"LIBERAL ARTS": A CROWD-PLEASER AT SUNDANCE

Still from Liberal Arts

As the Sundance Film Festival approaches and end, yet another Crowd Please has emerged in How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor's Liberal Arts. Written, directed and starring himself and emerging star Elizabeth Olsen, the Dramedy sees Radnor playing a burnt-out 35-year-old Man who returns back to his College for inspiration, but instead winds up falling in love with a 19-year-old Student (Olsen). Allison Janney and Zac Efron also star.

IFC Films is confirmed to have picked-up distribution rights and IndieWire notes that it received two standing ovations at Sundance.  Impressive.

(Photo credit: BCDF Pictures)

"SMASHED" AND "SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED" GARNERING BUZZ AT SUNDANCE

Still from Smashed

As the Sundance Film Festival approaches the halfway mark over in Park City, the buzz continues to build for some promising Indies. Safety Not Guaranteed in particular is garnering a bit of buzz after some positive reception at its initial Screening. The Sci-Fi Comedy centers around two employees at a Magazine (played by Jake M. Johnson and Aubrey Plaza), whom both go on an all-out search to find a Man who placed a whacky ad for Time Travel in the Classifieds. New York Magazine reports "...expect a lucrative sale for this one, which has tons of mainstream breakout potential". 

Mary Elizabeth Winstead who has been long overdue for a breakthrough, is getting lots of praise for her portrayal as an alcoholic Mother on the brink of changing her ways in Smashed - not to be confused in any way with the NBC Musical Series Smash, starring Katharine McPhee and Debra Messing ... although the latter's Will & Grace Co-star Megan Mullally does make an appearance in the Film. Meanwhile Winstead's Husband, played by Aaron Paul, makes a turn for the worse.  Slash Film already is calling the Drama a "must-see". Crossing fingers we see this one surface at TIFF!

(Photo credit: Super Crispy Entertainment)

"RED LIGHTS", "ARBITRAGE" & "ROBOT AND FRANK" GARNERING BUZZ AT SUNDANCE

Still from Red Lights

Filmed partly in Toronto, Director Rodrigo Cortés' Red Lights is getting a fair amount of positive buzz out of the Sundance Film Festival.  Described as "campy" and "over-the-top" by New York Magazine, the Thriller starring Sigourney Weaver, Elizabeth Olsen, Cillian Murphy and Robert DeNiro is about a Psychologist and her Assistant who study Paranormal Activity, being led to a world-renowned Psychic in Barcelona.  Alliance Films has picked-up this one, although there still isn't a set release date.  Will we be seeing this one at TIFF this September?

Richard Gere is no stranger to covering-up a secret or two. In 2002's Chicago, he played Billy Flynn - a top Lawyer hired to defend to Murderesses and also that year he starred in Unfaithful as a Husband who murders his Wife's Lover, rolling him up in a rug and throwing him in garbage dump.  Gere is gaining a ton of buzz at Sundance so far with his latest Drama, Arbitrage, which has him not only concealing his some financial wrong-doings at work, but also the death of his Mistress.  Juicy.  The New York Post also is raving that this juts might be the Actor's best performance ever.

Frank Langella and James Marsden star in Robot and Frank, a futuristic Comedy about and aged former-Jewel Thief whose Son employs a Robot to spend time with him.  New York Magazine already is calling the Film a "gem".

UPDATE: Abritrage was sold to Lionsgate Films and Roadside Attractions on January 25, 2012 for a reported $2.5 million. This might mean that Alliance Films will be distributing in Canada, seeing that they acquired Maple Pictures last year, which had a direct deal with Lionsgate.

(Photo credit: Nostromo Pictures)

LINDA LOVELACE BIOPIC "INFERNO" TO BEGIN PRODUCTION NEXT WEEK

Malin Åkerman at TIFF 2010

Even with Lindsay Lohan no longer tied to the project, Inferno still looks intriguing enough, having been on my radar for the past year. Screen Daily reports that the Biopic based upon now-deceased Adult Film Star Linda Lovelace's Autobiography Ordeal, will begin production on Monday.  The Book recounts Lovelace's years of abuse and coercion into Prostitution at the hands of her then-Husband Chuck Traynor.

There's a possibility that this one will be completed in time for the Sundance Film Festival in January 2012 and maybe even be considered for TIFF 2012 - although hopefully sooner than later we will see its release.

Toronto's v. own Malin Åkerman stars as Lovelace alongside Matt Dillon who will play Traynor, her sadistic then-Husband.  Sasha Grey, also a former Adult Film Star, will be appearing in Inferno, produced by Muse Productions.  Cannot wait!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

ELIZABETH OLSEN & SIGOURNEY WEAVER IN TORONTO FOR "RED LIGHTS"

Elizabeth Olsen & Mr. Will-W.

