Trailer
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A Whole Lot of Johnson
Alright? I have been very lax with this blog. I had a very busy week – going up to the North for the bank holiday, back to London for a few days and then to a festival for five days, and although that was almost two weeks ago, I’ve still found myself too busy and/or tired to start this up again. If only this was my job and someone would pay me to waffle on, then I wouldn’t need to spend so much time doing other stupid work to make ends meet…
Anyway, I hope to get back into the swing of things and post pretty regularly on here again.
What with the Toronto and Venice Film Festivals taking place these past couple of weeks, there have been a lot of film-newsie-bits; mostly premieres of films and screenings. This is a time when I get bombarded with new films that I wonder why I haven’t heard of before – I try to keep up with all the announcements for new films but it’s impossible to make a note of every one. In this year’s crop of films at TIFF there are already a large handful of films that have taken me by surprise – Emily Blunt and Colin Firth in Arthur Newman?! Tommy Lee Jones in Emperor? Winona Ryder, James Franco and Michael Shannon (from that great film Take Shelter a couple of years ago) in The Iceman? How have I not heard about these before?!
Now, I’m not here to list all of films premiering at TIFF, I’m here to wang on about a Johnson (he he…): Aaron Johnson. No, wait, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, that is. It seems the little guy has decided to take part of his wife (Sam Taylor-Wood)’s name, not that anyone has told us this is what happened, they’ve just switched to calling him that and I had to Wikipedia it to find out. Incidentally, his Mrs. is supposed to have taken Taylor-Johnson as her name too, yet she is still listed as Taylor-Wood on websites while his has changed. Maybe they agreed to both change, but he’s the only one that put things into motion? Ouch.
Right, why am I talking about Johnson? Because he’s bloody everywhere at the moment. Anna Karenina premiered at TIFF and is out now, Savages is starting promotion and Kick-Ass 2 has started filming. He’s an odd one, Johnson, I don’t really understand him. I first came across him in a small TV show my friend told me about back in school (2007) – Nearly Famous. It was pretty dire (and I only watched one episode) but it brought him to my attention because my friend became a bit obsessed with him, and I didn’t mind him having my attention either really; he’s not bad in the face department… Anyway, my friend and I then got quite excited because he played the love interest in the film adaptation of the first of Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicolson books, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, which we had both read and loved (not embarrassing – they are hilarious and aimed at teenage girls, which we were). Then, next thing you know, he’s gone serious by playing John Lennon and gone American by taking the lead in an international hit film with Nicholas Cage. Whaaaa…?! Crazy.
Now he’s in a sweeping, Joe Wright period drama and an American crime thriller ensemble, whilst having got married to an artist-turned-director, 25 years senior, divorcee and had two daughters. And he’s 22. I am 22. Ack. What an enigma.
Right. I think that was all I had to rant about Aaron Johnson. So, no real ‘news’ here, just some thoughts on a Johnson turned Taylor-Johnson.
I bid you adieu.
Aaron TAYLOR-Johnson and a big dog – why not?!
But Who’s the Butler?
I was doing so well at posting every day, but then life got in the way – I went away for the weekend and tomorrow I’m off to a festival for five days, so this will be the only chance I’ll get to write something.
Next year a film will be released called The Butler. It’s about a butler who served eight American presidents at The White House. I remember this being announced a while ago and being quite interested – it’s based on a true story and will involve eight actors playing American presidents; something you don’t see that often. A couple of weeks ago pictures were released of James Marsden (Cyclops and romcom roles – love him) and Minka Kelly (from Friday Night Lights and the ill-fated, re-booted Charlie’s Angels TV series) filming their roles as JFK and Jackie Kennedy. Now, we’re getting pictures of Robin Williams as Eisenhower.
I know Williams is annoying to many, but I like him. This may have to do with Mrs. Doubtfire being one of my favourite childhood (if not all time) films, but I think he’s also an underrated actor – he was apparently brilliant in One Hour Photo and I saw him in a great role in Insomnia. I hope he’s good in this. I hope this film is good, too. It seems to always be the way that big productions tackling a historic story with an all-star cast (we’re talking Forest Whitaker – as the butler in question, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Alex Pettyfer – yes, Stormbreaker and breakout-in-the-US-Magic Mike “hottie” Alex Pettyfer, Alan Rickman – yes, Rickman in Hollywood again!, Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., Melissa Leo – Oscar winner for The Fighter a few years ago, and Jane Fonda) are major flops when they finally get released. Well, I hope this bucks the trend as I’d like to see Robin Williams in a good film again. Plus, I quite like American presidential history. I loved The Kennedys; Greg Kinnear was great, and I’m looking forward to seeing Marsden tackle JFK.
So, don’t let me down Robin and co.
Mrs. Doubtfire goes Presidential
Finding Dory
I have a confession to make: I’m a Disney fan. But let’s be precise here; I’m a certain-Disney-Pixar-films and late-80s-to-early2000s-Disney-films fan. Basically, I have a list of 90s-ish Disney films that I’m a big fan of because they were my ‘childhood films’ and this spills over to some of the earlier Pixar films, too.
