brittany murphy Tagged Articles at Cinematical
News Bites: Kristin Stewart Goes Jett and Brittany Murphy Gets 'Wicked'
Filed under: Music & Musicals », Thrillers », Casting », Images »
It was only a matter of time. The Runaways are in place, production on the film is gearing up, and try as she might, Kristin Stewart wasn't able to keep her Joan Jett 'do under wraps; E Online caught a full glimpse of the new look. Why am I writing about a hairdo? Well, if there was one initial clue to discern how this Runaways pic would turn out, it's how each of the cast members look -- especially Stewart's Jett. And it's not bad. I can't go with good or great, because by this image (right), it looks more like a modern hack-job than a '70s mullet. But it's decent. At the very least, I doubt anyone will be thinking of Bella when Stewart grabs her guitar and hits the stage.In a much less rockin' vein of news, The Hollywood Reporter posts that Brittany Murphy has signed onto a psychological thriller called Something Wicked -- no relation to that Wicked musical. We can't quite tell you what the premise is, because there are two competing summaries. THR says the flick is about a teen and his girlfriend (who is out of his league) whose lives become chaotic when her parents are killed. IMDb, on the other hand, says it's about a young couple prepping for marriage when gruesome secrets resurface. Either way, it looks like Murphy has but a supporting gig.
I guess the mediocre films have finally caught up with her, leading her away from the romcoms (at least that's a plus) and into B thrillers. But maybe The Expendables will help -- unless she gets outshone by Charisma Carpenter. Hmm... Is this the end of Murphy?
Brittany Murphy is Another One of 'The Expendables'
Filed under: Action », Independent », Thrillers », Casting », Newsstand », War »
It's been awhile since we heard anything about Brittany Murphy, but that'll change this week, at least when it comes to a certain "expendable" Twitter feed, because Murphy has just found herself among the rough and tumble boys of The Expendables.If you're hoping she puts on some fatigues, straps on some semi-automatics, and helps take down that South American dictator ... sorry, but no. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she's playing Mickey Rourke's girlfriend, and probably the only major female role of the film. The girlfriend is a musical lass, and so Murphy will actually perform a musical number at some point in order to break up the testosterone. Perhaps one of the other expendables will fall in love with her in order to remind us that despite hanging in an all-male mercenary unit, they're totally straight. In fact, I'm willing to bet that's precisely what happens.
Singing was what we last saw ... er, heard Murphy doing. You might remember that she was the throaty, popular penguin Elijah Wood had his beady eyes on in Happy Feet. She also has an album to her name titled Faster Pussycat.
So, there you go. A girl in The Expendables who will give them a beautiful memory to carry into the South American jungle along with all their weapons and muscles.
Brittany Murphy Cheats in the 'Across the Hall' Trailer
Filed under: Thrillers », Trailers and Clips »
In February, Brittany Murphy signed on to star in the noir thriller Across the Hall, and now you can check out a trailer for the film above. It's supposed to be a thriller about a man, his fiancee, and his best friend, and it is, but there are also a whole lot of mixed messages thrown in for good measure.
While the plot seems like your typical love triangle -- girl cheats with lover's best friend, lover chooses to kill best friend and live happily ever after -- there's a whole slew of horror techniques that are either misleading or hinting at some big, supernatural twist. The hotel and the room across the hall are described as if they're filled with ghosts or other ghoulish things, instead of just a jealous fiance. Quick cuts merge with eerie voice-overs, but while some sort of big fright seems right around the corner, it never comes.
It's all a big mystery, but at least it looks interesting. The film is slated to hit theaters February 6, 2009.
[via Ace Showbiz]
Brittany Murphy and Thora Birch Race to Make the 'Deadline'
Filed under: Thrillers », Casting »
She might not be able to wear animated miniskirts and fly around as Tinker Bell, but Brittany Murphy is going to get the chance to have a breakdown. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Murphy is teaming up with Thora Birch, Tammy Blanchard, and Marc Blucas for a new psychological thriller helmed by Sean McConville called Deadline.Similar to The Shining, Deadline stars Murphy as a writer who decides to go to an abandoned house to write a screenplay. But instead of serial killers who don't die or weird kids on trikes, a "bout of writer's block and other unforeseen events lead her to a psychological breakdown." I assume that the rest of the players are accompanying her to the house, or live nearby or something, unless there are flashbacks or weird apparitions.
