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Ryan Reynolds is a fan-favorite actor, whose role as a leading actor grossed over $4.4 billion at the worldwide box office. Now synonymous with the role of Deadpool, the actor is easily defined by his cheek-in-tongue, self-deprecating humor.

Over the years, Reynolds made a name for himself with roles that often poked fun at himself, whether in action, comedy, or more. While the actor proved his range in films like 2008's Fireflies in the Garden, 2010's Buried, and 2014's Voices, it was his comedy roles that won the public over and enchanted the critics. However, in a new episode of Brotherly Love Podcast, hosted by actor Matthew Lawrence and his brothers Joey and Andy, Matthew opened up about his experience with Reynolds on the set of 1998's Boltneck, where the Canadian actor reportedly "really upset" the crew.

RelatedSaturday Night Live Denies Ryan Reynolds Altered His Viral Joke

The late-night sketch comedy...

Atomic Features, the production company co-founded by Daniel Ragussis (“Imperium”) and Dennis Lee (“Fireflies in the Garden”), has closed, what it is describing as “a significant” new round of equity financing. The round was led by Fanghua Jiang, Li Jing, and Lanfu Yang.

The company says the new investments will enable it to expand its development slate, adding between four to eight new projects, as well as launch a production fund to finance the first three films it is developing — real-time disaster thriller, “Black Tuesday”; the horror movie, “Breed”; and the dystopian thriller, “The Oasis.”

The company offers a different type of development methodology than the traditional Hollywood model by working with directors from the inception of a project, and relies upon a formalized notes-giving process pioneered by Ragussis in his Notes for Execs workshop, which launched in 2019 and has included participants from such companies as Warner Bros., Universal, Fox and Disney.

For many years, Hollywood didn't really know what to do with Ryan Reynolds. He was tried as a romantic lead, but few of his romance films were enormous hits. He also stumbled as an intense horror icon; the remake of "The Amityville Horror" didn't do him any favors. Reynolds was celebrated as a comedic lead in films like "Waiting..." and "Van Wilder," but he could only play an immature buffoon for so long. Many know of his missteps as an action star, as films like "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "Green Lantern" have been wildly lambasted by fans and even Reynolds himself. It wouldn't be until performances in films like "The Voices," "Pokémon Detective Pikachu," and of course, "Deadpool" that the destined-for-stardom star would finally become a force to be reckoned with. His 2024 film "Deadpool & Wolverine" (which he also produced and co-wrote) made over $1.3 billion. 

In 2013, three years before "Deadpool,...

Detective Pikachu was a unique voice acting role for Reynolds, showcasing his versatility beyond live-action films. Fireflies in the Garden was a forgotten drama where Reynolds explored a different side of his acting talents. Reynolds' supporting role in Mississippi Grind added depth to the comedy, emphasizing the dangers of addiction.

It seems like Ryan Reynolds is everywhere in modern cinema, but it's easy to forget that he's been omnipresent in movies for a long time now. The Canadian-born actor has made a name for himself as one of the most reliable stars in Hollywood, leveraging his charisma in lead roles in films like Free Guy and Deadpool. Ryan Reynold's best movies may be quite well-known by now, but his presence of film sets goes far beyond easy-to-remember blockbusters.

There are several factors that can easily mask the presence of a star as well-known as Ryan Reynolds. Sometimes, a given...

Atomic Features, the production company co-founded by Daniel Ragussis (“Imperium”) and Dennis Lee (“Fireflies in the Garden”), has launched a new development fund, having secured financing from a consortium of investors led by Cxm Enterprises, Davis & Associates, and Pine Valley Investments.

Atomic’s development fund will employ the formal methodology devised by Ragussis as the founder of Notes for Execs, the industry’s first workshop to help executives give better notes to screenwriters.

Notes for Execs launched in 2019 and has included participants from Warner Brothers, Universal, Fox and Disney, as well as multiple management companies and agencies. Ragussis was also formerly Head of Development for Lucas Foster’s Anvl Entertainment.

The fund utilizes this approach to development, but applies it to director-driven projects, offering a new model to bring films to market. Each project from Atomic will start with bringing on board a director, offering Atomic’s portfolio of writers...

Ryan Reynolds will receive the Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award at the 11th annual gala for Bring Change to Mind. The award pays tribute to Williams and is presented annually by his children. The event will feature performances by Reba McEntire and Amy Schumer, as well as an auction of items, including a guitar signed by Taylor Swift.

Ryan Reynolds will be honored with the Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award at the 11th annual gala for Bring Change to Mind, Glenn Close's non-profit organization aimed at fighting the stigmas of mental illness.

