The Global Film Village

Andrew Garfield cast as Peter Parker in new SPIDER-MAN Movie

// July 3rd, 2010 // Comments Off // Industry Event

Images Copyright Marvel Comics and Columbia Pictures All Rights Reserved

by Marc Halperin

After a comprehensive worldwide casting search Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios have their new Spiderman, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker. Spider-Man returns to the big screen in 3D on July 3, 2012.  The new film directed by Marc Webb, will begin production in early December  from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt.   Continue Reading

Twilight and Mahler on the Couch Attract Crowds Downtown

// July 2nd, 2010 // Comments Off // Film Festivals

by Marla Lewin

There was a tent city of Twilight fans waiting for the  stars to walk the red carpet for the last three days and nights in downtown LA. The security guards have had quite the experience this week with the Laker’s victory celebration on Monday and then these well behaved kids camping out and watching the earlier Twilight movies on a big screen in the courtyard opposite the Nokia theatre.

The film festival was also full to capacity.  Every film we went to was packed with hungry audiences, even in Hollywood, audiences can not get enough of movies and stars.

We had thought about going to the retro classic films last night at the Redcat theatre.  One The House of the Angel, won the Cannes Film Festival and was considered the masterpiece of Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, was sponsored by the Consulate of Argentina. We would follow that up immediately with a Walter Hill classic  The Driver, starring Ryan O’Neal and Bruce Dern filmed in downtown. Our friend from the French Consulate said he spent all of Saturday at the Disney Redcat Theatre watching Retro classic films from Argentina, Germany and USA.  Sort of surreal as all the nations of the world are playing in the soccer World Cup competition while we watch their culture and history in our very new and modern city.

Instead we decided to go to the Gala premiere, Mahler On The Couch, at the Regal Premiere Screen, Continue Reading

2010 Palm Springs International ShortFest award winners

// July 2nd, 2010 // Comments Off // Film Festivals

James Franco comes out to support Palm Springs Shortfest - photo(c) Lani Garfield

by Marla Lewin

The largest short film festival in North America announced its Winners Sunday at an Award Ceremony at the Camelot Theatre.  Some of the finest award winning shorts were shown in-between announcing the winners.  Darryl Macdonald said,  “The sheer quality and diversity of the work on view provided testament to extraordinary new talents emerging worldwide.”  Darryl also said that next year he would move the dates to avoid conflict with the LA Film Fesival, which friend and  artistic director David Ansen now curates. So many creative, artistic works, from international talent of all ages was thrilling to experience. We agreed that the shorts we saw were exceptional especially the animated ones.

JURY AWARDS:

BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD – $2,000 cash, Software Package courtesy of The Showbiz Software Store. The winner of this award becomes eligible for Academy Awards consideration. Continue Reading

Flirt with French Love at 2010 Bastille Day Los Angeles Festival

// July 2nd, 2010 // Comments Off // Industry Event

by Marla Lewin

This Sunday is Independence Day a time for backyard BBQs, friends, and fireworks. Next Sunday, July 11,  is time for the Bastille Day Los Angeles Festival. As an homage to the French holiday and to France’s major significance in the formation of classical ballet, the American Ballet of Los Angeles (ABLA) will make its official L.A. debut performing “flirtatious and fun dance vignettes” set to the musical styling of Brigitte Bardot at the Elysian Park event.

The Bastille Day Los Angeles Festival promotes the French heritage and culture, and celebrates the undying ties between French and American citizens. In France, Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789, marking the beginning of the French revolution. In Los Angeles, the event is one of the most attended community festivals and has been since its inception. The idea of great French food, music, art, dance, people, and the summer’s sun all together for one day to celebrate France’s Independence is a beautiful idea… and Angelenos agree, eight years and growing. Continue Reading

ACADEMY PRESENTS RAY HARRYHAUSEN DOUBLE FEATURE

// June 30th, 2010 // Comments Off // Industry Event

by Marc Halperin

Ray Harryhausen is a national treasure with his groundbreaking work with stop motion animation he has changed the world of filmmaking. He has inspired everyone working in special effects today and his pioneering work ushered in the world of digital effects. It is only fitting that the Academy present this special summer tribute to him as Ray was responsible for so many summer blockbuster movies. Virtually every director born in the 1950′s or 60′s working in science fiction or fantasy owes their love for the genres to this man. He was honored by the Seattle Film Festival on May 30, 2003 with a Tribute and received a special Academy Award in 1992. Continue Reading

