Film

For the second straight week, Marcus took in a remake -- and again it starred Jeff Bridges. Bridges plays Marshal Rooster Cogburn in "True Grit," assuming the late John Wayne's role in the original 1969 film. “What do you want, girl?” “I'm looking for the man who killed my father.” Wayne received an Oscar for Best Actor based on his appearance in the 1969 film, and it's very possible that Bridges will get the same award for his performance in the remake -- some 42 years later -- for a performance that does the Duke proud.

The Anchorage International Film Festival kicked off this weekend, marking its 10th year. According to film festival organizers 15 of 36 entries made the cut for Snowdance, the festival's most popular category. It features work filmed in the Last Frontier or produced by Alaskans, and includes short documentaries like "A Portrait of Nikolai," which was produced by students in the village and "Journey on the Wild Coast," a film about a couple's journey from Seattle to the Aleutians.

The movie 'Everybody Loves Whales' is almost finished filming in Alaska. So what's next? Will we be seeing more major motion pictures? The Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development says there are other production companies interested in filming here. Whether it happens or not, remains to be seen. Julie Hasquet is most recently known for her role of press secretary to Sen. Mark Begich, but she also has another part, one similar to a gig she played back in the ‘80s, bringing the story of 'Everybody Loves Whales' from your t.v. screen to the big screen.

Time is running out to spot Hollywood stars filming the motion picture “Everybody Loves Whales.” The movie, which is being shot mostly in Anchorage, is in its final days of filming -- but it will leave a lot of money in-state.   “Everybody Loves Whales” is a multi-million-dollar movie, and much of its budget is being spent right here in Alaska.   Crews took only three days to transform the restaurant Mexico in Alaska into a Barrow eatery for the movie, adding new booths, walls and artwork.

Denzel Washington plays a railroad man opposite Chris Pine in his latest film, “Unstoppable.” Marcus says, “All aboard!” for this PG-13 thriller. “Excuse me, I'm looking for Frank Barnes.” “You found him.” “I'm Will Colson. We're working together today: train 1206?” “Twelve-oh-six -- that's the one.” Frank and Will, played by Washington and Pine, meet on the job for the first time -- and the day they spend together will be one they’ll never forget.

The city's air quality department says it has received a handful of complaints about fog generated on the set of “Everybody Loves Whales.” Channel 2 received a complaint e-mail Wednesday morning saying that fog generated on the Hollywood film’s set near the Port of Anchorage was causing some health problems for people Downtown. The air quality department’s Steve Morris says the city has been working with Universal Studios on the issue, and that the production has minimized its use of the fog. Morris says the fog used last week was registered at the city's air monitoring station, but that it was still 50 to 100 times below Occupational Safety and Health Admistration levels for a safe work environment.

Downtown Anchorage could have been mistaken for Hollywood Thursday, with lights, cameras and lots of action. The production crew of the film “Everybody Loves Whales” spent the day at the 4th Avenue Theatre, used as the set for the governor's office in the movie. Crowds of people gathered nearby, hoping to get a glimpse of Hollywood stars like Drew Barrymore, who was there Thursday. But besides the excitement of seeing familiar faces and places on-camera, the movie means a lot more for Alaskans.

The red carpet was rolled out in Anchorage for the world premiere of a unique movie. The Arc of Anchorage released "Silent but Deadly," Thursday, a silent film created by individuals with disabilities. Everyone involved in the film, from the directors to the producers and the actors, are served by the Arc of Anchorage. The celebration included the film’s premiere, plus celebrity interviews and a press conference. Those involved say their goal was to have fun and offer a project that anyone at the Arc could be a part of. “It’s great, the things that have happened because these individuals are just like you and I, like anybody else,” said team leader Alina Veilleux.

The Alaska SeaLife Center was closed Friday for the filming of “Everybody Loves Whales.” The Warner Brothers movie is loosely based on the efforts to save three gray whales that were trapped in 1988 in Beaufort Sea ice off Point Barrow. It stars Drew Barrymore as a Greenpeace activist. Normal winter hours for the SeaLife Center will resume Saturday.

Picking a movie was easy this week for Marcus, as he chose the teen comedy “Easy A.” The film, rated PG-13, stars Emma Stone and Amanda Bynes. Show-stealer Stone -- who totally makes this film -- is Olive, a high-school girl with a totally different problem from most high-school girls, totally brought on by herself. She is attractive, funny, smart, and much more mature than most. “I got, I got, I got, I got a pocket.” She's got a pocket full of troubles, which escalate into one great big hole into a pocket she can't dig her way out of. Olive, like so many high-schoolers, doesn't feel that anyone notices her. At the advice of her best friend Rhiannon, she comes up with an identifier -- one that gets her noticed in a way she regrets.