"i will be your preacher teacher, any link you have in mind"

crazy people
Radar Online Mel Gibson's lost his marbles again. His angry angry marbles.
NatashaVC explains the ridiculousness that is Lindsay Lohan's absences from her alcohol classes
BlogStage speaking of crazy... albeit a more entertaining more benevolent kind. Lea Michele seems to think she could film Glee by day and take on the ghost of Barbra Streisand at night in Broadway's Funny Girl. This is, in a word, insane.
People Bruce Willis now has his own cologne. I love celebrities. They are so shameless. Smell like me!

linkage
My New Plaid Pants "Do it, Jake"... MNPP always makes me lol.
Self Styled Siren This is wonderful. The Siren interviews Mary Astor's daughter. A must for you classic movie fans. I'm glad that Siren opens with Meet Me in St. Louis because Astor is just wonderful in that picture (my review).
Cinematical Some enchanted evening, someone decided to remake South Pacific. With and edge. I'd love some original musicals but if we have to have remakes, so be it.
Art of the Title Sequence The Emmy nominees in this category. I do love the Nurse Jackie credits. Opening titles are one of my favorite parts of TV shows and this is why I knew I made the right decision to stop watching Weeds when I saw they had dumped the "little boxes" opening.
Flick Filosopher 8 extra minutes for Avatar rerelease. Do you care? I loved Avatar but if half of those 480 seconds don't fall under the category of explicit full braided neon sex scene with jakesully and Neytiri (hotness), I'm not forking over another $20!
Just Jared uh-oh. Colin Farrell is muscling in on Tom Cruise's Les Grossman-style makeup comedy
Writing the Wrong sequels that never were (for better and worse)

Being Boring watches lots of movies while sick. Derek Jarman this time. Do you do that too?
Towleroad A Betty White calendar? Betty White is our master now.
Asian Movie Pulse and Sina are covering a new film City Under Seige starring the beauteous Qi Shu and Aaron Kwok. Sounds like an interesting hybrid of sci-fi/horror... with circus performers. Wha?
EW If you've read my Julianne Moore interview, you know that I felt for Michael Ausellio yesterday when he spoke with Connie Britton. Now, he chats with celebrities all the time so it's no biggie for him but he's been pumping for Friday Night Lights Emmy recognition forever, so it's a sweet read after the lead acting nominations finally happened.

Housekeeping note
I've recently done a bit of sprucing up of the sidebar for your infotainment. For example, I can't believe I didn't have a "search" box before. My apologies. I know people are always asking "where's ______?" It's right below the advertisement in the sidebar.

Father Figure
Finally, hat tip to Anne Thompson, but the third Chris Nolan Batman film may start shooting next Spring. The "info" i.e. rumor is culled from this Michael Caine red carpet interview.



The interwebs will surely say claim this as breaking news but considering Michael Caine also states that he doesn't even know if his character is coming back, I'd take his 'I think they're starting next April' with a huge grainlake of salt. But I like what he says about his career

I'm a father figure now. I'm Goldmember's father. I'm Nicole Kidman's father. I'm everyone's father.

It took me a second to connect him with our Darling Nicki... that'd be from Bewitched (2005). Of all the movies to remember Michael? I mean, really. That's where you want to go?
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This, That and The Other Link

Thompson on Hollywood really cohesive Cannes roundup on buzz winners and losers
EW funny stretch of a followup to yesterday's Buffy reboot news. What does Whedon think of it?
<--- Pixar an interview with Tim Hauser on The Art of UP
Lazy Eye Theater "don't terminate until you can see the whites of their teeth"
My New Plaid Pants a pearl of wisdom from The Others
Risky Biz Blog the 2009 Oscar race. It's not off to any kind of real start
The Evening Class on Latino images in film and Turner Classic Movies

These three go out to you Californians!
Movie|Line on California's Prop 8 Disaster "J.J. Abrams to Revitalize Supreme Court Franchise" ... a stress release laugh
Socialite's Life Colin Farrell to be best man at his gay brothers wedding. Awww. No wonder he was so sincere in that A Home at the End of the World movie.
The Post Game Show "The Movement to Protect Singing"

yes please

And finally, a most unexpected but exciting news bit to brighten your morning: Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig to co-star on Broadway this fall !!!

