Movies blog: The Screening Room

I got an e-mail today from the governor's office of New Mexico bragging about the fact that the upcoming Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins will be filmed in New Mexico from May through August this year before a theatrical release in May 2009.

I wonder if Texas was ever in the running for this project?

A few years ago, I wrote an article about how Texas was trying to get more competitive with New Mexico and other states to lure movie makers.

But there was a good bit of skepticism about whether Texas had the financial will to outbid other states, and I wonder if the Lone Star State was ever in the running for this film.

I also wonder, speaking as a fairly hardcore Terminator fan, whether this movie will suck.

The realist in me says yes, since Ahhnold will have, at best, a cameo appearance. But then again, Christian Bale is starring as John Conner, and I don't think he's made a bad action movie yet.

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The AFI-Dallas International Film Festival has announced that Then She Found Me, Helen Hunt's directorial debut, will play as the opening night film on March 27 at the Majestic Theatre downtown. The Oscar-winning actress will be in attendance to walk the red carpet. The film previously played at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and will also screen at South by Southwest in March.

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Good story this week in USA Today, which profiles Marfa, Texas, where both No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood -- both nominated for Best Picture -- were filmed. It was hilarious to hear what the locals had to say from this ranching town, whose population hovers around 2,000. They still prefer the 1956 James Dean classic Giant, which was also shot in the desolate West Texas town. My favorite quotes were from local resident W.E. "Chip" Love, whose grandmother was an extra on Giant. The Coen brothers talked him into being one in No Country for Old Men. "They said all I had to do was get killed with a stun gun and fall down," the 50-year-old president of the Marfa bank told USA Today. "I figured I could do that. I could fall down." But a two-minute scene involved a lot more work than he thought it would. "They must have had me killed eight different ways. Heck, I had a stunt double — for falling down. It's funny how much it means to movie people."

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Spike Lee is coming to North Texas. The two-time Oscar nominee will discuss his life and career at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, at Texas Hall, 701 W. Nedderman Drive, on The University of Texas at Arlington campus. Tickets for the event are $15, $10 for faulty, staff and UT Arlington Alumni Association members and $5 for UT Arlington students. A $50 ticket, which includes a reception with Mr. Lee, is available in limited supply. Call 817-272-2963 or visit www.utatickets.com to purchase tickets.

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Our neighborsgo.com site features a reader observation of the Paris craze the night of The Hottie and the Nottie premiere at Regent Highland Park Village. The short of it: Paris = gracious, her boys = faux thuggy.

• Neighborsgo reader review of the scene
• Stephen's 1/23 story on the scene

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No, we're not talking golf. A Fair to Remember, Allen Mondell and Cynthia Salzman Mondell's ode to the Texas State Fair, has won the prestigious CINE Golden Eagle Award, recognized internationally as a symbol of the highest production standards in filmmaking and videography. Huzzah to it and them. Find out more about the company behind the film, Media Projects, here.

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OMG, Paris Hilton was in Highland Park on Tuesday, and we've got video to prove it. The celebutante is in town for a screening of her new movie, cleverly titled The Hottie and the Nottie. Did you go to the screening? What did you think?

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We’ve all seen Paris Hilton on TV and in magazines, but how does she look in the flesh? Find out Tuesday, as the celebutante conducts a whirlwind publicity tour in Dallas for her new film, The Hottie and the Nottie. Your first chance at a live sighting comes at 6 p.m. at the Regent Highland Park Village movie theater, where she will walk the red carpet at the movie’s Dallas premiere. Then it’s off to the Ghostbar at the W for an after party. Say, “hi” to Tinkerbell for us if you see her.

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Got an old formal dress in need of a new home? The first 27 women wearing a formal dress they are willing to donate to Thursday night's advance screening of 27 Dresses at the Cinemark Legacy in Plano will receive a Palm Centro smart phone and plum seats for the movie. The dresses will then be donated to the Princess Project, an organization that distributes prom dresses to high school girls who would not be able to afford them. The event starts at 6:30 p.m., and passes are available at the Sprint stores located at 921 N. Central Expressway; 7615 Campbell Road, Suite 100; 2811 Craig Dr., Suite 104; and 913 Preston Road, Suite 100.

