Blogosphere Multiplex: Seth @ Defamer

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20:07 (Salome!)

each morning a screenshot of the 20th minute and 7th second of a film


"What a woman! What a part. A princess in love with a holy man"

[Pssst: This image courtesy of StinkyLulu who has a related post up]

Kiki Zinone?

Another paparazzi puzzlement...
Is Kirsten Dunst auditioning for a remake of Grease 2? Is she about to bust into a subpar "Cool Rider"

I want a devil in skin tight leather,
And he's gonna be wild as the wind.
And one fine night, I'll be holdin' on tight...
To a coooool rider, a coooool rider

If you have a different theory, do share in the comments.

Previous mysteries:
Do you hear what Jake hears?
What's in Kate Winslet's gargantuan bag?

Oprah Loooooves Hairspray. Michelle Still Hates Interviews

Sometimes you see something that sets off so many different feelings in you that you don't even know where to begin. Such was the experience of watching Oprah's gushfest with the cast of Hairspray last week. She gushed so much I feared she would be rushed to County General for dehydration treatment.

She didn't just love the movie. She loooooooovvvvveed it. She loved it with several exclamation points. Either that or she owns stock in it. See for yourself...

Oprahcrazed

I rarely watch Oprah but now I understand why Tom Cruise was jumping on couches. I thought she might be impersonating Arsenio Hall what with all the artificial whooping. John Travolta, a close personal friend of Oprah... and she wants you to know it, charmed the crowd and himself. He loves the accent he created for Edna Turnblad. He loves it so much that even after spending an inordinate amount of time talking about it, he brought it up again after the commercial break. Unfortunately one of Edna's most famous lines --the one about her diet pills wearing off --is almost unintelligible under the affected Baltimorean. I love what he says about the difficulties of musicals, that's a smart answer. But when he's talking about the accent all I can think of is the scene in Waiting for Guffman where Corky St. Clair tries an accent on for size.

Oprahtravolta

Based on the scenes shown we know Hairspray is colorful and bouncy. It looks like a lot of fun if suspiciously frantic in proving itself so (breathe a tentative sigh of relief). Musical comedy works best when you can't feel the heavy lifting. Hopefully the fatsuits, accents, wigs, and uneven score won't cause the talent to sweat.

Following Travolta was Michelle Pfeiffer. Ahem. After my heart stopped pounding (SO good to see her again. It's been years) I started giggling and feeling for her. She still hates to be interviewed. She hates it with exclamation points. She is one of the great movie stars but when it comes to playing herself? That aint her forte. She can't form sentences. She doesn't want to answer questions. She was not made for forced patter. My mind lept back to her very uncomfortable interview with Barbara Walters back in the day. It was chilly in there. And here on Oprah, sandwiched between the eager to please Travolta and the warm charisma of Queen Latifah, the temperature dropped a bit, too.

Here is the Michelle portion plus a bit o' Queen and Nikki Blonsky.

Oprahmichelle

My favorite part is the last bit. Oprah realizes Michelle has been quiet and no one has been addressing her and she tries for an olive branch. The response is the most relaxed Pfeiffer gets. "Someone has to play the villain."

Indeed.

They're beating the drums early for this potential crowd pleaser, aren't they? It doesn't open until July 20th and it got a full hour on Oprah two months prior. That's a lot of time to fluff some cotton candy. It better be sweet.
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Denzel's 3rd Oscar

Today is Malcolm X's birthday. And because I am a movie nut all things are filtered through the cinema... which means today is really all about wishing Denzel Washington had won the Oscar for Spike Lee's Malcolm X . (I know I know. it's pitiably reductive but again: movie nut. What can you do?) To me it's one of three insufferable mistakes they made (post nominations) in the Lead Actor category in the 90s:

1992 Denzel Washington (Malcolm X) losing to Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman)
1993 Anthony Hopkins (Remains of the Day) bested by Tom Hanks (Philadelphia)
1998 Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful) defeating Sir Ian McKellen (Gods and Monsters)

In all three cases it's hammy stars beating more resonant and accomplished acting. Arrrrgh. Thank goodness we have several months left before all the cycles of mediocrity begin again. Are those the three that bug you most or do you have another 90s actor peeve to share?