April Showers: Miami Vice

In between Michael Mann (Public Enemies) movies I always forget that I really like his work. If you could reach into one of his movies you would be able to feel something... a cold surface maybe, vibrations from a loud noise or a drop of sweat hitting you. He has a real gift for atmosphere and texture. And apparently he has a thing for sex in the shower since two of Miami Vice's three big sexual scenes take place there.

The first shower scene is basically relationship detail. The music is soothing and we're just observing the easy intimacy of co-workers/lovers Naomi Harris's Trudy and Jamie Foxx's Tubbs.


The second shower scene is curious. We've spent several minutes watching Gong Li's Isabella and Colin Farrell's Sonny fall in love/lust (same thing in the movies on account of time is sped up). They've just realized that their relationship is a bad idea. Or maybe they've just decided it's a good idea to vocalize that obvious conclusion. The shower scene following this announcement begins oddly though it follows the same structure as the first shower scene. The man is lost in thought or zoning out, as one sometimes does when the hot water is drumming into one's skin. The woman enters and the intimacy begins. Only this time the music moves into ominous chords as we see Gong Li approaching the shower. She's all blurry like killers are as they approach shower curtains.

She tears open the shower curtain in a rather violent edit. It's the cinematic language of threat. Michael Mann is trying to ratchet up the tension in this dangerous affair (they're violent business partners and Sonny is also an undercover cop and could bring her down) but there's something about the shower entrance that feels little cheap. Like a 'Boo! Gotcha... she's just there for more nookie' red herring.

It probably shouldn't have tipped that threatening. After all, what's threatening about showering with Gong Li or Colin Farrell? Unless you have a heart condition, jump in and grab the soap!


But I love that Michael Mann is determined to keep the audience off balance. This next bit works better. He's been pulling us into the relationship and then suddenly, he's pushing away. The lovers kiss and stare and Isabella whispers something into Sonny's ear. See, we can ogle. We can practically touch the wet tendrils of hair clinging to hot skin but we're not allowed any closer. We're no longer privy to this conversation.

[Come see the new blog. We'll renew this series in April]
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Kiss Him, He's Irish

see also: Kiss Her She's Irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day
Can you guess which famous actor these lips belong to?


Which pair are you most eager to plant one on?*
Hollywood sure does loves Irish men. If you know of friends who do... forward this link on and see how well they can do guessing these.

Updated: Highlight the text below for all the names (not in order) and you can try to figure it out on your own if you're just joining us:

Pierce Brosnan, Michael Fassbender, Richard Harris, Stuart Townsend, Spencer Tracy, Colin Farrel, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Aidan Quinn, Kenneth Branagh, Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, Peter O'Toole, Cillian Murphy and Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Answers are now posted in the comments. All that's left is the kissing.

* Straight boy and lesbian readers are non-exempt from this comment game but should probably avoid tongue so as to keep it platonic.

We Can't Wait #8 The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Starring "Heath Ledger" (Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law), Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Verne Troyer, Lily Cole
Synopsis Traveling theater players, led by the 1000 year-old Doctor Parnassus, put on shows that includes a mirror where audience members can pass through and explore their own imaginations.
Brought to You By Lionsgate
Expected Release Date June 6th

Fox: I put Heath Ledger's name in quotes not out of any disrespect, but because I don't know how much actual face time he's given in the film. Regardless, this film will arrive with the weight of Ledger's last everything on it. I think it's kind of poignant that the film involves people going through a glass mirror... darkly or otherwise. I wasn't so fond of The Dark Knight, or the thought that Ledger will be remembered as The Joker. I'm not trying to ignite another TDK debate, I just think Ledger's talent deserves a better epitaph than it will likely get.

Also, I'm thrilled to see Terry Gilliam up on his feet again. I only saw part of his last movie Tideland, and it bummed me out. It was like watching an artist stewing in his own personal, horrible, dirty hell. I love his visions. Usually we get CGI blockbusters in the summer, so a production design extravaganza from Gilliam & Friends could be a refreshing break from that.

