Happy Birthday to
Anna Kendrick
25 today
Anna, who received her first Oscar nomination earlier this year, hadn't showed a great deal of promise prior to teaming up with George Clooney Up in the Air what with the majority of her work being in the Twilight series. Coming soon is (fairly obviously) the closing chaters of that epic serial.
Monday, 9 August 2010
Anna Kendrick
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Worst Honeymoon Ever (Film News 08/08/2010)
Naturally with me not being here it's been an incredibly busy week with loads of new productions appearing on the periphery demanding my attention. I'm hoping that's a good sign that we're going to gets an increase on interesting movies - personally I've been generally disappointed by the overall quality of projects getting the green light.
Honeymoon with Harry
I won't pretend this piece of news is recent, or that I am desperate to see the adaptation of Bart Baker's unpublished novel, but the genesis of the production is quite unique. First optioned in 2004 Paul Haggis (Crash, Quantum of Solace) was due to write and direct this tale of a combative father and son-in-law as they recover from the sudden death of the woman they both love. The writers strike and other projects got in the way so this was shelved and has since gained the reputation of being one of the best unfilmed scripts in Hollywood.
Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper, having worked together on Neil Burger's Dark Fields (left - note Bobby's decidedly unsharp shoes), are anxious to reunite on the screen and have chosen this juicy concept as the vehicle for that. Jonathan Demme (Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married) has allegedly been approached to direct the piece.
Overall that's a fine team that few would argue with wanting to see on screen even if the first half of the spec comes close to the relationship in Meet the Parents.
Read on for sex education, American classics, superheroes, communing with the dead and literary dilemmas. As well as the latest production news.
The Abstinence Teacher
You wait a year for a Sandra Bullock story then two come along at once as she has is now in talks to Star in Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton's Little Miss Sunshine follow-up with Steve Carell. In it Bullock will play a free-spirited sex education teacher with liberal views facing backlash in a generally conservative small town. Sounds like it will do wonders for her image.
On the Road
I had been fairly ambivalent about the big screen adaptation of Jack Karouac's (right) ground breaking beat novel, it seem to me not that it's unfilmable but it does raise the question of why you would want to film it. That said Viggo Mortensen and Amy Adams have now been added to the supporting cast so I am beginning to waver.
The Shadow
Earlier in the year there were the stirrings of rumours that The Shadow is due a remake now the stench of the Alec Baldwin original has cleared away and the comic book receipts keep coming in. Latest twist is that Quentin Tarantino may end up directing, and whilst I'm not the greatest fan of Inglorious Basterds this would be the perfect opportunity for Quentin to indulge in all his ultra-violent fantasies and for it to fit in the universe. 
Skippy Dies
It is deeply disappointing that this will not be a final chapter to the long running Aussie children's drama about a bush Kangaroo that rescues idiots in National Parks (left). Instead it's from Paul Murray's boarding school set novel about a student who tries to commune with his dead roomie. Whether it's a celebration of innocence, an paean to hope or just downright depressing this could be a project to look out for and might just be a major career starter for two teenage boys out there.
Young Adult
This might take a bit of suspension of disbelief but in this Diablo Cody scripted Jason Reitman directed piece Charlize Theron will play a writer of "young adult" fiction who seeks out an old high school love interest who then scorns her having no wish to revisit his time as a teenager. Whether this leads to bunny boiler type actions from Charlize or a long hard look at how her life has turned out is unclear but there is sure to be ultra-hip dialogue and a nicely ironic look at society. I look forward to finding out why anyone would say no to getting back with Charlize though (I'm gay and I'd totally be up for making a go of a relationship...)
Production News
Every month I trawl though old news stories to identify which rumours have become reality and whether anything I missed is suddenly underway, and every month I am pleasantly surprised by some of the revelations. Over the last 5 weeks the you tube documentary project Life in a Day has filmed so we await to see if there is anything decent to come out of that, work has begun on the Disney fantasy The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Sam Mendes has decided for On Chesil Beach to be his next film in the absence of Bond and the above Young Adult has already begun the pre-production process, becoming only the second 2013 film that I'm interested in - look out for it in a 20 for 2013 countdown.
