{"id":1789,"date":"2007-01-06T15:29:00","date_gmt":"2007-01-06T15:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/filmchat\/2007\/01\/newsbites-writers-grace-mexicans-italians\/"},"modified":"2007-01-06T15:29:00","modified_gmt":"2007-01-06T15:29:00","slug":"newsbites-writers-grace-mexicans-italians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/filmchat\/2007\/01\/newsbites-writers-grace-mexicans-italians.html","title":{"rendered":"Newsbites: Writers! Grace! Mexicans! Italians!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Just a few more newsy nibbles.<\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/a> The New York Times<\/a><\/i> reports that Armand Jones, one of the teen actors recruited for Freedom Writers<\/a><\/i> \u2014 for one of the more minor roles \u2014 was shot dead in a Denny\u2019s several months ago, shortly after shooting on the film had been completed. Sad.<\/p>\n

When [casting director Margery Simkin] and Richard LaGravenese, the writer and director of \u201cFreedom Writers,\u201d first watched the movie\u2019s promotional trailer a few months after Mr. Jones\u2019s death, they saw him in it and both started sobbing. Ms. Simkin said that Mr. LaGravenese recalled a scene from the film in which Ms. Gruwell asks her students to step on a line she has drawn down the middle of the classroom if any of them knew someone who had died in gang violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cRichard looked at me and said, \u2018Now I can step on the line,\u2019 \u201d Ms. Simkin said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2.<\/a> IGN.com<\/a> has the new trailer for Amazing Grace<\/a><\/i>. It\u2019s heavy on cliches, but like all trailers, it\u2019s a collection of soundbites, so I won\u2019t hold that against the movie \u2014 yet. Incidentally, Variety<\/a><\/i> says Amazing Grace<\/i> will be the \u201ccenterpiece\u201d of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival<\/a>, which runs January 25 \u2013 February 4.<\/p>\n

3.<\/a> The always opinionated Jonathan Rosenbaum<\/a> at the Chicago Reader<\/i> makes some interesting remarks about the role that \u201cgenre\u201d has played, for better and for worse, in allowing Mexican directors Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men<\/a><\/i>), Guillermo del Toro (Pan\u2019s Labyrinth<\/a><\/i>) and Alejandro Gonzalez I\u00f1arritu (Babel<\/a><\/i>) to become makers of mainstream Hollywood movies.<\/p>\n

4.<\/a> Apocalypto<\/a><\/i> opened with much hype and buzz at #1 four weeks ago<\/a>, fell out of the top ten two weeks ago<\/a>, and probably won\u2019t even be in the top sixteen this weekend, to judge by yesterday<\/a>\u2018s estimates. But even though it\u2019s dying a quick death, the film still makes news. Variety<\/a><\/i> reports that Juan Catlett, director of Return to Aztlan<\/a><\/i> (1991), is suing Gibson for plagiarism. The Associated Press<\/a> also reports that a storm is brewing in Italy over the fact that the film has been deemed acceptable for children there:<\/p>\n

Adriana Medici, secretary for the Italian review board that rated \u201cApocalypto,\u201d said the board, which usually is made up of parents, industry experts and a psychologist, decided on Dec. 19 to allow people of any age to see it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a work of art. It\u2019s a beautiful movie that tells the story without hiding anything. Wars are a part of life,\u201d said Gian Paolo Cugno, an Italian director who was among the board members who voted in favor of not giving the movie an age limit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are used to being subjected to images like the hanging of Saddam Hussein in all the newspapers,\u201d Cugno said. \u201cI don\u2019t see what the scandal is just because we see a bit of blood.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Variety<\/a><\/i> adds:<\/p>\n

Italy has long been quirky in its censorship decisions. It banned Bernardo Bertolucci\u2019s \u201cLast Tango in Paris\u201d in the 1970s and is generally lenient toward violence but more severe about sexual or anti-religious content.<\/p>\n

The country seems to have a bent for giving Gibson a break.<\/p>\n

Besides clearing \u201cApocalypto\u201d for all audiences, Italy is also the only country on the planet where \u201cThe Passion of the Christ<\/a>\u201d went out with a G rating.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

5.<\/a> Anne Thompson<\/a> reports that the South by Southwest Film Festival<\/a>, which runs March 9-17, has announced several of the titles receiving their world premiere there, one of which is:<\/p>\n

WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY?
Directed by Rob Vanalkemade.
From producer Morgan Spurlock<\/a> comes this entertaining and enlightening documentary look at the commercialization of the Christmas season. The famous Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping<\/a> serve as the anchor for a disturbing and humorous portrayal of the way Christmas has evolved over centuries in America. (World Premiere)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

6.<\/a> Thomwade<\/a> sings the praises of Christopher Lee<\/a> \u2014 and reveals that Lee is collaborating with Robin Hardy on a \u201cre-imagining\u201d of their earlier hit, The Wicker Man<\/i> (1973), to be called Cowboys for Christ<\/a><\/i>. Well, it was news to me<\/i>, at least. At any rate, this new \u201cre-imagining\u201d is not<\/i> to be confused with that other<\/i> remake<\/a> that Neil LaBute produced last year. Speaking of which, I have been meaning to post some thoughts about the original film here, but haven\u2019t had a chance to get around to it yet. Soon, hopefully.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just a few more newsy nibbles. 1. The New York Times reports that Armand Jones, one of the teen actors recruited for Freedom Writers \u2014 for one of the more minor roles \u2014 was shot dead in a Denny\u2019s several months ago, shortly after shooting on the film had been completed. Sad. When [casting director […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1116,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nNewsbites: Writers! Grace! Mexicans! Italians!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Just a few more newsy nibbles.1. 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