Matt Damon

WE BOUGHT A ZOO Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: May 23rd, 2012 at 7:00 am

At this point Cameron Crowe’s films have a feel that is distinctly his – he’s an auteur. Going in, you know the sort of music he’s going to use, and you know the sort of melancholy emotions he’s going to go for. With his latest, We Bought a Zoo, he’s totally in his wheelhouse and that’s going to be enough for people who want that Cameron Crowe feeling. Matt Damon stars as a widower who decides to take his children out of the city, and buys a country home that is also an operating zoo where Scarlett Johansson works. Our review of the Blu-ray of We Bought a Zoo follows after the jump.

Production Begins on Gus Van Sant’s PROMISED LAND Starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 24th, 2012 at 1:41 pm

Focus Features announced today that production has commenced on the drama Promised Land.  The screenplay was written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski, based on a story by Dave Eggers, and the project was poised to be Damon’s directorial debut before scheduling issues forced him to vacate the director’s chair. Damon’s Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant swooped in and swiftly took over directing duties, and now filming has begun.  Focus President Jeb Brody draws some very flattering comparisons when describing the project:

“Matt and John’s script is rich in Frank Capra-esque qualities, blending humor and heart while exploring the power of community in this day and age. An actor’s director like Gus will bring forth all the emotions in the story, which is a true passion project for everyone.”

In addition to Damon and Krasinski, the cast also includes Frances McDormand, Hal Holbrook, Rosemarie DeWitt, Scoot McNairy, and Titus Welliver.  Hit the jump to read the press release, which includes a plot synopsis.

Watch a Montage of Famous Actors in Their Feature Film Debuts

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 5th, 2012 at 2:35 pm

It’s always a fun treat when a now-famous actor pops up in a small role in an older movie you haven’t re-watched in a while.  We previously posted a “Before They Were Famous” supercut, but now someone has edited together a montage of actors in their very first feature film roles. While you’re most likely aware of the majority of these appearances, I’m willing to bet you’ll find at least a few surprises in this video.  I had no idea Jon Hamm was in Clint Eastwood’s “old guys can be astronauts too” movie Space Cowboys, but I now feel compelled to move the pic to the top of my Netflix queue.

Watch Jack Nicholson, Woody Allen, Emma Thompson, Zach Braff and many more make their feature debut after the jump.

Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Star-Studded 9-Minute Trailer for MOVIE: THE MOVIE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 27th, 2012 at 7:47 am

Like it does every year, Jimmy Kimmel Live followed the Oscars with a bit that packed in every Hollywood actor they could find.  This year, they poked fun at epic movies by creating Movie: The Movie and throwing in every genre possible.  Of course, the premise of trying to sell a movie by overloading it with famous faces is absolutely ridiculous.  Still, it’s an amusing way to try to start your Monday.

Hit the jump to check out the 9-minute trailer.  The fake film’s cast includes George Clooney, Charlize Theron, Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Alba, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, and Bryan Cranston as the world’s unluckiest hot dog vendor. Movie: The Movie opens Thanksgiving, Christmas, and summer 2012.

Focus and Participant Acquire Matt Damon and John Krasinski’s PROMISED LAND; Sony Picks Up Marion Cotillard Starrer RUST & BONE

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: February 1st, 2012 at 5:26 pm

It looks like the Gus Van Sant-directed drama starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski now has a title and a distributor. Known as Promised Land, Focus Features and Participant Media had the winning bid for the project co-written by the two stars. Although it was originally meant to be Damon’s directorial debut, scheduling conflicts prevented it. Promised Land stars Damon as a sales executive whose arrival in a small town turns his life upside down. Krasinski will play a rival corporate executive.

Also acquired today by Sony Pictures Classics was the Marion Cotillard-starrer Rust & Bone by director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet). The project is an adaptation from a book of shot stories by Craig Davidson. Hit the jump to check out more from both projects.

Drew Barrymore & John Krasinski Talk BIG MIRACLE; Krasinski Also Talks About His Gus Van Sant Project

by Christina Radish    Posted: January 30th, 2012 at 8:29 pm

Big Miracle (opening in theaters on February 3^rd) is inspired by the incredible true story of a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle, and how an entire Alaskan community fought to save them, with the help of rival world superpowers. Animal lover and outspoken environmentalist Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore) is made aware of the harrowing situation when her small-town news reporter ex-boyfriend Adam Carlson (John Krasinski) makes a report that ends up going global. Soon, everyone from an oil tycoon to heads of state to ambitious journalists descend upon Barrow, Alaska, in order to unite and free the whales in time.

At the film’s press day, co-stars Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski talked about how unbelievable and impossible this moving true story seemed, reuniting with director Ken Kwapis, and what they loved about working with each other. Barrymore also talked about staying positive in a business that it’s so easy to become cynical in, while Krasinski talked about his desire to direct again and the currently untitled project he’s developing with Matt Damon, for Gus Van Sant to direct. Check out what they had to say after the jump.

John Krasinski Talks Untitled Matt Damon/Gus Van Sant Project; Films in April

by Christina Radish    Posted: January 20th, 2012 at 11:48 pm

Originally, Matt Damon was going to make his directorial debut with a script co-written by The Office star John Krasinski. Due to scheduling conflicts, the untitled project, described as being about a salesman who experiences life-changing events after arriving in a small town, is now being directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting), with a projected April start date for shooting.

While at the press junket for Big Miracle, inspired by the incredible true story of rival world superpowers who came together to rescue a family of gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle and opening in theaters on February 3^rd, Krasinski talked about the journey the script has taken, why Matt Damon had to drop out as director, and how excited he is to have Gus Van Sant direct his first original script. Check out what he had to say after the jump, and check back for what he had to say about Big Miracle closer to the film’s release date.

