Toni comes back

It has been 16 years since the world was introduced to PJ Hogan and Toni Collette.
That is a long time, and still “you’re terrible Muriel” and “Goodbye Porpoise Spit!” still make their way into daily conversation.

Also I have to thank them for introducing me to Toni Collette, who is now one of my favourite actors ever!

Well they are teaming up again for another Aussie comedy called ‘Mental’.
It will see Collette playing a crazy, charismatic woman who changes the life of a family after she becomes the nanny to five girls. And apparently it is based on reality.
Yes it is Hogans own experience:

“Like Muriel's Wedding, Mental is a comedy, but a comedy based on reality, laced with pain and brimming with flawed but lovable characters," Hogan tells Variety. Shaz (the central character) was hilarious, outrageous, dangerous, courageous, inspiring, heartbreaking and totally, totally mad. And she changed my life,"

It starts shooting next January and will hopefully see release near the end of the year.

The Review Rack

Here are some of the reviews of note that have been coming up at various festivals recently.
These are mainly mentioned because they single out a performance or two, which I like to do as it makes the acting races not seen like they are from such a small pool (as the choices usually are).

'Another Year'

So far the new Mike Leigh film is by and far the best reviewed film coming out of Cannes at the moment.
He is already a Cannes legend, but still continues to make movies that people are passionate about, even if his films are always the simplest premise (at first thought that is).
The film features wonderful performances from Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, David Bradley, Philip Davis and Imelda Staunton, however the person with the biggest buzz is Leigh regular Lesley Manville. People are going ga ga for her performance and she is already being buzzed for the Actress prize at Cannes.


'Frankie & Alice'

Halle Berry's multiple personality movie got a decent review from 'The Hollywood Reporter'. Duane Byrge called Berry "Spellbinding" and also singled out Phylicia Rashad as her enabling mother. But before you mark you ballots remember that this same magazine gave 'Amelia' a rave last year.


'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps'

Getting pretty decent reviews, but on an acting front, it seems to be the Michael Douglas show with great support from Frank Langella. However it seems the whole cast seems to do well in the film with Josh Brolin and Carey Mulligan getting some fine notices as well.


'Meet Monica Velour'

And finally a big ole surprise.
This comedy about a teenage boy meeting and becoming obsessed with a former 80's porn star got a lot of buzz from the Tribeca Film Festival. It is supposed to be a surprisingly warm and tender comedy that is extremely well written and acted.
The majority of the acting buzz goes to Kim Cattrall - Yes people, Samantha Jones is getting raves.

"The effectively deglamorized Cattrall is terrific, investing her portrayal with a complex mixture of vulnerability, toughness and still-powerful sexuality." - Frank Scheck - The Hollywood Reporter

"Of course, after thirty years of professional wear and tear and marital and substance abuse, Ms. Velour is nothing more than a decaying façade of the glimmering beauty she once was. Spiteful and world-weary, Cattrall shines through the runny make-up and cheap outfits her character has become accustomed to and delivers an authentic portrayal of a woman who walked on the wild side and came through a marvelous mess. Her performance, along with the nostalgic reminiscence of porno’s home-video heyday, offers a loving nod to the skin-flick industry while poking fun at its ludicrous, unnecessary plot lines and C-rate production values." - Daniel Hubschman - Hollywood.com

"Thesping is excellent throughout. Cattrall kills as the cynically foul-mouthed ex-sex queen desperately trying to keep her head above water" - Ronnie Scheib - Variety

It would be a wonderful miracle to see her as a major award contender, but stranger things have happened. I for one will be routing for her. Out of all the SATC women she is the one most people would have never thought of being called a thespian.

I was acting like another woman, yet I was more Oscar than ever before.

So back here I asked you to vote in a poll to see who you thought should have been crowned Best Actress in 1995.
The results are long in:

Everyones favourite crazy snatch flasher, Sharon Stone, got ZERO votes for her performance in 'Casino' and she was second choice after Madonna.

The wonderful Emma Thompson could only manage 13% of the votes for her wonderful performance in 'Sense and Sensibility'.

Surprise nominee Elisabeth Shue only managed 17% of the votes, she has more adventures whilst babysitting than she did 'Leaving Las Vegas'.

