After six weeks of shooting across around the Lakeshore of West Michigan the movie “What’s Wrong With Virginia” has wrapped production.

The movie starring Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Emma Roberts, Amy Madigan and Harrison Gilbertson wrapped Tuesday and now moves into the post-production phase.

The film, Directed by Oscar winning writer Dustin Lance Black (”Milk”) and produced locally by TicTock Studios of Holland shot scenes in Holland, Grand Haven (City Hall), South Haven (North Beach), and Zeeland.

The movie is set in Virginia and is about a sheriff (Harris) that sees his state senate bid slide away from him when his daughter begins to date the son of a woman (Connelly) with whom the sheriff has engaged in a 20-year affair.

In a text message from TicTock Studios twitter page on Tuesday, producers thanked the cast and crew:  “That’s a wrap! After 6 weeks of filming, we’re off to post-production! Thanks to all the cast and crew for putting up with the MI weather!”

Previous stories about “What’s Wrong with Virginia”:
10/20/09: Call for extras / local actors chosen from August casting call
9/17/09: Location scouting for “What’s Wrong with Virginia” house
8/11/09: Casting change, open casting call for “What’s Wrong with Virginia”
5/18/09: “What’s Wrong with Virginia” coming to Michigan

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Michigan Casting Services is looking for as many people as possible on Monday, October 26th to create a crowd for a beach boardwalk scene in the movie “What’s Wrong With Virginia” starring Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Emma Roberts, Amy Madigan and Harrison Gilbertson.

The opportunity is open to anyone interested in participating.  Filming will take place on October 26 in South Haven, Michigan, weather permitting.   To register and to get more information, go to www.TicTockStudios.com and click on “Casting”.

Requirements for extras on the day of filming:
- Flexibility with time and schedule
- Willingness to stay for the entire shoot (up to 12 hours)
- Prepared to withstand possible cold temperatures. 
- You will be required to come in summer attire (warmer clothes may be worn over the summer attire when not filming)
- Under 18 years of age needs parent/guardian permission

The film is written and directed by Dustin Lance Black (”Milk”) and is produced by TicTock Studios of Holland.

ADDITIONAL INFO FROM PRESS RELEASE:
In August, Michigan Casting Services held an open casting call and nearly 1,000 people were interviewed for a wide range of roles including speaking roles, stand-ins, and extras.   150 people received a call back to audition for roles big and small.  18 people were hired for speaking roles, 35 were hired as recurring background actors, and another 34 were hired as stand-ins.

Those include Dan Waterhouse of Holland, cast as Officer Lee, who is Sheriff Tipton’s (Ed Harris), right hand man.  Kevin Brown, a truck driver from Galesburg was cast as Jerry, the husband of
Betty (Carrie Preston) and neighbor of Virginia (Jennifer Connelly).   Jack Rutledge, a retired resident of Lowell was cast as the security guard at a bank that Virginia tries to rob.    In a supporting
role, Paul Walter Hauser of Hemlock was cast as Dale, the best friend of the lead character Emmett (Harrison Gilbertson).

Previous stories about “What’s Wrong with Virginia”:
9/17/09: Location scouting for “What’s Wrong with Virginia” house
8/11/09: Casting change, open casting call for “What’s Wrong with Virginia”
5/18/09: “What’s Wrong with Virginia” coming to Michigan

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“What’s Wrong With Virginia” Casting Changes

TicTock Studios announces that Academy Award Nominee Ed Harris (“Appaloosa” (2009), “Gone Baby Gone” (2007), “A Beautiful Mind” (2001), “The Truman Show” (1998), “The Rock” (1996), “Apollo 13″ (1995)) is joining the cast.  Harris is replacing Liam Neeson as a sheriff that sees his state senate bid slide away from him when his daughter begins to date the son of a woman (Academy Award Winner Jennifer Connelly) with whom the sheriff has engaged in a 20-year affair.

Check out my interview with Ed Harris for “Appaloosa”

Academy Award-Winning screenwriter of “Milk”, Dustin Lance Black, wrote the story and will also direct.  Academy Award Nominee Gus Van Sant will executive produce.

The movie is expected to start shooting in September.

Here’s the details on the open casting call, from a press release:

We are seeking:
Real looking people of all shapes and sizes Ages 18 and up Union/Non-Union Non-actors welcome

Of particular interest: 18+ year olds who can play younger, Male and Female Caucasian – principle roles

Speaking parts are available for the following:
Caucasian Females, ages 18-60
Caucasian Males, ages 18-95
Korean Female, age 50-70
African American Male, age 60-70
African American Female, age 40-50
Asian American Male, age 40-50

The casting call will take place:
Saturday, August 15, 2009 from 3:00PM – 6:00PM

11172 Adams St, Holland, Michigan
(Corner of Adams/16th St. and Country Club Rd., parking in rear of building)

Please bring proof of age!

Note: This is an OPEN casting call – there will be NO auditions. 
Selected people will be invited back for an audition at a later date.

