The R-rated trailer for Burn After Reading, the new film by Joel & Ethan Coen, has been released. The movie, a thriller-comedy, if you will, stars George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, and John Malkovich, among others.
I have to say, I wasn't excited before, but I am now. It looks a bit like The Big Lebowski, which is probably my favorite Coen brothers film; there are wonderful over-the-top, idiot characters trying to blackmail someone who may or may not be smarter than they are, and hilarity ensues. Whereas the folks The Dude and Walter (The Dude, albeit, unwillingly) are trying to blackmail in The Big Lebowski are "nihilists," in this film, it's the CIA. The head of the CIA (played by Juno's J.K. Simmons) doesn't seem like the sharpest tool in the shed.
I've embedded the video (no NSFW material, just some cursing), but it is also available on the Apple website.
Harvey Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to “The Carol Burnett Show” and was seen to hilarious effect on the big screen in “Blazing Saddles,” died here on Thursday. He was 81.
Mr. Korman died after complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said in a statement released by the U.C.L.A. Medical Center.
A natural second banana, Mr. Korman gained attention on “The Danny Kaye Show,” appearing in skits with the star. He joined the show in its second season in 1964 and continued until it was canceled in 1967. That same year he became a cast member in the first season of “The Carol Burnett Show.”
Ms. Burnett and Mr. Korman developed into the perfect pair with their burlesques of classic movies like “Gone With the Wind” and soap operas like “As the World Turns.” (Their version was called “As the Stomach Turns.”)
I hate to be the bearer of even more bad, whacky Hollywood news, but several outlets are reporting that world-wide audiences will be once again castigated by another unnecessary sequel, this time courtesy of Beverly Hills Cop. This would make it the fourth in the franchise. Let's have a moment of silence for Tinsel Town. What's next? Another "Karate Kid" sequel? Actually, I'd be game for that. Somewhere, K is weeping.
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Remember when I remarked on how bizarre it was that 21 Jump Street was being adapted into a feature-length film, by Judd Apatow of all people? Remember that?
Well, this is officially the most bizarre film-related news I've heard in some time.
Plan 9 From Outer Space, the epically bad movie by Ed Wood, the "Worst Director of All-Time," is being remade.
The thing is, it's not going to be remade into a campy feature. Oh, no. If you want novelty fun, watch the original. John Johnson, the director taking over the project, says he's setting out to make Plan 9 From Outer Space into a "very scary", "character-driven", "serious-minded" film. Now, I know what you're thinking...
WHAT
The film, due out on September 9, 2009 (09/09/09... clever, no?), will simply be titled Plan 9. It even has an official websiteand a logo, pictured below:
Here's a bit from the press release:
Simply titled "Plan 9", the remake will be a serious-minded retelling of the original story, paying homage to the spirit of Wood's film without resorting to camp or parody. The film will focus on the horror and science fiction aspects of the original, but will also be largely character-driven.
I pride myself on my ability to reserve judgment on a film until I've seen it, as very little can be gleamed from a trailer or a press release. Sometimes a film can surprise you, even against all of your expectations (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl). However, this news is just...
WHAT
I realize we're at a place right now where original filmmaking is hard to come by. Hollywood churns out remakes of Asian horror films annually, and classic films continue to be remade and modernized. I have made my peace with that, but Hollywood, do we need to try and take some good, old-fashioned, campy fun and turn it into serious drama? Really? Can't we just let some films be?
Sydney Pollack, a Hollywood mainstay as director, producer and sometime actor whose star-laden movies like "The Way We Were," "Tootsie" and "Out of Africa" were among the most successful of the 1970s and '80s, died on Monday evening at his home in Los Angeles. He was 73.
Mr. Pollack’s career defined an era in which big stars (Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, Warren Beatty) and the filmmakers who knew how to wrangle them (Barry Levinson, Mike Nichols) retooled the Hollywood system. Savvy operators, they played studio against studio, staking their fortunes on pictures that served commerce without wholly abandoning art.
Hollywood honored Mr. Pollack in return. His movies received multiple Academy Award nominations, and as a director he won an Oscar for his work on the 1985 film “Out of Africa” as well as nominations for directing “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” (1969) and “Tootsie” (1982).
Last fall, Warner Brothers released “Michael Clayton,” of which Mr. Pollack was a producer and a member of the cast. He delivered a trademark performance as an old-bull lawyer who demands dark deeds from a subordinate, played by George Clooney. (“This is news? This case has reeked from Day One,” snaps Mr. Pollack’s Marty Bach.) The picture received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and a Best Actor nomination for Mr. Clooney.
