Ava DuVernay

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I Get That A Lot


What would you do if Heidi Klum served you pizza? Or if Jessica Simpson fixed your computer?

CBS has a new special called I Get That A Lot where celebrities pretend to be other people all for the sake of comedy. It airs tomorrow at 8 p.m. in celebration of April Fool's Day. The previews are fun stuff...

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Jenny Lumet writing for Robert Pattinson?


Everyone's new favorite vampire, Robert Pattinson, is in talks with Summit Entertainment (the company behind Twilight) to star in another romantic flick.

"Memoirs," based on an orignal screenplay by Will Fetters that will be rewritten by Jenny Lumet, who penned "Rachel Getting Married," tells of two lovers whose newfound relationship is threatened as they struggle to deal with family tragedies.

Just sign the papers Pattinson, you'll make a lot of people happy.

[via The Hollywood Reporter]

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Lights is Canada's New Artist of the Year


Lights won a Juno award over the weekend. Doesn't she look completely stoked?

I had my first interview with her about a year ago and she was super sweet and a pleasure to chat with. She's a great live performer especially when she rocks out on her keytar. Here's to hoping she makes it big in the U.S. with her upcoming album.

To watch her acceptance speech click here (fast forward to 4:00).


Official Site: www.iamlights.com

[Hat tip Ricky Luu]

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Before Tomorrow or was it yesterday?



Before Tomorrow
just had it’s theatrical release in Canada last night. Just like the pace of the Inuit film, this film made a quiet statement, but a powerful one.

The film is set in 1840 and shows how Inuit were living when the onslaught of white men were merely rumours told by few. We first see the reunion of two families during the summer when there is much happiness abound. Shortly after, the two main characters Ninguiq (Madelin Ivalu) and her grandson Maniq (Paul-Dylan Ivalu) head to an island to begin drying the fish and bring Ninquig’s best friend Kutuguk (Mary Qulitalik).

The drama unfolds on the island and continues through the rest of the film as the two main characters face death, mortality and isolation.

The immense power that is captured in the stillness and quietness of this film is intense. It won best Canadian feature at it’s world premier at 2008 TIFF, Best Feature film at 2008 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Best Feature Film at 2008 Annual American Indian Film Festival and the 2009 Sundance best Dramatic World Cinema Competition.

The film is from Arnait Video Productions collective, which is an Inuit women’s collective that takes Inuit women’s stories to produce culturally authentic and community-involved films. Based on the book Før Morgendagen by Danish author Jørn Riel it the film is used as a vehicle to empower Inuit peoples to tell their own stories in a new medium.

Before Tomorrow's pace is one that is foreign to us now which is precisely the reason this film should be seen. It is a reminder of things past, of a life more simple and somehow more pure.



by Lisa Charleyboy repost from Urban Native Girl Stuff

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Idris on 'The Office'


I thought his character would be more interesting.

But Jim in a tux...priceless.


Agree or disagree?

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Salt of this Sea


Salt of this Sea is about a Palestinian-American taking a trip to her "Motherland" for the first time. Some of you may remember the lead actress, Suheir Hammad, from her Def Poetry Jam days. I happened to see her on tour and she's a pretty solid performer.


Official Site: www.philistinefilms.org

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Sell Out!


Sell Out! is a Malaysian musical that looks quite quirky and cute. I'm not sure when it will be available in the U.S. but it's definitely on my radar.



Official Site: www.amokfilms.com

[Hat tip Twitch]

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Corbin Bleu - "Moments That Matter"

Corbin Bleu of High School Musical fame has a new album, Speed of Light, that came out earlier this month. Here's the first video:


My favorite songs are "Speed of Light," "Moments That Matter" and "Fear of Flying." I'm not a big dance/R&B fan but those tracks are iTunes worthy if you can get over his HSM label.

You can catch Bleu this Thursday on Tyra.

Related Post

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Magazine Round-Up: Reese + Salma, etc.


Because I browse through a bunch of magazines...
  • Reese Witherspoon is on the cover of Elle looking super fab.
  • Rashida Jones is popping up all over the place from People magazine to Real Detroit and everything in between.


  • Freida Pinto is featured in an ode to Empire Records alongside other emerging actors in Elle.


  • Zoe Kravitz and her BFF Olivia Thirlby (Juno) are "Young & Unstoppable" in Vogue.


  • Salma Hayek has a glamorous cover story in In Style.

Stumble across any other noteworthy mentions? Share the links in the comments section.

[Photos via modelinia, FI and LG]

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Fempire: Screenwriters & Friends


The New York Times has a nice article about Diablo Cody and her three screenwriter BFFs (Dana Fox, Liz Meriwether and Lorene Scafaria) on how they're joining forces to create a "fempire" - a group of females intent on supporting each other in their creative endeavors.

