Many Kristen Stewart fans know that one of her films from 2008, The Yellow Handkerchief, has been a sort of mystery for the past few months. Starring Stewart, William Hurt, Maria Bello, Eddie Redmayne, and Emmanuel Cohn, this film is one that many have wanted to see for a while.

According to one of my colleagues,

It seemed that The Yellow Handkerchief, director Udayan Prasad’s indie road flick set and shot throughout the Louisiana countryside, was dead in the water. After debuting in early 2008 at Sundance to lukewarm reviews, the picture made the festival rounds. Despite starring Oscar-winner William Hurt, it failed to generate even a modest buzz and was passed on by studio after studio.

A recent article by Variety, though, indicates that the film will indeed be making its way through the commercial marketplace.

According to Variety,

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired U.S. distrib rights to William Hurt starrer “The Yellow Handkerchief.”

Produced by Arthur Cohn, pic follows three strangers on a road trip through post-Hurricane Katrina Louisiana. Maria Bello, Kristen Stewart and Eddie Redmayne also star.

Acquisition was negotiated by Cohn and Samuel Goldwyn prexy Meyer Gottlieb.

Goldwyn tentatively plans a fall or winter theatrical release.

A 2008 review of the film by Variety discussed the strengths of it. According to the review, “Though both Hurt and Stewart appeared in “Into the Wild” last year, here they’re given sufficient screentime to explore their enigmatic characters”

Kristen Stewart’s popularity is a secret to no one, so it is a surprise that a studio finally decided to pick up the project? Is this something you look forward to seeing? Comment below and let us know.

source:  examiner.com

Kristen Stewart be starring alongside Dakota Fanning in New Moon, and in The Runaways together.

Kristen talked with MTV and dished about Joan Jett, Dakota Fanning and The Runaways.

On starring with Dakota Fanning in two flicks: “I can’t wait to actually work with her. We aren’t BFFs yet, but hopefully. I’m so excited that she took the part in The Runaways.”

On telling Joan Jett’s story in The Runaways: “It’s one of the most immense responsibilities to play a real person. If it is not done right, it should be publicly acknowledged. Her story is important. It is an incredibly triumphant feminist story, really. She is an incredibly distinct personality, and so many people love and admire her, and so many people know her as just being one of the coolest people ever to live — and that, in itself, has been one of the most intimidating things that I have ever had to confront.”

On being friends with Joan Jett: “That band, the Runaways, is what started her entire life. She is very happy that it’s being told. … She is the first woman to ever start her own record label, and she’s just a good person. She’s got ambition, she’s got conviction, and she’s just cool.”

Here you got the video:

Soruce: JustJaredJr

As Summit Entertainment looks to lock in a director for the third installment of the Twilight series, Eclipse, the company is talking to a select group of directors — including actress-turned-helmer Drew Barrymore, EW has learned. While this news may come as a surprise to some, Barrymore did just finish work on her directorial debut, Whip It! starring Ellen Page. Neither Summit nor Barrymore’s reps would comment for this story

source:  hollywoodinsider.ew.com

Jason Mewes, better known to most as Jay to Kevin Smith’s Silent Bob, is teaming up with Twilight sensation Kristen Stewart for a prison comedy. And if that’s not weird enough, Kristen Stewart will play a dude!

We actually first hard about this project back in November. Jason Mewes toplines the film while Stewart co-stars with fellow Twilighter Nikki Reed. Both undergo gender transformation for their roles. It’s directed by Kristen Stewart’s mother Jules, which I guess explains how they landed one of the hottest commodities in Hollywood to show up for it. The update here is that this isn’t just some crazed fantasy after all, it’s really happening.

Jason Mewes stopped by Moviehole today and talked to them about the movie, being called K11. He says their start date in January slipped, but they’re shooting in August or September. This may have something to do with Stewart’s commitment to the Twilight sequel New Moon which is due out in November and should by this time, be heavy into production if they plan to have it ready by fall 09.

As for Mewes, it’s always great to see him getting more parts outside of Smith’s View Askew universe. With his willingness to go full testicle for a role, he’s the perfect choice for any prison shower scene. Click over to MH for more on Jason’s role in K11.

source: cinemablend.com

Some know it as Tartan Day, others as the start of their Easter holidays, however for UK-based Twilight lovers Monday 6th of April is of special significance as that’s when the DVD of the film is released. Write it down in your diaries, make plans to hit the shops early that day or simply bypass the fuss and pre-order it online at Amazon.co.uk here. For not only do the two discs feature the romance between Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson), but oodles of special features that help you take inspiration from the film that has proved a mega-hit.

