First Image of Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe in 'Sea of Trees'

While it's easy to poke fun at the lousy treatment afforded to Ken Watanabe in Godzilla, he's still one of the most accomplished actors working today and his presence in a film is always a good thing. His next film promises to be a much better showcase of his talents, starring opposite Matthew McConaughey in Gus Van Sant's existential drama, Sea of Trees, and the first image from it has arrived.

Looking like it could have been a deleted scene from True Detective, this bleak image shows a bloodied McConaughey as an American who enters Japan's "Suicide Forest" to end his life, encountering Watanabe's character along the way. Naomi Watts co-stars as McConaughey's wife, and this looks like a very dark psychological character study, the kind that would normally play well this time of year. Van Sant has made this sort of two-hander before, but the less said about Gerry the better.

Unfortunately, Sea of Trees has yet to gain a release date, but we'll probably see it in 2015. [EW]

Read More

Gus Van Sant to Direct Live-Action 'Death Note' Remake?

Here's a film that has been sitting on the shelf in purgatory forever. Warner Bros. has been developing a remake of the manga and anime hit, Death Note, and long attached to direct it has been the red-hot Shane Black. But as Black became busier with Iron Man 3, his forever developing Doc Savage film (also in a state of limbo), and now a Predator sequel, it was looking like Death Note had been forgotten. But now The Tracking Board says the project is back on and with Gus Van Sant the unlikely choice to direct it.

The site says van Sant, best known for Good Will Hunting, will direct from a script penned by Black, Anthony Bagarozzi, and Charles Mondry. Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata began the Death Note manga in 2003, spinning it off into a multimedia stud as an animated TV series, live-action films, soundtracks, video games, and a bunch of light novels. The story centers on a high student who discovers the "Death Note", a notebook that causes anyone whose name is written in it to be killed. He decides to use the book to murder those he deems unworthy, mostly criminals, but it's a slippery slope that eventually becomes quite the moral dilemma. It also catches the attention of the world's greatest detective who begins looking into the mysterious deaths. There are demons and other supernatural elements that muddy things up somewhat, but overall the Death Note films are pretty good which is why they ended up on our Best Anime Ever list like a million years ago.

Not exactly the kind of film we'd expect from Van Sant who doesn't have anything close to resembling Death Note on his resume. Still, it's an interesting prospect and we'll see if it pans out.

Read More

Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe to Star in Gus Van Sant's 'Sea of Trees'

At this point it's old hat to talk about the actor Matthew McConaughey used to be when the actor he has become is so compelling. The consistency which he's delivering amazing performances deserves proper credit and not a constant reminder of the "mimbo" he once was. And as top flight filmmakers flock to him in droves with one interesting project after another, McConaughey has chosen to work with Gus Van Sant on his next film.

According to The Wrap, McConaughey and Ken Watanabe (Inception) will star in Sea of Trees, a film that came to the surface late last year. At the time it looked like Joaquin Phoenix would be a part of it, but McConaughey has to be considered a lateral move at worst, and maybe even a better fit for the material. Chris Sparling's Black List script "follows an American man (McConaughey) who takes a journey into the infamous “Suicide Forest” at the foothills of Mount Fuji with the intention of taking his own life. When he is interrupted by a Japanese man (Watanabe) who has had second thoughts about his own suicide, and is trying to find his way out of the forest, the two begin a journey of reflection and survival."

No word on when filming will begin, but this will be Van Sant's first film since 2012's snoozer, Promised Land.

Read More

Rosemarie DeWitt heads to Gus Van Sant and Matt Damon's 'Promised Land'

Rosemarie DeWitt got her big break a few years ago as the titular character in Rachel Getting Married, although her magnificent performance was drowned out by Anne Hathaway's more showy one. Since then she's kept herself plenty busy, playing the flighty sister in The United States of Tara, along with a number of smaller films. This year promises to be her biggest yet, as she'll star with Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn in Neighborhood Watch. My hope is that when people see how good she is in Lynn Shelton's small budget dramedy, Your Sister's Sister(my review here), she'll finally start getting the larger roles I think she's so perfectly suited for.

Maybe Gus Van Sant sees what I see, because he's chosen her to be the lead in Promised Land, the film that once was to be the directorial debut by Matt Damon. Conceived by writer Dave Eggers and John Krasinski, the film centers around two rival executives in a small town, with one having his entire life thrown into question. Damon will star alongside Krasinski, with both also teaming up on the script. The tone has been compared to some of the wholesome, message laden films of Frank Capra.

