PaperHeart Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Indie Roundup reviews the past week of news from the independent film community and provides a peek at what's coming soon.

Festivals. The venerable New York Film Festival announced its first titles, while Eugene Hernandez and Brian Brooks of indieWIRE consider the impact of non-programming changes. In news from the other coast, Rachel Rosen is heading back to the City by the Bay to work as programming director for the San Francisco Film Society, reports The Wrap.

Rosen moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles eight years ago and helped transform the Los Angeles Film Festival into a truly major festival in a city that, oddly enough, doesn't give much respect to local film festivals. As Director of Programming, she and Senior Programmer Doug Jones chose a wonderfully diverse selection of international films that were challenging and not always the most audience friendly, yet they were distinctive and memorable. And now she's gone. (A more extensive report can be found at indieWIRE.) Whoever replaces her has big shoes to fill.

Online / On-Demand Viewing. I like free, legal movies, and Babelgum and Cinetic have a new title in their monthly program to tantalize cheapskates like me: Jack Says is described as a "contemporary film noir thriller," in which the titular character wakes up next to a corpse with amnesia (Jack, not the corpse). At SnagFilms, you can watch gamer doc Second Skin for free until tomorrow, as part of their SummerFest series. And from Friday through Sunday, the doc Captured -- all about Manhattan's Lower East Side -- will be available for free streaming via Cinetic's channel at Daily Motion.

What do Cold Souls and Paper Heart have in common? Indie Weekend Box Office, after the jump.

By Eric Snider (reprint from Sundance 2009)

There are documentaries, and there are comedies made to look like documentaries, and Paper Heart is both. Conceived by comedian Charlyne Yi and filmmaker Nicholas Jasenovec, it combines elements of reality and fiction in an amusing, meta-referential way, though one's enjoyment of it may ultimately come down to one's enjoyment of Yi as a performer.

It is set up as a documentary about Charlyne's search to determine whether true love really exists. She doesn't think it does -- or, at the very least, she thinks she's not capable of feeling it. (I can't imagine anything sadder than being unable to experience romantic love, but that's beside the point.) To investigate, Charlyne travels the country to interview biologists, old married couples, and Las Vegas wedding chapel officiators who dress as Elvis. Those segments are real, like you'd find in any documentary.

But in the process of making the documentary, Charlyne meets actor Michael Cera at a party, and they start tentatively dating. The documentary director (played by actor Jake Johnson), knowing a good thing when he sees one, insists on following Charlyne and Michael around. It's a no-brainer, really: She's making a movie about love, and in the meantime starts dating someone? Perfect!

Welcome back to another edition of Insert Caption -- the game that probably won't ask you to spread 'em if you've had one too many to drink. Last week we asked you to churn out something adorable for a photo from the little indie you just wanna hug, Paper Heart. Congrats go out to Tommy L., who won us over with some of that old reliable corpse humor.



1. "Ugh! What is that smell? Who died? Oh." -- Tommy L.


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This week we're rolling around in bed with Ashton Kutcher as he gets all sexed-up for his new film Spread, about a serial womanizer who finally meets his match. And because there can only be one Ashton Kutcher, we're giving away one grand prize to the person who provides the best caption for the photo below. That grand prize is (and it's a good one) one Blu-Ray DVD Player, one signed Spread poster and one collection of assorted Anchor Bay/Overture DVDs. Okay, maybe it's not as good as the kind of love Mr. Kutcher is receiving in the image below, but it's definitely a close second. Sound off below!



Read the official rules for this contest

Welcome back to another edition of Insert Caption -- the game I've heard turns into a little paper heart when you blow on it and whisper sweet nothings into its ear. Last week we asked you to churn out some caption love for that guinea pig action flick (I never thought I'd use those words to describe a movie, but here we are), G-Force. Though most of you came out in full force for this, unfortunately we could only choose one winner. So congrats go out to Michael S. for a caption that was so on-the-nose we couldn't help but crack up.



1. "These new parachutes haven't been field tested yet, so I need a volunteer, someone who can be a ... guinea pig." -- Michael S.