Mr. Pollack became a prolific producer of independent films in the latter part of his career. With a partner, the filmmaker Anthony Minghella, he ran Mirage Enterprises, a production company whose films included Mr. Minghella’s “Cold Mountain” and the documentary “Sketches of Frank Gehry,” released last year, the last film directed by Mr. Pollack.
Craig Kennedy's Memorial Day tribute over at Living in Cinema inspired me to do the same. Without further ado, and in remembrance, here's the last few minutes of the film I consider to be the greatest anti-war film ever made, "All Quiet On The Western Front" from 1930. That ending gets me every time. Continue Reading...
Courtesy of IFC's Cannes cam. The clips (in Spanish with French subtitles) come in a minute or two after the intro, and the rest of the feed is more about Wednesday's arrivals to the "Che" premiere. Continue Reading...
OK, not so bold since it seems pretty likely that he will win tomorrow, but I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. It seems like Boricua actor Benicio del Toro is set to take the Best Actor prize at the Cannes film festival closing ceremonies tomorrow. Reaction to the film has been mixed (or so I'm told...I refuse to read anything about it), as monsieur Craig Kennedy over at Living in Cinema has reported, still I have a feeling he will take it. Look at the variables: an Oscar winner, who is incredibly well-respected in the industry, and who consistently turns in good work in a biopic about one of the most famous and controversial figures of the 20th century. But the overriding, most complex variable may be this: he's a sexy bitch.
While Cannes juries tend to throw out some curve balls, my gut feeling is that they will go with del Toro this year. We'll see!
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I am *so* in. Perhaps it's the Saint-Saëns piece, The Aquarium (so perfectly used in "Days of Heaven"), the playful time concept or the magical world evoked in the trailer, but this has become one of my top 10 "must-see" films of the year. Sweet! Watch it while you can, as it will probably get taken down soon.
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Actor-comedian Jonah Hill recently gave an interview with MTV where he talks about my newest fascination, the film version of the '80s cop drama 21 Jump Street, which he will be adapting for the screen.
Hill admits he feels surprised at the internet backlash, saying that while he's out to make a comedy, he's not setting out to turn it into a slapstick, "shitty movie."
"People on the Internet just get pissed off about everything, I realized. I don't know how anyone found out about it, but [Sony] approached me because they wanted to do a comedic version of it. But it's not like slapstick or anything like that," Hill told MTV News. "I don't want to make some sh---y movie. I wouldn't want to do it if it was gonna suck, you know what I mean? I really think it's going to be sweet."
He also says it will star some of the "funniest people around." I believe this means that we can expect to see some Judd Apatow regulars in this film. I just keep imagining Seth Rogen as the Doug Penhall character, Leslie Mann as the Judy Hoffs character, Jason Segal as the Harry Truman Ioki character, and Paul Rudd as "Blowfish."
"It's going to have some of the funniest people around in it, and it's going to be really funny, I hope," he said. "Or we won't make it! If it doesn't turn out funny, I promise you, we will not make it."
The reason I leave Tom Hanson (Johnny Depp) off that list of characters is because Hill also -- I kid you not -- says that there will be a cameo part available for Depp if he's willing to do it.
What else could Hill do to appease the fans worried over his adaptation? How about if he said it has a special role for a "21 Jump Street" veteran? Now, that vet just has to get onboard.
"We have an awesome thing for Depp, if he'll do it," Hill enthused. "I don't know if he will or not, [but] it's going to be rad!"
I swear, my fascination with this project grows with each passing day. Here's the video of the interview:
Variety reports that Helena Bonham Carter and Bill Nighy are set to star opposite one another in a new low-budget film entitled Wild Target. It will be produced by Martin Pope and Michael Rose.
Unfortunately, there's no news on a director, release date, or plot, even.
Regardless, I can't help but feel hopeful. Bonham Carter and Nighy are, in my opinion, two of the most underrated actors working today. Both are known for play eccentric, oddball, outcast characters -- like Bonham Carter in Fight Club and Harry Potter, and Nighy in Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean -- but both actors are classically trained and capable of transforming into just about anyone.
Bonham Carter was nominated for (and should've won) an Oscar ten years ago for her leading performance in The Wings of the Dove. She's never been nominated since, even though she's turned in worthy performances in films like Fight Club, Conversations with Other Women, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Nighy, despite a crop of memorable performances, has never earned an Oscar nomination. I think of him the same way I think of Alan Rickman; always at the top of his game, always effortlessly stealing scenes, and almost never getting recognized for it.
I'm definitely going to be keeping tabs on this new project.
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About a week ago, I linked to Ricky Gervais' blog for This Side of the Truth, his current film project due out in 2009.
Well, Gervais has started two new blogs at his official website . The first is for Ghost Town, set for release this September, where Gervais plays Bertram Pincus, a man who dies temporarily during surgery:
His thump with mortality yields a phantasmic if not fantastic consequence; Pincus gains the ability to perceive the ghostly remains of the deceased. He is not happy about this as they are apt to bother him. One in particular needs Pincus's to help break up the impending nuptials of his widow and her replacement squeeze.
