Movies

Music docs lead Sundance 2019 lineup. A trio of major music documentaries profiling Leonard Cohen, David Crosby and Miles Davis will make their world premiere during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, scheduled between Jan. 24 and Feb. 3, 2019, in Park City and Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah. Cameron Crowe co-produced the A.J. Eaton-helmed "David Crosby: Remember My Name," which focuses on the rock legend's life and creative drive over five decades into his career. Stanley Nelson's "Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool" charts the massive influence of the iconic jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader. Nick Broomfield directed "Marianne & Leonard," which explores the lasting bond between Cohen and his Norwegian muse Marianne Ihlen  following their evolving romance from their early days in Greece up through the end of their lives. (Ihlen, who inspired the 1967 song "So Long, Marianne," died in 2016, just over three months ahead of Cohen.) Another noteworthy Sundance premiere is director Matt Tyrnauer's documentary "Where's My Roy Cohn?," a "thriller-like expose" focused on the titular controversial lawyer, who assisted in the McCarthy investigations and became a crucial mentor to then-citizen Donald Trump. Zac Efron will star as serial killer Ted Bundy in director Joe Berlinger's scripted thriller "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile," which chronicles the crimes from the perspective of Bundy's longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Collins). Haley Joel Osment, John Malkovich, Kaya Scodelario and Jim Parsons co-star in the film. In total, 112 feature-length films  representing 33 countries and 45 first-time filmmakers  have been selected for Sundance 2019. (PageSix)

Rita Moreno joins 'West Side Story' remake. Rita Moreno's portrayal of Anita in the classic 1961 film "West Side Story" won her an Oscar. Now, she has a different part in a remake directed by Steven Spielberg. The publicist for the 86-year-old Moreno confirmed Wednesday that she'll play Valentina, a reworked version of the character of Doc, the owner of a corner store where Tony works. Ansel Elgort has been cast as Tony. The story follows two star-crossed lovers, Tony and Maria, who are each associated with rival New York street gangs. The Pulitzer-winning playwright Tony Kushner is adapting the script. Moreno will also serve as an executive producer. Filming is set to begin next summer. (PageSix)


Hold Up, What Do Nicki Minaj and Cardi B Have to Do With Tyra Banks in Life-Size 2?! Could Tyra Banks and Life-Size 2 be the uniting factor when it comes to Cardi B and Nicki Minaj? Sort of? The star and executive producer of Life-Size 2: A Christmas Eve told E! News she channeled the two music stars for a very special project: the "Be a Star" remix from her Freeform sequel to the 2000 cult-hit Life-Size. "I really wanted to the movie to have freshness, to really feel like today, so I was like, 'I think the song needs to be trap music,'" Banks told E! News' Zuri Hall at the Life-Size 2 premiere. "I channeled Cardi B, I channeled Nicki Minaj, and a lot of people were saying Iggy Azalea." Banks said she also used different voices, like styles from New York and Englewood, but they ultimately settled on an Oakland accent. And, wait a minute, did she have a hand in writing "Be a Star"? "I've never said that to anybody," Banks admitted. The new movie follows Grace Manning (Francia Raisa), a 20-something toy company executive who is in over her head. Oh, this company also happens to be the original makers of the iconic Eve doll. As she's going through her quarter-life crisis, her old Eve doll magically comes to life to get her back on track. "I'm so proud of this thing,". "It's been five years in the making, so I'm here and like, 'Wait, this is real? It's actually happening?'" The first Life-Size movie, which costarred Lindsay Lohan, came out in 2000 on the Disney Channel and Banks said it was just for kids. The Freeform sequel? It's for the whole family. "Everybody could take something from this one," Banks said. Life-Size 2 premieres Sunday, Dec. 2 at 9 p.m. on Freeform. (Eonline)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

City Page Survey

Fall Book Discussion and Movie Series

Book discussion group to meet