The films have also appeared with no fanfare:
Me.
Adaptation of a 1971 darkly comic play ("Untold Damage") which looks at the changing dynamics within a family following a tragic little league baseball injury. Was filmed for television with Richard Dreyfuss and Geraldine Fitzgerald which makes it an interesting cast to beat in this remake.
Detachment
The inspirational teacher sub genre of movies is a perennial favourite so it's no surprise to see another version roll into production, even if this seems more Half Nelson than Dead Poets Society as the substitute teacher is inspired by his students into becoming a better person. Adrien Brody will be taking the central role with a supporting cast including Marcia Gay Harden as the head and James Caan, Lucy Liu and Blythe Danner as other teachers. The big surprise is they've entrusted this to the directorial hands of barking mad Tony Kaye (American History X) - stand by for rows in the editorial suite and long protracted legal battles before it ever gets released.
I'm not sure when this pic was taken but I think Mr. Brody is enjoying his post-Predators buffness.
Saturday, 7 August 2010
A public display of grief (Out this week 06/08/10)
Tricky week to assess (and not just because I've been away from the computer for five days). I would imagine that Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz will be able to score the box office lead, but both the dance obsessed teenagers and the talking animal loving tweenies have their own counter-programming. It doesn't matter because film of the week is the limited release of Undertow.
Aisha
Quite nice looking bollywood adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, with the social structures of medern Delhi backing the matchmaking antics of the titular heroine. As ever the lack of mainstream press support hinders my anticipation for the Bollywood product.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Cats and Dogs; The revenge of Kitty Galore
Sequel to the 2002 kids film where cats and dogs talk and are at continuous war. Why has it taken so long for the sequel to be made? Because it looks dreadful and no-one should go near it. Nick Nolte, Bette Midler and Michael Clarke Duncan are amongst those who should be ashamed.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky
I doubt you need me to tell you this but it's a biopic about the relationship between the classic fashion designer and the avant garde composer. Less starry than last years straightfoward Coco Chanel picture but should make a nice counterpoint
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Eccentrities of a Blonde Haired girl
101 year old Portuguese director shows no sign of stopping with his latst highly regarded parable based on the 19th century short story by Eca de Queiros about a love story recounted to a fellow train passenger.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Knight and Day
Tom Cruise's latest bid to resurrect his action credentials has only managed middling reviews and looks eminently missable. That said I'm probably going to watch it tonight.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Step Up 3D
There's dancing. There's an unlikely relationship between a boy and girl from opposite sides of the tracks/different dance crews. It's in 3D. Is there anything else to say other than "Ugh" (see comments).
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Undertow
A bisexual love triangle drives the plot forward in this latest magical-realist movie from Latin America. Moving look at the nature of love and the idea of letting go as Christian Mercado must come out to his homophobic fishing community in order to allow his deceased lover to rest in peace.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Wildest Dream: The Conquest of Everest
Part documentary on Conrad Anker and Leo Houlding's attempt to solve the riddle of Mallory's disappearance and part biopic on the extraordinary attempt by George Mallory to reach the summit of Everest. Totally stunning cinematography with Lima Neeson and Ralph Fiennes among the voice cast.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Charlize Theron
Happy Birthday to
Charlize Theron
35 today
Easily one of the most beautiful women on the planet Charlize only seems to get any attention for her performances when she uglies up (or at least dowdies down). Taking a break at the moment Charlize looks like she next hit our screens in the Jason Reitman/Diablo Cody project Young Adults or the on-off Mad Max:Fury Road (currently off but I expect it'll be back).
Friday, 6 August 2010
Vera Farmiga
Happy Birthday to
Vera Farmiga
37 today
Vera has a talent to be reckoned with, still flitting between indie and mainstream dramas she has proven time and time again that she can leave her co-stars in the shade, even making George Clooney seem uncomfortable in Up in the Air. It's a real shame that some of her more interesting efforts don't seem to be making it to the UK; both Nothing but the Truth and The Vintner's Luck have yet to see a UK cinema.
