The 12 Days of Christmas- Day 9: 'Scrooged'

Charles Dickens was probably unaware that when he wrote A Christmas Carol he was writing the most prolific Christmas tale in history. A story that has spawned a thousand incarnations including, but not limited to, both a Muppet and Disney version of Ebenezer Scrooge’s tale of redemption. Needless to say it takes a lot to stand out in a pool that deep. We shouldn’t be surprised though, if anyone can stand out in a crowd its Bill F%#king Murray.

Scrooged takes on the classic A Christmas Carol format with the story of Frank Cross, an ultimate 80s business man/capitalist type who’s forsaken all of the good things in life like love, family and friends, for his career as the head of television network. Framing the story is the production of IBC’s (the network) live production of, you guessed it, A Christmas Carol. So right there you know a little about Frank, he’s making the entire production work all night Christmas Eve to put on a live show. The film starts with Frank firing an executive, Elliot Laudermilk (played perfectly by Bobcat Goldthwait), giving his brother the shaft both in the gift he’s sending and by not attending his yearly Christmas party, and screwing over his long suffering assistant Grace. Summary: Frank’s a dick. In comes the ghost of his mentor warning Frank of a visit from three ghosts and we’re on our way.

Bill Murray, it’s Bill Murray. There are a ton of reasons that this movie is a top 3 choice for me around Christmas but none of it works without Murray. We know he’s great at playing the jerk so that’s no surprise, but it’s what makes him likeable that really cements it. There’s a fine line between that funny sarcastic guy in your social group and the jerk-off that no one wants to hang out with, Murray has always expertly towed that line and it’s no more on display than it is during Scrooged. There’s also the little things that he always brings to his performances that are so endearing, things that I can’t really put a finger on. Things like a certain inflection he puts on words and the way his voice gets really high when he’s excited, it all wraps together to create the perfect Ebenezer Scrooge-esque character.

Murray alone does not a classic make, the ensemble really launches this flick into the atmosphere. I already mentioned Bobcat Goldthwait, who I’ve always had a soft spot for. Then there’s Karen Allen as Cross’s long lost love Claire, who’s impossibly cute doe-eyed look makes you believe she could melt the ice around Frank’s heart. Alfre Woodard’s Grace in the Bob Cratchit role. It’s her section of the story that really brings the Christmas spirit. The scene where Frank sees her family in their small apartment, a grandma, Grace, and four kids without a Christmas tree because they couldn’t afford it, this is where the change begins to happen. It’s really a life lesson for everyone around Christmas, here’s this family with little to nothing and still they are the happiest bunch in the whole film. I challenge anyone to not get misty eyed when Grace’s son (the tiny Tim of our story) says “God Bless us every one” in the closing minutes.

It’s got everything you need to get the story of A Christmas Carol with added laughs and an updated (well, not really anymore but more recent than Victorian England) atmosphere. 

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!

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Cancelled Starz Series 'Magic City' is Now a Movie with Bruce Willis and Bill Murray

Starz gave their Miami mobster drama Magic City a couple of seasons before giving it the ax, the series never really getting off the ground despite a talented cast. The show starred Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Olga Kurylenko, Kelly Lynch, and a hammy Danny Huston in the Mitch Glazer-created series set in the late 1950s at a glamorous hotel post-Cuban Revolution. And apparently somebody thinks the premise is just too good to let die because Magic City is now to become a feature film, with some pretty big names coming aboard to make it happen.

According to Deadline, Bruce Willis (!), and Bill Murray (!!) are joining the Magic City film, which Glazer will write and direct with Brett Ratner on board to produce. Wha?!? The first thought in your mind is probably "Oh, I can't get a Deadwood movie or The Wire but Magic City!?!?!?". I feel your pain. Anyway, the story takes place in 1962 when Morgan's powerful hotel owner contends with gangsters, spies, socialites, slimy politicians, Cuban freedom fighters armed by the CIA, and a possible plot to assassinate Castro. Good lord this sounds like a mess. Willis will sign on to anything so his involvement isn't a big deal, but what about the notoriously picky Murray? He and Glazer are buds having worked on Scrooged, the atrocious Passion Play, and the upcoming Middle Eastern rock music comedy (!!!!) Rock the Kasbah, which also features Willis.