Almost 10 years after the death of Williams, following a long battle against depression, the organization Bring Change to Mind pays tribute to him with an award presented annually by Williams' children, Zak, Zelda and Cody. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Reynolds will join the list of recipients that includes Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Stiller,...

There are many reasons why the Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern movie flopped at the box office and became one of the biggest bombs of all time. Warner Bros. and DC Comics spent over two decades trying to adapt the Green Lantern comics into a movie, eventually planning to make a more comedic superhero film starring Jack Black. However, the success of Iron Man and the beginnings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed those plans, and Warner Bros hoped a more dramatic Green Lantern film might kickstart a DC Universe.

On paper, the 2011 Green Lantern movie seemed like a surefire hit. Superhero movies were in vogue, with Thor and Captain America releasing that same summer. The film also boasted an impressive ensemble, with talented actors like Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, Temuera Morrison, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Geoffrey Rush, among others. Unfortunately, the movie failed to win over audiences, scrapping plans for...

One of the most popular movie stars working in Hollywood, Ryan Reynolds movies contain some of the best box-office and streaming successes of the past decade. Reynolds' status as a superstar has been hard-fought since he began working in the 1990s. His eventual success is a testament to the fact that no matter how big someone seems to get "overnight," it's likely it took years to reach that peak. After an early career in television — including a leading role on the amusingly titled Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place -

Reynolds made his breakout debut in the 2002 National Lampoon movie Van Wilder, putting him on the map as a disarmingly handsome star with impeccable comedic timing. Ryan Reynolds' movies tend to vary, and the actor has an impressive catalog. Much of his career saw Reynolds genre-hopping from rom-coms to action flicks to more serious drama (sometimes within the...

Mexico-based, El Salvador-born Tatiana Huezo has quickly emerged in the world of documentary as one of its most talented and thought-provoking directors of her generation.

As she finally jumps from documentary to fiction with the upcoming “Noche de Fuego,” a strong big fest candidate, the director delivered a three-hour masterclass at this week’s Swiss doc fest Visions de Réel.

Drilling down on her award-winning features and short films, the director expounded on her own understanding of filmmaking as a personal journey in a talk that took a chronological take on her career. Five key points made by Huezo:

“Retrato de Familia” (2005)

Having studied at Mexico City’s celebrated Ccc film school, Huezo initially worked as a Dp, battling to find her place as one of Mexico’s then few women cinematographers -a story shared by so many women in the industry. “It was a male job in a male world,...

Exclusive: Showtime has rounded out the cast for its upcoming anthology series The First Lady. Aya Cash (The Boys), Jake Picking (Hollywood), Cayden Boyd (The Resident), Marc Hills (Snatchers), Ben Cook (Paterno), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Bridge and Tunnel), Thomas E. Sullivan and Patrice Johnson Chevannes (Chambers) have been cast in the series, joining previously announced stars Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson.

The First Lady, created by Aaron Cooley and produced by Lionsgate TV and Showtime, is a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. Season 1 focuses on Eleanor Roosevelt (Anderson), Betty Ford (Pfeiffer) and Michelle Obama (Davis).

Previously announced cast also includes Lexi Underwood as Malia Obama, O-t Fagbenle as Barack Obama and Derek Cecil as Donald Rumsfeld.

Cash will play Esther Liebowitz, press secretary to Betty Ford, who often butts heads with...

The times they are a changing, kids! And as technology advances so does the means of getting our entertainment. The latest announcement comes courtesy of Cinedigm and Rapid Eye Films who are looking to increase their genre output. Read on for details.

From the Press Release

Cinedigm Corp. (Nasdaq: Cidm) and Rapid Eye Film announced today they have entered into a multi-picture distribution and production output deal for North America encompassing 15 films. Rapid Eye Film (Ref) will produce, co-produce or acquire three to four genre-centric films per year. Cinedigm will handle the theatrical and home entertainment release and distribution strategy for each picture, with Ref producing and managing the marketing.

The deal provides Ref guaranteed distribution for the films across all platforms, and provides Cinedigm a steady slate of independent genre films, including science fiction and suspense thrillers. Cinedigm will be involved in all stages of production.

Filmmaker Marco Weber...

Thursday, November 1st and Friday Nov 2nd during the 2012 American Film Market for its third year in a row, DreamAgo, in partnership with Hamilton International, the renowned Swiss watch company, will host "Hamilton Helps DreamAgo Connect". Known for its annual Plume & Pellicule screenwriting workshop held annually in Sierre, Switzerland and for the development, support and promotion of films that make a difference, the program has 3 key phases.