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IMAX and AMC theaters have struck a deal to install 100 IMAX screens in 33 markets around the country, and one of them is coming here. The Mesquite 30 will be the home to the area's newest gigantic screen, which should be in place by June 2008. That means it will be ready just in time for the animted Kung-Fu Panda and The Dark Knight, the next installment of the Batman franchise -- both of which will be shown on IMAX screens.

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One of Quick's online movie reviewers is up for a pretty big prize given out by VH1. Read all about it over on Quick's blog here.

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$1 million may have been a paltry punch line in Austin Powers, but it's a major boon for the AFI-Dallas International Film Festival. That's the amount that Dallas philanthropist Nancy Hamon recently bestowed upon the festival, which will launch its second installment March 27 of next year. The gift is the largest in the festival's brief history.

Festival artistic director and CEO Michael Cain says that “Mrs. Hamon’s support will allow us to focus on many of our objectives including year-round screenings and intensive educational programs in Dallas schools and universities.” Mrs. Hamon says the decision was easy when festival founder, chairman and director Liener Temerlin called her for help. "I wanted to do what I could to help this great film festival become one of the best in the country," she said in a statement. "Dallas deserves it."

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Looks like we've got a little media firestorm on our hands. And Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is right in the middle of it.

Cuban and business partner Todd Wagner executive produced Brain DePalma's new film Redacted, which opens in Dallas Nov. 30. The film, to be distributed by Cuban and Wagner's HDNet Movies (it has already shown in hotels and on cable and satellite VOD systems through HDNet's Ultra VOD program), is based on a real-life incident in which U.S. soldiers raped and killed a 14-year-old Iraqi girl. (Here's a 2006 Washington Post story about the incident).

Continue reading "The Redacted firestorm" »

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After Dark Horrorfest, a film festival featuring eight scary movies, opens Friday and runs through Nov. 18. Among the highlights of the festival are Borderland, about a group of Texas college seniors who head to Mexico to live it up, only to run into a blood-seeking cult; and Crazy Eights, about a group of friends who are lead on journey through a home that holds a terrible secret.
Eight local theaters will participate in the festival: Cinemark Legacy 24, Lewisville Studio Movie Grill, Ennis Galaxy, Hurst North East Mall 18, Hickory Creek 16 , AMC Grapevine Mills 30, AMC Mesquite 30 and AMC Grand 24 . Tickets may be purchased at the theater. For more information, go to www.horrorfestonline.com.

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Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium is teaming with Toys For Tots to try and break the world record for largest toy drive, and Dallas is one of 10 cities participating in the effort. The drive kicks off Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Mockingbird Station, 5331 E. Mockingbird Lane, with Dallas Maverick Erick Dampier greeting fans. The drive runs through Nov. 12; for a complete listing of drop-off locations, go to magorium.com/toydrive.

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Bella star Eduardo Verástegui and director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde will appear at various screenings of the movie in Dallas on Saturday and Sunday. The movie (which I have not seen) carries a strong pro-life message and has received quite a push from the Dallas Diocese of late, including a letter of recommendation from new Bishop Kevin Farrell. If you are interested in attending any of the screenings with the filmmakers, go to www.prolifedallas.org for showtimes and tickets.

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This just in from the Lone Star Film Society:

Fort Worth native T Bone Burnett has agreed to be the chair of the honorary board of the Lone Star Film Society and attend the inaugural Lone Star International Film Festival Nov. 7-11 in Downtown Fort Worth.
Burnett, a Fort Worth native who began producing Texas blues, country and rock and roll records in 1965, still works as a producer and recording artist. One of his most recent projects was serving as composer and music producer for the 2001 Coen Brothers’ film O Brother, Where Art Thou? He scored the film and produced the soundtrack, which sold 9 million copies.
He took home four Grammy Awards in 2002. Since then, Burnett has been involved in the soundtracks for several films, including Cold Mountain and A Mighty Wind.
For more information about upcoming summer events, visit www.lonestarfilmsociety.com.

