Eva Mendes stars in the mother/daughter dramedy, Girl in Progress, about the trials and tribulations of life as a single mom. Pantelion Films has set an April 27, 2012 release date for the movie and now they’ve unveiled the film’s first trailer.
Take a look and see what you think:
The Story:
Grace (Eva Mendes) is a single mom. She is too busy juggling work, bills, and the very married Dr. Hartford (Matthew Modine), to give her daughter, Ansiedad (Cierra Ramirez) the attention she desperately needs. When Ansiedad’s English teacher, Ms. Armstrong (Patricia Arquette), introduces her students to classic coming-of-age stories, Ansiedad is inspired to skip adolescence and jump-start her life without mom. While Grace becomes preoccupied with the increasing affections of her co-worker (Eugenio Derbez), Ansiedad enlists the help of her loyal friend, Tavita (Raini Rodriguez), to plot her shortcut to “adulthood”. But as her misguided plan unravels, Ansiedad and Grace must learn that sometimes growing-up means acting your age.
“Glory featuring B.I.C.” – Jay-Z and Beyonce’s baby girl, Blue Ivy Carter, just entered the world on Saturday, January 7, 2012 but already she’s recorded her first song. Jay-Z recorded “Glory” with help from B.I.C. who you can hear adding cute little cries throughout the track.
The song’s very sweet and reveals much about the couple’s personal lives, and Jay-Z even mentions his continued sadness over a previous miscarriage as well as revealing where little Blue was actually conceived.
Jay-Z says in the song “my greatest creation was you,” with his voice displaying the pride he feels over being a first-time dad with wife Beyonce. It’s a gentle tune that Blue, I’m sure, will grow up loving.
Frank Darabont has a new project to fill up his free time now that he’s no longer The Walking Dead‘s showrunner. TNT just announced they’ve ordered a pilot for the dramatic series L.A. Noir from executive producers Frank Darabont, Michael De Luca, and Elliot Webb.
Based on the critically acclaimed book L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City by John Buntin, the series will follow the battle between LA Police Chief William Parker and notorious mobster Mickey Cohen. According to TNT, Darabont will write and direct the pilot.
“The story of L.A. Noir is inspired by an incredibly dramatic period in the history of Los Angeles,” stated Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM), in the official press release announcing the series. “This project is a sweeping tale of the battle for the soul of the city that was waged between the forces of the LAPD and the West Coast mob. We’re thrilled to be working with Frank Darabont and Michael De Luca, two award-winning storytellers behind some of the most entertaining films of the past two decades, as they to bring this intense and exciting crime-drama to TNT.”
“Noir is a passion of mine, so I feel blessed to delve into a project that speaks in the hardboiled vernacular,” said Darabont. “John Buntin’s superb book, though non-fiction, is our touchstone and inspiration for the stories we’ll be telling, weaving fiction throughout the facts and facts throughout the fiction. The book provides elements that are irresistible, a big canvas with endless possibilities. The goal is to deliver on the tone that the title L.A. Noir promises: a smart, gritty, authentic, period noir drama. Also a blessing is the warm welcome we’ve gotten from Michael Wright and TNT, a great bunch of folks with huge enthusiasm for the source material. The best bonus of all is getting to work with my friend Mike De Luca. He’s terrific, a tremendously smart and talented producer, a gem. Partnering with him on this marvelous project after knowing him for so many years is an absolute treat for me.”
“It has been a personal dream of mine to work with Frank Darabont since he was kind of enough to become my friend when we met in the late 1980s,” added De Luca. “He’s been an inspiration to me ever since. There is no one working at his level today who puts more integrity and humanity into their efforts to create lasting and original entertainment. This rich source material is a perfect fit for his talents, and we’re grateful to Michael Wright and TNT for this amazing opportunity.”
The Story:
L.A. Noir is the true story of a decades-long conflict between the Los Angeles Police Department, under the determined leadership of Police Chief William Parker, and ruthless criminal elements led by Mickey Cohen, a one-time boxer who rose to the top of L.A.’s criminal world. The series is a fast-paced crime drama set in Los Angeles during the 1940s and ’50s. It’s a world of glamorous movie stars, powerful studio heads, returning war heroes, a powerful and corrupt police force and an even more dangerous criminal network determined to make L.A. its West Coast base.
The field has narrowed to just seven in the Makeup category, so says the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The films still in the running for the Best Makeup Oscar at the 84th Academy Awards® are:
The next stop on the road to being nominated comes on January 21st when the Academy’s Makeup Branch members will watch 10 minute excerpts from these seven films. After that, those same Academy members will narrow the field to the final three, with the official nominees announced on January 24, 2012 at the horribly early hour of 5:30am (PT).
The 84th Academy Awards will take place on February 26, 2012.
Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – January 9, 2012
Stephen Lunsford hit the red carpet at the premiere of Tucker & Dale vs Evil at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con to talk about his role in the horror film, Beneath the Darkness. In our interview, Lunsford discusses working with Dennis Quaid, playing a jerk, the film’s tone, and why he was dressed as Nathan Drake at Comic Con.
