Interviews »
Interview: Pierce Brosnan on Polanski, Percy, and R-Patz
Filed under: Drama, Thrillers, Noir, Mystery & Suspense, Celebrities and Controversy, New in Theaters, Interviews, James Bond
February is about to get really interesting for Pierce Brosnan. A mere week after his debut as a self-proclaimed "horse's ass" (aka Chiron) in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief on February 12, a much smaller and much more controversial thriller he's in will be hitting art house screens in New York and Los Angeles. Brosnan is one of the heavy-hitting stars in Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer, the movie Polanski was doing post-production on when he was arrested in Switzerland on an outstanding warrant from 1978, when he fled the US before being sentenced for having sex with a minor. (Polanski finished the film while under house arrest.) Pierce Brosnan, who plays ex-Prime Minister Adam Lang, is part of an impressive ensemble; Olivia Williams is Lang's intensely intelligent wife Ruth, while Ewan McGregor is the titular writer who reluctantly signs on to help Lang with his memoirs after the first writer turns up dead.
Brosnan spoke to Cinematical about working with the legendary figure on The Ghost Writer, as well as Percy Jackson, dealing with Robert Pattinson's screaming fans on the set of Remember Me, and much more.
Cinematical Set Visit: Channing Tatum Talks 'Dear John'
Filed under: Drama, Romance, New Releases, Sony, Movie Marketing, Interviews, War
I have to confess that I don't think I could have picked Channing Tatum out of a line-up before meeting him on the set of Dear John. I knew vaguely that he was one of those incredibly buff Ambercrombie Models, I knew he danced, and knew he was going to be in G.I. Joe, but I didn't have a very precise image of him. As I disembarked from our car, he galloped past me, and I didn't recognize him right away. Shocking!
I think everyone has an image of what they think Tatum must be like. I'm happy to say that you're wrong. For one thing, he's charismatic in a way that I don't think has come across onscreen yet. I hope Dear John changes that for him. In person, he's incredibly warm, friendly, and sweet and no one could stop singing his praises. As you can guess, actors run the gauntlet as far as approachability goes, but there wasn't a smack of phony affability in Tatum. He even gave us all a hug after our interview -- and no, none of us asked -- which is not something actors really do. Come on, I don't want to hug 99% of the people I meet in a professional day. And yes, girls, you can feel every muscle.
Here's our Q&A with Tatum, which Cinematical participated in with UGO and Coming Soon. The questions were not all asked by Cinematical, so we've kept them all in bold as a reference.
Cinematical Set Visit: Amanda Seyfried Talks 'Dear John'
Filed under: Drama, Romance, New Releases, Sony, Movie Marketing, Interviews
Amanda Seyfried is quickly becoming one of Hollywood's hottest young stars. When we talked to her on the set of Dear John, she was fresh off Mamma Mia!, gaining rave reviews from Big Love, and on her way to bigger and bigger roles. In person she's absolutely charming, incredibly pretty, and very sweet. We had to catch her between takes and as she was getting make-up reapplied. Despite how late and cold it was, she managed to laugh and be perky the entire time we talked, which is not something that comes across on transcription.
As with the other interviews, Cinematical participated with UGO and Coming Soon, but for easy reading we'll label all the questions as being from Cinematical.
Cinematical: So, are you happy with the restaurant scene and the way it is going?
Amanda Seyfried: Yeah, I'm pretty happy. I'm so comfortable with Channing. It comes pretty naturally, so when you feel like you are not really working hard, you can sometimes maybe feel a little self-conscious. And then, it's like why isn't this hard? Am I getting it? Am I getting in the act of it? But it's fun and I'm eating really good shrimp.
Cinematical: Are you getting sick and tired of eating shrimp over and over again?
Seyfried: No, moderation is really necessary to perform that role!
Cinematical: How has your life been since your exposure from Mamma Mia!?
Seyfried: It's been pretty ridiculous. I definitely don't think I would be doing this movie had I not had the success with Mamma Mia! For a lot of reasons people are chosen for a cast in a movie. A lot of it has to do with marketability and what you're talent is and how you connect with a character. That definitely has a lot of impact.