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Michael York and Jenny Agutter in Logna's Run. (Dallas Producer's Association)

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Deborah Fleck reports on a luncheon she attended yesterday in Last Colinas with special guest Sherry Lansing:

Sherry Lansing said she wanted to be in the movies since she was 12 years old. But when she shared her dream with friends, they laughed at her. No one from the south side of Chicago knew anyone in the movies.

But now they do. Ms. Lansing became the first woman to head a major Hollywood studio, 20th Century-Fox, and she’s produced a string of successful movies, including the highest grossing film ever, Titantic.

Continue reading "A Sherry Lansing sighting" »

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Jerry Seinfeld and the directors of Bee Movie stopped in the AMC Northpark on Tuesday night to show several clips from the animated film, which Mr. Seinfeld co-wrote and stars in. The 53-year-old comedian says he chose Dallas to be part of the 10-city promotional tour because it is a stop where he always was well-received during his early days working the comedy circuit. And what does he think of when he comes to Texas? "I remember when I first came here seeing places selling 'Genuine Texas Cowchips.' The Texan's enthusiasm for Texas is kind of a mystery to me," he says, though he's quick to add he feels the same way about New York.
Bee Movie opens in theaters on Nov. 2

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Saturday night I was at the Angelika Dallas to see In the Shadow of the Moon, and I couldn't help but notice that there were far more teens and college-age folks there than normal. Turns out they were all seeing Across the Universe, as both Saturday night shows sold out. I would have thought that a movie centered around Beatles songs would have had a stong Boomer following, but you've never seen so many youngsters in Beatles garb as were at the Angelika on Saturday. Made me feel kinda old as I headed into Shadow, but I comforted myself with the knowledge that I had already seen Universe at Toronto...

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The Plano Angelika has declared October "Hitchcocktober." I strongly caution against following suit, unless you want to sound like an idiot, but the theater is using its declaration as an excuse to show some pretty good Hitchcock movies every Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. 10/2: Vertigo. 10/9: Rear Window. 10/16: Psycho. 10/23: The Birds. 10/30: Dial M For Murder.

But here's the really scary part. You can also submit a short film, song, photo essay, poetry, paintings or collage inspired by Alfred Hitchcock and win fabulous prizes. Just think, your own Frenzy rap: "I'm the necktie murderer, get of my way/One look at me and you know I don't play/I get straight Psycho with my smokin' AK." Submit your entries to angelikasubmissions@gmail.com by Oct. 29. For more info visit www.angelikafilmcenter.com. and click on "Plano."

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Studio Movie Grill will open its first Dallas location at Royal Lane and Central Expressway in the first quarter of 2008, the company announced today. That will mark the fifth North Texas location (the others are in Arlington, Lewisville, Addison and Plano.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, it's like watching a movie in a restaurant, which has its ups (no getting up to grab a snack or drink!) and downs (could that guy sitting next to me chew any louder?). But overall it's a pretty great place to see a movie, especially one that gets a big crowd reaction. I saw Borat for the first time at the Addison location at an advanced screening, and let's just say the fact that you can order a beer from your seat there may have enhanced the laughs.

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If your resolution for Rosh Hashanah -- the Jewish New Year -- is to see more Jewish movies or if you just like seeing good movies out of the Hollywood loop, you're in luck. The 11th Annual Jewish Film Festival continues this weekend at the Angelika Film Center and Cafe in Plano. Peter Falk stars as an actor who invites his grown children back for what he calls his "final" exit in Checking Out (Saturday at 9 p.m.). David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) stars as a Jewish lawyer who wrestles with his conscience when he takes on the defense of a neo-Nazi skinheard in Steel Toes (Monday at 8 p.m. )And lovely Tunisian-Jewish actress Agnes Jaoui stars as a woman who devotes herself to helping the orphans of the Holocaust in Nina's Home, a French film co-sponsored by the Houston Consulate General of France and the Alliance Francaise du Nord du Texas (Wednesday at 8 p.m.) $9 per ticket. 214-739-2737. www.jccdallas.org.

