Darren Aronofsky's cut of Noah will be released
Darren Aronofsky's films have all been met with critical acclaim, leaving audiences in awe with his compelling storytelling and focus on delivering character-led films that pull at audience's every emotion. His last film, 2010's Black Swan, was met with great reviews and a plethora of award nominations that reflected his talent. After a few missteps involving his attachment to, then eventual stepping back from The Wolverine, Aronofsky announced his next film would be the Biblical epic, Noah.
Aronofsky's telling of the story of Noah is taking many (many) artistic licenses, building it up as more of a science-fiction, superhero-esque film rather than the straight and narrow Western story of The Flood and The Ark. When you think about it, you wouldn't want anything less from the director, would you? Last week, it was announced the film's release in other markets would be given the 3D treatment, which isn't really necessary, but can be somewhat expected. What wasn't set in stone, however, was which cut of the film audiences would see.
There were many rumors about Paramount hiring various writers to edit the film's story to appease more religious audiences, to Aronofsky's dislike. However, after the various cuts were tested, Paramount decided to, in fact, go with Aronofsky's cut of the film. This is great news for film audiences, as we'll get to see the director's true vision of the film. It's also a great show of faith Paramount is showing Aronofsky, in spite of their attempts to undercut his work. Aronofsky had the following to say about his cut:
My guys and I were pretty sure that because of the nature of the film and how we work, there wasn’t another version. That’s what I told them … the scenes were so interconnected — if you started unwinding scenes, I just knew there would be holes. I showed it to filmmaker friends, and they said the DNA was set in this film.
Noah will be in theaters on March 28th.
[via /Film]
R.I.P. Shirley Temple Black (1928-2014)
Shirley Temple Black, arguably one of the most famous childhood stars of Hollywood, has passed away at the age of 85 late Monday night.
Shirley was born in 1928. At the age of three she lauched into her career, proving herself a talented actress, singer, and dancer in the eyes of many all over the world. Temple Black's career blasted off into stardom both domestic and internationally with David Butler's Bright Eyes (1934) which brought with it the classic Shirley tune On The Good Ship Lollipop. Beating out even some of the most popular adult stars of her generation in the box office such as Bing Crosby or Clark Gable. Her other popular cinematic musicals included Little Miss Marker (1934), Curly Top (1935) and The Littlest Rebel (1935).
Temple Black was revered for offering the nation, suffering through the Great Depression at the time, uplifting moments and a positive light when things seemed so bleak. In fact, it has been argued that she kept 20th Century Fox from reaching bankruptcy during the rough period. At her peak in childhood, Shirley was earning a remarkable amount of money for each film at about $50,000 per film. However, her contract with 20th Century Fox was terminated in 1940 due to the decline in the actress's popularity.
Shirley retired early at the age of 22 and married Charles Temple Black who she remained with until 2005 when he passed away. However, her legacy did not end at the young age. Not only did survive a battle with breast cancer in 1972, but also she went on to be a U. S. Diplomat simultaneously. From 1969 to 1974, she served in the U.S. delegation to the United Nations. She followed that up by serving as the U.S. ambassador to Ghana from 1974 to 1976 then U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992.
Shirley Temple Black will forever be remembered for her tight locks and bright eyed smile as she lit up the silver screen during a time when the world seemed dark. Her long, fulfilling life will definitely be held on a pedastal for many future generations to look upon.
Check Out Sigma's DP2 Quattro Camera
Sigma, the Japanese company that has been offering quality photography products for years, has recently unveiled its newest camera, the Sigma DP2 Quattro. Billed as the next generation of compact cameras, the DP2 Quattro sports a rather unique minimalistic design that looks good and can fit in your pocket. With its design also comes some new features inside, such as a new sensor, the Foveon X3, that captures light vertically, unlike other sensors that capture light horizontally. With the new three layer sensor, Sigma states there will be "a 30% increase in resolution to the previous Foveon sensor," resulting in 20MP images with great detail. The camera will be accompanied with a 30mm f/2.8 lens when it releases but there is no word on when it will hit the market. To learn more about the about the Sigma DP2 Quattro Camera, head on over to Sigma's official website here.
[Via Sigma Photo]
Cannes Awards Ceremony To Be A Day Earlier
The Cannes Film Festival winners will be announced a day early on the Saturday of the festival due to the European Parliament elections being held across Europe over the weekend and in France on Sunday, May 25.
Because the winners will be announced sooner, the final competition film will screen on Friday. Along with this, the jury will put their heads together on Saturday in order to select the winners for each category, including the recipient of the Palme d'Or.
