Happy Birthday to
Shirley Jones
76 today
Shirley started life as a star of musical theatre just in time to see some of her biggest Broadway hits to be made into major films including Oklahoma! and The Music Man. Saying that he role in "The Partridge Family" probably brought in just as many fans and showed her verstility.
Here she is:
Happy Birthday to
Warren Beatty
73 today
He was gorgeous when he was younger, wasn't he? Which makes you wonder if you would've said no to him during those heady bacchalian orgies of his early Hollywood years. If you probably would then you're not the only one. According to Peter Biskind's latest expose over 13,000 women shared their bed with Beatty in one way or another. (That would be an average of one every 2 and a bit days since his birth.) I'm thinking with those numbers there must be one woman reading this post now who slept with Warren. Go on, admit it in the comments you saucy minx.
Happy Birthday to
James Caan
70 today
Caan, to many film fans, will forever be associated with the Corleone family. Regardless of the positive work he has contributed to other films like Dogville or Misery it's always his gangster work that the fans respond to. I suppose I can understand his recorded dislike of being pigeonholed, but perhaps it's due to his general poor chpice of roles. Up for many classic parts (including One flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Close Encounters) he steered clear away leaving few massive hits on his CV. Assuming it ever gets released I'll next see him in New York, I Love You.
Happy Birthday to
Keisha Castle-Hughes
20 today
During her role as the virgin Mary Keisha took method acting a little too seriously and announced her pregnancy during the publicity blitz. She survived the potential backlash and can next be seen in The Vintner's Luck as the wife of a master winemaker.
I haven't done this in a while, but here's a trailer I'm showing purely because the film will be a massive hit. No question that this will be the largest grosser of the April releases - but will it be the box office champion of 2010. Difficult to say as it's biggest competition is the Potter entry - my guess it will rule the US, but Harry has the UK sown up. You heard it here first...
Iron Man 2 is released on 30 April 2010.
Happy Birthday to
Penelope Milford
62 today
The notoriously private Milford started life as an extroverted stage performer, co-writing and starring in the nude review: "The Second Hottest Show in Town". Whilst she had a quality film career in the late 70's - earning an Oscar nomination for her turn in Coming Home - by the mid 90's it had completed run out of steam and she stopped working. No idea what she's up to now... Any guesses?
Happy Birthday to
Reese Witherspoon
34 today
The term perky may as well have been invented for Reese Witherspoon, she always manages to portray a certain confidence which is rare in such a talent. Whether she can do vulnerable is less certain, hopefully we'll she another side of her in the upcoming James L. Brooks feature which may or may not be called How do You Know?
Happy Birthday to
Marie-Christine Barrault
66 today
Marie-Christine has had a consistent and strong career in her native France, but unlike some of her peers (Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Adjani) has never made the leap to international stardom. Perhaps the less fussy aspects of her performances have hampered her. Nevertheless here at RLAG we salute her as a wonderful actress.
Happy Birthday to
Holly Hunter
52 today
Feisty southern actress with a wide back catalogue which encompasses screwball (her work with the Coen's) as well as much more serious fare (The Piano, which she excels in). As with yesterdays birthday girl Holly is working mainly in TV these days, and is showing no signs of coming back to the multiplexes.
Happy Birthday to
Glenn Close
63 today
Glenn has been oscar nominated a total of 5 times and yet she's never won. I would say that if any actress working today is overdue then it's her, however it's been a very long time since she last performed really well on film and she's been focussing on the excellent "Damages" in recent years. Saying that she will be reprising her stage role of Alfred Noobs later this year and there's always the baity Therese Raquin if it ever gets made.
Happy Birthday to
Queen Latifah
40 today
I suspect in the fullnesws of time Latifah will be most appropriately recorded as a hip-hop artist with her film work as just a sidenote. It's curious to note that her best work so far has been in musicals (Chicago and Hairspray), the rest of her back catalogue is generally best avoided - see Valentine's Day for proof!
