Happy Birthday to
Mercedes Ruehl
62 today
I was recently reminded of Terry Gilliam's Fisher King by an insightful piece from Encore's World of Film & TV so I revisited the film and I'm glad to say it has not lost any of it's fun or delight. Part of that is down to the splendid turn by Aercedes, an actress who is completely unafraid to show her all. I'm afraid she's been since lost to TV movies and guest appearances. Someone please cast her in a proper film.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Mercedes Ruehl
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Out This week (26/02/10)
You will struggle to find a good film out this week - odd after the glut of high profile releases just seven days ago. Personally I sahll be seeing Amy Adams going all blarney, but I certainly don't think I can recommend that. So I suppose the film of the week will have to be the latest embarassement in Robert De Niro's CV: Everybody's Fine.
The Crazies
Remake of George Romero horror classic sees Timothy Olyphant and his heavily pregnant wife avoiding a horde of psychotic townsfolk and a military plot to kill everyone in the town to contain the virulent cause. Hokum, which has probably lost all trace of it's paranoia roots but the trailer looks fun.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Joanne Woodward
Happy Birthday to
Joanne Woodward
80 today
Joanne and her late husband Paul Newman are regarded as the pinnacle of Hollywood relationships. Faithfully married for over 50 years their coupling is a wonderful example about how two people can make it work and have seperate and strong careers. Over latter years Joanne has slowly moved away from the limelight, not appearing on the screen since 2005.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
A Single Man
2009. Dir: Tom Ford. Starring: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Nicolas Hoult and Jon Kortajarena. ●●●●○
I am not a student of film. Like the proverbial boor I know nothing about art, but I know what I like. Indeed it is the way a movie stirs me or causes me to think about the situations of the characters that I most like about films, and that guarantees a positive review. It is with that in mind when I say A Single Man left me cold. I appreciate it's a well made movie, stylistically and thematically stimulating but for me it comes across as an exercise in great film techniques and not as a great film.
The film follows Professor George Falconer (Colin Firth, giving an excellent low key performance) during a seemingly ordinary day. He has breakfast, goes to work, visits his bank and has dinner with his closest friend Charley (Julianne Moore). As the day progresses we become increasingly aware that Falconer intends this day to be his last, he plans to end his life because it is now empty, because his one love (Matthew Goode in flashbacks) has died and he cannot see a way forward without him; "Getting up hurts" without Jim in his life.
Edward James Olmos
Happy Birthday to
Edward James Olmos
63 today
Olmos, who's an accomplished rock musician as well as actor, has been a major player in 2 highly regarded television programmmes. "Miami Vice" and "Battlestar Galatica" may have been set literally worlds apart but his commanding and austere presence has been a rock in both for the other characters to cling to. And unlike many performers Olmos regularly visits schools in deprived areas to show kids there is a way out of the slums and cycle of violence they are in. Look out for his next appearance in The Green Hornet.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Tuesday Trailers - Hachiko: A Dog's Story
As you know by now - I'm on tour which means that I won't get a chance to do box office news this weekend coming. But if I did one of the new releases is for Hachiko. It's a simple story about the bond between dog and master. No doubt with Lasse Hallstrom on board as director there will be an opportunity to reach for the hankies. I just don't care. Here's the trailer:
Hachiko: A Dog's Story is released on 12 March 2010.
Monday, 22 February 2010
Julie Walters
Happy Birthday to
Julie Walters
60 today
British comic actress Julie is most certainly the best thing ever to come out of Smethwick (I've worked there - I know). Since then she's sparkled on TV working with Victoria Wood and notched up 2 Academy Award nominations. Her meal ticket of late has been with Harry Potter, but with that coming to an end soon I guess she'll be thinking about the next stage of her career.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Brenda Blethyn
Happy Birthday to
Brenda Blethyn
64 today
Completely unafraid, Brenda excels in roles that require a little extra pizzazz. She's also a personal hero of mine, leaving a career in her late 20's and then moving into acting. She's also run the London Marathon which is quite an achievement.
Friday, 19 February 2010
Out This Week (19/02/10)
I'm a little ashamed about this week's releases. Not that the releases themselves have shamed me, but that the excitometer numbers are a little high. You see although part of it is based on what I think about the trailers and the concept equally a large part is defined by reviews, cast, off-screen talent and awards buzz. So there are three films getting high scores this week, and I have to admit it's mainly due to the oscar noms. So ignoring them I'd probably recommend Samantha Morton's foster drama The Unloved (although it was screened on Channel 4 last year so I'm not sure why it's getting a cinema release. Regardless, mathematically the film of the week is The Lovely Bones.