Verne Troyer??? I don't know. All I can saw is that Gilliam really likes dwarves.

Nathaniel: You know who else likes dwarves? David Lynch. Who, speaking of, also likes the multiple actors as one person and/or one actor as multiple people cinematic mind games. That's something else Parnassus will have given the Depp, Farrell & Law solution to the Ledger tragedy. Sight unseen and given the nature of the film, it seems like the best possible solution. If you have to have three other actors step in for you, could you do any better?

P.S. I hope Tom Waits sings. I can listen to him croon endlessly. Heavy rotation on the iPod y'all.

Whitney: I hope the revenue this movie sparks by being "Heath Ledger's Last Movie of All Time. Really. This is the Last One. Not Like 2Pac. This is Really The Last Movie" will finance his Don Quixote project that he's been trying to make his whole career. Ledger was really funny in Gilliam's last work, so I'm thinking four Ledgers will be even better.

Joe: Oooh, thanks to Whitney for reminding me how much I liked Heath in The Brothers Grimm. Which was otherwise disappointing. I tend to respect Gilliam's weirdness from afar; the films themselves are hit-or-miss. Given the circumstances, I hope this one pulls it all together.

Nathaniel: And now I'm sad again. 2005 was such an incredible year in Ledger's career. Think of the range displayed alone: The Lords of Dogtown, Casanova, Brokeback Mountain and The Brothers Grimm. Joe, I share your hope. I would love for Gilliam to have a success as big critically and commercially and Academy-ically (yeah I butchered the word to make a shiny gold man point) as The Fisher King again.

Matt Damon, Ledger and Gilliam on the set of The Brothers Grimm (2005)

JA: I still need to see The Brothers Grimm. A mad rush to Netflix! Parnassus would've made my list even without Ledger because of Gilliam alone. His floundering ability to get movies done drives me bonkers, so every one that makes it's way across the finish line is something to be cherished. I'm even one of the like ten people who defended and liked Tideland. But with this being the last footage we'll see of Ledger, absent a 2-Pac-or-Elvis-like ressurection, and with the actors stepping in to cover Heath being three of my absolute favorites, this became an even higher priority.

As for Troyer, to quote Colin Farrell's character in In Bruges, "They're filming midgets! They're filming midgets!" I share his enthusiasm.

Nathaniel: Where do you stand on Gilliam? Or are you seated? Reclining? Perhaps jumping up and down? Do tell in the comments.

In case you missed any entries they went like so...
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We Can't Wait:
#1 Inglourious Basterds, #2 Where the Wild Things Are, #3 Fantastic Mr. Fox,
#4 Avatar, #5 Bright Star, #6 Shutter Island, #7 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
#8 Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, #9 Nailed, #10 Taking Woodstock,
#11 Watchmen, #12 The Hurt Locker, #13 The Road, #14 The Tree of Life
#15 Away We Go, #16 500 Days of Summer, #17 Drag Me To Hell,
#18 Whatever Works, #19 Broken Embraces, #20 Nine (the musical)
intro (orphans -didn't make group list)
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The For Your Consideration Corner

Glenn here again for another FYCC installment. Have y'all recovered from the Golden Globes? I know I have... but then again, I wasn't able to watch them (damn you Australian television networks!) and instead relaxed at home watching season one of Veronica Mars all over again. I'm sure the Globes were fun, but Veronica wins out every time.

Doubt is a movie based around words, is it not? Based on the TONY-winning stage place by John Patrick Shanley, the film itself hasn't quite gotten the Best Picture buzz it had hoped for, instead being crushed under the weight of the other high profile stage adaptation Frost/Nixon (discussed here in December). Apart from the acting, however, the one category most people are predicting Doubt to be nominated in is Best Adapted Screenplay. Quite apt then that while looking at the For Your Consideration ads I felt like I was reading a screenplay. It probably takes just as long.