As with the other interviews, Cinematical participated with UGO and Coming Soon, but for easy reading we'll label all the questions as being from Cinematical.
Cinematical: So, are you happy with the restaurant scene and the way it is going?
Amanda Seyfried: Yeah, I'm pretty happy. I'm so comfortable with Channing. It comes pretty naturally, so when you feel like you are not really working hard, you can sometimes maybe feel a little self-conscious. And then, it's like why isn't this hard? Am I getting it? Am I getting in the act of it? But it's fun and I'm eating really good shrimp.
Cinematical: Are you getting sick and tired of eating shrimp over and over again?
Seyfried: No, moderation is really necessary to perform that role!
Cinematical: How has your life been since your exposure from Mamma Mia!?
Seyfried: It's been pretty ridiculous. I definitely don't think I would be doing this movie had I not had the success with Mamma Mia! For a lot of reasons people are chosen for a cast in a movie. A lot of it has to do with marketability and what you're talent is and how you connect with a character. That definitely has a lot of impact.
Sundance Interview: Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine on 'Tucker & Dale vs. Evil'
Filed under: Comedy, Horror, Sundance, Interviews
If you're a Firefly fan, or a Reaper fan, then this post probably had you at Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine. If not, then you need to get your geek on if you want some street cred. Although both shows were canceled early, they were perfect vehicles for sci-fi and horror, and were backed by terrific performances from these two actors. Both of them are a lot more comedic than you'd expect, and they really got to show that off in Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, the wacky Sundance comedy horror film (which, of course, we reviewed for you right here.)
We spoke to Tudyk and Labine the day after their midnight premiere, where they were alternating between pints of beer and mocha lattes, which is probably the best hangover cure in Park City. We talked to them about the film, their geek appeal, and what's next (Tudyk's answer will probably surprise you, unless you're the webmaster of AlanTudykMegaFan.com). Head on after the break for the video interview.
Sundance Interview: 'Frozen' Director Adam Green
Filed under: Sundance, Interviews
It's not possible to watch Adam Green's Frozen without thinking of Open Water. Well, it is possible, but that means you've never seen nor heard of Open Water. Frozen takes the same premise -- divers stranded in the ocean -- and turns it into three skiers stuck on a ski lift with no hope of being found until the resort opens again a week later. Plus, it's cold. A fact that the title should have clued you in to. The film opens in a week, and you can check out Cinematical's review of it here.
Adam Green came up with this idea when he saw a background weather forecast shot of empty ski chairs at the Big Bear ski area in California, which reminded him of how scary it can be when the lifts stop. As the movie illustrates, there's a lot more to fear than just the drop to the ground. We talked to Adam at Sundance, and he let us know about the production, the actors, and what it took to bring this to the screen. One thing I accidentally caught off-camera was how many Iceman jokes Shawn Ashmore had to put up with. The answer: tons.
Head on after the break for the full video interview from a snowy exterior in Park City.
Sundance Interview: Director Vincenzo Natali on 'Splice'
Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sundance, Interviews
Splice was my favorite dark, science fiction horror film at Sundance. What's that? It was the only one in that particular niche category? Fine. I'll kick it up by saying it was one (it's a short list) of my favorite films at the festival this year. Yes, it's dark. It's scary at times, and it's got a ton of genetic experimentation in it, landing it squarely in the sci-fi camp. It's one hell of a freaky ride, and with any luck this will be gracing a big screen near you soon so you can see it with an audience. It's definitely not for everyone,
Before this, director Vincenzo Natali had crafted films that were far outside the typical Hollywood fare you'd see at a multiplex. Movies like Cube, Cypher, and Nothing. He's even directed the Getting Gilliam documentary on the Tideland DVD. So when I saw his film in the program, I knew I'd have to see this film, and it doesn't disappoint with powerful performances from Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody (and yes, David Hewlett is in it, after all, it's a Natali film!) I'd blather on, but I already did that in my review over here.
