When I heard Rob Reiner was planning to direct a documentary on a true comic icon and genius named Albert Brooks, I thought “Now this will be good!” Reiner is not only a smart and talented filmmaker in his own right, but also a longtime friend of Brooks, with whom he went to high school and even co-starred with him in drama department productions. I am happy to report this HBO Original documentary, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, premiering Saturday night and then streaming on Max, not only more than met my high expectations but exceeded them.
Set in a plush dark red restaurant booth, the film is anchored simply by a conversation between Reiner and Brooks. The visual is almost identical to the opening scene of Brooks’ 1981 Modern Romance, where he and his girlfriend are breaking up,...
Set in a plush dark red restaurant booth, the film is anchored simply by a conversation between Reiner and Brooks. The visual is almost identical to the opening scene of Brooks’ 1981 Modern Romance, where he and his girlfriend are breaking up,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
A fresh new voice in nonfiction filmmaking, Ahsen Nadeem never intended to make the doc that became “Crows Are White” as deeply, disarmingly personal as it turned out, but in re-centering the focus on himself, he arrived at a much more honest movie. Approaching the subject in the vulnerable, open-book tradition of cine-essayists Ross McElwee (“Sherman’s March”) or Caveh Zahedi (“I Am a Sex Addict”), Nadeem, who was raised Muslim in Saudi Arabia, works through why he found himself so conflicted about his religious upbringing, as well as how to break the news to his parents that he intended to marry a non-Muslim woman. The result is an introspective — and at times uncomfortably irreverent — journey for both him and the audience.
Nadeem’s original intention was to investigate the “marathon monks” of Mount Hiei, Japan, who seek spiritual enlightenment by walking a repetitive course known as the kaihōgyō, equivalent to the circumference of the Earth,...
Nadeem’s original intention was to investigate the “marathon monks” of Mount Hiei, Japan, who seek spiritual enlightenment by walking a repetitive course known as the kaihōgyō, equivalent to the circumference of the Earth,...
- 5/6/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
90210 alum Trevor Donovan and Code Black actress Jillian Murray will topline the indie film, Prescription for Love, being helmed by Brian Brough. The pic follows Claire (Murray), who fights for a chance at love with a charming new doctor (Donovan) and for a promotion to free herself from the misery her supervisor creates. Brough and Brittany Wiscombe are producing the pic via at Silver Creek productions. Donovan, repped by Artists Only Management, is set to star in two other indie films, Hot Water and World War II pic Wolf Hound. Murray, who also recurred on TNT’s Murder in the First, is repped by Link entertainment and Joseph Le Talent.
Westworld actor Leonardo Nam, Sheetal Sheth (Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World), Hal Ozsan (Jessica Jones), and Anil Kumar (False Profits) will star in Hummingbird, an indie drama written and directed by Tanuj Chopra based on a story by Sheth.
Westworld actor Leonardo Nam, Sheetal Sheth (Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World), Hal Ozsan (Jessica Jones), and Anil Kumar (False Profits) will star in Hummingbird, an indie drama written and directed by Tanuj Chopra based on a story by Sheth.
- 8/14/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
In the hierarchy of significance in what made news this past week, the sudden availability of the entirety of Albert Brooks’ output of feature films as a writer-director via Netflix Streaming may not carry the urgency of, say, the alarming continuance of African-American deaths under police fire, the attack on a peaceful protest against police violence by shooters who killed five law enforcement officers and wounded several more in Dallas, the ongoing partisan bloviating inspired by the FBI’s decision to not charge Hilary Clinton with federal crimes, or the frightening clown circus of offenses that characterizes the dawning of each new day in Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. But art can, among many other things, provide a momentary respite from pain, sometimes even while examining some of the more frustrating, self-centric and petty dissonances within our own, or someone’s else’s worldview, and in this Brooks’ films at...
- 7/10/2016
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
Albert Brooks is probably best known to younger movie fans as Marlin in Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory,” but thanks to a recent deal, Netflix is reminding everyone of the comedian’s long history in film. In a humorous new clip, Brooks announces that Netflix will host seven of his movies starting July 1.
