Sundance Film Festival Review: 'Wish You Had Been Here'

Superbly shot with an unforgettable, tough-guy-meets-vulnerable-father performance from Joel Edgerton, "Wish You Had Been Here" keeps threatening to become first-rate mystery tale about secrets, lies and sex. Its story flits backwards and forwards over time, unspooling an account in regards to a Cambodian holiday gone bad and also the implications of the ecstasy-fueled party that leaves one guy missing and also the lives of his vacation mates in shambles. But you will find a couple of weakly attracted figures along with a rushed ending that leaves the timeline-hopping plot strands within an unfulfilling motion picture heap. Everything designed for an entertaining opening towards the 2012 Sundance Film Festival on Thursday (The month of january 19), only one that left us itchiness for many truly great festival films dads and moms in the future. Edgerton plays Dork, an Australian boat builder and father of two, who jets off and away to Southeast Asia together with his pregnant wife, Alice (Felicity Cost), her sister, Steph (Teresa Palmer) and Stephs boyfriend, Jeremy (Antony Starr). They tour Cambodias cities, beaches and flea marketplaces. The handheld camera work and rocking score alllow for a compelling travelogue during these opening moments. One evening, though, they pop pills (save, sensibly, for Alice, who heads to mattress early). The following day Jeremy is finished, and also the remaining three are forever transformed. Just what happened on that drug-addled evening may be the mystery in the centre of Wish You Had Been Here, and first-time author/director Kieran Darcy-Cruz skillfully develops suspense as secrets are revealed through flashbacks and emotional, present-day confessions. Dork clearly knows a lot more than he initially allows on by what happened in Cambodia, and Edgerton perfectly conveys, frequently with one glance because the camera stays locked on his gaze, the extent of his anxiety-ridden guilt. Cost, too (a family member unknown on American shores), provides a layered, affecting performance as she discovers, together with the crowd, the brutal facts at the middle of the film. Palmer, though, is offered little to utilize within the script, an issue not just of character but of storytelling, since her actions are extremely integral to driving the drama forward. Yet Wish You Had Been Here still handles to become a taut mystery until, that's, the flicks final act, as Darcy-Cruz rushes to wrap everything up, departing plot holes aplenty along with a healthy dose of confusion. We wont give anything away, but we'll say this. When the training of films like Night time Express, Brokedown Structure and Go back to Paradise werent already obvious, let Wish You Had Been Here function as the final word: travel abroad for that cities, beaches and flea marketplaces and skip the drugs.

'Star Trek 2' Production Begins: Our Hopes, Dream And Fears

After script delays and even more casting rumors, we are finally on the road to a second trip to the final frontier: the long-awaited follow-up to J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot has officially started production. With still so much longer to go until May 17, 2013, there is an endless list of details we don't know about the second Abrams "Trek," but there is a list just as long of things we hope to see and others we're praying not to. Here are our hopes, dreams and fears for the "Star Trek" sequel. Our Hopes At this point, when we know so little about the plot, there is only so much we can realistically hope for. What Abrams, the writers and the cast need to focus on right now is holding onto what worked the first time around, while advancing the scale and stakes. It needs to fall somewhere in between "Quantum of Solace" and "Iron Man 2" on the sequel spectrum. "Iron Man 2" succeeded because it kept what worked so well from the first, RDJ witticisms and banter. What it didn't do was much of anything new, something "Quantum of Solace" tried to do too much of while ditching emotional weight. The balance is found in between there, and if "Star Trek" wants to wow fans again, it better familiarize itself with the scales. ("The Dark Knight" isn't a bad reference point too, we might add.) Our Dreams Now if we're talking wild speculation, there's a bevy of topics to tackle. First and foremost, the casting of the nobly named Benedict Cumberbatch was an inspired choice, even if he was replacing Benicio Del Toro like many reports have him. If we were to hang on to our Khan theories of old, that's an angle worth investigating. As we know from the first film, Abrams' "Trek" exists in a parallel timeline where things are all mixed up. Taking the butterfly effect into consideration, that places Khan precisely who knows where. If Kirk ended up as some punk kid, who's to say Khan won't be a badass genetically engineered superhero, fighting for the causes of good. That sounds just fine to us! The point is that the alternate timeline allows for a new and interesting take on the classic character. Our Fears Aside from favoring either side of the "Quantum of Solace"-"Iron Man 2" spectrum, there is a lot that can go wrong with "Star Trek 2." Perhaps the worst sins a sequel in this position can make are focusing on "the franchise" and wasting opportunity. For this film to work, it needs to be a complete, stand-alone film. That isn't to say that it shouldn't have connections to the first film or a potential third, but once the focus moves off the current movie and onto what's next, you inevitably lose sight of the audience. "Star Trek" worked as a well-crafted set-up to a new series. A second film should continue the possibility for more without robbing the audience of anything or beating them over the head with clues. What do you want to see from "Star Trek 2"? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

