David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, may be respected for giving the world one of the greatest television shows of all time, but when he jumped into feature films with Not Fade Away, he seems to have been allowed to do whatever he wanted, but the finished product was abandoned by its studio (Paramount), who must not have thought it was Oscar material.  That’s too bad as Not Fade Away is a film that feels alive with the possibilities of cinema, but also is aware of the past.  The story of a band that never made it, Chase’s semi-autobiographical tale paints a great portrait of teenagers going through the 1960’s and are swept up in the cultural changes reflected in the music of the era.  My review of the Blu-ray of Not Fade Away follows after the jump. 

Director David O. Russell’s follow-up to last year’s crowdpleasing awards contender Silver Linings Playbook now has a title.  Previously referred to as American Bullshit, the pic is now titled American Hustle per Box Office Mojo.  The story is based on a real-life undercover sting operation called “Abscam”, which was set up in the 1980s by a con artist working for the FBI who rooted out corruption in Congress.  The film boasts an incredible ensemble cast that includes a number of Russell regulars like Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro as well as some exciting Russell newcomers like Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K., Michael Pena, and Jack Huston.

Russell is currently in the middle of production on American Hustle in the New York City area, and we’ve already seen a number of wildly entertaining set photos of the cast done up in their 80s garb.  The film opens in limited release on December 13th before going wide on Christmas Day, and it’s safe to assume that American Hustle will be a serious player in this year’s awards race.

Today’s casting updates include:

• Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding) joins Nick Jonas, of Jonas Brothers fame, and Isabel Lucas (Immortals) in Careful What You Wish For.  Elizabeth Allen (Aquamarine) will be directing from a script by Chris Frisina and Gregg Hurwitz.

• Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) has been added to the already stellar cast of David O. Russell’s untitled Abscam movie.  The rest of the cast includes Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, and Louis CK.

• Katherine Heigl and Patrick Wilson are set to headline the dark comedy North of Hell. Anthony Burns (Skateland) will be writing and directing.

Hit the jump for more on each casting.

If poetry doesn’t broaden our view of our world and force us to push the boundaries of our lives, then it’s pointless.  Poetry cannot always tap into the chaos and beauty of life if it must be constrained by meter, verse, and rules set down centuries ago.  Poetry, when wielded by genius, can seduce, defend, condemn, and most importantly, transform.  Words are powerful enough to change the world, but even in the hands of the most gifted writers, they can be futile against our frailties, insecurities, and desires.  In his magnificent debut feature, director and co-writer John Krokidas has created a moving, exhilarating, and heartbreaking film in Kill Your Darlings.  Led by breathtaking performances by stars Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, and Ben Foster, Kill Your Darlings watches the greatest writers of a generation push the boundaries of modern American culture only to find that even the best words, the most well-spoken words, the most honest words, can fail when spoken to a shattered heart.

The famed creator and director of The Sopranos, David Chase, has made his debut as a feature film director (and writer) with the ode to rock ‘n’ roll, Not Fade Away.  Douglas (John Magaro) catches a lucky break when Gene Gaunt (Jack Huston) invites him to join their cover band in 1960’s New Jersey. Though his father (James Gandolfini) doesn’t understand his son’s devotion to music, Douglas immerses himself in the band and in high school dream-girl turned muse Grace Deitz (Bella Heathcote). The film is an homage to rock’n’roll, to music, and to the universal experience of realizing you may not be the next Rolling Stones after all.  For more on the film, here’s 20 images, the trailer and Matt’s review.

At the NYC press day for Not Fade Away, I was able to speak to the three young stars – Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote and John Magaro – about their preparation for these music-intensive roles, their favorite scenes to shoot, some deleted scenes and what’s coming up next.  Hit the jump to watch.

The first official image from writer/director John Krokidas’ upcoming drama Kill Your Darlings has been released online.  The film focuses on the origins of the Beat movement and follows the friendships of Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston), and William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster) as they’re tested by the murder of David Kammerer, a man in his thirties who is desperately in love with Ginsberg’s friend Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan).  I’m fascinated to see how this story plays out on screen, and I look forward to catching the film when it premieres at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.

Hit the jump to check out the image and full synopsis.  The film also stars Michael C. Hall and Elizabeth Olsen.  The 2013 Sundance Film Festival runs January 17 – 27.  

We have 20 new images to share with you today from writer/director David Chase’s Not Fade Away. The movie centers on a group of friends in New Jersey during the 1960s who want to form a rock band. Since Not Fade Away comes from the creator of The Sopranos, you can expect the film to be anything but a traditional arc from obscurity to stardom.

Starring John Magaro, Jack Huston, Will Brill, Bella Heathcote and James Gandolfini, Not Fade Away opens in limited release starting December 21st. Hit the jump to see the new images.

While rumors continue to swirl around Disney’s Star Wars, Marvel is busy looking for their Star-Lord. A shortlist of actors is reportedly being tested for the lead role in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, directed by James Gunn (Super). Included on that list are Joel Edgerton (Warrior), Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire), Jim Sturgess (Cloud Atlas), Lee Pace (Lincoln) and Eddie Redmayne (My Week with Marilyn). The leader of the Guardians, Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, was born of a human mother and alien father. He’s a master strategist and combat expert who wears an ability-enhancing suit and pilots a psychically-linked ship. Sounds like a fun role for any one of these guys to make their own, but there have been even more names thrown into the competition. Hit the jump to check them out.