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Sports fans, want to see a fascinating documentary about the origins of basketball? Check out The First Basket Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center Zale Auditorium. It's part of the 11th annual international Jewish Film Festival and even this non-sports fan was riveted by a tale of how Jewish-American street kids popularized the sport, how the NBA was created, who scored the first basket, and who played a part in the earliest scandals. Lots of archival stuff and contemporary interviews with former players. And just think what an expert you'll be at your next sports trivia game.

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For a heartfelt and personal take on a king-size tragedy check out Still Waiting: Life After Katrina at 8 tonight on KERA (Channel 13). Dallas filmmaker Ginny Martin spent countless hours with local resident Connie Tipado, a New Orleans native who did yeoman's service in providing refuge and assistance to extended family members who evacuated St. Bernard's Parish in the aftermath of Katrina. As the family begins to trickle back to the Crescent City, the film dramatizes a chilling question: Can you go home again when home and community as you knew them no longer exist?
The Katrina debacle still reverberates far and wide with intimate stories; this one is well worth a look.

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So the annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas kicked off last night with Justin Lin's mockumentary, Finishing the Game. (Read more about it here, thanks to Mr. Vognar.)

The screenings start in earnest today, going from noon to midnight (later, actually; the final screening begins at midnight). Check out the full schedule at the official site.

So talk: what do you think so far? What do you recommend? What are you excited to see?

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For you local writerly types, Ken Levine will be the guest speaker at this month's Dallas Screenwriters Association meeting. Mr. Levine is an Emmy-winning writer who has worked on shows like Cheers, M*A*S*H, Frasier, The Jeffersons and The Simpsons. You name it -- if it's funny, he's written it.
The meetings will be held Friday from 7-9 p.m. at KD Studios, 2600 Stemmons Frwy, Suite 117. It's free for members and $10 for nonmembers.

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The Video Association of Dallas office is moving to new digs, so it's having a sale at the Magnolia Lounge in Fair Park on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Expect to find Dallas Video Festival-related stuff, shelves, file cabinets and assorted odds-and-ends. If it's anything like our movie critic's desk, the odds-and-ends will surely be interesting and abundant.

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Daniel Abol Pach, left, speaks to children at swimming pool in Pittsburgh during filming for the documentary God Grew Tired of Us (National Geographic Films)

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The Dallas/Ft. Worth team competing in the Samsung Fresh Films contest (a national teen-produced filmmaking program) won the vote for the best Action/Thriller film and is now moving on to go head-to-head with the top voted Comedy and Drama films. Their film, No Place Like Home, follows a woman trying to figure out why the neighborhood kids keep vandalizing her house. You can watch it here and vote for it as it goes against the other films made by teams from Seattle and New York.

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If you like to make it out to the movies but are one of the few parents courteous enough not to bring the little screamers into the theater, the Magnolia Theatre has got your back. Beginning next Monday (Aug. 20), the Magnolia will have a Rattle and Reel matinee each week at 11 a.m., where parents are welcome to bring the little ones without having to worry about the noise. The first film in the series is Death at a Funeral. Tickets are $6.50, and the kiddo gets in free.
The series is similar to the Cry Baby Matinee that the Dallas and Plano Angelikas have been running for a while now. Their show times vary, but this week the Plano location is showing Becoming Jane at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday and Dallas is showing Arctic Tale on Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

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Among the work-in-progress clips shown Sunday night at the Dallas Video Festival was Stop the Presses: The American Newspaper in Peril. Made by local doc maker Mark Birnbaum and former Dallas Morning News TV critic (and colleague of mine) Manny Mendoza, the film - or at least the 15 minutes shown Sunday - is a studious, well-sourced overview of the changes that continue to rock the American newspaper industry. (Plus, Ben Bradlee is in it, and how cool is that)? If location is the key to real estate, then context is the mother's milk of documentary. Presses has it in king-size font. Look for a finished version later this year.