'Abraham Lincoln subsequently: Vampire Hunter' Set Visit: Meet Benjamin Master, Leader And Hero

Going to the group of "Abraham Lincoln subsequently: Vampire Hunter" isn't unlike walking into a more sophisticated joke. There is the Oblong Office, Congress, a man inside a top hat along with a beard... transporting an axe and fighting a vampire. It's a bit more available than Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln subsequently" biopic, as you would expect. Talking with MTV within this exclusive behind-the-moments clip, Benjamin Master, who plays the reimagined Lincoln subsequently, downplayed the departure. "He's the Abraham Lincoln subsequently we all know he's the hero," he told us. "Within this context, he's also an action hero." Master certainly looks the part. Talking about the casting process, producer Jim Lemley stated there is no doubt. "Finding Abraham Lincoln subsequently is perhaps probably the most complicated and hard factor to complete,Inch he stated. "Ben Master arrived and was before us outfitted as as Abraham Lincoln subsequently and shipped the Gettsyburg Address and you simply thought he authored it. It had been a no-brainer." Director Timur Bekmambetov, most widely known for absurdist action movies like "Wanted" and "Day Watch," quickly agreed. "I believe he isn't Benjamin Master any longer, he's Abraham Lincoln subsequently now," he stated. "I even didn't remember how he looks in tangible existence." The relaxation from the clip mixes dialogue-less clips, plot description, and slightly backhanded lauding of Bekmambetov. (He's in comparison for an passionate six-year-old.) Anthony Mackie, who plays Lincoln's valet, features conspicuously without anyone's knowledge. Based on Master, "They are good buddies and they have developed in this time around duration of America." It had been simplified by Mackie, who stated, "It's type of like 48 Hrs." "Vampire Hunter" arrives this summer time. Inform us that which you think about the set visit within the comments section as well as on Twitter!

PaleyFest announces 2012 sked

PaleyFest, the annual TV festival with the Paley Center for Media, has completed its 2012 schedule with shows including freshmen "New Girl," "American Horror Story," "Revenge" and "Not such a long time ago."Running from March 2-14 within the Saban Theater in Beverly Slopes, PaleyFest will open its cast-and-producer periods with "Horror Story" and close with "Modern Family." Among may come the following: "Community" (a returnee from 2011), "Not such a long time ago," "New Girl," "Work,Inch "Sons of Anarchy," "Castle," "The Vampire Journals, "Revenge," "two and a half Males" and "Mad Males."Each event begins at 7 p.m. apart from people weekly, which could start 1 p.m.A completely new website devoted for the festival launched today. Tickets will probably be available to Paley Center people beginning Friday also to everybody Sunday. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Universal outlines 100th anni plans