First phase is a speed dating-style pitch session designed to introduce selected screenwriters, who benefitted from DreamAgo's screenwriting lab in Switzerland, to well-known producers and distributors.  Screenwriters in attendance will have 10 minutes with a producer to present their project before moving on to the next producer and starting again.  Among the producers participating are Linda Obst (Hope Floats, Sleepless In Seattle, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days), Golan Ramras (One Missed Call, The Incredible Hulk), Kelley Feldsott Reynolds (The Flyboys, The Unsaid, Five Fingers), Sukee Chew (Jesus Henry Christ, Fireflies In The Garden), Christina Piovesan (Red Lights, The Whistleblower, Amreeka), Paula Mazanedo-Schmit (VP Film Finances Inc.), David Miller (Amal Sidarth, My Foolish Heart) and Vanessa Adkins (Unthinkable, A Late Quartet). 

Second, the program offers the opportunity for any WGA writer to propose a feature project and try to win a six weeks Residency in Sierre (Switzerland), all costs covered. Among the more than 250 pitches submitted, DreamAgo & the Residence Ruffieux will select 15 projects and each of the writers will be given the opportunity to pitch it in person for 10 minutes. The lucky winner will be revealed during a brunch at the Swiss Consulate.

Third, DreamAgo will present a panel, in partnership with The Writers Guild of America,  the topic this year:  How to Preserve Your Vision When Those Around You Won't Leave It Alone? (Hint: An International Production Might Be Your Solution), on Friday, November 2nd. Panelists confirmed for this event include Barry Navidi (Producer, The Merchant Of Venice, Wild Salome), Sydney Levine (Creator of Sydney's Buzz a Network Blog on Indiewire, Founder of Film Finders), Vince Fischer (International Agent, Creator of the International Eci Agency), and Neil Landau (Writer, Tad The Lost Explorer).

Writer Howard Rodman (Joe Gould'S Secret, Savage Grace) will serve as moderator.

Additionally, DreamAgo will also have a part in the celebrated Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards that pay tribute to the off-screen talents. The 6th edition will take place in Hollywood on October 28, just prior to the start of Afm.  DreamAgo, in collaboration with Hamilton, has selected Zoe Kazan to receive the Best Screenwriter Award for Ruby Sparks. The award will be presented by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the filmmaking duo behind Little Miss Sunshine.

About Dreamago:

DreamAgo is a nonprofit organization that brings together film professionals of all nationalities: screenwriters, directors, producers and distributors.  Its purpose is to nurture and promote the creation of cinematic works on all continents, offering support at each stage of their development. In short: from script to screen. DreamAgo was founded in February 2005 by Pascale Rey and Soula Saad.

About Hamilton:

Hamilton was founded in 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. Hamilton watches combine the American spirit with the unrivalled precision of the latest Swiss movements and technologies.  Known for its innovative design, Hamilton has a strong foothold in Hollywood, with products appearing in over 300 films. The brand also boasts a strong aeronautical heritage.  Hamilton is a member of the Swatch group, the largest watch manufacturer and distributor in the world with 160 production sites in Switzerland.

Title: Jesus Henry Christ Director: Dennis Lee (‘Fireflies in the Garden’) Starring: Jason Spevack (‘Ramona and Beezus’), Toni Collette and Michael Sheen Teens often spend most of their adolescence trying to spend as little time with their families as possible. But when they don’t know who one of their parents is, their need to find their family and identity is often one of the most important things in their life. The need to fully discover one’s background and personality is cleverly shown in the new comedy ‘Jesus Henry Christ.’ While the title character in the film, Henry, is known for his unnaturally high Iq, he is like many children in [ Read More ]...

Precocious doesn’t even begin to describe Henry James Herman, the central figure of “Jesus Henry Christ,” and a 10-year-old boy genius who rabble-rousing manifestos on the nature of truth and upsets the carefully ordered world of his doting single mother (Toni Collette) when he sets out to find his biological father (Michael Sheen). ShockYa had the chance recently to speak one-on-one to writer-director Dennis Lee, about his reaction to the rocky commercial reception of his debut film, “Fireflies in the Garden,” and the challenge in crafting his nine-years-in-the-making follow-up, based on an award-winning short he made in film school. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: I was struck by the broader parallels [ Read More ]...

Jesus Henry Christ, writer-director Dennis Lee’s follow-up to Fireflies in the Garden will be released in the Us next month, and with a cast headed up by Michael Sheen and Toni Collette, it sounds promising.

The film is centred on a young boy, played Jason Spevack (Sunshine Cleaning), looking for his biological father (Michael Sheen), and Apple have debuted the first trailer and poster ahead of its Us release.

