Watch: Wes Anderson's 'The Shining' Mashup 'Grand Overlook Hotel'

"This is the kitchen, huh?" Now this is a great mashup video. Editor Steve Ramsden has cut together a quick mashup video called The Grand Overlook Hotel, combining Kubrick's classic horror The Shining with Anderson's Oscar-winning feature The Grand Budapest Hotel for Wes Anderson's The Shining. You're definitely going to want to book a room in here. These two films have such intricate framing symmetry between certain shots, and Ramsden took advantage of this to put together a trailer that feels like they could be combined into one film and actually work. Have a quick stay at The Grand Overlook Hotel below. Enjoy!

Thanks to SlashFilm for the tip. Full description from YouTube: "I noticed how Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick frame their shots in a similar way - this was the result: 'The Grand Overlook Hotel'!" The video mashup was edited by Steve Ramsden - you can see more of his work here. This is a very sleek video that is amusing to watch, and has impressive integration of footage from both films. Plus I love the use of the Wes Anderson titles with the Overlook Hotel backdrop, and everything else, nice work. I would watch this movie! But then again, I already have – rather, I've already seen these two, and both of them are great films.

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First Look: Andrew Garfield in Martin Scorsese's New Film 'Silence'

The new Scorsese movie is on the way. There have been handfuls of paparazzi set photos and other leaked images, plus news about production troubles, but after waiting patiently they've released an official photo from Martin Scorsese's Silence, which finished filming in Taiwan earlier this month. EW.com debuted this photo from Silence, showing actor Andrew Garfield as Father Rodrigues, a priest who travels to Japan to confront the rumors that his mentor has abandoned the Church. He's seen embracing Shinya Tsukamoto, who plays a villager named Mokichi. It's one simple shot but it's powerful and speaks volumes about what kind of film we'll be seeing. And I can't wait. I've got a really good feeling this is going to turn out amazing.

This is our first hint at that possibility. Hopefully we'll see more sooner than later. From Scorsese's Silence:

The film is set in the 17th century and focuses on two Jesuit priests who face violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and to spread the gospel of Christianity. The period sees religious persecution running rampant with Christians forced to practice their faith in secret. Garfield will play Father Rodrigues, who travels to Japan with a fellow priest (Neeson) amid rumors that Rodrigues’ mentor has abandoned the Church. Silence is adapted by screenwriter Jay Cocks, from Shûsaku Endô's 1966 novel, directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese (recently of Shine a Light, Shutter Island, Huge, The Wolf of Wall Street). "The subject matter presented by Shusaku Endo was in my life since I was very, very young," said Scorsese. Paramount will release Silence in theaters starting sometime in 2016. Stay tuned for more.

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4 More Mostly Younger Actors Are in Contention to Be the New Spider-Man

Columbia Pictures

Apparently Marvel and Sony are not sure about Asa Butterfield taking the Spider-Man reboot gig, as seemed a certainty two weeks ago. At least not yet. According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog, six young actors were in Atlanta on Saturday testing for the jackpot role. Butterfield is still one of the finalists, as is another favorite, Tom Holland, but the other three previously reported as being in the mix (Nat Wolff, Timothee Chalamet and Liam James) are out.

The decision has to be made soon, and since the screen tests were held in Atlanta, where Captain America: Civil War has been shooting, perhaps they plan to immediately throw the winning kid into the production (the new Spidey is set to debut in the Marvel movie before starting his own series at Sony). Or maybe it was just held down here because this is where Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo, all of whom were on hand for these latest auditions with Spider-Man franchise producer Amy Pascal, happened to be.

Anyway, let’s meet the four new, mostly younger additions to the Spidey shortlist below. You can revisit my former post on the originally reported five actors on the list if you need the same info on Butterfield and Holland, both of whom are 18 years old.

Judah Lewis (I’m guessing 14 or 15 years old) – An actor most of his life, he’s the son of performers-turned-teachers who run a theater group for kids. He’s new to Hollywood, but you can see him soon enough as the young Johnny Utah in the Point Break remake and in the latest from Jean-Marc Valée, Demolition, which may be out this fall.

Matthew Lintz (just turned 14 years old) – Another lifelong actor, he’s done a fair share of horror, beginning with Rob Zombie’s Halloween II and including The Crazies and Piranha 3DD over the following few years. He’ll be seen this summer in Pixels (see the header image) and then next year he’s in another kind of Civil War movie, The Free State of Jones.

Charlie Plummer (15 years old) – In addition to having recurring roles on Boardwalk Empire and Granite Falls, this teen also appeared in Not Fade Away and now stars as the title character in the indie King Jack, which debuted to rave reviews at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Charlie Rowe (19 years old) – If they intended to add more younger actors into the mix, this guy is an exception. But interestingly enough, he played a younger version of former Spidey Andrew Garfield‘s character in Never Let Me Go. He’s also in The Golden Compass and had a recurring role on the cancelled Fox series Red Band Society.

"4 More Mostly Younger Actors Are in Contention to Be the New Spider-Man" was originally published on Film School Rejects for our wonderful readers to enjoy. It is not intended to be reproduced on other websites. If you aren't reading this in your favorite RSS reader or on Film School Rejects, you're being bamboozled. We hope you'll come find us and enjoy the best articles about movies, television and culture right from the source.

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Disney's 'Tron 3' Sequel Cancelled, Despite Plans to Shoot This Year

Trouble in paradise. Multiple sources are reporting that Disney has apparently cancelled Tron 3, or rather, the next sequel to follow Tron Legacy. Though they may not agree with that wording, as THR writes that "the project was never officially greenlit", but in the end Disney has "chosen not to move forward with a third installment in the sci-fi series". A few months ago we also reported that Vancouver was preparing for another Tron shoot later this year, and that it was happening, plans were in place, and things were heading towards that potential start. However, that's no longer the case. So what's to blame? Apparently the dismal opening of Tomorrowland, which scared them from making another futuristic sci-fi movie. Well this sucks.

Disney's Tron Legacy was released in late 2010, and we've been waiting to see a follow-up ever since. Word is they finally had Joseph Kosinski back to direct, along with Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde. The Wrap also says they were after Jared Leto and Olivia Munn to co-star in the sequel, however no deals were in place, so nothing is moving forward anymore. As explanation they add: "after the relative failure of Tomorrowland, Disney executives may not have wanted to gamble and risk exposing the studio to another loss." I'm not sure what to say, it sounds like this was a move to stop anything bad from happening before it could happen. Not that that was going to be the case anyway. Doesn't sound like Disney is very optimistic.

For now it sounds like there's not much hope for another Tron movie, at least in this movie climate, not in the near future. Nope, it's more superheroes crossing over and Disney animated movies turned live-action, all day, all night, plus of course Star Wars every year and maybe some Indiana Jones. We'll keep an eye out for any updates or other news, but most likely Kosinski will end up directing something else different next.

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Hollywood Promises Women Will Be Creatively Involved With Transformers and Lumberjanes

Paramount Pictures

Hollywood is listening. They see what you’re complaining about on the blogs and social media and are responding accordingly where they can. They’re not making a found footage Friday the 13th movie because of you. They are making a Deadpool movie because of you. And they’re going to let women have some creative involvement in major franchises because of you, too. Aww, aren’t they sweet?

Just as we saw Saturday Night Live add a couple black women to the cast after criticism about their lack, now we’re going to see studios adding more women to their director shortlists and writer’s rooms following protests from fans and anyone else willing to call bullshit on the sexism of the movie business, still. And it’s not going to just be about how a female filmmaker needs to be at the helm of a female superhero movie anymore.

This week, The Wrap made late updates to two big stories about major Hollywood motion pictures, both involving a sudden clarification that there will be women hires for important jobs on these productions.

First up was Fox, who announced a movie based on the Boom! Studios comic book “Lumberjanes” with male screenwriter Will Widger being handed the job of adapting. The problem is that this is a property created by three women — Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson — and illustrated by another, Brooke A. Allen, and about a group of girls dealing with paranormal activity at a summer camp.

Following outrage on the internet, word came that the studio and the movie’s producers (who include Boom! execs Ross Richie and Stephen Christy) are looking at only women to fill the director’s chair. Of course, none can be named at this time.

Then there was the update this week on the Transformers expanded franchise, how two more white male screenwriters (Ant-Man‘s Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari) would join the five other previously announced white males (Akiva Goldsman, Robert Kirkman, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway) in the creative circle working on the series’ sequels and animated origin prequels and spin-offs, etc..

The Wrap’s Jeff Sneider wrote a piece on how the lack of diversity in the mix for this cinematic universe is causing concern from within the industry and also outside from noted critical voices. Again, Sneider was eventually told (possibly before the piece was posted but at least after the issue was being raised on social media and through Sneider’s investigation) that Paramount is in fact one woman in talks to join that writer’s room, but she can’t be named until her deal is finalized.

Maybe both the women directors and single woman writer were being targeted for these projects before the complaints, but regardless they both look like reactionary decisions to appease fans and the masses alike.

And the big takeaway here isn’t just the gender inequality issue in Hollywood. It’s that we can make a difference if we’re loud enough. Want the just-canceled Tron 3 back in motion? Let Disney know. Want a TV series reboot to retain its auteur creator as director at any cost? Speak up. Not always, but sometimes changes will be made thanks to you, the people, the consumers.

"Hollywood Promises Women Will Be Creatively Involved With Transformers and Lumberjanes" was originally published on Film School Rejects for our wonderful readers to enjoy. It is not intended to be reproduced on other websites. If you aren't reading this in your favorite RSS reader or on Film School Rejects, you're being bamboozled. We hope you'll come find us and enjoy the best articles about movies, television and culture right from the source.

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Watch: Disgusting Giant Mutant Wasp Movie 'Stung' Official Trailer

"Avoid everything here - it's bad." XYZ Films and IFC Midnight have debuted a trailer for the movie Stung, from director Benni Diez, a horror about disgusting giant mutant, ugly ass wasps, that need to be slayed right now. Clifton Collins Jr., Jessica Cook, David Masterson & Lance Henriksen star as guests at a party that goes to hell when these mutant wasps emerge from the ground. The description claims that it has a "seamless blend of CGI and oozing practical effects", but I can't really tell. It's also supposed to be a horror comedy but none of the jokes really hit either. Anyway, take a look and let us know what you think.

Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Benni Diez's Stung, direct from IFC's YouTube:

In a remote country villa set amid foggy rural farmlands, the elderly widow of a pharmaceutical magnate holds an annual garden party for the local elite in honor of her late husband. But the festivities take a grisly turn when a plague of giant killer wasps is unleashed on the unsuspecting partygoers, leaving the caterers Julia & Paul pitted against the seven-foot mutant predators in a deadly fight for survival. Wasp is directed by Benni Diez aka Benjamin Diez, of a few short films previously making his directorial debut, from a screenplay written by Adam Aresty. The film first premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. IFC Midnight will release Stung in select theaters + VOD starting July 3rd this summer. For more, visit the official site.

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Cameron Crowe Has Considered a Say Anything Sequel

Gracie Films

Over a year ago our own Kate Erbland asked, Are ‘Say Anything’ Lovebirds Lloyd Dobler and Diane Court Still Together? Kate may actually get an answer to that question. The good news is today a Cameron Crowe movie is opening in theaters, meaning we got a chance to speak with Crowe about his latest project, Aloha.

The Hawaii-set film is very much in Crowe’s wheelhouse. It’s about a guy, Brian Gilchrist (Bradley Cooper), at a crossroads, trying to reinvent himself. This journey has been a major part of Crowe’s past work, so naturally we asked him about the appeal of that character arc. We’ll get to more of that in our wide-ranging interview with the writer-director, which will publish next week, but while discussing his thematic interests, he mentioned the possibility of Say Anything 2.

Crowe foresees taking his career into a slightly different direction, and in that direction may be more Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack). He’s discussed his interest in making a sequel in the past, but this time, he had a little more to say on the matter.

“I’ve even thought about revisiting Lloyd Dobler, to write about a stage in life where you’re looking at parenthood, wondering about your choices, and reconsidering some of the choices you made in past relationships,” Crowe told us. Would this be a straight sequel? Will we see a Dobler well into his 40s, still kickboxing and blaring Peter Gabriel’s tunes? “I don’t know if it would be a straight sequel,” he answers. “I just have ideas… it comes down to a few basic things. I really, really love writing for John Cusack. We have similarities as guys that really benefits him being a mouthpiece for stuff we both want to say. I haven’t quite figured it out. I only mentioned it to him once. In the spirit of the Truffaut movies, where Antoine Doinel relationship would comeback and be in a different context, I really did think that Lloyd could be worth revisiting in maybe a completely different context. So, I don’t know. I guess it would be a spiritual followup. I don’t know how strict of a sequel it would be. I don’t know which characters would appear or reappear. It just feels like a character I could still write for.”

So much has changed in the 26 years since Say Anything was released. Both Lloyd Dobler and Cameron Crowe’s optimism is such a rarity these days. It’d be interesting to see if Dobler still maintains his past beliefs, or how they’ve evolved or changed. What if he’d now laugh at a kid holding up a jukebox playing Peter Gabriel as a romantic gesture? It’s sad to say, but there’s not many Lloyd Doblers left in the world.

One thing is for sure, Crowe wants to work with Cusack again, and the same goes for Tom Cruise. He’s working on a few projects at the moment — a film about Marvin Gaye and another with Rufus Wainwright’s involvement — but Say Anything 2 is definitely an idea he’s considering.

Aloha is now in theaters.

"Cameron Crowe Has Considered a Say Anything Sequel" was originally published on Film School Rejects for our wonderful readers to enjoy. It is not intended to be reproduced on other websites. If you aren't reading this in your favorite RSS reader or on Film School Rejects, you're being bamboozled. We hope you'll come find us and enjoy the best articles about movies, television and culture right from the source.

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San Andreas Presents a Day In the Life of a Truly Shitty County Employee

Warner Bros.

There’s an odd perception among many film-goers that summer blockbusters and other CG-heavy entertainment should be immune from screenplay-focused criticism — that the point of these movies is pure visual escapism and thrills so who really cares if the script is problematic or dumb? I can’t speak for anyone else, but the answer to that question is I do goddammit. Of course there are certain allowances — a disaster movie need not offer much character depth and smarts alongside the destruction, but we can all agree some effort is appreciated right?

Anyway. Let’s talk about San Andreas.

Ray (Dwayne Johnson) is a celebrated rescue helicopter pilot for L.A. County prone to acts of heroism with a dash of the crazy — he’s not Top Gun‘s Maverick-levels of recklessness, but he takes unnecessary risks. Unfortunately for him he also just received divorce papers from his wife and can’t compete with her new boyfriend’s immense wealth. It seems all the bravery and courageous feats in the world aren’t enough to keep his family together… or are they?!

An earthquake strikes near the Hoover Dam so Ray suits up and heads out alone to lend a beefy hand, but he’s barely out of the city when a related quake strikes Los Angeles trapping his wife, Emma (Carla Gugino), atop a downtown high-rise. Ray abandons his post without a second thought and rushes to save her, but his day is just getting started — his daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario) is in San Francisco with her soon-to-be step-dad, Daniel (Ioan Gruffudd) — and when the seismic chain reaction moves north Ray and Emma take an impromptu sky/road trip to save their daughter who’s in her own fight for survival alongside two new friends from England. If only someone had listened to the CalTech professor’s (Paul Giamotti) warnings!

“Pray for the people of San Francisco.”

As disaster movies go director Brad Peyton‘s first non-sequel (after Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) captures some exquisitely detailed destruction and death on a massive scale. He spreads his geographic money shots around giving viewers spectacular views of CG mayhem at the Hoover Dam, in L.A. and throughout the entirety of San Francisco. The latter gets the worst of it with multiple quakes and an epic tsunami that work together to leave the city in utter ruin. (The fine folks over at Fox News will be calling this the best film of the year any minute now.) Thousands of people die with hundreds of them visibly biting it onscreen, and the overall level of detailed annihilation sets a slightly higher bar for the disaster porn sub-genre.

Through it all though the script (by Carlton Cuse) keeps the film’s — and Ray’s — focus on rescuing Blake. There are minor emotional beats throughout between Ray and his soon-to-be ex and among Blake and her two new British best friends, and more than a few humorous bits land as well, but none of them distract from the fact that Ray is an absolutely immoral, irresponsible and terrible municipal employee.

Not only does he abandon his post early on, but in his efforts to reach his wife and daughter he makes zero effort to help anyone else. The helicopter he’s in could be used to save dozens of people around the city, but instead he effectively steals it and flies the mostly empty chopper towards San Francisco. It’s pretty amazing actually how indifferent he is to strangers. Not only is it Ray’s job in the world of the film, but it’s also who he is in the “film” — he’s the hero, he’s the one who saves people, he’s The Rock for christ’s sake. He steals several vehicles to reach Blake, and I can’t help but imagine their owners arriving moments later with their families ready to escape to safety only to realize they’re screwed. It would be one thing if this character trait was somehow a part of the story or even commented on, but it’s not and instead the film still treats Ray as an incredible hero.

Warner Bros.

His selfish tendencies (and preference for wearing one size too small tee-shirts) run in the family too as Blake and her new friends scavenge supplies from a fire truck for possible use in the future — and they do so within feet of the rescue personnel actually doing their job and helping people. Adding insult to injury they don’t even use those bandages at a later moment and instead Blake is forced to remove her shirt to use as a bandage and never mind I just realized that’s actually a highlight.

Cuse’s script features other groaners as well beyond its focus on the adventures of California’s most self-centered family. Worried that Emma’s new man might actually be a good guy worthy of her love? Don’t be. Concerned that no one will take time away from the death and destruction surrounding them to give in to their more primal urges and kiss? Fret not.

San Andreas accomplishes the basic goal of big budget disaster movies and destroys numerous landmarks and lives in glorious fashion. It’s just everything else that it gets wrong.

The Upside: Fantastically detailed CG destruction; other eye candy; great use of the f-bomb; Paul Giamotti’s puppy dog eyes

The Downside: Script is ridiculously myopic and irresponsible in regard to main character; script embraces far too many cliches; lacks balls

"San Andreas Presents a Day In the Life of a Truly Shitty County Employee" was originally published on Film School Rejects for our wonderful readers to enjoy. It is not intended to be reproduced on other websites. If you aren't reading this in your favorite RSS reader or on Film School Rejects, you're being bamboozled. We hope you'll come find us and enjoy the best articles about movies, television and culture right from the source.

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Did You See This?

• John Bailey on Vilmos Zsigmond and The Rose

• Agnès Varda is a Girls fan.

• The Mad Men–Two-Lane Blacktop connection

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