Left: Aron Ralson as himself.
Right: James Franco as Aron Ralston
The mountaintops are a-rumbling. To delude myself into thinking I've "caught up" before the avalanche, herewith seven word reviews on a bunch of movies I haven't got around to talking about just yet. More to come on three of them.
127 Hours
In which James Franco plays Aron Ralston who is pinned under boulder in southern Utah.
7WR: Nervously tricked up storytelling, but gripping nonetheless. B/B+
Made in Dagenham
Sally Hawkins leads fellow factory women on a strike for equal pay in late-60s England.
7WR: Engaging nuanced star turn elevates predictable story. B
Stone
A parole officer who is about to retire (of course!) gets mixed up with an inmate and his wife.
7WR: Weirdly acted, overcooked presentation of undefined 'whatthefuck?'ness. D
Norton: What the fuck are you looking at? Nathaniel: Honestly, I have no idea. You should tell me since you made it.
Salt
In which Angelina Jolie is an American spy accused of being a Russian sleeper agent.
7WR (Angelina): An unactable enigma, so Jolie charismasinstead. B+
7WR (Movie): Endearingly absurd but sadly disposable. Lame ending. B-
Soul KitchenFatih Akin's comedy about second chances, a flailing restaurant, and two German-Greek brothers.
7WR: Slow burn silliness and lusty adult appetites. B+
Leaving Kristin Scott Thomas gets the f*** of her life from Sergi Lopez, then loses her cool.
7WR: Feverishly horny portentousness. Somehow Kristin sells it. C+
I Am Love
Tilda is the matriarch of a rich Italian clan whose family business is changing hands.
7WR: Mouthwatering visuals, melodramatic verve, subtextual theme; Masterpiece? A/A-
(big article forthcoming now that it's on DVD. Probably in a week's time.)
Mic-Macs
(From the man behind Amélie.) A man with a bullet in his brain seeks revenge on arms dealers.
7WR: Inspired (But Exhausting) Hijinx Setpieces 'R Us B-
* If you've seen any of these, do share your feelings. I lift the restrictions on word counts for the comments. You may use more than 7! (If you're ever in doubt about whether or not to comment try to think of comments as little crumbs and The Film Experience as a zoo. Here you mayshould feed the animals because they don't eat otherwise.) *
It occurred to me a few weeks ago that I'd never mentioned Alfonso Cuarón's upcoming sci-fi epic Gravity. And here's a worrisome opportunity to do so. According to CHUD Angelina Jolie has passed on the big budget project for a second time. That type of a "no" can often doom an expensive project.
Gravity sans Jolie. What will they do?
Who will Alfonso Cuarón find to handle the heavy duty film-carrying demands of the role? The film concerns a man and a woman who are stranded in a space station. Or at least the woman iss (details are kind of unclear) The rest of the crew is dead. Robert Downey Jr has the principal male role but for whatever reason, it's a supporting gig. Gravity will rest on the female lead's shoulders. Most exciting from a filmmaking perspective is not, for me, the abundant groundbreaking CGI (as much as in Avatar) but that Cuarón wants to include long unbroken shots... one of them 20 minutes long.
Long unbroken shots are just about my favorite cinematic thing in the world after actresses so I should have mentioned this project long ago. This movie gives both. And Cuarón's already given plenty just by making Y Tu Mama Tambien and Children of Men. (Speaking of unbroken shots...)
Anyway, this has got to be a tough role to cast... and not just because of bankability issues. Not every actor would understand the shift in performance style required to carry huge metaphysical but also action-tinged sci-fi epics all by their lonesomes. Who were the last actors to do so? I guess Jodie Foster (Contact), Hugh Jackman (The Fountain), and George Clooney (Solaris) have all given that a go in their respective ways. Carrying a survival epic on your own? Tom Hanks in Castaway pops into mind... though that's decidedly earthbound. But we'll allow for him since he's also got the stranded in space thing with Apollo 13. Obviously you have to have a star people love to look at if they have to spend 90-120 minutes with primarily one face.
I always find it amusing/annoying that when big roles for women that don't seem to require a specific age range are being cast, studios always seem willing to consider any currently hot A list star of any age and virtually every 20something in town with any heat that month even though there's usually no proven bankability (which is how so many people end up starring in like 10 movies simultaneously and are never heard from again. Remember Kate Bosworth?). Studios will almost never bank on someone who once had heat and lost it despite the cold hard fact that showbiz is nothing if not a random chaotic collection of people who are walking embodiments of the cyclical nature of heat.
"Interested" lists always make me realize how rare and lucky we are as moviegoers when something accidental happens like when someone gives someone great a real shot even though they aren't perceived as "hot right now" or bankable or on every shortlist in town. Like Marisa Tomei in all of her Oscar nominated roles. She was never on the top of every list but she's so damn talented and reliably watchable. Or like Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham in '88. She had to fight to get that and then was magnificent obliterating any notions that she had already peaked. Many people even thought Streep was over in the early 90s, you know?