“Precocious doesn’t even begin to describe Henry James Herman, a petri dish child who writes rabble-rousing manifestos on the nature of truth… at age 10. This boy-genius misfit’s world turns upside down when–to the dismay of the doting single mother who raised him–he embarks on a search for his biological father.”

Recent years have of course seen something of a surge in the featuring of quirky young children in film – think Wes Anderson (anybody else immensely excited for Moonrise Kingdom in May?...

"I'm his mother, you're nothing but a test tube filled with sperm!" E1 Entertainment has debuted the official trailer on Apple for the indie comedy Jesus Henry Christ, written and directed by Dennis Lee (Fireflies in the Garden), starring Toni Collette and Jason Spevack as her son Henry James Herman, a precocious 10-year-old kid who sets out on a quest to find out who his sperm-donor father was. The trailer reveals that it's Michael Sheen, who actually has some sort of history with Collette's character anyway, and all the fun begins. There are some interesting fantastical elements to this with the Post-It notes, but it looks charming. Watch the official trailer for Dennis Lee's Jesus Henry Christ, in high def via Apple: Precocious doesn't even begin to describe Henry James Herman, a petri dish child who writes rabble-rousing manifestos on the nature of truth... at age 10. This boy-genius misfit's...

The first trailer and poster for the comedy-drama Jesus Henry Christ have gone online. The film centers on a child genius who sets out to find his biological father, only to discover the he was the result of a sperm donation. Toni Collette plays the boy's mother, while Michael Sheen plays the “father.” The film was directed by Dennis Lee (Fireflies in the Garden), but the trailer looks like a complete rip off of a Wes Anderson movie; the framing seems almost identical. The premise is a good enough starting point, but I can’t help but shake the feeling that the whole thing plays like one of those Redbox knock-offs that looks like a real movie, but is actually just a watered-down imitation of the real thing. Sheen and Collette are immensely talented so I’d be more than happy to be proven wrong, but this trailer isn’t doing it for me.

After premiering the first eight minutes of his live-action feature theatrical debut at SXSW festival this past weekend, we’ve got the first poster for Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane‘s Ted. Coming from Collider, we can see the back of Mark Wahlberg, along with his teddy bear, who comes to life after a wish. The film is said to be heavily R-rated, featuring the foul bear played by MacFarlane through motion-capture. Mila Kunis, Joel McHale, Patrick Warburton, and Giovanni Ribisi make up the rest of the cast for the film arriving on July 13th.

Unless Ted is one of the least funny comedies of the year, then we’ve also got a poster for a film that is much, much worse. We endured Jesus Henry Christ during Tribeca Film Festival last year (review here) and now it is being unfortunately unleashed into cinemas. Writer and director Dennis Lee‘s...

We have the exclusive poster debut for the upcoming indie comedy Jesus Henry Christ, which will be released in theaters April 20. Jason Spevack stars as Henry James Herman, a boy genius born in a petri dish who goes on a quest to find his biological father. Take a look at the first one-sheet below for Fireflies in the Garden director Dennis Lee's comedy, which also stars Toni Collette and Michael Sheen.

Precocious doesn't even begin to describe Henry James Herman, a petri dish child who writes rabble-rousing manifestos on the nature of truth...At age 10. This boy-genius misfit's world turns upside down when, to the dismay of the doting single mother who raised him, he embarks on a search for his biological father.

Jesus Henry Christ comes to theaters April 20th, 2012 and stars Toni Collette, Michael Sheen, Jason Spevack, Samantha Weinstein, Frank Moore, Aaron Abrams, Melyssa Ade, Paul Braunstein.

Fireflies in the Garden boasts one of the most impressive pedigrees a film could ask for nowadays, and yet the sum of the parts will leave many scratching their heads; both because the film isn’t nearly as great as a cast of Willem Dafoe, Julia Roberts, Emily Watson, Ryan Reynolds, Carrie Anne Moss, Hayden Panettiere, and Ioan Gruffud can produce when at their best, and because the script and story structure make you wonder why such talent ever signed on in the first place. The story of Fireflies in the Garden, loosely inspired by a Robert Frost poem, sees a rich family dealing with the sudden death of a loving mother who stood as the great balancing force to an abusive, ill-tempered and overly critical father. The performances of all involved are admirable, unfortunately they’re working from a script of hand-wringing drama and a story whose timeline is...

Good news, horrible news on the distribution front.

