In Between Cannes And "prometheus," Film Writers Are Finally Able To Squeeze In A Kick At "battleship"

Howdy do, everyone, it's Papa Vinyard here. Jon Stewart has recently made it plainly clear that he's taking a four-month hiatus this summer from his main gig as the host of "The Daily Show" to write and direct his first movie, entitled ROSEWATER, and it looks like he's found his lead in Mexican-born actor, Gael Garcia Bernal (Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, BABEL). He will be playing Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari, who spent 118 days in a Tehran prison on dubious counts of espionage.   While I find it pretty cool that Stewart, who is Jewish, is doing a film with a Persian protagonist while tensions between Israel and Iran seem to be steadily increasing, it's a little distressing that the only suitable actor he could find was Hispanic. Plus, while it's based on a true story, I can't imagine a film with this premise doing any favors for Iran's PR, which was definitely winged last year with the release of ARGO, where Affleck pretty much depicted Iran citizens as furiously aggressive nationalists.   So yeah, I don't think this'll be MUNICH or anything, but I am excited to see the consistently funny and intelligent Stewart behind the camera. It's certainly an interesting and provocative story, and Stewart doesn't seem like the kinda guy to sensationalize things too much, so I'm definitely curious to see how this comes together.   -Vincent Zahedi”Papa Vinyard” vincentzahedi@gmail.com Follow Me On Twitter

Dustin Lance Black and Kristin Hanggi will also be honored at the June 14 ceremony.read more    

The troubled actress was reportedly taken into custody in her New York apartment after a doorman called police saying someone was smoking pot in the lobby.read more    

What THR's critics say about the movies opening this week.read more    

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival ticks all of my boxes when it comes to enjoyable filmgoing experiences: it's brilliantly programmed, takes place in a dazzling and comfortable setting, unspools over a compact and encompassable time span, and has a respectful and joyous audience that enriches the experience.  And (bonus) it's located in a neighborhood full of enticing and affordable eateries. It's also value for money: for $210, you get a pass to the entire festival, which includes 16 different programs, each featuring live music, ranging from the celebrated English pianist Stephen Horne (a Pordenone regular) to the Matti Bye Ensemble from Sweden, with appearances by the famed Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, as well as other musicians suited for the occasion.  I learned a long time ago to attend every program, because even if I'd seen the movie in question before, the live music made it a unique, and uniquely appealing, experience, especially in the 1922-vintage,