However, Natali is the real star of this show, and we spoke to him at length about Splice, his other films, and what his next project will be. Jump on through for the full video interview straight from Sundance.
Sundance Interview: Mark and Jay Duplass
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Sundance, Interviews
Brothers Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass are responsible for movies like The Puffy Chair, and Baghead, and they're back at Sundance with their new film Cyrus. However, they're also here as producers on The Freebie (directed by Mark's wife Katie Aselton), on Bass Ackwards, and on Lovers of Hate, directed by their friend Brian Poyser. So they've virtually transformed themselves into a mini-major on their own, directing their own films and helping others get theirs made.
But it hasn't gone to their heads. Which is very lucky, because it means they're still fans of Cinematical. Once you get to superstar Scorsese-level, who has time for film blogs? We talked to Mark & Jay at Sundance, and you can watch the video interview after the jump. They talk about Jonah Hill (who is impressive in this movie, which has as much drama as it does comedy), John C. Reilly, and Marisa Tomei, and what they've been up to at the festival. Head on through and check it out.
Keeping Score: David Shire Appears at LA's New Beverly Cinema Thursday
Filed under: Fandom, Interviews, Retro Cinema
On Thursday, January 28, iconic composer David Shire will appear in person at the Los Angeles revival house New Beverly Cinema. He will be on hand to talk about his vast body of work and answer questions in conjunction with screenings of the original 1974 film The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and the 1975 disaster epic The Hindenburg. Additionally, on January 29, Shire will participate in a discussion of Steve Horowitz' "The Re-Taking of Pelham One Two Three," a reinterpretation of Shire's music for Pelham that will be performed at the Roy and Edna Disney/ Calarts Theater (REDCAT). Finally, he'll also be on hand January 30 at Burbank's premier horror and fantasy bookstore, Dark Delicacies, to sign autographs and sell copies of some of his most famous music scores.
Shire's appearance in Los Angeles -- not to mention at three high-profile events -- is something of a fulfillment of a film score fan's dreams: the longtime composer worked steadily since the 1960s to create some of the most haunting and memorable scores in movie history, including the music for All the President's Men, The Conversation, Saturday Night Fever, and of course, The Hindenburg and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. In anticipation of his tour of Los Angeles film fandom, Cinematical spoke to Shire via telephone to discuss the significance of the films and film music these events are celebrating; in addition to discussing the origins and inspirations for some of his most famous movie music, Shire talked about his technique and approach to composition, and offered a few reflections on his expansive body of work, which spans film, television, theater, and even pop music.
Sundance Interview: Michelle Williams, Ryan Gosling and Derek Cianfrance of 'Blue Valentine'
Filed under: Sundance, Festival Reports, Interviews
Blue Valentine has been the most powerful film I've seen at Sundance so far, and with standout performances from Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, it feels like it'll be pulling in some big awards at some point. It's not the cheeriest film in the word (think Revolutionary Road), but it's an extremely realistic look at both the best and worst parts of a relationship. We'll have a review up soon, but the Sundance synopsis is: "On the far side of a once-passionate romance, Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) are married with a young daughter. Hoping to save their marriage, they steal away to a theme hotel. We then encounter them years earlier, when they met and fell in love -- full of life and hope."
We sat down at Sundance with Ryan, Michelle, and director Derek Cianfrance to talk about the film, which takes place through flashbacks to the past when Cindy and Dean first met, and how they're doing several years later. Click below to listen to the full audio interview, and check back for our film review.
Interview: Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, and Zoe Kazan of 'happythankyoumoreplease'
Filed under: Sundance, Interviews
happythankyoumoreplease falls under the very small niche of traditional Sundance romantic comedies, which isn't necessarily a bad thing ... if the movie is good. A small indie movie with great performances, the film was helmed by Josh Radnor, best known for his role as Ted Mosby on the CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. This is Radnor's first feature film as writer and director, and it's playing in Park City this week.
One reason this film charms is because of the excellent performances he got out of his leading actresses Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, and Zoe Kazan. We sat down with these lovely ladies to talk about the film, and to find out more about their characters. Head on after the break for the video interview.
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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