Posts Tagged ‘Variety’

In ‘God’s Country’ where double parking is not only allowed but encouraged. Its putting its hazards on yet again for some new bright lights. There has been a lot smack about a Southie reality show to a Whitey Bulger flick since the ‘God Father’ was captured last June.

Hollywood producers to filmmakers unknown have been sniffing out the streets for months like the DEA is now. South Boston has been blitzing with crews. Maybe even up to six shows have shot up premises for a Southie break-in. But it’s official, A&E is heading to City Point to shoot “Southie Rules”, according to Variety.

It’s no secret that Powderhouse Productions continues to brighten up Hollywood East. So when ‘the house’ ordered a reality series with Magilla Entertainment that follows a Southie family who battles the changes to a more affluent time here in Southie since the “yuppies” have settled in, and the average cost of living that once was is no longer RELATIVE. A&E had to pick up. It’s reality!

The cable network is known for truthful script telling and how stories originate. “Southie Rules” will be nothing like a Housewives spinoff.  Powderhouse, Tug Yourgrau, an executive producer of the new reality flick has always put his best foot forward to help make Massachusetts stomp.  It was a year ago, he stood tall in front of the MOTT Committee and remarkably linked the benefits that Powderhouse has experienced as a result of the film and tax credit, and the desirability of the State. Clearly it’s rollin.

The “Southie Rules” series will be true to its neighborhood pride as they conquer personal struggles while trying to stay afloat with the time. A&E has not announced a premiere date.

According to an October 13 post on Variety.com, Kent, CT native and “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane will appear alongside Alex Borstein in the variety special “Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show” on Sunday, November 8 at 8:30pm.

MacFarlane and Borstein provide the voices for Peter and Lois Griffin of “Family Guy,” respectively. In addition to comedy sketches and live performances of popular “Family Guy” music numbers, the half-hour show will feature new animation sequences and celebrity guest appearances.

The airing will be commercial-free…sort of. “Family Guy Presents” is a product of the collaboration between Microsoft and the Fox Entertainment Group sales unit–Fox One–to creatively market the Windows 7 operating system. Universal McCann and Crispin, Porter + Bogusky–along with MacFarlane and Borstein–will produce the marketing messages that will appear throughout the show.

“The format of the show lends itself to collaborating and creating content together,” Fox One president Jean Rossi told Variety. “Having done a lot of branded entertainment, the best results come when you’ve got the creative agencies, the Hollywood writers and talent and the brand coming together.” “Family Guy Presents” is part of an all-Seth MacFarlane night: “American Dad” will air at 7:30pm, “Family Guy” at 8pm and 9pm, and “The Cleveland Show” at 9:30pm.

Despite his fame, MacFarlane still takes time to appreciate his dedicated New England fan base. On October 26, as reported in The Salem News, the local legend visited Connors Farm in Danvers, MA to check out the “Family Guy”-inspired “corn maize.”

According to Variety.com, Oscar nominee and Dorchester, MA native Mark Wahlberg is set to star in a remake of the acclaimed Icelandic thriller, Reykjavic-Rotterdam. Prisoners writer Aaron Guzikowski is slated to direct, while Baltasar Kormakur–remake-right owner, producer, and star of the original Reykjavic–will direct.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Reykjavic “… tells the story of a freight ship worker who is fired for smuggling alcohol and becomes a security guard, only to be roped back into one last criminal scheme by his best friend.” Intrigued? Join the club; Reykjavic has been dominating Icelandic film festivals, most notably picking up five EDDA awards at the ceremony in 2008. The original Reykjavic will be Iceland’s foreign language submission for the Oscars in February 2009.

Working Title Films partners Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (The Soloist, Frost/Nixon) will produce the movie alongside Stephen Levinson (“Entourage”), Wahlberg, and Kormakur.

Hopefully Wahlberg has been stocking up on energy drinks. While his recent repertoire of The Lovely Bones, Date Night, and the made-in-Massachusetts flick The Fighter are all in post-production, The Other Guys is still in filming stages. All film projects are scheduled for release in 2010.