20:07 (Orientalist Pornography)

Each morning a screenshot from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie


Mina Harker: There's more to marriage than carnal pleasure.
[the bound copy falls to the floor]
Lucy Westenra: Oh, Mina! So I see. Much much more!
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I Know Who Linked Me

<--Jude Law does not appear in the links. I just like to look at him

quick reads
ModFab wishes himself a happy birthday. Go do the same
Burbanked punishes their favorite directors
Hot Blog 10 Things Studios Don't Want You To Know
Guardian Yay, Lukas Moodyson (Together, Show Me Love) is coming back. His new film will be called Mammoth
Film Brain welcomes William Friedkin back with Bug
novaslim "Dear People With More Money Than Me..."
Cinematical on Susan Sarandon's next picture. Although I find it more than a little sloppy weird that they talk about the casting and the mother/daughter angle of the story and still fail to mention that Eva Amurri is Susan Sarandon's daughter in real life. Helloooo.

find the time
The Misunderstood Blog-a-Thon at Culture Snob. So far there are entries on One From the Heart, Punch Drunk Love, INLAND EMPIRE, Heaven Help Us, Magnolia and more...
Radio Allegro for those of you who've asked, I won't be on the Radio Allegro podcast weekly anymore. I just had too much on my plate... but I will be a featured guest when I can manage. They currently have podcasts up on the art of the mashup and NYC dance party Bootie as well as a political discussion on the 2008 candidates. Episodes coming soon for the TONY awards and the summer movies and I hope to chat on both.
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Now Playing (05/18)

L I M I T E D

Brooklyn Rules Freddie Prinze Jr is still around?
Even Money Kim Basinger and Danny DeVito are also still alive and featured in this addiction drama from director Mark Rydell (On Golden Pond, For the Boys). Plus: The depressingly underutilised Carla Gugino is in it. Minus: So is Kelsey Grammar.
Fay Grim I truly love Parker Posey but I truly hated Henry Fool so...
Flanders a new one from eternally cheerful Bruno Dumont (L'Humanité, Twenty-Nine Palms)
Memories of Tomorrow Ken Watanabe stars in this drama about the early onset of Alzheimers. Hmmm could make a fascinating double feature with Away From Her (which happens to be the best o' the year so far)
Once the Sundance winner, a romance between an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant. People really really like it.

Private Property the tireless Isabelle Huppert takes on another meaty role as the single mother of teenage twins (played by L'Enfant's Jérémie Renier and his own brother) in this drama from Joachim LaFosse
Severance a fusion of horror and corporate comedy from the looks of it. But it's from the director of the stomach turning Creep so I'm not seeing it.
The Wendell Baker Story Wilson Bros (Luke & Owen) pitted against each other in this romantic comedy about an ex con. Eva Mendes is the girl.

W I D E

Shrek the Third Zzz. Laughed a few times for each film (gingerbread man & Puss n Boots = funny) but was puzzled by the Oscar win over the infinitely superior Monsters, Inc. and can't imagine that this franchise will still be funny once the pop culture jokes grow mold. But anyway... This movie is on 4122 screens. Thank god I live in a major market. With rising theater counts every year for the blockbusters I can't imagine what it's like in smaller cities now. Do you only get one choice on any given weekend? No wonder people rent so many DVDs.

Are you seeing anything this weekend?
If you're staying in with DVDs might I suggest Se7en (95), Darling (65), All That Jazz (79), Network (76) or Sweet Bird of Youth (62) -- I'll be discussing all of them over the next few weeks (reader requests) and if you've never seen them... now is a good time to refresh.

20:07 (The Band-Aids)

Each morning a screenshot from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie


"Here comes Sabbath! Ozzy Osbourne! It's me, Polexia!"

Do You Hear What Jake Hears?

You were so good about helping me figure out what was in Kate Winslet's bag the other day, I figured I should enlist your sleuthing skills again.

Here is a pic of Jake Gyllenhaal @ Cannes to promote Zodiac (my review). So what do you suppose is going on here? What do you suppose Jakey poo thought he heard? What does he want to hear? Who is talking?