The second is for Men from the Pru, a new film he will write and direct with Stephen Merchant, the co-creator of The Office and Extras. He also played the always hilarious and unfortunately inept agent Darren Lamb in Extras, who has a bizarre, codependent relationship with Shaun "Barry Off EastEnders" Williamson. The blog for Men from the Pru has not been set up yet, but a space on the website has been alloted and Gervais assures us that it will be up shortly.
According to Digital Spy, Men from the Pru will be a bit of a departure for Gervais and Merchant. Gervais describes it as a "coming of age" tale about a group of 20-somethings set in the 1970s.
Gervais told Radio 1: "They work for the building society and they're having a great time but it's about them coming of age and having to grow up."
The Extras star admitted he was excited about working with Merchant again.
"We went down to the Prudential headquarters and got all this old footage so we're really getting into it."
If you've not yet checked out Gervais' blogs, I would heartily recommend it.
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As my dear Ray Davies would say, Opportunities are available in all walks of life in Australia. In any case, here's the trailer for Baz Luhrmann's epic "Australia," starring Ms. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Not the best quality but it'll have to do until the "official" one is released later this week.
It looks visually delectable, but I couldn't help but think "Far and Away." And "Cold Mountain." With a dash of "Atonement." Not necessarily a bad thing, I suppose.
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According to Variety, Marion Cotillard and her real-life boyfriend, actor Guillaume Canet, will star in a new French film -- Le Dernier vol de Lancaster (The Last Flight). It will be Cotillard and Canet's first film together since 2003's Jeux d'enfants (Love Me If You Dare).
The film, directed by Karim Dridi, will be shot in Morocco in January 2009 after Cotillard wraps on Rob Marshall's Nine. The Last Flight will be introduced to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival this year. The screenplay is adapted from the novel of the same name by Remy Waterhouse.
A tempestuous tale of conflict -- between colonial forces and local insurgents, old and new loves, and men who face off for the love of Cotillard -- "Flight" is set in 1933.
Cotillard plays a dashing and thoroughly modern femme aviator who lands in the Sahara, looking for her lover, an English long-distance record-breaking aviator who's crashed in the desert.
Meanwhile, the local French Foreign legion fort faces a local rebellion.
I, for one, am very excited about this. I've never read the novel, but the story sounds interesting and I'm eager to see Cotillard in another French-language film.
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According to Variety, Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis is in talks to join the cast of Rob Marshall's new film musical Nine, which will star fellow Oscar winners Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Judi Dench, and Nicole Kidman, as well as Oscar-nominee Penelope Cruz. Day-Lewis would replace Javier Bardem (another recent Oscar winner) in the lead role of Guido Contini. Bardem dropped out of the film earlier this year, saying he needed some time off from the business.
A [The Weinstein Company] spokesman denied that a lead had been set: "Any of the names being thrown around is pure conjecture, and when we're ready to make an announcement, we'll let you know."
If Daniel Day-Lewis ends up in the lead, this film would boast one of the greatest ensembles around, without a doubt.
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According to Entertainment Weekly, Judd Apatow and Jonah Hill are in negotiations to develop a movie adaptation of 21 Jump Street, the cheese-tastic '80s cop drama that made Johnny Depp a (reluctant) star and teen idol. Here's a fun little story about that: Depp agreed to star on the show, which ran from 1987 to 1991, for six seasons only because he didn't think it would make it past its first season. He made the show a success, however, and it ran much longer than he had anticipated. After many attempts to get himself fired, his lawyers managed to get him off the show just in time for him to break-out in films like John Waters' 1990 musical Cry-Baby, and Tim Burton's 1990 film Edward Scissorhands -- an iconic role for Depp, and the start of a long working and personal relationship between Depp and Burton.
Now, it's unclear whether or not Hill will star in this new film adaptation of 21 Jump Street, but Sony confirms that he will be writing the screenplay and will serve as executive producer. Also producing are Neal Moritz (I Am Legend) and 21 Jump Street co-creator Stephen J. Cannell. Sony has not released any other details at this time.
This does beg the question: Where is the market for a 21 Jump Street film, 20 years after its cancellation? Depp, the biggestonly thing to come out of it, has been very open about his dislike of the show (he had vandalized billboards during Jump Street's run on the air, and if you read his two forewards in Burton on Burton, he expresses an even deeper hatred for the series and his role on it), so it's very doubtful that he will do anything to generate interest in the movie. And, let's face it, Hill and Apatow are popular, but they're not that popular. This film will be a hard sell, as it's not appealing to their demographic, and I'm not entirely sure these guys have the sway necessary to get people to the theaters. I mean, really, the show is about a bunch of cops going undercover to investigate cases in local high schools. I'm trying to figure out how the Apatow style fits into all this.
