Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Hump Day Hottie: Matthew Goode

Sexy angst-filled period drama Brideshead Revisited opened in top markets this past Friday. It expands in a couple of days and more of you can take a good hard look at it. It's a reworking of the famous Evelyn Waugh novel which was already visualized (some would say definitively) as a miniseries in the early 80s. Even if you dig period pieces (and who doesn't love the early 20th century on celluloid?) you might be knocked right out of period and back into your seat in 2008 the second Matthew Goode (left) unveils his impossibly beautiful body. I don't think they had no-carb diets, body waxing or personal trainers back in the post Edwardian era but don't get me wrong... I'm not complaining about this particular anachronism.

The new Brideshead Revisited isn't in the same league as the previous milestones of the very specific cinematic subgenre of Stuffy British Boys in Quasi-Romantic Relationships. It's not Another Country (starring Rupert Everett & Colin Firth) or Maurice (starring James Wilby & Hugh Grant) but it's got plenty of eye candy if you're into that sort of thing.

I was so distracted by Goode's beauty (and the directors obvious reverence towards the same) that I could barely concentrate on what was being skipped over in the reduced plot. Just about the only other thing that registered (and how!) was the brilliant Emma Thompson in an against-type role of the controlling devout matriarch of the wealthy Flyte family.

Goode was profiled in this past Sunday's NY Times Style Magazine which featured several mouth-watering photographs.


You may remember Goode as the upper crust object of Jonathan Rhys Meyers' envy in Woody Allen's Match Point. One of the unintentional tricks of Brideshead is that Goode has essentially switched roles for this follow-up. Now Ben Whishaw is playing Goode's privileged rich boy role and Goode himself is in social climbing Rhys Meyers position. When well-heeled Matthew was done ordering his food in a great scene in Match Point (previous post) he closed his menu with a delicious flourish. "Num num" he said. I didn't even need to look at the menu after that.

Forget the food, this man's the main course.


Thus ends the 4th season of Hump Day Hotties. It is now officially 'on the bubble'. Film Experience executives will convene this summer to determine whether to cancel or renew for fall. Hump Day Hotties has been a Polysexual Blog Offering.

Season 4 Penélope Cruz, Clara Bow, Shia Labeouf, "Boobs & Abs" Engaged, Savage Grace, Baz Luhrmann, Dennis Quaid, Drew Barrymore, Matthew Barney, Natalie Wood, The Oscar Nominees, Kathleen Turner, Russell Harvard, Carice Van Houten and Helena Bonham Carter

<--- Most Popular Past Episodes of HDH
Season 3 Paul Newman, Anne Hathaway, Rodrigo Santoro, Maggie Smith Season 2 Hot TV, Channing Tatum, James McAvoy, Uma Thurman Season 1 Cillian Murphy, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmanuelle Béart and Lady Tottingon

16 comments:

RJ said...

I met him last week when he came to the theater I work at for a screening of 'Brideshead'. He's gorgeous in person. He seems to love stocking caps, but I'm okay with that.

He said 'fuck' a lot, too. It made me <3 him more.

Anonymous said...

Great actor too. Stole whole scenes in Match Point by doing the bare minimum.

Not sure about the need for this additional adaptation. Yet if it can find its own rhythm it may justify its existence in the way that the Keira Pride & Prejudice did.

Oh, and definitely bring the Hump Day series back!

Rob

Anonymous said...

Oh no don't take away my Hump Day Hottie. Renew for another go around

Anonymous said...

Very goode indeed.

*Ba dum Chi!* (on the drums.)

Seeing_I said...

Give me lanky Ben Wishaw any day!

John T said...

Renew, renew, renew!!!

Anonymous said...

''give me lanky Ben Whishaw any day''




same here, bring on wise soul Whishaw.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that you have concluded this leg of Hump Day Hotties with the impossibly attractive Matthew Goode. I've recently become obsessed with him, to the point that I've been popping in my Match Point DVD and watching only his scenes. Mouth watering indeed....

You should really check out his recent interviews with Elle Magazine and Ain't It Cool, as well as his bit at the Watchmen Comic Con panel. He swears like a sailor, but still comes off as ridiculously charming and swoon-worthy. Must be the British accent. And the eyes. And the... (fill the blank).

Catherine said...

Yes, Hump Day Hottie is an institution that should not be tampered with! Renew, please.

Anonymous said...

He is to die for. Can't wait to see him in The Watchmen.

DavidEhrenstein said...

He's quite teriffic too in a wildly different role in The Lookout

The hottie's got talent.

Anonymous said...

The muscled Victorian/Edwardian isn't anachronistic. Wilkie Collins writes about one of his male characters -- a murderous fitness enthusiast -- as having three bands of muscle across his abdomen.

verninino said...

I caught this the other day and had no recollection of who Goode was. Despite liking his scene stealing in MATCH POINT, he kinda annoyed me. I guess it was because he kept his shirt on or maybe because they [beeped] all his fucks.

Anyway, fans, enjoy the candy.

NATHANIEL R said...

ehrenstein ...see i had totally forgotten he was in The Lookout and you're right. there's range there, too.

Michael Strangeways said...

not to be bitchy, but Brideshead Revisted is NOT set in the Edwardian era which lasted from 1901 to 1910. The bulk of the novel takes place in the 20's and 30's.

NATHANIEL R said...

oops