News

A movie based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical The Drowsy Chaperone is being developed as a Canadian-Australian co-production.

Geoffrey Rush, who played the character known as Man in the Chair in the Australian stage production, is set to reprise the role in the film, which will be directed by Fred Schepisi.

A tongue-in-cheek tribute to the golden era of Broadway musicals, Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin, the plot sees a musical literally bursting to life in the man.s living room, telling the rambunctious tale of a brazen Broadway starlet trying to find, and keep, her true love.

The lead Canadian producer is Rhombus Media.s Niv Fichman, whose credits include Silk, Enemy, Blindness, The Red Violin and Antiviral.

Aussie producer Antonia Barnard has confirmed her involvement .in the early stages.. Also aboard is producer Raquelle David, who spent six months with Fichman in Toronto last year developing the project,...

Connecticut Repertory Theatre Crt will present The Drowsy Chaperone, starring Pat Sajak as the Man in the Chair, as the first of its three-show Summer Nutmeg Summer Series, June 6 - 15 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, Storrs. For tickets and information, call 860-486-2113 or visit www.crt.uconn.edu. Check out a first look at Sajak at Crt below...

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: The legendary Christopher Plummer, who has been earning raves for his performance in Mike Mills’ “Beginners” as a widower embracing his homosexuality, will receive the “Hollywood Supporting Actor Award” at this year’s 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, presented by Starz Entertainment. The event is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 24, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Plummer, an Academy Award nominee for his recent performance in “The Last Station,” has been enjoying even more awards chatter as of late for his turn as Hal, a closeted gay man who didn’t choose to come out until his wife passed away … much to the surprise of his son (Ewan McGregor).

Plummer, who can be seen in “Barrymore” and “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” later this year, will be on hand to accept the award.

His bio is below:

Christopher Plummer...

This history of America is littered with real stories begging to be told about real people.

Next up: Legendary bluesman B.B. King.

"Treme" star Wendell Pierce is set to take on the big star in "B.B. King & I," based on the true story about a drummer who attends a concert by the legendary bluesman and the pair end up becoming lifelong friends.

"Almost Famous" star Patrick Fugit will be picking up the drumsticks.

According to Variety, production is set to begin Sept. 1, with a projected Spring 2012 release. The script was written by Michael Zanetis (the basis for Fugit's character) and Melora Donoghue, and Michael Schroeder (Christopher Plummer's "Man in the Chair") has signed on to direct. 

We're pretty psyched to see B.B. King getting his cinematic due and even more psyched that TV's "Bunk" is playing him. We're huge fans of "The Wire" (who isn't?). Plus, his character on "Treme,...

When Wendell Pierce was cast as a journeyman jazz musician in Treme, he immediately started taking trombone lessons.  As Pierce told The Grio, "I didn't want to look like an actor who knows absolutely nothing about music."  I'll be Pierce is thumbing through his phone book for a guitar teacher as we speak, because the actor has just signed on to play B.B. King in the biopic B.B. King and I.  Michael Zanetis co-wrote the screenplay based on his experience as a drummer who travels from the Heartland to Hollywood to pursue his musical dreams.  Zanetis met King at a 1980 concert and struck up a lifelong friendship.  Patrick Fugit (Cirque du Freak) will play the fictional Zanetis.  Michael Schroder (Man in the Chair) is on board to direct. King Size Film has scheduled the independent production to begin September 1 with a Spring 2012 release in mind.  More after the jump: Zanetis,...

Cinema is filled with multi-talented young actors who bring to life all types of characters. Sometimes, a role is given to the wrong guy - just because he has the looks (pin-up pretty, looks awesome wearing trunks) and the connection (a powerful talent agent at his side). But when the role is given to the right guy - moviegoers get to witness something unique, memorable and powerful, even magical. Anyway, even the 'right guy' needs an agent, of course...

- - -

- - - Underrated versus Overrated: If you've watched Jumper, then you'll notice the difference between Jamie Bell and Hayden Christensen - Bell has undeniable screen presence, I can't say the same with Hayden. It could have been different if Tom Sturridge was retained to play Hayden's part. Anyway, who am I to argue? Christensen has more box office appeal than the relatively unknown Sturridge, but acting-wise?

