Joaquin Phoenix’s rap career didn’t really work out (and yet Willow Smith’s did, go figure), so now he’s back to taking real acting jobs. Namely, Twitch brings news that Joaquin is attached to an untitled political satire from Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman (the team behind Adaptation, and pretty much my favorite director and writer, respectively). Oh I’ll play your game, you rogues.

In March, Deadline described the story as “a satire about how world leaders gather to figure out all the seismic events that will take place in the worlds [sic?], from oil prices to wars that will be waged.”
Things have been quiet since but Twitch has learned that Warner Brothers have now also come on board. Plot details remain sketchy but Joaquin Phoenix is attached to star and Vincent Landay to produce with a March 2012 start date eyed for production. [Twitch]

It’s fun to give Joaquin sh*t (or take actual sh*ts on him while he’s sleeping like in I’m Still Here, whatever the case may be), but if I’m Still Here proved anything, it’s that he’s a brilliant (and clearly committed) actor. If Joaquin and Casey Affleck had approached their documentary from the standpoint of “look at this hilarious poop prank we’re going to film!” instead of “think of the profound implications of this ingenious Banksy stunt we pulled on the media and what it says about our times!”, it might have actually been good. (Yes, the media will write about you if you act insane and let your friends dook on you, brilliant deduction there, Einstein). Let’s not forget, Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman made Nic Cage look like Philip Seymour Hoffman, I’m sure Joaquin Phoenix will be fine. Handling crazy weirdos is kind of what they do.

Spike Jonze recently shot the video below, in which undisputed number one big swinging dick of cellists Yo Yo Ma collaborated with LA dancer/pop-and-locksmith Lil Buck, creating a unique visual experience sure to be shared by only the hippest of your Facebook friends.  HIGH CULTURE!  BLACK CULTURE! TOGETHER!  Why, I nearly spilled fair trade soy chai on my copy of the latest McSweeney’s.

Seriously though, it’s pretty cool.

Read the rest of this entry »

Megan Ellison is the 25-year-old daughter of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.  (Go here for the tenuous explanation of why I refer to her as a bisexual, but the short answer is “PAGEVIEW$, SON!)  She’s got money to burn, and as we learned recently with Paul Thomas Anderson’s Scientology movie, she’s trying her hand at movie producing.  But being that she’s independently wealthy and didn’t come to her position through years of telling Jerry Bruckheimer what a genius he is for coming up with Kangaroo Jack, she actually has decent taste.  So when the studios bailed on PTA in favor of safer bets like movies based on board games and remakes of gum wrappers, Ellison stepped up and put her money where her bisexual mouth is.  (*cough*) LESBIANS! (*cough*)

Her latest move, according to Deadline, is financing a picture for Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman, who are awesome at movies, despite probably smelling really bad.

Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures is negotiating to acquire an untitled satire that will re-team screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze, the tandem behind the mind-benders Adaptation and Being John Malkovich. The project was pitched recently to financiers, and I’m told it’s a satire about how world leaders gather to figure out all the seismic events that will take place in the worlds, from oil prices to wars that will be waged.

But does it have name recognition?  How can we license it for toys?  How many quadrants is its tentpole, AND WHAT OF THE FOCUS GROUPS, DEVIL WOMAN?!?!  Putting up money for a movie because you think it sounds good?  Jeez, this bitch has a lot to learn.

Read the rest of this entry »

Since we’re in a punny mood, here’s “Tron Jeremy.” Here’s a double pun: Tron Jeremy stars in… Little Fockers. Anyway, you’ll never believe this, but they make reference to his large penis. |ScreenJunkies|

Tron Legacy opens today. Here’s my review. I cleaned it up a lot since I wrote it on no sleep yesterday, and I’ve added more Tron dog. Still wish I’d seen True Grit instead.

Also opening: The Fighter, How Do You Know, Yogi Bear, Casino Jack, and Rabbit Hole.  How Do you Know cost $120 million, so it must be good, right? Right???

“Winona Ryder’s comments make things hairier for Mel Gibson’s Beaver.“  Hee hee! That’s the actual headline.  Damn you, why couldn’t you have said “Jodie Foster’s ‘Beaver’?”  We know what you were going for, there’s no need to beat around the beaver. I mean muff. I mean bush. I mean vagina. |LATimes|

Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman looking to reteam for the first time since Adaptation.  Jonze is coming off Where the Wild Things Are, Kaufman off his directing debut, Synechdoche, New York.  All I know is, if these guys can make a good movie with TWO NIC CAGES in the lead role, I’ll line up for whatever they do. |LATimes|

Clooney replacing Downey in Cuaron’s planned sci-fi epic, Gravity. Can we just make this movie already?  It sounds cool, but I’m sick of hearing about it already.  Pretty sure Yogi Bear went from script to finished product in like three weeks.  On second thought, take your time. |Deadline|

A Very Muppet Proposal. (After the jump), a guy proposes using muppets.

Read the rest of this entry »

"POW!"

The Fighter, David O. Russell’s film about a couple a hahd workin, gritty fackin blue cawllah hahd ons from Southie starring Mahky Mahk and Christian Bale, opens in about 10 days, and Spike Jonze wants to make sure you see it.  Jonze and O. Russell are apparently buddies, and Jonze recently emailed SlashFilm hoping they’d post a Fighter trailer that Jonze thinks is better than the one that’s been going around.

I’M A BAWXAH, TAWMMY, GET THAT IN YO-AH HEAD!

Hey Peter -
Spike here. I’m writing on behalf of my friend David Russell [O., are you? -Wes Anderson], regarding his new movie The Fighter. Did you get a chance to see it yet? How insanely great is Christian Bale?

Can you do me a favor and post this 2 minute trailer called “Pressure” on your site? [attached after the jump]

The trailer that they put out originally makes the film feel a little generic and I just want to help David get the word out. I got to see it a few weeks ago, and I loved it, and if all you saw is the trailer that’s out, you might not know that it’s as interesting and strong as it is.

Thanks for your help!
Spike

Bottom line, I’m pretty bitter that another movie blogger gets personal emails from probably the most positive force in the movie business and I don’t. (I mean Eli Roth texts me d*ck pics from time to time, but I’m pretty sure he has the wrong number.)  What am I, chopped liver?  What, did you think, that I’d use that picture from the Marky Mark workout video for the article?  …Touché, Jonze, touché.

Read the rest of this entry »