First up, Variety had learned that Side By Side, a fantastic-looking documentary from Keanu Reeves and director Christopher Kenneally, has been picked up by Tribeca Films. As the trailer already indicated, Side follows the Matrix star as he digs into “the development of cinema and the impact of digital filmmaking via in-depth interviews with filmmakers such as Danny Boyle, James Cameron, David Fincher, George Lucas, David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, Lars Von Trier, the Wachowskis and more.” That, I’d dare say, is one of the finest collections of filmmaking talent ever compiled for a single project.

We’ll be able to get a look at the film when a theatrical and VOD release hits this coming summer; Reeves and Kenneally will also “bring the pic to college campuses and film schools” around this time next year, presumably in...

Fireflies in the Garden

Directed by: Dennis Lee

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Julia Roberts

Running Time: 1 hr 29 mins

Rating: R

Due Out: February 7, 2012

Plot: A tragic accident befalls the Taylor family in a time that is meant for celebration. This leads to old demons with Michael (Reynolds) and his father (Dafoe).

Who’S It For? Do you like family drama? I’m not talking about the kind where you look back years later and laugh about it. I’m talking about family drama that thrashes you around for years leaving you feeling weighed down.

Movie:

Coming home is hard for some people and Michael Taylor (Reynolds) fits that bill easy enough. Coming home to a sudden tragedy is near impossible. Surrounded by really good, intense family drama is the feeling of “near impossible,” but that doesn’t stop Fireflies in the Garden being a solid film.

It deserves better.

DVD or Blu-ray? Redbox or Netflix? Streaming? Get your home entertainment options settled before midnight on Saturday, Februrary 11 -- because that's when "Breaking Dawn," the latest installment of "The Twilight Saga," arrives in stores. We've got the highlights and lowlights on the week's new releases, plus an exclusive preview of the Blu-ray debut of Disney's "Lady and the Tramp." Moviefone's Pick of the Week "Project Nim" What's It About? This documentary from the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind "Man on Wire" chronicles Nim Chimpsky, a newborn chimp that was raised like a human for a controversial study on linguistics. See It Because: If you're looking for a cute movie about cute animals doing cute things like cute babies, this isn't that movie; instead "Nim" is an honest and captivating look at the complex relationship between man and nature, and the too-simple definitions we try to apply to the animal kingdom. Also...

Anonymous The fact this is hitting DVD and Blu-ray and no one has really seen it and Columbia has done very little to encourage people to see it is a bit frustrating. As someone that loves and writes about movies you want the good ones to be seen and I can tell you this is a good film. I don't know what it was that scared Sony into releasing it into only 513 theaters at its widest release, but I guess that just stands to mean it will be a small gem found on DVD and Blu-ray.

 

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 This one actually doesn't arrive until Saturday, February 11, but I'm sure young girls all across the country are already queuing up to be the first to own the first part of the final film in the Twilight franchise in which nothing happens and Summit makes millions of dollars as a result.

We have an exclusive featurette from the upcoming drama Fireflies in the Garden, which arrives on DVD February 7. Click on the video player below to watch Willem Dafoe discuss his abusive father character, Charles, alongside director Dennis Lee.

Click to watch Exclusive: Willem Defoe Featurette!

To an outsider, the Taylors are the very picture of the successful American family: Charles (Willem Dafoe) is a tenured professor on track to become university president, son Michael (Ryan Reynolds) is a prolific and well-known romance novelist, daughter Ryne (Shannon Lucio) is poised to enter a prestigious law school, and on the day we are introduced to them, matriarch Lisa (Julia Roberts) will graduate from college-decades after leaving to raise her children. But when a serious accident interrupts the celebration, the far more nuanced reality of this Midwestern family's history and relationships come to light.

Special Features:

A Flash of Life: The Making of...

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This week I thought I would add a few holiday deals from Amazon for you to check out before getting into the week's new releases. Maybe you'll find something you like.

Blu-ray Deals Toy Story Ultimate Toy Box Collection ($49.99) The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Extended Editions) ($49.99) Inception ($7.99) The Ultimate Matrix Collection ($32.99) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 ($9.99) The Dark Knight ($7.99) Batman Begins ($7.99) DVD Deals It's a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition) ($10.99) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 ($4.99) The Wizard of Oz (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Edition) ($7.99) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($5.00) The Hangover ($6.99) The Blind Side ($5.49) Gone with the Wind (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Edition) ($8.49) And now for today's new releases...

The Lady Vanishes (Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] A great film and a solid presentation, and a disc owners of even the four-year-old DVD remaster...

Cue that laugh: Julia Roberts will return to comedy once again, this time as both star and producer of an upcoming feature from New Regency. The production company confirmed to EW that the Oscar winner will pull double duty on the project, which she’ll produce alongside Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, Lisa Gillan, and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. The film, which does not have a director or writer on board yet, will be about a woman (Roberts) who is forced to head into the working world despite never having held a job before in her life. In other words, a bit of a stretch for Roberts,...