Eventual winner for 'Dead Man Walking', Susan Sarandon was only 22% popular for her 'overdue' Oscar winning performance.

So with a mammoth 48% of the votes the wonderful Meryl Streep wins this for 'The Bridges of Madison County'

Well it is no surprise really.
This is one of those performances that was so brilliant, you hardly noticed.
It would have probably gotten more attention had she not been against Sarandon and been going through a quiet period in her career.

However, 3rd Oscar or not she is one of the greatest, and this is one of my favourite Meryl performances of all time. The way she is both mother, lover and wife for different people, playing each role amazingly, even if they do not all fit together.

Clint Eastwood did her a great service with this, and the performance has left a legacy.

Now onto Best Supporting Actress for 1995

The nominees were:


Joan Allen - 'Nixon'
Kathleen Quinlan - 'Apollo 13'
Mira Sorvino - 'Mighty Aphrodite'
Mare Winningham - 'Georgia'
Kate Winslet - 'Sense and Sensibility'

COME ON PEOPLE! VOTE!!!

Please note that I have had to delete the previous poll because some freakish Mira Sorvino fan voted for her over 500 times, as if this poll had any sort of importance. Unless it does and Mira and/or her people are thinking that the results of this poll will set in motion one of the biggest acting come backs ever - in which case I am flattered - but serious, whoever is going Mira crazy, get a life.

'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work' trailer

You know what?
I love Joan Rivers.
I miss her on the red carpet. Never remembering names, being so incorrect and actually being the best thing at the Oscars.

She laughed with celebrities, even if she had no idea who they were, just as easily as she insulted them to their face.
She has been in the industry for years and has never stopped working.

I mean this is the woman who played a lesbian in the play ‘Seawood’ who had a crush on an unknown Barbra Streisand. This was in the 1950’ and she has bever stopped working.
She is also one of the most respected comics working – and this is according to other comics.

Now one of my most anticipated films has a trailer and I just cannot wait.
Looks to be funny, shocking and moving. Go Joan.

'Barney's Vision' trailer

Rosamund Pike and Minnie Driver. I am so there.

'Love Ranch' Poster

Looking pretty spiffy - judging by the poster I have no idea what to expect and that is kind of exciting.

Tiger rights

Yet another opportunity for Brad Pitt to bail on a film directed by Darren Aronofsky. After walking out of ‘The Fountain’ and ‘The Fighter’ they are “apparently” going to join forces and make ‘The Tiger’.

The film is an action thriller and is based on the forthcoming nonfiction book by John Vaillant. The story is set in Siberia and human habitation is encroaching on the tigers territory, and one tiger sets off to start hunting down the towns people.
So far I am thinking the tiger is the hero of the story – well I am routing for it anyway.

Pitt will play a conservationalist game warden who must put aside his love for the animals to take down the man-eater.
I am still hoping the tiger wins this one. I personally hate the idea of an animal dying because it is trying to protect its land, however I am hoping against hope that this will be handled sensitively.
Actually Aronofsky is the man to do that. What is also interesting is that Guillermo Arriaga (‘Babel’) is adapting the story. The man is a talented writer, but is known for his fragmented stories. Perhaps focusing his ideas on this will make for fantastic results.
Arriaga has said to Variety:

“This is the first time I have adapted a screenplay, since I have previously only written original screenplays. I chose to adapt this story, first, because I have a profound love for the outdoors and the intense tension between man and nature which the book reflects; and, second, because of the great privilege of working with such accomplished filmmakers.”

I am concerned with the “tension between man and nature” part. For this animal lover it sounds more like a cat fighting for survival and man just wanting his way – the tension comes from us.
While we are all waiting for this film to come out, why not adopt a Siberian Tiger to ensure its survival.

'Easy A' trailer

When Brandon (‘Cougar Towns’ Dan Byrd) asks his friend Olive (Emma Stone) to help him hide his gayness by pretending to date him and take his virginity, he has no idea what that would mean to his friend.

Olive now has a reputation and uses this rumour to advance her social and financial standing.
However nothing is as it seems, and the similarities she sees to Hester Prynne in ‘The Scarlet Letter’ (which she is reading for school) allow for some self discovery.