Gekko's back. It's the sequel that no-one really imagined would happen and few people really wanted and yet it's so very timely how can we possibly avoid going to see it. Micheal Douglas reprises his Oscar winning role (with Charlie Sheen and Sylvia Miles also cameoing) and Shia LaBeouf is the young buck torn between doing the right thing, or a very wrong thing in the shadow of big finance and the futures market.
Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps opens on 23 April 2010
Happy Birthday to
Kate Nelligan
60 today
Never quite the star her talent would suggest four-time Tony nominee Nelligan never had the opportunity to shine on screen. Perhaps her early roles such as 1979's Dracula and the thriller Eye of the Needle give too much of a bitter aftertaste to her more recent endeavours.
Happy Birthday to
Michael Caine
77 today
Sublime British actor who's treaded the fine line between art and commerce (and just as often failed as succeeded). Has a love for acting that few in his profession admit to, and we could all probably listen to his words of wisdom on the techniques of film acting. Although semi-retired he will be appearing in a glorified cameo in this years Inception, and expect Alfred to still be gliding around Gotham in the next batman film.
Only 5 films out this week. But what a selection of 5 films. Even the one I'm least likely to support would be a contender for being the film of the week in a normal period. I would even go as far to say if I had a lot more money and a lot more time I'd be camping out at the cinema this weekend in order to see all 5 of them. Nevertheless a choice has to be made and, perhaps inevitably, my film of the week is Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
It is extremely rare for a foreign language film to pick up 5 blobs on the excitometer so listen up. This is the first part of the cinematic adaptation of Steig Larsson's acclaimed thriller trilogy, which sees washed up journo working with enigmatic hacker to solve a 40 year old disappearance. The visuals look breathtaking and it's getting fantastic reviews. Worth a watch.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Green Zone
Matt Damon is a bomb hunter sent into Iraq following the 2003 invasion to hunt for WMD, the lack of evidence found leads him to investigate a shadowy conspiracy which bureaucrat Greg Kinnear may just want covered up. This could be the unofficial Bourne 4 due to the reteaming of Damon with Paul Greengrass, as well as a repeat of the techniques and feel to those film. Amy Ryan, Jason Isaacs and Brendan Gleeson co-star.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Hachi: A Dog's Story
If you can buy Richard gere as a maths professor then you can probably also believe the central conceit of this loyal doggie tale. Lasse Hallstrom directs a film designed purely to have you reach for the tissues when the later montages kick in.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
The Kreutzner Sonata
Danny Huston, who I persoanlly beleive is one of the most underrated actors of his generation, reteams with Ivansetc director Bernard Rose for another modern re-telling of a Tolstoy classic. As with all the works of the Russian great it concerns failed ambitions and covert affairs, but given the female lead is a pianist (and the title is also a major clue) there will be some stunning music. Danny's sister Anjelica gets a supporting role.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Shutter Island
Scorsese's true pulp movie (based on the very pulpy Dennis Lehane novel) has divided critics, with many saying great directors should only concentrate on making great films and not the disposable trash like this. I am still on the edge of my seat with anticipation. After all who else can ratchet up so much tension with an acute camera angle and gothic score. Leonardo DiCaprio leads an all-star cast.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Happy Birthday to
Liza Minnelli
64 today
I don't know if I ever mention that Cabaret is my favourite musical - I expect it goes without saying. And one of the biggest reasons is the way Liza performs her key songs. Yeah, she's a little too polished to be working in the Kit Kat Club but how can you resist her:
By the way I'm guessing that there is nothing I can tell you all about Liza that you don't already know, so just enjoy the show.
There aren't any performances coming up that I'm planning to see; let's face it she stopped being an actress when she became a celebrity (although there are rumours that she's looking at the Norma Desmond role in the film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard and that I'd definitely be up for seeing).
Happy Birthday to
Sharon Stone
52 today
It's difficult to resist using this screen shot of Sharon. There have been some interesting rumours about Ms Stone's future ventures, including a Tarantino flick, but it seems these were all just rumours. Her last film, $5 a Day, may just turn out to be horribly prophetic.