Who would you cast? Bear in mind we know virtually nothing about the role other than that it's a solo and the character has a daughter back on earth (so you can't skew as young as Ellen Page, or at least you probably shouldn't because why would someone leave a baby on Earth while they were space travelling?) They'll have to have chemistry with RDJ if he stays on, and they'll need to be comfortable in an effects heavy film (which is why I worry about the studio's interest in Natalie Portman. When exactly is she good in those situations even though she's often good elsewhere?). I'd be considering Gwyneth Paltrow first (I'm serious) and then probably Nicole Kidman. Hell, I'd even test Christina Ricci on account of the curveball aspect of it. There's a familiar interesting face that nobody would be expecting but that many people would enjoy and if she ever delivers big somewhere a million people are going to say "I knew she had it in her all along!". But as much as it surprises me to hear myself type it, the studio's rumored interest in Sandra Bullock makes total sense to me artistically even if they're probably only interested due to the monetary heat. Still, I can imagine her being a good match with RDJ and her uncomplicated but highly watchable acting style might actually be an assett to an effects heavy film. She's never tried one and maybe she'll want to stretch a little post-Oscar?
The possibilities are endless... aren't they?
I'll shut up now. I do go on. Your turn.Which actress would you love to see carrying a sci-fi epic for Alfonso Cuarón. *
Today is Irish beauty and movie star Maureen O'Hara's 90th birthday. Oh, don't look so surprised Maureen! Ya know I love you though it's true I rarely talk about you herein. Hmmm, how to remedy? I'm beyond thrilled that you're still with us and I love you with great heaping muchness. xoxo, a fan.
Where were we? Linkage!
I went a little crazy today because I was catching up on my web browsing and some actual reading (gasp). Enjoy.
SLATIFR Dennis Cozzalio interviews Self Styled Siren. Terrific read if you love erudite movie lovers and I do, I do, I do. Can't wait for part 2. ToH! Julia Roberts back on top, even at #2 Heroine Content on the women in Scott Pilgrim vs the World and one distasteful element. Totally Looks Like James Buchanan totally looks like John Lithgow!Movie|Line Wish Michael Douglas well, he's got a tumor in his throat. i09 Jason Schartzmann on his villain role in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
It's kind of hard to be in a room and every time you get punched or hit people applaud. You're kind of like "wait, wait, wait it's fake I'm nice, I'm NICE!"
Ha. Fun movie that. PopEater is Neil Patrick Harris thinking of quitting showbiz? Eek. The Wrap says we need more female action heroes. Which we do. But there's a strange suggestion here that Angelina Jolie has just become one with Salt. Uh, that happened many years ago -- Jolie as badass, not Jolie as Salt. Salon When should a director stop messing with their earlier films? "Serial recutter" Michael Mann has a new version of Last of the Mohicans (1992) out for home consumption. Maurice's Blog Batgirl! I can't tell you how much I obsessed over Yvonne Craig as a wee kid so I relate.
Nick's Flick Picks is about to debut what sounds like a fascinating and sorely needed new "grading" system. Maybe everyone will copy this! /Film new photos from Sofia Coppola's Somewhere. MNPP JA finally sees the Johnny Depp Pretty in Cry Baby. Funny post. Dave Kehr a new Kim Novak box set with five films. Scanners a beautiful and enthusiastic piece on The Kids Are All Right and how expertly judged the filmmaking is: editing, shotwork, etcetera Movie Dearest on the DVD rerelease of Orlando and the ageless Tilda Swinton Blog Stage "Matthew McConaughey Can't Stand Up By Himself" Hee. I've never noticed this before but GLENN did last year as Vertigo reminds us in the comments. Glenn is brilliant. I wish I'd started my "posterized" series a year ago and beat him to it.
By now you've heard that the great casting search of 2010 (distaff division) has ended. Rooney Mara has landed the role of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
Rooney & Noomi
That's the role that Noomi Rapace played in the Swedish trilogy based on the best selling book franchise about men who really hate women. David Fincher rejected most of the famous names who wanted the coveted role of this short little sociopath. Little known fact: in addition to height and age requirements only actresses with double O in their name were considered for the famed Tattoo part.
Soleil Moon Frye was deemed too old, despite having come to fame playing short little sociopath Punky Brewster.
Speaking of double Os, it'll be nice to see 007 Daniel Craig again, won't it? Especially with Fincher's camera on him. Think of the multiple wonders Fincher's camera pulled from Brad Pitt over the years, give or take Benjamin Button.
In other strange double lettered casting news Marilyn Monroe ("MM") was supposed to be a character in two upcoming features with major actresses like Naomi Watts (Blonde) and Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn) playing her.
