Tag: Joss Whedon

Richard Jenkins movies into Whedon’s ‘Cabin in the Woods’

For those not already in the know, ‘Cabin in the Woods’ is a new horror film in the works from Joss Whedon. The movie, which has been kept extremely secret, has Whedon co-writing and producing the flick with Drew Goddard writing (Cloverfield) and directing. All we really know at this point is that ‘Cabin in the Woods’ we be a new take on the classic “cabin in the woods” type of horror genre flick, hence the tongue-in-cheek title.

This is the newest bit of news on the project, with the announcement that Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) has been confirmed and Bradley Whitford (Bottle Shock) is in final negotiations. Jenkins is a fabulous, yet under-rated actor. To make my point, I direct you to ‘The Visitor’ which is currently making a [very] long-shot run for Best Picture, but the Oscar race to watch is Jenkins’ slightly more conceivable push as the underdog for Best Supporting Actor. [of course, realistically we all know it’s going to Ledger] ‘Cabin in the Woods’ is set to hit theaters on February 5, 2010.

Whedon said the casting signals what kind of movie they are hoping to make. “They’re the first proof that though ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ is a classic horror film, it isn’t one you’ve seen before.”

While the studio and filmmakers were loath to provide character details, it is understood that Jenkins and Whitford will play white-collar co-workers with a mysterious connection to the cabin.

[source: Hollywood Reporter]

AFI chimes in on 2008’s “Moments of Significance”

In all of it’s list-making glory, the American Film Institute (AFI) released it’s picks for the Top Moments of 2008 on Sunday. Now, when it comes to movies, despite any reservations I may have, I accept the AFI having it’s face in the crowd and making it’s opinions heard. On the other hand, I wonder what kind of authority the AFI really expects to garnish by releasing a Top List that includes sports and politics… yeah, huh?

AFI’s “Moments of Significance” were chosen by a 13-person jury comprising scholars, film artists, critics and AFI trustees. Two juries, one for film and another for TV, deliberated for two days in Los Angeles.

The list includes the following moments deemed “Top of 2008 Moments of Significance” by the AFI. Some of these are so obvious that is begs the question of why they’d even bother…

  • Tina Fey’s portrayal of VP candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. [Funny, but whatever…]
  • The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. [Personally, I felt the “scandals” were the story here.]
  • The Presidential race between John McCain and Barack Obama. [duh…]
  • This one I simply have to quote, as it’s to difficult to explain:

The rapid changes in the TV distribution landscape were noted by AFI as being part of the “Age of Anxiety” for showbiz as traditional business models evolve. The org cited such examples as the growth of Internet website Hulu, DirecTV’s funding of a third season of NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” and the Peacock’s decision to move Jay Leno into a Monday-Friday primetime berth.

  • The success of Joss Whedon’s Internet project Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. [OK, cool!]
  • The downturn for indie filmmakers, as a result of a rise in studio specialty divisions such as Paramount Vantage, Warner Independent, New Line and Picturehouse. [Um, I’m not sure how an alleged stroke of bad luck for indie filmmakers is considered a good thing. Then again, we all know how the AFI is such a HUGE supporter of indie filmmakers, right? Besides, didn’t Paramount Vantage go under?]
  • Finally, and what I would call both the best pick and only relevant pick for the AFI, Danny Boyle is honored for his triumphant film Slumdog Millionaire.

The pic “stands as a monument to the possibilities of cross-cultural storytelling,” the American Film Institute said Sunday.

So, what do you think? Good list? Bad list? Irrelevant? What are your thoughts, both of the list itself and of the contents of the list? What would your list of the 2008 Top “Moments of Significance” include?

[source: Variety.com]

Joss Whedon reteams with Drew Goddard for ‘Woods’

If you’ve been wondering what Joss Whedon has been up to lately … here’s the answer (or, at least the newest bit of Whedon news):

A new thriller, written by Joss Whedon (‘Firefly’) and Drew Goddard (‘Cloverfield’), titled ‘A Cabin in the Woods’ is being greenlit by MGM, with Goddard making his directorial debut and Whedon also producing. The two first matched wits on the popular TV series ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ followed by their joining forces on the ‘Angel’ series. Drew Goddard has also worked on the ‘Alias’ TV series.

While speaking on the Dark Horse Comics panel at the 2007 San Diego Comic Con, Whedon announced the news and said stated thus: “The horror movie to end all horror movies… literally” in describing the project. What that means exactly, who knows? One thing’s for sure, with Whedon involved it ought to be interesting.

No cast is yet attached and not much is even known about the plot … however, in an interview with MTV Movies Blog, Whedon had this to say:

[“It’s genius, it’s funny,† Goddard said. “It’s got a harder and darker edge, but it’s also got classic Whedon qualities. It’ll rip your heart out and be heartfelt at the same time.† Enough with the hype, what’s it about? “There’s a reason the title is so straightforward,† Goddard teased. “It’s its own sub-genre, the cabin in the woods, and this is sort of our take on it. It’s fresh and new.†]

I’m not going to sit here and cry foul, but it seems vaguely similar to a pair of film’s helmed by one Sam Raimi … at least in the most generic of terms. However, he does mention it’s “sort of their own take on it.” We’ll just have to wait and see what their “take” on that beloved “sub-genre” truly entails …