Tag: Nick Frost (Page 2 of 2)

Mouse reshuffles, Leo the lion on the block, and other tales

November 11, 2009 /

* In the real world Obama appears to be rethinking Afghanistan; in the cable TV world Lou Dobbs is relieving CNN of his xenophobia and is threatening to go into politics while The Onion has the real scoop. Meanwhile in the movie world, Disney’s new chairman, Rich Ross, is reorganizing. It sounds as if technology will be leading the way in the new regime. Also, the structure of the organization will resemble more a television network, we’re told, than a movie studio. Once upon a time that might have worried me, but these days TV is hardly any worse than movies. I’m not sure if that’s good news about TV or bad news about movies. (A little of both?)

* The lion of Hollywood has been a bit mangy for a long time now. Peter Bart reports that MGM is about to be sold and the whole thing, 4,000 titles and all, is worth about $1.5 billion, which would be a lot of money to you and me but to a once mighty film studio sure sounds paltray. One factor, even the older titles in the library ain’t what they used to be, either. The studio’s signature titles: “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone With the Wind,” and “Singin’ in the Rain” are now available on Warner Brother’s DVD along with a good chunk of their best known classics.  The ghosts of Culver City’s glory days are restless tonight.

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* Apparently being a movie critic these days is such an unstable, lousy position that some of the best known reviewers are jumping ship and becoming film festival programmers. Yesterday, it was Newsweek’s David Ansen. Today, it’s the L.A. Weekly/Village Voice’s Scott Foundas. Anne Thompson has the depressing news that might nevertheless be creating more opportunities for some of the better known online folks.

* The fruits of my compatriot Will Harris’s London sojourn are appearing in the form of some extremely worth-your-time interviews. First with writer/director Richard Curtis of the criticially underrated “Love, Actually” and the soon to be released “Pirate Radio.” Also roly-poly movie superstud and general all around good guy Nick Frost of “Shaun of the Dead,” etc., as well as “Pirate” newcomers Tom Sturridge and Talulah Riley gets the Harris treatment as well. Bob says collect ’em all.

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Actors, Actresses, External Entertainment, External Movies, Horror Movies, Mad Men, Movie Comedies, Movie Dramas, Movies, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas, TV Sci-Fi

(Late) Monday morning movie memes

October 19, 2009 /

It’s a typical, hazy late morning in Southern California and, as I start this, some folks in Hollywood are still rolling into work, Don Draper style, but there is already some news.

tintin

* If you’re curious about what’s been going on the set of the motion-capture Tintin movie being co-directed by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, and you’re a fan of Nick Frost, Screencrave has an absolute must read interview where he candidly discusses the working methods and how incredibly nervous he was having to do “real” acting. Mr. Frost seems like an easy guy to like.

* I never got into this particular geek thing, but it appears that the new “Monster Squad” remake is not a “Monster Squad” remake.

* Blu-Ray sales are good. I guess I’m eventually going to have to get that player and high-def TV to go with it. Maybe I should start a new charity, akin to Toys for Tots. “High End Home Electronics for Underpaid Critics in Need”?

* Dan Glickman, successor to the late Jack Valenti at the lobbying arm of the movie industry, the MPAA, will be leaving the gig at the end of his contract next September. As described by Variety‘s Ted Johnson, names in the running to replace Glickman include San Fernando Valley Democratic congressman Howard Berman, Disney lobbyist Richard Bates, former Tennessee rep. Harold Ford, and this guy who’s our state’s governor right now.

Not to speak ill of the dead (which is the kind of thing you say just before you do just that), but the late Mr. Valenti was an avuncular but oily character who you instinctively knew you couldn’t trust. He also drove me batty with his inane defenses of the obviously corrupt and unfair rating system. In any case, Arnold would in some ways be a step up if they want someone super high-profile, much as I would never vote for the guy for any public office and not only because he’s a Republican. Ford, who has become a frequent TV talking head since losing his state’s senate race after some arguably racist ads is someone I trust even less than Valenti or the S man and not just because he’s an outspoken conservadem…well, mostly. He’s perhaps too obviously a slick character, even for Hollywood.

Berman I don’t really know well though looking at his Wikipedia page I’m reminded of why he’s not a particular favorite of California progressives, even while claiming to be one, but he’s probably a good choice if they want to fly under the radar. Being a fairly political guy and living in Southern California for almost my entire life, I still know next to nothing about the guy except he looks to be a direct descendent of the 3 Stooges’ Larry Fine. Not many guys over sixty still sporting the Jewfro.

* As reported by the L.A. Times (via Anne Thompson), veteran producer, high flying studio executive, and long-time UCLA Film School fixture Peter Guber — noted in the 1980s as the more sane half of Guber/Peters — is getting together with digital media entrepreneur Peter Levin and Wizard magazine owner Gareb Shamus to create GeekChic Daily, an e-newsletter whose title pretty much says it all. I just signed up here and was informed that I “rock.”