Sure it sounds like another teen rom-com, but judging by the trailers it has bite and perhaps a little heft.

First there is the HYSTERICAL teaser trailer which just makes me laugh out loud.



Then here is the full trailer which announces Stone as a star for tomorrow. It is also wonderful to see Clarkson, Tucci and Kudrow (all wonderful comic actors) in this, which adds to it to the ‘must see’ list immediately.

Stretching

Why, you may ask, am I blogging about Jennifer Anniston doing yet another romantic comedy film?
For the simple reason that I like her.

Judd Apatow is producing the film ‘Wanderlust’ which co-stars Paul Rudd. The people behind ‘Role Models’ and ‘The State’ co-wrote the script with Rudd and it focuses on a couple who are tired on their modern lives and decide to join a commune to get back in touch with themselves and the world.

So far so “High-LARious” but for some reason I am very intrigued. This could be a rather insightful look at the modern age, and have a lot to say if handled less “slapstick” and more “biting satire”.

The fact that the writers did The State so many years ago leaves me with a slight hope that something wonderful could happen, that finally lets Anniston stretch a little bit.

On The Road - Again

It seems that the Jack Kerouac’s long beloved novel ‘On The Road’ is finally being made despite the fact that both Francis Ford Coppola and Gus Van Sant have all tried and failed to get it made.

Coppola is still attached as producer, but he has offered up directing duties to ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ and ‘Central Station’ director Walter Salles.

And boy is he getting together an interesting cast in Garret Hedlund (‘Troy’ and ‘Tron Legacy’ – must have had a killer audition), the brilliant Sam Reily and now it seems Kristen Stewart has hopped on board.

Now a lot of people are bored of Stewart, mainly because of the ‘Twilight’ hype, but had that film have never happened, I am sure she would be thought of in a more positive light. If you go to her IMDB page and take out all ‘Twilight’ movies, you are left with a pretty strong filmography for someone so young.

Heck her obvious embarrassment at winning the “Rising Star” award at this years BAFTA (over these nominees) made me think of her in a new light – then in her acceptance speech, in which she goes and basically acknowledges she is up there because of the fans, endeared her to me.

Perhaps once this silly ‘Twilight’ obsession dies, we will be able to see her as something other than Bella – at least the choices she is making are setting her on the right track.

Cosmopolis

Don DeLillo’s 2003 novel ‘Cosmopolis’ depicted a limo ride in the day in the life of multi billionaire. In this day he cheats on his wife, is stalked, deals with traffic jams and looses all of him money.
The book was praised for it’s prose, but mainly received negative reviews compared to his previous novels. However this never stops Hollywood.
I mean making a movie mainly from the inside of a limo would be a challenge, and for better or for worse Hollywood always wants to rise to a challenge (I say challenge, you say gimmick).

Colin Farrell has signed on in the lead role (hey, he starred in a movie set in a phone booth – a limo has more space) and Marion Cotillard has signed on to play his wife.
These are two actors who are having a very good run of things lately.
Whatever I may think of the plot is quickly forgiven when I find out who is on writing and directing duties.


David Cronenberg.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, expect this to be very dark indeed.
YAY!

'Adjustment Bureau' Trailer

Although I am not the biggest fan of Matt Damon or Emily Blunt, I have to say I am a HUGE fan of these sci-fi style films. This one has gotten me a lot more excited than the 'Inception' trailer.
Take a look for yourself:

Rock me sexy composer

Do films about composers work? Sure ‘Immortal Beloved’ and ‘Amadeus’ were all extremely well received (the latter winning 8 Oscars) but they also has a lot of artistic license to make it more dramatic.
Of course this works for the film, but historians get upset and to audiences really want to see a movie about a long dead classical musician? Not really. Intelligent audiences – yes, the large and overwhelming majority – no.

So how do you get it a film about Vivaldi made? Well for starters take romantic rumors from the mans life and make them fact, and actually go further, make them sexy fact.
Do this by taking the story of his close collaborators, Tessieri Giro (along with her sister) who became part of Vivaldi's entourage on his far-and-wide travels, and make it into a sex scandal (hey, go one further and introduce sister swapping).
Next cast sexy actors to play the roles.