"You can find them at work in their Laurel Canyon homes in their pajamas, or sitting next to one another at laptop-friendly restaurants. To see them gathered amid the dinosaur topiary around Ms. Fox’s swimming pool with their dogs (they all have dogs) is to see four distinct styles of glamour that bear little resemblance to traditional images of behind-the-scenes talent. Whenever one of them has a movie opening, they all rent a white limousine and go from theater to theater to watch the first audiences react."

That's beyond cool! I wish heard more stories like this. Are you part of a fempire?

[Hat tip Go Into the Story]

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Who would you cast in 'The Bodyguard' remake?


Speculations about Rihanna and Channing Tatum starring in The Bodyguard remake have been circulating around the blogosphere. But instead of talking about that combo, I'll offer up my own alternatives.

1. Jensen Ackles and Leona Lewis.

If you've seen Ackles in Supernatural then you can understand why his blend of charming sarcasm makes him perfect for the role of Frank Farmer. Plus, he looks really good with a gun and that's paramount. And Lewis has the whole powerhouse voice going on. If anyone has the vocals to come close to Whitney it's her. "I keep bleeding, I, keep, keep, bleeding love..."

2. Alicia Keys and Chad Michael Murray.




She's not the strongest actress but neither was Whitney Houston. I can totally imagine Keys playing the sassy superstar who secretly has a crush on her all too cute bodyguard that comes in Chad Michael Murray package. "No one can get in the way of what I'm feeling..."

Those are my picks so who would you choose?



[Hat tip to my sis for the Ackles suggestion]

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Selena Gomez on Latina mag


Disney's emerging "It Girl" Selena Gomez graces the cover of Latina magazine. Inside the biracial star opens up about being proud of her Mexican heritage and navigating her way through Hollywood. She has a made-for-TV movie premiering this summer, Princess Protection Program, with fellow Disney pal Demi Lovato.



Related Post:

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ANTM Cycle 12 Favorites


I never really followed America's Next Top Model but my sister kind of forced me into watching this cycle. Anyhow, here are my favs...

Felicia "Fo" Porter - that episode where they cut her hair for the group makeover was pretty dramatic. But the new look actually works for her.

London Levi - she's like a cool street preacher. I hope the show doesn't wash away her quirkiness.

Tahlia Brookins - when she talked about how she wanted to be a role model for young girls who are burn survivors I was hooked. If I hadn't heard her heartfelt speech about her insecurities over her scars I would have changed the channel or left the room.

ANTM doesn't offer an in-depth PBS type look into modeling but I applaud Tyra Banks for trying to change the industry for the better.

What are your thoughts on the whole ANTM showcase?



[Hat tip Anne & May]

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Away We Go


One quirky guy? Check. One dance-to-the-beat-of-her-own-drum girl? Check. A road trip? Double check. An offbeat supporting cast? Oh yeah.

When you pair the goofy adorable John Krasinski and SNL alum Maya Rudolph in a romantic comedy good things are bound to happen, especially with a director like Sam Mendes at the helm. Movies like this make me even more excited about the soundtrack because some of my indie rock favs just might show up in a pivotal scene. When great stories are matched with great music brilliance is born. Watch the trailer and get stoked!



Release Date: June 5th

[Hat tip JANiE]

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Waitress


I really liked this movie!

Waitress is about a woman in a small town who's life pretty much sucks in every way, except for the friendship of her two best friends. Keri Russell does a great job embodying a complex woman in the this funny but not frilly dramatic comedy. I wish she got more roles like this because she was definitely in her element. A huge part of the success of Waitress belongs to Adrienne Shelly, the writer-director-actress, who died shortly after this film was made. There are some nice bonus features on the DVD that pay tribute Shelley and the memorial foundation set in her name that supports women filmmakers. You can check it out at www.adrienneshellyfoundation.org

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Rashida Jones Chats 'I Love You, Man'

The Harvard grad talks about working with Paul Rudd and being a little geeky in real-life.


I Love You, Man hits theaters March 20th.

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Native American in Benjamin Button

Myrton Running Wolf

Last weekend I finally went to see
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and was pleasantly surprised to see a Native American cameo in the flick played by, gasp, an actual Native American. Myrton Running Wolf took the role of a Cherokee Navy Seal, who was on screen briefly and died before he got many lines in.

Such a shame since Running Wolf is presumably immensely talented as he received a scholarship to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City where he studied classical and modern acting. His feature film debut was at the Sundance Film Festival in director Chris Eyre's 2002 film Skins.