Why yes, this does look like derivative and soppy, but we're running short of decent looking films opening as we head into April so this is the best you're going to get this week. And it did knock Avatar off the top spot in America so it must be worth watching, right? Hello - are you there?
Dear John is released on 16 April 2010.
Happy Birthday to
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001655/
67 today
Lynn may not have the poise, or frankly the cheekbones, of her older sister Vanessa but she's certainly a more spunky actress, often attacking parts with a delicious joie de vivre. Nothing terribly exciting coming up at the moment.
A big catch up on three weeks worth of news, although this does mean we have to edit out some of the less exciting stories (at least in my humble opinion). I've not had the time to do any production or release date news, other than one new film that I've already shown the trailer for. I'll update on all that after my return from the tour.
Contagion
Without doubt the most interesting project coming is from one of my favourite directors - Steven Soderbergh. It concerns an outbreak of a deadly virus spreading worldwide, with an incredible cast of white coat wearing scientists battling to stop it. When I say incredible cast I mean it - currently attached are Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Gwynneth Paltrow and Laurence Fishburne. It's difficult to try to second guess how Soderbergh will play this. It will be coming after the popcorn black ops pic Knock Out so I'm thinking this may end up being more introspective like a more populated Andromeda Strain.
Read on for virtual reality wars, two types of gangsters, a modern day Lady Macbeth and lots of wild animals.
Dot War
It's a crazy sounding project, as reporter by Pajiba, based around the idea that a video game programme gets recruited by a shadowy government agency to battle terrorists using virtual equipment. I'm not completely sure what they mean by virtual equipment, does that mean it's not really there? Will it be drones? Will the whole thing be a spin on Tron where the action takes place inside a computer? Whatever the case there's certainly an audience for this sort of mindless fun.
I Heard You Paint Houses
During the press junkets for Shutter Island Scorsese let slip that he's currently working on a project that will reunite him with former frequent star Robert De Niro. We know nothing more than that but rumours are it's the biopic of mob hitman Frank Sheeran. On related news the idea bumping around that Lars von Trier was going to remake Taxi Driver seems to have thankfully disappeared.
Savages
If Italian gangsters aren't quite your thing how about Mexican drug cartels? Based on Don Winslow's forthcoming novel it concerns a couple of drug dealing friends from Laguna Beach (who it should be said work the entire business growing and selling their own Marijuana), when a mutual girlfriend is kidnapped they devise a dangerous scheme to rescue her with paying up. Depending on the tone of the novel - will this be a stoner comedy or a dense polemic - this could well be worth watching, and if the leading trios relationships are carefully drawn will this be a Butch Cassidy for the 21st century?
Serena
Is Anjelina Jolie circling the adaptation of Serena: A Novel by Ron Rash? It's about the wife of a North Carolina woodsman in the 1920's who slowly becomes more ruthless and violent until she decides to murder her husbands son from a previous marriage. It's like a reverse Changeling, which sounds fun.
We Bought a Zoo
Cameron Crowe may have finally settled on a follow-up to his critically panned Elizabethtown in the adaptation of the Guardian columnist's memoir about the renovation of a Devon country house and Wildlife park attached. Alongside the general highs and lows involved with Llamas and tigers there's also the drama of fighting the cancer that Benjamin Mee's wife contracts. I've missed Crowe's lightness of touch, so I'm hoping he will actually take this project seriously.
Happy Birthday to
Rachel Weisz
39 today
Rachel didn't get quite the role our of Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones that many fans were hoping for, the adaptation even robbing the character of her arc. Maybe it will be Agora that reminds us of how much she is capable of, although personally I'm waiting to see her run in terror from Dream House.
As film fans we face a common dichotomy with regards to the quality of films. On the one hand we hope for many high quality productions to entice us at the cinema, on the other there's only so much money you can spend. Which is why it's an awful shame when more that 1 decent-looking project is released in the same week. However a decision must be made on the film that most looks best, and I have chosen Ondine.