I am sure Tessieri was a very lovely lady in her time, but do you think she really looked like Jessica Biel? How could Vivaldi have composed anything with her running around scantily clad like that?


Also if Vivaldi actually looked like Luke Evans, then I need to pay more attention to the classical musicians. I mean those pictures of the famous composer you, like me, have now realized just how those painters/printers back in ye old times did not do their subjects justice.

Send in the Clown.

Since I do not get Saturday Night Live here in the UK, I have to watch snippets online, and week after week Kristen Wiig is by far the funniest thing (the opening number when Betty White hosted makes me crack up whenever I think of it).
She is a comedic goddess, and is able to translate that into some wonderful film roles. Her recent role in ‘Whip It’ made me sit up and notice her acting chop, and made me year to see her in a larger role in the near future.

Well it seems she is not going to wait to be cast. She is going to use her own money to option Monica Drake’s dark comic novel ‘Clown Girl’.

Now I hate clowns (like many people, they scare me) however girl clowns are not as scary. They actually seem very melancholy to me.
The story follows Nita, a lady clown whose life just isn’t living up to the dream. She’s eking out a living working street fairs, and spends her time pining after her dream man, who used her to help pay for his own education at clown college. And since he’s having money troubles, she’s tempted to sink into the murky world of prostitution, catering to clown fetishists.

Since she is planning to write and star in the film leaves me with a strange hope. This could be one of those films that ends up being bloody brilliant. All we need is a director to come on board who is able to be both funny, moving and dark.
May I suggest Alexander Payne, since he knows how to direct women extremely well.

If Music be the food of link

Madonna. Not exactly movie news, but the lady has been busy. This week we get a stunning photo shoot and behind the scenes video.
First she gives a wonderful interview over at Interview Magazine before going off and doing a fabulous photo shoot for them (she is looking like the old Madonna again, photo shop or botox, I do not care) with behind the scenes video.
What with the new album and the movie I wonder where she finds the time.
Could it be time for another resurgence for her?

There is so much going on in the music world of late that I just cannot seem to control myself. This summer is looking to be very costly in music purchases.

If you have not watched the recently banned video from M.I.A. you need to head on over here to check it out. A shocking and thoughtful reminder that genocide still happens all over the world, as does ignorance - as proven by some of the comments.

Recently out and proud lead singer of Bloc Party, the sexy Kele Okereke shows us his solo single 'Teneroni' and boy is it a corker.
I loved the music of Bloc Party so I cannot wait to see where is solo career goes.
I am glad to live in the UK, where coming out in the entertainment industry does not have to be a media event, it is just accepted.
I count myself very very lucky.

The L.A. Times takes an interestesting look the return of the music video. I for one could not be more excited about this, since videos were getting very very boring. I guess we should thank Lady GaGa for that. They also have the fabulous new Beyonce video, 'Why Don't You Love Me?', embedded.

Head on over to The Scissor Sisters website to preview a few songs they have coming out from their third album 'Night Work'.
I am greatly looking forward to this album, as have been a huge fan of these guys for many many years, even if the last album was not as pleasing as the first (to me at least)
The sound is pure them, but sounding more mature and sexy. Kind of like having an orgy at Studio 54.

Also be sure and get as many free mp3 downloads as you can from Arjan Writes. Sam Sparro, Kelis, Tegan and Sara, V V Brown and more…

Goodbye Lena

30 June, 1917 to 9 May, 2010

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."


Growing up I was very aware of Lena Horne. My father always thought she was one of the most beautiful women in the world, and my mother loved her sass.
I knew her mainly as a singer, having never seen one of her movies. She crept up on shows I watched (The Oscars, The Cosby Show, The Tony's and re runs of The Muppet Show and Sesame Street) and I remember always knowing exactly who she was.

It was only in later years, when I began to seek out her music and research her career, that I realised that this stunning woman had such a struggle within the Hollywood system. It is a sad and all to familiar story for many non white actors.
However as a child, when ever she graced the screen, I thought her the biggest and brightest star in the world.

Sometimes that is really what matters. A star that can shine on their own.


"You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way."