Monika Bartyzel
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What is Your Favorite Elias Koteas Role?
Filed under: Fandom
There is an actor I didn't mention in my For Love of Unknown Actors post last July, one who is criminally underused and under appreciated on the cinematic scene, and who has acted in over 60 films -- Elias Koteas. I've had him on the brain for days, ever since THR's Risky Business Blog posted a piece called "Put Elias Koteas in your movie, now" on Friday.
These words sent me into a Koteas tailspin: "He's the kind of actor that lives so close to the skin of the character that he gives off those blurry heatwaves you see above a hot blacktop." This. I've been enamored with the actor since his second feature film in 1987, the John Hughes romance Some Kind of Wonderful. And while he's been in an impressive array of films since, usually finding more of the spotlight in Canadian features like Crash and Exotica, I doubt mainstream audiences know him as anything but that kinda-familiar bald guy, or Casey Jones in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
I love all the fleeting, cinematic glimpses of Koteas, but my favorite always remains the first I ever saw: Duncan in Some Kind of Wonderful.
Peter Bogdanovich Moves from Meows to Barbies and Manson
Filed under: Comedy, Deals, Scripts
It's been eons since we've gotten a Peter Bogdanovich tale. Aside from some TV work and his Tom Petty documentary in 2007, there hasn't been a big-screen feature since he dug into William Randolph Hearst's dirty laundry with The Cat's Meow in 2001. And before that, The Thing Called Love in 1993. No finishing Orson Welles' The Other Side of the Wind (he stated last month that he didn't think editing the film would ever be possible), and no code cracking. But finally, The Hollywood Reporter posts that he will write and direct an adaptation of Kurt Anderson's novel Turn of the Century.If anything should reinvigorate the feature career of the man who helmed Paper Moon, The Last Picture Show, and Mask, and bring in a new audience, this is it. The book is a modern social satire oft-compared to Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities. Written in 1999, the novel follows the MacTiers in the year 2000, "a Manhattan power couple with three kids who are managing their troubled marriage in a world where BarbieWorld has opened in Vegas and Charles Manson's parole hearing is live on TV." George has produced a series called NARCS, which mixes real drug busts with snappy scripts, while wife Lizzie is a software entrepreneur who created a "force-feedback technology," which is part of an alternative history game that senses fear. "Dinner time!" is announced room to room via e-mail, Lizzie's guilt over voting for Rudy Giuliani leads her to hand out $5's in penance, and there's a Jimmy Smits/J-Lo revolution in Mexico.
Bogdanovich isn't the first name I would think of to helm a technology-ridden modern satire like this, so I'm dying to see what he makes of it. Should things continue as planned, the film will shoot next spring in New York.
Watch This: Beaker is Just "Dust in the Wind"
Filed under: Music & Musicals, Fandom, Trailers and Clips
For the love of God please make that new Muppet movie a rock opera!!!! Arrrrrrgh!
Okay, now that that's out of my system, it's time to explain why I just had that little outburst. See, MuppetsStudio has released another classic rock song with a Muppets edge. Oh, yes! First it was the brilliance of "Bohemian Rhapsody," and now -- "Beaker's Ballad." No, it's not some random original song, but rather the ol' meeemer sharing his rendition of "Dust in the Wind" -- Kansas' 1977 hit. Unfortunately, Beaker's memeing is no match for Lynn Meredith's vocals, and the harsh, cruel internet world is ready to pounce. It seems that they only like silent (pun alert!) memes.
If we can't get Jason Segel to switch his upcoming movie to a Muppet rock opera, maybe we can at least get a faux concert documentary from the MuppetsStudio? It could be the fan event to challenge Rocky Horror! I imagine I'm not the only one who would stand in line to hear these guys go through all the classic greats.
Meanwhile, in related news, The Playlist managed to nab a description of the new Muppet movie based on a script that's dated October 2009 that their source calls a "solid attempt at recapturing what made "The Muppet Show" and the first two Muppet movies so great" Check out the film description from The Playlist and the hilarious video after the jump.
Is Tracy Morgan in 'Jaws 3D' Really That Ridiculous?
Filed under: Horror, RumorMonger, Remakes and Sequels
When we hear a ridiculous rumor, it's quite easy to become either incensed at the sheer audaciousness of the claim, or laugh it off as too stupid to be true. Take this latest goodie: Cinema Blend reports that a source at Universal Pictures claims that since audiences are expecting more from their movies, the studio wants to tap into the franchise pile for 3D magic, and are "strongly considering" a remake of Jaws "in hopes of dazzling younger audiences with new special effects."