Don't even doubt that 22 year-old Elizabeth Olsen already is one of the hottest new names in Hollywood. The younger Sister of Multimedia Queens Mary-Kate & Ashley is just now working on her third Feature Film Red Lights, a Thriller directed by Rodrigo Cortés (Buried). Only recently did she win accolades for her work in Horror The Silent House at this year's Sundance Film Festival in Park City.  She also goes by Lizzie.

Olsen, who graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts (yes, the School of Lady Gaga) not long ago, stars in Red Lights as the love interest of Cillian Murphy. The Film is about a Psychologist named Margaret (Sigourney Weaver) who with her Assistant Tom (Murphy) study Paranormal Activity.  They then travel to Spain, visiting a world-renowned Psychic (Robert DeNiro).

Although a majority of filming for the Movie has taken place in Barcelona, two weeks' worth of Production was completed Toronto. Olsen wrapped early today and was actually a bit surprised to see that she had Fans asking for Autographs and wanting to take a Photo with her.  "Ugh, I look like a mess!", she chuckled.  Still though, she was incredibly friendly about posing for Photos as opposed to her Co-Star Murphy who was reported to be a little more shy about being photographed.  Filming wrapped officially after midnight with Olsen being the first to finish today; Murphy was the last to leave the Set at Pinewood Studios this evening.

"LIKE CRAZY" WINS BEST DRAMA FILM AT SUNDANCE

Felicity Jones at Sundance Film Festival

Congratulations to Paramount Pictures on their latest acquisition at Park City's Sundance Film Festival.  Like Crazy was awarded the Grand Jury Prize of Best Drama this year.  As you might remember, the Film is about a British Girl (Felicity Jones) who falls in love with an American (Anton Yelchin), but must return back to the U.K. after her VISA expires. 

Andrew Barker at Variety has called Like Crazy an "exquisite, beautifully acted gem" and The Hollywood Reporter's John DeFore calls it a "deeply-felt love tale".  Crossing fingers they save this one until TIFF 2010. Would love this to premiere in Toronto in September!

Recent Oscar Best Picture nominees to win the Prize include Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire and Winter's Bone. Coincidentally Jennifer Lawrence, who was nominated for an Oscar this year for Winter's Bone, also stars in Like Crazy.

(Photo credit: Associated Press)

"LIKE CRAZY" AND "MY IDIOT BROTHER" ARE HITS AT SUNDANCE

Still from Like Crazy

Deadline is keeping a close tab on the Distribution deals being struck in Park City at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend and it looks like the one Film getting the most buzz is Like Crazy, a Romantic comedy about an British Girl visiting the U.S. and falling in love with a guy over there, she is told she has to go back to the U.K. after over-extending her visit.  

Paramount Pictures won in the bidding and it is said the deal was in-and-around the $4 million U.S. mark for worldwide rights. The Film stars Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence - the latter who created a stir last year in Winter's Bone.

My Idiot Brother, which we have been following here for a while now, is also receiving a fair amount of buzz after its Screening last night, expecting to close a deal with The Weinstein Co. or Relativity Media in the U.S.  Maple Pictures is already set to distribute in Canada.  It is almost guaranteed that the Film will be profitable with its stellar Cast of Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Rashida Jones and Zooey Deschanel and the buzz that it is quite heart-felt.

JAMES FRANCO DEBUTS "THREE'S COMPANY: THE DRAMA" AT SUNDANCE

James Franco at Sundance Film Festival 2011

James Franco premiered his Short Film Three's Company: The Drama at the Sundance Film Festival last night and threw an Party at The Playboy Lounge in Park City, Utah afterward.  The Film takes dialogue drawn from the first three episodes of Three's Company, removes the Laugh Track and reads like a Drama. 

Franco took on the role of Jack Tripper, made famous by our dearly-beloved John Ritter, and it is said that the Lounge was decorated like The Regal Beagle, which the Sitcom's characters frequented.  He even donned a Toque and a blonde wig for the affair, singing a song laced with profanities to ring in this remarkable career achievement.  Oh, James!

In case you missed them, here are some Photos I got of Suzanne Somers, who played Chrissy Snow on the Show, earlier in the week.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

"MY IDIOT BROTHER" GAINING HEAVY BUZZ AT SUNDANCE

Still from My Idiot Brother

One Movie getting a serious about of buzz at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival held at the end of the month in Utah, is Jesse Peretz’s My Idiot Brother. The Comedy revolves around jailed Pot Dealer Ned, played by an unrecognizable Paul Rudd, who decides to take up time with each of his Sisters after being unable to live with his overbearing Mother.

The Film has an amazing Supporting Cast including Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer and Rashida Jones. Although the Film has been picked-up in Canada by Maple Pictures, it is being shopped around in the U.S. still. With a Cast like that it should have no problems being acquired, you’d think.

With no release date set yet, the Film will premiere at Sundance this weekend and Peretz apparently will be there to present the Film and answer questions afterwards.  I am so jealous of those who get to attend!

Visit the official website for My Idiot Brother here and follow updates on Twitter here. Yes, you actually do get cryptic messages from Ned if you Tweet him.

(Photo credit: Maple Pictures)