2010 LA Film Festival Award Winners

// June 30th, 2010 // Comments Off // Film Festivals

by Marla Lewin

UPDATED: The LA film festival had a free outdoor screening at a new mixed use residential complex named The Los Angeles Center it is a short walk from the Disney Concert Hall and the MOCA, The Museum of Contemporary Art. It was a film named Climate Refugees based on the effects of climate change. Marc talked with Ed Begley, Jr, who remembered him from working with The Grifters, at that time Ed was dating Annette Benning.  Ed had driven to the Academy Awards in 1991 in an electric car. Francis Fisher, brought popcorn and they discussed and observed what could be the future post Global Warming.

Down the street at the Grammy Museum, Roger Corman spoke about his career, joined by Peter Fonda, who had made early experimental films, discussing how the history they made, relates to the times today.  How it is even easier now to make creative, low budget movies, with new technology. Continue Reading

John Lithgow Wows at LAFF Conversation

// June 25th, 2010 // Comments Off // Film Festivals

by Marla Lewin

There is no doubt that John Lithgow is an accomplished serious actor who can never be too over the top for his own liking. Tuesday night was a rare opportunity to see him in a conversation with David Ansen, the new Artistic Director of LAFF. What was so special about this was that they were college roommates at Harvard and are still best friends. That gave David a unique insight and made it a more personal conversation than one usually hears at a film festival.

John Lithgow wowed the audience last night with his theatrical approach to working in film.  Most of us were about to watch The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai for the first time on a big screen along with the actor. This cult film from 1984 also starred Peter Weller, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum, and Christopher Lloyd.  John  said the experience was the one of the most fun he had working in the industry, right along with 3^rd Rock, the cast was laughing hysterically all the time on set.  He even pointed out a scene at the end of the film where you can see him roaring, as he plays a mix of an insane scientist with very black teeth, and a take off on a dictator like Mussolini.  Who knew you could get paid to have this much fun he gushed. Continue Reading

Wading Through the Results of Climate Change

// June 25th, 2010 // Comments Off // Film Festivals

by Marc Halperin

We had lunch last Saturday with Michael Nash the director of Climate Refugees which has a free screening today at the LA film festival. The film focuses on Bangladesh, Chad, China, Kenya, Tuvalu, and the USA and promises to be a riveting 89 minutes.

“Climate Refugees” is a term few people outside the U.S. military and U.N. circles are familiar with until now. This illuminating documentary takes the next step after An Inconvenient Truth and examines the facts behind the phrase and exposes what is being called the biggest challenge facing mankind. Continue Reading

Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia in Los Angeles

// June 24th, 2010 // Comments Off // Stage Play

by Marla Lewin

The play “Arcadia” is set at the English estate of the Coverlys, a family of the nobility, and bounces back and forth between 1809 and the present day. Arcadia refers to the classical Greek state of mind which is pastorial and harmonius.  There is little of that actually in the play where both classic and present day characters look for love, relics, and recommendation and confirmation of their talents.

There is repeated mention of poet, playboy Lord Byron himself, though we never see him. He is a major character in this play. Byron’s fame, his brilliant writing and his penchant for married women, are etched throughout these intermingling lives.  There is no difference in the time periods as we are all subject to the classic and basic desires of money, fame and lusty love. Continue Reading

Davis Guggenheim’s WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN”

// June 24th, 2010 // Comments Off // Film Festivals

by Marla Lewin

The LAFF Premiere of Davis Guggenheim’s WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” was on Monday, June 21st, Celebrities attending include: Jerry O’Connell, Rebecca Romijn, Pamela Reed (Jericho), Jay Roach (Producer), Elisabeth Rohm (Law & Order), Lesley Ann Warren (In Plain Sight), Cheryl Hines, Brett Ratner, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood). There was another Gala screening and Conversation with John Legend, director Davis Guggenheim, and school expert Gregory Canada, who is featured in the film the following night.  WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN is a documentary account of the historic and present state of our school system in America.  Public education was a ground breaking effort that had never been done before. It declared that it was a national priority to educate our children and prepare them for the world they would inherit. It helped foster the growth of the middle class and fueled our economic prosperity. Now we are finding that other nations are doing a far better job of educating their children than we are and this threatens our economy and democracy. Only through a well educated citizenry can we protect our way of life and the form of government that it is based upon. Continue Reading