So there ya go. The original cast is expected to return whenever production gears up.

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Review: 'St. Vincent' starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts

Stop me if you've heard this one: A hot-tempered misanthrope with personal demons a mile long who meets and befriends a precocious young boy in desperate need of fatherly guidance. Yeah, we've seen it a thousand times before and these films are always winners with audiences because they make us feel good. And that's what St. Vincent has going for it, basically, that despite hitting overload on the Cute Meter and going exactly where we know it will; by the end you're feeling good enough to give it a pass. Plus it has Bill Murray in full Rushmore-mode, which is always a good thing.

Murray slips easily into the role of liquor-breathed degenerate, Vincent, a man with no money, no friends, a mountain of gambling debts, and no tolerance for anybody. That is except for his pregnant Russian "girlfriend" Daka (Naomi Watts), who also happens to be a prostitute with a chip on her shoulder. Vincent hates people, people hate him, and that only makes the arrival of his new neighbors a bigger problem. The first time he meets single mother Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her young son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) it's a showcase of his awful attitude. Think Clint Eastwood's character in Gran Torino if he was meaner, drunker, and generally more "hey you kids get offa my lawn"!

With Maggie working long hours and Oliver attending an expensive Catholic School (with Chris O'Dowd hilarious as his teacher, we needed more of him), Vincent is called upon to be the kid's babysitter, despite ample evidence he'd be terrible at the job. And of course he turns out to be a bad influence in the way that somehow still makes him lovable. If you've seen Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, or this year's Bad Words, you'll see the montage of Vincent and Oliver hanging out coming ten miles away. It's still enjoyable to watch the old guy take Oliver gambling, to a bar, and to a strip club. The kid breaks down those emotional barriers Vincent has put up to escape a painful, and a little makeshift family begins to form.

Standard issue stuff, right? First-time writer/director Ted Melfi infuses a few personal details to a mostly clichéd story, and doesn't attempt to hide this is meant to be a rousing, crowd charmer. Because of that there isn't a ton of nuance to be found in many of these characters, but Melfi finds a way to make them all unique in their own way. Murray has played the irresponsible man child so many times in his career (stretching way back to Meatballs) that this feels like a natural fit for him. He elevates what could have been just another angry old man character, giving us a deeper look at Vincent as the story unfolds to reveal some dark truths. Is it the Oscar-contending performance many have pegged it to be? Maybe not, but it's not for lack of trying by either Murray or Melfi, who take every opportunity to tug at the heartstrings. Audiences are going to love Murray, though, and he's great when paired up with Lieberher. It's also good to see McCarthy in a role that doesn't require her to play, loud, abrasive, and clumsy. She doesn't get many laugh lines here at all and it's actually a refreshing change to see her get away from the usual bag of tricks. The same can't really be said for Watts, who puts on an atrocious Russian accent and waddles around like...well, like a woman in her third trimester. She just doesn't serve much of a purpose except as an incubator for an inevitable heart-warming moment.

St. Vincent often feels like a manufactured grab for awards recognition and maybe it was. That much is unavoidable, but so too is how good the film will make you feel, and sometimes sending the audience home with a smile is more than enough.

 Rating: 3 out of 5

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Bill Murray to Sing Christmas Carols in Sofia Coppola-Directed Holiday Special

The last time Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola hooked up the result was Lost in Translation, one of the actor's most acclaimed performances. It's also one of my personal favorites and features my favorite Murray scene ever...



So I dig it when Murray grabs the mic and busts out a tune, and his Christmas comedy Scrooged is pretty much required viewing each year. Which is why it's cool to learn Murray and Coppola will be reteaming on a holiday project for television that will see the actor singing Christmas carols. He tells Variety....

"It’s not going to be live.  We’re going to do it like a little movie.  It won’t have a format, but it’s going to have music. It will have texture.  It will have threads through it that are writing.  There will be prose… It will have a patina style and wit to it.  It will be nice.”

Pretty vague, and Coppola's confirmation doesn't make things any clearer. 