DVD Release Date: Feb. 7, 2012

Price: DVD $30.99

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

2008 drama movie Fireflies in the Garden has a whopping cast led by Julia Roberts (Sleeping With the Enemy), Willem Dafoe (Daybreakers) and Ryan Reynolds (The Change-Up) and yet it sat on shelves for years before being released in the U.S.

Inspired by a poem by Robert Frost, the film looks at three generations of the Taylor familyand the dysfunctional relationships between the domineering father (Dafoe) and his novelist son Michael (Reynolds), sister-in-law Jane (Emily Watson of Equilibrium and Hayden Panettiere of Scream 4) and others. Roberts plays Dafoe’s wife, who’s involved in a fatal accident on the way to a family reunion.

The cast also includes Carrie-Anne Moss (Memento) and Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four).

Rated R, Fireflies in the Garden is the first feature film written and directed by Dennis Lee.

The movie did the rounds in theaters overseas,...

We've all been guilty of telling a white lie to get out of something, but what if you accidentally made up a story that completely upended your life? That's the situation facing Lonnie in the new film "The Lie," who, in the spur of the moment to ditch work, tells his insufferable boss that his young daughter has died. As you can imagine, things begin to snowball quickly.

The director, co-writer and star of the film is Joshua Leonard, who you may know as one of the three students from "The Blair Witch Project." Since then Leonard has transitioned into filmmaking, with "The Lie" being his feature-length directorial debut. To get his personal take on his cinematic baby, we enlisted Leonard for our "Call-In Commentary" series where directors provide narration for their movie trailer. You can watch the results of that below. "The Lie" premieres in New York City on...

Here is a sneak peek at what's opening in theaters this weekend, including the animated "Puss in Boots," starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek; the alcohol-fueled dramedy "The Rum Diary," starring Johnny Depp; the sci-fi thriller "In Time," starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried; and the period Tudor drama, "Anonymous."

In Theaters Now (October)'Puss in Boots' (Oct. 28)

Who: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, Amy Sedaris; director Chris Miller...

With Disney making bank on their 3D revival of "The Lion King" and iconic favorites like "Star Wars" and "Titanic" coming down the third-dimensional pike, one has to wonder whether one of the biggest sci-fi franchises of the past thirty years could also be targeted for a conversion. Of course we're talking about "The Matrix" trilogy, which pushed the limits of filmmaking with its first installment in 1999 and never looked back. So given the Wachowski siblings' flair for cinema technology, it seems likely the innovative movies have to be on the mind of Warner Bros. execs.

With that in mind, when we caught up with Trinity herself, Carrie-Anne Moss, we asked her if she's heard anything on the matter or whether she'd even like to see a 3D version. The actress, currently starring in "Fireflies in the Garden," has also joined the cast of "Silent Hill: Revelation 3D." The project...

Willem Dafoe has worn many hats: a libertine solider (which earned him an Oscar nod), a cackling Green Goblin, a red-capped second-in-command -- he even voiced a salty moorish idol in "Finding Nemo." But a family man? Usually, when it comes to family drama, he said, "I run the other way."

Still, Dafoe seems particularly at home alongside Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds and Hayden Panettiere in "Fireflies in the Garden," a decade-spanning story of a dysfunctional family ruled by an uncrossable patriarch. And while the genre may be something new, the estranged father, Charlie Taylor, acid-tongued with a short fuse, seems to scream Dafoe. Toggling between the past and present, the film centers on the rocky relationship between Charlie and his son, played by Reynolds. But, after a tragedy befalls the family, the pair is forced to examine and attempt to move beyond their difficult pasts.

HuffPost had the chance...

As famed director Joel Schumacher puts it, his new film "Trespass" is ostensibly about the "haves" versus the "have nots," but only on its face. In the movie, Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman live a wealthy existence in an exclusive gated community. Everything is seemingly perfect: Cage is wrapped up in his business and Kidman is fascinated by the sexy new handy man (Cam Gigandet). But things start to unravel once "Animal Kingdom" star Ben Mendelsohn launches an armed home invasion of their mansion, and the film descends into betrayal, deception and other salacious labels.

Schumacher has delivered thirty years worth of memorable films, among them "St. Elmo's Fire," "The Lost Boys," "Falling Down" and "Tigerland," so it was a thrill for him to participate in our Call-In Commentary series, where directors provide narration for their movie trailers. In the video below, hear the "Trespass" filmmaker discuss Nicole's predilection for bare feet,...