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Billy Bob Thornton
Happy Birthday to
Billy Bob Thornton
55 today
The former Mr Jolie passes another birthday where we're not really sure what his next moves as a performer should be. Unfortunatelky he's been taking the paycheck and running now for so long it's easy to forget what an electric actor he was.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Tuesday Trailers - Tamara Drewe
September is a funny month for film releases, the blockbuster season is over but the prestige rush of award seeking movies have yet to arrive, and whilst there are some interesting films to be seen they're usually forgettable fare. I'm thinking this modern day retelling of Far from the Maddening Crowd may be one of those but I'll still be popping to the multiplex, if only witness the sexy couple of Dominci Cooper and Gemma Arterton on a big screen.
Tamara Drewe is released on 10 September 2010.
Monday, 2 August 2010
Personal News (02/08/10)
Baby Jesus Freak is now over, or at least over for now there are rumours that it will resurface in the spring. I have shaved and cut my hair and now look less like a homeless accountant and more like my old self. (It's an odd thing acting when you try to look as different as possible from yourself).
Today I am off to start my Theatre& contract. I'm a little excited and nervous as I really don't know anything about the job, but I will keep you informed of what's going on.
That said posting here will go to pot over the next 6 months. I have weekends off so I should get a chance to do the news and out this week posts even if they're a day late, birthdays and Tuesday trailers will of course continue and I'll let you know how the marathon goes, but personal posts will probably stop until something major happens I can't make any promises about reviewing films (we'll see next week if I get a chance to talkk about Tom and Cameron) and replying to comments will almost certainly be delayed - please accept my humble apologies and I hope you enjoy what does appear here.
Love to all
Ben
Sunday, 1 August 2010
You Rang Mr. President (Film News - 31/07/10)
Summer must be here. I say that because it's been another slow week for film news with very few headlines appealling to me. That said we have a bumper collection of release date changes with 9 new ones that I fancy watching as well as 4 changes. You will also have noticed that this post is a day late. I'm afraid I'm going to have to settle into a new routine over the coming months now that I'm about to start my corporate work, looks like Sundays are the new Saturdays, but more on that on my personal post which may arrive tomorrow. Instead we'll go straight to the headlines:
The Butler
What does it take to finance and greenlight a film with adult themes in todays Hollywood? It seems more than talent and stories based on major political upheavals in 20th century America are needed with the news that Lee Precious Daniels (below) is set to abandon his civil rights epic Selma due to lack of funding. In spite of the notable and talented cast Daniels may have to change priorities and postpone. This surprises because Daniels latest film was so well received, picking up 2 Oscars and 4 more nominations, that you would have thought he would be free to choose his own project next.
If he does it's looking likely that his next film will be the biopic of Eugene Allen the maitre'd of the White House who started as pantry man in 1952 (under Harry S. Truman) and worked up the chain of command until his retirement in 1986 (Reagan) - passing through a total of 8 Presidents. Denzel Washington is rumoured to be taking the role should the film end up going ahead.
As much as we can admire Allen's efforts I very much doubt his story is as compelling as that of the civil rights struggle on the streets of Alabama. (Please feel free to contradict in the comments.) It worries me that Hollywood moguls would still rather put forward a film about a loyal employee of the White House than one that looks at the complex and violent history of segregation and racial intolerance in the US.
Read on for sci-fi rewrites, poaching singers and Sandra Bullock's next role.
Alien Prequel
The "Lost" writer Damon Lindelof is giving the Alien prequel script a re-write. "So what", I hear you say. Admittdly it's not uncommon for this sort of high concept movie to go through several iterations and I certainly wouldn't think it was worth mentioning if it hadn't said of his meeing with Ridley Scott "the exchange of ideas between them sparked a take that could well turn out to be a free-standing science fiction film." (from Deadline) If that's true it brings up the total number of film projects on Ridley Scott's directorial list to 11:
2 * Alien Prequels
Brave New World
The Forever War
Monopoly
The Passage
Red Riding
Wolf of Wall Street
The Gucci family biopic
Larry McMurty's Western
and this new sci-fi.
If Ridley takes the same time to make these films as he took to make the last 11 features he will finish them around 2025 when he'll be 88. My advice to Mr. Scott (left, from the last time he directed an Alien picture) is to please stop saying yes to new films.