Read More: Louis C.K. & Albert Brooks Co-Writing & Starring In Animated Pilot For FX
The lineup will include “Real Life,” “Defending Your Life,” “Modern Romance,” “Lost in America,” “Mother,” “The Muse” and “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World.” Brooks wrote, directed and stars in each film.
Until now, the movies haven’t been streaming online and were only available for purchase or rental. In the promotional video, Brooks jokes that he may have resorted to unsavory means to secure the deal with Netflix. “I’m not advocating kidnapping in any situation. It is a federal crime,...
Read More: Louis C.K. & Albert Brooks Co-Writing & Starring In Animated Pilot For FX
The lineup will include “Real Life,” “Defending Your Life,” “Modern Romance,” “Lost in America,” “Mother,” “The Muse” and “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World.” Brooks wrote, directed and stars in each film.
Until now, the movies haven’t been streaming online and were only available for purchase or rental. In the promotional video, Brooks jokes that he may have resorted to unsavory means to secure the deal with Netflix. “I’m not advocating kidnapping in any situation. It is a federal crime,...
- 6/30/2016
- by Kate Halliwell
- Indiewire
"I have seen the future, and it is a bald-headed man from New York!" Has there even been a specially-produced commercial announcing that Netflix was adding the library of a specific writer/director? I think this might be the first, and it feels appropriate that it’s done in spectacular dry Albert Brooks fashion. Tomorrow, the streaming video service will add all seven of the feature films that were written and directed by Brooks, and that is reason to rejoice whether you’re intimately familiar with all of them or new to them completely. I would argue that he’s made three perfect comedies and four films that all feature work that is smart and personal and carefully-observed. Modern Romance is a terrific movie that flies in the face of everything we know about how romantic comedy works, charting the ups and (mostly) downs of a relationship between Brooks and Kathryn Harrold.
- 6/30/2016
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Comedian and actor Albert Brooks had a long career before he became known as the voice of Marlin in the "Finding Nemo" films, one aspect of it that doesn't get discussed as much as it should are his efforts at directing.
Kicking off with 1979's "Real Life," Brooks penned and directed seven theatrical features which include 1981's "Modern Romance," 1985's "Lost in America," 1991's "Defending Your Life," 1996's "Mother," 1999's "The Muse" and 2005's "Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World ".
Starting tomorrow (July 1st), Netflix has revealed it will make these films available to stream for the first time ever, although sadly they will be available only to Netflix's U.S. subscribers. Brooks even shot a special piece for the announcement which you can see below:...
Kicking off with 1979's "Real Life," Brooks penned and directed seven theatrical features which include 1981's "Modern Romance," 1985's "Lost in America," 1991's "Defending Your Life," 1996's "Mother," 1999's "The Muse" and 2005's "Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World ".
Starting tomorrow (July 1st), Netflix has revealed it will make these films available to stream for the first time ever, although sadly they will be available only to Netflix's U.S. subscribers. Brooks even shot a special piece for the announcement which you can see below:...
- 6/30/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
It’s a good day to be an Albert Brooks fan. Well, any day is a good to be that, but today especially. The actor, writer, director, and comedian hasn’t written a feature film since Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, which was over a decade ago. Brooks isn’t returning to directing just yet, but with Louis C.K., he’s heading to […]
The post Louis C.K. and Albert Brooks Are Joining Forces for an FX Pilot appeared first on /Film.
The post Louis C.K. and Albert Brooks Are Joining Forces for an FX Pilot appeared first on /Film.
- 1/5/2016
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World: Levinson’s Afghan Exploration Prizes Diversion
After a unique pit stop in found footage horror with 2012’s The Bay and an underrated Philip Roth adaptation in 2014 with The Humbling, Barry Levinson returns to his particular predilection for boundary pushing, politically topical subject matters in Rock the Kasbah. It’s a very loosely based version of the true account of Setara Hussainzada, a woman who sang on national television in Afghanistan’s version of “American Idol,” known as “Afghan Star,” even though it’s illegal for women to sing.
More along the lines of Levinson’s Man of the Year (2006) than Wag the Dog (1997), as scripted by Mitch Glazer (his first excursion since 2010’s appalling Passion Play), the title seems as woefully out-of-touch as it is unwarranted. Oddly unsympathetic, even as it depicts a subversive act of rebellion within a ruthlessly patriarchal and misogynistic culture,...
