Films to watch in 2012

Lynden Barber, The Australian, reports

MAKING hard and fast predictions about the films coming out in the year ahead is a mug's game.

Many of the highlights are yet to be unfurled at film festivals like January’s Sundance, February’s Berlin and May’s Cannes, followed by Toronto and Venice in September.

Here there are bound to be surprises that no-one has predicted; if we’re lucky, one or two movies will arrive like a starburst and dazzle everyone who sees it - witness the French silent movie tribute The Artist at Cannes in 2011.

While some of these new discoveries will be released in the year ahead, a few will be held back for the following year, as is the case with The Artist, finally due for Australian release in February.

Conversely, highly anticipated films - ones from respected directors, featuring beloved stars, or part of a popular “franchise” - can all too easily turn out to be bombs; years in the making and destined to be forgotten in an instant.

Of course some of the bigger Hollywood movies will never see light of day at festivals and instead be kept under close wraps ready for their mega-marketed launches - though websites devoted to leaks from audience test screenings such as Ain’t It Cool News will do their darnedest to spoil any shocks.

Looking ahead is not all guess work though. Since the date of the Academy Awards was brought forward a few years ago, critics and other entertainment media tend to be shown many of the big-ticket items due for release in the first couple of months of the year.

You can add to that the number of independent and foreign language releases that gain premieres on Australia’s own film festival circuit - a testing ground for many film distributors, who use it to gauge audience reaction and spread the word on their top films.

As a result, I’m fortunate enough to have seen eight out of the upcoming 10 films listed here (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/gallery-e6frg8pf-1226225658544) and can say with confidence that if 2012 also brings the release of some other great titles it will be a rewarding year for cinema lovers.



A Few Best Men
Sure, it’s tasteless in the Hollywood grossout manner. But Stephan Elliott's best chance at a hit since The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is also very funny, thanks in part to Olivia Newton John’s priceless turn as a coke-crazed mother-of-the-bride. Pictured is Tim Draxl, Kevin Bishop, Kris Marshall and Xavier Samuel.

Lyndall Wennekes' 11 years of preparation for Young Talent Time

New Young Talent Time contestant Lyndall White. Source: Herald Sun

The Herald Sun reports

SHE'S 15, has been singing and dancing for 11 years and has a dream to turn all her performance training into a career.

And Lyndall Wennekes' time starts now after the Sydney schoolgirl was chosen to be one of 10 permanent performers on next year's new version of Young Talent Time.

It's believed up to five 15-year-old permanent performers will be announced, each of whom will leave the troupe at the end of the year because of the age cut-off of 16.

Wenneke was chosen from more than 30,000 hopefuls who applied to be on the Channel 10 show.

"It has been a dream since I was a little kid for something like this to happen, but I never expected it so it has been really cool," she said yesterday.

She joins the only other permanent member to be announced, Adrien Nookadu, with whom she practised some moves yesterday.

 

Kermit shows true colours to Sydney fans

Kermit the Frog has appeared before screaming fans at the Australian premiere of The Muppets.

Bigpond News reports

It might not be easy being green but Kermit the Frog was more than happy to show his true colours to screaming fans at the Australian premiere of The Muppets.

The 55-year old frog avoided the green carpet, which was host to co-star Jason Segel, opting instead to entertain the crowds from the comfort of the stage in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Kermit, who is visiting Australia for the first time in a career which spans nine Muppet films and many more television shows, said he was thrilled with Sydney and its froggy weather.

'It's pretty hopping,' he told AAP.

Kermit even opened up about his turbulent relationship with Miss Piggy.

'You know we've been together for a long time and we've sort of reached an understanding that I don't always understand,' he said.

But he did admit being on the other side of the world from his love was causing some tension in the relationship.

'She's always concerned about everything. I think she's mostly concerned about me being here with the Aussie ladies,' he said.

Segel, who co-wrote the film, was met on the carpet by adoring teenage girls, who would occasionally burst out with 'We love Jason'.

He said his biggest fear about writing the latest addition to The Muppets franchise was doing it justice.

'The big challenge and the biggest fear in my mind was making sure I did justice to the legacy that Mr Henson and Mr Oz created,' he told AAP.