Now, supposedly there's a third Marilyn picture in the works. The author of the book "The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog", which is about the last two years of Marilyn's life as seen by the pet terrier that Frank Sinatra gave her, thinks that Angelina Jolie will play her in the film adaptation. But that sounds like an author delusion. What a strange movie that would make. Not that there's anything wrong with strange movies. We like them.
New Rule: In the future all movies must contain at least one scene involving a character named Marilyn Monroe so that every actress gets a chance to play her. Apparently they all want to.
Stale Popcorn Glenn surveys the 19 eligible films for the Australian Oscars. I Need My Fix Jane Lynch gets a wax figure. Glee has now officially taken over the world. Watch it take over the Emmys next. Hot Blog in depth Sissy Spacek interview. Goes all the way back to the early years.
I didn't work until I was 20. I just looked like I was 13.
HKMDB Daily Stills from the Chinese remake of What Women Want with superstars Gong Li & Andy Lau Towleroad Jennifer Aniston as Barbra Streisand? People...
Scanners looks at how the reviews of Salt deal with Angelina Jolie's super-sized star persona Box Office Mojo some release date shifts for Disney and two cancellations. Is the Beauty & The Beast 3D death another sign that 3D is over? If so, YAY! B&tB is perfect as is thankyouverymuch. His Eyes Were Watching MoviesVolver collects another fan. I honestly think that movie will continue to do so until it's regarded as one of Almodóvar's very best. Because it so is. That Obscure Object old paparazzi photos sometimes freak me out. This is the Thelma & Louise stars: Susan, Geena and Brad. Ah, sweet bird of 1991 youth. Empire when I read the capsule header or this article about Dolphin Tale starring Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr and Morgan Freeman -- that cast! -- I actually thought I had clicked on the wrong link and gone back to an article from the 1990s. True story, I did. Low Resolution Have you read Joe's entertaining & thought provoking personal Emmy ballots? You should.
must read contemporary post of the day Op-Ed Maureen Dowd and Sam Wasson, the author of that Breakfast at Tiffany's book discuss the sorry wrist-slitting state of the romantic comedy. They name names. Wonderful discussion. I just may read it again and buy Wasson's book.
must read retrospective post of the day Nick's Flick Picks reviews James Cameron's The Abyss (1989). As per usual his insights are totally invigorating. He always makes me want to see movies again. You can miss so much. I love this bit on Ed Harris
Harris, whose charisma, gaze, and body were like a periodic table of virile emotion during this period in his career, is tremendously moving throughout this key sequence, and really throughout the movie.
"A periodic table of virile emotion"...god, what a gorgeous distillation of Ed Harris. When is his honorary Oscar coming (since the real thing seems ever out of reach)?
Tribeca Film I have a new weekly column there "Best in Show" where I'm extolling the virtues of MVPs in new movies. First up: Tom Hardy in Inception. Mr Dan Zak wants Angelina Jolie to adopt him, loves her in Salt. The Observer top 10 movie cameos. Wide range of years here, so, yay. Totally Looks Like Whoa. Keanu Reeves & Tchaikovsky.
In Contention Wait. What's this? Fresh rumor hell that Margaret (2005) starring Anna Paquin might finally see release. I'd rather not hope again given that they're saying 2011. i09 okay I kind of think this Green Lantern movie is going to be terrible. BUT. This is so sweet/adorable: Ryan Reynolds reciting the oath for a kid at Comic Con. Playbill the musical adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is getting a starry cast for Broadway: Patti Lupone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sherie Rene Scott. Yay and also yikes. How can it live up to the film? A lot will depend on how strong the musical score is. And unfortunately film-to-stage transfers haven't seem to view the song score as that important, trusting on name brands to sell the show (see also: Addams Family, Legally Blonde, etcetera)
Finally, let's wrap up with Caroline O'Connor ("Nini" from Moulin Rouge!, don'cha know) performing Chicago'sVelma Kelly intro"All That Jazz"
Yes! Caroline is bringing her all singing all dancing one-woman'ish show (there are back up dancers) "The Showgirl Within" to London this fall. Wish I could see it. (I expect a full report from at least one of you Brits reading The Film Experience in the dark out there.) I once had hoped to interview all 'Four Whores of the Apocalypse' from Moulin Rouge! (2001) though I never got very far. My favorite film of the Aughts celebrates its 10th anniversary next year, so I'll have to return to it in a big way. It's been a few years since I last watched it now.
Hell on Frisco Bay Silent Summer at the Castro. Love the poster for the Louise Brooks picture (such a great movie). This can be filed under the Grass is Always Greener. NYC has a ton of cool film programs and I'm always wishing I could go to the Castro's film programs.
The Film Doctor good piece on a second look at the 'suicidal cool' of Tom Ford's A Single Man. Serious Film File this one under Lines I Wish I'd Written. On Peter Jackson returning to The Hobbit
"If only there was some convenient metaphor for some thing people just can't bring themselves to let go of."