Oh sure, they can't help that the SAG category listings are incredibly long-winded and needlessly long, but I can't help but begin to snooze whenever I look at them. Granted, Doubt isn't exactly a movie that screams bright colours or gee whiz imagary but much like that girl in The House Bunny (oh yes) my eyes start to glaze over every time I see these ads trying to talk me to death and smother me in text. Not even any interesting shaping (where are the five star raves in the shape of a nun's habit? WHERE?!) or play on symbolism - although the white ad to the left is a start. Incredibly disappointing, don't you think?

For Your Consideration Ad of the Week:

I love that they kept the visual style used in the initial poster campaign (and one of the best posters of 2008) and applied it to their ads. From the wonderfully quaint font and edging, to the texture of the creases and even the slight cheesiness of the photo (tourism snapshots and all). It's all wonderfully conceived and far more vibrant and interesting than whatever Frost/Nixon campaigned with this week, don't you think?

Two Manky Hookers & A Racist Dwarf

Morning, everybody! JA from My New Plaid Pants here, just popping in for a quick hello this morning as the door hits Nathaniel in his you-know-what. Now, I take my guest-blogging duties very, very seriously; when given access to the fairytale town of The Film Experience, one must. I even made a list of things that I tend to wallow in while at my own blog that I need to refrain from while here... oh crap, where'd I put it... erm... just a sec...

A-ha! Here it is:


Sorry if it got a wee bit messy; you should see the other guy! Hardy har. No seriously, everything over at MNPP is covered in that red stuff. It just won't come out! Get one of those CSI blacklight lamps over there and then the real horror show would start.

Anyway, like the list says, I have three sins to atone for:

1) Moodiness - I'll try not to call anybody a See-You-Next-Tuesday while guesting. I'll try! I can't make any promises. What, that isn't good enough for you? You son of a b...

2) Being bad at maths. Sort of self-explanatory, really. I tend to have triple-vision...


Mmmm triple-vision...

4) I am sad. Like a sad clown, really. A sad, scary, soul-sucking monster clown like Tim Curry! Beware!!!

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Monologue: Ray's Remorse

Monday Monologues. Please note: The following post contains a small *spoiler* --a reveal that happens 25 minutes into the movie --that's also listed in every synopsis...;) In Bruges.

In Bruges begins with a voiceover by Ray (Colin Farrell), a hitman whose boss has asked him to hide out in quaint tourist-friendly Bruges, Belgium. His previous job went all kinds of wrong. He is to await further instructions there. Ray's partner Ken (Brendan Gleeson) dutifully takes in the art and the sightseeing and Ray, lost in his as yet undefined remorse grumbles and whines about their "vacation".

After a couple of reels of film, the reason for Ray's grief is made clear in flashback. And Ray, while looking at art with Ken, starts asking him theological questions. They wander to a park bench discussing violence and consequence which initally prompts amusing banter about when a murder is self defense or not. Ken once killed a lollipop man who was merely trying to save his brother (who he was there to kill). He feels bad about the act still but the man had come at him with a bottle. Ray, always eager for distractions from his own remorse, argues that Ken was justified. If it he had attacked him with only bare hands, say, the murder would have been uncalled for.

Ken: Well, technically your bare hands can kill somebody, too. They can be deadly weapons too. What if he knew karate, say?
Ray: You said he was a lollipop man.
Ken: He was a lollipop man.
Ray: What's a lollipop man doing knowing fucking karate? How old was he?
Ken: I'm just saying... Fifty.
Ray: What's a 50 year old lollipop man doing knowing fucking karate?! Was he a Chinese lollipop man? Jesus Ken. I'm trying to talk about...
[long pause]
Ken: I know what you're trying to talk about.

As happens so often in the movie, Ray's face starts to sour again as the weight of his guilt crushes him all over again. (Farrell is truly expressive in this role) The tone shifts quickly from comedy to drama, the mood of In Bruges falling as rapidly as each new shower of remorse.

Ray: I killed a little boy. You keep bringing up a fucking lollipop man.

I know I didn't mean to but because of the choices I made and the course that I put into action a little boy isn't here anymore. And he'll never be here again. I mean here in the world, not here in Belgium. But he'll never be here in Belgium either, will he? I mean he might have wanted to come here when he got older. I don't know why.