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This week we're taking a step away from the wacky guinea pigs and moving more towards a sweet, endearing indie about the trials and tribulations of falling in love. In Paper Heart, comedian Charlyne Yi travels the country in an attempt to figure out the true meaning of love -- all while dealing with a pushy, opinionated camera crew and the ups and downs of a potential real-life relationship with actor Michael Cera. Should you feel up to the caption-ing task, one lucky grand prize winner will walk away with one 16GB iPod touch, one Paper Heart soundtrack, one Paper Heart mini poster and one Paper Heart journal. Paper Heart hits theaters on August 7. Go see it ... and sound off below ...



Read the official rules of this contest

Overture's latest smart rom-com move was to purchase Celeste and Jesse Forever, a script written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, who will also star as Celeste. Celeste and Jesse Forever is the tale of a divorcing couple that is struggling to keep their friendship together while also seeing other people. Suzanne and Jennifer Todd will produce under their Team Todd shingle. This is the first screenplay credit for both actors; Rashida Jones was, of course, the adorable (and three-dimensional!) fiancé Zooey in this spring's I Love You, Man, and she is currently on the TV show Parks and Recreation. McCormack has been on TV shows like In Plain Sight and Brothers & Sisters, as well as in films like Syriana and Team Todd-produced Prime and Must Love Dogs. As previously reported on Cinematical, the spec script was initially picked up by Fox Atomic.

Overture is also behind another upcoming cool romantic comedy written by and starring a talented and very funny woman, Charlyne Yi's Paper Heart. And while their other non-traditional rom-com, Last Chance Harvey, didn't do all that well, it seemed to be fairly popular with its target audience and garnered Dustin Hoffman a Golden Globes nom. And it was also behind Sunshine Cleaning, which, while it obviously wasn't a romantic comedy (or even that funny, despite what the trailers led you to believe), was an interesting and entertaining movie with women behind and in front of the camera. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were strong leading ladies, and director Christine Jeffs and first-time screenwriter Megan Holley were behind the scenes.

Is it possible that there is a studio out there willing to take a chance on unique stories and fresh talent, and fresh female talent, at that? I'm rooting for them -- and for Rashida!

Click image below for full poster

Cinematical has just received this exclusive poster for Paper Heart, which stars Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera, and walked away from this year's Sundance as the darling of that festival. Part comedy, part documentary and part comedy-documentary, Paper Heart follows actress-comedian Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up) as she travels the country searching for not only the meaning of love, but also its definition as it pertains to her own life. Michael Cera (Yi's kinda, sorta boyfriend in real life) makes an appearance in the film as Yi's kinda, sorta boyfriend -- and the two struggle to navigate the rocky waters of an early relationship while a pestering camera crew follows Yi's every move.

In his review from Sundance, Cinematical's Eric D. Snider said Cera was " typically hilarious as Charlyne's potential boyfriend," and I whole-heartedly agree. In fact, I felt this was Cera's finest performance to date, partly because he gives off the kind of attitude we rarely see since he's normally too busy bumbling around. Here, though, Cera is real and honest and not afraid to be an a**hole if the moment calls for it. Cute, charming and a bit awkward, Paper Heart seems destined to become one of his summer's great date movies.

The film is set to hit theaters on August 7. Click the image below to scope out the full poster.

G-Force
Here's the new trailer for Disney's 3-D talking guinea pig movie (and I have to say that's a phrase I never thought I'd find myself using). Yeah, it looks cute and with voice talent like Tracy Morgan and Steve Buscemi there may be something here. Still I worry that, like most of the 3-D films I've seen in the last few years, G-Force will concentrate on the cool 3-D to the detriment of the film's other aspects. This one scurries into theaters on July 24.

Downloading Nancy
Rufus Sewell plays a man who comes to realize his wife (Maria Bello) is not just away visiting friends as she claimed but pursuing a torrid and often perverse relationship with a man she has met online (Jason Patric). Looks dark and fascinating. This one goes into limited release on June 5.

Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl
Two words: arterial spray. After watching this trailer I have really no idea what this Japanese flick is about other than it's got the gore going on. Practical and digital blood join forces here in an over the top hemoglobin-fueled splatter fest that defies description. I'm interested in finding out more, especially since this is directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura who gave us Tokyo Gore Police. This is not for the faint of heart and probably should be viewed only under the clinical supervision of a doctor.