So,...

Cinema is filled with multi-talented young actors who bring to life all types of characters. Sometimes, a role is given to the wrong guy - just because he has the looks (pin-up pretty, looks awesome wearing trunks) and the connection (a powerful talent agent at his side). But when the role is given to the right guy - moviegoers get to witness something unique, memorable and powerful, even magical. Anyway, even the 'right guy' needs an agent, of course...

- - -

- - - Underrated versus Overrated: If you've watched Jumper, then you'll notice the difference between Jamie Bell and Hayden Christensen - Bell has undeniable screen presence, I can't say the same with Hayden. It could have been different if Tom Sturridge was retained to play Hayden's part. Anyway, who am I to argue? Christensen has more box office appeal than the relatively unknown Sturridge, but acting-wise?

So,...

Cinema is filled with multi-talented young actors who bring to life all types of characters. Sometimes, a role is given to the wrong guy - just because he has the looks (pin-up pretty, looks awesome wearing trunks) and the connection (a powerful talent agent at his side). But when the role is given to the right guy - moviegoers get to witness something unique, memorable and powerful, even magical. Anyway, even the 'right guy' needs an agent, of course...

- - -

- - - Underrated versus Overrated: If you've watched Jumper, then you'll notice the difference between Jamie Bell and Hayden Christensen - Bell has undeniable screen presence, I can't say the same with Hayden. It could have been different if Tom Sturridge was retained to play Hayden's part. Anyway, who am I to argue? Christensen has more box office appeal than the relatively unknown Sturridge, but acting-wise?

So,...

Cinema is filled with multi-talented young actors who bring to life all types of characters. Sometimes, a role is given to the wrong guy - just because he has the looks (pin-up pretty, looks awesome wearing trunks) and the connection (a powerful talent agent at his side). But when the role is given to the right guy - moviegoers get to witness something unique, memorable and powerful, even magical. Anyway, even the 'right guy' needs an agent, of course...

- - -

- - - Underrated versus Overrated: If you've watched Jumper, then you'll notice the difference between Jamie Bell and Hayden Christensen - Bell has undeniable screen presence, I can't say the same with Hayden. It could have been different if Tom Sturridge was retained to play Hayden's part. Anyway, who am I to argue? Christensen has more box office appeal than the relatively unknown Sturridge, but acting-wise?

So,...

Cinema is filled with multi-talented young actors who bring to life all types of characters. Sometimes, a role is given to the wrong guy - just because he has the looks (pin-up pretty, looks awesome wearing trunks) and the connection (a powerful talent agent at his side). But when the role is given to the right guy - moviegoers get to witness something unique, memorable and powerful, even magical. Anyway, even the 'right guy' needs an agent, of course...

- - -

- - - Underrated versus Overrated: If you've watched Jumper, then you'll notice the difference between Jamie Bell and Hayden Christensen - Bell has undeniable screen presence, I can't say the same with Hayden. It could have been different if Tom Sturridge was retained to play Hayden's part. Anyway, who am I to argue? Christensen has more box office appeal than the relatively unknown Sturridge, but acting-wise?

So,...

The Middleground. The top 30 is the middleground, where you get to find out who are making headways and who are not. We maintain a rather skeptical view of some of the actors' performances (i.e. we're not yet impressed totally!). That's probably the reason why you might notice the low ranking for some of the more popular names, which you thought should have been way up there. Moving down the rankings were Ben Foster, Kevin Zegers, Michael Angarano, Chris Evans and Eddie Redmayne. New on the list are Keiran Culkin and Nicolas Cazale and completing the top 30 are Ben Barnes, Lou Taylor Pucci and Sam Riley. International Appeal. I should have mentioned that during the first time we launched our top 50 list last April, many took note of its 'international flavor' and that we feature French, German and even Italian actors. The trend continues as we get to discover more young talents.

Miramax's Gone Baby Gone and Universal's Georgia Rule are among the feature films nominated for Prism Awards, which aim to bring attention to substance abuse and mental health issues.

In addition to those wide-release nominees, five films were nominated in the limited-release category: the Weinstein Co.'s Control, Warner Independent's In the Valley of Elah, Outsider Pictures' Man in the Chair, ThinkFilm's Self-Medicated and IFC Films' You Kill Me.