Marking its 100th anniversary this season, Universal Pictures has formally organized plans for any yearlong celebration, such as the restoration of 13 films and also the unveiling from the studio's new logo design. The studio and it is home theatre division will introduce a restricted-edition 100th-anni collector's number of Dvd disks and Blu-ray dvds, and Universal Parks and Resorts will host several occasions devoted towards the centennial. Universal prexy-chief operating officer Ron Meyer told Variety the sum total of anni activities has presented the very best ambitions from the studio's teams. "I did not begin with the corporation, but I do think it is indeed my family, and I am glad I could check this out celebration get together," Meyer stated. "A lot of people labored so difficult about this too. I am talking about people would do a full day-job after which put work into planning this, and so i think a large thing about this celebration is praising individuals individuals who done it too.Inch The 13 films which were the topic of the restoration work is "All Quiet around the Western Front," "The Wild birds," "Buck Privates," "Dracula" (1931), "Dracula" (in The spanish language, 1931), "Frankenstein," "Jaws," "Schindler's List," "From Africa," "Pillow Talk," "Bride of Frankenstein" "The Sting" and "To Kill a Mockingbird." Recently, the studio carried out an excursion for that press of methods the restoration process had been handled and described the 13 films were selected for restoration due to their significance towards the motion picture community, how big the film, the pedigree from the filmmaker or just how much the film needed restoration. Meyer stated upkeep work is vital that you all of the galleries which U's restoration focus on the 13 photos made sense included in the anniversary year. "I've four kids of my very own and that i don't believe them were alive when many of these films arrived on the scene and that i would like them to have the ability to enjoy films like "Schindler's List" and "From Africa" within their full figure," he stated. For the studio's new logo design, it will likely be attached first towards the trailer of "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax," that has its premiere in Feb and bows in theaters March 2. As the logo design went through several iterations through the years, Meyer stated this latest edition will possess a different look. It will likewise be supported by audio. The studio's centennial occurs the heels of 1 of their best years. Universal entered the billion-dollar mark in the domestic B.O. this year because of such films as "Fast Five," "Hop" and "Bridesmaids." The entire year also saw Meyer, chairman Adam Fogelson and co-chair Donna Langley receive extensions within their current positions. For 2012, the studio has tentpoles "Battleship," "Snow Whitened and also the Huntsman" and "The Bourne Legacy" on its slate. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Martin Campbell Overtaking Umbra

Paul Haggis will rewrite the scriptParanoia-driven thriller Umbra is becoming something of the filmmaking hot potato, bouncing around from director to director, but never quite getting a home. Now its hopes are pinned on Martin Campbell, that has employed his Casino Royale collaborator Paul Haggis to consider a brand new swipe in the script.Initially compiled by Steven Karczynski, the storyline finds a businessman getting a mysterious package that falls him right into a massive government conspiracy boasting partners to him and the family. Because clearly, when the conspiracy was simply Amazon . com messing up and delivering the incorrect package, it might be an awfully dull film.Umbra continues to be with the hands with a minimum of two large names already, with Roger Donaldson attached in 2009 and Joe Carnahan taking it on this year and focusing on a draft with Karczynski.Now Haggis is going to be using his touch into it, and Campbell will probably be wishing it's sufficiently good to make all of us forget Eco-friendly Lantern ever happened...

Zooey Deschanel Files For Divorce In LA

First Released: The month of january 4, 2012 11:54 PM EST Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanl get through to the 2011 BAFTA Britons To Look At Event in the Belasco Theatre in La on This summer 9, 2011Zooey Deschanel has declared divorce from her rocker husband of 2 yrs. The actress declared divorce in La on 12 ,. 27 from Ben Gibbard, stating irreconcilable variations. The previous couple introduced they'd split up in November. The 31-year-old actress stars within the Fox sitcom New Girl and was nominated for any Golden Globe Award on her performance. Gibbard may be the lead singer from the rock-band Dying Cab for Cutie, which launched the album Codes and Secrets in May. Deschanel and Gibbard were married in September 2009 and also have no children together. Deschanels publicist has stated the couples split was friendly. Copyright 2012 through the Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hugh Jackman as Harry Houdini: Actor to see Magician in Broadway Musical by Aaron Sorkin

Hugh Jackman is really by using this stage factor seriously. According to Deadline, the actor is positioned to see Harry Houdini inside an approaching Broadway musical put together by Aaron Sorkin. Clearly, Jackman is not any stranger to singing -- he just finished a ten-week run of his one-guy show, 'Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway,' which is set to star inside the approaching adaptation of 'Les Miserables,' along with Russell Crowe, Hathaway As Catwoman and Sacha Baron Cohen. So, why a Houdini musical? Since the 'Wolverine' star (hey, remember if the guy carried out an undesirable-ass mutant?) confesses, he's "been deeply intrigued through the presence of Harry Houdini since [he] was youthful." Jackman already referred to a magician inside the 2006 film, 'The Prestige.' So, imagine: 'Prestige' + 'Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway' = 'Houdini.' [via Deadline] [Photo: Getty Images] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook