Saturday, November 14

• Roger Corman to Receive Honorary Oscar

  Even Roger Corman admits that his name was unlikely to be associated with an Academy Award. Yet the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to give Corman an honorary lifetime achievement Oscar, nonetheless. Corman told The Associated Press that he was surprised by the announcement.

  I predicted that I would not win because I make low-budget films, and I felt the Academy would not give an award to someone who made low-budget films. I was truly surprised when I got the call.

  Corman began his career producing and directing low-budget fare like 1955's Swamp Women and Monsters from the Ocean Floor, Corman quickly found that what he did best was provide opportunities to young director and actors like Martin Scorsese (1972's Boxcar Bertha), Jack Nicholson (1960's Little Shop of Horrors), Robert De Niro (1970's Bloody Mama), Francis Ford Coppola (Dementia 13), and Ron Howard (1977's Grand Theft Auto). Sylvester Stallone starred in two Corman movies, 1975's Death Race 2000 and Capone, and told Entertainment Weekly that he owes his career to Corman.

  If I hadn't done those parts I probably wouldn't be here today. He provided a forum for a lot of us to grow. We were the seeds and he owned the farm. If you look at those early movies with Jack Nicholson, you can see it — that he was building his rhythm back then. You can see that he had it. He would allow out-of-the-box people like Scorsese and De Niro to flourish. He didn't go with the status quo. He was a master at spotting talent.

  It was his eye for finding talent that Corman is the most proud of.

  I know that they all would have achieved the same level if they had never met me, but I think what I was able to do was to give them a start and help them a little bit in their careers, and I take great pride in that.

  Corman receives his Honorary Oscar at a ceremony today.

  
  
  

  Death Race 2000 - Trailer

  Posted 11/14/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Jack Nicholson | Martin Scorsese | Roger Corman | Ron Howard | Sylvester Stallone | Robert DeNiro | Francis Ford Coppola

Tuesday, June 9

• Bryce Dallas Howard's Script Picked up by Universal and Imagine

  

  The Hollywood Reporter says that Universal and Imagine have obtained the rights to The Originals, a new script from Bryce Dallas Howard, best-known for her roles in Terminator Salvation, Spider-Man 3, and The Village. Howard wrote the screenplay along with Dane Charbeneau and the movie may serve as a directing vehicle for her father, Ron Howard, although there's no official word on that.

  The younger Howard came up with the idea for the script a few years ago in an attempt to tackle issues and anxieties germane to today's younger generation. The Originals tells the story of a group of twenty-somethings who grew up together and reunite in New York after they find out a beloved teacher has fallen into a coma.

  The script is still in development, and no directors, cast members, or release dates have been announced.

  
  

  Posted 06/09/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Ron Howard | Bryce Dallas Howard | The Originals

Friday, May 15

• Angels & Demons Star Blasts Dan Brown's Writing

  

  Angels & Demons, director Ron Howard's highly anticipated and controversial sequel to The Da Vinci Code, opens today across the country. Based on the novel by Dan Brown, the film's plot revolves around a conspiracy to murder Catholic Cardinals and use anti-matter stolen from the European particle physics laboratory CERN to destroy St. Peter's Basilica.

  Though both books by Brown are wildly successful -- The Da Vinci Code is the bestselling hardcover novel for adults of all time, with more than 80 million copies printed -- Brown's writing has often been criticized. The latest to dismiss Brown's skills as an author is one of the stars of Angels & Demons, Stellan Skarsgård. In a recent interview, Skarsgård (who plays Commander Rocher, head of the Pope's Swiss guard in the film) said:

  I think Dan Brown is a terribly bad writer, but he has cliffhangers after every chapter which makes you continue reading.

  It's like eating peanuts at a bar. You don't like them, but you keep on eating them anyway.

  Skarsgård said Angels & Demons is better than the first film because:

  The story is more simple and straightforward but just as dramatic.

  Angels & Demons stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra, and Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca.

  
  
  

  Angels & Demons - Trailer

  Tom Hanks Stars - Now In Theaters

  Posted 05/15/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Stellan Skarsgard | Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code

Wednesday, May 13

• Hanks Tells Sensitive People to "'Stay Away" from Angels & Demons

  The Da Vinci Code sequel, Angels & Demons, hits theaters this week and, despite Vatican approval, star Tom Hanks is warning sensitive viewers to skip the film. Hanks told Parade.com:

  If anyone feels that the film is going to be offensive to them, don't see it. I'm here to say do not see the film. Stay away, please, please. I beg of you.

  Both films are adapted from the equally controversial novels by Dan Brown, though the books were published in reverse order, with Angels & Demons taking place prior to The Da Vinci Code. Hanks said of the controversy surrounding the films:

  Every movie is exploited by the marketing people, but it's not like they created the controversy. The first movie had an equal amount of controversy, but nothing was destroyed. The world didn't come to an end, and people still went to church on Sundays. I predict it will be the same after Angels and Demons comes out. People will still go to church and life will go on.

  Directed by Ron Howard, Angels & Demons also stars Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca and Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Rocher.

  
  
  

  Angels & Demons - Trailer

  Tom Hanks Stars - Releasing May 15, 2009

  Posted 05/13/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Ewan McGregor | Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code

Tuesday, May 12

• Scientists Using Angels & Demons to Spark Interest in Particle Physics

  Angels & Demons, the sequel to the The Da Vinci Code, debuts this week and early reviews describe the film as a lighter, quicker-paced film than its predecessor. Based on the novel by controversial author Dan Brown, the plot of the film centers around a plan to use anti-matter created at the Large Hadron Collider and stolen from the European particle physics laboratory CERN to destroy St. Peter's Basilica.

  Hoping to cash in on what is certain to be another blockbuster hit for director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks, the scientific community is hosting a series of lectures around the country to coincide with the release of the film. Scientists hope to use dramatic elements of the movie to raise interest in, and awareness of, the real science of anti-matter, the Large Hadron Collider (where anti-matter is created in Angels & Demons and in real life), and particle physics research. Angels & Demons Lecture Nights are presented with the assistance of CERN, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation. CERN, headquartered in Geneva, is the world's leading laboratory for particle physics research.

  Hanks plays Robert Langdon, a Harvard University symbologist who is called on to help stop the attack on St. Peter's. He's assisted by Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra, played by Ayelet Zurer. The two travel the world searching for ancient symbols that may contain the key to saving the Vatican from destruction.

  Angels & Demons also stars Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca and Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Rocher.

  
  
  Next Showing: Angels & Demons debuts May 15
  

  Angels & Demons - Trailer

  Tom Hanks Stars - Releasing May 15, 2009

  Posted 05/12/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Ewan McGregor | Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code

Thursday, May 7

• The Vatican Okays Angels & Demons

  Angels & Demons, the sequel to the 2006 blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, received the thumbs-up from the Vatican, according to a recent AP story. Both of movies are adaptations of best-selling -- and controversial -- novels by Dan Brown, though Brown's novels were published in reverse order, with Angels & Demons taking place prior to The Da Vinci Code.

  Director Ron Howard claimed that the Vatican worked against his production by denying him access to certain sites, but the Vatican said that Howard's comments were made solely to drum up publicity. There were rumors that the Vatican would condemn the movie, as they did The Da Vinci Code; however, yesterday's edition of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, ran a review and an editorial calling the film:

  ...two hours of harmless entertainment, which hardly affects the genius and mystery of Christianity.

  The reviewer criticized the movie's "stereotyped characters," but praised Howard's "dynamic direction."

  Angels & Demons stars Tom Hanks, who reprises the role of Robert Langdon, a Harvard University symbologist.

  
  
  

  Reelz Clip

  Tom Hanks Stars - Releasing May 15, 2009

  Posted 05/07/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code | Angels & Demons