After a unique pit stop in found footage horror with 2012’s The Bay and an underrated Philip Roth adaptation in 2014 with The Humbling, Barry Levinson returns to his particular predilection for boundary pushing, politically topical subject matters in Rock the Kasbah. It’s a very loosely based version of the true account of Setara Hussainzada, a woman who sang on national television in Afghanistan’s version of “American Idol,” known as “Afghan Star,” even though it’s illegal for women to sing.
More along the lines of Levinson’s Man of the Year (2006) than Wag the Dog (1997), as scripted by Mitch Glazer (his first excursion since 2010’s appalling Passion Play), the title seems as woefully out-of-touch as it is unwarranted. Oddly unsympathetic, even as it depicts a subversive act of rebellion within a ruthlessly patriarchal and misogynistic culture,...
- 10/22/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
th Anniversary Gala!" width="300" height="199" title="Nanubhai Education Foundation raises over $60,000 at 10th Anniversary Gala!" />Over 300 supporters attended The Nanubhai Education Foundation’s 10th Anniversary celebration. The event hosted at 404 NYC was held in honor of a decade of commitment to transforming public education in rural India. Sakina Jaffrey from the Primetime Emmy Award nominated original series, House of Cards, came to support the organization, along with Sheetal Sheth, best known for her role opposite Albert Brooks in Looking for Comedy In The Muslim World. Another big supporter that dazzled the evening was Award-winning director and photographer Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri.
Spokesman for Nanubhai Education Foundation, Actor Manish Dayal, best known for his role as Raj Kher, in The CW series 90210 also attended the Nef gala. Dayal has made big news for his upcoming leading role as Hassan Kadam in the DreamWorks Studios film adaptation of The Hundred-Foot Journey (based on the...
Spokesman for Nanubhai Education Foundation, Actor Manish Dayal, best known for his role as Raj Kher, in The CW series 90210 also attended the Nef gala. Dayal has made big news for his upcoming leading role as Hassan Kadam in the DreamWorks Studios film adaptation of The Hundred-Foot Journey (based on the...
- 5/25/2014
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
This year I finally went to the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). It took me 11 years of urging by my friend and former employee Carla Sanders, a festival guru, who works there and whose festival career began with "the two Garys" the founders of Filmex which was Los Angeles' first film festival in the 70s and 80s and one of the greatest shows on earth. In its second year The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie closed Filmex '72, and Luis Buñuel attended his first-ever public screening of one of his films. I won't go into this piece of history except to say it spawned the American Cinemateque and AFI Fest. The two Garys (Gary Essert and Gary Abraham) passed on, both victims of the first wave of the AIDS epidemic that hit the artistic community very hard, wiping out a generation of innovative filmmakers and film curator/ historians in Los Angeles.
The opening night of Iffla reminded me somewhat of Filmex with the glory of the filmmakers on the red carpet, beautiful young stars in glitzy clothes and skyscraper tall high heels, being stopped for interviews, flashbulbs going off and a general yet genteel excitement in the air. Even those interviewing were worth watching. It was different because all the stars were Indian which made this affair rather exotic at the same time.
The opening film, Gangs of Wasseypur, which had shown last year in the Cannes Film Festival, was truly extraordinary and the director Anurag Kashyap spent at least an hour talking to the audience about this film which is reminiscent of The Godfather and Gangs of New York though not at all derivative. Its second part showed the following evening and was equally outrageously original. Again the director spent an hour in the Q&A. He spoke to his move to Bombay as a filmmaker and the return to his own roots in telling the story of Wasseypur where he in fact grew up. The film actually is an analysis of the place's history and evolution as a burning inferno as the fight for the coal industry fuels the feud. From digging coal to killing someone in an innocuous brawl, the tale of vengeance runs parallel to the tale of India itself.
The 5 hours and 20 minutes were riveting. The music and dancing was also outrageous. Our friend Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter called it, "A dizzying explosion of an Indian gangster film, whose epic structure and colorful, immoral killers capture the imagination for over five hours."