Dirt Music
Tim Winton's Booker prize winning novel (right) has been rumoured to be heading into production for some time with stars like Heath Ledger, Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz all attached at some point. It's looking like Russell Crowe is the latest actor in the frame as a country singer turned poacher in the Aussie outback building up a relationship with a neighbour and the world in general. Philip Noyce, who can shoot his native Oz like few others (see Rabbit-Proof Fence), is set to helm with Crowe also providing some of the music.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
When Sandra Bullock celebrated her birthday earlier in the week I stated my surprise that she has yet to find a suitable follow-up to her Academy Award winning turn in The Blind Side. Good news for her fans and perhaps galling news for her doubters - Sandra's been talking with Stephen Daldry about the role of the mother in his next project. As the parent of a precocious New Yorker coming to terms with his fathers death in September 11 it could be a good chance to flex some actorly muscle.
Release Date News
As I said earlier it's been a very busy month for changes in release dates. Here are just the films that caught my eye.
New York, I love You - It has a release date again! I have been looking forward to this collection of shorts themed aroung love in the Big Apple for over 2 years and I'm hoping this (third) release date is written in stone. Walk hand in hand through Central Park on 01 October 2010.
Hereafter - Clint Eastwood's forst foray into the supernatural focussing on three different ghosts stories in three cities seems like an interesting diversion for the veteran director and given his auteurial themes of guilt and redemption it could be a worthwhile piece. Get spooked on 28 January 2011.
Restless - Competing against the above is Gus van Sant latest teen romance concerning terminally ill teenagers and Kamikaze ghosts, I'm thinking this may be high on the navel gazing scale of van Sant pictures. Attend a funeral for someone you don't know on 28 January 2011.
The Debt - Shifting back into 2011 UK release is standard procedure for prestige films on the road to Oscar so few surprises to see this Mossad action/Drama make the move. Hunt for ex-Nazis on 11 February 2011.
Rango - the surreal trailers for Johnny Depp's animated lizard movie has certainly piqued my interest and even if it turns out to just be a light-hearted pastiche of Western tropes I think it could be worth a gander. Chase the clockwork goldfish on 04 March 2011.
Red Riding Hood - I'm still unsure how this fairy tale with adult overtones will position itself in the market and a March release indicates the studio are unsure too - will it be a disaster? Check out the size of grandma's teeth on 11 March 2011.
Hanna - shifting just a couple of weeks is Joe Wright's new murderous child movie - I just want this to go as quickly as possible so we can move on to Indian Summer. Rediscover your past on 08 April 2011.
Footloose - The original has to be a guilty pleasure for most people who grew up in the 80's - average quality but immensely enjoyable and hit the zeitgeist - the remake has a lot to live up to. Dance like there's no tomorrow on 15 April 2011.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - As awful as the 90 second teaser released thi week was I've not been put off yet and will still be seeing the 4th episode of the popular pirate franchise. Shiver me timbers on 20 May 2011.
Contagion - Rumour has it Steven Soderbergh will be using 3D technology for his virus action thriller, which leads me to ask how is that going to work and what sort of film will this be? Can't wait to find out. Avoid a cold on 21 October 2011.
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 - The Twilight saga reaches it's emotional climax (the first half of it anyway) with frightening pregnancies and decisions to be made - more than just a metaphor for itself. Finally pick Team Edward on 18 November 2011.
New Years Eve - I don't know why I'm writing about the style follow-up to Valentine's Day as I slated that on it's release. I suppose I'm just being drawn to the car crash. Find relationships predictable on 09 December 2011.
All these new releases are great to hear but we must remember the dates can be pulled away as easily as moss from a stone and this month we are especially sad to see Gavin O'Connor UFC movie Warrior disappear from the schedules. Given recent revelations about star Tom Hardy's youthful daliiances I'm sure he won't mind if we stare at this pic and imagine what we're missing.
Giancarlo Giannini
Happy Birthday to
Giancarlo Giannini
68 today
Italian ator who's made just enough American and British films (including the last two Bond films) to be recognised outside of his own country. Bizarrely he's also a top class dubber, including a very highly regarding dubbing of Jack Nicholson's performance in The Shining.
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