[note: lots more Jake @ Cannes over @ Just Jared]

Those Summer Nights

With the summer movie season upon us I thought I'd share an old 'classic' from the website for the new readers. This is my illustrated memoirs of summer movie experience as a kid. There's four panels covering 1975 through 1982.

*blog challenge at the end of this post*

[click to enlarge by panel]

Introduction...


1975 -1978


1978-1980


1980-1982

I drew this in 2003. I had originally intended to continue with more installments taking me up to the present day but I never got around to it. Still and all... it's those years as a kid that inform movie love as an adult. When it comes to the summer blockbuster, they feel more vivid than the years that followed. Nowadays my best friends always want to go to the beach. I always want to sit in the air conditioning with a tub of popcorn staring at the screen. Hitting the beach beforehand: a pleasure but hardly a requirement.

tags: Olivia Newton-John, childhood memories, Grease, Jaws, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back
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Blogging challenge! If you have a blog share a memory of summer moviegoing from you childhood over the next few days. Let me know you did and I'll link you up in a follow up post next Tuesday, the 22nd. Consider it a warm up nostalgia exercize for Eddie Copeland's 30th anniversary of Star Wars blog-a-thon --(that's on May 25th) you will not want to miss that one.

Happy Syttende Mai

Ja vi elsker dette landet --A shout out to any readers from Norway today on your national holiday! Vi snakkes in the comments.

If you happen to be a Norwegian reader and in the filmmaking industry I say the following with the utmost love: please try and keep up with Denmark and Sweden. They get all the movie press what with Lars Von Trier, Connie Nielsen, Susanne Bier, Stellan Skarsgård representing and there being regular Oscar foreign film nominations for Sweden. I mean even Iceland has managed a higher profile this past decade (mostly due to a certain genius madwoman)

Despite a low film & pop culture profile Norway is still awesome. The land of the midnight sun is responsible (indirectly but still...) for Oscar winner Celeste Holm (Gentleman's Agreement) and two highly iconic movie stars Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe. I'll ignore 'she who must not be named' ...all countries make mistakes.

Anyway, because I had a sudden hankering for Norway this morning (a jaw droppingly beautiful country) here are some famous Norwegians to reflect upon...


I received Hawaii Olso, Norway's 04 Oscar submission in the mail yesterday from Film Movement. Perhaps I'll watch...

tags: Norway

20:07 (Mockingbird)

Each morning a screenshot of the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie


"You don’t hear that? That annoying noise. I looked it up. They can imitate car alarms and telephones and other birds. I called the animal control and you know what they said? They said I should just enjoy one of natures most talented singers...

I’m gonna kill it”
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Hump Day Hottie: Kate Winslet

Is it my imagination or is Kate Winslet getting hotter every year? I'm not just talking about her stardom which has been a relative constant since Titanic lifted her up out of the corseted release realm and into the expansive world of mainstream adulation. I'm not just talking about her performances which have always been good but together amass a resonant and formidable filmography that would be the envy of practically anyone. I'm talking about her beauty and sensuality too.

<--- This photo to your left comes to us by way of Kate Winslet Fan. Ain't she gorgeous? This was taken on the set of Revolutionary Road , the film previously mentioned that will reunite Titanic's young superstars, Leo & Kate. Anyway... the natural light in this photo sets off her luminous blonde locks so well. And nothing beats a period eyebrow in the makeup department says me. She's stunning.

If she's this beautiful all throughout the movie I may die of happiness watching it, even if her character happens to be miserable...from what I've heard Richard Yates famous novel is not exactly a happy tale. I shall read it soon.

Now that Little Children is on DVD and finally available to every Kate fan who was desperate to see it and presumably some of you reading along (god that movies release strategy. ack) ...how do you feel it ranks in her filmography?

Two more quick things:


First, I don't remember this photo above but I am obsessed with it at the moment. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

And finally... Here to your right is one more photo from the set of Revolutionary Road. I love the color on Kate's dress but this is quite possibly the most gargantuan handbag I've ever seen. It's nearly as big as Kate. What the hell is in this bag?

Mia and Joe? ...perhaps its nap time.
Her entire seven figure salary?

It's a mystery you should help me figure out in the comments. Any suspicions?