Anyway, before I start reeling off the films of my childhood, all you really need to know is that I’m a big Finding Nemo fan. I mean, who isn’t? Well, there may be many that aren’t ‘big’ fans, but I’m sure there can’t be any that actively dislike the film… can there?! Well, if there are, they won’t like what’s coming – Finding Nemo 2! Which I hope they don’t just call that; sticking a two on film titles for a sequel is just plain lazy, I think. But, yes a second Finding Nemo film!
This comes after the 3D release of the first film happens in September. I wonder if Pixar realised how excited people were for the re-release and thought now was the time for a sequel? Or maybe they had already planned the sequel and thought a re-release would be a good idea to drum up excitement for it? But it is 9 years since the first film and apparently they are only in very early stages for the second film. The news I read was that Ellen DeGeneres (the genius Dory, of course) is ‘in talks’ and Andrew Stanton (the director) has signed on. I’ve just done a bit more digging and some sources are saying the announcement of the sequel happened back in June and this news is just for DeGeneres being in talks… Oh. Well, if so, that news completely skipped me by! But never mind, because I am EXCITED.
Although, I may have to be wary – doing the sequel route could be a slippery path. Will Pixar pull a Toy Story 2 or Cars 2 out of the bag? Not that Cars 1 was any good anyway… Finding Nemo is so good that even though the idea of more Dory and chums excites me, maybe it should be left alone. And what would the story be? It would have to be worthy of a second film, not just “Let’s find Nemo, again”, and they’d have to make it as visually pleasing as they did the first one – that shot of the reef from above when Mr. Ray first takes the school (with Nemo) on a ride, is simply magnificent. I may have to find the clip and post it here.
Well, I’m excited. Let’s hope Finding Nemo 2 lives up to its prequel.
More Dory? Hell to the YES.
(The part I was talking about is at about 1.23):
The Wettest, Lawless Cave
Way back when, maybe a year ago almost, I remember reading quite frequently about the new names that were being announced for The Wettest County in the World. I definitely remember reading about my old friend Shia being announced for it. I think at the time all I took from it was that it was a western and there were quite a few big names being announced – Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Gary Oldman… Anyway, I filed it away at the back of my brain along with all the other snippets of film news that were there (and which now I place here instead for everyone’s no one’s delight).
Now, skip forward a year and I keep hearing all this buzz about Lawless, and to begin with I wondered how this film skipped my radar. But wait a minute… Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Mia Wasikowska, a western/gangster film? Hey, this sounds familiar… It was only really when I saw a full poster with Shia dressed up all cowboy-like that I twigged – this was that film I read about a while ago with the weird title about the wettest county. I wonder who and how film titles are decided – is it down to the director or is it the film studios who ultimately make the decision? I have so much to learn about film, but I love that I do, bring on the lesson.
I’ve just watched the trailer for it and was a little disappointed. I usually love trailers because they can make an average film look amazing, but I felt like this was the other way around – it looks like someone could have done a lot more with the trailer; made it a lot slicker and moodier.
Another thing I’ve just found out about this film is that Nick Cave wrote it – random! I had no idea Nick Cave wrote films?! He’s been involved in film a while, apparently, and wrote a previous film that John Hillcoat also directed called The Proposition. Hmm, you learn something new every day.
The Wettest County in the… No sorry, Lawless
Franco Wants the Lohan-down
OK, that word-play title is poor, but I don’t have long to write this.
A couple of days ago it was reported that James Franco wants to do a ‘biopic’ of LiLo’s life. This pains me just to write about it. Really Franco?! You think an actress of 26 deserves a whole film about her tragic life? Maybe if she had died tragically young, but luckily that hasn’t happened yet (Lohan is annoying but no one deserves death wished upon them, plus the newer Parent Trap film is one of my favourite childhood films, so…). What’s worse is that Franco is pitching this as an ‘art project’ and is getting actors to play himself, as well as Lohan, at different ages. Maybe I should give this the benefit of the doubt, seeing as it’s a bit foggy what the film would actually involve – maybe it won’t be a tragic “look how hard my life is as Lindsay Lohan and here’s my friend James Franco” piece, but that’s the way it’s looking.
Franco and Lohan have that ‘intense’ celebrity photographer Terry Richardson in common, and so now they’re besties. Franco seems to be going from bad to worse. He seems like a decent actor, but he just ruins it by being too self-important. I liked him in Pineapple Express and his small role in Date Night, and I’m sure in 127 Hours and Freaks and Geeks he was good, but other than that, no, stop it James, behave.
In some news that I like – John Goodman (Roseanne dad, Big Lebowski and so many more) is going to play a ‘baddie’ in Hangover 3. Hangover 3 may turn out to be awful, but Goodman is always good fair, especially being a bad guy, so yay.
We’re making a film of our lives? No!