'It meant very much to me and it meant a lot to everyone who grew up with The Muppets, so I just wanted to make sure it was worthy of the first three Muppet movies and The Muppet Show.'

And with the recent trend towards producing films using computer-generated imagery (CGI), Segel says there's something special about a film with real puppets.

'One of the things that differentiates The Muppets is that they exist in our world,' he said.

'Even if children can't put it into words, there's a visceral difference in how they feel knowing that someday Kermit could be their friend.'

In addition to co-writing the film, Segel also stars as one of the main characters, playing the world's biggest Muppet fan's brother.

And he said he had no problems fitting in with the puppet cast.

'I think that to be honest and all humility aside I'm very Muppety so I was embraced very early as part of the clan,' he said.

'Every day was a dream come true. You're acting next to your childhood idols. It's everything I ever dreamed of.'

And Kermit confirmed Segel's claim of fitting in with the cast, describing the actor as 'wonderful' but 'very tall.'

'It's wonderful to get back together with people like Jason Segel and Amy Adams,' he said.

But as wonderful as getting back together may have been, in this film the Muppet clan do so for a more sombre reason - to join forces and fight an evil oil baron who is trying to shut down the Muppet studio to drill for oil.

But Kermit did confirm that the film has a happy ending.

The Muppets releases in Australian cinemas on January 12.

Chopper Read approached by Channel Nine for Celebrity Apprentice Australia but told there was no prizemoney

The Daily Telegraph reports

COLOURFUL ex-criminal Chopper Read looks destined for a seat at the boardroom table on the second series of 'Celebrity Apprentice' - provided Channel 9 can find him a few dollars.

The criminal-turned-author-turned-artist-turned-actor has confirmed he has been approached by Nine to appear on the reality program, which was a ratings winner in its debut season.

At publication time yesterday, Chopper Read said he was still tossing up the approach after absorbing the news there was no prizemoney to be won in the new series of Celebrity Apprentice.

"They can go jam it up their (expletive) boardroom (expletive) (expletive)," he said, upon reflection.

MasterChef winner Julie Goodwin and one-time golden girl Nikki Webster are also in Nine's firing line for the next series.

Reinvented mum Goodwin is thought to have caught the eye of producers after impressing scouts during a guest appearance on Ten talkshow Can of Worms earlier this year.

The show would be a major coup for Webster, who first sprang to fame as a teenager, flying through the air and singing at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The recently engaged pop singer says she has been working on a new album and is a director of a talent agency.

Former footballer Jason Akermanis and Baywatch icon David Hasselhoff are also among those rumoured to be lining up for the new series.

A Nine spokeswoman said the network would not be confirming names for the series until 2012 and managers did not return calls yesterday.

True Blood star Ryan Kwanten arrives in Sydney for a true blue Christmas

Touchdown ... Ryan Kwanten arrives back home in Australia for Christmas. Picture: Snapper Media Source: Supplied

The Daily Telegraph reports

TRUE Blood hottie Ryan Kwanten has added some fresh blood to Sydney's celebrity holiday ranks, arriving yesterday for the Christmas break.

The former Queenscliff boy is believed to be mixing business with pleasure, catching up with family on the northern beaches and shooting a campaign for surfwear label Mambo.

Known best for his turn as over-sexed fang-banger Jason Stackhouse in the vampire series True Blood, Ryan Kwanten has become a regular sight in Sydney having recently spent several weeks here shooting his upcoming flick Not Suitable for Children.

Kwanten's latest holiday comes during a break in filming of his supernatural thriller 7500 in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, one visiting celebrity continuing his attempts to evade the paparazzi is Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, snapped arriving on the private pier at the Vaucluse mansion where he has been holed up with wife Melinda and their children Jennifer, 15, Rory, 13, and Phoebe 9.

While proving to be anything but publicity-friendly, Gates is said to be enjoying his Christmas break, having been spotted indulging in a few harbour cruises and the odd long lunch at some of the best-known waterfront eateries.

Picture of the Month - December

The University of Sydney – Garage Days, The Man Who Sued God, My Mother Frank, Looking for Alibrandi, Strange Planet, The Nostradamus Kid, Young Einstein, For Love Alone, Starstruck

Cringe! Hugh Jackman and Dannii Minogue write letters to their 16-year-old selves

Getty

NineMSN reports

Everyone is a bit awkward at 16 years old. It's the rules, right? Even for future celebrities!