However it's being done, it'll be great to see both Murphy and Birch get creepy again. My favorite Brittany film was Don't Say a Word, and Thora handled eerie fare well in The Hole (that British school kid movie that also starred Keira Knightley and had both of them locked in a hole in the ground). (It'll also be nice to see Birch in something again -- her last films came out in 2006, although she has a handful of projects in the works now.) And also, Blucas -- will he be good like Riley, good with a tough shell exterior like Animal in Prey for Rock & Roll, or bad, bad, bad? Shooting began Wednesday in Louisiana.
Brittany Murphy Ousted as Tinker Bell
Filed under: Animation », Casting », Celebrities and Controversy », Family Films », Remakes and Sequels »
Oh, the struggling and dreaded Tinker Bell movie. Two years ago, we learned that Brittany Murphy had signed on to bring words to Tinker Bell in a new series of films. Last year, there was behind-the-scenes, executive trouble. This year, in April, pictures were released. Now, poor Brit is out.Hollywood Newsroom reports that Brittany has been canned, and Mae Whitman is in. The post details all the woes with the Tink series, as well as Murphy's current decline -- from Ashton dumpage, to rumored drug use and a marriage to a man with a lot of legal trouble. This isn't exactly Disney-desired behavior, and it seems that her voice was lacking some sort of magic in the role -- not entirely surprising. Also, get this: "The story didn't work, too many fart jokes and lesbian innuendos." Fart jokes for Tink? What were they smoking when they originally put this together?
But now John Lasseter is working through this new Tink series, and one of the big changes is the voice -- Mae Whitman. HN mentions her role in Independence Day as the President's daughter, and her voice work on flicks like The Jungle Book 2, but she's also the strange teen paramour Ann Veal from Arrested Development. Remember her?
The post also includes a Lasseter-introduced clip from the upcoming movie, so you can check her out in action over at HN. Tinker Bell hits shelves this October.
Discuss: Is Hollywood Misogynistic?
Filed under: Action », Comedy », Casting », New Releases », Executive shifts », Celebrities and Controversy », Box Office », Fandom », Exhibition », Politics », Images »
In these supposedly progressive times, gender equality is one of those touchy issues relegated to the last paragraph of a trend piece nobody reads. When Katherine Heigl suggested to Vanity Fair that Judd Apatow's movies were sexist, the assertion came across like an after-the-fact shrug of acceptance. Ever the galvanizing provocateur, New York Times critic Manohla Dargis confronts the issue head-on with a thorough analysis of the gender bias in this year's summer blockbusters. With "Iron Man, Batman, Big Angry Green Man" and other massive expressions of virility invading the box office, female roles appear to be relegated to the back of the multiplex. Dargis touches on the rumors that Warner Bros head Jeff Robinov believes no woman has been able to sell a movie since Julia Roberts (a point that Natalie Portman might contest, but not Paris Hilton) before sizing up numerous upcoming studio releases, with particular attention paid to Anna Faris, "who could be the next Judy Holliday but without the right material will, alas, probably end up the next Brittany Murphy." It's the kind of pronouncement that hits you in gut.
Brittany Murphy to Replace Lindsay Lohan in 'Poor Things'
Filed under: Casting », Deals », Celebrities and Controversy », DIY/Filmmaking », Newsstand »
Chalk up another missed opportunity for Lindsay Lohan, as it now appears the gal will not be starring in the upcoming flick Poor Things, no matter what Shirley MacLaine tells us. Lohan originally dropped out last year when she was admitted to rehab (first or second trip for her, I forget?), and now according to The Hollywood Reporter, they're looking at Brittany Murphy as a possible replacement. I say 'looking at' because negotiations with Murphy haven't even begun yet; she's just one actress they're eying for the role. Poor Things also has a new director in Scott Marshall (Blonde Ambition), who replaces Ash Baron-Cohen after the dude dropped out over "creative differences."
Poor Things tells the story of two female con artists who befriend and then murder homeless men for their insurance policies. Sounds interesting enough, although I never knew the homeless were known for their phenomenal insurance policies. The film already stars Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis (as the two female con artists, I believe), as well as Rosario Dawson and Channing Tatum. HR also says that Murphy was cast in Sin City 2; a project we haven't heard much about as of late. I assume she'll be reprising her role from the first film. No word on when Poor Things will finally go into production, but we'll let you know.