And that's all because of me. He's dead because of me. And I'm trying to --I'm trying to get me head around it but I can't. I will always have killed that little boy. That ain't ever going away. Ever.

Unless... maybe I go away.

"Don't even think like that" is his partners response. The most unexpectantly poignant thing about In Bruges is the way the film weaves in the details of this friendship between two killers. [What is the cinema's fascination with hitmen about exactly? A topic for another time.] Ray's paternal instincts and aged matter-of-fact demeanor are continually rubbing up against Ray's restless immaturity and loss of innocence to both comedic and dramatic effect. Ken merely wants Ray to be happy and live a good life. Even if he needs to find a new line of work. It's as simple and paternal as that.

In Bruges is wonderfully written by Martin McDonaugh and though it's his first feature length film, he seems pretty confident behind the camera too. This hitmen in hiding tale has got some neat plotting as well as some predictable beats that still manage to surprise. Those are the best kind of twists... the kind that make all kinds of sense, the kind where, even if you saw them coming... they didn't arrive in quite the way you expected. So, add this one to your rental queues if you haven't yet seen it. The quality of the writing shouldn't be a surprise to those familiar with Martin McDonaugh's plays (The Pillow Man and The Lieutenant of Inishmore among them) or his Oscar winning short (Six Shooter). If there's any justice in the world In Bruges will at least be talked up for Best Original Screenplay nominations when the year winds down. Not that there's any justice in the world...

1/2 Way Mark: The Acting

These are not Oscar predictions. They are my preferences -- the five performances in each category I have loved most this year from the 50 films I've screened. I'm doing this since the year is half over... and also just begun. (Oh, you know how Hollywood waits and waits to release the juicy stuff...) Unfortunately none of them will get any traction for acknowledgements later in the year when various groups start giving prizes. It's all in the timing...

Best Leading Actress
Amy Adams -Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day (review)
Irene Azuelas -Burn the Bridges
Famke Jannsen -Turn the River (interview)
Frances McDormand -Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
Julianne Moore -Savage Grace (review)

Watch out people. Julianne comes roaring back into psychosexual territory and none too soon. I need redheads experiencing mental breakdowns in dramas like most people need warm blondes falling in sweet love in romcoms. I just do. Adams and McDormand are appealing if not extraordinary in Miss Pettigrew (though I was tempted to replace one of them with Katharine Heigl who was ready to do a lot more for 27 Dresses if the film or screenplay had only figured out what to ask of her), Azuela holds all the threads of Burn the Bridges to her bosom like a protective makeshift mother (any Mexican readers know anything about this young talent?), and Janssen announces again that Hollywood isn't properly utilizing her talents. She's strong in Turn the River.

Best Leading Actor
Robert Downey Jr -Iron Man
Colin Farrel -In Bruges
Brendan Gleeson -In Bruges
Espin Klouman -Reprise
Dominique Pinon -Roman de Gare (review)

[note: Before anybody gets their panties in a twist: I have not seen The Visitor. I do enjoy Richard Jenkins work generally so...] The hyperbole was really out of control on Robert Downey Jr's Tony Spark/Iron Man spin. It's not like he was reinventing the wheel. Still it was thrilling to see this great actor headline a big star vehicle for a change. Every other performance here was more surprising in a way but you can't fault RDJ for being reliable. He's been consistently charismatic and spot on since way back in the 1980s.

The other men didn't get even 1/100th of RDJ's praise but they deserve some as well. Colin Farrel especially. He gives his best performance yet in the deceptively simple but intricately enjoyable In Bruges (from the amazing playwright Martin McDonaugh --I'd also highly recommend his Oscar winning short film Six Shooter.) He plays a hitman with a guilt-ridden conscience and it's amazing to see him drift away from his sadness whenever something amuses or surprises him (dwarves, drugs, women) only for it to snag hold of him again as his mind invariably snaps back. There's so much happening in his face. Gleeson partners him well. Klouman (in his first major role) is beautifully attentive to all of his scene partners and a true natural. Finally, Pinon improbably transforms his weird self into something resembling a romantic leading man. Wow.