Oh No They Didn't has just posted the first trailer for The Edge of Love, starring Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller. The film will open at the Edinburgh Film Festival this year.
Since I have no idea how to embed the video, you'll have to view the trailer at the website here.
The trailer makes the film seem reminiscent of Atonement, and Knightley even utters a word-for-word line from Atonement here -- "I love you. Come back."
The film does look good though. From what I can see, Knightley and Miller look to be in top form in what seem like incredibly complex roles. Yeah, that's right, I got that from the trailer. Continue Reading...
Slash Film has posted the first poster of Coco avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel), a new film about French fashion designer Coco Chanel. Directed by Anne Fontaine, it stars Amélie actress Audrey Tautou as Coco. The film, originally supposed to be released this year, is slated to open sometime in 2009.
"In an orphanage, silently standing next to a perfectly made bed, is a frail and slender ten year old girl with thick black hair. Gabrielle Chanel, known as Coco, and her many lives. The story of the path taken by Coco from her obscure beginnings to the blinding lights of Paris."
Just try and tell me that this doesn't make you melt.
A group of 45 eighth grade students from Whitefish Bay Middle School in Wisconsin were invited to sing "Falling Slowly" -- the Oscar-winning song by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from the film Once -- on-stage with The Swell Season at their sold-out Milwaukee show last Thursday.
According to The Chicago Tribune, a parent of the one of the students emailed the band asking them to come watch the students perform the song at their school, but lead singer Hansard took it one step further: Wouldn't it be a better experience for the students if they performed with the band at its sold-out show in Milwaukee? he wrote.
When the students got on stage, Hansard joked that they reminded him of the characters in the show "Freaks And Geeks," which the band loved and had been watching in its tour bus. The show was an hour-long TV comedy that ran in 1999-2000.
The choir was only going to sing along with "Falling Slowly," but Hansard suggested a second song during a sound check earlier Thursday, Cook said. They went with a cover of the Pixies' song "Gigantic."
After the show, Hansard and his film co-star and now band mate Marketa Irglova met each of the students.
And, of course, as if the story couldn't get any better, I get to this little piece at the end:
At one point in the show, a man in the audience asked Hansard, "Where's Oscar?"
Hansard replied that it was with his mother. He joked she uses it as a ticket to get into places.
Here is the YouTube video of the middle schoolers singing with the band:
It was only a matter of time before a Marion Cotillard post popped up in ITG. K brought this piece of news to my attention last week and I could not resist posting about it.
As part of her preparation for playing Billie Frechette in Michael Mann's Public Enemies, Cotillard visited the Menominee Indian Reservation. If you've been following this project, you probably know that Frechette was part Native American. Here are some details from the visit:
Two students, Randi Corn and Kateri Hawpetoss, identified for Cotillard everything on the table in the Menominee language, Alegria said. The girls presented Cotillard with a sweatshirt from the high school.
Ron Corn Jr., who teaches the Menominee language at the tribal high school and whose maternal grandmother is a Frechette, said Cotillard asked about the French names.
"She seemed genuinely interested in learning her character," he said. Cotillard was accompanied by a speech coach and two others.
For those of you who don't know, Ricky Gervais (one of the brilliant minds behind The Office and Extras) has been keeping up a blog during the filming of This Side of the Truth. The film, due out in 2009, takes place in a world where nobody knows how to lie, until Gervais' character comes up with the concept. They're shooting in Lowell, Massachusetts, which is ridiculously close to where I live. It's taken a lot of will power on my part not to head over to Lowell to meet the amazing cast -- which includes Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, John Hodgeman, Tina Fey, and many, many more funny, talented people.
Gervais writes about everything, from basic production trivia, to getting mooned by Jason Bateman, having Nerf fights with Rob Lowe and Tina Fey, and participating in Looking Surprised Competitions.
He recently gave an interview with the Lowell Sun, a local paper (obviously). He posted it only after expressing his glee over the fact that they misspelled Karl Pilkington's name, which is one of Pilkington's ultimate pet peeves. He lets us know what to expect when going to see This Side of the Truth:
When can we expect This Side of The Truth to debut in theaters? Oh boy, between March and September next year. We'll find a week where we're not up against Indiana Jones. That's very important.
Can people expect to laugh a lot from this movie? Yes, it's a comedy. Some say it's romantic comedy, others (say it's a) high-concept comedy. First and foremost, it's a comedy. It's an excuse for jokes and drama. I want people to go there thinking they're seeing the funniest film of the year. An hour and half of comedy that's exhausting. That's why there are plots, there is investment in characters. That's why you have got to care about them.