5/18 “What’s Wrong with Virginia” announced

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News straight out of Cannes Film Festival… Jennifer Connelly and Liam Neeson will shoot the movie “What’s Wrong with Virginia” in Michigan.

Oscar winning writer Dustin Lance Black (”Milk”) wrote the screenplay and will also make his directorial debut.

Gus Van Sant, Jay Froberg, and Greg Suess will be Executive Producers.

Holland’s TicTock Studios’ CEO Hopwood DePree and Scott Brooks of West Michigan based private investment firm Brooks Capital Management, LLC will finance the picture and will produce along with Christine Vachon and Eric Watson of Killer Films. 

Production is planning for a late summer start date in Michigan.

CinemaBlend gives this synopsis: Connelly will play a psychologically disturbed woman who’s been having a 20-year love affair with the local sheriff (Neeson). Things get even more complicated when her teenage son starts dating his daughter.

Variety gives this synopsis: Connelly will play the charming but psychologically disturbed mother of a 16-year-old son. Her 20-year clandestine love with a sheriff (Neeson), who is running for the state senate, is tested when her son begins a relationship with his daughter.

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Its something we haven’t seen in awhile – a big cast of quality actors and actresses in a romantic comedy – combined with a story that ties them all together – with a storyline that is one part modern twist and one part formulaic traditional romantic comedy.
But the place where “He’s Just Not That Into You” shines is the character development and interpersonal relationships that are under the microscope throughout this movie.

The entire main cast of characters including Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper, Justin Long, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, and Drew Barrymore turn in a solid effort of well developed characters in limited screen time.

Goodwin is great as the awkwardly desperate girl-next-door “Gigi” that is trying to find the love of her life, while her girlfriends are comfortable in their multi-year relationships.  The other characters are connected by one or two degrees of separation as friends or love interests and as couples with varying levels of seriousness from “just friends” to married for years.

This is a movie for twenty or thirty-somethings that are still out there trying to find their love… and perhaps an eye-opener for the younger set before they start to “go out” and try to find a relationship.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The movie isn’t preachy, it just puts it out there… the different levels that relationships evolve into between men and women… but it is also a little laded, because its not all happy endings.

This is one of the better romantic comedies I’ve seen in awhile, with a good story and great group of actors and actresses making the movie an worthwhile experience… I give it 7.5 out of 10.

“He’s Just Not That Into You”

(2008) (rated: PG-13 for sexual content and brief strong language) (2 hrs, 9 min)

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper, Justin Long, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, Busy Philipps, Kris Kristofferson

Director: Ken Kwapis

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

The Plot: The Baltimore-set movie of interconnecting story arcs deals with the challenges of reading or misreading human behavior.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

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“He’s Just Not That Into You” poster courtesy New Line Cinema

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Its been 57 years since the original doomsday alien invasion movie came out… and since then movie making technology has grown in leaps and bounds, and we’ve seen some pretty good movies in the sci-fi genre, including “The Matrix” that put Keanu Reeves – the main character of this movie – on the worldwide map.  ”The Day the Earth Stood Still” is pretty good, it just isn’t a GREAT sci-fi movie.

Visually, the movie is really good, but the storyline is not stunning.  It really shouldn’t be classified as a thriller, because although I was wondering what they would do next, I was never worried what would happen next – the movie was flat.

Reeves as the alien messenger Klaatu was typical Reeves in Sci-Fi – he’s good playing those stoic pale looks with limited lines and even though the movie starts with a sort-of backstory of his character, there still isn’t much depth to this character.  Reeves’ Klaatu is very similiar to the “agents” of “The Matrix”.

Jennifer Connelly is good as the female lead, scientist Helen Benson, but her performance doesn’t jump off the screen either… even as she tries to get control of her step-son played by Jaden Smith (Will Smith’s son).

The movie’s message is actually not as heavy handed as it could be and is actually lost at some point… that humans are destroying the environment and they must make a change before the earth dies.  Its a clearer message in the original for the people of earth to stop their wars and fighting.  And at the end of this version, Connelly points out how humans can change – but it doesn’t have anything to do with the environment… its more about human nature.

THE BOTTOM LINE: There are much better sci-fi alien invasion (”Independence Day” (1996), “Signs” (2002), “War of the Worlds” (2005)) or sci-fi disaster movies available (”The Day After Tomorrow” (2004), “Deep Impact” (1998))… I give it 6.5 out of 10… the visuals are great but the story and the acting and/or the writing just wasn’t amazing.

“The Day the Earth Stood Still”

(2008) (rated: PG-13 for some sci-fi disaster images and violence)
(1 hr, 43 min)

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, John Cleese, Jon Hamm, Kyle Chandler, Robert Knepper, James Hong, Mousa Kraish, J.C. MacKenzie, Kurt Max Runte, Daniel Bacon

Director: Scott Derrickson – “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (2005), “Love in the Ruins” (1995)

Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Disaster/Remake

The Plot: A remake of the 1951 classic sci-fi film about an alien visitor and his giant robot counterpart who visit Earth.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment! 

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“The Day the Earth Stood Still” poster courtesy 20th Century Fox

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