Warner Bros. Sets Screenwriter for Ben Affleck’s THE STAND; Matt Damon’s Untitled Drama Moves to Universal

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 18th, 2012 at 5:49 pm

We’ve got a couple updates on the latest projects from Oscar-winning screenwriting duo Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (yes, they act too). A few months ago Affleck was chosen by Warner Bros. to direct their big-budget adaptation of the Stephen King novel The Stand. While it’s been a while since we’ve heard any movement on the project, it now appears that Affleck has now set a screenwriter on the pic. After apparently wowing the studio with an adaptation of King’s It, David Kajganich (The Invasion) has been tapped to handle scripting duties. Hit the jump for much more, including news concerning the untitled drama that Damon was previously set to direct.

CONTAGION Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: January 14th, 2012 at 6:00 am

You never know what you’re going to get with Steven Soderbergh. He’s a chameleon, someone just as happy to do a project that cost ten dollars as a hundred million. And he likes to work. Even though he’s mentioned retirement, Contagion came out in September theatrically, and four months later his Haywire is coming out. Contagion stars Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Jennifer Ehle in what amounts to a disaster film about a new virus that starts a pandemic. It may also be the best disaster film ever made. Our review of Contagion on Blu-ray follows after the jump.

Gus Van Sant Replaces Matt Damon to Direct Untitled “Capra-esque” Film

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 6th, 2012 at 9:32 am

Yesterday, we reported that Matt Damon had backed out of directing the untitled script he had co-written with John Krasinski, but the two would remain on board to co-star.  Today, The Playlist reports and Deadline confirms that Gus Van Sant has stepped in to replace Damon.  The “Capra-esque” tale has Damon and Krasinski playing corporate executives.  When Damon’s character arrives in a small town, he begins to seriously reexamine his life.   Krasinski originally paid Dave Eggers (Away We Go) to write the first draft, and then teamed up with Damon when Eggers was unavailable to do further work on the script. The project can now move forward again with Van Sant on board, but there’s no guarantee that Warner Bros. will make the movie.  However, the process of setting the $15 million budget will begin next week.

Hit the jump for more.

Matt Damon Will No Longer Helm Directorial Debut; May Still Star

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 5th, 2012 at 7:55 am

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 BOUGHT A ZOO Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 22nd, 2011 at 6:27 pm

Director Cameron Crowe hasn’t directed a non-documentary feature since his 2005 flop Elizabethtown.  His new film, We Bought a Zoo, shows not much has changed in the interim.  Crowe is still painfully earnest with his adult characters who give big speeches and wear their hearts on their sleeves.  There comes a point where earnestness can become overbearing, and the movie becomes nothing but soul-bearing conversations with only another terrific Matt Damon performance to reign it in.  Crowe still hasn’t learned how to say more with less, which is a shame since most of the movie is so amiable that he doesn’t have to say much at all.

Matt Damon Casts Frances McDormand in Directorial Debut; Talks About Learning from Great Directors

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: December 19th, 2011 at 9:25 pm

I am excited to see what Matt Damon can do as a director.  Over the past couple years, he has often spoken of his aspirations to direct after a decade plus working with the greats: Martin Scorsese, the Coen brothers, the Stevens (Spielberg and Soderbergh), Paul Greengrass, to name a few.  In a recent interview, Damon discussed how these directors influenced him, and we’ll get to that after after that jump.  First, Damon revealed that he cast Frances McDormand in his directorial debut.  The project is based on an idea by Dave Eggers and John Krasinski, about “a salesman who goes to this small town and how the salesman is changed by his experience there.”  Damon and Krasinski will also star in the film alongside McDormand.  Damon says they’re trying to round out the cast, so hopefully we’ll receive the full list in the coming weeks.

Now back to Damon’s approach to directing.  Hit the jump for quotes.

7 Clips from Cameron Crowe’s WE BOUGHT A ZOO

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: December 3rd, 2011 at 5:26 pm

Fox has provided us with 7 clips for We Bought a Zoo, the latest movie from writer/director Cameron Crowe.  Matt Damon stars as “a single dad who decides his family needs a fresh start, so he and his two children move to the most unlikely of places: a zoo.”  I missed the local Thanksgiving sneak preview, but based on the word of mouth from those who made it, We Bought a Zoo is a return to form for Crowe after the disappointing Elizabethtown.

Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning, and John Michael Higgins also star.  We Bought a Zoo opens on December 23.  Hit the jump to watch the clips.

New Clip from Cameron Crowe’s WE BOUGHT A ZOO

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 29th, 2011 at 5:47 pm

Fox has released a new clip from writer-director Cameron Crowe’s We Bought a Zoo. I caught the film at the preview screening last weekend and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I loved it. I’m an avid Crowe fan, but the marketing materials had me worried Zoo was nothing more than a sappy family popcorn movie. What Crowe has crafted is an incredibly poignant character piece that packs a walloping emotional punch. It comes close to being “gooey” in parts, but rarely crosses over into the saccharine. Matt Damon is great, Scarlett Johansson is charming, and the score by Sigur Ros’ Jonsi is the perfect compliment to Crowe’s delightful script that’s rife with more than a couple signature “Cameron Crowe” moments. If you’re looking for a movie to enjoy with the whole family over the holidays that won’t have you counting down the seconds until it’s over, We Bought a Zoo is a fine choice.

This clip features Thomas Haden Church as Damon’s brother, trying to persuade him from wasting his entire savings on fixing up the dilapidated zoo. Hit the jump to check it out. We Bought a Zoo opens December 23rd.

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