You can't laugh at someone if you don't care about them. I can't laugh at someone I don't like. Hitler could tell the best joke ever and I wouldn't find it funny (laughs).
I have to say: this film will most likely not be a major Oscar player (could be a screenplay contender, though... can't rule anything out!), but it's probably the one film in production right now I am most excited about seeing. It's right up there with Public Enemies, Synecdoche, New York, Revolutionary Road, Frankenweenie, Shutter Island, and Nine. Continue Reading...
Three new stills from the upcoming Charlie Kaufman film, Synecdoche, New York, have been released and are now up on Rope of Silicon.
The film, which marks Kaufman's directorial debut, is about an unlucky-in-love, struggling theater director who attempts to build a life-size replica of New York in a warehouse for his new play. It stars Philip Seymour-Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Hope Davis. It will premiere at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
Charlie Kaufman is one of my favorite contemporary screenwriters. An Oscar-winner for his brilliant take on the romantic comedy with 2004's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, he's probably most famous for penning 2002's Adaptation. and 1999's Being John Malkovich. Synecdoche, New York has been on my must-see list since it first started production, so I am very excited for this one to finally hit theaters. Lord knows I've been waiting long enough to see the finished product!
And, in semi-related, hilarious, fake news, The Onion reports that Michel Gondry (who directed two Kaufman films, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Human Nature) has been entertained for days by a new cardboard box.
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According to the New York Times, Natalie Portman has pulled out of the "Wuthering Heights" adaptation. It's only speculation at this point, but I think that the only logical reason for her departure is that Natalie read our comments on the previous post and decided that she needed to hone her British accent skills before taking on another of these roles (especially the role of Catherine Earnshaw, for God's sake!).
The production company, HanWay Films, hopes to have a replacement "within days."
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We all know by this point that Ellen Page will star as the title character in a new adaptation of Jane Eyre. I'm not quite sure how I should be taking this news; while Page is not the Jane Eyre I pictured while reading the novel, there's yet to be a film version of the story that I've loved. First there is the 1944 version, starring Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles as Jane and Rochester. Admittedly, I've never seen this adaptation, nor have I seen the 1997 television movie starring Samantha Morton and Ciaran Hinds. I have, however, seen and been dissatisfied with the 1970 television film starring Susannah York and George C. Scott as well as the 1996 film with Charlotte Gainsbourg and William Hurt. I think part of me is holding out on this new version until I know a) who will be directing, and b) who will be playing Rochester.
I've had similar beefs with film adaptations of Wuthering Heights, a book I was never too fond of to begin with but whose core love story is very intriguing to me. Heights has had its fair share of film adaptations, including an Oscar-winning 1939 version starring Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier as tragic lovers Cathy and Heathcliff. A 1992 film was released, which stars Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes in the leads (it also features a strange cameo by Sinead O'Connor as Emily Brontë) and was... well, not so great. A new adaptation, starring Natalie Portman, is now in production, due for release sometime in 2010. Portman, an actress I find to be versatile and talented, should be a good fit -- so long as she works on her British accent. Let's face it: her accent in V For Vendetta was nearly bad enough to overshadow a good performance.
Anyway, in light of this new attempt to bring Jane Eyre to the big screen, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite classic, literary heroines who have been fiercely portrayed on the big (or small) screen. Feel free to add your own thoughts and opinions.
Elizabeth Bennet - Pride & Prejudice based off of the novel by Jane Austen notably portrayed by: Greer Garson (1940), Jennifer Ehle (1995), Keira Knightley (2005)
Garson starred in probably the loosest adaptation of the novel (a film I don't think too highly of), while Ehle was good in the most faithful version -- the BBC miniseries co-starring the excellent Colin Firth as Mr Darcy. Knightley, though, is probably my favorite characterization of Lizzy. Knightley had not been particularly impressive to me beforehand. She was always fine in backing roles (Pirates of the Caribbean, Love Actually, Bend It Like Beckham), but I'd never pegged her as an actress capable enough to carry a film -- let alone carry a film based on such a beloved novel. However, she surprised me with her lively portrayal of the heroine, and is the only actress, I feel, who perfectly captures Lizzy's youth, intelligence, and femininity. She is also incredibly generous in this film; she shines without mugging and stealing attention away from the other actors, which allows folks like Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn, Judi Dench, Rosamund Pike, Tom Hollander, among others their own moments of brilliance. Add in Knightley's slow-burning chemistry with Matthew McFadyen's Mr Darcy, and you've got one hell of a love story and one hell of a performance.