Closed Book
Tom Conti is a blind art historian, Daryl Hannah his mysterious assistant helping him with one last book. There are secrets galore in this murky thriller, but aside from the money shot of Conti with just empty eye sockets there's little to recommend it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Jon Whiteley
Happy Birthday to
Jon Whiteley
65 today
Former child star, and recipient of a Juvenile Oscar for his performance in The Little Kidnappers back in 1953, Whiteley grew out of acting in his early teens and has since gone on to become a renowned Art Historian with the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Which goes to prove that you can have a normal future if you start acting at an early age.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
George Kennedy
Happy Birthday to
George Kennedy
85 today
This way George. Like most actors of his generation George is a World War 2 veteran, under the command of General Patton. Indeed his first hollywood jobs were related to that experience including a stint as a military advisor on "Sgt. Bilko". His big screen debut was shouting "I'm Spartacus" which must be considered an amazing way to start in film. Although he will almost certainly be best remembered for Joe Patroni, the straight talking engineer in the Airport series.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Valentine's Day
2010. Dir: Garry Marshall. Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx. ●○○○○
I'm thinking perhaps the rating is a little harsh. Valentine's Day, for all it's many faults, did not make me angry. I did not consider asking for my money back, nor was I shouting at the screen at the iniquity of it. Unlike one film I went to see this year I was not seething afterwards. However it is a really bad movie - utterly inedt - to call it amateur would be an insult to amateur productions.
Let me explain: Valentine's Day follows an inderterminable group of LA'ers as they make their way through the romantic entanglements during the feast of St. Valentine. Naturally, as is always the case with large cast dramas, they all interlink on at least a superficial level (sometimes the level of co-incidence is unbearable) and they all have different feelings or experiences that relate to love. When taken as a whole we, as an audience, are meant to better understand the meaning and consequences of that four letter word. This movie ultimately wants to be an American Love, Actually and at this it fails spectacularly.
If you read on, please not this review has many many spoilers...
Valentine's Day Postscript - Coming Out
In my next post I review Valentine's Day, a film which I did not, by any stretch of the imagination, enjoy. But I wanted to make a special point about the section fo the film that disappointed me most.
In the film Eric Dane's star quarterback holds a press conference to publicly announce that he's gay. This conference is not brought on by the imminent outing by the paparazzi, but comes at the point where he is between contracts and is not willing to hide his personal life anymore.
The movie not only makes the decision to come out seem trivial but almost makes it seem unnewsworthy. To the extent that the first press question is from Jamie Foxx asking if this meant that Dane was retiring - the predictable response "I'm Gay, and I'm Gonna Play".
Coming out is never easy. Every time you meet someone new you are, in effect coming out. Often it is a non-issue, sometimes not. Even today, at my temping job, I was at the receiving end of some barbed jokes about my sexuality. There was no malicious intent behind the comments and I do not suspect any homophobia from the gentleman involved but that is not to say the comments don't in some way belittle me and all lesbians and gay men.
For such a high profile sportsman, such as the character Dane was playing, coming out would likely lead to a horrendous amount of abuse and, given he wasn't signed to a team at that point, may also be the end of his playing career. By presenting this skewed version of coming out the film does no justice to the many players of all sports who are making that tough decision every year. The film even flinched from his happy ending, when his partner returns at the end of the movie thay are the only couple not to kiss.
I want a world where there is no discrimination based on sexuality, but we must accept that homphobia exists and perhaps the film would have been better served if there was greater realism in the way it dealt with this issue. I wanted to see how Dane made his decision to come out - in fact I actually want to see a film which honestly looks at how someone's life would change in these situations.
I don't know what it's like in America, but here in the UK in the Soccer Premier League (our most watched game) there isn't a single out gay player. In fact there has only ever been one in the history of top flight football. That player, Justin Fashanu, faced extreme abuse from other players, managers and fans - even his own brother publicly disowned him. Fashanu committed suicide in 1998.
Here in the UK the Football Association has begun a campaign to remove homophobia from the stands. Here is the viral advert they have made to publicise the campaign I warn you it sets out to be shocking.
The FA have chosen shock tactics to not only reflect the attitude that persists in the terraces but also because they have struggled to find top level player who would be willing to be the front of the campaign. I'll say that again - the perceived abuse from the fans would be so bad that no straight footballer is prepared to front a campaign against homophobia for fear of becoming a target.
I hope that this video is a start, I hope we can elimated homophobia from football, I hope Hollywood can reflect the burden gay players have more accutrately and I sincerely hope that one day an out gay man will be scoring the FA cup winning goal.