Forget the Universe, Brittany Murphy is Going 'Across the Hall'
Filed under: Independent », Thrillers », Casting »
It was never a big surprise when Brittany Murphy lathered herself in a bunch of comedy -- her roots were in sitcom land. There was Drexell's Class, Kids Incorporated, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Blossom, Sister, Sister... Still, most of her comedies have been pretty crappy, and nothing like the wonder that is Clueless, so I'm always happy to hear about another thriller she's signed onto. (I loved her in Don't Say a Word.) Variety reports that the actress has signed onto a new indie noir thriller called Across the Hall.Heading into production next week under the directorial eye of Alex Merkin, the thriller focuses on "a love triangle between a young man, his best friend and his fiancee." Murphy is starring along with Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) and Danny Pino (Cold Case) -- who I presume will be the friends. If you're familiar with Merkin, this should sound familiar, as it's an expanded feature from his Adrian Grenier-starring short film of the same name. Have any of you seen it?
Meanwhile, Murphy's Ramen Girl is slated for release some time this year, and the period drama The White Hotel next year. The latter will be interesting -- she's playing an opera singer.
Horror Bites: 'Diary' Release Date? Brittany Murphy at '3:30 A.M.'
Filed under: Horror », Independent », Casting », Deals », Mystery & Suspense », Distribution », The Weinstein Co. », Remakes and Sequels », Cinematical Indie »
I love George A. Romero for what my Cinematical colleague Ryan Stewart does not -- the "symbolism bat," which allows Romero the freedom to use zombies to comment on whatever he wants. To me, that's a strength, not a weakness. Plus, Dawn of the Dead made me afraid of shopping malls, Day of the Dead made me claustrophobic and Land of the Dead made me wish I didn't work for a corporation.His latest, George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead, debuted at Toronto and fairly well divided audiences. I've heard from supporters, detractors and those in the middle -- Scott Weinberg was on the positive side -- but I can't wait to see it for myself. And hey! Romero made it completely independently, so that's in his favor. Jason Morgan at AMC's Monsterfest blog points to Box Office Mojo, which lists a release date of February 15, 2008. (Our friends at Moviefone also have this release date.) However, neither The Weinstein Co. site nor the film's MySpace page confirm the date yet, so plan your life accordingly.
Another independent horror film just found its leading lady. Brittany Murphy has signed to star in the psychological horror flick 3:30 a.m., according to Variety. Murphy has dipped her feet into the horror pool in the past (The Prophecy II, Cherry Falls, arguably Don't Say a Word). Mick Davis wrote and will direct 3:30 a.m., which is "about a young woman who leaves Gotham after the death of her father to work in a country hotel." The film is said to explore "the connection between dreams and reality." Davis is credited as a co-writer of The Invisible, one of the worst-reviewed movies of the year, but also wrote the original Swedish version; he is currently filming Dylan, starring Kevin McKidd as the Welsh writer Dylan Thomas. 3:30 a.m. is scheduled to begin filming in January 2008.
Brittany Murphy and Jason Lee Will Lead 'Other Side'
Filed under: Comedy », Casting », Scripts »
You know, we're leading with Brittany Murphy and Jason Lee, but they're only the mainstream, comedic tip to the talent that is coming from the upcoming fantasy comedy The Other Side. There is Giovanni Ribisi (Lost in Translation), and I wouldn't be surprised if he got the gig due to his connection with Lee -- they were both in I Love Your Work, plus an untitled short that Lee directed last year and he's appeared in a few eps of My Name is Earl. But the cast also boasts Jim Broadbent, Tim Roth and Lili Taylor listed in the news from Variety, and IMDb lists even more -- Anjelica Huston, Fiona Shaw, Eddie Izzard, Rupert Friend, Eddie Griffin, Dave Matthews... You get the picture.Directed by producer David Michaels, Other Side comes from the pens of Michaels and Phil Reeves, and it focuses on a grad student (Murphy), who is spending her summer working at a science institute on a remote northern island. While there, "she discovered an eccentric community of characters who are hiding a secret about a terrible tragedy that took place many years before." Lee, for one, is playing: a hippie, chauffeur, pilot, butler, bartender and bait shop clerk. Between him and the rest of the cast, I would say that they picked just the right people to pull off an "eccentric community," although I find it smirk-worthy that Murphy will play a scientist. This is a comedy, so I imagine she will be a very, very cute and giggly scientist. However, how interesting would it be if she was the one believably serious actor in the piece? I mean, she has completely 180'd before.
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