HBO’s new comedy series Life’s Too Short, created by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Warwick Davis, will premiere on February 19, 2012 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. The seven-episode faux documentary series starring Warwick Davis playing a fictionalized version of himself will air on Sunday nights after Eastbound and Down.
HBO offers this synopsis of Life’s Too Short: “Actor Warwick Davis is struggling to jumpstart his fading career and maintain his status as Britain’s ‘go-to’ little person. He runs a talent agency for fellow showbiz little people called ‘Dwarves for Hire,’ though he often takes the best roles for himself, and serves as vice chairman of a society for small people, though he’d rather be chairman. Davis also seeks advice from his old pals Gervais and Merchant (playing versions of themselves) in hopes that their A-list celebrity connections will aid his career.”
The series will include cameos by Johnny Depp, Liam Neeson, Sting, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Carell, Kat Deeley, and other celebrities. Joining Davis in the cast are series regulars are Jo Enright as Davis’ soon to be ex-wife Sue, Rosamund Hanson as his dim-witted assistant Cheryl, Steve Brody as his incompetent accountant, and EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson as himself.
Life’s Too Short February 2012 Episodes:
Episode #1
Debut: SUNDAY, FEB. 19 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Feb. 19 (12:30 a.m.), 20 (11:00 p.m.) and 23 (9:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Feb. 20 (9:30 p.m.), 21 (1:25 a.m.), 22 (12:10 a.m.) and 24 (8:30 p.m.)
For more than two decades, Warwick Davis was Britain’s “go-to dwarf.” Now, with his career on the slide, a massive tax bill caused by his useless accountant and a wife who’s divorcing him, he decides to open his doors to a reality TV film crew. After interviewing a new assistant, he drops by unannounced to see old pals Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, but Liam Neeson already has an appointment to pitch himself as a serious actor who is serious about breaking into comedy.
Written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.
While selling autographs at a sci-fi convention, Davis agrees to be the special guest at a “Star Wars”-themed wedding. His fortunes appear to rise when Johnny Depp hires him to help research a new movie role, but Depp ends up having a bone to pick with Ricky Gervais.
Written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.
The Adventures of Tintin and Boardwalk Empire felt a lot of love from the Visual Effects Society (VES) when the group announced their nominees for the best visual effects of 2011. The VES Awards recognize visual effects artistry in “23 categories of film, animation, television, commercials, special venues, and video games.”
“The standard of the creative work that is being considered this year is unbelievably high across all categories,” stated Jeffrey A. Okun, Chair of the Visual Effects Society, in the announcement. “The judges faced a huge challenge because all of the work was so far above the norm. We’re honored to have the opportunity to focus the spotlight on the outstanding work that has contributed to some of the highest-grossing films and broadcast projects of all time.”
Winners will be announced on February 7, 2012, with Stan Lee set to receive the VES 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award and Douglas Trumbull with the Georges Méliès Award at the event.
10th Annual VES Awards Nominees:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture:
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture:
Anonymous
Andre Cantarel
Volker Engel
Rony Soussan
Marc Weigert
Hugo
Ben Grossmann
Alex Henning
Rob Legato
Karen Murphy
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Laya Armian
Chas Jarrett
Seth Maury
Sirio Quintavalle
Source Code
Annie Godin
Louis Morin
War Horse
Duncan Burbidge
Ben Morris
Mike Mulholland
Chris Zeh
Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:
Arthur Christmas
Doug Ikeler
Chris Juen
Alan Short
Mandy Tankenson
Kung Fu Panda 2
Melissa Cobb
Alex Parkinson
Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Raymond Zibach
Puss In Boots
Joe Aguilar
Guillaume Aretos
Ken Bielenberg
Chris Miller
Rango
Tim Alexander
Hal Hickel
Jacqui Lopez
Katie Lynch
The Adventures of Tintin
Jamie Beard
Joe Letteri
Meredith Meyer-Nichols
Eileen Moran
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series:
Falling Skies
Rob Biagi
Curt Miller
Andrew Orloff
Sean Tompkins
Fringe
Robert Habros
Andrew Orloff
Jay Worth
Chris Wright
Planet Dinosaur
Phil Dobree
Luke Dodd
Haz Dulull
Mark Sherwood
Terra Nova
Kevin Blank
Colin Brady
Adica Manis
Jason Zimmerman
The Bomber
Igor Gotsulyak
Dmitriy Kolesnik
Egor Olesov
Dmitriy Ovcharenko
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program:
Boardwalk Empire – Georgia Peaches
Richard Friedlander
Robert Stromberg
David Taritero
Bones – Tornado Case
Christian Cardona
Buddy Gheen
Beau Janzen
Andy Simonson
Breaking Bad – Face Off
Bruce Branit
Werner Hahnlein
Gregory Nicotero
William Powloski
Game of Thrones – Winter is Coming
Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor
Angela Barson
Ed Bruce
Adam McInnes
Pan Am – Pilot
Tavis Larkham
Chris Martin
Sam Nicholson
Matt Robken
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie, or Special:
Finding Life Beyond Earth Gettysburg Inside the Human Body Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Live Action Commercial:
Dior J’adore Jameson: Fire Johnnie Walker: Rock Giant Kia: Share Some Soul Volkswagen: Hedgehog
Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Commercial or Video Game Trailer:
Audi A6 Avant – Hummingbird Coca-Cola Siege Diablo III: The Black Soulstone Prey 2 Sony: 2 Worlds
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project:
Amazin’ Humbugged! Rockettes to the Rescue Star Tours: The Adventure Continues Transformers the Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle Typhoon 360
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – Ukranian Ironbelly Paul – Paul Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Caesar The Thing – Edvard/Adam
Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:
Puss In Boots – Puss Rango – Rango Rio – Nigel The Adventures of Tintin – Tintin
Outstanding Animated Character in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:
Audi A6 Avant – Hummingbird Canal + – The Bear Carls Jr. – Robot Game of Thrones – Fire and Blood
Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture:
Anonymous – London Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – Hogwarts Thor – Heimdall’s Observatory Transformers: Dark of the Moon – 155 Wacker Drive
Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:
Puss In Boots – The Cloud World Rango – Main Street Dirt The Adventures of Tintin – Bagghar The Adventures of Tintin – Docks The Adventures of Tintin – Pirate Battle
Outstanding Created Environment in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:
Audi A6 Avant – Hummingbird Boardwalk Empire – Two Boats and a Lifeguard Game of Thrones – The Icewall Pan Am – Pilot Worldport Terminal Terra Nova – Terra Nova
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture:
Hugo Rise of the Planet of the Apes Thor Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:
Arthur Christmas Cars 2 Rango The Adventures of Tintin
Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – Hogwarts School Buildings Hugo – Train Crash Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – Parking Garage Transformers: Dark of the Moon – Driller
Outstanding Models in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:
Arrowhead Nature’s Fix Boardwalk Empire Falling Skies Once Upon a Time
Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture:
Captain America: The First Avenger Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Rise of the Planet of the Apes Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Mike Patton - Photo Credit: Jay BlakesbergWriter/director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) has turned to former Faith No More front man Mike Patton to score his latest movie, The Place Beyond the Pines. The crime drama recently wrapped up shooting in New York, with Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes in starring roles.
The Place Beyond the Pines finds Gosling playing a professional motorcycle rider who turns to bank robberies to support his newborn son. He crosses paths with a rookie police officer (Bradley Cooper) and their violent confrontation spirals into a tense generational feud.
Patton’s previous film scoring credits include A Solitude of Prime Numbers, Crank 2: High Voltage, and the short film A Perfect Place. He’s currently at work on a new Tomahawk album which should be released this summer.
“Electric City is a thought-provoking and engaging series and we are thrilled to be partnering with Playtone and Reliance Entertainment to bring Tom Hanks’ vision to the world on Yahoo! for the first time,” stated Ross Levinsohn, EVP Americas, Yahoo!. “Electric City is so much more than just an online video series – it is an interactive and immersive experience from one of the world’s biggest stars and premier storytellers.”
“It was always our intent to have this project live and breathe online and we felt Yahoo! would be the perfect home,” said Hanks’ Playtone partner, Gary Goetzman.
Electric City – The Story:
The world as we know it has ended and out of the rubble, the Electric City stands as a symbol of peace and security. Yet under the veneer of order lies a world full of secrets and violence. Secret police, back-alley dealings, daring chases, and murder all find a home in the Electric City. Through the lens of a functioning, yet dystopian metropolis, Electric City touches upon relevant global issues and themes including energy consumption, freedom of information, crime and punishment and more. The story unfolds gradually, layering mystery upon mystery, inviting viewers to interact with the content and each other. Metaphors and symbols are woven throughout, creating a perfect environment for puzzle-solving and community interaction.
Source: Playtone, Yahoo!, and Reliance Entertainment – January 9, 2012
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is set to premiere on HBO on January 12, 2012, summing up the story of the West Memphis 3 that was previously explored in the 1996 documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills and 2000’s Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. According to HBO, Purgatory will pull together the entire story, beginning with the arrests of the West Memphis 3 for murder in 1993, going through the appeals process, and ultimately to the release of the three after new evidence is uncovered.
In support of its upcoming premiere, HBO has just released new clips from Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory:
Clip: “Panel Discussion” – The West Memphis 3 discuss their experiences over the past 18 years:
Clip: “Directors” – Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky talk about the ‘Paradise Lost’ series:
Clip: “Lawyers” – Lawyers discuss West Memphis 3 case and its importance:
Frank Darabont has a new project to fill up his free time now that he’s no longer 