The Dashwood Sisters - Sense and Sensibility based off of the novel by Jane Austen notably portrayed by: Emma Thompson as Elinor, Kate Winslet as Marianne (1995)
How can you resist the Dashwood sisters? Elinor, as portrayed by Emma Thompson, is logical, rational, and pragmatic, while her sister Marianne, played by Kate Winslet, is open, rash, and always on the lookout for her true love (she is, however, quick to judge). Both sisters are stubborn and fiercely loyal to one another. There is also a deep vulnerability and, yes, insecurity that exists within both of them. These feelings are exacerbated at the hands of Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) -- the man Elinor silently pines for, who is secretly betrothed to another -- and John Willoughby (Greg Wise) -- who charms and courts Marianne, only to choose another woman's money over Marianne's love. The sisters, who bicker over one another's stances on love, eventually rub off on one another; Elinor can barely contain her joy upon learning of Edward's broken engagement, and Marianne opens her eyes and her heart to Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman), who has loved and cared for her all along. Both actresses work so well together, and play these characters (as well as the little moments between them) so beautifully. Two world class actresses in two of their finest performances on film, most definitely.
Jo March - Little Women based off of the novel by Louisa May Alcott notably portrayed by: Katharine Hepburn (1933), June Allyson (1949), Winona Ryder (1994)
I am certainly not an authority on screen Jo Marches as I have, embarrassingly enough, only seen the 1994 version starring Winona Ryder. Now, I'm sure Katharine Hepburn was pitch perfect as the New England-raised, strong-willed heroine in George Cukor's film, but Ryder ain't half bad. While I didn't think the 1994 film was as fluid as it could've been, the movie features some wonderful performances, namely by Ryder and Christian Bale, who plays Laurie, the boy next door. Ryder captures the spirit of Jo, a girl we'd typically refer to as being a "tomboy," who is one of four sisters growing up in Massachusetts. Jo is headstrong and independent, and longs for more than any life Concord can give her. She yearns for a college education and to make a living off of her writings, though neither course was considered a serious option for women at the time. After some hardships at home, Jo eventually picks up and moves to the city, where she hopes to earn some money from her pen. While there, she meets and falls in love with a poor, German professor named Friedrich Bhaer (Gabriel Byrne), who encourages her to write what she loves rather than what will sell. Ryder takes you with her for the entire ride; you feel for her at every high moment, every low moment, every awkward moment, and every intimate moment, and though she's got a bit of a temper, Ryder makes it clear that Jo is not an angry girl, but a proud one who acts out of love for those people and principles she holds dear.
JustJared has posted this week's Entertainment Weekly cover, which features Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks in character as George W. Bush and Laura Bush -- the roles they will play in Oliver Stone's new film, W., which comes out next year:
The GWB biopic will chronicle the life and presidency of the 43rd President of the United States of America. Bush is reportedly portrayed in the film as a foul-mouthed, reformed drunk obsessed with baseball, Saddam Hussein and the conflicted relationship with his dad.
The film also stars Thandie Newton (Condoleezza Rice), Jeffrey Wright (Colin Powell), Rob Corddry (Ari Fleischer), Ioan Gruffudd (Tony Blair), James Cromwell (George H.W. Bush), and Ellen Burstyn (Barbara Bush).
As talented as I think most of this cast is, I still am very, very hesitant about this film. Continue Reading...
According to Variety, "Juno" star Ellen Page will be taking on Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre." The project is being produced by Alison Owen, the producer of "The Other Boleyn Girl," through the BBC Films shop. A director has not been named yet. Casting aside, this begs the question: do we really need another "Jane Eyre" adaptation?
The most recent film adaptation (not counting last year's mini-series) is Franco Zeffirelli's 1996 rather uninspired version. The highlight of that film (for me) was the apperance of "Last Tango in Paris'" actress Maria Schneider. Personally, I'm quite fond of the 1944 Joan Fontaine version (featuring a very young Elizabeth Taylor as the tragic Helen Burns)--mainly because of the genius casting of Orson Welles as Rochester. I'm not sure how I feel about Page's casting, but it marks enough of a departure as to hopefully broaden and further develop her substantial acting talents.
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Today, Chanel confirmed that Audrey Tautou will replace Nicole Kidman as the face of its iconic No.5 fragrance. The 31-year-old spritely French actress will debut in a 2009 commercial directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. This is the third collaboration for Jeunet and Tatou; they worked together in the films Amélie and A Very Long Engagement.
Audrey Tautou stars as Coco Chanel in a biopic about the legendary French designer, Coco avant Chanel, which is due out in 2009. The film is helmed by César-nominated writer-director Anne Fontaine, and is based off of a book by Edmonde Charles-Roux.
