From director Gus Van Sant, the small town drama Promised Land tells the story of Steve Butler (Matt Damon), a corporate salesman who has been dispatched to the rural town of McKinley with his sales partner (Frances McDormand) to see if the two can get the citizens to sign over the drilling rights to their properties.  But, when an environmental activist (John Krasinski) arrives in town, the residents start to question what’s best for themselves and their community.  For more on Promised Land, here are seven clips and the trailer.

At the film’s press day, actor Matt Damon talked about how quickly they shot the film, having a rough cut done four weeks ahead of schedule, how he came to collaborate on the script with Krasinski, their process for writing together, working with McDormand, what made Van Sant the right director when he decided he wouldn’t be able to take that on himself, and why this was an important story for him to tell.  He also talked about kissing Michael Douglas in Behind the Candelabra, an HBO movie about the relationship between Liberace and his younger live-in lover, and whether he’d ever consider returning to the role of Jason Bourne.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Matt Damon had been prepping for his untitled directorial debut, but it looks like he’s left that chair behind.  The star had already begun casting and had brought Frances McDormand on to co-star.  He had also spoken about being inspired by his previous directors and his excitement about getting behind the camera.   However, we’ve now learned that Damon will no longer direct but may still star in the film.   According to Vulture, Damon and co-writer and co-star John Krasinski were being “precious” about the script, which is based on a story idea by Dave Eggers and centers on a traveling salesman whose arrival in a small town causes him to seriously reexamine and change his life.

It’s a bit puzzling that Damon wouldn’t be happy enough with the script to direct, but he likes it enough to stay attached to star.  It’s not the payday since the movie has a low budget ($12 million), so perhaps he’s willing to give up the director’s chair to someone who can find a way to make the script work.  Either way, don’t count this project as dead since the talent on board should draw someone worthwhile to the helm.

We have been keeping tabs on Matt Damon’s directorial ambitions for some time now.  The wife-swapping Yankee tale The Trade was an early candidate for his directorial debut, but the project is on hold pending legal issues.  The thriller Father Daughter Time emerged as another possibility this summer.  When Damon remarked that John Krasinski will star in an upcoming project, we linked Krasinki to Father Daughter Time.  However, we learned tonight that Father Daughter Time and the Krasinski collaboration are two separate projects.  Krasinski came up with the idea for the untitled drama, which THR compares to Erin Brockovich in the sense that the story centers on a town being poisoned.  Variety adds a bit more detail: “Damon plays a salesman who arrives in a small town only to have his whole life called into question.”  More after the jump.

The journey of Sam Mendes is an awkward one. A talented stage director, his first film came to win best picture, and fueled a (not undeserved) backlash against him. His second film was coolly received, while his next two pictured showed a lessening presence. Revolutionary Road was delayed for a year and was not the academy bait that was hoped for. For the summer of 2009 his most personal, and most satisfying film was released, Away We Go, and it shows a mellowed director dealing with personal issue is a way more satisfying way. My review after the jump.

“What do you do with the mad that you feel?
When you feel so mad you could bite.
When the whole wide world seems oh so wrong, and nothing you do seems very right.”

- Fred Rogers

It’s okay for kids to have emotions.  They don’t know how to control them and there will be times when they get out of hand.  And while it’s a parent’s instinct to protect their child from harm, to protect them from their own emotions is a tragedy.  Contrary to its unofficial tagline of “It’s not a kids movie; it’s a movie about being a kid”, “Where the Wild Things Are” is a kids’ movie and it’s a movie about being a kid.  Those who say it’s too much for kids to handle can’t say, “It’s a movie about being a kid” since the film is about the emotions that kids feel every day.  Kids can get scared, they can get confused, but they can also identify with those emotions when they see them.  You can identify with these emotions too if you allow this film to tap into that sense memory of childhood; not through nostalgia or regression but remembering an innocence untarnished by irony, ego, cynicism, and all the baggage we take on as we mature.  But healthy maturity, bittersweet as it is, can not be forced nor restrained.  It must have the freedom to run wild and that means feeling a range of emotions including fear and sadness.

Rather than just take the plot of the children’s book and stuff it with filler, director Spike Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers understood the feelings and emotions author Maurice Sendak conveyed in his writing and illustrations.  Their understanding is what makes “Where the Wild Things Are” honest, courageous, heartfelt, and the best film of 2009.