Movie|Line Angelina Jolie's "lightning round" of possible future projects. Why does the MTV reporter pronounce Maleficent so bizarrely. Did he never see the glorious Sleeping Beauty as a child? P.S. I love Jolie and I love Maleficent but for all that is holy I cannot stand the thought of that fusion under Tim Burton's direction. I literally would have to be dragged to see it which, well, if you understood how much I loved Maleficent you would understand the utter devastation I'm feeling.
Coming Soon meetings have begun for Wicked with several directors interested (JJ Abrams, Rob Marshall, James Mangold, Ryan Murphy). If you're wondering why I haven't written about it, it's that we have no substantial news and I'm just feeling disaster coming. By the time they make this -- if they ever make it -- the market will have already been flooded with about 6 or 7 other Oz projects that are further along in development. I just don't understand why they waited so long. Hopefully The Wizard of Oz (1939) itself gets some sort of cool rerelease for its 75th anniversary in 2014. /Film if people who cared about superheroes actually read The Film Experience (I know from comments that that's not really your thing) they would realize I'm a genius because I totally predict these things. MORE trouble with The Avengers. Edward Norton is not returning as The Hulk. I knew this superhero team using all big stars was r-i-d-i-c-u-l-0-u-s from the get go and I already called the delays and cancellations and cast issues. I still have trouble believing we'll ever see the film which is why those constant commercials for it interrupting the narrative of Iron Man 2 irritated me so much. (Just concentrate on the movie we're watching!!! This is not too much to ask of a movie. In fact this is just a basic storytelling requirement.) Most sites on the web feed on every crumb from studio pr about superhero movies like it's a manna from heaven, devouring it all as gospel facts until the fact changes which prompts another flurry of articles. Do movie websites do this because of page views or are they all true believers? If they are maybe I should stop writing the equivalent of "Santa Claus doesn't exist".
But what's this...?
HitFix Marvel Studios publicly dissing Edward Norton? Bad bad form. If that's the way they're going to play the movie game, why would any name actor want to work with them again? I mean, aside from the money. But Marvel Studios isn't the only studio that can offer big money.
The Hot Blog David Poland agrees that it's unprofessional.
Cinema Blend it might be Joaquin Phoenix replacing Norton. This news strikes me as hilarious since... well... when did Joaquin Phoenix suddenly get a "so easy to work with!" reputation that he'd be deemed an upgrade from Norton?
future movies Burlesque now has a website so you can actually try to work up excitement from the sparkly logo design until a teaser hits. Hurry up, teaser! In Contention has a teaser poster for Sofia Coppola's Somewhere. I like it. I'm sure we'll get something more generic before release though. /Film Sam Raimi for Oz, The Great and Powerful. Not a bad choice Movie|LineScott Pilgrim vs. The World. Ramona's seven evil exes get their own posters Low Resolution says what needs to be said about the Tom Cruise Les Grossman pic. Just Jared Reshoot set photos from The Adjustment Bureau with Emily Blunt & Matt Damon MTV Movies Charlize Theron joining Tom Hardy for the next Mad Max film
And here's the first official still from The Tourist (2011)
Jolie means Pretty in French... or any other language.
randomness Natasha VC speaks wise words about Adrien Brody. Old Hollywood Barbara Stanwyck will own it. Movie|Line funny bit on the first official still from Mad Men season 4. Twitch a promo for HBO's new series Boardwalk Empire about Atlantic City. Good luck being as good as Atlantic City (1981)... no relation but for locale. Noh Way on the upcoming revival of Evita. Deadline Hollywood on Karate Kid's resounding box office beat down over The A Team. Towleroad Joan Rivers and my continued plea for Friday Night Lights Emmy love. A Socialite's Life celebs galore at the AFI party honoring Mike Nichols.
Angelina Jolie turns 35 today. Her supernova career holds many lessons for talented young actors (and we civilians, too). While an unforgettable presence, the key ingredient, is not exactly duplicable even for those with above average skills, other elements are. If a young actor can muster up even half of her watchability, they'll have a robust career. Just a quick perusal of her filmography brings certain lessons to light.
Cyborg 2 (1993) | Hackers (1995) | Foxfire (1996)
Rule #1 Take anything you can get (at first). Ms. Jolie, unlike many children of Oscar winning movie stars before her, didn't exactly aim high at first. She'd do youth movies, genre movies, straight to video movies, music videos, short films, television, cyborg movies. You can lose a lot of opportunities if you're too picky, too soon. Those posters up top are just a few from her teenage and early 20s period.
Gia (1998) | Playing God (1997) | Playing By Heart (1998)
Rule #2 Never phone it in Or: Always make an impression. There's nothing more disheartening than watching an actor do something they feel they're above or can't take seriously (see Halle Berry in any superhero flick). Whatever your skill set, use it. Angelina knew she had sex appeal and boy did she flaunt it. There was no holding back. Even in an ensemble like Playing by Heart, where she couldn't flaunt it as spectacularly as she did in Gia, she was 100% committed to making an impression.