Filming should kick off in April. DeWitt should be seen next when Your Sister's Sister opens in June, followed up by Neighborhood Watch in July. [Deadline]

Read More

Matt Damon, John Krasinski, and Gus Van Sant's 'Promised Land' goes to Focus Features

Real brief update on the film which was initially intended to be Matt Damon's directorial debut before he had to drop out due to his already jam packed schedule. The small budgeted flick, co-written and starring Damon and John Krasinski(The Office), was passed on by Warner Brothers, leaving the film a little bit in the lurch. But now Deadline reports it's landed in what I think is the perfect situation, with Focus Features and Participant Media teaming up to handle production. Very nice, as Focus knows exactly how to push a prestige picture like this, whereas Warner Brothers really only makes blockbusters nowadays.

Gus Van Sant came aboard a couple of weeks ago to direct the film, which now has the title of Promised Land. The story, described as being similar to the works of Frank Capra, will follow two rival executives in a small town, with Damon's character having his entire life thrown into question.

Filming should begin in April, and personally I think Focus has found themselves a winner here.

Read More

Gus Van Sant takes over Matt Damon's former directorial debut

Well, so much for my theory it'd be Ben Affleck stepping in to help an old friend. Yesterday we learned that Matt Damon made the reluctant decision to drop out of making his directorial debut,  in a film that he co-wrote and will continue to star in with John Krasinski(The Office). Earlier today, reports started to swirl that Damon's long time collaborator Gus Van Sant may take over, and now Deadline confirms it.


It's a move that makes perfect sense. Damon first shot to stardom as co-writer on Good Will Hunting, which Van Sant directed. The two teamed up again for Gerry, which Damon and Casey Affleck co-wrote and starred in as a pair of friends lost in the desert. It's...not a movie for everybody. That's all I'll say about it.

Plot details have been sketchy, but we know the untitled film is based on an idea by Dave Eggers, and is now being described as a "Capra-esque" tale of two rival corporate executives. Damon's character arrives in a small town only to have his entire life thrown upside down. The story is said to have been spearheaded by Krasinski, who wanted to make a film with modern day relevance, centering on corporate greed.

Damon has been in the middle of what has turned out to be a very long shoot for Neill Blomkamp's Elyisum, and is likely the reason why he had to back off the directing duties. Krasinski is preparing his film future as The Office wraps up, while Van Sant's most recent effort was the summer dramedy, Restless.

Read More

Gaspar Noe to direct Bret Easton Ellis' The Golden Suicides?

Remember The Golden Suicides? Bret Easton Ellis was hired a couple of years ago to crank out a script based on a Vanity Fair article chronicling the sudden suicide deaths of eccentric artists Jeremy Blake and his girlfriend Theresa Duncan. Blake had previously worked with the musician, Beck, and had done some work on PT Anderson's Punch Drunk Love. The two had reported being stalked by Scientologists just days before their death. Gus Van Sant was consulting on the project, which must be nearing production because Screen Daily reports that Gaspar Noe(Enter the Void) is a contender to direct.

Noe is no stranger to headline grabbing material, having made his first big splash in 2002 with the controversial time bending film, Irreversible. Last year his Enter the Void found it's way on a number of top 10 lists.

For Ellis, he's had it good with the adaptations of his no elizations. Less Than Zero, American Psycho, and The Rules of Attraction all rock. The only one that truly stinks is The Informers, which strangely enough is the only one Ellis wrote himself. Funny that.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More

A-List Directors Being Approached to Direct BREAKING DAWN?

It looks like Summit isn't messing around when it comes to finding someone to direct the final installment to The Twilight Saga, titled Breaking Dawn. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that three directors have already been approached for the gig: Sofia Coppola(Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides), Bill Condon(Dreamgirls), and Gus Van Sant(Good Will Hunting, Milk).

The hope is to deliver a final script, penned by Melissa Rosenberg, to the directors by next week to help gauge their interest. Breaking Dawn is expected to be broken up into two films, so it would be in Summit's best interest to lock up the helmer as early as possible.

Obviously, since Lost in Translation is counted among my favorite movies of all time, it's of interest to me to think that she might lend her considerable talents to a franchise that I loathe. She does seem particularly suited to it, though, considering Twilight is full of angst riddled teens and forbidden love. The other two directors don't really strike me as fitting the mold.  I'll be very interested in seeing where this goes. 

Read More