Category: Currently Filming

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.

The Butler

Mrs. Doubtfire goes Presidential

 

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.

Knight of Cups

Follow me, for I am the one they call the Dark Knight, the Dark Knight of Cups…