David Chute, quoted in Thompson on Hollywood, says "Gangs is headlong, hand-held, violent entertainment. It manages to keep a dozen major characters and their agendas clear while rarely pausing to take a breath. It is also one of those rare movies that acknowledge the influence of movies and other forms of pop culture in shaping the values and motivations of its characters.
The story was actually based upon fact, a story of revenge over three generations of two families in a small city of India. My surprise and reaction to it reminded me of how I felt when I saw John Woo's The Killers in Toronto in 1989 which opened the door to John Woo in the U.S. (Coincidently it was the same David Chute who brought John Woo to the U.S. as I recall). The international sales agent, Elle Driver, has not made a sale in the U.S. Which surprises me.
Iffla concluded on Sunday evening (April 14) with a red carpet and gala fete that included the Los Angeles premiere of Deepa Mehta’s Midnight's Children, and the presentation of the festival's Grand Jury and Audience Choice Awards, followed by an after party.
This year the festival showcased more than 35 film features, documentaries, and short films at ArcLight Hollywood, home of Iffla since its inception. “The awards are always bittersweet for all of us in the programming team as we truly believe in the exceptional talent and relevance of each film which has been so carefully chosen,” said Lead Programmer Terrie Samundra. “That being said, we wholeheartedly share the enthusiasm of the audience and our prestigious jury. A huge congratulations to the winners!”
Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely took home the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature, with an honorable mention for Ship of Theseus directed by Anand Gandhi. The Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary went to Sushrut Jain for Beyond All Boundaries, and for Best Short to Unravel directed by Meghna Gupta, with an honorable mention for Tatpaschat directed by Vasudev Keluskar.
Audience Awards
Best Feature: Filmistaan directed by Nitin Kakkar
Best Documentary: Beyond All Boundaries directed by Gotham Chopra
Best Short: Unravel directed by Meghna Gupta
The 2013 feature film jurors were International Director of the Feature Film Program at the Sundance Institute Paul Federbush, director/editor/writer Kanika Myer (Halo, Heart Of India), and Assistant Curator of Film Programs at Lacma Bernardo Rondeau.The Best Documentary Award was decided by The Hollywood Reporter and Los Angeles Times film critic Sheri Linden, Senior Programmer at Film Independent Maggie Mackay, and Producer Nadine Mundo (Chelsea Settles). Judging the short films were filmmaker and Iffla alum Prashant Bhargava (Patang), Film Curator and Director of Industry Programming at Palm Springs ShortFest Kathleen McInnis, and actress Sheetal Sheth (Abcd, Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World).
About Iffla
Now in its 11th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
The six-day festival is the premiere platform for the latest in cutting edge global Indian cinema and bridges the gap between the two largest entertainment industries in the world – Hollywood and India. The festival showcased over 35 films from the Indian filmmaking community across the globe, hosted the highly anticipated opening and closing red carpet galas, and the closing awards ceremony.
For more information:
http://www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iffla...
The opening night of Iffla reminded me somewhat of Filmex with the glory of the filmmakers on the red carpet, beautiful young stars in glitzy clothes and skyscraper tall high heels, being stopped for interviews, flashbulbs going off and a general yet genteel excitement in the air. Even those interviewing were worth watching. It was different because all the stars were Indian which made this affair rather exotic at the same time.
The opening film, Gangs of Wasseypur, which had shown last year in the Cannes Film Festival, was truly extraordinary and the director Anurag Kashyap spent at least an hour talking to the audience about this film which is reminiscent of The Godfather and Gangs of New York though not at all derivative. Its second part showed the following evening and was equally outrageously original. Again the director spent an hour in the Q&A. He spoke to his move to Bombay as a filmmaker and the return to his own roots in telling the story of Wasseypur where he in fact grew up. The film actually is an analysis of the place's history and evolution as a burning inferno as the fight for the coal industry fuels the feud. From digging coal to killing someone in an innocuous brawl, the tale of vengeance runs parallel to the tale of India itself.
The 5 hours and 20 minutes were riveting. The music and dancing was also outrageous. Our friend Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter called it, "A dizzying explosion of an Indian gangster film, whose epic structure and colorful, immoral killers capture the imagination for over five hours."