Brenda Fricker
Happy Birthday to
Brenda Fricker
65 today
So, yesterday was Pete Postlethwaite's birthday. He was nominated for a best Supporting Actor Academy Award for In the Name of the Father directed by Jim Sheridan, who directed Brenda to win best supporting actress for My Left Foot. I do like these little small connections between actors. Brenda also has nothing coming up that I'm interested in seeing.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Tuesday Trailers - Shutter Island
I've been waiting for this for a very long time, ever since it was originally mooted as Martin Scorcese and Leonardo DiCaprio's fourth collaboration. Since then I have read the book which reduced my anticipation a little, but I still suspect it will a superb experiment in style and suspense. Judge for yourself with the first trailer.
Shutter Island is released on 12 March 2010.
Pete Postlethwaite
Happy Birthday to
Pete Postlethwaite
64 today
Warrington born Pete trained at the Bristol Old Vic and has had a long and varied career in theatre and film. He has a couple of major productions out this year but nothing that I particularly want to see him in.
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Personal News (14/02/2010)
Quick update the filming on Tuesday and Wednesday was lots of fun. Cutting the corpses arm off was suitably gory and the relationship between my character and my wife seemed to work fine in front of the camera. Hopefully that will translate to the final product. I should get a set photo this week, and I'll be sure to post that.
I'll be going off on the Of Mice and Men tour this week, so all of a sudden the output will drop.
Not completely, of course, I have birthday posts written until I come back after the tour and Tuesday trailers for a few weeks, I've even prepped some of the Friday release posts. Generally though it will go quiet. I won't be able to respond to comments, or do a weekly news post or review films. I will try though, whenever I get the opportunity to slip into an internet cafe and keep you posted on any developments.
Meg Tilly
Happy Birthday to
Meg Tilly
50 today
Do you struggle to remember which of the Tilly sisters is which? Well you're lucky I'm here. Meg came to fame in The Big Chill and Agnes of God before her career slowly declined over a period of ten years followed by her retirement from acting and the commencement of her writing career. Got that? OK, come back on 16 September 2011 for the second part of this series.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Film News (13/02/09)
You just can't move without finding exciting news stories this week, overall there have been 13 different press releases that have struck me as projects to look out for. That's pretty much a record for me and as a result this weeks post will be scattershot, focusless and messy. Hang on that's every Saturday news post only even worse. And on to it...
Contagion
I think we all know that I am a huge fan of Steven Soderbergh. Frankly I think he's a genius, with an enormous output and a clever way of balancing high-profile marquee productions with more intimate experimental work. This week it was announced he's working on Contagion, an international deadly virus thriller. It's not the sort of thing that has been tried on such a massive scale before (most virus plots focus on small communities such as Outbreak). It's definitely going to be one of his bigger pictures with Matt Damon, Jude Law and Kate Winslet all circling roles.
Here's a flu virus in action - Steven Soderbergh not pictured.
Read on for Penelope, Rachel and Cate casting news, 70's comedies, US Presidents, metaphoric violence, original musicals, Russian spys and social satires!
Stockard Channing
Happy Birthday to
Stockard Channing
66 today
There are worst things I could do, than celebrate Stockard's birthday with you...
That's about as far as I can go with that. She's a wonderful and talented actress, with an eclectic and fascinating body of work including 6 Tony nominations. Although few can argue her crowning cinematic glory was the complex Betty Rizzo in 1978's Grease. So here she is singing "There are worst things".
Friday, 12 February 2010
Out This Week (12/02/10)
It's an extremely busy week with 12 different titles competing for audiences, including 2 animations, 2 big budget action adventures, an all-star romantic hyperlink picture and this weeks film of the week: A Single Man
Anonyma: A Woman in Berlin
Hailed as a major turning point in World War 2 cinema, Anonyma looks at the occupation of Berlin following it's fall to the Russian Army, and the sacrifices and concessions a group of women had to make.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Burt Reynolds
Happy Birthday to
Burt Reynolds
74 today
As tempting as it is to celebrate the 18th of Taylor Lautner this morning, I've decided to stick with a man who's already proved that he's an enduring sex symbol. Burt rose to fame following his knockout performance in Deliverance, which he followed by 2 decades of poorly picked projects which he, as an performer, managed to rise above. Critically his best success came in the late 90's as Porn film direcor Jack Horner in Boogie Nights.
Talking about porn, one of his major turning points as a star was his centrefold in Cosmopolitan (1972). I wonder if Taylor would ever do that?
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Tuesday Trailers - Ondine
In spite of having a good pedigree (from the director of The Crying Game and starring Colin Farrell) Ondine didn't set the world on fire at it's Toronto premeier. Nevertheless the trailer below nicely sets up the tale of a fisherman who catches a mermaid and, providing it steers clear of whimsical naval-gaving, this could be worth the ticket price.
