The anti-blockbuster
The summer movie season is upon us, meaning romantic comedies, superheroes and chase scenes will fill the big screen. Then there are the films like "Beginners," opening Friday at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. Director and writer Mike Mills was in town recently talking up the loosely autobiographical film, in which the main character's father, facing terminal cancer, embraces his true self with only a few years to live. "I started writing this six months after my dad passed away," Mills told us during an interview. Walking through a theater plastered with posters for blockbusters such as "Bridesmaids," "Fast Five" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," Mills said he thought to himself, "What the hell did I make?" The film stars Ewan McGregor, Mélanie Laurent and Christopher Plummer. Mills said he's often asked what his father, who came out at age 75 after his wife of 45 years passed away, would think of the movie. "His coming out really made my life better," Mills said. "He was much more emotionally available. I think he would get that I made [the film] with love."
Overscene
"American Reunion" actors Jason Biggs and Chris Klein have taken a shine to Shout. They've been spotted there a few times since the project got started here, most recently over the weekend.
Filming updates
"The Three Stooges" movie has set up shop at the Atlanta Civic Center, after filming in Buckhead, Midtown and at Stone Mountain. A project called "Soul Ties," starring Terri Vaughn, Christopher McDonald and Katy Mixon, filmed in Virginia Highland Tuesday.
Celebrity birthdays
Bassist Lee Dorman of Iron Butterfly is 69. Singer-actor Johnny Hallyday is 68. Singer Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply is 62. Singer Steve Walsh of Kansas is 60. Country singer Terri Gibbs is 57. Actor Jim Belushi is 57. Actress Julie Hagerty ("Airplane") is 56. Guitarist Brad Gillis of Night Ranger is 54. Drummer Scott Rockenfield of Queensryche is 48. Actress Helen Hunt is 48. Actress Courteney Cox ("Friends") is 47. Guitarist Tony Ardoin of River Road is 47. Guitarist Michael Britt of Lonestar is 45. Drummer Rob Mitchell of Sixpence None The Richer is 45. Rapper-actor Ice Cube is 42. Actress Leah Remini ("King of Queens") is 41. Trombone player T-Bone Willy of Save Ferris is 39. Actor Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother," "Doogie Howser, M.D.") is 38. Actress Elizabeth Reaser ("Twilight") is 36. Singer Dryden Mitchell of Alien Ant Farm is 35. Guitarist Billy Martin of Good Charlotte is 30. Actor Denzel Whitaker is 21.
Contributing: news services
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