David Chute, quoted in Thompson on Hollywood, says "Gangs is headlong, hand-held, violent entertainment. It manages to keep a dozen major characters and their agendas clear while rarely pausing to take a breath. It is also one of those rare movies that acknowledge the influence of movies and other forms of pop culture in shaping the values and motivations of its characters.
The story was actually based upon fact, a story of revenge over three generations of two families in a small city of India. My surprise and reaction to it reminded me of how I felt when I saw John Woo's The Killers in Toronto in 1989 which opened the door to John Woo in the U.S. (Coincidently it was the same David Chute who brought John Woo to the U.S. as I recall). The international sales agent, Elle Driver, has not made a sale in the U.S. Which surprises me.
Iffla concluded on Sunday evening (April 14) with a red carpet and gala fete that included the Los Angeles premiere of Deepa Mehta’s Midnight's Children, and the presentation of the festival's Grand Jury and Audience Choice Awards, followed by an after party.
This year the festival showcased more than 35 film features, documentaries, and short films at ArcLight Hollywood, home of Iffla since its inception. “The awards are always bittersweet for all of us in the programming team as we truly believe in the exceptional talent and relevance of each film which has been so carefully chosen,” said Lead Programmer Terrie Samundra. “That being said, we wholeheartedly share the enthusiasm of the audience and our prestigious jury. A huge congratulations to the winners!”
Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely took home the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature, with an honorable mention for Ship of Theseus directed by Anand Gandhi. The Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary went to Sushrut Jain for Beyond All Boundaries, and for Best Short to Unravel directed by Meghna Gupta, with an honorable mention for Tatpaschat directed by Vasudev Keluskar.
Audience Awards
Best Feature: Filmistaan directed by Nitin Kakkar
Best Documentary: Beyond All Boundaries directed by Gotham Chopra
Best Short: Unravel directed by Meghna Gupta
The 2013 feature film jurors were International Director of the Feature Film Program at the Sundance Institute Paul Federbush, director/editor/writer Kanika Myer (Halo, Heart Of India), and Assistant Curator of Film Programs at Lacma Bernardo Rondeau.The Best Documentary Award was decided by The Hollywood Reporter and Los Angeles Times film critic Sheri Linden, Senior Programmer at Film Independent Maggie Mackay, and Producer Nadine Mundo (Chelsea Settles). Judging the short films were filmmaker and Iffla alum Prashant Bhargava (Patang), Film Curator and Director of Industry Programming at Palm Springs ShortFest Kathleen McInnis, and actress Sheetal Sheth (Abcd, Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World).
About Iffla
Now in its 11th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
The six-day festival is the premiere platform for the latest in cutting edge global Indian cinema and bridges the gap between the two largest entertainment industries in the world – Hollywood and India. The festival showcased over 35 films from the Indian filmmaking community across the globe, hosted the highly anticipated opening and closing red carpet galas, and the closing awards ceremony.
For more information:
http://www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iffla...
- 5/6/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Still from Ship of Theseus
The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) has added four films to its line up. Anand Gandhi’s feature debut Ship of Theseus, an environmental documentary Pad Yatra: A Green Journey narrated by Darryl Hannah, Walt Disney animation Arjun: The Warrior Prince and short film Iron Tracks (Lohpath).
A panel discussion ‘Today’s Pioneer Voices Changing the Landscape of Indian Cinema’ will feature indie directors whose films are screening at the festival this year. The panel comprising Vasan Bala (Peddlers), Anand Gandhi(Ship Of Theseus), Hansal Mehta (Shahid), and Nitin Kakkar (Filmistaan) will be moderated by film critic Lisa Tsering.
The festival also announced its Jury for feature, short and documentary films.
The short film Jury comprises filmmaker Prashant Bhargava (Patang), Kathleen McInnis, Film Curator and Director of Industry Programming at Palm Springs ShortFest and actress Sheetal Sheth (Abcd, Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World...
The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) has added four films to its line up. Anand Gandhi’s feature debut Ship of Theseus, an environmental documentary Pad Yatra: A Green Journey narrated by Darryl Hannah, Walt Disney animation Arjun: The Warrior Prince and short film Iron Tracks (Lohpath).