Release The Links

cinema
Wired a DIY Raiders of the Lost Ark
NY Times Manohla Dargis on Cannes' kick off
film ick the Blueberry Nights trailer. Wong Kar Wai directing Norah Jones and Jude Law
Defamer has a hilarious sexist look at Mary Jane Watson & Peter Parker
My New Plaid Pants investigates the hot ass in mainstream cinema [NSFW]
Maxim releases their Hot 100. Most are garden variety bimbos but there's a few points of film/tv interest in their list: #1 Lindsay Lohan (woot. I try not to love her. But I fail) #3. ScarJo #12. Angelina #29 Sarah Silverman (basically the only sign of non T&A based lust in their list) # 30. Rebecca Romijn #44. Rose McGowan # 46. Kristen Bell #55. Halle Berry (the only geriatric on the list --ewwww she's 40!... [/sarcasm] ...well, she's ancient for Maxim at least) #57. Tricia Helfer ("Six"!), # 58. Penelope Cruz # 64. Lena Headey (apparently starring as the audience beard in retarded action flicks about hot throbbing man muscles is good for your f***ability) #67. Gabrielle Union #80. Abbie Cornish #90. Salma Hayek and #91. Isla Fisher

offcinema
Arjan Writes Madonna going green for a charity single
Zoom In theorizing about the new Rufus Wainwright record Release the Stars
QueerSighted comes out as a TONY nut. Plus: predictions for the win
Slate has a fun interactive guide to help you keep track of GOP scandals. (Hey when you don't wanna cry, laugh)

and finally... I've talked enough about my own feelings about mixing religion and government (unhappiness, war, and misery for everyone. There'll be enough to go around!) but here are my two favorite articles on the death of Jerry Falwell, a human being --and therefore someone who is being mourned by some-- but not a very good one. Here's Gay Prof and fourfour with measured, funny, honest and insightful reactions.

20:07 (Pepe & Reinaldo)

Each morning a screenshot from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie


"Bring him a banana split with pistachio"
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A Place Where Broadway Dared To Go

Oh for what could have been... Xanadu is soon in previews on Broadway and I have yet to buy tickets. In workshops Jane Krakowski and Cheyenne Jackson (pictured left) were playing the Olivia and Michael Beck roles. I was hopping up and down with nostalgic glee. Jane. love. Cheyenne. yummm

Though I have made my displeasure with the film to stage movement known in the past, there are exceptions to every rule. I had high hopes for this particular adaptation: seemed like an ideal film to rethink and/or restylize into grand kitsch or goofy musical comedy. But though I love Xanadu I got suspicious when both Jane & Cheyenne (two of Broadways very best) opted out of / proved too expensive for / or otherwise exited the production. I am more wary of this rollerskating ELO/Olivia scored Greek muse disco musical than I ever expected to be.

Incidentally Cheyenne writes on his own website about once a month and he's pretty funny. There's great stories about hearing "sexyback" in an elevator, working pilot season in LA, and Xanadu rehearsals with Jane.

(I've added Jane Krakowski's TONY winning Nine number "A Call From the Vatican" as well as the Xanadu theme to the jukebox in the sidebar)

Thank You. (Toot Toot)

Not to toot my own horn but I noticed today that since I started tracking the comings and goings of this here blog a year and a half ago (it was originally intended as just a companion to my site but now its a destination on its own), I've now passed the million visits mark.

Thank you for staying on this cinematic journey with me from site to blog and back again. xoxo

Tony Nominations & Movie Connections

The whatever annual Tony nominations are here. You'll want to go directly to ModFab (always the place for great theater buzz) if you're looking for a complete list. My habit is to briefly comment and throw out movie suggestions... but really: Broadway is closer and closer to the movies (what with all the cross pollination) so I'm not in the mood. I'm just going to talk about the Best Musical Nominees.

Still, if you a) can't afford a ticket --that'd be most of the population or b) don't get to NYC often, you can play along at home by renting the movies these things are based on and then watching the TONY Awards in June.


In the category of "Best Musical" which, despite the presence of a correlative "Best Play" prize is really the grand kahuna. The "Best Picture" if you're thinking Oscar because it's the one with the $$$ should you manage a win. The voters went for

Curtains from the legendary team of Kander & Ebb (you know and love them even if you don't think you know them: They wrote Cabaret and Chicago --two of the bigges Oscar hauling musicals ever)
Grey Gardens pictured above. It's based on the legendary documentary about Jackie O's infamous relatives
Mary Poppins you're already familiar.
Spring Awakening which is an original from Duncan Sheik, former pop star.