In this week's edition of Indie Roundup, we begin by noting the sad and untimely passing of one of the great champions of independent film, Wouter Barendrecht. The founder of Fortissimo Films, an international sales and production company, Barendrecht died unexpectedly last weekend from heart failure while in Thailand.

Eugene Hernandez at indieWIRE writes: "Perhaps his greatest professional achievement is the invaluable role he played as a tireless champion of Asian cinema and as a stalwart supporter of independent, queer and international film. On a personal note, his friendships with so many members of the worldwide film community are also hard to overlook." He was just 43.

Deals. Overture Films has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Nicholas Jasenovec's Paper Heart, which debuted at Sundance. In his review, Eric D. Snider said the film, which stars and was co-written by Charlyne Yi, "combines elements of reality and fiction in an amusing, meta-referential way, though one's enjoyment of it may ultimately come down to one's enjoyment of Yi as a performer." Yi's real-life boyfriend, Michael Cera, is featured. Overture plans to release Paper Heart in New York and Los Angeles on August 7 and expand it a week later, according to indieWIRE.

Box Office. Kate Churchill's documentary Enlighten Up!, advertised as "a skeptic's journey into the world of yoga," exercised its right to be the highest per-screen earner among indies, grossing $16,161 at the one theater where it played, per Box Office Mojo. (Check out the trailer, embedded below.) Fashion doc Valentino: The Last Emperor continued to draw good crowds, earning $14,196 per screen at four locations, while Paul Dano and Zooey Deschanel helped Matt Aselton's Gigantic become the top performer among new releases, reaping $10,294 for a film that's received mixed reviews.

After the jump: Film festivals around the country.

After finishing up the first four volumes of the hilarious and endearing Scott Pilgrim graphic novels (the fifth hits stores on Wednesday), I was talking with one of my fellow Cinematical writers who was similarly fond of them and yet quite vocal in his discontent with the casting of Michael Cera in Edgar Wright's forthcoming big-screen adaptation (admittedly, the character does deserve someone a little... livelier).

Between that, the less-than-amusing spot for Harold Ramis' Year One from yesterday's Super Bowl, his potential part in that fingers-crossed Arrested Development movie, the release of Youth in Revolt being bumped back, and his role in last month's Sundance curio Paper Heart (oh, heck, and tomorrow's DVD release of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist while we're at it) -- is 2009 due to be the year of Michael Cera, or rather, is Cera due for a backlash against his seemingly limited range of bumbling performances?

What do you guys think of the once and future George Michael?

Sundancers enjoyed unseasonably warm weather (41 degrees in the afternoon) as the festival headed toward its concluding weekend.

Deals. After picking up the Nazi zombie flick Dead Snow, IFC Films added another comedy to its roster, acquiring Armando Iannucci's In the Loop just hours before its premiere, according to Mike Jones at Variety. The film stars Tom Hollander, Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, and Steve Coogan. A 2009 theatrical release is planned, per indieWIRE. But where's the bidding wars for docs? A. J. Schnack of All these wonderful things writes: "For the first time in anyone's recent memory, the first half of the fest had come and gone without a major doc sale."

Reviews/Interviews. Would-be comedy Paper Heart is "partially built around Charlyne Yi's persona," says Eric D. Snider, "and I find her persona boring." Oh, dear. The "typically hilarious" Michael Cera also appears. James Rocchi was busy, interviewing the great Kevin Spacey about Shrink and talking with actor / director / writer John Krasinski about Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. James also reviewed Ondi Timoner's documentary We Live in Public, which he called "incisive, exciting and thought-provoking."

Prison drama Bronson, from Pusher trilogy director Nicolas Wining Refn, has created a fair amount of buzz, and Scott Weinberg knows why, describing it as "raw, blistering, harsh and compelling." Scott also took a bemused gander at Bobcat Goldthwait's World's Greatest Dad, with Robin Williams essaying the titular role of a father dealing with life after his teenage son "dies while masturbating." Yes, folks, it's a comedy! To end on a musical note, Erik Davis caught The Carter, a doc about rapper Lil' Wayne, "a passionate, talented man who's slowly losing himself." You can check out all our coverage at the fabulous Sundance hub at Moviefone.

Blog Talk. After the jump: Woody Allen's soul, Bobcat's schedule, and Paris Hilton.