Shia LaBeouf is Doing It for Realz
I read yesterday (via @THR) that Transformers boy is going to be in Lars von Trier’s The Nymphomaniac and is going to be doing sex scenes FOR REAL. If this is him trying to change his image, then it’s a little extreme.
I always think with simulated sex scenes in films that the actors are basically doing it anyway – they have to make the noises, they have to ‘move around’, there’s only one vital manoeuvre missing, but I suppose that manoeuvre makes a whole lotta difference… and when Trier goes for the real stuff and gets all extreme and freaky on us as he tends to do, I’m still shocked, even if it’s not far off what ‘stimulated’ is. Not that I’ve actually seen any of Trier’s films – I have Melancholia on DVD but haven’t watched it and that is probably one of his safest films anyway, as is my understanding…
Apparently LaBeouf doesn’t want to do any more blockbusters and so is turning to films like this one. I think he’s right to leave The Transformers franchise (he should have after the first, really) but I wish he wouldn’t act all moody and serious about it. He’s turning into a bit of a James Franco “Take me seriously! Take me seriously” kind of actor, which is a shame after he started off so lovely and laid back in Even Stevens and Holes.
It says on IMDb that Nicole Kidman is going to be in this film too. That’s a bit scary. I know she’s done that film The Paperboy with Zac Efron, but if she’s going to be doing ‘for realz’ sexy scenes with LaBeouf that’s even more disturbing. Willem Dafoe and Von Trier regulars Stellan Skarsgard and Charlotte Gainsbourg round out the current cast for The Nymphomaniac. Can’t say I’ll be watching this one, but good luck Shee.
Sienna’s Getting Hitchcocked
It’s been revealed Miss Miller is soon to play Tippi Hedren – the blonde, Hitchcock, Birds lady that Big Alf was quite fond of. I think Sienna looks good in the pictures, but I’ll hold judgement until I see her act (or just read about her acting – this is a TV film, so chances are I may miss it).
I do think she’s got a bit of an unfair reputation, poor Sienn. She’s still mostly known for being Jude’s play thing, rather than her acting, which as far as I can tell is inoffensive to moderate. I’ve only seen her in Alfie (a pointless film) and The Edge of Love where she was alright, though the accents in that were all over the place, but I believe she was supposed to be fairly good as Edie Sedgwick in Factory Girl, even if the film itself wasn’t good. Is that right?! I only have a vague memory of what the reaction to that film was, it was 6 years ago now, crikes. She’s also just had a bubba with Pattinson’s mate Tom Sturridge. They called her Marlowe – after Christopher Marlowe I’m assuming? Don’t know whether that’s disgustingly pretentious or intelligently original… probably the former but I still quite like it.
Anyway, this is called The Girl and stars Toby Jones as Mr. Hitchcock himself. Jones should be good, he’s a class actor – you know, the small, blondeish one that’s in loads of films – I remember him most for playing Truman Capote in one of those two films about Capote that were out a while back. I think I just think of him in that because that’s where I first came across him, but he’s been in Tinker, Tailor, Frost/Nixon, St. Trinian’s, Finding Neverland and even the blockbusters Captain America, The Hunger Games and Snow White and the Huntsman. Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton (Sean of the Dead’s mum) also star. I think it will be on HBO over the pond and BBC2 here but I’m not sure when, I’m afraid. Here’s Sienna looking fly as The Bird’s Tippi Hedren:
The Fear-Inducing Knight of Plastic Cups
Yeah, stupid name right? And it’s not far off what the real movie is going to be called, which is just ‘Knight of Cups’. I keep seeing pictures of Christian “I’m Batman” Bale and Isabel Lucas filming this ridiculously-titled film about the place. Lucas is one of those Aussie soap actresses (in Home and Away, so never knew her. I’m SO Neighbours over Home and Away any day) that’s somehow managed to make it in the ol’ H.Wood. She had a small role in Transformers, apparently, but that’s pretty much it so far. She is quite a looker when she wants to be.
OK, OK, the Knight of Cups is a Tarot card, but still, come on, ‘cups’!?! Who wants to be a knight of cups?! They’re not even glasses, they’re cups. Cups are plastic and flimsy.
Well, anyway, this should be a bit of a big deal because it’s Terrence Malick. To be honest with you, I didn’t really know much about Malick until there was all the hoo-ha about The Tree of Life. I’d heard of him as a director, but didn’t know he was such a seminal dude that every actor wants to work with, even if they don’t understand him, the film, the script or the plot.
This film also stars Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Antonia Banderas, Freida (Slumdog Millionaire) Pinto, West Bentley (who I always think is Prison Break’s Wentworth Miller, but really ain’t), Joe Manganiello (from True Blood) and Theresa Palmer, who’s a bit of an ‘up-and-coming’ and also another bloomin’ Aussie. According to IMDb the film involves a man who is ‘in search of love and truth’. Wow, a major plot spoiler there. I think with Malick, you’re never given too much to play with before release, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Follow me, for I am the one they call the Dark Knight, the Dark Knight of Cups…
Film Newsings and Musings 