lake city Tagged Articles at Cinematical

On a normal weekend, there are usually eight or nine new independent films opening in limited release, compared to three four wide releases. But for Thanksgiving, those numbers switch sides -- the multiplexes will be crowded with Twilights and Bolts and Transporters and Christmases and so forth, while the art houses have only a few new titles arriving.

In other words, there's not much to say in this week's Indie Spotlight, and there won't be any need for a Spotlight next week at all. So enjoy these few limited-release films opening today and next Wednesday: The Betrayal, I Can't Think Straight, Lake City, and Special.

The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
What it is: A documentary about a family that emigrated to the U.S. after the bombings in their native Laos that occurred during the Vietnam War.
What they're saying: Wow -- all 12 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are positive. "Lyrical, expansive, unbearably beautiful," etc.
Where it's playing: New York City (IFC Center).
More info: The official website has a list of release dates, most of which are several weeks hence.

Lake City
What it is: A drama starring Troy Garity as a man who returns to his Southern home and his mom (Sissy Spacek) after a tragedy separated them for many years.
What they're saying: Lake City is a lovely title, but the critics are saying it's all wet, or some other water-related metaphor. With 11 notices at Rotten Tomatoes, only one is positive, the rest indicating that despite Sissy Spacek's good performance, the movie is too serious, contrived, and banal.
Where it's playing: New York City (Quad Cinema).
More info: I can't find an official site anywhere.

A few casting tidbits from Wednesday:

• For his follow-up to last year's Brick, director Rian Johnson has nabbed Oscar winner Rachel Weisz to star in The Brothers Bloom, with production scheduled to begin in February. Story surrounds a pair of veteran con men who decide to take on one last job (wow, a surprise twist for a con flick, huh?) by swindling a mysterious millionaire (Weisz) out of some loot. Last we heard from Johnson, he described the film's general style as "[owing] more to the earlier part of the [20th] century than the later." With Weisz onboard, we expect the two con men roles to be cast in the coming days.
• Rebecca Romijn and Keith Carradine have joined the cast of Lake City, a project that recently brought on Sissy Spacek, Troy Garity and singer Dave Matthews. In the pic, Garity plays a man who reunites with his estranged mother (Spacek) when "deadly circumstances threaten their home." (Are we looking at high mortgage payments here or what?) Romijn will play a cop romantically involved with Garity, while Carradine was lucky enough to nab the part of gas station attendant.
• Scott Speedman is set to play Liv Tyler's boo in Strangers, an upcoming suspense thriller to be directed by Bryan Bertino. Tyler and Speedman will play a couple forced to fight for their lives when three masked strangers (one of which will be played by model Gemma Ward) break into their remote house in an attempt to prove that even hottie models have a dark, sadistic side. (What? No one mentioned the name Naomi Campbell.)

Lots and lots of casting news to report on today. Aren't we lucky? Check it out:

• My main man Ludacris (he's not actually my main man, I just feel a little bit more hip introducing him that way) has joined the cast of Fred Claus, where he'll play an angry elf. The rapper-turned-actor has been doing all he can to drum up interest in his mad skills ever since he co-starred in last year's Best Picture, Crash. Here, he joins a cast that already includes Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti and Kevin Spacey, among others. Pic is set to crash (no pun intended) onto the scene at some point during next year's holiday season.
• The adorable little (and I mean, little) Abigail Breslin (yes, she was Little Miss Sunshine) has been tapped to star alongside Ryan Reynolds in Definitely, Maybe for Working Title and Universal Pictures. In the flick, she'll play the inquisitive daughter of a divorced dad hell-bent on asking her pop some difficult questions about his love life. Awww.
• Sissy Spacek, Troy Garity and one of my favorite musicians, Dave Matthews, have signed on to star in Lake City, with Perry Moore and Hunter Hill co-writing and directing the pic. Spacek and Garity will play an estranged mother and son who reunite "under dire circumstances" to save their home. Though we're not exactly sure which character he's playing, Matthews (credited as David Matthews in the film) will take on the role of villain. Production is set to begin next week in Virginia.