We’ve got a couple of casting stories for you this morning.  First up, Willem Dafoe and Udo Kier are set to re-team with filmmaker Lars Von Trier for his upcoming erotic drama Nymphomaniac.  Charlotte Gainsbourg stars as Jo, a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who recounts her life story to Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard), an old, charming bachelor who finds Jo beaten up in an alley.  THR has no details on Dafoe or Kier’s roles, but they’ll be joining an impressive cast that also features Shia LaBeouf, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, and Connie Nielsen.  As we previously reported, Nymphomaniac will be a duology released in both hardcore and soft-core versions.

Hit the jump for casting news on the dramedy Posthumous.

The first trailer for Not Fade Away has been released.  The film is the feature directorial debut of The Sopranos creator David Chase and tells the story of three best friends growing up in the New Jersey suburbs who decide to start a rock band.  The wonderful tone that Chase hit so well with The Sopranos (dramatic with an air of dark comedy) looks to be on full display here, and the director’s passion for music comes through in spades.  It’ll be interesting to see how he translates his novelized approach to storytelling to a feature film, but this trailer hints at a strong, character-focused first effort with a promising yet familiar turn from James Gandolfini as a patriarch of a different sort.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars John Maragro, Jack Huston, Will Brill, Bella Heathcote, Brad Garrett and Christopher McDonald.  Not Fade Away opens on December 21st. 

Director David Chase will see his film Not Fade Away make its world premiere as the Centerpiece Gala selection of the 50th New York Film Festival; not bad for a debut director!  The Sopranos creator/writer brings this coming-of-age tale, set in 1964 where a group of friends decide to form a rock band, led by new-to-the-scene, John Magaro. With a soundtrack produced by Steven Van Zandt, Not Fade Away also stars Jack Huston, Will Brill, Bella Heathcote, James Gandolfini, Brad Garrett and Christopher McDonald. Look for the film to see limited release starting December 21st.  Hit the jump for the full press release and some new images from the film.

You’re driving down the street, and it’s suddenly blocked off.  You notice these weird yellow signs with nonsensical letters or numbers.  There’s unusual glow lighting up a neighborhood you can’t usually see from your house.  What you might have here is a film company shooting in your town.  It happens a lot, and you never know where they might pop up…until now.

The following is a semi-comprehensive list of films currently shooting, what they’re shooting, and where they’re shooting.  We’ll be telling you where you might get to see the very famous, the kinda famous and (if all goes well) the soon-to-be famous. While we can’t list every single movie, television show, or student film in production, you’ll get a pretty good idea of what the heck is going on where all those people are buzzing about.  Want to know where in the world are Matt Damon, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Woody Harrelson, and Leonardo DiCaprio? Hit the jump for more.

We’ve got a batch of set photos to share with you this morning. Briefly:

• Daniel Radcliffe, Elizabeth Olsen and Jack Huston were spotted on the set of Kill Your Darlings. The trio star as Allen Ginsberg, Edie Parker and Jack Kerouac, respectively, in this period drama.
• Set Photos from Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring highlight star Emma Watson and surprise guests Kirsten Dunst and Gavin Rossdale (frontman for Bush). The real-life story centers on a group of teenagers who robbed the homes of the rich and famous in the late 2000’s.
• A roundup of images from director Ron Howard’s 1970s Formula 1 racing drama Rush. The film centers on the rivalry between James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl).

Hit the jump to check out the images.

In what is shaping up to be an interesting cast full of young up-and-comers, Kill Your Darlings has now claimed Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) among its ranks. Alongside Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Dane DeHaan (In Treatment) and Jack Huston (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), Olsen is set to play Edie Parker, the well-to-do, art-student girlfriend of Jack Kerouac (Huston). The thriller centers around a murder at Columbia University in 1944 that served as a formative experience for the young writers who would catalyze the Beat Revolution. Radcliffe will play Allen Ginsberg who befriends classmate Lucien Carr (DeHaan), whose murder of David Kammerer will be central to the story. When we first reported on this project,  Chris Evans (Captain America), Jessie Eisenberg (The Social Network) and Ben Whishaw (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) were cast as Kerouac, Ginsberg and Carr, respectively. I think this current lineup has a much better feel to it (although I’m unfamiliar with Whishaw). Hit the jump for more on Kill Your Darlings.

We have a few bits of casting news for you this morning.  First up, Dennis Quaid has signed on to star in the indie thriller Beneath the Darkness.  Directed by Martin Guigui, Darkness is set in Texas (where it is currently shooting) and focuses on a teen who attempts to expose the deep, dark secrets of a house owned by Quaid’s character.  Speaking of which, per Variety, the actor is set to make a turn as a well-respected mortician (the best kind of mortician, in my opinion).  Quaid joins a cast that features Aimee Teegarden, Tony Oller, and Stephen Lunsford.

Next up, Sienna Miller and Danny Huston have agreed to take on Bernard Rose’s (Candyman) indie drama Two Jacks.  Based on the Tolstoy short story The Two Hussars, Jacks tells the story of an aging film director who returns to Hollywood to earn financing for his new project.  According to Variety, the director’s return is filled with “a series of wild adventures, in which he boozes, seduces a beautiful woman and fights with studio execs, winning the money he needs in a poker game.”  Given that the film spans two generations of one family, the project will also flash-forward twenty years later to focus on said director’s son (played by Jack Huston of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) as he attempts to follow in his father’s directorial footsteps.  No details regarding Miller or Huston’s roles are available as of now.