“We’re working on a Christmas special.  Not sure when it will air, but my motivation is to hear him singing my song requests."

Yeah, let's make this happen. Chances are it won't be ready by this Christmas, but you one can hope.

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Bill Murray Has Some Ideas for that All-Female 'Ghostbusters' Movie

Considering most had begun to write off a potential Ghostbusters 3 as a terrible idea cursed from the start, the positive reaction to Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) directing a female-led version was a step in the right direction. While there hasn't been any official casting just yet, one person who thinks it's a good idea is Bill Murray, who famously has refused to return for the sequel. While at TIFF reaping a ton of Oscar buzz for his performance in St. Vincent, Murray was asked by Access Hollywood about a female Ghostbusters movie and was extremely enthusiastic about it. Enthusiastic enough to maybe change his mind and come back?

Murray: "It sounds great to me. It sounds as good an idea as any other! There are a lot of women that could scare off any kind of vapor! No, it’s a grand idea, I don’t know who they’re talking about, but it’s a good idea, I would watch it! I mean, I love Robert Palmer’s videos, so why wouldn’t I love the female Ghostbusters?"

While talking to the Toronto Star he even came up with a few casting suggestions, including his St. Vincent co-star Melissa McCarthy...

Murray: “Melissa would be a spectacular Ghostbuster. And Kristen Wiig is so funny — God, she’s funny! I like this girl Linda Cardellini a lot. And Emma Stone is funny. There are some funny girls out there.”

All of those would be amazing choices, and the duo of McCarthy and Wiig even have box office cred together after Bridesmaids. But Cardellini, best known for ER and the Scooby-Doo movies, is a surprise choice and an inspired one. McCarthy seemed flattered and a little taken aback at Murray's idea...

McCarthy: "Oh, my God, that’s daunting. That’s taking on a legend, a legendary movie. But I would do anything with those ladies, anything at all.”

She made clear that nobody has approached her about it, and basically this is just Murray riffing on the idea because he was asked. Chances are Sony and Feig are already looking at these ladies, anyway. Well, except for Cardellini who is a little under the radar but hopefully Murray's seal of approval will change that. [SchmoesKnow]

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Bill Murray Voicing Baloo in 'The Jungle Book'; 'The Jungle Book: Origins' Set for 2016

Because Hollywood has no qualms about giving you the same story twice in the span of a few months, there are two CGI/live-action adaptations of The Jungle Book on the way. Jon Favreau is heading up one for Disney that has assembled a starry voice cast to go along with release date in 2015. But Andy Serkis is also assembling a version which he'll direct for Warner Bros., and now we're seeing steps taken on both movies.

First up, Bill Murray will voice Baloo in Favreau's The Jungle Book, joining a cast that includes Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Christopher Walken, and newcomer Neel Sethi as the orphan, Mowgli. Murray has voiced animated characters before, starring in two (!!!) movies as the lasagna-eating cat, Garfield. The Jungle Book opens October 9th 2015.

And then there's Serkis' film, which has just been titled The Jungle Book: Origins to avoid any confusion. Warner Bros. has been moving slowly on this one as there has yet to be any casting, but they have created some space between the competing flicks by setting an October 21st 2016 date.

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First Trailer for 'St. Vincent' Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts

Although his characters tend to be a little salty and rough around the edges, Bill Murray makes for one heck of a father figure. See one of his early notable films in Meatballs, and of course there's also Wes Anderson's Rushmore. And if you want to stretch the idea a little further, maybe in a slightly creepy way, there's also Lost in Translation where he was more than happy to look out for Scarlett Johansson. The point being, this is the type of character Murray gets called on to play often, and he's set to do so again this fall in the star-studded comedy, St. Vincent.

Written and directed by Ted Melfi and co-starring Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and Chris O'Dowd, a cast that would make any other filmmaker jealous, the film centers on Murray as the title character who clearly is no saint. He's a curmudgeonly old retiree with a thing for liquor and gambling, and upon learning that his bank account is in the negative, he agrees to watch over 12-year-old Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) for his neighbor (McCarthy), a single mother working long hours. Of course the male bonding over questionable afterschool activities ensues, like hitting the race track and the strip club. Van Nuys also introduces him to a pregnant stripper (Watts) while helping the boy to grow up and become a man because that's what these movies do. Watch out, things could get quite huggable and full of hopeful messages.

