Tag Archives: Brian De Palma

Coming Soon, Drama, Film Festival, Independent Film, Narrative, Preview, Review

New York Film Festival Preview: Passion

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(Re-posted from LimitéMagazine.com)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaSVR4pCKT4]

Screenings:

Saturday, September 29, 9pm (Alice Tully Hall)

Saturday, October 6, 9pm (Walter Reade Theater)

Thursday, October 11, 3:15pm (Francesca Beale Theater)

Venue: Lincoln Center, NYC

Series: NYFF50: Main Slate

In the highly competitive world of advertising, Christine (Rachel McAdams) takes credit for an idea had by her underling Isabelle (Noomi Rapace), which results in a downward (and deadly) spiral for all involved. Passion is adapted from the 2010 French film Love Crime (dir. Alain Corneau). Directed by Brian De Palma—the same man who birthed such gritty and violent films as Carrie (1976), Scarface (1983), and The Untouchables (1987)—this movie will not live up to the “classic” status of its siblings. Upon watching Passion, one immediate question comes to mind: Mr. De Palma, what the hell were you thinking?

In a film that is perhaps best described as a sleazy late-night “skinemax” movie with less skin, the opening close-up shot of the Apple logo is as sordid and egregious as the lingerie, cheesy saxophone music, posh locales, lipstick, backstabbing, and sex that permeate this poorly written and badly acted movie. McAdams reprises some of the same manipulative and tawdry traits as her character in Mean Girls (2004), but they are less appealing to watch here. And given the setting of an ad agency (the advertising industry is grossly misrepresented, by the way), the Apple logo, which makes a second appearance later in the movie, reveals a film that is all-too aware of itself. This “meta” device, which could have been used cleverly falls flat instantly. Additional miscues in the film’s story include some nonsensical character motivations; some moments of “really?? are you serious??”; and a sloppy, head-scratching error regarding a very important item towards the end of the film. If the purpose of this movie is to be really, really bad, then this movie is really, really good.

Limité Rating: 1/5

Director: Brian De Palma

Genres: Narrative, Drama, Thriller

Countries: France/Germany

Language: English

Runtime: 100 min.

The 50th New York Film Festival runs from September 28 – October 14, 2012.

Actors, Classic Film, Coming Soon, Horror, Narrative, News

MGM Formally Offers Lead Remake of Stephen King’s CARRIE to Chloë Moretz

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(Re-posted from Deadline.com)

by Mike Fleming

March 27, 2012

BREAKING: After meeting and reading a group of young actresses for Carrie, MGM, Screen Gems and director Kim Peirce have made their decision and made the formal offer today to Chloë Moretz. If negotiations work out, she’ll play the title role in the remake of the Brian De Palma original that was based on the 1974 Stephen King bestseller. She’s expected to play the shy high school student Carrie White, who is raised by a nightmarish religious fanatic mother and comes to grip with devastating telepathic powers just as she reaches puberty. She eventually uses those gifts for lethal means when fellow classmates use the prom as an excuse to humiliate her before the entire school in a parable about bullying. Sissy Spacek played the character in the first movie, with Piper Laurie playing her mother, and Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, John Travolta, Betty Buckley and William Katt rounding out the cast. Both Spacek and Laurie got Oscar nominations for their work in the 1976 film.

The studio and Peirce have been meeting with actresses for the past two weeks. Word all along was that while names like Dakota Fanning were circulating, Peirce and the studio had an eye on Moretz. The studio denied it at the time, but what actually happened is Moretz didn’t meet with Peirce until last weekend. She got the job immediately. Moretz, who first came on with performances in Kick-Ass, (500) Days of Summer and Let Me In, is at the top of the crop of young actresses. Coming off Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, her next major film is the Tim Burton-directed Dark Shadows with Johnny Depp. She’s repped by WME and 3 Arts. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa wrote the script and Kevin Misher’s producing.

Insiders said that once they make Moretz’s deal, they will focus on landing the psycho mom and supporting cast and they will shoot this year.