Pushing Tin (1998), Bone Collector (1999), Girl, Interruppted (1999)
Rule #3 Raise Your Game If you're lucky enough to get those early gigs, you have to get pickier once people know you can do the job. Take the secondary lead opposite bigger stars (Heh. That Pushing Tin poster is now hilarious. Blanchett and Jolie less saleable than Cusack and Thornton? My how things change) and don't forget rule #2 while engaged in #3. Witness the grand theft movie that was Angelina in Girl Interrupted (1999). Angelina wasn't even on the poster (at first).
Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Tomb Raider (2001), Original Sin (2001)
Rule #4 Embrace Your Strengths Many actors would have shifted over to prestige fare once they'd won their Oscar, but why go for a job you're not as well suited for just because it's more "respectable." Angelina knew that the intense appeal of her physicality was at least the equal of her acting gift. Action movies and erotic thrillers it was then.
Life or... (2002) | The Cradle of Life (2003) | Beyond Borders (2003)
Taking Lives (2004) | Sky Captain... (2004) | Alexander (2004)
Rule #5 Experiment and Network Once you're famous (or steadily employed since mega fame happens to precious few) and know your strengths, continue to mix it up a little and work with all kinds of different people on all kinds of different projects. Take a job that's smaller than what you'd normally go for and practice rule #2 (see Sky Captain or Alexander) or just try different genres and stretch a little. Not everything will work, but you have to try. You can always lean back into your strengths.
Mr & Mrs. Smith (2005) | The Good Shepherd (2006) | A Mighty Heart (2007)
Wanted (2008) | Changeling (2008) | Salt (2010)
Rule #6 Remember All Previous Rules But Play Harder to Get Notice how Angelina just keeps flipping between Action / Drama but we don't see her as often? Sometimes we literally don't see her but her fame is maintained (voicework: Kung Fu Panda and Shark Tale). By doing all three of these things she gets to keep her superstardom, her mystery, and Real Actress cred all intact.
Disclaimer: Though these rules can be equally helpful to careers outside of the movies, #6 is not advised until you're very successful. If you hope to keep your job, you do have to show up.
How many of Angelina's performances have you seen? Do you think you'll try these rules at your own job? I suppose we should talk about the posters, too. The marketing departments seem to consider her lips her #1 attribute and her full body is only employed for the action flicks.
Well... someone to the right of you at least. Hi, Ang'.
Did I ever tell you about the time Angelina Jolie did see me. Oh, of course I did. Best celebrity sighting ever. We were close enough to touch. Not that we did!
I'm so ready for Angelina Jolie to have another Girl, Interrupted or A Mighty Heart level performance again, aren't you? Here's hoping that The Tourist (the film she's in costume for above) co-starring Johnny Depp is a winner. The behind the scenes crew indicates it might be: Oscar winning screenwriter (Julian Fellowes), Oscar winning cinematographer (John Seales), Oscar winning costume designer (Colleen Atwood) and the Oscar winning director of The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck... well sort of an Oscar winning director ... it's never listed as an Oscar win on their IMDb pages but the directors of Best Foreign Film winners always claim the prize. It's not like a country can put an Oscar on its mantlepiece. Countries have borders, not mantles. We hope Florian got to keep the statue.
Jose here, to remind you of an underrated gem from 2004.
When I was a child I was addicted to Superman. Not the Christopher Reeve movies and obviously not the weird TV show with Teri Hatcher, but the classic animated shorts from the 1930s. We had a VHS tape which I could watch for hours and hours completely enthralled by the terrific stories, the foreign adventures and even the sense of menace and doom conveyed by Dave Fleischer in under ten minutes.
Years later I had the same feeling watching Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Kerry Conran's debut film was a tribute to this era which featured giants robots, timeless kingdoms atop the Himalayas, perky reporters and heroines with eye patches. Everything in the film is CGI, except for the actors, which gives it a retro-futuristic air. With nods to Dave Fleischer, Flash Gordon, Indiana Jones (which is itself a tribute to serials) and The Wizard of Oz, the film is a treat for film buffs who will have a great time with all the references.
But the film's joy isn't only in its referential nature. It's also a heck of an adventure film in which plot has little relevance and over the top is always the way to go. Gwyneth Paltrow is wonderful as reporter Polly Perkins and for those who think she takes herself too seriously, you can see her having actual fun in this one!
Jude Law is glorious and dashing and Angelina Jolie is splendid in what amounts to a glorified cameo. Unsurprisingly the film was a box office failure and Conran hasn't made a film since. Laurence Olivier was the villain! Come on!