Some are eying this as a possible return to the Oscar race for Murray, his first since Lost in Translation and after getting snubbed for Hyde Park On Hudson. St. Vincent opens in theaters on October 24th.

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Review: Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel

The many films of Wes Anderson aren't just an acquired taste, they're often so specific one wonders if they were meant for anybody other than Anderson himself.  That creative independence has led him to amass a huge following, but for me his films have always been too idiosyncratic and emotionally distant. While there's always been a certain love for the antiquated in his films, that admiration for the old ways was best realized when Anderson tapped into a certain childlike sense of wonder, giving us his most creatively successful films: Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom. And now he's hit on the same beautiful sweet spot again in The Grand Budapest Hotel, a whimsical, confectionery delight filled with Old World charm and a hint of sadness.

Sadness, in that Anderson clearly fancies himself a man "out of time", a description later used to describe his lead character, the refined hotel concierge M. Gustave. Played with suave, slightly sleazy perfection by Ralph Fiennes, Gustave is a snobbish lout of impeccable demeanor and manners. He's a character who would fit perfectly in the cultured comedies of German director Ernst Lubitsch, from whom Anderson draws a clear inspiration. Set mostly in the Lubitsch period of the early 1930s, the film takes place in the fictional European country of Zabrowska, seen in pastoral pinks and delicate storybook affectations that have become an Anderson trademark. Anderson has become increasingly fascinated by the nostalgic look of his films, weaving it more seamlessly into the fabric of his story. Here, in a story set during a time of impending war, it allows for a fantastical twist on history that is a dream to luxuriate in.

While the bulk takes place in the '30s, things actually begin in 1985 with an author (Tom Wilkinson) recounting a story his younger self (Jude Law) was told in the '60s by the hotel owner, Zero Mousafa (F. Murray Abraham). That tale in flashback is where the story rests, when we meet Gustave and are introduced to Zero, who back then was a refugee turned lobby boy and assistant. Gustave is a perfectionist of the highest order, running a tight ship that provides for everything his guests could want and need. But even then his personal code of honor and ethics was something of an antiquated notion, and Gustave the last of a dying breed. He's also a man who enjoys the company of many women, the older and richer the better. When his favorite of these mistresses, Madame D (Tilda Swinton, in some fantastic make-up), suddenly dies under mysterious circumstances, she leaves Gustave a priceless painting, which doesn't exactly make her surviving family very happy.

Anderson's loving detail doesn't just stretch to the design, but in the construction of the many supporting characters. Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Lea Seydoux, Mathieu Amalric, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman play small but vital roles, and it's amazing how they make these characters their own in only a matter of moments. One of the film's joys is seeing how they all fit into the natural order of Gustave's daily regiment, and we're content to bask in that enjoyment right along with Anderson. It's only when the story steers into screwball crime caper territory and ventures outside of the hotel's doors that the pace comes to a crawl, and Anderson seems less enchanted by the material. And as his interest slackens so does ours, and one can't help but yearn for a return to the comforts of the hotel and its odd little assortment of misfit characters and their antiquated notions.  This is one of those films with so many visual layers a repeat viewing is a must in order to catch them all.

The mood eventually shifts, leaving behind the chicanery and taking on a sadder note. As darkness looms, the hotel falls into disrepair and with it the civil nature of men like Gustave. We get it, that Anderson sees his application of and appreciation for classical techniques as out-of-step in a Hollywood that no longer cares for such things. If he lays this message on a little thick, darkening the mood a bit too much, it's at least yet another sign of why Anderson is such an uncommon filmmaker. Exquisitely crafted, rich in detail and meaning with a number of memorable characters, you'll never want to check out of The Grand Budapest Hotel.

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Review: George Clooney's 'The Monuments Men' Starring Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, and Bill Murray

George Clooney's The Monuments Men is about as fun as sitting through a two-hour art history lecture. If that sounds enjoyable to you, then this is a film worth dropping some coin on, but everyone else will probably walk away feeling it's somewhat unexceptional. Clooney, who has always had a fondness for history, whether it's in the entertainment, sports, or political realm, shows his deep passion for priceless works of art and utmost respect for the real life WWII unit tasked with protecting them. But despite an incredible story and an Ocean's Eleven-inspired cast, The Monuments Men is cold and lifeless as a statue.

The problems don't lie with the story, which is adventurous and somewhat unbelievable in the way the best true stories are. It follows the Monuments Men, a unit of art curators and historians tasked by President Franklin Roosevelt to retrieve and protect some of the finest works of art stolen by that art-lovin' fiend, Adolf Hitler. Clooney gets the flattest role of all as Frank Stokes, the leader of the group who, after convincing the President to greenlight his little squad, is pretty much left to his own devices. So he assembles his unit full art geeks, sculptors, and curators, but certainly no combatants which could be a problem out on the battlefield. Bill Murray, John Goodman, Matt Damon, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Jean Dujardin make up this squad of misfits, which is put together so hastily that we learn practically nothing of who they are out of uniform.

It's a problem that stretches on as the story takes its odd shape. Almost as soon as the old guys clear basic training, they are immediately separated and sent to different corners of Europe, killing any momentum and the chance to build a believable camaraderie. These missions prove to be extremely random and uninvolved for the most part, and isn't helped by an unsure tone stuck between harsh reality and Clooney's natural flip sense of humor.  A look back at the film's somewhat troubled production shows that Clooney has always been concerned about hitting the right tonal balance, and apparently it's something he never quite mastered. The brutality of war too often bangs up against moments clearly meant to be played for laughs, so that when characters pay the ultimate price (it happens on a couple of occasions), it's tough to take seriously despite Alexandre Desplat's tear-jerking score telling us to.

Some of this could be overlooked if there seemed to be any rhyme or reason to the Monument Men's investigations, but there doesn't seem to be. They luck into most of their biggest finds and do very little in the way of research, which is an issue if these are supposed to be the best art minds we can muster for the task. Most of the men don't have any clear goal or sense of direction, and Stokes basically plays centerfield vaguely watching over them all without any direct action. The only one who gets something to work with is Damon as James Granger. Sent to the newly-freed Paris, he meets up with suspicious French rebel Claire Simone, who has been undercover with the Nazis and knows where all the art has been taken. There's a hint of sexual tension as Granger tries to convince her to reveal what she knows, and it's about as close as we get to genuine emotional bonding.  She's pretty much the only female in the movie and one can't help but wish she and Damon had a bit more time together to take things further.

Clooney means well, and through soaring speeches he makes the case for the importance of culture, and how it should never be allowed to vanish in the face of war. As a central theme it's one of real value, now more than ever, but it's easy to overlook because the film is such a thudding bore. In his biggest film to date, Clooney presents an authentic version of the period, and really seems to hit on the loneliness of a soldier out on the frontline. His respect for the material and the real people involved sometimes comes off as overly earnest, but let's be honest in that all of Clooney's work has that tendency. It's to Clooney's credit that his passion runs so deep for this little-known piece of our history, but The Monuments Men is no work of art and perhaps would be better off as a documentary or TV series where it can be done proper justice.

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Bill Murray and Ralph Fiennes focus of a new 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' clip

I suppose there is a certain cadre of people waiting with baited breath for Wes Anderson's upcoming The Grand Budapest Hotel, in which practically everyone the director has worked with - Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman - makes an appearance in his film about the fictional Republic of Zubrowka. Would it be blasphemy to say I'm actually not an Anderson fan? Well, I'm not. So for me, this new clip for The Grand Budapest Hotel does nothing at all.

But maybe it will intrigue you, if you're already into this kind of thing? The plot that allows all these cameos is this: Hotel concierge Gustav (Ralph Fiennes) is left a famous painting by his former lover, and then framed for her murder by her lover's son, Dmitri (Adrien Brody). Forced to go on the run, Gustav is joined by fellow employee Zero (Tony Revolori), and in this clip, they're assisted by M. Ivan (Bill Murray). Anderson's typical humor is here - Gustav and Zero are shocked that they can only get third-class tickets on the train, but they're able to go unnoticed in their dirty and ragged clothes just because they slip on a couple of ties and spray on some cologne.

