Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning transform themselves into real life rock legends Joan Jett and Cherie Currie in The Runaways. There’s no doubt about it, these two young vixens give themselves completely to the real life story of becoming of rock star by the age of 14-years-old. Both encompassed the look and the feel of these bad-ass chicks, smashing through stereotypes and being pushed to the edge of their sanity. Dressed in almost nothing, both actors leave their innocent selves behind and become real teenage rock stars.

We were able to catch up with the duo at a roundtable for the film and ask them some questions about becoming The Runways below…

Continue Reading

As Dakota Fanning gears up for her big break through role in The Runaways this week, lets not forget where the real story came from. David Bowie fan Cherie Currie at at the age of 14 years-old was thrown into the first all female rock band and put on tour for nearly two years straight in the mid-70’s when the more blush and the more cocaine you had on you, the more successful you were. Not long after puberty, Cherie was dressed in lingerie singing about being a “blond bombshell ready to explode” and the results were just that. She burnt out before she was ever even given a chance.

Find out what it was like for the upbeat and wise Cherie to watch Fanning transform herself into a Runaway and what advice she has for upcoming teenagers looking to become rock stars…

Continue Reading

Roman Polanski’s latest film The Ghost Writer is a subtle thriller that needed just the right cast in order to be pulled off. Cut to: Yet another amazing performance by Ewan McGregor. Within the tangled web of the film there is an ease about McGregor’s performance that allowed him to both lead us through the story as an outsider and become a part of it when needed. Unlike many of the other in your face thrillers out there today, this  one needed stillness in order to be pulled. McGregor’s humor came off completely natural and set the tone for the films success.

We were able to join a roundtable and talk to McGregor about working on the film. There’s no question that many of us want to know what’s it’s like working with Polanski, Oscar winner and US-exile. There’s no doubt that the man is a genius and put a lot of his personal experiences in the film, so it’ no wonder he knew exactly what he wanted from his actors and wouldn’t have it any other way…

Continue Reading

Joon-ho Bong is the creative mind behind new dramatic, thriller Mother, starring Hye-ja Kim as an obsessive mother on a mission to clear her mentally handicapped son’s name of a murder. Bong both wrote and directed this murder mystery which that the generic crime, murder mystery and turns it into something completely new and intriguing to watch. We were lucky enough to have a chance to sit down to a roundtable with Bong and discuss the film along with his current project the English remake of the wildly successful Korean film The Host.

Continue Reading

After over 25 years in the entertainment business there’s nothing Johnny Depp hasn’t done. He’s played almost every role under the sun and he continues to stun audiences with his character choices. This weekend, he’ll star in what seems like his umpteenth Tim Burton production entitled, Alice in Wonderland. The actor plays The Mad Hatter, the highly unconventional, and topically crazy confidant of Alice.

When Depp appeared at the Alice in Wonderland press conference, his presence was very calming but in the back of your mind you knew there was a major star in the room. For someone who’s had his kind of career, he manages to come off as humble, sweet, and oddly funny in a way that only Depp can. He discussed his interest in The Mad Hatter as a tragic character, the evolution of his career, and whether or not he’d star in a motion capture film like Avatar. The actor is truly one of a kind and after seeing and hearing to him in person, you can tell his degree of success is a natural progression because he’s more than just a pretty face.

Continue Reading

Tim Burton’s successful career spans over two decades and boasts such hits as Beetlejuice, Batman, and Edward Scissorhands. His latest project, Alice in Wonderland is a live action, CGI animated adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. In the film, he reunites with frequent collaborators Johnny Depp, who stars as The Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter who plays The Red Queen to expose a new generation to the classic tale.

Alice in Wonderland has been “Burtonized” with its heavy Gothic elements, and its visual detail. Like most films these days, it’s in 3D and utilizes a lot of CGI. When the director appeared at the official press conference for the movie he discussed the controversial reasoning behind why he shot the film in 2D and converted it later. Plus, he let us in on the changes he made to the story that will make his version of the film stick out. He doesn’t heavily alter the material, he just modernizes it in a way that only Tim Burton could.

Continue Reading

Helena Bonham Carter returns to the big screen this weekend with a larger than life performance in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. It’s the latest in a long line of films that the pair have worked together on alongside frequent collaborator Johnny Depp. When the actress attended the press conference for the feature she was laid back and open with the press about her thoughts on her character, the film, and whether or not the movie should be seen by young children.

In the film, Carter stars as the Red Queen, the sole tormentor of Wonderland, who’s been prophesied to fall from power at the hands of Alice. She’s a caricature in ever sense of the word, but Carter has fun with it and makes her enjoyable to watch. She’s aided by several supporting actors most notably Crispin Clover as The Knave of Hearts, but for the most part she’s a one woman show.

Continue Reading

Academy Award nominated actress Anne Hathaway will be a far cry from her dramatic role in Rachel Getting Married when she appears in Tim Burton’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland as the White Queen. Hathaway has come a long way since The Princess Diaries by landing roles that constantly challenge her as an actress and this character is no different. She plays one of the good guys in the film, who seeks the aid of Alice to defeat her maniacal sister.

As the White Queen Hathaway is a stark contrast to Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen. She’s fair skinned, fair haired, and free spirited in every sense of the word. As an audience we see the character as the victim of her sister’s wicked ways, but Hathaway doesn’t think she’s that innocent. According to the actress, there’s something else brewing beneath the surface of the White Queen that’s a lot more devious than anything we could ever imagine.

Continue Reading

Mia Wasikowska beat out thousands of young actresses to land the title role in Tim Burton’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. The native Australian is a relative new comer to American audiences, which will undoubtedly change after the release of this film. At only 20 years old she’s landed a gig alongside Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter so when we had the opportunity to attend the official press conference for the film we wanted to know what it was that made her THE Alice.

In the film, Alice is no longer the precocious girl we’re using to seeing and hearing about in popular culture. She’s an adult dealing with some serious challenges regarding her future. During this time her family has marriage on the brain and she feels pressured to conform to what they want despite her own reservations. Wasikowska used her own interpretation of that struggle to make her version of the character truly unique.

Continue Reading