A panel discussion ‘Today’s Pioneer Voices Changing the Landscape of Indian Cinema’ will feature indie directors whose films are screening at the festival this year. The panel comprising Vasan Bala (Peddlers), Anand Gandhi(Ship Of Theseus), Hansal Mehta (Shahid), and Nitin Kakkar (Filmistaan) will be moderated by film critic Lisa Tsering.
The festival also announced its Jury for feature, short and documentary films.
The short film Jury comprises filmmaker Prashant Bhargava (Patang), Kathleen McInnis, Film Curator and Director of Industry Programming at Palm Springs ShortFest and actress Sheetal Sheth (Abcd, Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World...
- 4/3/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Dallas is upping the ante with a Six Million Dollar Man.
TV vet Lee Majors has booked a multi-episode arc in Season 2 of the TNT drama, EW.com reports.
The actor drops by as Ken Richards, one of Sue Ellen’s old beaus. The two will once again crosses paths, only this time it’s strictly for business.
Majors has in recent years enjoyed turns on CSI: NY, Raising Hope and CBS’ short-lived $#*! My Dad Says.
Ready for more of today’s TV dish? Well…
• Girl Meets World is looking to add a boy. Per EW.com, Disney’s Boy Meets World...
TV vet Lee Majors has booked a multi-episode arc in Season 2 of the TNT drama, EW.com reports.
The actor drops by as Ken Richards, one of Sue Ellen’s old beaus. The two will once again crosses paths, only this time it’s strictly for business.
Majors has in recent years enjoyed turns on CSI: NY, Raising Hope and CBS’ short-lived $#*! My Dad Says.
Ready for more of today’s TV dish? Well…
• Girl Meets World is looking to add a boy. Per EW.com, Disney’s Boy Meets World...
- 2/1/2013
- by Megan Masters
- TVLine.com
For over forty years, Albert Brooks has been a comedic Renaissance man, writing, directing and appearing in short films for the first two seasons of "Saturday Night Live," before making classic comedies like Real Life , Lost in America and Defending Your Life . Throughout that time, he's kept an acting career going with roles in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver , an Oscar-nominated performance in James L. Brooks' Broadcast News and voicing a fish looking for his son in Pixar's beloved animated film Finding Nemo . Brooks has been absent from the big screen since his 2005 movie Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World , but he returned to theaters last year in Nicolas Winding Refn's acclaimed crime-thriller Drive , playing Bernie Rose, an L.A. mob boss who makes a deal...
- 1/3/2012
- Comingsoon.net
'Drive' Star Also Passed On 'Big,' 'Dead Poets Society' And 'Pretty Woman' Of the many things that have made a comeback in 2011--Wilson Phillips, high-waisted pants, the street protest--perhaps the happiest is the resurgence of Albert Brooks. Mostly absent from screens in the past decade, bar a vocal turn in Pixar's masterpiece "Finding Nemo," and his directorial flop "Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World," Brooks returned with an acclaimed book, "2030: The Real Story of What Happened to America," took to Twitter and instantly became the funniest thing on it, and played, against type, mobster Bernie Rose in Nicolas…...
- 11/1/2011
- The Playlist
After handshakes and photographs with his lingering admirers, Albert Brooks followed his publicist into a closet-size room deep within the Barnes & Noble bookstore on 86th Street and Lexington Avenue, where two neat stacks of books waited for his signature.
Brooks, the comedian and movie star, is the author of the novel “2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America.” This week he was on a promotional swing through New York, including spots on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and the "Late Show with David Letterman;" he kissed the latter's host in an attempt to boost book sales through viral marketing.
These and other obligations had kept Brooks from traveling to France, where his latest movie, “Drive,” in which he plays a gangster, is in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. “The only time I was invited to Cannes, and I can’t go,” he said in an interview.
Brooks, the comedian and movie star, is the author of the novel “2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America.” This week he was on a promotional swing through New York, including spots on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and the "Late Show with David Letterman;" he kissed the latter's host in an attempt to boost book sales through viral marketing.
These and other obligations had kept Brooks from traveling to France, where his latest movie, “Drive,” in which he plays a gangster, is in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. “The only time I was invited to Cannes, and I can’t go,” he said in an interview.