Alice in Wonderland
For a short while I was beginning to wonder if we were going to get a chance to see Tim Burton's Alice remake in the UK. Disney's headlining grabbing tousle with the major cinema chains about the release window almost meant this would have a limited UK release. Eventually the major chains bowed down under commercial pressure, so I should be poppoing out one evening next week.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Angardi Theru
The trailer for this Tamil production looks both cheaply produced and confusing. I suspect it's an unhappy love story about a couple working in an opprsive factory setting. If anyone knows better please let me know.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Atithe Tum Kab Jaoge
Hindi comedy in the vein of You, Me and Dupree where a distant relative arrives unannounced at the house of surburban couple Ajay Devgan and Konkona Sen, and then never leaves. The trailer has a whole section devoted to fart gags so don't expect this to change comedy forever.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Case 39
Renee Zellweger is a social worker whose charge turns out to be more dangerous than the family she's "saved" her from. Horror movie that's been delayed more times than I can remember and probably best avoided.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Chloe
Suspecting husband Liam Neeson of a clandestine affair Julianne Moore hires high-class prostitue Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to meet up with him and see if he goes for her knowing she's available. Sexual boundaries get pushed in Atom Egoyan's latest thriller.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Father of my Children
French film that covers twin subjects of grief and financial failure when a producer sees his latest project, along with his personal accounts crumble away. Loosely based on a true story.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Legion
My first one blob film of 2010. Congratulations. If the thought of Paul Bettany facing off against the hordes of angels send by God to wipe out humanity excites you, then I envy you completely.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●○○○○○○○○○
Motherhood
Love poem to modern motherhood with Uma Thurman in the lead role as a stay-at-home Mum in New York with adorable but quirky kids. I expect this has an audience, and the trailer looks unoffensive. Bonus points for having Jodie Foster in a cameo.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Ondine
Colin Farrell catches a Polish girl who could be on the run from smugglers, or who could be a mermaid in Neil Jordan's supernaturally tinged drama. It missed an audience at last years Toronto festival, but hopefully it will be worth spending a little time with.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
1234
Low key british film about the forming of an indie band and a tentative romance within the band's membership. It's refusal to glorify the music business (or demonise it) as well as embracing the mundanity of call centre jobs taken to finance dreams has won a lot of praise among critics. Should be qworth catching.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
The Shouting Men
Somehow Gillingham football club are drawn against premiership team Newcastle United in the FA Cup Quarter final. The result may be obvious, but this film is about the journey of a few eccentric fans. And is probably the worse for it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
And a couple of films I missed on their 12 February release:
Eamon
Irish drama focussing on a boy with behavoural difficulties and his struggling parents during a half-term week to the beach.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Recap Ivedik 3
Third movie in popular Turkish series. Doesn't look like they're getting any better from looking at the comment pages on imdb.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Happy Birthday to
Adriana Barraza
54 today
Mexican actress who hit the big time following her iconic performance in 2006's Babel - you don't think it's iconic... Tell me what image comes to your head when you think of that film - if it isn't Adriana in a red dress giving a small boy a piggyback then I'll eat my hat. Next up is a human role in the Marvel adaptation Thor.
Happy Birthday to
Miranda Richardson
52 today
Chameleon Richardson is capable of getting under the skin of just about any character she's given. Miranda also staed, somewhat early in her career, that she'd rather do many small projects than one big blockbuster for the money. I'm not sure where that leaves the Harry Potter films where she took the role of Rita Skeeter but I expect there was quite a bit of money in it.
Premiering at the Berlinale in February of this year, The Ghost is the latest film from master director Roman Polanski. Based on the novel by Richard Harris early word says it's timely not only in it's dissection of the war in Iraq, but also for it's pointed parallels to the way the press haunt Polanski. Only a few weeks before we can judge for ourselves.
The Ghost is released on 19 March 2010
Happy Birthday to
Javier Bardem
41 today
Very few actors get a birthday mention from me two years in a row, but for Javier I'm willing to make an exception. After all he's gorgeous, smart, talented and sensitive. Plus he drinks wine from the bottle whilst wearing a pink dressing gown. What a man. Next up is Biutiful, one of my top 20 for 2010, and if it's good there'll be a third birthday wish next year!