That's sad, because in terms of energy and pure love for the movies, not many films made in the past decade can be compared to Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. In a perfect world the captain would be fighting the crab aliens from Méliès Trip to the Moon...
I'll be spending most of the weekend at the movies (I hope). Posting may be light unless I am unusually speedy in the digestion of these big movie meals... which would be a first. I wish there were four of me every December (one to enjoy the holidays, one to earn money, one to see all the movies I missed and all the movies Hollywood withheld simultaneously and one to write about all of that.) Herewith some links to keep you buzzy.
Ed Norton and Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in Fight Club (1999)
Nerve "Class of 99" This is a neat angle: How did the breakout directors of 1999 fare in the cinematic decade that followed? Indiewire Oscar's potential Live Action Short nominees Final Girl Have you seen this series, inspired by my own (20:07). Fun for horror fans though most of it is lost on me, I'll admit. Still I have an affinity for stopping movies at odd places so I like to look at it anyway. Low Resolution Sandra Bullock: Human Being of the Year
DListed Brad & Angie, sculpturally speaking New Yorker David Denby's top ten list, with an Inglourious Basterds takedown preface. I love what he says about Up in the Air and you've heard me say virtually the same thing about The Last Station (only I called "without a trace of stiffness" 'unfussy' instead) In Contention Morgan Freeman IS Nelson Mandela. My god, here we go aga...zzzzzz. When will people finally get tired of each new biopic performance being deemed 'not an impersonation but an incarnation'. Someone says it about someone every damn year. popbytes "the color of crazy: Brittany Murphy" A Socialite's Life the Nine premiere in London -- I keep missing pretty things because my schedule is merciless Movie|Line How big will the numbers for It's Complicated be? Is there no stopping Meryl's box office muscle?
mmmmmANGELINA. Mangelina. I'm so curious to see Salt now that Jolie is staring me down from the poster (she does so more intimidatingly there -- the gaze is more benevolent in real life) and I'm reminded that Salt was originally written for a male star. Will we see any telltale signs of that gender-switch in the movie?
Oh link it, link it real good MovieLine awesome composer Alexandre Desplat doesn't believe in holding his tongue. Doesn't approve of Quentin Tarantino's music Old Hollywood Hedy Lamarr in ecstacy Nicks Flick Picks finally gets around to "best actress 2008", both his own and Oscar's, but hot damn it's a good read. Plus: awesome comments section with heated / lucid opinions In Contention Mélanie Laurent promoted to Lead Actress for Inglourious Basterds campaign Cinema Blend Katey dives into the Screenplay categories. Cheerleads In the Loop Cinematical maybe you missed my tweet on the Tim Burton exhibit at MoMA? Here's a whole interview.
C'est La Gêne I can't read French but I can read enough French to know that any post where you admit you saw Batman and Robin six times in the theater is a fun one. For French readers only I suppose. i09 More Black Cat rumors for Spider-Man 4 and the internet's tendency to freak the hell out over them. It's gotta be that plunging neckline because white-haired heroines don't work out so well onscreen [cough*Gwen Stacey/Storm*cough] mainly movies a personal top 100 of the decade Birth of a Notion remembers Ben-Hur today, which happens to be its 50th anniversary
What kind of a blog host would I be if I didn't share my unusually star-packed weekend story with you? I'd already tweeted about it but there's only so much detail one can pack into 140 character clips with service interruptions.
Friday Morning I was up at the crack of dawn for Oprah Fridays Live two days back as they were broadcasting from Central Park. One of my closest friend's best friend works on the show, thus the invite. It's not like Oprah Winfrey knows who I am. I knew Mariah Carey would appear as guest but otherwise I went in to the event blind. I feared leaving deaf, memories of Mariah's ear-shattering top notes vaguely worrying me. I've never understood the appeal of that girlwoman and her butterfly / charm bracelet /sweet sweet fantasy / glitter world (is she 12? seriously) but the excitement about attending a live televised event was plenty to get me going and mimicking fandom during the "applaud now" moments. I ended up four rows back on the left side of the stage, with a great view of the Great Machine-like proceedings. Let's just say that Oprah's show is exceedingly well oiled.
Turns out going to a live taping is a long process: arrived at 6:45 AM, queued up, waited, ushered into holding area at 7:45, waited, seated by 8:30, waited, waited, at 9:30 came the crowd warm-up which largely consisted of a very chipper woman barking jovial orders at us. The live broadcast began at 10 AM. The highlight of the pre-show was a song and dance performance from a pack of four guys ("Mariah's BIGGEST fans") from Missouri who had been flown in by fairy godmother Oprah to see their idol. If you saw Oprah on Friday, two of the boys were invited up on the stage during the actual show when Oprah dropped yet more fairy dust on them: they would be appearing in Mariah's next video (understandably, they went berserk) and Oprah would also be flying them to Vegas for a concert. The Big O doesn't fool around with the gift-giving once she's become aware of your existence.