Actors, External Entertainment, External Movies, Horror Movies, Movie Comedies, Movies, New Media, News

The Film Formerly Known As “The Boat That Rocked”…

October 9, 2009 /

…has been given a new name for its U.S. release: “Pirate Radio.”

If you’re unfamiliar with the motion picture in question (which lets out most of our UK readership, as the film was released across the pond back in April), here’s the official synopsis from Focus Features:

“Pirate Radio” is the high-spirited story of how 8 DJs’ love affair with Rock ‘n’ Roll changed the world forever. In the 1960s, this group of rogue DJs, on a boat in the middle of the Northern Atlantic, played rock records and broke the law, all for the love of music. The songs they played united and defined an entire generation and drove the British government crazy. By playing Rock ‘n’ Roll, they were standing up against the British government who did everything in their power to shut them down. The band of rebels is led by The Count, played by the Academy Award-winning Philip Seymour Hoffman, Quentin (Bill Nighy), the boss of Radio Rock, Gavin (Rhys Ifans), the greatest DJ in Britain, Midnight Mark (Tom Wisdom), Doctor Dave (Nick Frost), and Young Carl (Tom Sturridge), who comes of age amidst the chaos of sex, drugs and rock n roll. The film features an unbelievable selection of music including The Beatles, The Stones, Beach Boys, Dusty Springfield, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Smokey Robinson, David Bowie, Otis Redding, Cat Stevens just to name a few. The film is laugh out loud funny and speaks to the rock n roll rebel in all of us.

A few other bits which might interest you: it also stars Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Darby (“Flight of the Conchords”), Chris O’Dowd (“The I.T. Crowd”), Ralph Brown (“Meadowlands”), January Jones (“Mad Men”), and Jack Davenport (“Coupling,” “Swingtown”), and it was written and directed by the always-enjoyable Richard Curtis, the man behind “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill,” “Love, Actually,” and the “Bridget Jones” films.

Here’s the trailer for your viewing enjoyment:

In a turn of events which obviously leaves me pleased as punch, I have been invited to participate in the press junket for the U.S. release of the film, so stay tuned to Bullz-Eye and Premium Hollywood for further coverage, including discussions with Mr. Curtis and some of the stars of “Pirate Radio.” Rest assured, my first question will be, “Who decided that Americans couldn’t appreciate a title like ‘The Boat That Rocked’?” (I’m guessing I’ll learn that some higher-up decided, “Hey, the kids love the pirates, so maybe we can trick ’em into thinking this is actually about pirates!”)

Actors, Actresses, Celebrities, External Entertainment, External Movies, Movie Comedies, Movie Dramas, Movies, News, Trailers, Video

Expansions

June 5, 2009 /

Just a couple of items where some more information might be of interest.

* I linked yesterday to a Variety story reporting that James Cameron had signed with mega-agency CAA. Last night, however, ace gadfly muckraker Nikki Finke reported that it was merely a new camera technology developed for Cameron’s upcoming “Avatar” 3-D extravaganza, not Cameron himself, that the agency will be repping. In true Finkean style, she can’t resist taking a swipe at Variety in the process, though I guess it might be earned in this case.

Sigourney Weaver* On a more pleasant and actually interesting note, we have some news about Sigourney Weaver‘s upcoming projects, after discussing her — well, actually, Ellen Ripley — topping Total Sci-Fi’s list of female science fiction icons yesterday. For one thing, I didn’t realize until now Ms. Weaver is one of the stars of the aforementioned “Avatar” (as is Will Harris’s talented Facebook buddy Dileep Rao).

But that’s far from all, JA at The Film Experience is waxing enthusiastic over her possible casting (it’s not truly confirmed yet, I gather) in another sci-fi film, of sorts. “Paul” is to be directed by Greg Mottola of “Superbad” and “Adventureland” and written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost of “Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz,” and “Spaced” fame. Apparently the film has something to do with a couple of British comic book geeks (Pegg and Frost) traveling cross-country from Comic-Con who meet up with Seth Rogen — I gather possibly animated or CGI’d or something — as an alien named, naturally, Paul at Nevada’s Area 51 (at least that’s how SlashFilm’s Paul Sciretta has it). It will also feature Bill Hader, Jane Lynch, Jason Bateman and Kristen Wiig.

Sounds pretty good, but JA was also good enough to mention another comedy casting for Ms. Weaver, this in “You Again,” which will star Kristin Bell, a particular favorite over here. As JA points out, it will re-team the high talented, geek-friendly Bell with director Andy Fickman, who elicited one of her most interesting performances in “Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical” back in 2005. At the risk of going off on a bit of tangent (and, by the way, just happening to mention my lengthy 2007 blog post on Fickman’s entertaining, though highly imperfect, movie), did you know that the former Veronica Mars can, as the Western codgers say, sing purty?

Don’t worry, she gets a lot less wholesome later on…

Actors, Actresses, Comic-Con, External Entertainment, External Movies, Movie Comedies, Movies, News, Sci-Fi Movies, TV Comedies

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