by Joe Gillis, May 1 2012 // 12:30 PM

With big name film festivals like Cannes and Sundance often dominating the news, people sometimes forget that there’s a great film festival right here in the heart of the filmmaking community. That’s right, the Los Angeles Film Festival is coming next month and today the fest announced the full lineup of films and shorts showing in competition and having their premieres at the fest.
Among the highlights are Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love, which will open the fest, the world premiere of Alex Kurtzman’s People Like Us, starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks and Olivia Wilde, and Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike, which will close the festival. For all the scoop on the fest, check out the full press releases after the break.
The Los Angeles Film Festival runs June 14-24 at downtown Los Angeles’ LA Live complex.
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Posted in: Movies · News
Tagged: Alex Kurtzman, Channing Tatum, Chris Pine, Dreamworks, Elizabeth Banks, Events, Film Festivals, Greta Gerwig, LA Film Festival, LAFF, LAFF2012, Los Angeles Film Festival, Magic Mike, Matthew McConaughey, Movies, Olivia Wilde, Roberto Orci, Steven Soderbergh, To Rome with Love, woody allen
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by Shannon Hood, Apr 8 2011 // 12:30 PM
Something has been lost in translation in this ill-advised and disappointing remake of Arthur (1984). The original featured the late comedic talent Dudley Moore, and was nominated for four Academy Awards. It’s a pretty safe assumption that this film won’t be picking up any trophies come awards season.
Russell Brand plays Arthur, a perpetually drunk playboy suffering from a chronic case of arrested development. He lives in a fabulous highrise building in New York, and surrounds himself with gadgets, toys, and booze.
His sole companion is his live-in nanny Hobson, played by Helen Mirren. Hobson has played the role of surrogate mom since Arthur’s birth. She accepts Arthur unconditionally, and serves as his confidante, nursemaid, and cook. Arthur also pals around with his driver Bitterman (Luis Guzman) on any given night.
The first night we see the two step out on the town, they are dressed as Batman and Robin, and Bitterman drives a Batmobile through the streets. Naturally, they get arrested, which seems to be a common occurrence for the two.
Mere moments later, Arthur has posted bail for everyone in the slammer, and all is good in the world. Arthur lives the life of unfettered hedonism, with no obvious consequences to any of his actions. It’s the life of Riley.
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Posted in: Comedy · Movies · Reboots and Remakes · Reviews · Warner Bros
Tagged: Arthur, Comedy, Greta Gerwig, Helen Mirren, Luis Guzman, Remake, Russell Brand
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by Shannon Hood, Apr 16 2010 // 11:00 AM
For director Noah Baumbach, polarizing audiences is nothing new. While many find his films (Margot at the Wedding, The Squid and the Whale) well constructed, a common complaint is that they are depressing, and the characters are too unlikable. The fact that Baumbach’s movies elicit such strong reactions from audience members means he is doing something right. The guy is damn good at peeling back the layers and exposing the not-so- pretty underbelly of human nature.
If you go expecting a light-hearted comedy, you will undoubtedly be disappointed, but Greenberg is one of the finest character studies I’ve witnessed. Ben Stiller plays Roger Greenberg, a caustic, neurotic, insecure, and bitter 40-something who has just gotten out of a stint in a mental hospital. He travels to California to house-sit for his wealthy brother, and is given instructions as well as the phone number of his brother’s personal assistant, Florence (Greta Gerwig).
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Posted in: Drama · Editorial and Opinion · Filmmaking · Indie · Movies · Reviews
Tagged: Ben Stiller, Drama, Greta Gerwig, Jennifer Jason-Leigh, Movie Review, Noah Baumbach, Rhys Ifans
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