The highlight for me?
The show had just begun and Oprah was relaying the wonders of New York City: Central Park, shopping, Broadway. Suddenly there's orgiastic crowd squeals to my left and my head spins to see DANIEL CRAIG and HUGH JACKMAN --or as Oprah would say "Huu-ooOOO-oo JahckmnN'!" Yes, her voice is just as affected in real life -- who are mere yards away from me. They were walking swiftly together towards the stage. It was a total mindfuck blur of starpower. I'm sure I swallowed flies my jaw was so loose. Only four or five women blocked my ability to leap at the dream duo. For that I thank and curse them.
Other guests on the show were Mayor Bloomberg, Nick Cannon (who seemed more like Mariah's hyper fan than her husband although that's kind of cool. Maybe he's as trapped in his tween years as Mariah herself?) and Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa. In the audience, receiving much love from the stage, were Lee Daniels (the writer/director of Precious), the author of Oprah's new book club selection "Say You're One Of Them" and Oprah's gal Gayle King.
Oscar watchers should note that during the show I experienced a film-experience-familiar horror as Oprah raved about Mariah's "glammed down performance" in Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire. Mariah, already campaigning for a supporting actress nomination, delusionally suggested that the makeup people were adding bags and dark circles under her eyes and even gave her a moustache. In no way shape or form does she look like that (!) was the gist of her self promotion. Methinks the woman has been famous too long.
Which is the realest Mariah?
I ask you with all sincerity, which is more real:
a 40 year old woman without glamour makeup under flourescent lighting or...
a woman surrounded 24/7 by a team of makeup artists, wardrobe personnel, key lights and photoshop airbrush expert whose job it is to make her look 18?
Though we were close to the stage we could barely see Mariah during commercial breaks as the makeup artists surrounded her completely for touchups each time. Despite my cynicism regarding the praise that's inevitably heaped upon every 'deglam' performance, I do think Mariah appears to be doing good work in Precious and she was surprisingly funny/charming on the show. That said, I needn't have worried about my ears. She was so heavily corseted that she was definitely having problems breathing and her voice came out a whispery falsetto. I'm sure it sounded better on television.
Mariah doing the foreigner hit "I Wanna Know What Love Is"
There's more to say but I could ramble for hours...
Once we were off air, Oprah thanked the crowd quite graciously before we filed out. Her final exit, waving to the crowd with her arm literally and awkwardly raised up behind her, never turning back around to look at us, made me laugh. It totally reminded of that choice revealing bit in Madonna's Truth or Dare where her childhood friend says "I love you Madonna" as they part. Madonna, slipping around the corner and out of the camera shot, never looks back. Her offscreen voice dismisses the woman with a rote "I love you, too."
The rich and famous have no time for you!
Friday Night Attended the Lance Horne show at Joe's Pub. The singer/songwriter is well loved by the Broadway crowd and Cheyenne Jackson, comedienne Lea Delaria (beautiful jazz voice. Get her CDs) and Michael Urie (Ugly Betty), among several others, were on hand to sing his songs. Alan Cumming (left, with Lance) was on stage the most singing about his recent marriage to his boyfriend as well as doing a funny duet with Cheyenne about condoms. The singer/actor/writer/cologne salesman / Nightcrawler will add recording artist to his resume next week when his CD is released.
The semi-famous were all on stage, except for N'Syncer Lance Bass, who was just a member of the audience. He walked right by us, some new arm candy hanging about him, to take a seat at a reserved table.
Jonny Lee Miller and Sienna Miller (no relation) and their ex-lovers
Saturday Watched Sienna Miller (G.I. Joe) and Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting's "Sick Boy" and television's Eli Stone) perform After Miss Julie on Broadway. For what it's worth Sienna plays sexually charged unravelling sanity woman fairly well. Who knew?
But their celebrity kept getting in the way for me. During every slow moment in the Strindbergh inspired production (and there were a few... it's curiously paced) I kept thinking that Jude Law, Sienna's on again/off again ex, was performing Hamlet in a nearby theater and I wanted to be there. At one point in the climax of the production, Jonny's face was smeared with blood. I could only think of Angelina Jolie and how she used to write his name on her shirt in blood back in the mid-90s. Don't you miss crazy goth Angie?
<--- Finally, all I could think of was Jonny and Jude snogging and I began wondering if they're still close? Sometimes it seems like the famous are so inbred, everyone dating, befriending and otherwise smearing their DNA on everyone else who happens to be famous.
Sunday I'm paying for all of this excitement. Totally sick... again (I hate you, flu!) so I guess I'm staying in to watch the EMMYS.