Oh, how quirky! How subversive! ... I guess? Anyway, check out the clip for yourself below. The Grand Budapest Hotel hits theaters on March 7, 2014, and if I'm seeing this film for anyone, it will be Tilda Swinton, queen of all that is great. Maybe if she appeared in this clip, I'd care more. (Oh, and if you want a look at the first trailer, check out our write-up.)

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"Big Game" TV Spot and Clip for George Clooney's 'The Monuments Men'

Are you ready for some football....and more attempts to sell you worthless stuff than should be legally allowed? Whether the Super Bowl is any good or not, we can all be honest here and admit that a lot of people watch it for the commercials, and for movie geeks like us it's about the tons of TV spots for some of the year's biggest films. While most will be keeping an eye out for what should be a massive spot for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, George Clooney wants you to remember that The Monuments Men is right around the corner on February 7th.

The Super Bowl spot for the historical heist drama has been released early, and basically it's about showing off the great cast Clooney has put together. He's surrounded himself with Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, and Hugh Bonneville in the story of a special WWII unit of art curators put together to recover priceless art from the Nazi thieves. Crazy, but it's true, and you can check out the ad plus a new clip below.


The Monuments Men (2014) - XLVIII Trailer [VO-HD] by Eklecty-City.fr


Monuments Men - Extrait "John Wayne" [VO|HD] by Team Lyricis

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New Trailer and Cast Poster for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

A new trailer has been released for Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, his follow-up to last year's beautiful Moonrise Kingdom. Set in the 1930s in the titular hotel, the film stars Ralph Fiennes as a legendary concierge who along with his sidekick Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) gets caught up in a murder mystery.

After tapping into something special and natural to him with Moonrise Kingdom, this seems like Anderson taking a step backward, but it's hard to ignore the cast who seem to be having a ball in his odd little world. Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Lea Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, F. Murray Abraham, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, and Mathiu Amalric co-star as a wide array of colorful characters, which you can sort out thanks to a new cast poster, as well.

The Grand Budapest Hotel opens its doors on March 7th 2014.

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New Trailer and Posters for George Clooney's 'The Monuments Men'

As many of the legit Oscar contenders are beginning to be shown off in a bid for some gold, one notable film won't be part of the action. George Clooney's The Monuments Men was bumped a couple of months into 2014, and it may not have mattered because the WWII heist film seemed like a crowd pleaser rather than a prestige effort. And further backing up that idea is a new trailer that plays up the Ocean's Eleven aspects more than anything else.

Clooney pulls double-duty in front of and behind the camera, joined by co-stars Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Cate Blanchett, and Hugh Bonneville. Based on a true story chronicled in Robert M. Edsel's book, the Clooney plays the head of a special military unit charged with recovering stolen art pieces from the Nazis. Cool concept and based in history fact? Should be another winner for Clooney, and with a February 7th release date it'll definitely be the biggest movie of the month. Check out the trailer and a handful of new characters posters below....

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First Trailer for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Coming off his biggest box office and critical success in Moonrise Kingdom, a lot of eyes are on Wes Anderson's follow-up, The Grand Budapest Hotel. But rather than deliver another quirky coming-of-age tale, he's bringing his idiosyncratic style to a murder mystery set in Hungary pre-WWI. Can't get any more different than that.

After the teaser poster hit just a couple of days ago, the first trailer for the film has been released and it's definitely a Wes Anderson movie. Ralph Fiennes is M. Gustave, a legendary (and possibly psychic) concierge at the Grand Budapest Hotel who along with his most trusted lobby boy (Tony Revolori) get mixed up in the theft of a priceless Renaissance painting after the death of a distinguished guest. The ensemble includes Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan,  Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Lea Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson, an impressive gathering even by Anderson standards.

The Grand Budapest Hotel isn't likely to convert anyone into an Anderson fan, but those who are already down with him can check out the film on March 7th 2014.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Trailer by Flixgr

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Bill Murray Joining Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper in Cameron Crowe's Next Film

Filming has already begun on Cameron Crowe's upcoming comedy, formerly known as Deep Tiki, and while a cast of Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Alec Baldin, Danny McBride, and Jay Baruchel is impressive, it can always get better. The Wrap is reporting that Bill Murray is in talks for an unspecified role, making this the first time he's ever worked with Crowe.