The notion makes sense. If there's one movie that would look downright gorgeous in Real D 3D, it's Jaws. However, folks, that's not all. That same insider claims that Tracy Morgan has been considered for the role of Richard Dreyfus' Matt Hooper, but it's "uncertain" whether he's still in the running. To hedge their gossip bets, Cinema Blend states that this is a new source and could be hooey just as much as it could be truth.
It's easy to shudder when thinking of a comedic Jaws led by Morgan, because the thought sounds downright terrible, but let's back up. See that shark up there with the super-visible robot metal in his mouth? That's the big beast of Jaws 4. After that monstrosity of moviemaking, is it really that ridiculous to imagine Morgan facing off against a 3D shark?
It's either the stupidest, most moronic rumor of the year, or a sad reminder of where Hollywood is heading in the future. You make the call ...
Casting Bites: From Weisz's 'Dream' to Wasikowska's 'Eyre'
Filed under: Action, Drama, Romance, Casting
On this Tuesday, lots of female casting bites are hitting the net:First, Rachel Weisz has found her next gig. Variety reports that she's signed on to star with Daniel Craig and Naomi Watts in Jim Sheridan's Dream House. Craig and Weisz play a couple who move from Gotham to a New England town, and then discover that a mother and her two children were murdered in their new home. Watts plays the neighbor who knew the family, and Toronto is standing in for New England as production kicked off on Sunday.
And the rest of the goodies come from a post over at Deadline Hollywood Daily:
Cate Blanchett has signed onto Hanna, the Saoirse Ronan film that just cast Eric Bana. There's no mention of who she will play, but the film focuses on a CIA-bred killer 14-year-old girl "hellbent on finding her father, and uses the survival skills she learned from him on anybody who gets in her way."
Amber Tamblyn, meanwhile, has grabbed a starring lead opposite James Franco in Danny Boyle's 127 Hours. You know -- the story of the man who got his arm caught whilst rock climbing and had to saw it off himself to survive. Tamblyn will play his girlfriend in memories that get him through the ordeal.
Finally, we've got our Jane Eyre. Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) has signed, after circling the production last November with Michael Fassbender. As for the Fish Tank star, there hasn't been official word following last year's announcement, but he seems to be signed on, which probably means a no-go for Wuthering Heights and Andrea Arnold. But it does allow him to get his May-December groove on again, moving from a young character named Mia who falls for him in Fish Tank, to all-out romance with the next youngin' Mia in Jane Eyre.
Girls on Film: Romance is a Dirty Word
Filed under: Romance, Girls on Film
Beware the arrows this week; we're just six sleeps away from Valentine's Day, that time of year when Cupid's bow sprays the populace with love bug-laced arrows. Or, more accurately, that time of year when jeweler's make you feel like a stingy fool if you don't spend your life savings on diamonds, when rose prices skyrocket, and every business preys on those who itch for a little of that dirty word called "romance."
Some may lead you to believe that it is the practice of romance that is a dirty, woman-centric desire on the big screen, but let's face it, folks -- we all love a little love. Boys, girls, men, and women. It's in almost all of our films, and is the basis of most of our favorite stories, from straight-forward romantic comedy and drama to action, sci-fi, and every other genre out there.
The menace seems to be in the word. Merely uttering romance breeds slights like "chick flick" and "crap," and inspires many a moviegoer to place one foot outside the door. But it's the 21st century, and it's time for a little evolution.
Happy Belated Birthday, James Spader
Filed under: Fandom, Trailers and Clips
While all thoughts were swarming towards Superbowl showdowns and commercials, the lovely and venerable James Spader celebrated his 50th birthday. I'll let that sink in for a moment. 50 years... Half a century. To the younger folks that might not seem like such a shocker, Spader being nothing more than that overly talky, whisky-drinking dude from Boston Legal, who got particularly kinky with Maggie Gyllenhaal not too long ago. But to those whose first forays into cinema included the likes of Pretty in Pink, Mannequin, Less Than Zero, Wall Street, and Sex, Lies, and Videotape, it's a pretty big thing to wrap your head around. What might be most impressive or surprising, more so than Spader's age, is that he is such an absolute and quintessential part of '80s Hollywood for only a very small handful of films. There are many men and women who graced the screen over and over during that decade, but it took exactly one role to make him famous: Steff in Pretty in Pink -- rich, suit-wearing, and holding enough charming sleaze to fill a football stadium. He ruled the high-school-jerk legions, and even if you weren't a fan of John Hughes' Molly Ringwald world, you knew about Spader's sleazy slick nature.