Best Supporting Actress
Audrey Dana -Roman de Gare
Shirley Henderson -Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Claude Sarraute -The Last Mistress
Charlize Theron -Sleepwalking (review)
Victoria Winge -Reprise

My apologies have to go out to Patricia Clarkson in Married Life (review), Eva Amurri in The Life Before Her Eyes (review) both of whom I talked up previously but I couldn't do without Henson's mesmerizing schemer, Sarraute's hilarious horny grandma, Dana's accidental muse, Theron's film stealing mojo and Winge (stealing a line from Pajiba here) "who looks like Björk if Björk was from Earth"

Best Supporting Actor
Eugenio Derbez -Under the Same Moon (review)
Ralph Fiennes -In Bruges
Val Lauren -True Love (previous notes)
Victor Razuk -Stop-Loss (review)
Channing Tatum -Stop-Loss

I am commentless at this moment.

Best Cameo / Tiny Role
Steven Coogan Finding Amanda
Ernesto D'Alessio Under the Same Moon
Henrik Mestad Reprise
Jérémie Renier In Bruges

I couldn't think of five but these men added wonderful notes to their films.

Drrrty (Most Indecently Luscious)
Asia Argento -The Last Mistress
Angelina Jolie & James McAvoy -Wanted
Gilles Marini -Sex & the City: The Movie
Julianne Moore & Stephen Dillane & Hugh Dancy & Eddie Redmayne & Elena Anaya & Unax Ugalde -Savage Grace (Too bad they're all such pervs)

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Which of these performances have you seen? Were you impressed? Whose acting reel (circa 2008) would you watch again?

Related Post: top ten of the year so far (Jan-Jun)

Cassandra's Nathaniel's Dream

Mmmm

New on DVD this week is the latest morality/crime thriller from Woody Allen Cassandra's Dream (2008) starring Colin Farrell, Ewan MacGregor and Tom Wilkinson. The Weinstein's played a release shell game with the theatrical release, finally dumping it in January's no-man land. The outcome was predictable: It became one of Woody's biggest flops only outperforming September (1987). Pity that, given that Woody had his biggest hit since the '80s with Match Point. Scoop seemed to benefit from that momentum.

One wonders how the Weinstein's will treat the far buzzier Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008)... which is currently due in August. Is there any momentum left from that Match Point resurgence?

If you don't adjust for inflation, Woody's top 5 looks like this

1. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, Orion) $40
2. Manhattan (1979, MGM) $39.9
3. Annie Hall (1977, UA) $38.2
4. Match Point (2005, Dreamworks) $23.1
5. Love and Death (1975, UA) $20.1

Obviously if you consider inflation, Match Point falls significantly south. His films were most popular in the 70s, back when moviegoing favored more sophisticated laughs.

Older Films: There's a Dario Argento Box Set for the devotees or the curious. You also have a new opportunity to see Cheng Pei-Pei (pictured right), who you'll remember as the old and evil Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, back when she was a deadly young thing in the influential wuxia landmark Come Drink With Me (1966)

Also just out: The Air I Breathe, a four part ensemble story with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Bacon and more; Cleaner with Samuel Jackson as an ex-cop who cleans crime scenes; Darfur Now which is that documentary starring Don Cheadle we've heard so much about; Rambo for the fourth time; FlashPoint an action flick starring Donnie Yen; Grace is Gone, John Cusack's strangely dumped-at-the-last-second Oscar bid as a widower who lost his wife in Iraq; and the Paul Schrader flick The Walker in which Woody Harrelson plays a gay escort of society women in DC.
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Notes from Venice - Day 5/6

Boyd from European Films here, reporting on the ongoing Venice Film Festival

Mood: tired
Weather: hot but cloudy
Films seen: Cassandra's Dream, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Nines, La graine et le mulet, Un baiser - s'il vous plaît, The Darjeeling Limited, Hotel Chevalier
Gripe of the day: Brad Pitt's sunglasses
People currently on the same square mile of earth as I am: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Todd Haynes, Richard Gere, Jason Schwartzman, Tim Burton, Joan Chen, Toni Servillo, Terence Howard, Sam Shepard

Last night the Venice Film Festival hosted the gala premieres of two films that had the boys and girls lining the red carpet screaming their lungs out: Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream with Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford with Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt, who graced the red carpet with Angelina Jolie. (During the latter film's premiere I was in another building half a mile away and I could still hear the deafening screams floating into the room on the gentle sea breeze. "Oh! It must be half past nine," I thought.)

