Man, this news truly bums me out. Variety reports that Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures are shutting down. It's not like this is shocking news; ever since New Line folded, it was all pretty much a given that both Picturehouse and Warner Independent would either close or merge in some way -- but it still stings for those who, like me, were big fans. In a statement, Warner Bros. president and COO Alan Horn claims this move won't stop the studio from taking more chances on young, indie voices. He says, "After much painstaking analysis, this was a difficult decision to make, but it reflects the reality of a changing marketplace and our need to prudently run our businesses with increased efficiencies. We're confident that the spirit of independent filmmaking and the opportunity to find and give a voice to new talent will continue to have a presence at Warner Bros."

On a personal note, Cinematical has worked with folks from both Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures, and have always found them to be wonderful people who truly care about spreading these little indie films as far and wide as they can. Here's hoping that love, that heart and that passion will not disappear. We wish all those involved good luck in their future endeavors.

After settling down for a New York Film Festival press screening of Little Children only a few hours ago, author Tom Perotta once again pops into my life. The man is somewhat of a genius when it comes to capturing those dark and disturbing secrets hidden behind the closed doors of most suburban neighborhoods, and Hollywood seems to jump at the chance to adapt his work.

Though his next novel, The Abstinence Teacher, isn't due out until next year, Warner Independent Pictures wasted no time in snatching up the film rights, with Bona Fide Prods. once again (Election, Little Children) set to produce. In the book, Perotta travels back into the classroom with a story that revolves around "a divorced sex ed teacher forced by religious conservatives to teach abstinence." Sounds like a blast, and if it's anything like his previous work then I'll be there, ticket firmly in hand, on opening night.

Jon Heder, the man everyone in Hollywood apparently wants to work with, is in yet another movie. He actually signed on to star in Mama's Boy last fall, but the movie sort of fell through the cracks after that, and there was some concern/hope (depending on your feelings about Mr. Heder and his talents) that it had made its way to the pile of titles that never get past the "announced" stage. Never fear, though, because he's now got a couple of costars and a director; it's safe to move on to the next crisis on your list [insert tired old Tom Cruise joke here].

The magnificent Diane Keaton will, rather inexplicably, play Heder's mother in the film. When she starts dating a "self-help guru" (he'll be played by Jeff Daniels, which is easily the most perfect bit of casting news I've heard all week), the man stars trying to get sad loser Heder to move out of her house, thus "prompting a mano-a-mano confrontation." I'm assuming this is a comedy, but it does sound like it might have a bit of an edge to it and, just possibly, some depth. Dare we hope?

Tim Hamilton is directing the film for Warner Independent Pictures; the IMDb indicates that it's filming, but since no start date is listed in Variety, I'm taking that with a grain of salt.

According to a great piece by the LA Weekly's Nikki Finke this morning, the makers of The March of the Penguins are considering suing Warner independent Pictures, the film's American distributor. Why? They want more goddamn money, that's why! The movie has made nearly $80 million at the box office so far and, apart from the $1 million for distribution rights and some back end money, the film's production team has seen precious little of it. The problem, of course, is that they SIGNED A CONTRACT that set up current payment situation so, unless pouting has suddenly become a valid legal argument, a lawsuit seems unlikely to stand much of a chance.

Interestingly, Finke points out that the Penguins team had multiple chances to expand their profits by agreeing to a licensing deal but that they repeatedly refused, quite reasonably fearing that such a thing would "cheapen" their film. So what happens? They show up at the Oscars with stuffed penguins. Nice.

This, my friends, is more like it. Finally, we have a proper trailer for Richard Linklater's fanboy dream,  A Scanner Darkly. After forcing us to survive for months on an interesting-looking but totally uninformative teaser, Warner Independent Pictures has unleashed something with a little meat on its bones (presumably this is the trailer that the Amp'd Mobile kids got last week).

Confession time: I have major, major issues with Linklater and find it almost impossible to take Keanu Reeves or Winona Ryder seriously. And yet, I dig this trailer - that must mean it's good, right? The look is still fascinating, and for someone who hasn't read the source novel, the story is as well. The best thing about the trailer, though, is Robert Downey Jr. It's interesting how the visual style forces you to focus more on how familiar the voices of these people are - there's a wonderful, weird gravity to Downey's that somehow gives everything he says a lot more layers that it might actually deserve. And, though Reeves' delivery on his "The two hemisphere's of my brain...are competing?" line is a little too "I know kung-fu" for my tastes, even that doesn't destroy the surreal atmosphere that the trailer manages to conjure up.

Only, what, five more months until it comes out?

[via Filmmaker Magazine]

Amp'd Mobile customers who also happen to be movie fans are very stoked right now, because Warner Independent Pictures have announced that they will debut the trailer for A Scanner Darkly exclusive to them (all 12 Amp'd users). Actually, they already have - visit the Amp'd website, and you can even click on the trailer link - the fun ends, however, when you have to send the content to your phone to see it. Doh! In addition, WIP plan to create new, promotional material exclusively for Amp'd customers which, again, will be viewable only on their handsets.

Obviously, this a creative way to advertise a very tech-friendly movie - but I wonder, who's paying whom? Instinctively, you'd think that WIP was paying Amp'd because they're the ones whose product is being promoted. But isn't Amp'd getting a huge push out of this, too? I know about the company from a few TV ads, but I've certainly never thought about switching providers. If they keep getting this kind of exclusive content, however, it certainly will make people sit up and take notice.

And to that one reader who actually uses Amp'd: please do tell us about the trailer.

The news last week that the Strangers with Candy movie would actually be hitting theaters (someday) sent the show's small-but-passionate fanbase into a frenzy, but a few details were missing. Like, say, who the hell was going to do the releasing, and when we could actually expect to see the movie on the big screen. Today, grasshopper, all has been revealed, and it's Thinkfilm that awaits your cards, letters, and gifts of thanks.

Having already cleared up the rights issues that caused the film to languish after Warner Independent Pictures acquired it at last year's Sundance Film Festival, Thinkfilm plans to have the movie in theaters this summer in "exclusive engagements" (translation: very limited release). The distributor is assuring the film's fans that no changes were made to it during the year at Warner's, and that they look forward to a summer of "gleefully promoting" the movie. Start the countdown today, kids: it's on.