The box office is with: Mary Poppins
The critics and the cool kids are behind: Spring Awakenings
I've only seen: Grey Gardens... which was pretty damn good with a great performance by Christine Ebersole which will undoubtedly win the TONY.
Snubbed: Legally Blonde --some say is a pretty shoddy movie to stage transfer but it could still prove a tourist trap. And LoveMusik which had all the buzz on paper since it had a great topic (the love affair between Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya) and cast (Tony winners Michael Cerveris, last season's Sweeney Todd, and diva extraodinaire Donna Murphy who moviegoers will recognize as Doctor Octopus wife from Spider-Man 2 but really she's an insanely talented woman. Easily among the best performers anywhere.)

"Best Musical Revival" isn't usually as exciting. Broadway shouldn't repeat themselves as often as they do. But it's not all their fault. Audiences, just like at the movies, tend to flock to familiar looking stuff even if the great stuff is elsewhere. *sigh* The voters chose:

The Apple Tree which was another success for Kristin Chenowith who is pure joy on stage. She plays to the back row and she does it with such enthusiasm and comic inspiration that you're always laughing and in love. As my friend Kay remarked the other night while we were applauding Kristin at a concert "She knows she's in a barn" Hee. Kristin is also one of those rare Broadway stars with some general off stage fame as well, CDs, concerts, the talk show circuit and movie work (she was last seen onscreen as Annette Bening's lover in Running With Scissors).
110 in the Shade This is the latest for TONY champion Audra McDonald. She's crazy beloved on Broadway (she's only 36 and she's nearing the record for most TONY winning performances ever)
A Chorus Line Previously adapted into a not-very-good movie in 1985. If you've got a hankering to witness the dancers life I'd watch All That Jazz instead.
Company Broadway sensation Raul Esparza headlines the latest Sondheim revival --this one uses the same technique that Sweeney Todd did last season: the actors play their own instruments.

The box office is with: A Chorus Line
The critics are behind: Company
I've seen: both of those. A Chorus Line deserves its immense fame as a landmark musical. But when it comes to these reworks I Sondheim's genius marital angst musical has a much stronger cast and production and deserves the win. A Chorus Line feels like it's trapped under glass. To me at least. For a show that's all about being a fly on the wall for a gritty look at Broadway babies it needs to feel more contemporary and spontaneous to really work.

And once again, for the complete list with acting nominees and such, head over to Modern Fabulousity. There's several movie faces in the mix but big stars like Kevin Spacey and Julianne Moore were shunned.

20:07 (Journey)

each morning a screenshot from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie


No dialogue. Crucial evocative image/moment from the movie. Can you guess the film?

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My favorite 20:07 (Cabaret, Carrie, Boogie Nights, Junebug, Rosemary's Baby, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert)
Lively 20:07 discussions (Showgirls, The Sign of the Cross, Corpse Bride, Mulholland Drive)

Nicole Kidman as Margot

Tonight is one of those dread insomnia nights. So I play on the internet instead of sleeping and post at ungodly hours. *sigh* But all is not bleak. There's lovely photos to gaze upon. Lookie here... Ted Z's got a photo of Nicole in Margot at the Wedding. Looks like a bonafide production still.

I Give Up

My irrational desperate longing for the return of Michelle Pfeiffer to the big screen has been fun to write about. But I gotta tell you: when it comes to her romantic comedy I Could Never Be Your Woman, I'm done. My chief Pfeiffer elf alerted me to this item being sold on ebay. (FYI: the seller's name is "filmex" but it's not me. Just so's you know) Seems that that long completed movie has vacated its last known release date (jun 15th) yet again. According to this ad it's now September. After umpteen release changes and the troubled history of the company responsible (Bauer Martinez) I am now making my peace with this movie never surfacing. At least we'll have Hairspray and Stardust...