Here's a preview of what's opening in theaters this weekend, including the third "Paranormal Activity"; the swashbuckling "The Three Musketeers"; the taut financial drama "Margin Call," starring Demi Moore and Zachary Quinto; and the British comedy "Johnny English Reborn," starring Rowan Atkinson.

In Theaters Now (October)'Paranormal Activity 3' (Oct. 21)

This prequel shows how a young Katie and her sister may have summoned the demon that haunts them for the rest of their lives.

"Fireflies in the Garden" is one of those smaller films that you've probably never heard of, but has an incredible assemblage of actors that immediately piques your interest. For "Fireflies," a tense drama involving family and loss, director Dennis Lee managed to bring aboard Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Watson and a personal favorite of mine, Horatio Hornblower himself, Ioan Gruffudd.

When the film kicks off, we're immediately introduced to an upper-class family that has everything going for them...until tragedy strikes later that day. It's the fallout from that sad event that propels the film forward and makes it a character study from each of these talented performers.

To learn more about this harrowing tale, we asked Lee to participate in our Call-In Commentary series, where filmmakers provide narration for their movie trailer. In the video below, hear firsthand how pinnacle scenes were shot and...

Julia Roberts picked up her three kids, 6-year-old twins Phinneaus and Hazel and her 4-year-old son Henry, in La yesterday. The family foursome was out and about while Julia enjoyed a break from her latest project, the untitled Snow White movie. We recently got a look at Julia as the Evil Queen along with her costars Lily Collins and Armie Hammer in character. The film doesn't hit theaters until 2012, but Julia is currently on the big screen in the recently released Fireflies in the Garden, which she filmed in 2007 while pregnant with Henry. Julia has more than just her big-screen work to celebrate these days, since her 44th birthday is coming up next week and Phin and Hazel will be seven next month. View Slideshow ›...

Playing a superwoman is something that Carrie-Anne Moss has always done exceedingly well; her turn as Trinity in "The Matrix" films is third maybe only to Sigourney Weaver in "Aliens" and Linda Hamilton in "Terminator 2" as one of the movies' most formidable female characters. But lately, the actress has stepped away from action-heavy films to tackle a new character, that of being a parent. And evidenced by her turn in "Fireflies in the Garden," it seems like her role in real life has started to be reflected more vividly in the ones she tackles on screen.

In the film Moss plays Kelly, the estranged ex-girlfriend of Ryan Reynolds' Michael Taylor, who steps in to play peacemaker and provide support after his mother dies. Although her role is only a small one in a film filled with plenty of big names, including Reynolds, Julia Roberts and Willem Dafoe, she leaves a memorable impression,...

Fireflies In The Garden Review

With the holidays quickly coming upon us, larger plates, higher credit card charges and films about extremely dysfunctional families are just around the corner. Sporting an all-star cast headlined by Ryan Reynolds and Julia Roberts, Fireflies in the Garden is based on first time writer-director Dennis Lee's semi-autobiographical story about how his family dealt with tragedy.

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Everett Hayden Panettiere and Cayden Boyd in “Fireflies in the Garden”

Hayden Panettiere is one tough cookie. She credits that toughness to her parents, specifically her father, who worked as a lieutenant in the New York Fire Department in Brooklyn. In the film “Fireflies in the Garden,” Panettiere stars alongside Julia Roberts, Willem Dafoe and Ryan Reynolds as a young girl determined to protect her nephew, who’s really more like a cousin.

The 22-year-old actress sat down with Speakeasy...

HollywoodNews.com: In the film ‘Fireflies in the Garden,’ Julia Roberts plays Ryan Reynolds’ mother, a role she wasn’t sure about at first.

The two are only nine years apart in age, but she had different concern, states UsMagazine.com. “[H]e’s so tall!” Robert commented.

Eventually, Roberts got comfortable with the role and had a good time in the end: “But it worked out all right. He’s a good boy!”

Do you think it’s an odd pairing?

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Need to get your "free" on? The Whole Foods Sunset Supper Cinema tonight features Hook at the Lamar location. On Wednesday, Cine Las Americas presents Rosa blanca (White Rose) plays at the MacC as part of its free "Literature in Mexican Cinema" series. Plus, you can find free screenings during the week as part at various Austin Public Library locations.

You have one more chance to catch Austin Chronicle cover-story filmmaker Heather Courtney's Where Soldiers Come From (Jette's review), on Saturday at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz. If you haven't already seen it, it's another outstanding locally made film we can't recommend enough.

Cine Las Americas also presents Octubre at the Alamo Village on Sunday. While this movie isn't free, it did win the 2010 Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes. Check the Alamo website for more.

