It came out to mixed reviews and tepid box office numbers, but Woody Allen’s “Cassandra’s Dream” (2007) deserved better.

Much better.

Well-written and directed — and beautifully acted -– the neo noir thriller stars Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell as star-crossed, working class brothers in London.

McGregor plays the smart brother, who toils in his father’s money-losing restaurant while dreaming of a bigger life and chasing a woman out of his league. Farrell’s brother is a sensitive grease monkey/compulsive gambler who finds himself dangerously deep in debt.

When a rich uncle (Tom Wilkinson) asks for their help, it promises a way out for both brothers -– but at a terrible price.

(more…)

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Earlier this week, “Iron Man” director Jon Favreau discussed his comic book-based hit film on “The Treatment,” the KCRW public radio show hosted by film critic Elvis Mitchell.

Favreau discusses how “Iron Man” — like all his films, including “Swingers,” “Elf” and “Made” — are modeled on the Joseph Campbell archetypes famously detailed in the book “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”

“You need a roadmap,” opines Favreau, “and why not pick the best roadmap there is?”

Explosions also help.

“The Treatment” is one of my go-to podcasts. If you’re a screenwriter or filmmaker, you’ll probably enjoy it as well.

Link >

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The first short film from Well Told Tales is a psychological horror flick written, directed and edited by Kevin Colligan.

Synopsis: Three volunteers are tormented by their most primal fears when a medical trial for a new anti-anxiety medication goes awry.

Tagline: A prescription for terror

Cast

RACHAEL DRUMMOND … Tina
ANDY HOFF … Danny
DANA LaRUE … Professor
BRYAN VAN HUIS … Gordon
HANNAH JOHNSON … Jennie
ROBERT D. TASCH … Coach Creepy
BRIAN ROGER … Dean
R. KEEFFE GRIFFITH … Detective
BEN LEDDICK … Campus Cop
CHRISTINA COLLIGAN … Crime scene investigator
POOKIE THE SNAKE … Herself

Crew

KEVIN COLLIGAN … Director, writer, editor and executive producer
CHRISTINA COLLIGAN … Producer
SEAN MASSEY … Sound mixer
JAMIE RICHMOND … Make-up, hair, special FX makeup
JILL CHALDU … Snake wrangler
ALEX RAPAPORT … Production assistant
TARA GORE … Animal casting

Music

Original score composed by
JONATHAN MERKEL
www.beatchamber.com

“My Words of Pride”
Written and performed
by ADVENT
myspace.com/weareadvent

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There was a remake of John Carpenter’s 1978 classic “Halloween” released last year, so it’s only fitting that a do-over of the copycat 1980 “Friday the 13th” film is currently in production.

Producer Brad Fuller is blogging about the new 13th over on the blog for Platinum Dunes, the Michael Bay production company which also brought us the re-imagined Texas Chainsaw Massacre series.

There’s not much about the movie up yet — the first on-set photo features a Crystal Lake police car (yikes!) — but more pix, video interviews and the like are promised if you’re into that sort of thing.

Link to Platinum Dunes blog >

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