Ondine is released on 05 March 2010.
Joe Pesci
Happy Birthday to
Joe Pesci
67 today
The pint-sized Pesci (5 foot 4 inches) had a slow climb to the top, making his mark in low budget indies like The Death Collector before playing Robert De Niro's brother in Raging Bull, they have since worked together 5 more times. Pesci doesn't do much these days so I'm aching to see him return to cinemas in Love Ranch, as a brothel owner married to Helen Mirren.
Monday, 8 February 2010
Mary Steenburgen
Happy Birthday to
Mary Steenburgen
57 today
As a consummate character actress Mary has appeared in far more films that you think since her big break in Melvin and Howard. What I didn't know (until last night) is that Mary, and husband Ted Danson, are close personal friends of the Clinton's. You learn a new thing every day.
P.S. I'm still holding out that In The Electric Mist the film she made last year with Tommy Lee Jones and Peter Sarsgaard will get released but it went straight to DVD in the U.S. and it's coming close to a year since it premiered at the Berlinale 2009.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Personal News (07/02/09)
It seems incredibly but I've not done a personal news story since way back in September. It's not that i haven't been trying to get work, it's just that I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere and I've not really had the opportunity to get involved.
We're now only two weeks away from resuming the Of Mice and Men tour, notices from the first half of the tour were positive so I'll be glad to get back into the regular work pattern. I would now link you to some reviews as published on the school websites, but I can't find one that mentions me by name (an actor almost simultaneously playing 3 roles is the closest I can find) so in a fit of pique you're not getting anything.
I've also managed to get a role in a short student film Dead Weight. It's not paid but it's a fun script, mainly revolving around physical comedy, so it should be a blast, and if it goes well may be a good addition to my library for when it comes to getting an agent. Filming is on Tuesday and Wednesday so I'll let you know next week how it's gone. As ever I hope to get a copy online.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Film News (06/02/10)
You may or may not have heard but the biggest story of the week is the Oscar nominations. I don't want to retread my post on Wednesday, but I was thinking about the new voters, the latest inductees to the Academy and how they voted. What do you suppose Brendan Gleeson, Eddie Marsan, Jeffrey Wright, James Franco, Emily Blunt, Emile Hirsch, James McAvoy, Jane Lynch, Michael Cera, Paul Rudd, Hugh Jackman or Seth Rogen had at the top of their voting form? Humourous answers on a postcard to...
Away from that there's hasn't been much in the news, only a couple of small stories to get your teeth into, as well as some potentially interesting international production news.
Zachary Quinto, stardom and the George Gershwin Biopic
First up is the frankly bizarre news from Zachary Quinto that he may be ready to move on from the reinvigorated Star Trek franchise. I'll confess I haven't seen the latest installment, but from what I hear whilst Quinto was best of the best parts in it what Star Trek mostly proved was that this was a character based franchise and not actor based - losing William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelly didn't destroy the ratings, so there won't be much worry about the Heroes star moving on. However, I doubt it's a good idea for him. Does this look like he can't commit to long term projects? Or will it mean he retains more integrity than his Enterprise co-stars?
The project he appears to be moving on to is a Steven Spielberg helmed biopic of George Gershwin. Gershwin was a composer and musician, from Russian emigre heritage, who made a name for himself in the early Hollywood musicals of the 1930's and by sucessfully blending classical and jazz influences and appealing to both markets. His most famous works include "Rhapsody in Blue" and "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess. Both of which has a prominant place in public conciousness. He also died tragically of a brain tumour, aged just 38. It's a baity role with a known director wso perhaps it's the right choice.
This is a famed caricature of George (right) with brother Ira Gershwin. Do you think Quinto could manage that look? And who would you cast as Ira?
Go past the link for the worst news you will read all week, and a pleasant surprise from Sweden.
Friday, 5 February 2010
Out this week (05/02/10)
Just three days after the Oscar nominations it's no surprise that this weeks top film managed to pick up some attention, even if it missed out on the big prize. More complex is the battle for audiences with 2 animated features both opening this week - I suspect Disney to take the box office crown. We also have a bit of a cathch up session as 4 films were quietly released last week without me spotting them - so if you're interested in Turkish cinema then skip to the end. Nevertheless ehe film of the week is still Invictus.