Hugh Jackman and Dannii Minogue are among 70 stars to lend their voices to a new book called Dear Me: More Letters to my Sixteen-Year-Old Self.

"There will be a time when you get over Penny dumping you at the bus stop," 43-year-old Hugh Jackman writes to his 16-year-old self in the book. "In fact you'll see her in a couple of years and wonder why you cried every time you heard the Lionel Richie song 'Penny Lover'."

He adds, "Oh and the patch of zits on your forehead will also go but probably not as quickly as you hope. PS: buy shares in Google when they're invented."

Meanwhile, Dannii Minogue tells her younger self, "On a trip to Ibiza you will meet your true love in a nightclub. I know... tacky... but you can never plan these things.

"Deny, deny, deny if you are asked about how much hairspray you have used... your hairdos may be responsible for part of the hole in the ozone layer."

Rocker Alice Cooper advises his teenage self, "'Trashy girls are exciting for about five minutes. Keep your eye out for a really good lookin' church girl. Then you'll have the best of both worlds."

And Harry Potter author JK Rowling suggests, "Don't have your ears pierced by a hippy at a music festival. That was one nasty infection. Avoid bass players. All of them."

Sam Worthington returns in Wrath of the Titans movie by Warner Bros

The Daily Telegraph reports

A TRAILER for Wrath of the Titans starring Australia's Sam Worthington has been released.

Warner Bros brings back Worthington with Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes for a new adventure in Wrath of the Titans, a follow-up to last year's Clash of the Titans.

Wrath of the Titans tells the story Zeus's mortal son Perseus (Worthington), who goes on a quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus (Neeson) and battle the Titans.

Wrath of the Titans will hit theatres in 3D and 2D in 2012.

Brothers in Arms announces more cast

Colin Delaney, Encore Magazine, reports

Screentime and Network Ten have announced more names to their six part series Brothers in Arms.

Alongside actors already announced Callan Mulvey, Anthony Hayes and Damian Walshe-Howling, will be Susie Porter (East West 101, Sisters of War), Todd Lasance (Cloudstreet, Crownies), Luke Ford (Red Dog, Animal Kingdom) and Luke Hemsworth.

About the Milperra bikie war in 1984 between rival gangs, the Bandidos and the Comancheros, Brothers in Arms will be directed by Peter Andrikidis who has also worked on The Straits, Killing Time and Underbelly and written by Greg Haddrick (Crownies, Underbelly, MDA), Roger Simpson (Halifax FP, Stingers) and Jo Martino (Winners & Losers, Satisfaction).

Screentime are the production company behind the Underbelly and Crownies.

Ten executive producer Rick Maier said: “There is obviously a great responsibility to tell a story like this truthfully, respectfully and with conviction – so we felt very privileged to see this outstanding ensemble come together. This was a complex shoot and we think that across the board they have delivered the performance of their careers.”

Originally called Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, the ‘Bikie Wars’ element has been dumped.

Animal Kingdom to become Showtime TV series

Deadline reports

Writer/Director David Michod’s 2010 hit Animal Kingdom will be made into a US TV series, Deadline is reporting.

The project, about the inter-play between a criminal family and the police, is in development, but it has not yet been revealed if the production will be set in Australia or the US.

Produced by John Wells Productions (Southland, The West Wing) and Warner Bros TV, Michod and the film’s producer Liz Watts will receive executive producing credits on the show alongside Wells and Andrew Stearn. Jonathan Lisco, creator of K-ville and writer on Southland is so far the only writer announced.

Wells is also the executive producer on Shameless, for Showtime.

John Wells Production also produced Mildred Pierce, which Guy Pearce won a supporting actor Emmy for and is nominated for a Screen Actor’s Guild Award and Golden Globe. Pearce starred in Animal Kingdom as St Nathan Leckie, alongside Jacki Weaver in her oscar-nominated role as matriarch Smurf Cody and Ben Mendelsohn as Pope Cody.

No names have been announced regarding casting for the TV series.