UPDATE: Schedules shifting for three movies, production to set up shop soon

In case you missed Friday’s eightWest, the Meg Ryan movie “Sleepless Beauty” has been moved from the first of three movies to the last of three movies.  Also, movie producer Randall Emmett told me over the phone Thursday night that they’ll be back in Michigan next week to head to Lansing and the Michigan Film Office to discuss the Michigan Film incentives and get all of their paperwork going.   Emmett also tells me that he and the Director plan to set up their production office in Grand Rapids during the first week of November.

Production schedule:

“The Gun”: Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and yet to be cast co-star
Scheduled to begin December 20th

“Jekyll and Hyde”: Forest Whitaker and ‘50 Cent’
Scheduled to begin January 17th

“Sleepless Beauty”: Meg Ryan and Ashley Tisdale
Scheduled to begin in late February

( Originally published 10/1/09)

Three more movies coming to Grand Rapids, starring Meg Ryan, Forest Whitaker, Ashley Tisdale, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson

Producer Randall Emmett raves about making movies in Grand Rapids

Randall Emmett is back in town scouting locations for three movie productions that  he is bringing to town for back-to-back-to-back movie shoots.    He was in Grand Rapids for the production of “Caught in the Crossfire” earlier this year.

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“Caught in the Crossfire” wraps shooting on Tuesday

(Originally posted June 9, 12:28am)

After two weeks of shooting in Grand Rapids, “Caught in the Crossfire” is close to a wrap.

The crime drama stars Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Chris Klein, Adam Rodriguez, Richard T. Jones, and Michael Matthias.

Monday night, crews were shooting a pivotal interrogation scene at Deano’s Production Facilities in Grand Rapids.   Producer R.D. Miller says the movie is a cross between “L.A. Confidential” and “The Usual Suspects” and they will be cutting back and forth between this interrogation scene and the action throughout the movie.

Producer R.D. Miller was hesitant to tell me that the police Captain (Jones) and police Lieutenant (Matthias) are “interrogating the detectives” (Klein and Rodriguez).

Director Brian Miller and Producer R.D. Miller plan to come back with future projects, and we know from our last visit to the set that 50 Cent would like to bring his next project that he’s producing with Forest Whitaker called “Jekyll and Hyde” to Grand Rapids (in August).

The filmmakers say Michigan’s tax incentives (up to 42%) were (more…)

DeNiro and Pacino are back and doing what they’re best at: crime drama

This is one of the 5 best movies I’ve seen this year… and the best crime drama I’ve seen since “The Departed” and just about as good!!!

And while this probably won’t get an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, it could get an acting nomination for DeNiro or Pacino…

… or the Academy will probably just overlook them because they are sooo good in these roles, that they make it look effortless!!

(there’s a reason its 1 of my 15 movies to see preview !!)

“Righteous Kill”

(2008) (rated: R for violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and brief drug use) (1 hr, 41 min)

Starring: Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy

Genre: Crime/Drama

The Plot: Two veteran New York City detectives (De Niro and Pacino) work to identify the possible connection between a recent murder and a case they believe they solved years ago; is there a serial killer on the loose, and did they perhaps put the wrong person behind bars?

MY TAKE (spoiler free):

This is the first time these 2 Hollywood heavyweights have shared the screen since 1995’s “Heat” (a personal favorite)… DeNiro and Pacino play two NYPD Detectives so well that you’d think they’ve been in these roles for years… like it was a TV show turned into a movie!

The action and tension is perfect all the way through… as (more…)