Do People Actually Like Sam Worthington?
Following rumors from last November, The Hollywood Reporter posts that Sam Worthington will star in The Fields (previously called The Texas Killing Fields). Ami Canaan Mann -- daughter of Michael -- will direct Don Ferrarone's script, which is based on a true story. Worthington will play a "Texas homicide detective who joins with a New York detective to investigate unsolved murders in the Texas bayous." Pre-production has begun on the project, but the Manhattan law is yet to be cast.With this latest confirmation, it's clear that all of those Worthington rumors aren't just blank, rumor-mill hype whipped up because of Avatar. His name has been batted about for Mad Max 4, he's said to be attached to American Crime, there have been questions about playing savior of the universe Flash Gordon, and maybe even Dracula.
The man is definitely a hot commodity, and with all due respect (I swear!) I ask: why? He's got the looks and the build to play the tough guy, that's for certain. He's an okay actor too (although we should look for more than okay), but he's lacking that OMG Next Big Thing! charisma. Or the I really like this guy! charisma. Or the He's so damn cool! charisma. Even fluffy action movies (could Flash Gordon be anything but?) need that winning presence to pull you in and fuel a franchise. Imagine Han Solo and Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford's charm... Or more applicably, the old-school Mel Gibson who led Mad Max and Lethal Weapon. The classics we love are iconic because of that magnetic, irresistible pull the stars possess.
New Line Moves from Valentines to 'New Year's Eve'
Filed under: Comedy, Romance, Deals, Scripts, Remakes and Sequels
New Line must be pretty happy with Valentine's Day, the new Garry Marshall rom-com that hits theaters this Friday. It hasn't even been released yet, and the studio is already prepping a follow-up. Variety reports that they're getting ready for a spin-off of the ensemble comedy, and they expect Marshall to come back and direct.Titled New Year's Eve, the film will deal with a big Fourth of July celebration. No, I kid. Shooting late this year for release at the end of 2011, the film will tackle New Year's Eve celebrations, and it will include "some" of the characters from Valentine's Day. I'm assuming that "some" will be whomever is interested in continuing on the romance train. Katherine Fugate is returning to write the feature, and the producers are back; it's pretty much a repeat of the last film.
Since the first isn't out yet, it would be a wee bit hard to muse over what the follow-up will be like. However, I'm eager to see what happens with Eric Dane and Bradley Cooper. If you caught my post last week, their relationship has been well hidden by the film's marketing department, and as a reader who has seen the film commented, "they're still the only couple in the movie that never touch one another, let alone kiss." Maybe it's all riding on the sequel.
Rock 'n' Roll Girl Chaos Gets a Canadian Kick
Filed under: Independent, Music & Musicals, Casting, Scripts
Old-school rock is hot these days. We're quickly approaching the release of The Runaways, full of Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, and rock chaos, and now another project is on the horizon. But this time, however, it's a modern look back. Twitch found out that Bruce McDonald is heading back to his days of Hard Core Logo rock with a new film called Trigger -- news that's a nice way to finish off a week with two McDonald retro pieces (Elimination Dance and Pontypool).
According to New Real Films, Trigger was written by Marion Bridge scribe Daniel MacIvor and will star Molly Parker and Tracy Wright as two "rock 'n' roll women who once shared a friendship, a band, and a whole lot of chaos. Now, a dozen years later, they meet again, and over the course of one evening rediscover friendship, remember rock 'n' roll, and reignite chaos." Somewhere in that new chaos, Don McKellar factors in as the third star. So, not only a return to Hard Core Logo form for the female set, but also another feature for Elimination Dance and Monkey Warfare stars Wright and McKellar.
The above picture is only one of the many New Real shares of the production right here. And don't worry -- Parker might look all sweet and awkward with that peace sign, but the gallery also includes a shot of Parker rocking out with an air guitar. I guess rock 'n' roll isn't dead!
Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams Reunite for 'Mission Impossible 4'
'Big Top Pee-Wee': The Original Benicio Del Toro Wolfman
Spin-ematical: New on DVD and Blu-ray for 2/9
Watch This: Brilliant Oscar-Nominated Short 'Logorama'
Chris Nolan to Lead 'Superman' Reboot!?
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