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I'm a big admirer of Lars von Trier. I think he is the most experimental, ballsy, and original filmmaker of the past two decades. I was introduced to his work through “Breaking the Waves,” a deceptively simple story that deals with major themes like love, sacrifice, and religion with a masterfully tempered hand. Then I saw “Zentropa” (1991) (on Bravo...when Bravo used to mean something) and was even more impressed by the man – and in a way, I think this is his most accomplished film to date because it introduced many of the themes that have crept up in his subsequent films.
The surreal visual imagery employed by von Trier to deal with World War II (similar to Michael Verhoeven’s “The Nasty Girl,” released the same year) was, to my teenaged brain, mind-blowing. The Max Von Sydow narration – so unconventional, so powerful, and so hypnotic – captured my imagination and ushered me into a type of cinema full of possibility.
I’ve been an avid follower of his work since and thoroughly enjoyed the first two installments of his “USA – Land of Opportunities” trilogy. It has been 3 years since “Manderlay” came out, and I will confess, I’m getting anxious about the fate of the final piece of this magnificent puzzle, “Wasington.” “Dogville” (2003), introduced us to Grace Mulligan, an idealistic woman in 1930s America. While the “American Town” where she seeks refuge from gangsters is welcoming at first, the hospitality most of the town residents show toward Grace quickly turns into a series of dehumanizing travails Grace is forced to endure. Is this film about American imperialism? Or is it about American occupation of smaller countries? Many critics (my dear Roger Ebert among them) took offense at the boldness of a Danish director who had never even stepped foot in the United States in passing judgment about a whole nation (I suppose that the critics are unaware that von Trier has several phobias, including a serious fear of flying). There were deafening cries of anti-Americanism. This reaction was not uncommon and I’m sure it was fully expected by the notorious troublemaking auteur (and yes, he’s earned that moniker...auteur, not troublemaking...okay, both!).
The faux outrage unfortunately took away from the many accomplishments of “Dogville.” The omniscient narrator is reminiscent of the narrator in “Zentropa,” although this one is a bit more cheeky and sarcastic (“Whether Grace left Dogville, or on the contrary Dogville had left her - and the world in general - is a question of a more artful nature that few would benefit from by asking, and even fewer by providing an answer. And nor indeed will it be answered here.”).
Aside from the expert story-telling and note-perfect acting by the ensemble (led by a beautifully layered performance by Nicole Kidman), there is the “Our Town”-type, Brechtian set. I will not lie – it took me a few minutes to get into it and the viewing experience was more akin to a theatrical outing than a cinematic one, but I found this jolt to be a triumph in and of itself. I was quite shaken by the end and by the final acts of Grace – what does this say about humanity (or, should I say, inhumanity)? And then, out of nowhere, David Bowie’s voice (that other deconstructing force) takes over and we hear his disaffected anthem, “Young Americans,” play over images of abject (American) poverty and violence; both old and contemporary. The total effect this film had on me is hard to describe, but I seriously consider it one of the best films (if not the best) of the decade. The follow up, “Manderlay” (2005) was just as effective, but less jolting because everything that was “new” about “Dogville” is recycled in “Manderlay.” We still have the curiously minimal staging, a 1930s setting, and a terrific acting ensemble (led by a very effective Bryce Dallas Howard, who stepped in after Nicole Kidman turned down the project due to other film commitments...possibly “Bewitched.”). This time, though, von Trier tackles the biggest, most painful theme in American history: slavery. This time the film was marred by a behind the scenes drama involving John C. Reilly. Reilly (earning my eternal admiration) quit the film when, during production, a donkey was slaughtered. It was very hard for me, as an animal lover, to even watch this film, despite the fact that the scene at issue was ultimately cut out. I did lose a lot of respect for von Trier as a filmmaker, I will not lie; but I tried watching “Manderlay” for what it is, and it is quite an amazing film and one of the most interesting takes on American racism and intolerance. Check out the trailer.
Which brings me to “Wasington.” The film has been in pre-production for several years now. The only actor attached is von Trier regular Udo Kier. No Grace has been cast yet (I’d suggest Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet, or Emily Blunt as possibilities) and, judging by the title and online speculation, it seems like it will deal with American politics. The timing is so perfect for this film, and yet...nothing. Has von Trier given up on the trilogy? Will “Wasington” ever see the light of day? I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I think about this at least two or three times a week. So pardon my anxiety, but if you enjoyed the first two films as much as I did, you will surely understand.
As for von Trier, he is (to quote Lisa Simpson) “a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a vest." He’s full of himself, an enfant terrible (like Godard), on a seemingly endless quest to understand the female psyche (like Bergman), and a visual master (like Buñuel). Whatever issues I might have with him as a man (based on published reports, of course), they are compartmentalized away from my feelings of respect and admiration toward him as a filmmaker. It’s something I struggle with, and I think I always will.