In development for years, and once with Ben Stiller and Reese Witherspoon in the leads, the film now has Bradley Cooper starring as a military contractor stationed in Hawaii on a top secret mission involving a missile launch. Stone is the uptight Air Force pilot and liaison he teams up with to stop it. Tribal elders, talking computers, and mystical island forces are also part of the plot so there should be plenty of opportunity for Murray to stand out.

Murray has a busy few months ahead with Monuments Men, Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, and St. Vincent de Van Nuys opposite Melissa McCarthy and Naomi Watts. Crowe's film should arrive some time in 2014.

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New Poster for George Clooney's 'The Monuments Men'

If there's anything that will get people to go to the movies, it's George Clooney and Matt Damon together in a movie. I've always joked that George Clooney could go years without doing a movie and when he finally does one, will get nominated for some award or other. It's ridiculous the star power this guy has. 

So, George Clooney has a new movie coming out this December. He's not only starring in it, but directing and co-writing it as well. Matt Damon is helping his friend out and is joined by John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, and Hugh Bonneville.


Clooney's going the same route as Ben Affleck did with Argo and sticking with a film that's based on a true story. The Monuments Men is about a group of historians and museum curators who are brought together in order to preserve the many historical artifacts and works of art that are being destroyed by the Nazis. 

A new poster has been released for the film. You can check it out below! And if you haven't yet seen the trailer, you can check that out below too. 

The Monuments Men hits theaters December 18. 

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Melissa McCarthy to star opposite Bill Murray in 'St. Vincent De Van Nuys'

Can we just go ahead and say that Melissa McCarthy has indeed arrived? After her Oscar-nominated turn in Bridesmaids, she took on her first real lead in Identity Thief. The result is that it's currently the year's top-grossing film, easily surpassing $100M with plenty of gas left in the tank. Chances are she'll do just as well when buddy cop comedy The Heat arrives this summer.

She's reached the point that when she campaigns hard for a role, she's probably going to get it. Deadline reports that McCarthy pushed for a role opposite Bill Murray in St. Vincent De Van Nuys, and it looks like she's going to get it. She'll receive an offer to join the Ted Melfi written/directed film, beating out a number of comedic actresses who fought for the part just as hard as she did.

So what's the big deal? The film was announced last year when Murray came aboard, and it's being described as similar in tone to Silver Linings Playbook and As Good As it Gets. Murray plays a cantankerous, hard-drinking, hard-living neighbor who takes under his wing the 12-year old son of a busy single-mother played by McCarthy.

Filming begins in July, which gives her plenty of time to complete her co-directing debut alongside her husband Ben Falcone in Tammy.

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Daniel Craig and John Goodman join George Clooney's 'The Monuments Men'

George Clooney's been steadily putting together the pieces for his next directorial effort, the WWII-era heist thriller, The Monuments Men. As you'd expect for a guy of his statute, the cast that he's been eying has been stellar, with Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, and Paul Giamatti rumored, with Bill Murray recently signing on. But if you thought Clooney had called in all the chips he had with that crew, then think again because more high-profile names have just come aboard.

Deadline reports that James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, has signed on for the film, joined by John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville(Downtown Abbey), and Bob Balaban(Moonrise Kingdom). Craig is coming off the incredible reviews and box office for Skyfall, while Goodman is revelling in the success of Ben Affleck's Argo and has Flight with Denzel Washington opening this week. The site also confirms Blanchett, Murray, and Dujardin, while Giamatti is nowhere to be found. The assumption has been that Murray may be slipping into whatever role Giamatti was set for.

Sort of like a period piece Ocean's Eleven, the story is set at the tail end of WWII and has a team of art enthusiasts hired by the government to retrieve priceless works from the Nazis. Clooney is set to play U.S. Army Office George Stout, while Blanchett has been pegged as a member of the French resistance. The rest of the roles are unclear at this point, but does it really matter? With filming set to kick off in March, there's every possibility we'll be talking about The Monuments Men as a player in the Oscar race next year.  And if not, it'll be one hell of a fun ride.