Nevertheless, I was happy to see a portrayal of a Native person on the big screen. Another film that ties Native peoples to the military is Reservation Soldiers, which is a heartfelt documentary that follows three young men into their participation with the Canadian army. Ultimately it shows how the military seduces young Native peoples away from their reservations. Perhaps Running Wolf's character would have learned a lesson or two from that documentary had not been before his time.


-Repost by Lisa Charleyboy of Urban Native Girl Stuff.



~Reservation Soldiers will be shown at the 2009 Native American Film + Video Festival in New York City Sunday March 29th and can be purchased here.

-

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Ocean of Pearls


Ocean of Pearls tells the story of a Canadian Sikh who moves from Toronto to Detroit with dreams of making a positive difference in the medical field. It's one of the many films that will be playing at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival this week. For a full schedule, click here.



Official Site:
www.oceanofpearls.com

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Rosario Dawson on The Late Late Show

Talking about her new movie Explicit Ills, helicopters and some other random stuff.



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Dispelling stereotypes in the big apple


Ray Morrin (Duane Murray) and Jolene Peltier (Melanie McLaren) in Tkaronto

A buff warrior in a loincloth with red war paint across his cheeks stands beside a long raven-haired beauty, who is clad in beaded buckskin, complete with a feather in her hair: these are the most common stereotypes attributed to Native peoples in North America. Instilled in the global consciousness by Hollywood films, they are often the only portrayals most people know.

On the dark side of this strife are the negative stereotypes that are attributed to Native peoples street-side. Stereotypes are planted and reinforced into the global consciousness with films like Disney’s Pocahontas, Mel Gibson’s Apacolypto and the ‘70s flick Little Big Man.

Since the uniting of writer Sherman Alexie and director Chris Eyre in Smoke Signals there has been a definitive shift toward Native peoples controlling their own images in celluloid. In less than two weeks the Native American Film + Video Festival is happening in New York City.

Chris Eyre opens the festival March 26th with his PBS mini-series film We Shall Remain: Trail of Tears. Saturday night features director Shane Belcourt's Tkaronto which tells the tale of two urban Natives in Toronto, ON. The festival celebrates the creative energy of Native American directors, producers, writers, actors, musicians, cultural activists, and all the others who support their endeavors. With over 60 screenings and in it’s 30th year, this festival is sure to bring a broad platform in which the next generation of Native peoples films can flourish.

Today there are many talented Indigenous filmmakers and writers who are able to shift global consciousness and show there is more to Indigenous peoples than buff warriors and bucksin dresses.

~Contributed by Lisa Charleyboy of Urban Native Girl Stuff


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Parks & Recreation


The untitled Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones project I mentioned a while ago has a name: Parks & Recreation. And it looks pretty funny. It also stars Aziz Ansari and Aubrey Plaza.

Parks & Recreation is a new mockumentary that looks at the exciting world of local government. The new half-hour comedy will examine the mundane but necessary ways that people interact with their government, and ask why it's frequently so complicated -- as everyone knows from standing in line at the DMV, applying for home construction permits, or trying to get the city to fix a pothole.

If all goes well the cast could be up for some Golden Globe nominations.


For more clips check out the official site.

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Venus Zine's 25 Under 25


Zoe Kravitz, Alia Shawkat and Charlyne Yi are featured on Venus Zine's list of emerging female talents under 25. They all had movies that were at Sundance this year. Check out the magazine for the full scoop, it's a quick read.

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Introducing Lisa Charleyboy

I'm excited to announce that...

Lisa Charleyboy, from Urban Native Girl Stuff, is joining the Reel Artsy blog team to bring us a Native American perspective (even though she lives in Canada – where they say First Nations or Aboriginal).

Currently situated in Toronto, ON she is originally from the wilderness in Beautiful British Columbia and is finishing her degree in Professional Writing at York University. Last year she worked at imagineNATIVE Film Festival, which exposed her to the Native American film market and she is now pursuing a career in acting.

She has written for Native American publications such as Spirit Magazine and Redskins Magazine and loves writing about all things Native and noteworthy.

You can follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UrbanNativeGirl

Favorite Quote: "We are all wanderers on this earth. Our hearts are full of wonder, and our souls are deep with dreams." ~ Gypsy proverb

...Welcome to the team Lisa!

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Canadian Music Week


It's Canadian Music Week and if you're anywhere near Toronto you should check it out. There will be plenty of concerts and a film fest. A couple of my favorite bands are nominated for The Indie Awards: Lights and The Midway State.



And if you miss Lights there she will also be at the SXSW fest.