(Now I know how Jessica Lange fanatics felt waiting years for 1994's Blue Sky to finally win projection)

You Gotta Stand It

By now you've probably heard the story that a family is suing the Chicago Board of Education because a substitute teacher showed Brokeback Mountain to their 8th grader. They want roughly a half a million in damages for "psychological distress" While it's frustrating that a teacher showed poor judgment (it is a rated R film --and however you feel about the silliness of the MPAA you have to know that that's the accepted system) what's outright disgusting is the lawsuit itself. Brokeback Mountain, after all, has a safe and healthy message for society. It details the horrible emotional wounds done to people by intolerance and self negation. Claiming that a child is suffering horrible psychic wounds by having been made to watch it is very troubling. Combined with the fact that this family has complained to the school board before about conflicts to their faith, it suggests two possible things to me, neither of them very pleasant.

1. The 12 year old girl in question has been so inundated with hate messaging that seeing something that didn't fit into that paradigm --seeing something that was powerfully accepting of love (a complete reversal of the child's own experience) was disorienting.
2. This family cannot differentiate between their own feelings and beliefs and the world in which they live.

See... neither of those things are very pleasant. Both indicate that this family is dangerous.

I know that I may have some religious readers and I know that I always risk losing people when this subject comes up but rational humanism has to prevail or we're doomed. Society can only stay peaceful and democratic and civilized if its citizens understand that their feelings and beliefs end with themselves. Those beliefs cannot take precedence over everything else. Government institutions, neighbors and, yes, even your children's teachers have absolutely no obligation to share your personal prejudices and faith.

You really shouldn't be living in "the land of the free" if you can't embrace diversity. We have no right to be free of being offended. I am offended all the time by religious people. They regularly speak about the GLBT community in ignorant bigoted ways and I've never sued any of them. Religions have enthusiastically inflicted "pyschological distress" upon the gay community for a long long time. Maybe we should sue churches? Or better yet, maybe some 12 year old child who had a great experience watching Brokeback Mountain --maybe someone with gay parents or a gay friend or gay themselves should countersue: 'This lawsuit is giving me pyschological distress because I loved the movie and now I am terrified to realize that my classmates family would like to take a tire iron to my parents/friends/me'

I get worked up about these things but I know deep down that most people probably just want to live their lives free of interference. Most people understand that they live in a world where not everyone agrees with them. Most people, even if they've never uttered as much, probably realize that it's for the best that society is not homogenous. To each their own. Not my business. Etc... Why can't religious types get this through their heads? We are all in this together. You only have a civilized world if you understand that you don't get to lord over it. It isn't for you. It's for everyone.

I hate to be so filled with anger when it comes to religion but I am. I wish more than anything that we'd see some prominent members of the religious community speak out about the need to keep religion out of the public sphere. It is a private matter and should remain such. Government does not belong inside religion and religion does not belong in government. Simple as that. The evangelical community --which I'm admittedly merely assuming this family is part of based on their actions -- has really done a great disservice to Christianity. Christ really should never have become so equated with intolerance, bigotry, and government interference. Kinda antithetical to what he was about.

This Brokeback lawsuit story can't really have a happy ending... either way the lawsuit goes you know this girl is growing up with lots of hateful baggage. So I'll just try to think about the other kids who didn't freak. She's probably outnumbered. Children are the future so hopefully most of the kids in that classroom just thought "what a freaking great movie!" , tossed their backpacks over their shoulder and continued on with their day.

28 Links Later

There's not really 28 Links, don't worry. Who has time for that?

Qi Shu & Chen Chang in Fourth Time. No, It's actually a still from Blood Brothers

Windmills of My Mind on the erotic neo-noir Body Heat
Twitch has trailer and info on Blood Brothers which reunites Three Times scorchers Chen Chang and Qi Shu [prev]
Sunset Gun here's a tribute I can get behind: "Fantastic Fonda"
Telegraph Helena Bonham Carter says that Tim Burton "hates musicals but loves Sweeney Todd" oh boy... this movie sounds worse all the time.
Movie Blog Ewan McGregor and Chiwetel Ejiofor onstage in Othello
GreenCine Coppola in Miami on Youth Without Youth

...And finally a note on one of my favorite directors. Film Ick (and now various other outlets, too) are reporting that Lars Von Trier is stating that he is too depressed to make any more movies. If true: Get well soon, LVT. You are awesome. If not true: Well done for another auteur prank. You are awesome.