- 5/12/2011
- by Gregory Beyer
- Huffington Post
As the writer and director of Three Veils, a few common questions I get about the film are “Is this movie based on a true story?” or “How was it working with the lovely and (insert your favorite saucy term) Sheetal Sheth?” However, the first question I inevitably get is “Excuse me, are you crazy?”
I suppose one must be crazy to attempt to make a film in this day and age about young Arab women — who are Muslim — who go through controversial subject matters such as arranged marriage, forbidden love. And for creating one of the first narrative films to ever feature the struggles of an Arab, Muslim Lesbian.
When I first started writing the script, I admit I was anxious. I didn’t want to offend any particular group, or make unwelcome enemies, especially of the threatening kind. Of course, that goal proved to be mostly hopeless as...
I suppose one must be crazy to attempt to make a film in this day and age about young Arab women — who are Muslim — who go through controversial subject matters such as arranged marriage, forbidden love. And for creating one of the first narrative films to ever feature the struggles of an Arab, Muslim Lesbian.
When I first started writing the script, I admit I was anxious. I didn’t want to offend any particular group, or make unwelcome enemies, especially of the threatening kind. Of course, that goal proved to be mostly hopeless as...
- 4/8/2011
- by Rolla Selbak
- AfterEllen.com
Actress Sheetal Sheth is no stranger to controversy. She made her debut in the film Abcd , playing a promiscuous young woman struggling with the ties of family and tradition. It garnered a lot of attention from press and audiences , both positive and negative. The Indian American beauty held her own against Albert Brooks in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, she fell in love with actress Lisa Ray in Shamim Sarif's beloved films The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight. She also bested me during a pillow fight on my Logo show Brunch with Bridget. (I totally let her win!)
Sheth is dealing with controversy once again with her latest film, Three Veils. The films follows three Middle Eastern women and who deal with abuse, rape and struggles with their sexuality. The script was originally boycotted but was saved thanks to the efforts of the film's director and producer.
Sheth is dealing with controversy once again with her latest film, Three Veils. The films follows three Middle Eastern women and who deal with abuse, rape and struggles with their sexuality. The script was originally boycotted but was saved thanks to the efforts of the film's director and producer.
- 3/31/2011
- by Bridget McManus
- AfterEllen.com
Earlier this year we reported that Judd Apatow’s next project would be a spin off of his earlier comedy Knocked Up and that Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd would reprise their roles as a married couple. Since then, news has been quiet with no indication of moving forward. But the cast looks to grow as the untitled comedy has added two new stars. THR is reporting that Megan Fox will join the cast and Deadline is reporting that Albert Brooks is also joining the cast. Fox’s character remains a mystery and Brooks will play Rudd’s father.
Both Fox and Brooks have been out of the acting lime light for a bit. While Fox as last seen in the box office bomb Jonah Hex, this wouldn’t be the first time that we saw her in a comedy. Fox has a minor role in the Simon Pegg comedy...
Both Fox and Brooks have been out of the acting lime light for a bit. While Fox as last seen in the box office bomb Jonah Hex, this wouldn’t be the first time that we saw her in a comedy. Fox has a minor role in the Simon Pegg comedy...
- 3/17/2011
- by Mike Lee
- FusedFilm
Just recently we learned that Transformers star Megan Fox would branch out into comedy by taking a role in Judd Apatow's next film, the Knocked Up spin-off with Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprising their characters from the 2007 comedy. Now a new cast member has been revealed as Deadline reports comedian Albert Brooks is negotiating to join Apatow's untitled new comedy. Brooks hasn't been in a live-action comedy since 2005's Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, which he also wrote & directed. Otherwise his voice has also been heard in The Simpsons Movie and he'll also appear in Drive with Ryan Gosling. Apparently Brooks will be playing Rudd's father in the film, which just makes me giddy for all the comedic possibilities. I've always been a fan of Brooks' dry humor in movies like The Muse and Broadcast News, so seeing the writer/director/actor work with one of...