Here at Boxwish, we’ve been huge fans of Twilight’s soundtrack and especially that incredible Paramore track “Decode” and this song’s music video and a performance of “Supermassive Black Hole” by Brit rockers Muse (which was so cool during the Cullen baseball scene) are both included as special features. Music fans are also served by director Catherine Hardwicke’s video for a remix of “Bella’s Lullaby”, a documentary looking at the movie’s music choices dubbed the “heartbeat” of Twilight and Edward’s piano concert.

There are the usual features such as audio commentaries, trailers and TV spots and deleted/ extended scenes, and fans of the books will appreciate a look at how the love story went from page to screen. There are also some character-specific nuggets such as “Becoming Bella” and “Becoming Edward” (hopefully providing some insight on how to achieve their fashions) and more.

Already the number one DVD bestseller on Amazon.co.uk, the DVD of the phenomenon is bound to provide all new ways for Twilighters to seek inspiration. But what aspect of the production do you most want to get the scoop on? The locations? The clothes? The interiors of Edward’s oh-so-cool bedroom? Leave a comment and let us know below.

source: boxwish.com

It was a historic day as Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States and while this year’s Sundance Film Festival came to a standstill for the Inauguration, two of the festival’s most sought after stars, “Adventureland’s” Kristen Stewart and Jessie Eisenberg, weren’t able to enjoy it.

“We drove over here quickly hoping to catch the moment and then we just heard everybody screaming outside and were like, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’  With YouTube it doesn’t really matter, but while it happens, it’s such a different momentum,” Stewart says.  “And then we had to go talk about our movie.”

“Yeah, we had to go talk about shooting in short sleeves,” Eisenberg dryly jokes.

Unfortunately, duty calls as the duo soon began a busy day promoting their new romantic comedy “Adventureland,” including speaking to this hurried writer. Written and directed by Greg Mottola (“Superbad”) the 1987 period flick finds Eisenberg as James, a recent college grad that finds himself working at the local amusement park the summer before he heads to grad school.  Stewart plays Em, the object of James’ affections, a troubled girl who also works at the park and is slowly become aware of how stupid her affair is with married park mechanic Connell (Ryan Reynolds).  The 18-year-old actress actually shot “Adventureland” before her breakthrough role in “Twilight,” and loved the autobiographical aspect of Mottola’s script.

“[It's not autobiographical] to the tee, but he worked at a park and had a funky time of it,” Stewart says. “It’s very sincere and, of course, that’s what you really want in a movie. [It's also] very genuine and honest and not cliche. And he was such a sweet guy I really wanted to work with him and I thought ‘Superbad’ was pretty great too.”

However, playing an old character is also something Stewart says she usually isn’t her cup of tea.  She admits, “I like to play younger.  You have more control.”

Continuing, Stewart says Em is “kind of immature, I guess. She hasn’t really been able to emotionally progress. It’s weird, she’s sort of the semi-rogue bad girl. She’s [expletive] an older guy, but I felt like it was easier because she was completely incapable or mature adult.  At the same time really smart.  She’s very defined, so it’s not like I had to fill in the gaps.”

The picture is set in a sweaty, humid Pennsylvania summer, but the movie ended up filming in the distinctly chilly Pittsburgh months of October and November.  So, those t-shirts Eisenberg mentioned earlier weren’t very helpful in keeping them warm.

“My kneecaps are, like, purple. It’s really embarrassing,” Stewart admits. “I’m serious. If you watch it my knee caps are purple.”

As you might expect, the flick premiered at a sold out auditorium filled with tons of ‘Twilight’ fans in attendance.  I asked her if having gone through the franchise mania over the past few months had made her more confident in getting up in front of huge crowds like the friendly one that night.

“No, much less,” Stewart quickly responds. “Yeah, yeah. It’s so different. One movie had never interfered with the next. They have always been very isolated independent experiences and this is undeliably half of the girls sitting there maybe they liked ‘Adventureland,’ but they weren’t like, ”Adventureland!”  So, it’s a little weird. It feels like you should be doing something for it.”

Maybe the projects will open up other films to this audience?

“Yeah, that would be great,” Stewart says.  “I like ‘Twilight,’ but the effect of it — it’s not hard to deal with, it’s just different.”

Stewart hasn’t had much of a break after the “Twilight” opening frenzy and publicizing “Adventureland.”   Still, she says she’s excited to start work on the “Twilight” sequel “New Moon” in March.

“It’s a little daunting, but what’s even more daunting is I just got cast in a movie called ‘The Runaways.’ I am going to play Joan Jett in between ‘New Moon’ and ‘Eclipse,’” Stewart says.

I asked Stewart if she was starting to work on her guitar skills in order  to play the legendary musician.  She says, “Luckily, I do play guitar [but Jett,] especially when she was younger, was always very quick to point out she just plays basic rhythm guitar.  So, it’s not power chord, they are great, but it’s simple. It’s punk rock.”

