Sam Jackson, Luke Wilson& Leslie Bibb to Star in 'Meeting Evil'« FirstShowing.net

Though recently he's dabbled in the role of one-eyed hero Nick Fury for Marvel's growing cinemtic universe of comic book adaptations, it looks likeSamuel L. Jacksonwill be doing some very bad things in the near future.Scene Magazinereports (viaThe Wrap) that Jackson and former AT&T spokespersonLuke Wilsonwill star in an adaptation ofThomas Berger's novelMeeting Evil. The story follows a depressed real-estate agent recently fired from his job who crosses paths with a mysterious stranger (Jackson) in need of his help. Before you know it, the duo embarks on a day-long crime spree in a strangely odd symbiotic relationship.

However, the depressed man soon discovers this mysterious stranger has a dark side. The book's synopsis makes the story sound even more peculiar:

Answering his door one morning, solidly middle-class John Felton finds a scruffy-looking man whose car is in need of a push. Responding helpfully despite his misgivings, John sets in motion a nightmarish series of events in which he becomes the unwitting accomplice of Richie Maranville, a psychotic criminal just released from a mental hospital. During their day-long crime spree, the two develop a curiously symbiotic relationship, with John ultimately discovering the dark, irrational side of himself he has long denied. While almost coming to believe Richie's assertion that they are psychic brothers, he makes a decision in the novel's final scene that lifts him forever above the"moral triviality"of his alter ego.

Leslie Bibb(Talladega Nights,Iron Man) will also star as Wilson's wife in the film from director Chris Fisher (S.Darko). This is an interesting assembly of talent, but it's been awhile since either Jackson or Wilson had a really great role. I never got a chance to seeMiddle Menthis year, so I can't say whether Wilson is working on a comeback. As for Jackson, well he's just always working, and while his small role inThe Other Guyswas certainly hilarious, this past decade hasn't been very kind to the actor's career. Sure he's had roles in some of the biggest films of the past ten years, but the roles are nothing compared to his work inThe NegotiatororPulp Fiction. I guess we'll find out if Meeting Evil will spark a little magic for both the lead actors.What do you think?

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Javier Bardem& Viggo Mortensen Top Choices for 'Dark Tower'?« FirstShowing.net

While director Ron Howard recentlyopened up a little moreabout the upcomingunprecedented adaptationofStephen King'sDark Towerseries, we're now starting to get into thebignews with this film and TV crossover. Treat this as arumorfor the time being, but theNY Postis reporting thatJavier Bardem(No Country for Old Men) is the top choice to play Roland Deschain, last living member of a knightly order of gunslingers, and humanity's last hope to save a civilization that will crumble unless he finds the Dark Tower. And if he's not up to the task, then apparentlyViggo Mortensen(Eastern Promises) is a close second.

Both the actors have an intimidating presence and have dabbled in the western genre before.No Country for Old Menis certainly a modern western and Bardem was quite a force to be reckoned with in the Coen Brothers' flick. As for Mortensen, films likeAppaloosaandHidalgoprove that he would have no problem saddling up for this major production. This role will be quite the undertaking for any actor who signs on since the adaptation includes three films and at least one season of television (the second season of television between the proposed second and third films is a prequel story, so a different younger actor could easily step into that role instead). These two are pretty great choices for Roland Deschain in my opinion, but let's not get too excited until we hear something official.Who would you like to see as Roland Deschain?

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Oliver Stone and Shia LaBeouf Considering Reunion for 'Pinkville'« FirstShowing.net

We haven't heard anything about the Vietnam War dramaPinkvillesince 2007. Even before the infamous writer's strike stopped the project in its tracks, directorOliver Stone'sreturn to the controversial war already had Bruce Willis and Woody Harrelsonattached to star. But the extended strike pretty much rendered the project dead in the water and forced Stone tomove ontoW.which had a completed script ready for production. Now it seemsPinkvillemight have new life asIGNreports the commentary track forWall Street: Money Never Sleepshas Stone andShia LaBeoufrevealing that they have discussed reuniting for the project.

The film is supposed to focus on the1968 My Lai Massacre, a turning point in the Vietnam War in which upwards of 500 people, mostly women, children and the elderly, were killed by U.S. soldiers who also sexually abused and tortured them beforehand. LaBeouf says his interest in the project stems from the fact that his father was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Using that information along with LaBeouf's age and the character descriptions from three years ago, it sounds like the young actor would playHugh Thompson Jr., an Army helicopter pilot who aided the villagers and later testified against the soldiers responsible for the mass murder. That would mean Channing Tatum, who wasoriginally castin the role, is likely out of the running, and any news of the wooden actor falling out of any project is good news.

Of course, nothing is set in stone (no pun intended), so it's unclear how soonPinkvillecould be revived or if any of the other previous cast talent could still be involved. Honestly though, after Oliver Stone's return to Wall Street resulted in a lukewarm reception, I don't know if a return to Vietnam is so wise. The story certainly sounds interesting, butPlatoonwill be looming over his shoulder and audiences will certainly use the 1986 Best Picture winner as a point of comparison. In addition, Stone won Best Director at the Academy Awards, so returning to the controversial war seems like a daunting task.What do you think?

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Judi Dench and Damon Herriman Join Clint Eastwood's 'J. Edgar'« FirstShowing.net

We already know Leonardo DiCaprio is playing the titular historical figure of the FBI in Cline Eastwood'sJ. Edgar, and that Armie Hammer (The Social Network) haslanded the roleof his alleged gay lover. Now Eastwood is in the midst of rounding up a supporting cast. Earlier this monthThe Playlistgot word that"Justified"starDamon HerrimanasBruno Hauptmann, the man convicted of kidnapping and killing the Lindbergh baby. Now they've spied a story over atSandwich John Filmswho spoke with Eastwood at his California Hall Of Fame induction where he revealedJudi Denchhas already signed on for an unknown role.

