Saoirse Ronan and Alexis Bledel Are Just As Confused by Their New Film as You Are

The synopsis of Precious screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher’s feature directing debut Violet and Daisy sounds straightforward enough: “A brutal fable about a pair of teenage assassins, played by Saoirse Ronan and Alexis Bledel, who believe they’ve landed a straightforward assignment but soon find themselves thrown off their game when their latest target isn’t who they expected.” Evidently, however, that’s not quite what its audience — or even its stars themselves, for that matter — seemed to take away from its Toronto Film Festival premiere. According to the LAT’s Steve Zeitchik, who caught the confounding screening, it went a little like this: Overflowing with whimsical dream sequences, cryptic symbolism and surrealist touches (the main characters tool around on a tricycle), Violet & Daisy features flavors that won’t be to everyone’s taste, and it’s hard to imagine a major distributor taking a flier on it. But even its detractors will concede the film has a degree of style and ambition. […] So bizarre are some of the scenes in Violet & Daisy that at the post-screening Q&A Thursday night, even the actors there to support the film said they found themselves experiencing moments of confusion. “I came in with lots of questions,” Bledel said, “and I still haven’t gotten any answers.” To a query from one member in the audience, Ronan jumped in with: “There are so many bizarre things in this film, so many things left open, it might be better off not to ask questions.” (Her remark prompted Cameron Bailey, the festival co-director who was moderating the session, to quip, “That kind of ruins the Q&A.”) Don’t feel bad, ladies! That’s TIFF for you. I’m still waiting for people to come around on What’s Wrong With Virginia? Give it a couple years, something will work out. · Toronto 2011: An Oscar winner takes an un-Precious turn [LAT] [Photo: Getty Images]

ABC Nabs Casey Wilson/June Raphael Walk Of Shame Comedy Produced By Will Gluck

In another competitive situation surrounding a comedy pitch this season, ABC has showed up only one-camera comedy being put together by Saturday Evening Live alumna Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael and produced through the new the new sony Pictures TV and may Gluck’s studio-based company. Titled Walk of Shame, the comedy involves a quantity of 20-something pals in NY having a dent scene a great embarrassing situation then flashbacks in the occasions that introduced in it. Wilson, Raphael and Gluck are executive creating. Walk of Shame develops Wilson’s relationship with ABC and also the new the new sony TV — she co-stars concerning the ABC/The brand new the new sony sophomore comedy Happy Being. Wilson and Raphael, who met in the clown class at NYU, are extended-time writing and stage partners and close buddies. They have completed together within the Upright People Brigade Theatre and co-written the feature Bride Wars. This really is really the 2nd TV purchase beneath the two-year film and TV deal Gluck signed using the new the new sony in May. The initial, a mocumentary comedy from Mastermind authors Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, sparked a investing in an offer war, landing at NBC getting an airplane pilot production commitment.

Fox Dates The Three Stooges: April 4, 2012

20th Century Fox has dated The Three Stooges, Peter and Bobby Farrelly’s take on the iconic comedy trio, for April 4, 2012. Sean Hayes, Will Sasso and Chris Diamantopoulos star as the threesome; Jane Lynch, Jennifer Hudson, Sofia Vergara, Craig Bierko, Stephen Collins, and Larry David co-star. The story revolves around the boys as they become embroiled in an oddball murder plot and stumble into starring in a hit reality TV series while trying to save their childhood orphanage.

Jewish Leaders Blast Mel Gibson, Warner Bros. for Maccabee Movie

Mel Gibson Jewish leaders have blasted Mel Gibson and Warner Bros. for developing a movie about the Jewish war hero Judah Maccabee. "Judah Maccabee deserves better. He is a hero of the Jewish people and a universal hero in the struggle for religious liberty. It would be a travesty to have his story told by one who has no respect and sensitivity for other people's religious views," Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti Defamation League, told The Hollywood Reporter.Check out photos of Mel GibsonFoxman previously criticized Gibson's controversial 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, alongside other leaders, including Rabbi Marvin Heir, founder and dean of Los Angeles's Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance.Heir tells THR that Gibson, who made an anti-Semitic rant during a 2006 arrest, is disrespecting Jews with the Maccabee film and has not apologized for his previous remarks."He's had a long history of antagonism with Jews. Casting him as a director or perhaps as the star of Judah Maccabee is like casting Madoff to be the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or a white supremacist as trying to portray Martin Luther King Jr. It's simply an insult to Jews," Heir says. "Has he shown any sensitivity to Jews after those incidents? Has he gone out of his way to write an editorial to explain himself, to do some outreach and to understand better the implications of the Holocaust or maybe on one of his visits to Europe to stop at a concentration camp and show some sensitivity? Nobody would say a person doesn't deserve another chance. There's no question about that. But he has not shown any of that evidence at all."Heir adds that Warner Bros. is "making a terrible mistake" going forward with the project. "Surely they know the Jewish communities are not going to come to this film."Get the rest of today's newsGibson has reportedly wanted to tackle Maccabee's story for more than a decade. Basic Instinct writer Joe Eszterhas has already signed on to pen the screenplay.Judah Maccabee led the Jewish revolt against the Syrian-Greek armies of the Seleucid Empire, who had banned Jewish religious practices, and successfully restored worship at Jerusalem's Holy Temple. The triumph is commemorated by Hanukkah.