I know this may sound insensitive but I'm certain Lars can cope with my cynicism --he's hardly shy about stomping on other people's feelings is he? If you stop to think about how much you know about Lars Von Trier: his political feelings, his refusal to travel, his storied abuse (?) of leading ladies, his random rules and manifestos for himself and other filmmakers... and compare what you know about other fine international directors you'll realize how little you know about the others. Directors who are willing to play up their persona (like Norma Jean "turning on" Marilyn Monroe) and publicize their eccentricities (Lynch and cheese, Tarantino and feet, Hitchcock and, well, everything --he was the master) are the ones who arrive most quickly at legendary auteur status.

20:07 ("Mrs. Stephen Haines")

Each morning a screenshot from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie


The Roz: Stephen's a very attractive man, you know?
The First Lady of MGM: Isn't he? I can't imagine why he hasn't deserted me for some glamour girl long ago.

I've written about The Women before -- I love this flick. For those of you who haven't seen it in all its catty glory, enjoy this still. Ponder for a moment the 1939 fashion wackiness that led to Rosalind Russell's "eye" dress. Yes, those are eyes and eyebrows directly above her breasts.

What Did You Do This Weekend?

Lindsay Lohan comments on Georgia Rule's opening weekend box office:

Sorry, Linds. You got my $11 at least...

What you, dear reader, missed if you didn't read the blog over the weekend (maybe I should take weekends off. There's a novel idea). I investigated Lindsay's onscreen boozin' all the way back to The Parent Trap, had a couple of Takeshi Kaneshiro moments and also shared grilled cheese fantasies with StinkyLulu.

Meanwhile not on the blog... Talked to Nick Saturday morning on zeee phone about Georgia Rule and various other films (Nick enthusiastically recommends Red Road) and he asked if I had any plans.

Nathaniel: Oh going to a birthday party tonight. Tomorrow we're going to a concert. I'm so excited.
Nick: Whose concert?
Nathaniel: I can't remember but I love them.
Nick: [laughter]
Nathaniel: I'm obsessed with so many people I forget their names.

ftr...the revue concert starred Kristin Chenoweth and she was fabu --gah, that voice! (the rest of the concert: meh) The Boyfriend bought the tickets a long time ago hence my forgetfulness.

And Your Weekend... ? Share.
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Lust, Caution: New Photos

Thanks to Tony for the pics


Fans of Brokeback Mountain take note: Oscar winning director Ang Lee has a new film Lust, Caution arriving in just a few months. It is not a remix of Brokeback which come to think of it could've had the same title Lust (Jack) Caution (Ennis). This one is a 1940s set espionage thriller which stars the one and only Tony Leung Chiu Wai. It's coming out this fall courtesy of Focus Features. [This film was also part of our 2007 preview: "We Can't Wait"]

Click to enlarge the new stills and set photos...













The title Lust, Caution feels perfect to me. It's both fact and warning: for every time that I see Tony Leung I feel LUST (capitals intended). And then the reminder: caution...

Nathaniel, Tony Leung is one of the worlds greatest movie stars and you are a penniless writer in Manhattan. Tony Leung lives 10,279 miles away in Hong Kong. Tony Leung only ever loved one man and he was acting when he did that. Tony Leung loves the ladies and is probably still taken (is he still with Carina Lau?)

Caution

One final picture that I love...


I have no idea what is happening in this scene but the photograph, free of context, reminds me of one of the greatest backseat of car shots in the history of cinema in In The Mood For Love with Tony and the incomparable Maggie Cheung in the process of ripping our collective hearts out. Maggie does not appear in this new film... Joan Chen plays Tony's wife and the girl in the photos here --his mistress? -- is debuting actress Tang Wei. Lust, Caution is scheduled to open on September 28th in selected cities.

20:07 (Oh Marcus!)

Each morning a screenshot from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie

Oh, Marcus. Someone expects you this afternoon!

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5 Questions

One of my blog buddies StinkyLulu has been doing a viral series goin' round the web called "5 Questions". Basically it works like this: someone sends a particular blog 5 random questions and they're answered in one post. Anyone can play. You can send Lulu inquiries, too. I couldn't resist so I sent him my questions. I found his answers funny, illuminating, and appropriately freaky. Go read it.

