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New Cinema Wallpaper of the Day
Tuesday, July 21, 2009

I did see Ang Lee rather briefly walking by at one point at Cannes but somehow managed to miss this his latest effort, Taking Woodstock (official site). The lines to get into most of its screening seemed to go on and on and on forever. I’d probably have had to wait in line at least 3-4 hours beforehand if I’d have caught it there!

Image Source:
Official stills that were used in the original international release of the film.

Related Links:
::: Facebook Fan Page
::: Official Site
::: IMDb Profile

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New Cinema Wallpaper of the Day
Sunday, June 28, 2009

I’ve already mentioned Paul Dano’s The Extra Man (link) being a film to put on your radar for 2010 and now I want to be sure I put his 2009 film, The Good Heart, on your radar as well. It comes from Icelandic filmmaker Dagur Kari who last brought us Dark Horse and it seems poised to make a major splash on the film festival circuit in the months ahead. Advance word in particular on the performances of Paul Dano and Brian Cox has been through the roof.

Synopsis:

Some small spoilers…

Lucas is a good-hearted young man who has come to an existential dead-end. He is homeless, living in a cardboard box under the Brooklyn Bridge. With a total lack of prospects for the future, Lucas tries to commit suicide, but the attempt is a failure like everything in his life…

Recuperating in hospital, Lucas is forced to share a room with Jacques, a grouchy bar-owner whose choleric demeanor and less-than-healthy lifestyle have resulted in no fewer than five heart attacks. With no family or friends and a risk of passing away any day, Jacques takes Lucas under his battered wing with the intention of passing on his legacy.

Lucas begins a strange education: he must learn how to make the perfect espresso and to adopt Jacques’ many bizarre philosophies.

Champagne, for example, is strictly for celebrating sporting victories, and never for seducing women. And, with the exception of the oddball regulars, no one is welcome in Jacques? bar.

Lucas moves in and very much against the odds, the two men form a quirky friendship. Everything seems to be going according to Jacques’ plan?

Until the rainy night when April, a drunken stewardess who is terrified of flying, strays into the bar. Jacques is out and Lucas can’t turn this beautiful stranger away. She winds up staying in Lucas’ bed and drinking Jacques’ champagne, both of which make the old man furious. April convinces the captivated Lucas that they should marry.

And that’s when things start to get really strange.

Image Source:
Official stills that was used in the original international release of the film.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

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New Cinema Wallpaper of the Day
Sunday, May 31, 2009

The husband and wife directing/writing duo of Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini are bringing to 2010 one of my most anticipated movies in, The Extra Man. I saw somewhere over 40 promo reels of upcoming 2009 and 2010 titles and of those The Extra Man which was shot in and around New York stood out by far as one to mark down as a must see. It was quirky, outrageous, dark, compelling, hilarious and touching all in the span of its nearly 10 minute or so promo reel. It was so damn good I wish they had just played the entire movie and it left me in anguish that I’d have to wait well over a year to see it. Not to mention Paul Dano (what a roll he has been on of late and amazing picks for movie projects!) and its ensemble cast of Kevin Kline, Katie Holmes, John C. Reilly and more all seem to be in better than top form and completely into their roles here. The story from a novel of same name by Jonathan Ames doesn’t look on paper like an easy one to translate to the big screen but just like they did with their 2003 movie American Splendor starring Paul Giamatti, this directing team seems to have a knack for bringing edgy tales to life with humanity, a rich universe for the characters to breath in and a certain brisk compelling intellect that all combines to leave you wanting more. On paper this might seem too fleeting as a coming of age semi-fantasy fish out of water tale, but I can tell you the difference here is how they bring this one to life on screen and have the right cast to portray its characters that makes it as one to mark down right now as a must see 2010 movie.

I have to imagine if this movie starts to test screen this year they might realize the cinematic gold they have on their hands and just maybe might try and do a December 2009 release with an intent to get in this years Oscar race. Though I’m not sure yet if anyone has picked up distribution for North America yet so we will have to see how that plays out.

Synopsis:

A sophisticated and moving comedy, THE EXTRA MAN follows Louis Ives (Paul Dano), a lonely dreamer who fancies himself the hero of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel…

When a deeply embarrassing incident forces him to leave his job at an exclusive Princeton prep school, Louis heads to New York City to make a fresh start. He quickly finds a nine-to-five job at an environmental magazine, where he encounters an entrancing, green-obsessed co-worker Mary (Katie Holmes). But it’s Louis’ new home life that really sparks his imagination. He rents a room in the ramshackle apartment of Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline), a penniless, wildly eccentric but brilliant playwright.

When Henry’s not dancing alone to obscure music or singing operettas, he’s performing – with great panache – the duties of an “extra man“, a social escort for the wealthy widows of Manhattan high society.

These two men, separated in age by more than forty years, develop a volatile mentor/apprentice relationship. Through a series of urban adventures where they encounter everything from a leaping lion to a wildly jealous hirsute neighbor, from drunken nonagenarians to a shady Swiss hunchback, Louis and Henry form a memorable bond that bridges their differences.

Image Source:
Official stills that were used in the original international release of the film.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

Paul Dano of course was great in a largely non-speaking role in Little Miss Sunshine. Here he is equally great in a heavily speaking role and pulls off with ease a rather complex character. Paging Mr. Best Supporting Actor Oscar!

Caption:
Dillion Freasier as “H.W.” and Paul Dano as “Eli Sunday” star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood“.

Related Coverage:
::: Complete Cinema is Dope There Will Be Blood Coverage
::: There Will Be Blood Review (Twitch – Peter Martin)
::: There Will Be Blood Review (Twitch – Michael Guillen)
::: There Will Be Blood Review (Twitch – Todd Brown)

Photo By:
Francois Duhamel

Image Source:
Official digital still used in its original USA release. Courtesy of PARAMOUNT VANTAGE, a Division of PARAMOUNT PICTURES and MIRAMAX FILM CORP. All Rights Reserved.

Related Links:
::: Official Site
::: IMDb Profile

This my dear readers is an incredible acting duo. Sometimes when you put two actors in a scene together you get lightning in a bottle. Other times chemistry on screen and electricity is generated by having worked together multiple times before or intense rehearsing prior or during a film. Dano and Day-Lewis had worked together previously in The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005). In There Will Be Blood they chew up scenery and each other in landmark performances that will both be tough to beat come Oscar time.

Caption:
Daniel Day-Lewis as “Daniel Plainview” and Paul Dano as “Eli Sunday” star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood“.

Related Coverage:
::: Complete Cinema is Dope There Will Be Blood Coverage
::: There Will Be Blood Review (Twitch – Peter Martin)
::: There Will Be Blood Review (Twitch – Michael Guillen)
::: There Will Be Blood Review (Twitch – Todd Brown)

Photo By:
Francois Duhamel

Image Source:
Official digital still used in its original USA release. Courtesy of PARAMOUNT VANTAGE, a Division of PARAMOUNT PICTURES and MIRAMAX FILM CORP. All Rights Reserved.

Related Links:
::: Official Site
::: IMDb Profile