Strange: Stephen Collins, now under investigation in real life for child molestation, plays a priest in this short film called “Penance” made this year. The priest is a pedophile who hears “confession” from one of his victims, now an adult. You can rent or buy the film on Vimeo for $1.99 or $4.99. The money goes to the James Storehouse Foundation. Director Jeff Wolfe appeared on the Today show this morning in a taped piece and said only he was “surprised” about the developments. If that’s true, “Penance” is one of the strangest coincidences ever. What are the odds that he could hire Collins to play this part, and that Collins may have committed similar crimes? Of course, Collins has already played a priest on “7th Heaven.” Very weird and sad…

EXCLUSIVE That new “Rocky” movie from “Fruitvale Station” director Ryan Coogler is a go for a January 2015 shoot. I can tell you that the main character played by Michael B. Jordan will be called “Adonis Creed” and the movie itself is called “Creed.” It’s about Apollo Creed’s son going for a title, with Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa playing his coach.

Coogler, of course, wrote and directed Jordan to acclaim in the tremendous “Fruitvale.” He suggested this idea to Stallone and producer Irwin Winkler, and they went for it. Somewhere, Jordan must be eating a lot of eggs and running up and down steps in a hoodie.

“Creed” will be shot (at least exteriors) in Philadelphia, naturally. Some of the characters include Adonis’s deaf half-sister, age 10, as well as a potential lady friend for Adonis who is a doctor of Indian descent; a guy named Joe who co-owns Mickey’s gym with Rocky; a former boxer named Pete, and a “Mickey-like” guy named Marcel, who’s Latino and assists with Adonis’s training. This part is for Luis Guzman, he should call his agent now.

No word yet on music, but it’s Philly, so there’s a lot of soul in that town. Maybe they’ll get the O’Jays to be old friends of Rocky!

with corrections

 

Fan boys (and girls) are no doubt thrilled that another “X Men” movie is gearing up for shooting in Montreal. So far, various sites have supposed that the title is “X Men: Apocalypse.” But a new casting call indicates the the title as “X Men: Akkaba.” And that could mean trouble for Wolverine and friends.

According to my (albeit limited) research, Akkaba refers to the Clan of Akkaba, a group of mutant villains who would be the X Men’s worst nightmare. Apocalypse is their leader (I think). They got their start in Marvel version of world history, Egypt 3000 BC.

“X Men: Akkaba” also seems like it will be looking for a new, younger demographic as they search for three 18 year old actors to play 16. Their names are Ava, Dylan, and Sabrina.

Here’s a video I found on YouTube describing some of this history. Look, I will tell you now I know nothing about the intricacies of X Men. So kindly – and I do mean kindly– please send in explanations. I’ll be happy to post them if they’re thoughtful and well expressed.

The Hamptons Film Festival is over and is the big one in New York from the Film Society of Lincoln Center. And how did things shake out? We got to see three big movies –“Wild,” “Birdman,” and “Still Alice,” not to mention real showings for “Foxcatcher,” “The Imitation Game,” “Whiplash,” and “St. Vincent.” Here’s how things shook out.

“Birdman” directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, is a dark comedy, very dark, really a tragedy with some comic moments. Sometimes it soars. At other times this grand life lesson drags with preposterous notions. You have to accept it as a fable. Michael Keaton is exceptional, and is a solid Oscar nominee for Best Actor. He’s playing himself, sort of, as a big movie star whose main credits are a superhero (Keaton was original Batman). Amy Ryan, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough are a solid supporting cast. When “Birdman” flies, your heart goes with it. A Best Picture nominee? Unsure.

In “Wild,” Reese Witherspoon gets her take on “127 Hours” and “Into the Wild.” She curses, has promiscuous sex, and doesn’t wash her hair. Women love this movie. Jean Marc Vallee, who made “The Dallas Buyers Club,” affects a nice character study but I’m not sure where it all leads. I preferred “Tracks” with Mia Whatsername and Adam Driver. Laura Dern steals her scenes as Reese’s mother. (Come on really, is Laura Dern old enough for this?) As Cheryl Strayed, Reese takes on a 1,000 mile hike up the Pacific Coast that you know will include making friends, avoiding rape, and finding herself etc.  Even though the story takes place in the summer of 2005, most of the music is from Simon & Garfunkel circa 1970.

“Still Alice” will definitely bring Julianne Moore another Oscar nomination. Will she win the big prize this time? Maybe so. This 90 minute drama is also a character study based on the novel of the same name. Julianne’s over achieving, ambitious 50 year old Columbia University professor of linguistics gets early on set Alzheimer’s. It comes on like a freight train, too. Luckily she has Alec Baldwin as her understanding husband and three beautiful kids (Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish). Moore is just jaw dropping, never maudlin, dead on perfect. Wash Westmoreland is the co-director with his partner Richard Glatzer. Glatzer has ALS and directed the movie from a wheelchair with an iPad and his index finger. What did you do last winter?

Meantime, those four other films– holdovers from other fests– “Imitation Game,” “Whiplash,” “Foxcatcher,” “St. Vincent”– were the popular kids at school. They all have Oscar pedigrees with Bill Murray kicking ass as Vincent. In the end, the Best Picture race may pit “Foxcatcher” vs. “Imitation Game.” Stay tuned…

“The Judge” has been convicted. David Dobkin’s likeable big studio feature starring Robert Downey Jr and Robert Duvall has proven to be a hard sell at the box office. The movie did a very disappointing $13.3 million over the weekend, and finished 5th over all.

Warner Bros. tried everything with “The Judge” including opening night at the Toronto Film Festival. On Friday, the studio threw the film a swanky lunch at the historic 21 Club. Surprise guests including Sting and Trudie Styler, as well as Robert Downey senior, who has snow white hair now. (I remember the “Putney Swope” director from years ago.) It was great to see all of them.

There was even a moderated panel set up during dessert with Dan Abrams asking questions of Duvall, Downey Jr. and Dan’s dad, famed First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams. Guests included Dennis Christopher, the beloved star of the classic “Breaking Away”; New York actors Bob Dishy and Rutanya Alda, and famed defense attorney Gerry Lefcourt, as well as Pace Gallery art superstars Arne and Millie Glimcher.

Warner Bros. is having a tough year after 2013-2014 was such a hit with “Gravity” and critics’ darling “Her.” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice” is another hard sell, and Shawn Levy’s “This is Where I Leave You” left most people cold. But “The Hobbit” finale should be gigantic. And superheroes are always around the corner. I don’t mean Superman or Batman, but Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper with “American Sniper.” So get ready.