Earlier yesterday, Brad Pitt's sunglasses caused an uproar with attending photographers when during a photo opportunity for accredited picture-takers he refused to take his sunglasses off and then maliciously passed them on to Casey Affleck before he could have his mug shot taken. A voluntary photography boycott seemed to be in the air for the evening premiere, but things had apparently calmed down by then, as photographers clicked away like mad when the Royal Couple also known as Brangelina finally walked down the red carpet.

So what about the movies? The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (full review) is a magnificent motion picture that will appeal more to the fans of Terence Malick than those of Clint Eastwood. In my review I compared it to both Zodiac and a suspension bridge in that it stars of with a violent episode before going into calmer (read: character psychology) waters and then arriving at the titular act of violence that must certainly rank with the most exciting scenes of the year. How director Andrew Dominik succeeds in making the killing of a man cleaning a picture on a wall so exciting you will have to see for yourself, though a clear mixture of cunning mise-en-scene and a slow build-up that only a 155-minute picture can afford must at least be partially held responsible.

Pitt is in fine form, though at 40+ he looks a bit wrinkly for 34-year-old James (even Pitt gets older, yikes!) and Affleck is truly great, looking at the serious possibility he might get an acting nomination at the Oscars before his older brother Ben. People voting in the technical categories will also love this film, which looks absolutely stunning (gorgeous cinematography? check. great production design? check. period costumes. check! lovely make-up and hair? check) and also features a great, sombre score from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. The film seems to be too artistically inclined and too long to go for a Best Picture win, but it could turn out to go home with most Oscars a la Memoirs of a Geisha a few years back, simply because it is a stunning production all the way and could win a heap of statuettes in those categories.

Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream (cast pictured above, courtesy of Fabrizio Maltese) is a funny case. Just a couple of weeks ago I reviewed the new Chabrol film La fille coupée en deux (The Girl Cut in Two), explaining that the two filmmakers both had a glory period that belongs to the past in common, as well as the fact that they seem unable to live without making movies and still churn out one a year of varying quality. As such, Allen made something of come-back with his extremely well-received Match Point, and, I wrote, Chabrol's latest could be considered his Match Point, a "deliciously dark and well-observed tale that marks a fine return to form."

Imagine my surprise when I saw Cassandra's Dream, which feels like a Chabrol film transplanted to London as directed by an American (which it is). Is there some mutual cross-pollination going on between the two directors? Coincidence or not, the latest films from both masters premiered yesterday one after the other in Venice. A full review of Cassandra's Dream is forthcoming, but let's just say for the moment that it's pretty dark and pretty funny, and again reminds everyone why this character actor will never go out of business.

(A not unimportant note on the Chabrol: Ludivine Sagnier becomes not only prettier by the day but is also clearly growing as an actress. Plus, Benoît Magimel is irresistible as a slimy, fey and delusional heir with too much money and not enough good manners.)

Linkistics

The Cellar Door celebrates St. Patrick's Day by staring at Colin Farrell --usually a worthwhile activity I find. I don't have anything to say about this holiday so my celebration begins and ends with the green tint of this post. That's the best I can muster with just one cup of coffee in me and a full weekend of activities rushing towards me.
Jacob Chase talks Persona and Three Women
Stale Popcorn , after watching Woody Allen's Hannah masterpiece, wonders if everyone in NY talks about wanting to open a restaurant. Actually, they do...
Aussielicious [NSFW] sees more of Spidey (and other superheroes) than we'll get in theaters ... just for giggles. Don't click if nudity offends.
BoobTubers announce a blog mob-a-thon for April. Could be fun.
Glitterati on Jude & Lindsay. I'm still so weirded out by these rumors. How is it that Jude Law's personal life can be so messy and turbulent but he can still act up a storm. Is it his age? Because most stars who travel that hard party route don't seem to be able to get their careers together.