The Entertainment Industries Council, which announced nominees in 29 categories Monday, will name winners of the 12th annual Prism Awards on April 24.

The awards are designed to "honor actors, movies, music, media and television's top shows (that) that accurately depict and bring attention to substance abuse and mental health issues." ABC led all TV networks with 20 noms.

A complete list of noms follows.

Feature film wide release

Georgia Rule (Universal Pictures / Morgan Creek Productions)

Gone Baby Gone (Miramax Films / LivePlanet / Ladd Co.)

Feature film limited release

Control (The Weinstein Co. / Northsee Ltd. / EM Media / IFF-CINV / 3 Dogs and a Pony / Warner Music UK)

In the Valley of Elah (Warner Independent Pictures / Blackfriars Bridge Films / Summit Entertainment / Samuels Media / NALA Films)

Man in the Chair (Outsider Pictures)

Self-Medicated (ThinkFilm / Promise Pictures)

You Kill Me (IFC Films / Code Entertainment / Baum Echo Lake Rosenman Productions / Bipolar Productions)

Performance in a feature film

Casey Affleck, Gone Baby Gone

Ryan Gosling, Lars and the Real Girl

Felicity Huffman, Georgia Rule

Ben Kingsley, You Kill Me

Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton...

The 30th Mill Valley Film Festival will kick off Oct. 4 with a pair of features: Ang Lee's erotic espionage tale "Lust, Caution" and Tamara Jenkins' family drama "The Savages". The screenings will be followed by an opening-night gala on Lytton Plaza in downtown Mill Valley, north of San Francisco.

The fest, which runs through Oct. 14, will present 212 films -- 105 features and 107 shorts -- from 49 countries.

The event will close with director Marc Forster's adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel "The Kite Runner". The fest's centerpiece program will feature Michael Schroeder's "Man in the Chair", starring Christopher Plummer.

Festival tributes will shine the spotlight on Lee; director Terry George, whose latest film "Reservation Road" is set to screen; and actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, who will appear with her new film "Margot at the Wedding".

The fest is presented by the California Film Institute.

A live orchestra, screenings under the stars and an opening night gala will highlight the 2nd annual Malibu Celebration of Film, which begins Sept. 28.

The unusual event cherry-picks prize-winning films from 2007 festivals around the world. This year's slate promises 13 films from seven countries, which collectively have won 35 awards from such events as AFI, Sundance, Toronto, Zlin International Film Festival and Netherlands Film Festival.

"We're honored to have the opportunity to showcase such mindful and authentic storytelling," said the festival's executive director, Kim Jackson.

Kicking off the three-day event is Man in the Chair, starring Christopher Plummer and Robert Wagner. It's about a rebellious 17-year-old who enters a competition for a scholarship to a Hollywood film school, and it has won several top festival awards, including best feature film at the 2007 Kent Film Festival and a similar honor at the 2007 Stony Brook Film Festival.

The festival will screen retrospective films including Orson Welles' last major film, F for Fake, and the silent classic Heart O' the Hills starring Mary Pickford and featuring a live underscore by the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra.

Dan Wolman's Tied Hands, the account of a mother and her son who is dying of AIDS, was named best feature film at the 12th annual Palm Beach International Film Festival, which wrapped Thursday.

Nicole van Kilsdonk was hailed as best feature film director for the comedy Johan, while the award for best screenplay went to Scott Dacko for The Insurgents, starring Henry Simmons, John Shea and Mary Stuart Masterson.

Two performers were recognized with an award for best performance in a feature film: Christopher Plummer for Man in the Chair and Gila Almagor for Tied Hands.

A special jury prize for best feature went to Maurice Richard/The Rocket. In addition the jury chose to recognize the cast of Adrift in Manhattan, which includes Heather Graham, William Baldwin, Dominic Chianese, Victor Rasuk and Graham Gremm with a special ensemble award for their "mesmerizing and haunting performances."

Ray McCormack's A Crude Awakening - The Oil Crash was named best documentary feature. Lawrence Walsh's Cold Kenya took the prize for best short film.