The Un Certain Regard winners will have to be announced early as well on Friday, May 23 along with the Cinefondation awards ceremony.
The victor of the Palme d'Or prize will be screened for the closer of the festival on that Sunday to conclude the festivities. The festival is from May 14-25 in Cannes, France.
Ruby Hornet was able to cover this year's Sundance Film Festival. Read a little bit about it here.
[via Hollywood Reporter]
DreamWorks Animation Starts Publishing Unit
Like many other film companies, DreamWorks is attempting to turn their intellectual properties into a profitable market. The animation studios will be adding to their repertoire a new publication company through which books promoting their characters will be produced.
Previously the studio was licensing different publishers to make books featuring their characters with Simon & Schuster holding the master license. Calling their new company "DreamWorks Press," they intend on publishing books with the studio's characters and stories to provide their fans with a year-round meaningful experience. The Perseus Books Group will sell and distribute the books.
The franchises the studio intends on targeting the most are the popular works like Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, Madagascar, and other future productions. An international team is in the works in order for these publications to be enjoyed around the world. DreamWorks hopes that this new project will be something to keep their creative works in business for a long time.
[via Deadline Hollywood]
Stay Connected With The Iridium Go Satellite WiFi Hotspot
Whether you're on vacation or if your job always has you on the go, the Iridium can keep you connected. No matter the situation or where you are, Iridium's latest gadget promises to keep you in touch with the world around you delivered in a small package. This little hotspot can access voice and data on up to five devices and is extremely portable with the ability to be used almost anywhere. If you want to surf the web or make some important phone calls when you're on the go, the Iridium is something worth checking out. As of right now, the device is not available, but it promises to be compatible with both Apple and Android and offer affordable plans. For more info on the Iridium Go, visit the company's official website here.
[Via Iridium]
[Video] Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks Announce Tour & Album with "Little Fang"
Back in 2012, while looking for a different sound to add to their latest project, electronic gods Daft Punk turned to Panda Bear, the somewhat leader of Animal Collective, the progressive, experimental group of artists including Geologist, Deakin and John Maus have consistently pushed the envelope, merging traditional instrumentation with specifically electronic aesthetics and world influences to create an end product that is a departure from much of what hits the airwaves today, and also influencing much of what comes afterwards.
Acting as a collective, the individual artists dip in and out of the penultimate project, with only two albums having every member on it. Today, guitarist Avey Tare announced the unveiling of his new band, Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks, alongside their eclectic initial single, "Little Fang" and an announcement of a full LP and tour, all coming soon. As if Avey branching out on his own wasn't enough, he gets help from former Dirty Projectors crooner Angel Deradoorian and ex-Ponytail drummer Jeremy Hyman. The trio let the world know of their plans for their debut project, Enter The Slasher House,which is due out April 8. You can pre-order it here via Domino Records and receive "Little Fang" as a free download for your trouble. Check out the single, and tour dates below.
[youtube id="0VE_7o8GuPk"]
04-17 Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre *
04-18 Ann Arbor, MI - The Blind Pig *
04-19 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace *
04-21 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
04-22 Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall *
04-24 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's *
04-25 Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall *
04-26-27 Asheville, NC - Moogfest
04-28 Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups *
04-29 Nashville, TN - Exit In *
04-30 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade (Purgatory Stage) *
05-02 New Orleans, LA - Parish at House of Blues *
05-03-04 Austin, TX - Austin Psych Fest
* with Dustin Wong
Jaume Collet-Serra wants his next film to be Akira
Back in August, rumors surfaced when Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra was in talks to rejoin the proposed live-action Akira adaptation after leaving the project a year earlier. His return to the film revolved around his ability to create the film to fit Warner Bros.' rumored $60 - $70 million budget when earlier scripts called for upwards of $180 million. Since then, nothing of informative substance involving the film has come out.
However, over the weekend, Collider caught the director as he went through the press rounds for his latest film, Non-Stop, and the topic of Akira was brought up. The director claims that he's "focusing on Akira now" as the "powers that be are [now] interested." When asked if there was a budgetary focus he's prioritizing, Collet-Serra states, "“No, it’s an overall conceptual thing. You know, it’s how big the movie should be, you know, for the complexity of the concept.”
If Akira is, in fact, Collet-Serra's next film, I expect an ample (and equal) amount of attention and scrutiny to follow every step of the film's pre-production. Considering just how popular and embedded Akira has become in pop culture since its American debut in 1988, ranging from Kanye West's Stronger video on a large scale to Auggie the 9th's Akira-inspired #GAWS cover and RETROSPECT's "The Breakout" video on a smaller scale, each move and decision will be magnified with the judgmental lens of the internet.
[via Collider]