Here’s a funny thing: the line yesterday for Hall H was absolutely insane.  If it wasn’t filled with die-hard “Twilight” fans, it was filled with hardcore “Avatar” fans (who had nothing tangible to be excited for at the time), and folks eager to see Disney’s 3D Panel.  But last night, at about 11pm, I was walking back to my hotel and I only noticed five or six people camped out in front of Hall H.  I went over and asked what they were standing in line to see this early.  And it was so refreshing to hear their answer: “Nothing in particular.  We want to see it all.”  These are the kinds of people that deserve the best seats.

And yet, with such major panels primed for Friday including a slate of Warner Bros. films and film from Disney-Pixar, it was odd that you could show up at around 1am or 2am in the morning (and maybe even a bit later, although as I walked by at around 7:30 this morning, it was pretty full, but not stretching down the block like yesterday (that would come a little later as the WB panel was beginning around 10am).  So why weren’t folks psyched like they were yesterday?  With such a line up of films, you not only get a lot of bang for your buck (they showcased SEVEN films, more than any other studio here), but all of them look pretty great.

So let’s kick off with the first film they showed and the one that brought tears to my eyes: Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s “Where The Wild Things Are”. My report is after the jump:

Currently playing in limited release is director Sam Mendes “Away We Go”. The movie stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph and it’s unlike anything Sam Mendes has ever done as the film is part road trip/part trying to figure out who you are.

In the film, John and Maya play a couple that discovers they’re going to have a baby. After deciding to live in an area close to John’s parents so they can help take care of the child, they’re all of a sudden told his parents are moving away and their only reason for staying is gone. After processing the news, they decide to go on an ambitious trip to visit friends and family to try and decide where they want to raise their child. Along the way, they meet some very eccentric characters who each have their own ideas about where they should live and how they should raise a family.

While I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, “Away We Go” has everything going for it – including a great and original script by novelists Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida.

So to help promote the film, I was able to talk with the two writers and our conversation is after the jump. They talked about where they got their inspiration, how much were the characters based on real people, their writing process and a lot more. If you’re a fan of these writers, you will love the interview.

Finally, here’s some movie clips from “Away We Go” and here’s Matt’s review.

Opening this Friday, in limited release, is director Sam Mendes new movie “Away We Go”. The movie stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph and it’s unlike anything Sam Mendes has done as the film is part road trip/part trying to figure out who you are.

In the film, John and Maya play a couple that discovers they’re going to have a baby. After deciding to live in an area close to John’s parents so they can help take care of the child, they’re all of a sudden told his parents are moving away and their only reason for staying is now gone. After processing the news, they decide to go on an ambitious trip and visit friends and family with the ultimate goal of deciding where they want to raise their child. Along the way, they meet some very eccentric characters who each have their own ideas about where they should live and how they should raise a child.

While I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, “Away We Go” has everything going for it – from a great script by novelists Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida, to beautiful cinematography by Ellen Kuras, and a great set of songs by singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch. I loved Sam Mendes latest and absolutely recommend checking it out when it gets released in your area.

And if you’ve ever thought about all the places you could live and wondered which one would make you the happiest, this film will really get to you.

Anyway, I recently got to speak with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph and the videos are after the jump – along with a full synopsis. Take a look:

Opening this Friday, in limited release, is director Sam Mendes new movie “Away We Go”. The movie stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph and it’s unlike anything Sam Mendes has ever done as the film is part road trip/part trying to figure out who you are.

In the film, John and Maya play a couple that discovers they’re going to have a baby. After deciding to live in an area close to John’s parents so they can help take care of the child, they’re all of a sudden told his parents are moving away and their only reason for staying is now gone. After processing the news, they decide to go on an ambitious trip to visit friends and family to try and decide where they want to raise their child. Along the way, they meet some very eccentric characters who each have their own ideas about where they should live and how they should raise a family.

While I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, “Away We Go” has everything going for it – from a great script by novelists Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida, to beautiful cinematography by Ellen Kuras, and a great set of songs by singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch. I was absolutely pulled in by Sam Mendes latest and recommend checking it out.

And if you’ve ever thought about all the places you could live and wondered which one would make you the happiest, this film will really get to you.

Anyway, I recently got to speak with Sam and the video interview is after the jump. And if you’d like to watch some movie clips from “Away We Go”, click here.