Johnny Depp is in talks with Marvel Studios to play Steven Strange in the upcoming Doctor Strange film. Whether or not the actor will take the role will depend on his schedule, which currently includes soon-to-be-greenlit projects such as a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film and an Alice in Wonderland sequel. For more information on the project and on…
Entertainment news round-up for Dec. 9
Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity and Spike Jonze’s Her were both named best picture of the year by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. It is the first tie for best picture since 1978, when Network and Rocky shared the honor. Other shared awards given by the association include Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) and Adele Exarchopoulous (Blue…
Entertainment news round-up for Dec. 6
Disney has taken over the distribution and marketing rights for the Indiana Jones franchise from Paramount. This means that Paramount will still control the rights for the original four films, while Disney will be responsible for any future projects in the franchise. Disney has not yet announced that a fifth Indiana Jones feature is in the works….
Entertainment news round-up for Dec. 5
Universal has selected Breaking Bad scribe Gennifer Hutchinson to write a film adaptation of Victoria Aveyard’s novel The Red Queen, about a world in which society is divided by the color of blood. Hutchinson was recently nominated for a Writers Guild of America award. For more on the film and on Hutchinson’s career, click here. Martin Scorsese…
Critic revels in the world of ‘Amélie’
If you’re looking for a film to brighten your day, If you’re looking for a film to brighten your day, Amélie is just the ticket. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and released in 2001, it’s a modern day classic that is wonderfully whimsical without being too twee. Audrey Tautou stars as “Amélie Poulain,” a young French…
‘There Will Be Blood’ disturbs,enthralls
I have a feeling that I’m supposed to like There Will Be Blood, but I can’t say that I do. I can say, however, that I respect it. Released in 2007, it’s not exactly an enjoyable or entertaining movie, but it’s got a certain watchability that is uniquely its own. Directed and written by Paul…
Critic irked by writing in ‘Philomena’
There’s something rather depressing about Judi Dench playing the role of “Precocious Old Lady.” Unfortunately, in Philomena, she is forced to do just that. Based on a true story, it’s a sweet little film, but it doesn’t give any of its actors much to do. Dench stars as “Philomena Lee,” who conceived a child out…
Short film round-up
For a delightfully twisted treat, take a look at Status Update, an 11-minute short from Daniel Reisinger. The film follows a lovesick office worker who suddenly discovers that everything he posts on Facebook comes true. Of course, he quickly begins putting his newfound power to use, with hilarious and shocking results. Reisinger uses the element of…
McConaughey makes ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ worth watching
I think it’s probably safe to say that the old Matthew McConaughey – he of the rom-coms and slacker films – is long gone. In recent years, the actor has proven himself to be much more than his previous filmography suggests, what with his stunning turns in 2011’s Bernie and Killer Joe and 2012’s Mud,…
Entertainment news round-up for December 2
Singer Rita Ora is set to play Christian Grey’s adopted sister in Universal and Focus’ upcoming film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. The movie marks the Yugoslavian-born British singer-songwriter’s biggest movie role to date. Her most recent album, Ora, went platinum and was the No. 1 album in the U.K. upon its release. For more information on Fifty…
Critic floored by ‘Five Minutes of Heaven’
It’s a rare film that manages to stay with the viewer for days after seeing it. Five Minutes of Heaven is just such a film. A tense, taut drama directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, it tells a familiar tale in a remarkably personal way, allowing it to hit home with astounding strength. The film focuses on…
Entertainment news round-up for Nov. 25
WWE and Blumhouse Entertainment are teaming up for new thriller “Incarnate,” starring Aaron Eckhart. The film will star Eckhart as an exorcist who taps into the mind of a nine-year-old who has been possessed by a demon. Brad Peyton is set to helm the project, with Ronnie Christensen penning the screenplay. For more information on…
Critic fascinated and frightened by ‘Trainspotting’
Danny Boyle may have won his Oscar for directing Slumdog Millionaire, but I wholeheartedly believe 1996’s Trainspotting is his best work to date. A strange and wonderful film, it is at once buoyantly joyful and bitterly dark, yanking the viewer into a world that terrifies and enthralls. The film follows “Renton” (Ewan McGregor), a Scottish…
Entertainment news round-up for Nov. 26
Marvel has confirmed that Elizabeth Olson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson will play Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron. Quicksilver will also appear in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, though he will be played by Evan Peters. Olson and Taylor-Johnson are also set to star together in Frank Darabont’s 2014 Godzilla reboot. For more…
Critic impressed by ‘Rachel Getting Married’
I like to think of Rachel Getting Married as the film for which Anne Hathaway really should have won an Oscar. A glorious cinematic tour de force, it’s undoubtedly her finest film to date – not only due to her own performance, but also because of the sheer brilliance of what director Jonathan Demme has built around…
Entertainment news round-up for Nov. 19
The five surviving members of comedy troupe Monty Python are reuniting for a stage show. Those performing will include John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Terry Jones. “We’re getting together and putting on a show — it’s real,” Jones said. “I’m quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot…
Critic finds “Cold Turkey” less than appealing
It seems that there’s never any shortage of films about dysfunctional families at holiday gatherings. Cold Turkey is the latest addition to the category, and it doesn’t bring much to the table. An empty, frivolous film, it’s got little in the way of intelligence and nothing in the way of heart Written and directed by…
Critic enjoys ‘Ender’s Game’ despite its flaws
If you’re willing to forget its source material, Ender’s Game is a thoroughly enjoyable movie. Those who have difficulty with compartmentalization should steer clear.
Spanish play performed in English for first time
OCU Stage II is producing a Spanish play, Tried and True, for the first time in Englis
Dance production aims to capture Christmas spirit
The Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management will present their annual Home for the Holidays Christmas dance show Dec. 5-8.
Theater students get sneak peek at upcoming releases
The School of Theater is offering early movie screening tickets to its students
Entertainment news round-up for Nov. 18
NBC has ordered a pilot for Bad Judge, a comedy set to star Kate Walsh as a criminal court judge. The series will be penned by Chat Kultgen, who will also coproduce the series with Walsh, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, and Anne Heche. To read more on the show, click here. Star Partners and Hummingbird Productions…
Short film round-up
As someone who isn’t too fond of Wes Anderson’s feature films, I was pleasantly surprised by Castello Cavalcanti, an eight-minute short commissioned by Prada that stars Jason Schwartzman as a 1950s race car driver who has an unfortunate crash in a small Italian town. Though certainly stylish, it’s a little subtler than Anderson’s usual efforts, and…
Entertainment news round-up for Nov. 14
Jack Black and Tim Robbins have signed on to star in HBO’s upcoming series The Brink. The dark comedy will follow three men as they deal with a geopolitical crisis. Black will play a Foreign Service officer, while Robbins has been cast as the U.S. Secretary of State. The two will also serve as producers on…
Bass School presents tragedy in American opera ‘Street Scene’
Street Scene, composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Langston Hughes, is a Broadway opera that combines catchy 1940s music with tragedy. The story follows the working-class Maurrant family and their neighbors in a tenement on the East Side of Manhattan in 1946
Registrar takes star roles in local productions
Registrar Charlie Monnot leads a double life.
Actually, as a local theater performer, he leads multiple lives when he’s not in his office in Clara E. Jones Administration Building.