Audience choice awards were presented to Evan Lieberman's Kathie T., best feature film; Logan Smalley's Darius Goes West - The Roll of His Life, best documentary feature; and Ziv Alexandrony's And Behold, There Came a Great Wind, best short film.

Brad Gann's Black Irish, starring Michael Angarano, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Guiry and Melissa Leo, picked up the city of Calabasas' best picture award at the ninth annual Method Fest.

Angarano also won for best actor, while Scout Taylor-Compton won as best actress for her role in Tomorrow Is Today.

"What defined this year's festival was the emergence of so many talented young actors and filmmakers," fest exec director Don Franken said Thursday at Viewpoint School's Carlson Family Theatre in Calabasas, Calif.

Supporting actress in a feature film went to Dagmara Dominczyk for Mentor, while supporting actor went to Black Irish's Guiry.

The audience award for best picture was presented to Destiny, directed by Vage Khacatryan, produced by Haig Bagerdjian and Kolya Khachaturov and starring Gor Vardanyan, Yevgeni Kamash and Svetlana Jukova.

Jim Loftus, who directed Trade Routes, was honored as best director.

The prize for screenplay went to David Gow for Steel Toes, which he also co-directed.

Other winners included:

Ensemble cast: Man in the Chair, starring Christopher Plummer, M. Emmet Walsh and Robert Wagner.

Michael Angarano is in final negotiations to star alongside Jackie Chan and Jet Li in the untitled J&J project. Rob Minkoff is directing, while Casey Silver produces.

Angarano will play a troubled 17-year-old wannabe kung fu warrior who, after a humiliating defeat at the hands of a street gang, is sent back in time to ancient China on an impossible mission to set free the imprisoned Monkey King Li) and return to him his all-powerful staff. John Fusco wrote the script.

The project is due to start filming in early May in China.

Ryan Kavanaugh and Raffaella De Laurentiis are executive producing. Relativity Media is financing.

Angarano, repped by ICM and Coast to Coast, recently starred in Columbia Pictures' Lords of Dogtown and the Walt Disney Co.'s Sky High. His upcoming projects include Snow Angels with Kate Beckinsale, The Final Season with Sean Astin and Rachael Leigh Cook and Man in the Chair with Christopher Plummer.

The ninth annual Method Fest, running March 29-April 5 in Calabasas, Calif., has announced a lineup that includes Jindabyne, an adaptation of a Raymond Carver story by Ray Lawrence and starring Laura Linney; Lonely Hearts, directed by Todd Robinson and starring Salma Hayek, James Gandolfini and John Travolta; and Man in the Chair, directed by Michael Schroeder and starring Christopher Plummer.

The fest, which focuses on independent film, will unspool at Viewpoint's Carlson Family Theatre and the Motion Picture and Television Fund's retirement community in Woodland Hills.

"We now have become a worldwide showcase of quality independent film," Method Fest executive director Don Franken said. "We have films with captivating performances and riveting stories that the audiences would really appreciate."

A total of 21 feature films and 45 shorts will screen, including the world premieres of Divergence, Charlie and School. The fest also will feature U.S. premieres of Iran's Bridge 13, Mexico's Carnaval de Sodoma and Bulgaria's Trade Routes.

COLOGNE, Germany -- Christopher Plummer starrer Man In The Chair, Shane Meadows' skinhead drama This is England and Kidz in da Hood, a musical that looks at the life of illegal immigrants in Sweden, are among the first titles picked for the official lineup of the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival.

All three will screen in Berlin's children and youth sidebar, Generation (formerly Kinderfilmfest). 2007 will mark the 30th anniversary of Berlin's children's film section.

Other films chosen for the Generation Kplus (children) and Generation 14plus (youth) sections include Thai thriller Dorm, from Songyos Sugmakanan; "Bloede Mutze!" (Stupid Hat!), from German first-timer Johannes Schmid; Romanian director Catalin Mitulescu's "The Way I Spent the End of the World," a look at the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu's brutal regime; and Trigger, from Norwegian director Gunnar Vikene, which centers on a renegade racehorse.

Two animated features have made the cut: Estonian comedy Lotte from Gadgetville, from directors Heiki Ernits and Janno Poldma, and Gregoire Solotareff and Serge Elissalde's French animated fairytale "U," which bowed at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.