And will we get to hear Stewart sing onscreen?

“They want to do it live,” Stewart admits. “I don’t know where they are going to find the Lita Fords and the Sandy Wests, they are like brilliant musicians. But they do want to do it live. Joan sings a couple of songs, but typically they are back up vocals.”

Sensing her weariness at the prospect, I asked if singing was something she’s been waiting to do on screen.

“No, it makes me crazy. I don’t do it,” Stewart says. “It’s not something I do.”

Something tells us Ms. Stewart will find the strength to pull through.

source: hitfix.com

The 25th Sundance Film Festival opened on Thursday with founder Robert Redford sounding an optimistic note for cinematic art and an artful movie challenging audiences to laugh through the pain of an imperfect world.

The Australian animated film “Mary and Max,” a tale of misfits on opposite sides of the globe who find friendship by becoming pen pals, was described by festival director Geoffrey Gilmore as being about “compassion, love, friendship and ideas.”

It seemed a fitting opening for 25th anniversary of the top U.S. festival for independent film; while it illustrates the broadening of “indie” movies — it has a global perspective and uses stop-motion technology and clay figures — “Mary and Max” reminds audiences that films made outside Hollywood’s mainstream often deal with human frailty.

“It’s not the sort of story you’d see from (Hollywood studios) DreamWorks or Pixar. It deals with different or marginalized characters,” director Adam Elliot told Reuters. “It’s something a bit odd. But at the end of the day, it’s supposed to be a feel-good film.”

Sundance, backed by Redford’s Sundance Institute for filmmaking, has long championed non-mainstream work.

When it began in 1985, the festival’s low-budget movies often centered on human dramas, and as past Sundance films like “sex, lies and videotape” and “Clerks” proved profitable, the indie market began to grow.

The range of independent films broadened to include more comedy and technology, and the movies became more global in their scope. Sundance has helped usher in those changes.

TOUGH TO BE INDIE

But in 2008, the industry fell on hard times. Mighty distributors like Paramount Vantage and Warner Independent Pictures ceased to exist or changed business plans.

The quality and range of independent movies had improved with titles such as “Little Miss Sunshine” or “Napoleon Dynamite,” but with that came more independent films competing to reach theaters. Revenues per film have fallen.

Still, Redford believes independent filmmakers will find new ways to make movies and reach fans, and at Thursday’s premiere of “Mary and Max” he saw the upcoming inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama as a harbinger for change in the art of cinema.

“I’m actually thinking positive because when times are bad, there’s always an opportunity for artists,” Redford told the opening night audience.

Sundance runs through January 25 and reaches its climax at a closing ceremony where awards for the best independent films, directors, writers and cinematographers will be given in categories for dramas and documentaries. The festival recognizes films from the United States and around the world.

Over the next 10 days, stars including Chris Rock, Ben Affleck, Ashton Kutcher, Amy Poehler and newcomer Kristen Stewart, star of “Twilight,” are expected to hit town.

While this year’s Sundance has been overshadowed by the recession, organizers say ticket sales are up from 2008.

So, while Hollywood studios have scaled back travel to the festival — several executives and talent agents told Reuters they were bringing five to 10 percent less staff — and clearly there are fewer companies hawking their wares and clamoring for media attention, movie lovers remain in theaters.

They are looking for a little laughter, some new technology and maybe even human frailty — the stuff of life.

“Art,” Redford said. “will always find a way.”

source: Reuters

Fresh from the box-office success of “Twilight,” Kristen Stewart is set to portray Joan Jett in “The Runaways,” the rock ‘n’ roll biopic of the 1970s all-girl band.

The Runaways were hugely influential as the first commercially successful all-girl hard rock band; their members included guitarists Jett and Lita Ford, drummer Sandy West, singer-keyboardist Cherie Currie and bassist Jackie Fox. The band was brought together in late 1975 by impresario Kim Fowley, who thought a novelty act of teenage girls performing in leather and lace would be an easy sell. But the girls proved to be serious and influential musicians with songs like “Cherry Bomb.” The band lasted about four years, falling apart over management and money issues.

Jett continued her rock career into the ’80s, forming the Blackhearts and scoring with such hits as “I Love Rock N’ Roll” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” She continues to record and tour.

The film will revolve around Jett and Currie and follow them from the band’s meteoric rise as teenagers to their dissolution and disillusionment.

Video director Floria Sigismondi wrote the screenplay and is directing. Jett will serve as an executive producer.

The filmmakers are eyeing a 2009 start and will work around Stewart’s commitments to the two “Twilight” sequels. The first, “New Moon,” is expected to shoot in first-quarter 2009, with Stewart reprising her role as Bella, the human who falls for a vampire.

“Twilight” has made more than $120 million since opening November 21.

source: reuters.com