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Can Sarah Smooch? And 9 Other Funny Discloses From Ringer, Secret Circle and Dixie

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Britt Robertson, Rachel Bilson Sarah Michelle Gellar is going to be encircled with a slew of hot men once the CW's new noir thriller Ringer debuts in a few days, therefore the subject of whether she gets the smooching abilities maintain was broached at Wednesday's Paley Center fall TV preview, that was moderated by TVGuide.com's Denise Martin. What's in your Watchlist? Create one and add your faves, like Ringer, The Key Circle and Hart of Dixie That's only some of the amusing subject the casts and inventive minds behind Ringer, The Key Circle and Hart of Dixie delved into. Browse the ten best quotes in the event: 10. "Short days and a lot of hot males," Ringer executive producer Nicole Snyder stated of how Gellar was tempted revisit television. 9. "It's a bit more relatable than 150-year-old men striking on 16-year-old women," stated executive producer Andrew Burns on why The Key Circle's ghouls are superior to The Vampire Diaries' vampires of the underworld. 8. "I look way too youthful to become a lawyer, you place us together, out of the blue you begin thinking the entire factor," Hart of Dixie star Scott Porter stated of the youthful-searching Rachel Bilson playing a physician about the new dramedy. The Key Circle: No crossovers using the Vampire Journals 7. "I am sure she's, basically were to hug her," stated Ringer star Mike Colter, who plays among Gellar's many love interests, on whether she's a great kisser. 6. "About The CW, their grandma and grandpa are just like 45," Burns joked of how youthful the network skews. 5. "You will never get hangovers, right?" Porter stated as the Secret Circle's Adam Harrington described the good thing of playing a drunk witch. "There is a spell for your, right?" requested Hart of Dixie's Jaime King. 4. "I'd some connection with Jack!" Ringer star Nestor Carbonell stated, lamenting that his Lost character Richard Alpert wasn't in the non-denominational chapel for dead castaways within the series finale. Do you know the 10 most anticipated new fall shows? 3. "Whenever you rent an alligator, the trainer will explain he'll perform certain activities, for example disappearing whenever you request it nicely disappear. Then your trainer will arrive at the evening that you are shooting at 3 o'clock each morning in 50-degree weather within the forest of Wilmington, N.C., and that he will explain, 'Oh that gator ain't gonna do nothing at all you would like it to,Inch stated Porter on dealing with Hart of Dixie's alligator named Burt Reynolds. 2. "It's challenging six teens to agree with a film to visit see, not to mention things to use their collective forces for," Burns stated from the Secret Circle coven's inner turmoil. 1. "I am the only real part of town that likes Zoe Hart [Bilson] that does not fall asleep together with her,Inch Cress Williams stated of his character, talking about the number of love triangles you will see on Hart of Dixie. Ringer premieres Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 9/8c, The Key Circle debuts Thursday, Sept. 15 at 9/8c and Hart of Dixie bows Monday, Sept. 26 at 9/8c about the CW.

George Kuchar, Experimental Filmmaker, Dies at 69

Experimental filmmaker George Kuchar died of cancer of the prostate Tuesday. He was 69.our editor recommendsHollywood's Notable Deaths Kuchar made a lot more than 500 films and video, frequently alongside his twin brother, Mike, with whom he resided in Bay Area's Mission District in excess of 3 decades. They moved from New You are able to City's The Bronx in 1971, when Kuchar grew to become an instructor in the Bay Area Art Institute. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths "Without my buddy, it's likely to be strange," his sole survivor, Mike, informs the Bay Area Chronicle. "But he behaved in the later productions, so somewhat his image and spirit and soul continues to be greatly alive." REVIEW: It Originated From Kuchar Kuchar requested there be no service, choosing to express his goodbyes during hospice care, the Chronicle reviews. Motion picture retrospectives are now being planned through the San Francisco Bay Area. Kuchar's films, frequently shot with virtually no budget, are stated to possess inspired John Waters and Andy Warhol. They include I Had Been a Teenage Rumpot (1960), Hold Me As I'm Naked (1966), The Demon's Cleavage (1975) and Insanitorium (1987). "George's movies were funny, but when you looked deep enough you'd recognize the upsetting things all of us cope with as humans," Bay Area documentary filmmaker Jennifer Kroot informs the Chronicle. "George would certainly make pictures about how exactly he felt and just how he construed things around him and even though they have some camping, it had been not an appreciated talent," adds his brother Mike. George and Mike Kuchar were honored having a lifetime achievement award in the Bay Area Frameline Festival last year. Related Subjects Obituaries

Imax Names The new sony Professional Jiande Chen to guide China Division

TORONTO -- Jiande Chen leaves The new sony being Boss of Imax China.our editor suggests Imax Employs Marc p Grandpre to supervise three dimensional Home Viewing Marketing'Avatar 3D' in Imax passes $200 mil mark The lengthy-looked forward to appointment to Imax's wholly-possessed subsidiary follows Chen departing his top distribution publish with The new sony Pictures Television, located in Beijing. Chen will are accountable to Imax Boss Richard Gelfond because he directs ongoing development in China for that giant screen exhibitor. Don Savant continues to be marketed to leader of theater development and film distribution, and stays controlling director of Asia Off-shore for Imax. And Jim Athanasopolous continues to be named CFO of Imax China following a stint at Imax headquarters in Toronto. Related Subjects Worldwide