Barcelona Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Gathered to talk about Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Pénelope Cruz, Rebecca Hall, Chris Messina and Scarlett Johansson all had similar praise for their director and writer -- even if they took different paths to get to the film. Cruz's agent actually reached out to Allen when Vicky Cristina Barcelona was in development, on the off chance Allen might have a role for her: "My agent said ... 'We found out you're doing a movie in Spain, do you want to meet Pénelope?' We met in New York, a very short meeting, which took less than one minute, and he told me 'I saw Volver, and I'm writing this story, it's not finished yet, but if it keeps going in this direction, the script, I think you could be right for this part. ...' He didn't tell me anything more about the story, or the characters, but I felt like we connected; we were laughing, and when I left, the people who work with him told me 'You've been there for such a long time.' ..."

Even after being asked, though, Cruz found the prospect of working with one of film's best-known directors daunting: "You can trust the director -- you're working with Woody Allen, you're working with a genius -- but that doesn't mean you're not going to be doubting yourself. ..."

Just to make sure we don't pigeon-hole her in any sort of role, Scarlett Johansson is mixing things up yet again. The girl already did some Nanny time, plus she has The Other Boleyn Girl, Woody Allen's Barcelona flick, possibly Pompeii, He's Just Not That Into You, The Spirit and Mary Queen of Scots on the way. MTV talked with Samuel Bayer, the music video director behind Justin Timberlake's What Goes Around... Comes Around (that she was in), and he says Scarlett got him a directorial gig for another film she's been cast in.

He didn't say too much about the film. It is called Brilliance, it will start shooting this winter, and it's about diamond thieves. What is interesting is his praise for the Jo: "Scarlett is one of the sexiest actresses around. And she can just become her characters... It's stuff like that which makes you know someone's a star." In there, he mentions a scene where she was laughing, but when the camera rolled, she was crying. Now, props should be given to someone who can cry on-cue, but I'm not sure that's becoming the character. I am not as anti-Scarlett as some, but I wouldn't say she's amazing at becoming other people. Ellen Burstyn, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, and those types, sure. Each of them has made me forget who they are and be enveloped in their role. Johansson, on the other hand, has never made me forget who she is. We've already hashed out her talents, or lack thereof, before -- but who would you consider to be great actors who become their characters?

I'm not a complete Woody Allen snob, but I am picky and I haven't been satisfied with any of his films since Sweet and Lowdown. For me to have liked even Match Point I would have had to lower my standards and expectations, and in the end I decided it didn't work for me. One of my problems with it is Scarlett Johansson, who I may never be able to enjoy as an actress. As a handbag model she's great, sure, but as someone who has to portray any feelings on the big screen she can't get my attention. I don't avoid her work, though, because some of her films are good despite her. I couldn't bother with Allen's Scoop, but now the filmmaker has cast the actress in another film, his untitled Spanish project, which I'm at least intrigued about.

So far we had learned that Allen would be shooting in Barcelona and Asturias this summer with the great Spanish actors Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. His new additions include Johansson and her co-star from The Prestige, Rebecca Hall. This will now be Johansson's third film for Allen, putting her closer to the level of collaboration as Louise Lasser, Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow, all of whom Allen had been involved with romantically. I'm not saying that Soon-Yi should be worried, at least if she doesn't mind Allen simply looking, but it is a bit strange. Following this film, Allen will return to England for his next film, which will go into production in 2008, hopefully without Johansson.

The Sitges International Film Festival, which is also the world's longest running fantasy film festival at 39 years old, starts this Friday near Barcelona. Fest has an impressive lineup of 24 film awards, includes a premiere of Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain and an homage to David Lynch.

This really makes me want to purchase a ticket immediately and fly to Barcelona. Damn you Southwest and your wretched Ding! for not flying to Europe. Sitges is widely considered to be the best fantasy festival in the world, and they will be screening more than 200 films this year from October 6th through the 15th. The films will all compete for the two dozen awards given out, and include both live-action and animated fantasy, as well as horror films from all over the world.

So, anyone going to Spain?

Odds and ends from Friday:

• I'm not sure why, but tattoos scare me and I refuse to get one. Yet, my sister has seven ... and she's nineteen. Go figure. Apparently, Jason Behr (The Grudge) has no problem with the ink stains, as he has just signed on to star in The Tattooist. Pic, which marks the directorial debut of commercial helmer Peter Burger, revolves around a tattoo artist whose obsession with the Samoan tatau tradition leads him to unlock a world of danger and mysticism. See, that's why I won't get one.
• Blue Star Pictures has teamed up with Mandalay Pictures and optioned T.S. Faull's original script, Living Dead Girl, with Eric Tessier attached to direct. Flick looks to put an original spin on the zombie genre, as it centers on a girl who returns from the dead to hunt down her killer, while teaming up with a funeral director "who has a thing for dead girls" (don't get me started on why that creeps me out) to help aid in her quest.
• Though it's not much, some more information has been announced regarding Woody Allen's next film (after he gets done finishing his third London-based flick), which, if you're not already aware, will be set in Spain. That's right, Woody has decided to go global ... and I like it. Why not, right? Pic will take place in Barcelona and will star English-speaking actors who, as typical with an Allen film, become wrapped up in a "love entanglement." If all goes well, Allen will begin production next summer.

Hot on the heels of the massive success of his Match Point (which was shot in England), Woody Allen has signed a deal to make a movie in Barcelona in 2007. Based on his agreement with Spanish production company Mediapro, Allen will employ Spanish actors for the film, as well as Spanish crew and "artistic teams." The as-yet-unnamed film is expected to be Allen's follow up to the forth-coming Scoop which, like Match Point, stars the suddenly inescapable Scarlett Johansson, and was set and shot in England.

Barcelona will be Allen's first effort at shooting an entire film in a non-English speaking country. Whatever could be next? Might we see Woody Allen in beret, perhaps toting a baguette? Please?