- 3/17/2011
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Just recently we learned that Transformers star Megan Fox would branch out into comedy by taking a role in Judd Apatow's next film, the Knocked Up spin-off with Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprising their characters from the 2007 comedy. Now a new cast member has been revealed as Deadline reports comedian Albert Brooks is negotiating to join Apatow's untitled new comedy. Brooks hasn't been in a live-action comedy since 2005's Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, which he also wrote & directed. Otherwise his voice has also been heard in The Simpsons Movie and he'll also appear in Drive with Ryan Gosling. Apparently Brooks will be playing Rudd's father in the film, which just makes me giddy for all the comedic possibilities. I've always been a fan of Brooks' dry humor in movies like The Muse and Broadcast News, so seeing the writer/director/actor work with one of...
- 3/17/2011
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Like many of you, I was none to pleased to hear this morning that Megan Fox is in talks to join the cast of Judd Apatow's untitled Knocked Up spin-off (in this writer's opinion, there's a pretty solid reason why her last couple films were flops at the box office). Hopefully some of you will be pleased by this new bit of casting, though. Deadline reports that Albert Brooks is now in talks to join the cast of the Apatow comedy. The film centers on the relationship between Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann's characters in the 2007 hit film and according to the site, Brooks will play Rudd's father. After taking some time away from the film world - he hasn't done live-action since 2005's Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World - Brooks is making his comeback, having just completed work as the main villain in Nicholas Winding...
- 3/17/2011
- cinemablend.com
HollywoodNews.com: Having taken a break from both the big and small screen in recent years, comedic-actor Albert Brooks is getting in the seat of Ryan Gosling’s indie film “Drive.”
Brooks will play Bernie Rose, a New York mobster who moves to L.A. “Drive,” as previously reported, centers on a stunt driver played by Gosling who changes professions to become a getaway heist driver. The film also stars Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranston.
The last time Brooks played a baddie was in Steve Soderbergh’s Elmore Leonard adaptation “Out of Sight” in 1998 The actor, who was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for “Broadcast News” was last seen on screen in his directorial title “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World” back in 2005. Brooks also played the father-in-law to Mary-Louise Parker’s Nancy Botwin in the 2008 season of “Weeds.”
Recently, Brooks finished a science fiction novel “2030:...
Brooks will play Bernie Rose, a New York mobster who moves to L.A. “Drive,” as previously reported, centers on a stunt driver played by Gosling who changes professions to become a getaway heist driver. The film also stars Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranston.
The last time Brooks played a baddie was in Steve Soderbergh’s Elmore Leonard adaptation “Out of Sight” in 1998 The actor, who was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for “Broadcast News” was last seen on screen in his directorial title “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World” back in 2005. Brooks also played the father-in-law to Mary-Louise Parker’s Nancy Botwin in the 2008 season of “Weeds.”
Recently, Brooks finished a science fiction novel “2030:...
- 8/27/2010
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
This is a seminal year for Albert Brooks. After completing an ambitious science fiction novel 2030: The Real Story of What Happens To America and setting it to be published next May by St. Martin’s Press, Brooks has signed on for his first screen turn as a truly dangerous badass. Brooks has joined the cast of Drive, the Nicolas Winding Refn-directed adaptation of the James Sallis novel that stars Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranston. Gosling plays a stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver and gets in over his head. Brooks will play Bernie Rose, a transplanted New York mobster who comes to L.A. and is not to be messed with. Now, Brooks played on the wrong side of the law in Out of Sight, but let’s face it, he was a wimp. Had Bernie Rose been the screenwriter issued a "walk on...
- 8/26/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
SYDNEY -- The Dubai International Film Festival will open Dec. 11 with the world premiere of Albert Brooks' Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, organizers said Wednesday. The film, which is distributed by Warner Independent Pictures, will come under the festival's key program, Operation Cultural Bridge, which aims to increase understanding between Muslim and Western cultures. "It is a great milestone and honor for us to host the world premiere of 'Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, '" festival director Neil Stephenson said. "Laughter has no accent and no boundaries and is one of the fastest and most effective ways of bringing people together. We were so impressed with Albert's wonderful motivations in wanting to make this movie as they go straight to the heart of what we are trying to achieve in Dubai. Dubai, after all, is in the Muslim world, and so we knew that this film belonged in our festival."...
- 11/16/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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