Asal
Effectively looking Bollywood actioner with Ajith Kumar as a one man army fighting to get to Sameera Reddy. Some nice stuntwork in the trailer but it may be one for the fans.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Barbara Hershey
Happy Birthday to
Barbara Hershey
62 today
Barbara Hershey is a seriously talented actress, with a fascinating back catalgue, however somehow she isn't half as popular as she should be. Coming to audience attentions in the late 60's and early 70's, as much for her offscreen lifestyle as her acting technique, she came into her own in the 80's with high profile ventures such as The Right Stuff, The Natural and Beaches. She was also the first person to win 2 consecutive best actress awards at Cannes for Shy People and A World Apart. Next up is Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan which hopefully be a return to the public consciousness.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Film News - 2009 Oscar Nominations
Yesterday lunchtime the nominations for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards were announced. Some during a live presentation from Academy president Tom Sherak (nervy) and Anne Hathaway (giving one of her worst performances, but I liked the suit) and others as a press release afterwards.
I get a little grumpy about the artificial distincting between the big prizes and the techies. A wonderfully written script, with a career best acting performances and steady direction would be utterly rubbish (and probably completely ignored) if it was lit badly or the editing didn't help focus the attention. However I can see why the announcement is kept short and highlights the categories which bring in the punters.
There are plenty of websites that will offer indepth analysis of the nominations, many of which I am an ardent fan of. Awardsdaily provides a good starting block with witty and intelligent writing, Kris Tapley of In Contention also wasted no time in getting together with Anne Thompson and recording their reaction. Many of the blogs on the right will also have some interesting comments so please take a look.
For myself I have little to say, the biggest surprise today was that there were so few surprises. Anyone who regularly follows the progress of the precursers and the awards buzz will have have the final nominees as either predictions or as highly credible alternatives. Even the choices which were a little out of the blue like The Blind Side for best picture, The Secret of Kells for Animated picture and Maggie Gyllenhaal in the supporting actress category had a certain logic to them. I have yet to see any of these films so I have no positive or negative comments regarding their inclusion.
As ever I'm slightly saddened that my own choices weren't reflected - I'm still firmly behind Where the Wild Things Are even if the Academy completely forgot about it - at the same time I understand that one of the beauties about film is that you and I will always differ about what we think is better.
All our experiences of the film landscape in 2009 was different and therefore our own responses will be different. We can, and will, passionately put forward our own picks regardless of critical recognition, peer awards or box office success. In five years time when the dust has cleared and a thousand new stories have been told we will undoutably have forgotten about the intensity of the battle between James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow and instead each of us will be left with only moments of film that stick in our memories. I will be left with Maria Larsson taking her self portrait and Max starting a dirt fight - others will have IEDs and Home trees - none of us are wrong.
Saying that recognition from your industry colleagues is a wonderful thing, and the Oscars can have a huge beneficial effect of the carrers of the nominees. So it is with great pleasure and due humility that I offer my hearty congratulations everyone nominated today and, in the spirit of my second paragraph, to the entire film-making teams, from the Executives who bankrolled the budget to the caterers who kept the tea flowing, in all of these films:
Ajami
Avatar
The Blind Side
Bright Star
Burma VJ
Coco Before Chanel
Coraline
The Cove
Crazy Heart
District 9
An Education
El Secreto de Sus Ojus
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Food, Inc
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker
Il Divo
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
In the Loop
Inglorious Basterds
Invictus
Julie and Julia
The Last Station
The Lovely Bones
The Messenger
The Milk of Sorrow
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellseberg and the Pentagon Papers
Nine
Paris 36
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
A Serous Man
Sherlock Holmes
A Single Man
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Un Prophete
Up
Up in the Air
Which Way Home
The White Ribbon
The Young Victoria
And the Shorts
China's Unnatural Disaster: The tears of Sichuan Province
The Door
French Roast
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
Instead of Abracadabra
Kavi
The Lady and the Reaper
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Logorama
A Matter of Loaf and Death
Miracle Fish
Music by Prudence
The New Tenants
Rabbit a la Berlin
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Tuesday Trailers - Alice in Wonderland
Sometimes watching a trailer can really turn you off a film, it may have a nice cast, interesting concept and a strong word of mouth but a flat trailer will make you think twice. On the other hands some trailers gleeful play with your expectations. One of the later is Tom Burton's Alice in Wonderland which hits all the right notes for a mix of excitement and fun. It's also the first of my 20 for 2010 that i will see so I'm really hoping the trailer is an indication of the whole...
Alice in Wonderland opens on 05 March 2010.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Stuart Whitman
Happy Birthday to
Stuart Whitman
82 today
It is fair to say that whilst Whitman was a fine actor his talents off screen are far more interesting. For intance during his time with the Army he was Light-heavyweight boxer with 32 wins to his name and following his retirement from acting he's amassed a substantial fortune from wise investing. That's some range.
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