Here are two photos I prepared just for 'lil Lu to thank him


(You'll have to read his post to understand)


I enjoyed this mini interview so much that I've decided to kick off the second season of "The Blogosphere Multiplex" this next week. Post-Modern Barney and The Gilded Moose were the last victims should you need a refresher as to what that series was all about.

House of Flying Co-Stars

Remember a few days ago when I enthused about Takeshi Kaneshiro & Tony Leung making a movie together for the first time in ages? Well... Takeshi is suddenly keeping busy. He's also reuniting with his House of Flying Daggers co-star Andy Lau in The Warlords. Lau, you'll recall, was Tony Leung's rival in Infernal Affairs the film which led to The Departed (Lau originating the Damon role, Leung the DiCaprio) The movies are so oroborus like, aren't they?



Lau is looking a little thick in this trailer. Jet Li also stars but since he's got third billing I'll assume it's a minor role (I thought he wasn't going to do action films any more?) This teaser seems to be cut from one single battle scene. Is it that narrow in narrative scope?

Katharine Hepburn Centennial

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Katharine Hepburn. Many people think she's the best female movie star ever. If you're one of those people you'll want to check out this tribute by Josh R. (She made the "all time top 5" readers choice here -so I know there are Hepburn lovers @TFE)

Now Playing

oops, this is an unpublished post from yesterday --but the following movies are still "new"

After kissing Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine went blind !

L I M I T E D
Blind Dating Chris Pine (who locked lips and switched luck with Lindsay in Just My Luck) is a blind guy who doesn't have much luck with dating in this romantic comedy. Oh and he's also a virgin. Because being a virgin is hilarious [insert canned laughter]
Casting About a doc explores the casting process for actresses. Lohan don't audition baby. Lohan she big star
Duck PT Anderson fav' Phillip Baker Hall stars in this quirky take of an old man and the devoted duck that follows him 'round
The Hip Hop Project a doc about a musical program to help troubled kids
Home of the Brave soldiers in Iraq
Provoked Aishwarya Rai, the biggest international Bollywood star in the world, stars in this true story of an abused wife who has finally had enough.
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway This doc follows four stage musicals (Avenue Q, Wicked, Taboo, Caroline or Change) on their way to varying box office fates and a surprisingly heated TONY race a couple of years back. That was such a fascinating Broadway year. Why they waited until everyone but we diehards have forgotten the media circus that erupted? Only the fickle gods of distribution know. So far Lindsay has not been approached for a Broadway gig but they love stuntcasting here so it's only a matter of time. Perhaps a stint as Roxy Hart is forthcoming?

Lindsay gleefully ensnares her next victim, the unsuspecting himbo Garrett Hedlund

W I D E
28 Weeks Later The sequel to the scary surprise 28 Days Later minus that film's cast. That's usually a warning of trouble but early word is good. Lindsay Lohan does not appear. However she is making her first horror appearance this summer in I Know Who Killed Me
Delta Farce three blue collar guys on the military front lines. Har de har har.
The Ex Zach Braff continues his quest to be the everyman of his generation. This time his wife is pregnant and an ex boyfriend wants her back. Braff's zany pratfalling practice in Scrubs finally put to big screen use
The Salon another urban comedy set in a salon. See also: Barbershop and Beauty Shop. This one stars Terrence Howard, Kym Whitley, Monica Calhoun and in the lead role: Copperhead herself, Vernita Green (a.k.a. Vivica A Fox)
Georgia Rule in which our girl Lindsay Lohan plays herself a troubled rebellious young woman. She's spending the summer with her grandmother, a strict woman named Georgia who has a lot of rules for her clan. Felicity Huffman is along in case anyone needs some ACTING (I'm guessing here... I've watched Desperate Housewives and Transamerica . The lady likes to ACT). Anyway three generations of women together for a whole summer. Hilarity (we hope) and life lessons follow. It might be incredibly terrible but I literally cannot wait to see it. I'm walking out the door as soon as I hit "publish post".

Fonda and Lohan! For reals I'm out the door.

And thus concludes Lindsay Lohan Week... although I'll certainly let you know what I think of Georgia Rule