AND...

Stardust teaser!!! There be moving imagery. I hate the computer flourish to make Michelle Pfeiffer more evil but the rest of it looks awesome.

2006 (So Far): Best Actor

On Friday The Black Dahlia opens, ushering in --we assume we hope we dream-- an onslaught of quality pics for the cooler months. So we're quickly touring what the year has brought us up until now...

But what exactly has the year brought us in regards to leading actors? Not too damn much. Nevertheless, if the FB Awards (my own) were held today, the shortlist would read:

Chen Chang in Three Times He's serenely watchable. His name doesn't have the marquee value of a Tony Leung or a Takeshi Kaneshiro, but maybe it will someday. You've seen him before even if you don't recognize his name. He played Zhang Ziyi's lover in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Tony Leung's coworker/friend in Happy Together among other quality imports.

Aaron Eckhard as "Nicky Naylor" in Thank You For Smoking He's been typecast to an extent as an amoral devil but can you blame Hollywood? He does it so well and with real bite. Bonus points: We went to the same college at the same time. So I've always felt a little proprietary.

Colin Farrell as "James 'Sonny' Crockett" in Miami Vice I belong to the small minority that thinks that Farrell is good in everything. Even when his performances don't quite work I can usually see him reaching for something (more than can be said for many stars). One day he'll give a great performance.

Ryan Gosling as "Dan Dunne" in Half Nelson This performance makes a great twin set with Gyllenhaal's in Sherrybaby: both shoot for naturalism but they also contain the unmistakable whiff of theatrical ego. Given that their characters are selfish and self-destructive the approach feels right.

Denzel Washington as "Detective Frazier" in Inside Man Denzel has such star magnetism that he could've phoned this one in and most people would be none the wiser. He didn't. This is the liveliest he's been onscreen for quite some time. The fun is infectious.

Still... As much as I like all five of these performances I would be shocked to see any last until my actual awards are handed out.

WHAT OF THE OSCAR RACE?
That contest is the slowest to get started this year, isn't it? There's not one real contender yet. Despite the sluggishness in theaters, the festival reports are telling us that the war for the actual statue is already narrowed down to two men: Forrest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Peter O'Toole (Venus). JJ sums it up nicely in this article.

Tags: Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Oscars, films, Academy Awards, movies

Say What? Woody

I asked you to amuse us with dialogue or a caption. Here is Woody Allen on set with Colin Farrell & Ewan McGregor for the untitled Scoop followup. The winner was this unexpected one from "anonymous"


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I also thought Pedro's was cute.

Thank you to everyone who goofed with us on this. It's always interesting to see what you come up with. And this one's appropriate because next week is Scarlett Johansson week on the blog. Stay tuned.

Matt & Colin

"The Top 100 Actors of the Aughts" countdown continues with two more lucky fellas.

Damon My favorite celebrity divorce of the Aughts? Damon & Affleck...
Farrell Like Lindsay Lohan his celebrity has eclipsed his work. Shame...

Read the Rest... then return and discuss.

Have You Voted? Remember there's quick rounds of polling going on in the Top 100 Actresses List for your reader ranking (we're killing time until the remaining 15 men are given their final rankings).


So who gets your vote? Round 2 is being led by Naomi Watts (way out front) and Rachel McAdams in the second position with Reese Witherspoon on her tail. After Reese is a true free for all. If none of them are your personal favorite... there's 34 other women to choose from in this round --voting wraps on Tuesday morning as we move to Round 3 and bring out the even bigger babes.

Kiss Someone Irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day... (if I could figure out how to make this text green, I would.)

if you still need more kissables there's Cillian Murphy & Jonathan Rhys Meyers

[polysexual disclaimer: i wanted to throw a few Irish Actresses on here but all I found was this article on the absence of famous Irish actresses]