How was your weekend? Which celebs were involved in your activities be it on tv, screen or live? *
If you'd like to read a short non-spoilery review for the new science fiction drama Moon, you can head on over to my weekly column at Towleroad. The film opens tomorrow. I don't advise reading many reviews of this one before seeing it because most critics (unlike myself) have absolutely zero issues with spoilers and there's a lot one can spoil beyond what's already given away in the film's trailer. I'll have more on Moon *with*spoilers in the next vodcast with Katey. We'll give you ample warning before the spoilers.
I'm also still buzzing from the Sandra Bernhard concert last night. It was a 20th anniversary-ish deal for her hit one woman show Without You I'm Nothing. I listened to the show recording constantly back then, fantasizing that I was there and that I lived in [cue affected bullhorn voice] NEW YORK CITY. Here's two new numbers from the show which is thankfully a mix of her classic show and new material: An odd take on Hole's "Violet" (love that song, don't you?) and the hilarious "Jolie", a reworking of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" for the world's most famous movie star couple
As you may know, the annual Forbes 100 is out. This 'Celebrity 100' list is also referred to as "World's Most Powerful Celebrities". Which... well, I wonder. The list ranks the celebrities based on their media visibility and earning power. Media + income = power. All lists are subjective but it seems strange to assume that visibility equals power. It can but I doubt it automatically does. Is Lindsay Lohan a powerful person because the paparazzi follow her around? If so, what does she hold sway over... legging trends? Can she get movies greenlit? She didn't make the list but it's just an example.
Another funny/strange thing: It only goes to show you that becoming enormously popular at one time in history can keep you on these lists in perpetuity. Witness the staying power of Sandra Bullock and Harrison Ford on lists such as these.
Here are Forbes top movie actresses...
01 Angelina Jolie There's no disputing her fame. Would that her influence was as indisputable. Celebrity philanthrophists are often subjects of loathing from many pockets of the media and various segments of the general populace. Why that is I'll leave it up to social theorizing in the comments [A History of... Angelina Jolie]
08 Jennifer Aniston She was my favorite member of Friends back in the day but I realized as soon as she transferred to the cinema that I was a fan of "Rachel" rather than Jen. Sometimes when thinking of Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow and Courtney Cox in tandem it becomes clear that Brad Pitt is to blame for her ubiquity. But then I think of my beloved Juliette Lewis and... well, the world isn't fair. 58 Sarah Jessica Parker Sometimes Square Pegs only need to ignore the round holes and find a new board on which to play. What a difference HBO and "Carrie Bradshaw" made. [More on Sex & the City]
64 Meryl Streep Her top earning status as she enters her 60s fills me with utter glee despite the fact that Mamma Mia! was terrible. Once, long ago, (very early 90s to be more precise) the same media that now kisses her feet used to belittle her for speaking out about the inequality in pay between actors and actresses. 71 Reese Witherspoon Earned $15 million last year. Usurping all of Jake Gyllenhaal's time? Now, that's power.
74 Nicole Kidman She takes a beating in the American media but she's still an international draw. Plus she's, you know, awesome if you care about the cinema rather than just 'the movies.'
85 Anne Hathaway She only made $7 million for Get Smart? For some reason I thought she pulled down more than that already.
87 Drew Barrymore Still a double threat as Producer/Actress. Every time we hear about Drew's next project, the roller derby film Whip It!, it's mentioned in connection to Ellen Page's rising stardom post Juno. But have you checked out the supporting cast and their character names? Drew as "Smashley Simpson", Kristin Wiig as "Malice in Wonderland", Juliette Lewis as "Dinah Might", Eve as "Rosa Sparks". I only hope the movie is half as fun as the milieu and moniker imply.
92 Sandra Bullock Forbes implies that her return to romcoms justifies her placement. Is she headed for a major comeback this year with The Proposal and All About Steve?
Most random finding on this list: Jennifer Love Hewitt is at #99. Other than her power to stay on television year after year after year after year (Jennifer Love Hewitt in the reboot of Murder She Wrote... coming your way in 2038!) I had no idea that she wielded any, let alone that she was the 5th most powerful TV actress . I didn't know that she was more powerful than three Desperate Housewives and that Gossip Girl... more powerful yet than Eliza Duskhu who is infinitely hotter and shares Hewitt's power to stay on the airwaves.
You know what I'd like to read? A list that seeks to quantify the overall influence of celebrities as opposed to their income or household name status. Who has trickle down power? I always think of that "cerulean" scene in The Devil Wears Prada when I think of cultural influence.
This... 'stuff'? Oh... ok. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don't know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise, it's not lapis, it's actually cerulean.
You're also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar De La Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves St Laurent, wasn't it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of 8 different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of stuff.
Wouldn't more specialized celebs like, oh, Parker Posey in the 1990s or Björk or Tilda Swinton make lists that quantify cultural influence? They're famous, referenced, idolized, admired, stolen from, imitated and occasionally worshipped in fashion, music, media, cinema. They're not interchangable with the next up and coming starlet. But, alas, they aren't ... Jennifer Love Hewitt. *
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