julie walters Tagged Articles at Cinematical

I'm slightly mistrustful of titles that include exclamation points. They always remind me of the musical version of The Elephant Man, Elephant!, in The Tall Guy ("... there's an angel with big eeears..."). But in the case of Mamma Mia!, I'm actually surprised the title only included one exclamation point -- you can imagine the filmmakers or the creators of the stage version embracing even more emphatic punctuation, just to let you know that This! Is a Musical! And also Wacky!! As if chorus lines of men in flippers, Meryl Streep waving a feather boa, and enough ABBA music to sate the leads of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert wouldn't have clued you in.

The movie, like the stage musical it's adapted from, is essentially and unabashedly an extended gimmick -- an excuse to sing and perform songs that originated from the Swedish musical group ABBA. Characters spontaneously burst into song not because they're aspiring performers (Chicago), or because their singing is meant as a melodious soliloquy (Sweeney Todd), but because the situation or their emotional state reminds them of an ABBA song (sometimes more tangentially than others), and they decide to share it with everyone. I've had friends like this in real life, although that seems to have been a college-age thing.

For those who never got around to seeing Mamma Mia! when it hit the stage, or for those who are dying to see it again (I saw it twice, just so you know ...), the widely popular Broadway musical is now heading to the big screen -- and Cinematical has your exclusive first look at images from the film. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried and Christine Baranski, Mamma Mia! was written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd (both of whom brought us the staged version). Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson serve as executive producers. Of course, and I shouldn't have to tell you this, the film also comes with more than a few awesome ABBA tunes. Here's a taste of what you're in store for (from the film's official synopsis):

An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited daughter she's raised alone. For Sophie's wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends-practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski)-from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own. On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna's past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities.

Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA's songs from "Dancing Queen" and "S.O.S." to "Money, Money, Money" and "Take a Chance on Me," Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found. Mamma Mia! will dance its way into theaters on July 18, 2008. Additionally, Moviefone will debut the first Mamma Mia! trailer tomorrow -- so watch for it! Check out our gallery of exclusive pics below (click on the images to head to our gallery) ...

When considering the Harry Potter universe, you have to admire the extensive list of important and semi-important characters Rowling has created. Like the world or not, she's done a pretty boffo job filling it up with interesting people -- which has apparently caused some consternation when it comes to movie budgets due to needing to pay an ever-increasing cast of irreplaceable people.

If we were to have a discussion about our favorite* non-primary characters, Mrs. Weasley would be right at the top of my list. In a recent sit down with JewReview, Julie Walters (the actress who plays Mrs. Weasley for the Potter film franchise) took a few moments to discuss her thoughts on the role. She has recently finished filming, although much of the primary cast is still hard at work. She couldn't share much, but she did share a few interesting bits:

• Like the book, the Weasley parents are very involved in this film.
• Expect a very good Christmas. In the film, that is. I know nothing of your personal Christmas plans.
• The sets are "fantastic," "beautiful," and "amazing." At this point, we expect nothing less from the Potter team, but it is still nice to hear.
• New director David Yates is wonderful, and everyone loves him. He is very emotionally invested in the plot of the film.
• Julie Walters thinks that Mrs. Weasley should defeat Lord Voldemort, "with some help from Harry and the others." I, personally, would be totally in favor of this ending as well.

*Yeah, I read Harry Potter books. They certainly aren't masterworks of literature or anything, but they're quick and fun.

Rejoice, all ye US Harry Potter maniacs: Driving Lessons has been picked up for North American distribution. Woo hoo! Thanks to Sony Pictures Classics, all of you (or at least those of you who live in cities that have arthouse theaters -- I'm guessing this one won't be hitting the local multiplex) will get to see Rupert Grint spreading his non-Ron wings. The film, which had its American premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, "follows a struggling young poet [that's Grint] who accepts a summer job with a former star of stage and screen, Dame Eve Walton [Julie Walters]" who "whisks the boy off on a misbegotten road trip from London to Scotland." Chris was unimpressed by the movie when he saw it at Tribeca but, given the built-in audience that Grint brings along with him, it's unlikely that Sony is too worried about losing money on this little purchase.

If there is one underrated character actor in the world it is Richard E. Grant. Since his breakthrough role in Withnail and I, the actor has appeared in over 50 films and therefore has one of those faces that has audiences asking, "Where have I seen him before?" With a rubbery face and a remarkable skill with dialects, he seems comfortable with broad and dry comedy, serious drama and crazed villainy, all of which he's exhibited in films ranging from Spice World to The Age of Innocence. He has played the lead in quite a few movies, and carried them very well -- I especially like him in the little-seen A Merry War -- but he is most easily recognizable for supporting parts in which he tends to stand out. He was the one enjoyable part of Hudson Hawk (not that it was hard) and was a piece of the brilliant ensemble in Gosford Park.

After watching his directorial debut, Wah-Wah, I'd like Grant to stay in front of the camera. The film, which he also wrote, is not a wasted effort, but there is nothing about it that is evidence he should be making movies rather than stealing scenes in them. The only significance it holds is that it is based somewhat on his own coming of age in the South African country of Swaziland during its transition to independence from Great Britain. But that is only of significance to Grant, and not to viewers, who, if they are anything like me, could do just fine, thank you, without another cinematic memoir of alcoholic fathers and distant mothers and incoherent scenes that add up to a whole without a center.

Aside from its dialects and locations being distinctively English and Scottish, Driving Lessons feels very American. The coming-of-age film, which stars a stone-faced Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter films), has a story that seems straight off the assembly line of our own indie scene. Some of the conventions used in the script include the out-of-his-league crush, the casual virginity-loss, the overbearing and/or religious parent, the life-changing road-trip, and the cross-generational relationship that begins as student-mentor and ends as everlasting friendship. Such tried-and-true elements are not specific to the States, but with so many novice filmmakers here relying on generic adolescence as their easy starting point, the conventions have become staples of American cinema.

Grint plays Ben, a boy so far on the verge of manhood that he states his age as precisely 17½. He's not very ready for the world, though, thanks to his strict, protective mother (Laura Linney) and his weak father (Nicholas Farrell). When urged to get a summer job, Ben finds employment as an assistant for an aging actress named Dame Evie Walton (Julie Walters, who plays Grint's mom in the Harry Potter films), who not only helps him to grow up, but also helps him to have fun with the transition into adulthood, as well.