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Bill Murray won't be in that 'Ghostbusters 3' movie you don't want

Hey, Bill Murray's been making his stance on this whole Ghostbusters 3 thing as clear as day for months. At every turn he's thumbed his nose at Dan Akroyd's hopes of revitalizing the long gone franchise, which hit its peak with the first classic film in 1984, followed up five years later by a sequel which Murray(and most other people) hated. So while he's been cool enough to dress up in his old Ghostbusters garb every now and then, Murray never had any intention of coming back for more, and now it's been made official.

Sick of being asked about Murray's participation, Akroyd finally just came out and said what we all knew was up...

"No, I can tell you he won't be involved. It's sad but we're passing it on to a new generation. 'Ghostbusters 3' can be a successful movie without Bill. My preference would be to have him involved but at this point he doesn't seem to be coming and we have to move on. It's time to make the third one."

Well, I would argue that there's never a good time for Ghostbusters 3, much less if the plan is to "pass the torch". Akroyd went on to say that he hopes to enter production in the next year, and with the recently hired Etan Cohen to pen a new draft, that may be a possibility. Akroyd's heart is in the right place. I think he truly wants to make this movie not just for himself but because he thinks it's a good idea, but the Ghostbusters audience is older and different than it was thirty years ago. Akroyd and Harold Ramis are no longer draws, so they'll need to stack the deck with bigger stars to gain any interest.

Basically, I'm just glad we can move on past this "will he or won't he" stuff, and if the movie has to be made let's start seeing the other pieces put into place. [Metro]

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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Dan Akroyd says it's a "surety" that Bill Murray won't do 'Ghostbusters 3'

Of all the stories that have aggravated me the most over the last two years it's been the ongoing ping pong match between Bill Murray and those championing Ghostbusters 3. Frustrating mainly because it's been obvious forever that Murray has zero interest in rejoining Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis, and all his old mates, but people keep looking for any chink in his armor. He turns up at an event in a Ghostbusters outfit, and of course that means he's involved. If he says anything other than an outright refusal, it's "leaving the door open". Nonsense. Those same folks willingly ignore his every other indication he'd never reprise his Peter Venkman role, like openly calling the scripts crap and tossing it in the shredder. Or how about when he said he'd only do it if Venkman was killed in the opening minutes? The proof has been there all along, yet diehard fans refused to see it.

Now we can finally put a nail in the coffin of all this silliness. While talking to the Telegraph, Akroyd opened up about his real thoughts on the project and the likelihood of it happening, with our without Murray.

Akroyd:"At this point it's in suspended animation. The studio, the director Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis feel there must be a way to do it, but Bill Murray will not do the movie."

"He doesn't want to be involved. He's got six kids, houses all over America. He golfs in these tournaments where they pay him to turn up and have a laugh. He's into this life and living it. I know we'd have a lot of fun [but] I can't be mad at him. He's a friend first, a colleague second. We have a deep personal relationship that transcends business and he doesn't want to know."

To me that sounds a little bitter, and completely ignoring the fact that Murray still makes the movies he really wants to, like his upcoming role as Franklin Rooselvelt in Hyde Park on Hudson, or in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom. Clearly, he did not want to do Ghostbusters 3.  

 So what could a possible Ghostbusters film look like without Murray? It's long been speculated that the film would be a passing of the torch, so to speak, with a younger team coming aboard to help out the older guys. There was even a rumor that the Peter Venkman character might return as a ghost or something ridiculous like that. Or maybe just flat out replace Murray with somebody else. Would that even be a consideration?

Akroyd:  "We're not going to do a movie that exploits the franchise. The script has to be perfect. I'm the cheerleader, but I'm only one voice in the matter. It's a surety that Bill Murray will not do the movie, however there is still interest from the studio."

 Whether the studio has "interest" or not doesn't matter. Ghostbusters 3 is dead in the water without Murray. Ivan Reitman isn't a big name director anymore, and nobody under the age of 30 even knows what all the fuss is about. Murray deserves credit for sticking to his guns on this one.

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