New Arrested Development Episodes - Joan Finch

Caught this article floating around the interweb about Ron Howard gathering up the old Arrested Development cast for some new episodes to show on Netflix.

For my many friends with a taste for this I just wanted to share. Hopefully this will increase the chances of my favorite cancelled shows to get a second life.

Gordon-Levitt Directs - Joan Finch

Just read an article on Variety.com about Julianne Moore taking a part in Joseph Gordon-Levitt's new film. Variety couldn't confirm much about the project. No name. No plot. But the Wondergods of the International Movie Data Base have it down as Don Jon's Addiction. Sorta lame but alright. The storyline imdb has is about a modern Don Juan trying to be selfless. 

Written by and starring the man himself along with Scarlett Johansson this will be a directing first for Joseph. So uninspiring storyline and lame title be damned, I'm still excited to hear more about it. 

There are a half dozen films in the works this year with Joseph Gordon-Levitt including the new Batman sequel and a Lincoln bio-pic. (Not the vampire one)

And suddenly I'm wanting to rent Inception. Huh.

Five New Films You've Never Heard Of - Joan Finch

I love finding out about new films and as I was looking at upcoming March releases I came across 5 interesting ones you may not know about. 

Friends With Kids is about a pair of singles whose friends have all become married parents & who decide to have a kid together. But apparently not be together. Thats some serious peer pressure. The cast has echos of last years Bridesmaids with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm and Chris O'Dowd. 

It's a directorial debut for actress Jennifer Westfedlt who also wrote and stars in Friends with real life beau Jon Hamm. 

Being Flynn stars Paul Dano and Robert De Niro as father and son struggling with ideas of identity and the father/son relationship. It's based on the personal memoir of Director Paul Weitz who also directed About A Boy and lest I forget...American Pie. Really a surprising mix of films from this guy. 

Jeff, Who Lives at Home looks like a existential comedy but it's being talked about as a variety of genres.  The words 'tonal strangeness' were used to describe it. Brothers Mark and Jay Duplass are unfamiliar to me but it seems like none of their previous work fits well into conventional 'types'.  

Jeff is played by Jason Segel co-starring with Ed Helms, Judy Greer and Susan Sarandon. I don't really know what to make of this one. I'm going to have to see it. 

The Deep Blue Sea is a period piece with a small cast about a love affair and its players. It stars Rachel Weisz, Simon Russell Beale and Tom Hiddleston  respectively as the wife, the husband and the other man. Deep Blue is written and directed by Terence Davies who has a background in theatre and apparently sought Weisz out for the part. I'm a big fan of Rachel Weisz and hopefully she gets to flex her acting muscles. 

Based on the trailer it's also going to be visually stunning. 

Turn Me On, Dammit! is a Norwegian film starring unknown actors with inconceivable yet beautiful names. It's billed as a coming-of-age story and looks like it has a lot of angst, attempted rebellion, social exile, as well as, hormone fueled fantasizing. It's like it's about sex without actually having any. 

Turn Me On is by a female filmmaker named Jannicke Systad Jacobsen. Frankly, the rather spoilery review I read mead it sound pretty great.

Also Mentionable: Detachment with Adrien Brody, Christina Hendricks, James Cann & Lucy Liu.  Indiewire.com describes it as, “a unique and stylized portrait of the American Education system seen through the eyes of substitute teacher Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody).”  Thats a great pitch coming from people who gave it a terrible review. Probably will not be eager for Detachment.

While these may not be coming out in your area they may be worth tracking down. If you're curious about one of these...which was the point...there are some reviews and summaries on imdb.com and The Hollywood Reporter you can check out for more info.

Neverland - Joan Finch

     It is commonly accepted that most of the original content SyFy produces is cringeworthy, however, they regularly rock the mini-series format. See Alice immediately for ample proof. Tonight they're starting the 2 night Neverland epic at 8 o'clock central and I'll be watching. Hopeful. 

Poster for Syfy's Neverland

     The internet whispers say its the origin story to the Barrie universe of Hook and Pan. Peter's first foray into the wonderland of endless childhood. Sounds lovely and the trailer is pretty impressive as well. 

