers, Hannibal Buress, ImprovEverywhere, Jack McBrayer, Jeff Ross, Jenny Slate, Jerrod Carmichael, John Dore, Justin Willman, KassemG, Key & Peele, Kyle Kinane, Lil’ Bub, Michael Cera, Nathan Fielder, Norm Macdonald, Pete Holmes, Reggie Watts, Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen, The Lonely Island, Tig Notaro, Tim & Eric, Tummy Talk, Skrillex, Vince Vaughn, Workaholics and many more.
WAMG was on the red carpet to snap pictures of some of the performers and guests of the show. Check out the photos below. (All photos are the property of WAMG and Melissa Howland… so don’t be a goon. Stealing’s for jerks!)
THE LONELY ISLAND
TIM & ERIC
WORKAHOLICS Adam DeVine and Blake Anderson
REGGIE WATTS
JEFF ROSS
Check out some more shots of the stars as they walked the red carpet before the big event below, and make sure to check out YouTube Comedy Week at www.youtube.com/comedyweek
Counting down to the Indy 500 this weekend, TURBO has this super-fueled featurette leading up to race day.
Racing into theaters from Twentieth Century Fox on July 17, TURBO is a high-velocity 3D comedy about a snail who dares to dream big – and fast. After a freak accident infuses him with the power of super-speed, Turbo kicks into overdrive and embarks on an extraordinary journey to achieve the seemingly impossible: competing in the world’s fastest race. With the help of his tricked-out streetwise snail crew, this ultimate underdog puts his heart and shell on the line to prove that no dream is too big, and no dreamer too small.
Ryan Reynolds leads an all-star cast including Paul Giamatti, Michael Pena, Luis Guzman, Bill Hader, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Michelle Rodriguez, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz, Kurtwood Smith, Snoop Dogg and Samuel L. Jackson in the story of an ordinary garden snail with dreams of racing greatness.
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. redefines a snail’s pace and makes mobile history with the action-packed Turbo Racing League App and the $1,000,000 Shell-Out Contest Presented By Verizon. The game, which is inspired by DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming summer film TURBO about a snail who gains super-speed, will feature the first contest of its kind to shell-out one million dollars in total cash prizes.
The Turbo Racing League App from DreamWorks Animation and PikPok® features the thrill of racing in the palm of your hands and is available on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android handsets and tablets, and Windows Phone 8. Players can rocket to the finish line like shell on wheels as they drift around corners, perform crazy stunts, collect tomatoes and grind rails to earn performance upgrades and improve their race times. The game is available on all mobile carriers, however, fans who play the game on a Verizon device will have access to exclusive content from the film as well as unique game customization options and insider tips and tricks on game play.
“Turbo Racing League perfectly captures the high-octane excitement of the film, and players of all skill levels will love the detail and depth that went into creating this addictive racing game,” said DreamWorks Animation Head of Global Interactive Chris Hewish. “The basic game play is easy enough for everyone to enjoy, but the added complexities of the advanced maneuvers and the $1,000,000 Shell-Out will have racers vying for a lot more than bragging rights!”
To compete for real cash prizes in the $1,000,000 Shell-Out Presented By Verizon, eligible* players must achieve Daily Goals or obtain sufficient tomatoes throughout the game to unlock access into the weekly Contest. Once in the race, players can show off their driving skills on specific Contest race tracks during an eight week qualifying period of weekly Preliminary Races which began on May 16, 2013 and continuing until July 7, 2013. Each week, the ten fastest racers will win cash prizes up to $25,000.
Each of the eight weekly first place finishers will earn an invitation to the Grand Finale Race Event in Los Angeles to compete against each other for the chance to earn the title of Turbo Racing League Champion and the Grand Prize of $250,000! The final race will be held in Los Angeles on July 17, 2013, in conjunction with the theatrical premiere of Turbo.
The Turbo Racing League App features:
Nine Unique Race Tracks to Test Your Skills
Special Race Events: Time Trials, Limited Fuel, Slalom and Rival Races
Thousands of Performance and Design Combinations: Shell Upgrades, New Paint Jobs and Neon Glows
Leaderboards highlighting how you rank against your friends and all the top players
Ability to record your greatest race moments, watch on instant replay and share with your friends
Optional Facebook and Twitter posting to show off your pimped-out Shell and best scores
*Turbo Racing League $1,000,000 Shell-Out Contest began on May 16, 2013 and ends on July 17, 2013. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Airtime, message & data rates may apply for app download & use. US Adults only. VOID in AZ, IA, LA, ND and VT. Age restrictions and other eligibility requirements apply. For complete Contest eligibility requirements, rules, terms and conditions, please visit: www.turbomovie.com/shelloutrules.html. Sponsors: DreamWorks Animation LLC, 1000 Flower Street,Glendale, CA 91201 and Prodigy Design Limited/ Pik Pok – Level 7, Willbank House, 57 Willis Street, Wellington, New Zealand.