Movies We've Seen:

El Bulli: Cooking in Progress (pictured above) -- A documentary...

Here's a preview of what's opening in theaters this weekend, including the dance remake "Footloose"; the family drama "Fireflies in the Garden," starring Julia Roberts and Ryan Reynolds; the comedy "The Big Year," starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black; and the sci-fi thriller prequel "The Thing."

In Theaters Now (October)'Footloose' (Oct. 14)

Who: Julianne Hough, Kenny Wormald, Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell; directed by Craig Brewer What: City kid Ren McCormack moves...

"Usually when I hear the words 'family drama,' I run," said Willem Dafoe, who nevertheless found something to savor in writer-director Dennis Lee's Fireflies in the Garden. Little did Dafoe or his castmates Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds, Emily Watson, Hayden Panettiere and least of all Lee himself know that their particular family drama wouldn't make it to American theaters only today -- nearly four years after its Berlin Film Festival premiere in 2008.

Rating: 1.0/5.0

Chicago – It’s always risky for a screenwriter to craft a film about a family of writers in that when the result is a script so generically awful as that for “Fireflies in the Garden” it’s going to stick out even more prominently. After sitting on the shelf for years (it played festivals in 2008 and was supposed to be released that year) and reportedly undergoing some reshoots, this stale drama is finally getting a limited release and will prove just how limited it is to the poor saps who pay to see it.

The most interesting thing about “Fireflies in the Garden” may be how it proves, yet again, that talented actors and actresses can still get sucked into awful projects despite their well-known abilities. What on Earth did Willem Dafoe and Emily Watson see in this mess? They’re such talented performers that one would assume they should know better by now.

Washington, Oct 14: Julia Roberts has revealed that she felt "bizarre" playing mother to Ryan Reynold, who is only nine years her junior in real life, in their upcoming movie 'Fireflies in the Garden'.

At the La premiere of the movie, the actress confessed that playing a mother-son relationship with Reynolds was "awkward" at first, because he's so tall.

"But it worked out all right. He's a good boy!" the Us Magazine quoted her as saying.

Although the movie was ready in 2008 but distribution issues delayed its release for three years. (Ani)...

The 43-year-old actress - who has seven-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus and four-year-old son Henry with husband Danny Moder -  was pregnant with Henry when she filmed 'Fireflies in the Garden' in 2007 and Julia said it was "touching" to look back on her pregnancy.

She explained: "When I see it now, he's this big boy who can dress himself and do all these things. It really is touching to see that.

"I think motherhood is challenging for everybody in different ways.

"My challenges as a wife and a mother are very different from the ones portrayed in the movie, but I think for everybody it's a hard challenge."

Julia has recently revealed that being a mother and wife are the most important things in the world to her.

She said: "The kids are really angelic and wondrous. It's so heavenly and kind and dear just to have that...

Washington, Oct 14: Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts has revealed that she was "touched" by the scenes in her new movie that shows her pregnant with her now four-year-old son Henry.

Roberts, 43, who also has seven-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus with husband Danny Moder, was pregnant with Henry when she filmed 'Fireflies in the Garden' in 2007 and it was touching for her to look back on her pregnancy.

"When I see it now, he's this big boy who can dress himself and do all these things. It really is touching to see that. I think motherhood is challenging for everybody in different ways," Contactmusic.

London, Oct 14: Actress Julia Roberts became emotional while watching 'Fireflies in the Garden' as it brings back memories of her pregnancy.

The 43-year-old was pregnant with her son Henry when she filmed the movie in 2007.

'When I see it now, he's this big boy who can dress himself and do all these things. It really is touching to see that. I think motherhood is challenging for everybody in different ways,' femalefirst.co.uk quoted Roberts, who is married to Danny Moderalso and also has seven-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, as saying.

'My challenges as a wife and a mother are very different from the ones portrayed.

Julia Roberts's son Henry Daniel has made his big-screen debut . in utero!

The actress's new movie, Fireflies in the Garden, was actually shot back in 2007, and features scenes in which Roberts is seven months pregnant with Henry.

"When I see it now, he's this big boy who can dress himself and do all these things. It really is touching to see that," Roberts said of those old scenes at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Wednesday.

The family dynamic in Fireflies in the Garden is strained and often heartbreaking. But Roberts says motherhood is always tough.

At the premiere of her new film, "Fireflies in the Garden," Julia Roberts walked the red carpet without her husband -- the film's director of photography, Danny Moder. Roberts explained Moder's absence for most of her red carpet events, saying, "We made a pact long, long ago. He's just not that type of person."

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The actress added, "Well, there could be a couple of conditions that we would [walk the red carpet], but they're like,...