'500 Days of Summer' trailer

Now who would not fall in love with Joseph Gordon-Levitt?

Whaling

Edward Zwick takes one step closer to my hate list with the news he is setting out to direct a film called 'Heart of the Ocean' about how the little old lady in Titanic unwittingly wakes up a preserved and frozen Jack by throwing her necklace overboard.
Just kidding.
The film is about a whaling ship apparently "stalked" and sunk by a sperm whale in 1820. The Nantucket whaling ship the Essex was sunk, and its crew marooned at sea for over 90 days. They resorted to cannibalism to survive; only eight of them made it back. This is the inspiration for the book 'Moby Dick' and it is not going to do a whole lot for the plight of whales. (remember 'Jaws' and now sharks are endangered!).

One would think that in this day an age, with the natural world on the brink of being destroyed, there would be some sensitivity coming from Hollywood to perhaps think things through. Sure the whale got it revenge on the people trying to kill him, but you know Zwick.....he loves his slushy survival tales.

I for one will be rooting for the whale.

'UP' trailer!

Heee

'Limits of Control' trailer

Aside from the Lynchesque trailer there are many reasons to want to see this movie. Jim Jarmusch, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Gael García Bernal, John Hurt, Hiam Abbass and Isaach De Bankolé.

We will see what the word from Cannes is (I assume it will premier there).

Downsizing

After many many many forgettable rom coms, it seems Reese Witherspoon may be going back to what made her great in the first place. The star is once again teaming up with her 'Election' director Alexander Payne (who is reuniting in this with his 'Sideways' star Paul Giamatti) for 'Downsizing', a story about people shrinking in size.

This is all still in the preliminary stage as the screenplay is not yet finished and there is still the question of budget as the special effects required may push things way over budget.

The plot sees Giamatti play a man with money troubles. He decides that life would be a lot cheaper and easier is he was smaller. So he goes in for a procedure to shrink himself. After the procedure he meet a girl and a pint sized foreigner who will be played by the wonderful Sasha Baron Cohen. This sounds just kooky enough to work.

Poll time!

Sometime you look back on previous winners, especially those who have won on their first nomination and never repeated either win or nomination. At least they have won. How about those talented people who have been nominated only once, and have not been invited back.

From 1990 to 1999 there were a few women of note. Which of these Supporting Actress Oscar nominees do you want to see nominated again. Pick three.

'Lymelife' trailer

Ohhhh, another comedy drama about growing up and families in suburbia. Perhaps it is territory that has been treaded a wee too few many times, but still I have heard very good things about Cynthia Nixon's performance. And I love her!

Rape: A Love Story

Queue both YAY's and NAY's on this one.

The novella 'Rape: A Love Story' is being made into a film. It tells the story of Teena MacGuire , a young mother who is brutally gang-raped and left for dead, in an attack witnessed by her 12 year-old daughter. The cop on the case who, appalled by Teena’s plight and a legal miscarriage of justice, takes the law into his own hands in an attempt to punish her attackers.

First the YAY's

The cast.

Samuel L Jackson is playing the cop. This could be the type of emotional and powerful role that could remind viewers exactly what the hype was all about with him.

Maria Bello (pictured), who is one of the most interesting actresses working, is playing MacGuire in what is sure to be a grueling and attention grabbing performance.

And a big YAY to the casting of Abigail Breslin as the daughter who is continuing to pick interesting projects to work on.


Now the NAY's

Harold Becker, who made such forgettable thrillers as 'Sea of Love', 'Malice' and 'Domestic Disturbance' is directing. I will not judge too loudly about this because he could surprise.
Lets just hope the material is handled with sensitivity and the temptation to make it an action thriller is withheld.

The title refers not to the relationship between the mother and the cop, but between the cop and the daughter and the bond the develop.

'Public Enemies' Trailer

Michael Mann may have a hit on his hands with this. It looks, at the very least, like Johnny Depp and Marion Cotillard are going to be wonderful in the film.

Goldy Notay...you are a star!

Talented British/Indian theater actress Goldy Notay has been cast in Gurinder Chanda's new film 'It's a Wonderful Afterlife'.
The film has been described as 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' meets 'Shaun of the Dead' and it follows a British-Asian mother whose obsession to marry off her daughter (Notay) leads to serial murder.

Now Goldy Notay is not only a wonderful comedic and dramatic theater actress, but she is also my friend so I am OVER THE FRIKKIN MOON for her. She is as beautiful as she is talented and I have no doubt that she will light up the screen.

I of course will be meeting with her to discuss red carpret attire a some point in the near future. I was originally thinking emerald green, but wondering of perhaps turquoise or chartreuse would work better, especially with her creamy and....well....golden skin tone.

I will be bringing you more news as I find it out.

CONGRATULATIONS GOLDY DARLING!

Goodbye 'Sabe'

Keira Knightley is one of those stars that seems to attract more criticism than deserved.

Regardless of how talented the critics think she is it is her film roles that attract the most negative writings. People say she can only do period (um hello....Kate Winslet has not done a hell of a lot of current day films either).
Not really true. Sure there is a lot of period in her past (I know, I know...bad use of words) but she does branch out from time to time.

Now she is going all science fiction on our collective arses.

'Never Let Me Go' is a critically acclaimed and Booker prize nominated novel by Kazuo Ishiguro about three friends (rising star Carey Mulligan is playing another) who grow up together in a elite boarding school. They are so special that visitors do not see them, and only by rumor and the occasional fleeting remark by a teacher do they discover their unconventional origins and strange destiny.

The film is being directed my Mark Romanek, in his first project since 2002's 'One Hour Photo'. That was a strong film with a distinct visual style so with his, the source material and the cast, this looks to be a film you can eagerly anticipate.

Master Shorite

I love Rap and Hip Hop, but let's face facts, lately it is becoming stagnant. It all sounds the same (especially the stuff that seems to be taking American charts by storm).
New artist Master Shortie combines rap, ska, electro and pop in a fun and dancefloor ready way.
Hear his song about being a faithful boyfriend, but still cruising hot girls in skinny jeans. Listen to 'Dead End'

VV Brown

I have posted about VV Brown before. but I had to just post her new track and fun new video for L.E.A.V.E.

I love this girl......when is the album released?

Bitter With Baggage

I have long been a fan of Sloane Tanen and her hysterical take on life through the ups and downs of chickens. This New york based artist had released a serious of increasingly brilliant books charting these chicks and how they manage the modern world around them.

My friend Alice started me on this obsession when she bought me a calendar of these chicks. I spent the good part of my day in my work cubicle crying with laughter.

She has also written books for children starring my favourite of the chick characters, the precocious Coco.

Click to embiggen.

Go and buy her books now! UK shopper go here and US go here

These are also available to buy outright and I would love to own one of these fantastically detailed little dioramas, but deciding which one is near impossible. Perhaps three is a good number?