We're still waiting to find out whether or notCharlize Theronwill take the role Helen Gandy, a Justice Department file clerk who ended up being Hoover’s personal secretary. Apparently she's leaning towards the role, but also finds herself in themidst of consideringplaying the villain inShow White and the Huntsman. Since both projects shoot at the same time, the actress will be forced to choose between one project or the other. Either one sounds like an interesting choice for Theron, but since there's so much competition for Snow White movies, I'd say J. Edgar is the better project. In addition, her chances of awards attention as a supporting actress are much higher since this will likely be an awards contender next year.What do you think?

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Sundance 2011 Adds Another Late Midnight Film - Silent House« FirstShowing.net

Sundance announced today that they're adding another last minute addition to the2011 Sundance Film Festivalline-up, this time in the Park City at Midnight category, whichalready looks like it had some great films. It's calledSilent Houseand is fromChris KentisandLaura Lau, director and producer behind the 2003 shark thrillerOpen Water. Impressively captured with a continuous camera shot,Silent Housetracks the growing panic of its enigmatic lead, Elizabeth Olsen, who's trapped in an unnerving nightmare."Kentis and Lau mastermind a truly unique horror experience with immediateintimacyandunsettling terror."

Silent House(Directors: Chris Kentis& Laura Lau; Screenwriter: Laura Lau)— A hauntingly choreographed descent into madness based on the Uruguayan film La Casa Muda. Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Julia Taylor Ross, Haley Murphy, Adam Barnett. World Premiere

As it says in that fest description above, this is remake of a Uruguayan horror film calledLa Casa Muda, meaningThe Silent House, directed by Gustavo Hernández. Not-so-coincidentally, I got to see that original film at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year (read my review) and was fairly impressed, but not amazed. It's basically a supernatural/ghost story shot entirely in one take for 79 minutes. They're pulling a{Rec}toQuarantineby remaking it as an English-language indie before anyone even knows the original exists. I'll be curious to see how its changed, if at all, but I'm actually expecting it to be much scarier than the original.

In related Sundance news,The Playlistposted a good article worth reading aboutSundance Selectfilms playing theatrically in2011and a new digital/online rental service calledSundanceNowwhich will allow film fans to be able to watch a few various Sundance films from the comfort of their own home (for better or worse - I still prefer watching everything theatrically). That new site just launched atsundancenow.com.

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Gemma Arterton& Andrew Garfield Joining Michael Mann's 'Capa'« FirstShowing.net

Over a year ago we heard that directorMichael Mann(Public Enemies,Collateral) wasdeveloping a biopicof renownedwar photographerRobert Capa, with a focus on his two-year romance with fellow photographerGerda Taroduring the Spanish Civil War. Simply calledCapa, the story begins in Paris in 1935, where Capa, a refugee from Hungary, met Taro, a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany. Now it sounds like Mann has found his two leads in some promising young talent asTotal Filmcaught up withGemma Arterton(Prince of Persia,Clash of the Titans) who revealed that she andAndrew Garfield(The Social Network) are set to star in the biopic.

Garfield, who is currently in the midst of shooting Marc Webb's newSpider-Man, will play the titular photographer while Arterton (who, despite her beauty, has sort of tried my patience as an actress) will play Taro. Based on theSusana Fortes novelWaiting for Robert Capa, this is not your typical romance as the two lovers begin as exiled Jewish Communists Gerta Phorylle and Endre Friedmann who change their names to Gerda Taro and Robert Capa in order to sell their photographic work more easily and document the Spanish Civil War. However, tragedy looms for their romance just around the corner.

While I've yet to seeThe Disappearance of Alice Creed, I've heard Arterton's talents are much better than her work in the aforementioned epic blockbusters, so maybe she can really prove her talents with Michael Mann. As for Garfield, he was phenomenal inThe Social Network, and I've heard nothing but good things about his work inNever Let Me Go. And if he's good enough to snag the role of your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man then he's definitely doing something right. We're not sure when this project will take off, but count me interested.How about you?

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Glee's Chris Colfer Developing 'Struck by Lightning' Indie Project« FirstShowing.net

Earlier today, we sawGleestar Dianna Agron making a giant leap to the big screen in thelatest trailer forI Am Number Four. FellowGleestar Lea Michele has yet to land a major role besides inNew Year's Eve, but their openly gay co-starChris Colferhas setup an interesting project.Varietyreports that Colfer wrote the script for and is set to star in a new project calledStruck by Lightning, which producer David Permut is developing; he's currently looking for a director and a cast before getting financing.Struck by Lightningis a coming-of-age comedy that Permut says,"captures the spirit of movies penned by the lateJohn Hughes."

We don't know anything else about theStruck by Lightningscript, but Colfer is planning to shoot it during theGleehiatus next summer, so expect to see it at Sundance 2012. Yes, I will admit that I watchGlee, I'm a fan, and I think more than anything the talent on there is the best part. I'm always happy to see some of the young actors from the ensemble cast given a chance to break out beyond TV, which is why I'm reporting on this. Colfer, along with Lea Michele, are two of the most talented people onGleeand I'm looking forward to seeing their careers' blossom. We'll be sure to keep you updated onLightning, which has a long ways to go.

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