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It's possible. Just bear with me here. The sequel to the 1999 novel Chocolat (written by Joanne Harris), which, in 2000, was adapted into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, arrives on bookshelves on May 12, 2008. The sequel, entitled The Girl With No Shadow, is set four years from where the first novel leaves off. It takes Vianne Rocher, her daughter Anouk, as well as a second daughter named Rosette, out of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes and puts her in another chocolaterie, this time located in the Montmarte district of Paris. However, according to USA Today, "events set their flight in motion" to Paris, and Vianne and Anouk are now living under the aliases Yanne and Annie Charbonneau.
Now, I'm very well aware that I am one of the few people who loved the film Chocolat and thought it deserved its five nominations at that year's Oscars. Because of this, I'm also very well aware of the fact that I may be the only one genuinely excited by the possibility of a follow-up film. Dame Judi Dench, who earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in the film, would be notably absent from the ensemble, but it is unclear at this point whether or not Josephine (Lena Olin) or any of the other Lansquenat-sous-Tannes natives will appear in the novel. Assuming Rosette is Vianne's daughter with Irish "pirate" Roux (Johnny Depp)... well, I'm getting waaaay ahead of myself, because the novel isn't even out yet.
But really, come on! How great would it be to see La Binoche reprise her role as Vianne, ten years later?
OK, this was wildly premature, but I just thought I'd toss the idea around. I know a film sequel is unlikely, but am I the only one excited at even the possibility of one?
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A remake of George Cukor's 1939 film,The Women, starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell, will arrive in theaters this October. The new version, helmed by "Murphy Brown" writer-producer Diane English, will have Meg Ryan playing the Norma Shearer role, Annette Bening filling the Rosalind Russell role, and -- weirdest of all -- Eva Mendes taking over Joan Crawford's role.
This isn't the first remake, though; in 1956, The Opposite Sex, based off of the same Clare Boothe Luce play, was released. Starring June Allyson and Joan Allen, the film went on to earn a Golden Globe nomination. It went no further than that, though.
Is a contemporary version of this film really necessary? This new version has, apparently, been in production for 13 years. Will it be worth the wait?
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The New York Times is featuring four "breakthrough" performances of the summer season. I'm very intrigued by all of the choices.
First up is James Franco ("Freaks & Geeks," "James Dean," "Spider-Man"), who is being lauded for his work in "Pineapple Express." Franco is a very reliable actor -- although he's known to film audiences more for his brooding roles, the guy, as Karen Durbin makes clear, can be very funny ("It's marvelous physical comedy. He is a comedian."). I'm not sure of what to make of "Pineapple Express," especially when the plot is described thus: "A stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder." Here's the trailer:
Serviceable enough I suppose (and I do like M.I.A....and The Clash), but still...I think I'm getting too old for this shit.
Nurgul Yesilcay from "The Edge of Heaven" is also celebrated. Durbin describes the Turkish performer as "a very expressive actress" and "remarkable." I've never heard of this actress or the film, so I quickly googled them. Here's a scene from the film:
Political! I'm so in. The film was directed by Fatih Akin and won Best Screenplay at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. I'm intrigued by Ms. Yesilcay -- it's always a pleasure to "discover" new talent.
Up next is Matthew Goode, who is singled out for his work in "Brideshead Revisited." Goode has been churning out excellent work for the past few years and yet has managed to fly under the radar. He was fantastic in "Match Point" (one of my favorite Allen films) and painfully adorable in "Imagine Me & You." "Brideshead" might just be his breakthrough project, what with the likes of Emma Thompson and Michael Gambon as co-stars, he's certainly settled into the Brit prestige realm.
Finally, we have Mary-Kate Olsen (Yes, Mary-Kate Olsen) for her work in "The Wackness." Durbin expects the role to be a turning point in her career. I'm unabashedly familiar with Ms. Olsen's oeuvre as epic character Michelle Tanner, but less so with her cinematic work. I'll have to reserve any comments about her latest performance until (and if) I see "The Wackness."
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To our new site, "Inside the Gold." After our work on "Marion Cotillard's Road to Oscar," K and I decided we are way too obsessed with films to close shop completely. So, after months of planning, here we are again.
While we are not focusing on a particular actor, we will be featuring some more strongly than others. My own preferences and obsessions will become painfully clear, but hopefully K will help me stay as level-headed as possible (K is the voice of reason). Expect lots of drama and excitement during the months leading up to Oscar.
Aside from the film award component, we will be reviewing films (both modern and classic) and sharing our views on all things cinema. There will be no gossip promulgated, no paparazzi photos posted, and no fluff. And yet "There Will be Blood" (and puns! lots of puns!).
We hope you enjoy your visits here and that we are able to provide you with a different and, dare I say it, refreshing perspective of film as an art form as well as an industry. Thanks for your support!
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