Dianne Wiest Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Is it just me, or has famed director Woody Allen hit a rough patch with comedy over the last few years? Sure, his dramas are still bringing in good reviews, but it seems like his recent comedies just haven't worked with audiences like they used to -- and believe me, it pains me to say this considering I think he's one of the funniest people on the planet. The Bad and Ugly has posted some new on-set photos from Allen's latest (and yet to be titled) comedy starring Evan Rachel Wood and Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm). In the photos, everyone looks to be enjoying themselves, and while there is nothing earth shattering going on, it's nice to see Allen back at work in New York, after working the crowds at Cannes for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Like most of Allen's projects, not much is known about the story. Judging from what we've seen so far, it looks like Allen is going back to May-December romances and all the complications they can entail -- something the writer-director has plenty of real life experience with. But as much as I love the man, it has always been a bit of a struggle to overlook his somewhat 'lecherous leanings'. I know he has always had a thing for 'ingénues', but back in the day it was actresses like Diane Keaton and Dianne Wiest. These days, however, it's Scarlett Johansson and Evan Rachel Wood, and I'm not convinced that they even belong in the same category. Are you?

These days, the only thing keeping Katie Holmes in the spotlight is her marriage to Tom Cruise and vampy new look. It's a shame after the cool flicks that jump-started her career like The Ice Storm, Go, Wonder Boys, and The Gift. Nevertheless, she's become one of the queens of tabloid fodder, and turning down Dark Knight for that stinker known as Mad Money didn't help things at all. Could Broadway save her?

The Daily Mail says that she's in final negotiations to make her Broadway debut in All My Sons, a post-WWII drama written by Arthur Miller (that also became a film in 1948). Should she sign on the dotted line (she's already committed to private workshops of the play), she'll join John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest in the production. Yes! At the very least, we've got a Footloose reunion to delight in.

Aside from the cast, this production should get a lot of buzz because it's the first major revival of Miller's work since his death a few years ago. Based on a true story, it follows a woman whose father sold faulty parts to the military during the war. It's no Mad Money, so this might just be Holmes' professional resurrection. Considering Cruise's waning roster lately, could she revive things and become the family bread winner?

As the end credits roll on Dan in Real Life, I imagine most people will have roughly the same reaction -- a smile and a shrug. You won't be angry at yourself for watching it, but you'll be hard pressed to remember the thing in two weeks. It's a relentlessly average movie, packed full of "nice" moments but lacking a single great one.

Steve Carell stars as Dan, a widowed advice columnist trying to be a good father to his three daughters, well played by Alison Pill, Marlene Lawston, and a very funny Brittany Robertson. A widowed man raising his three daughters is also the premise of the old sitcom Full House, and the comparison isn't far off. These daughters are fleshed out a bit more than the Olsen twins, but the relationship beats feel the same -- forced, cutesy, a little tired.

Dan and the girls go to visit their extended family in a lakeside Rhode Island cottage. Dan takes a trip to the local bookstore, and in a very Woody Allen-esque scene, he meets and develops a crush on a woman named Marie (Juliette Binoche). There's a "falling-for-each-other" montage that doesn't really convince, Dan gets her number, and heads home to brag about his new "hottie" and meet the girlfriend of his brother (Dane Cook). Surprise surprise -- his hottie and the girlfriend are one and the same -- Marie. Cue the laugh track.

Those nice people over at The Weinstein Co. just sent Cinematical the first poster for Justin Theroux's upcoming romantic dramedy Dedication, starring Billy Crudup and Mandy Moore. The story revolves around a highly-dysfunctional author of children's books (Crudup) who has major issues with women, enjoys telling children that Santa Claus doesn't exist and whose personal motto is "Life is nothing but the occasional burst of laughter rising above the interminable wall of grief." When his usual illustrator, played by Tom Wilkinson, unexpectedly dies, the author must begin working with an attractive young female illustrator, played by Moore. Dedication, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was snapped up by the Weinsteins at that time, marks the directorial debut of Theroux, who is known for his acting work in David Lynch films Inland Empire and Mulholland Drive, along with other credits. The film will also feature other well-known players such as Dianne Wiest, Amy Sedaris, and Bob Balaban, and is scheduled to hit theaters on August 24. Click on the image above to get the full-sized poster.

When I think about training, my mind automatically goes to a few films, one of which, believe it or not, is Two of a Kind. It is an insanely bad, yet delicious Olivia Newton John/John Travolta flick with wacky inventions, robbery, love, and of course, heaven, hell, and the end of the world. Olivia plays a struggling actress who isn't struggling as much because of her accent, as she thinks, but because she can't act. One scene has her struggling to act fearful in an acting class, when she can't come up with anything other than cocky and smug.

John's character in the film obviously isn't the type Variety mentions in their new article on acting schools. While the article recognizes that there is no formula to win one of those elusive Academy Awards, school is the foundation of major thespians. Considering the list of names mentioned in the article alone, you can see why. For example, did you know that Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter O'Toole both studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London? Hopefully Ms. Gyllenhaal can proceed without too many of the cringe-worthy side roles.

While it's not new that many great actors come from great acting programs, it is interesting to note those who still hone their craft with classes. Imagine just sitting down one day for a "character creation" class at the Actors Center when Dianne Wiest, an Oscar winner herself, plops down next to you. I wonder how many step up to the challenge and grow from the influence of the greats, and how many flounder from their own egos and become fry cooks. If you're looking into being one of the actors covered on Cinematical, you might want to check out the article.