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And here I thought I'd be the first Dallas area critic to grace the pages of The New Yorker. Then along comes Boo Allen, cinema scribe for our sister publication the Denton Record Chronicle . Boo is quoted in Stuart Dybek's short story If I Vanished in the July 9 issue. Actually, he's kind of blurbed; the story pulls a bit of his praise for the Kevin Costner western Open Range. But blurb or no blurb, it's a New Yorker short story. And his name is in it.

But I'm not jealous. Nope. Not me. Everything is fine. Just fine.

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New Line

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Fat Girls, the debut feature from Rowlett High School grad Ash Christian, has been scooped up for distribution by Here! Films, the sister company of Dallas-based Regent Releasing. The film, which bowed at the 2006 Tribecca Film Festival, is a coming of age comedy starring Christian as Rodney, a gay teen dealing with social ostracism and a wacky family. Rodney is not among the large females of the title, but his best friend, played by Ashley Fink, definitely is.

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It seems like just a few months ago that the AFI-Dallas International Film Festival got its opening year shwerve on. Oh wait, it was just a few months ago. Now the festival has released a call for entries for its second installment, slated to run March 27-April 6, 2008. The early deadline, with reduced fees for all submissions, is Oct. 26. The final deadline is Dec. 7. To make a submission and get more info, check www.afidallas.com .

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The folks at The Dallas Video Festival are ready to launch Guts and Glory 2, an offshoot of sorts from the 24-Hour Video Race. Here's the drill: On July 27 at midnight, 12 teams of filmmakers will get 100 feet of 16 mm reversal film. Then they will, like, make movies. More specifically, they will have 24 hours to shoot a film in sequence. The resulting works must incorporate a surprise theme, location, and prop.

The films will be viewed for the first time at the Dallas Angelika on Wednesday, August 1 beginning at 7 pm as part of the 20th Annual Dallas Video Festival. At the screening, the teams can provide any kind of live accompaniment to their films, a thought that presents some scary possibilities. Registration is $100.

For the full skinny - is that an oxymoron? - and registration info, peep www.videofest.org (as soon as the site is back up, anyway).

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Never seen Night of the Living Dead? What are ya, some kind of zombie? Now's your chance to see George Romero's original zombie classic on the big screen. Mr. Weird - AKA Dallas film scenester/actor/film historian Gordon K. Smith - will open up a can of undead July 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Studio Movie Grill in Addison. He'll also serve up a heaping helping of zombie trailers - there are few things in this world better than zombie trailers - and other goodies from his private stock. Tickets are $10. Wanna buy one in advance? Click here.

How does Night stand up 39 years after its arrival, after a seemingly endless parade of zombie flicks? It's still a starkly realistic slice of minimalist terror that will scare the bejeezus out of you.

In other words, it holds up pretty damn well.

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Wanna be an extra in a horror movie? Wanna donate grub from your restaurant to the crew of said horror movie? Dallas-based La Luna Entertainment is looking for all of the above as it sets out to make Fright Flick, the story of a second-rate production team making a slasher movie. Things go awry. Blood, as they say, is spilled. If you want to help spill it, contact line producer Melissa McCurley at MelMcCurley@yahoo.com. The movie will be shot this month in the West Texas town of Runaway Bay.

May the fright be with you. Always.

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Wanna see a legend in the flesh? Milos Forman (Amadeus, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) will screen his latest film, Goya's Ghosts, on Thursday, July 19 at 7 the Angelika Film Center. Mr. Forman is in town to be honored with the USA Film Festival's Great Director Tribute. The event is free, but you must reserve a seat by Previous honorees include Robert Altman, Sydney Pollack and Frank Capra. After the screening, Mr. Forman will take part in a Q&A session calling 214-821-6300.

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