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American Idol: Megan Joy Corkrey


The only two seasons of American Idol I watched from start to finish were the ones where Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood won. Other than that I've only caught snippets here and there. For this season Megan Joy Corkrey is my favorite. The Utah auditions were one of the few episodes I caught and her song was pretty memorable. I imagine her doing a She & Him type album. Something about the way she sang reminded me of Zooey Deschanel. Anyhow, I just found out that she made it to the final 13, or 12 or whatever stage of the show they're on now. It would be nice if she won because winning anything is big, especially a show like this. And even if she doesn't win I still hope she puts out an album. Merge Records would be a nice fit.

Other than Corkrey I remember liking Rose Flack but apparently she got cut. Oh well. Best wishes to her!

Do you watch American Idol? If so, who are some of your favs?

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Deastro @ SXSW


He writes songs about unicorns and far-off galaxies.

I've been following Deastro (Randolph Chabot) since he was a one man band. He would play the drums, sing and fiddle with his synthesizer all at the same time. It was pretty astonishing! But those were the old days, now Deastro has a full band that's even more impressive. Same great songs, but a bigger sound. For those of you attending the SXSW fest you can get a chance to hear the dynamic music of the Detroit indie rock wonder at the Ghostly International showcase.

Until then head over to Deastro's MySpace page and listen to "The Shaded Forest" and "Michael The Lone Archer."

[Hat tip to Kev for pic. It was an awesome concert!]

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Goodbye Solo


Ramin Bahrani knows how to capture beauty of a struggle. Just check out his film Man Push Cart. He tells stories that are eerily haunting in an all too real gritty way.

Goodbye Solo is Bahrani's latest offering and it looks like it will be another one of his bittersweet masterpieces.

On the lonely roads of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, two men forge an improbable friendship that will change both of their lives forever. Solo is a Senegalese cab driver working to provide a better life for his young family. William is a tough Southern good ol‘ boy with a lifetime of regrets. One man‘s American dream is just beginning, while the other‘s is quickly winding down.

You can check Goodbye Solo at the SXSW fest or later on when it opens in NYC and Chicago on March 27th.


Official Site: www.goodbyesolomovie.com

[Hat tip Front of the Row]

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Tamera Mowry in 'Roommates'


Oddly enough they ran a preview for this show before I watched He's Just Not That Into You. You know in one of those annoying movie ads, well this one wasn't so annoying. I'm glad to see Tamera Mowry returning to TV.

Mark has a crush on Katie, so what's he do? Becomes her roommate. Smooth. They also live with Hope, a career woman ... um, without a career. And roomie No. 4, James, has advice for everyone, but he's no better off than anyone. And finally there's Thom, who doesn't live in but hangs out a lot. Hookups, jobs, and other embarrassments keep the laughs coming as five 22-year-olds try to figure it all out.



Official Site:
ABC Family

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A Good Year


A Good Year stars two Academy Award-winning actors (Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard) plus it was directed by Ridley Scott. Why don't I remember hearing about this when it came out?

First it was pre-Cotillard's Oscar win. Second, almost all the reviews I checked online gave it an overall mediocre rating. And third, well there's really no third. But I'm glad I had no prior knowledge when I stumbled upon it at my local video store. I actually enjoyed the film! It wasn't mind-blowingly riveting but definitely enjoyable. It's a story about wine, love, purpose and France...lots of France. Well, mostly a vineyard. It makes me want to rent all of Cotillard's previous films because there weren't enough scenes with her and I'm curious about what kind of other roles she's played. If you've seen this movie weigh in, if not give it a try.

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5 Actor/Singers That Don't Suck


People are quick to criticize actors who try to crossover into the music industry and vice versa but instead of focusing on the negative here are my picks for five actor/singers who actually delight audiences when they showcase their various talents.

5. Mandy Moore - She's not the most stellar actress or singer but when she did A Walk to Remember all the stars seemed to align for a nice blend of both sets of her artistic skills. She shed her "Candy" pop music style for a more subtle sound with her album Wild Hope and in films like Dedication she gracefully submerges into quirky roles.

4. Emmy Rossum - If you're a fan of Imogen Heap and Frou Frou then Emmy Rossum's music might be for you. She was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Independent Spirit Award plus she just had a film at Sundance. She has the potential to be a great actress and I could totally see her starring on Broadway.

3. Will Smith - Okay, so he's not a singer but who doesn't know the theme song to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He scores big at the box office and he's able to flex his dramatic chops in films like Seven Pounds.

2. Zooey Deschanel - Paste magazine named She & Him's Volume One as the 2008 album of the year. She's gained loads of "street cred" in both the music and film independent scenes and a continuous yellow brick road to further success seems quite likely.