     There's some intriguing casting going on here. Rhys Ifans is James Hook, Keira Knightley as Tinker Bell, the brilliant reprise of Bob Hoskins' Smee and a special treat for Pushing Daisies fans in Anna Friel as Captain Elizabeth Bonny. My nerdy senses are tingling. 

Animated Frankenweenie Remake?- Joan Finch

     Next year we're going to be gifted a new Tim Burton film and its going to be animated as well. Animated in the uniquely Burton way of animation that was so striking in The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. Frankenweenie, if you're not familiar, is about a child who brings back his dog after he's struck by a car. A comical verson of the Frankensteins monster story. I loved the original black and white film with its whimsy and absurdism but I can't not be excited to see how Burton will bring the same story to life in clay. Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short are set to lend their voices to this fanciful and dark remake of Tim Burtons '84 film with the same name.

     I'll keep my eye out for more news to come. Keep me updated if you run across any news on your own, will you?

New Aaron Sorkin Projects! - Joan Finch

Aaron Sorkin = Greatness

     The Hollywood Reporter has filled me with enough warm fuzzes to last me all of the winter season.  Aaron Sorkin has TWO New Projects in the works!  

     First off he has joined up with John Krasinski for a mini-series he'll be writing and acting as co-executive producer with Krasinski, the projects creator. Based on a popular book about The Chateau Marmont in Hollywood and its interesting roster of guests the mini-series is called Life At The Marmont and will air on HBO. Here's the link to the article I read about the project.

     Next up is More As This Story Develops which was recently picked up by none other than HBO and which imdb.com says is currently filming and headed for a 2012 release.  The hourlong series will star Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Dev Patel, Sam Waterson and several others as cable news executives and staff traversing the daily obstacles of their personal and professional lives. Which is the purely Sorkin format I love so dearly. Oh, and there was at one point rumors/talks of Marisa Tomei finding a place in the cast but thats been weeks ago and there's no confirmation yet. Here's the link on that article as well. 

     Point being not all dreams die. Aaron Sorkin is headed back to television where his brilliance can be appreciated weekly. I just wish I had HBO. Gonna have to look into that.

Ghostbusters 3 NEWS

Not that this is a democratic Hollywood we're dealing with but if there was a vote I'd be Pro-Gubler all the way.  So here's me lobbying for that very possibility!

Check this out guys. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=81518

Team Ghostbuster. Team Gubler.

NBC's Fall Shows - Joan Finch

NBC has announced its new fall schedule with some returning favorites and a whole slew of new shows.  Like most years theres little in the promos that I can pin my hopes on.  Follow the link for the complete list. http://collider.com/nbc-schedule-2011-2012/91015/

The first new comedy show I'm most excited about....Free Agents.  Thank you to whoever cast Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn.  I bow humble at their combined talents and absolutely think that Hahn is one of the most desperately underated actresses of her generation.  From what I've read and can decipher from the promo NBC released the show seems to be a grown-up version of the 'friends with benefits' premise thats so popular right now.  I heard a rumor that one of the executive producer helms a BBC version of the show.  It wouldn't be the first time the American media monster stole a premise from our friends across the pond.  And I love most of those shows so more power to them I guess.

Superman Reboot News - Joan Finch

Man of Steel: Good News for Super-Classic

          Bit player and current Tudors cast member, Henry Cavill, to steal the lead in next years Man of Steel.  

          Here's hoping the filmmakers on this redux of the classic franchise avoid the creative decisions behind the last disheartening release.  What a disaster that was.  I must admit I haven't paid much attention to Director Zach Snyder's previous work but his style is vibrant and he has a lot of talented support behind him.  The cast includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, as well as, Kevin Costner & Diane Lane as Mr. and Mrs. Kent.  To top it all off the script is being helmed by David S. Goyer and is based on a story he wrote with Christopher Nolan.  This is the same team behind the successful Batman films of the past several years! 

I have real hope for this guys.  Holy smokes this could be good!