1. Jennifer Hudson - She's only at the beginning of her career and she already has an Oscar and a Grammy for her mantle. Enough said.

Honorable Mentions: Hugh Jackman & Anne Hathaway - They don't have albums but they did a nice job on their duet at the Academy Awards.

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Filmmakers on Twitter


For a long list of filmmakers on Twitter check out Slash Film. There's a lack of multicultural actors, directors and writers so if you know of any please share their links. That's if Twitter doesn't annoy you already.

[Hat tip Go into the Story]

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Freida Pinto and Dev Patel


Some cool pictures of Freida Pinto over at Nylon magazine.

Plus Dev Patel on the cover of Entertainment Weekly.

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Greta


What's the hold-up with Greta? I first heard about the Hilary Duff/Evan Ross flick back in 2007 but the release date keeps getting pushed back. It seems like it could be a neat movie, that's if you don't mind teen angst coming-of-age stories. I like the two leads and I'm interested in seeing what kind of charm they can bring to the screen. Greta also stars the Oscar-nominated Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and Ellen Burstyn.

"A waitress falls for an ambitious cook at a restaurant where they work. But as their love blossoms, she has to overcome concerns of her grandparents who are worried about the mixed-race relationship and her boyfriend's criminal past."

I still haven't come across a proper trailer for it but this is the best that I could find:



Official Site: www.gretathemovie.com

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Amal


Amal is one of this year's nominations for Canada's Genie Awards in best direction (Richie Mehta), adapted screenplay (Richie Mehta, Shaun Mehta), best actor (Rupinder Nagra) and best picture.

"Autorickshaw driver Amal is content with the small but vital role he serves - driving customers around New Delhi as quickly and safely as possible. But his sense of duty is tested by an eccentric, aging billionaire, who, moved by Amal's humility, bequeaths him his entire estate before passing away."




The Genie Awards take place on April 4th.

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'Sophie' Finally Comes to ABC Family


I've been watching Sophie since the beginning because I get some Canadian channels. You can check out a post I did about it my other blog. It's hilarious, Natalie Brown has great comedic timing and the supporting cast is top-notch.


Official Site: ABC Family

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Spooner


Matthew Lillard usually gets cast as the extremely obnoxious guy. Sometimes it works (She's All That) and sometimes it doesn't. In the this Slamdance film it looks like he's scaled down the obnoxious just enough to produce a likable character.

Facing eviction from his parent's home on his 30th birthday, a socially awkward guy meets the girl of his dreams and creates his own rules for growing up.

The storyline doesn't seem starkly original but it's the kind of timeless boy meets girl story that never gets old.

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Dorothy Dandridge Wondered...


Here's my entry to The Film Experience's candid photo challenge. Join the fun!

"I wonder if they'll ever make a movie about my life...naaah."

[photo with Jack Denison]

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American Son


American Son offers simple, solid storytelling. It's a slice of life tale, quietly introducing us to a young soldier who has one weekend before he gets shipped off to Iraq. This is by far Nick Cannon's best role. He proves that he has the skills to drive a film if given the right material. Then there was Melonie Diaz who gave a charming performance as the love interest. She needs more roles like this and quick! Another treat included the post-rock soundtrack. It does a fantastic job of setting the mood. Bottom line: See this movie, it's worth your time.


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Southern Gothic


Southern Gothic is by far one of the coolest names I've heard for a production company. The name alone conjures up a sense of eerie mystique.

So what is Southern Gothic Productions? It's Hilarie Burton's new creative endeavor. Your next question may be who the heck is Hilarie Burton? She's best known for her role as Peyton on One Tree Hill but some of you might remember her as the mother from The Secret Life of Bees (excellent movie). Anyhow, Burton is in pre-production with her screenwriter bud on a film called Pedestrian. On her blog they're chronicling the venture a la Four Eyed Monsters style with input from fans, vlogs and other stuff. Here's a video she posted about what makes a story a Southern Gothic tale.


Official Blog: southerngothicproductions.blogspot.com

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Should Kate Winslet Star in a Superhero Movie?


With an Oscar in her hand it's pretty much established that Kate Winslet is the actress of her generation. She gets the parts that most actresses only dream of. Her performances are loaded with an exquisite complexity and depth, it's an amazing sight to behold. Is there anything she can't do? I mean seriously, she's a modern day classic and perhaps the only thing she hasn't conquered is one of those big budget superhero movies that dominate the theaters every summer. So now...what superhero movie should she start in? What comic book character can she bring to life? This is totally hypothetical and fun (when you have a career like Winslet's you're already a superhero in your field). No pressure. Just share your answer and why!

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