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Tribeca Film Fest 2012: Take This Waltz – Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:04:51 +0000

Talk This Waltz is one of those films that is on the verge of being an indie darling and it’s easy to see why it’s found its place at Tribeca Film Fest. It’s a film quite obviously made by experiences and talented artists all around and has the potential to be great. Michelle Williams, gives another stunning performance, Sarah Silverman gives a wonderful performance and struts her stuff (literally and figuratively) on screen and Seth Rogen shows us yet another side of his talent. And they all do it with some extreme styling. Find out why this film is almost amazing…

The Players:

Director: Sarah Polley
Screenwriter: Sarah Polley
Producer: Susan Cavan, Sarah Polley
Cast: Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman

Tribeca Synopsis:

Margot (Michelle Williams) and Lou (Seth Rogen) are a happily married couple living a quiet, comfortable existence. Their marriage is filled with love, companionship, and humor, but after years of being together, they have settled for contentment and security over excitement. Their life is thrown out of order when Margot falls in love with a handsome and charismatic neighbor (Luke Kirby), and she is forced to choose between the comfort of the familiar and the exhilaration of the unknown.

The Good:

Michelle Williams: Once again, she’s great at playing a person going through an extreme emotional crisis. She once again fully throws herself into the depths of the role, analyzing and portraying the tiniest of emotions in a strong yet, subtle way. Only problem is, Blue Valentine is a far superior film overall, and we’ve seen her play this exact role a few times now. That being said, she’s becoming the Queen of the indie drama, who is time and time again captivating to watch.
Sarah Silverman: Though she only had a short time on screen, she had the biggest presence and was easily my favorite part of the film, not only for her witty timing, but poignant and powerful performance.
The Style: Though there is no WAY some of these couples could afford these homes, with these amenities and in such great clothes. That being said, the overall style of the film was phenomenal and it’s hard not to want to steal almost every cup and piece of clothing that pops up on screen.
Simple Truths: It’s quite obvious that writer/director Sara Polley wanted to focus on some of those simple, coming-of-age truths that we all have to face at some time. Things such as “even new things get old” and the fact that Romeo and Juliet may not have worked out 10 years down the line. There are a lot of great messages in the film, that late teens and twenty year old’s can strongly relate to. There were parts of the film that really hit home, but there may have been a bit too many…

The Bad:

Simple Truths: When well told, these simple truths realized can been groundbreaking, and this film had those moments, the problem is it had the same moments over and over again. It would tell you “even new things get old” and then tell you it again, and again, and again. So despite it having beautiful moments, the overuse of them makes you feel like you’re being brow-beaten with deep thought. Much like I complain about large, block-buster films over-explaining the plot, this film over-explains the emotions, making it so you feel like you’re learning a lesson and not experiencing one. Which leads me to…
Editing: Someone needed to say, enough is enough and just start cutting this bad boy down! This film could easily have about 30-40 minutes cut out of it and it would make for a sharper more poignant film. It’s also hard to imagine that it could find a large enough audience with the near two hour run-time, and with all the love and skill that obviously went into making it, it would be a shame for it to not be seen widely.
The End: There is a quiet moment towards the end of the story with Rogen, where we feel everything that has happened, know everyone’s perspective and it is simple, small and beautiful. It would have been an amazing place to stop the film there, but instead it dissects that moment and then shows us what we already know will happen in detail. From that moment on, they are, beating a bored audience. The film goes into over-explanation mode, and instead of leaving us with those moments of “knowing” and “feeling”, we’re left having our emotions spelled out to us.

Overall:

What’s frustrating about this film is that there are great, not good, but great elements to it, but by over-indulging in the messages that it wants to get across, they’ve managed to leave it with none. Emotional films like this are best left felt, not explained.

Rating: 5/10

Robert Rodriguez Officially Starting Production On ‘Sin City 2,’ Wants Mel Gibson For ‘Machete Kills’

Travis Woods — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:29:43 +0000

A sequel to 2005’s Sin City has been rumored and in discussion for so long it’s become a kind of urban legend—the kind of thing that people always talk about (especially director Robert Rodriquez and Sin City creator Frank Miller), but everyone knows would never really happen. Well, that appears to no longer be the case, as Dimension Films has sent out an official press release declaring that Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is officially in pre-production.

It’s something of a surprise that Rodriguez is actually committing to the sequel, as he seems to always have 3-4 fantasy projects that never come to fruition going at once, with Sin City 2 always being the crown jewel in that roster. But hey—if this keeps Rodriguez from making another Spy Kids film, I’m game. Check out the press release below:

ROBERT RODRIGUEZ AND FRANK MILLER TO BEGIN PRODUCTION ON THEIR MUCH ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO 2005‘S SIN CITY ENTITLED “FRANK MILLER’S SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR”

Robert Rodriguez’s Quick Draw Productions and Alexander Rodnyansky’s AR Films partner with Dimension Films on historic sequel

AUSTIN, TX (12 April 2012) — Filmmakers Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, along with producer Alexander Rodnyansky, have announced that production will commence on the highly anticipated sequel to 2005’s Sin City, entitled Sin City: A Dame To Kill For. The film will be produced by AR Films and Quick Draw Productions, financed through AR Films U.S and released domestically by Dimension Films.

“The first question I am always asked is “When will you make another Sin City? ,” said Rodriquez. “I have wanted to re-team with Frank Miller and return to the world he created since the day we wrapped the original, but have felt a duty to the fans to wait until we had something truly exceptional that would meet and exceed what have become epic expectations. A Dame To Kill For will certainly be worth the wait.”

Sin City creator, screenwriter and co-director Frank Miller said, “The first Sin City knocked out audiences who had never seen anything like it before. Robert Rodriguez and I are going to shake things up and deliver a ferocious film experience that is going to go even further than the first.“

The script and details of the film’s story have been kept tightly under wraps. Casting will begin next week, with many of the original cast expected to return. The film, a Quick Draw Production, will be produced by Rodriguez and producing partners Aaron Kaufman and Iliana Nikolic; and by Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergei Bespalov and Stephen L’Hereux. Miller, The Weinstein Company’s Harvey and Bob Weinstein and Miramax’s Adam Fields will act as executive producers. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For was developed by Frank Miller based upon his graphic novel, with a screenplay by Frank Miller and Academy Award winner William Monahan (The Departed). The film is expected to begin production this summer at Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios in Austin, Texas.

In other Rodriguez news, the multi-tasking filmmaker is also set to film Machete Kills, the sequel to the 2010 film (and Grindhouse spin-off) Machete. While the original film featured such stunt casting as Robert De Niro and Lindsay Lohan, it looks like Rodriquez is now gunning for Mel Gibson and Michelle Williams for the sequel.

Gibson’s career is in desperate need of some kind of public approval/acceptance, especially after starring in such underperformers as Edge of Darkness and The Beaver, and following the actor being publicly drummed out of a cameo in The Hangover II. Williams is in no need of such a boost—honestly, it would be a bigger shock to see her in Machete Kills rather than Gibson.

What do you think of the Sin City 2/ Machete Kills news?

Source: /Film

News Roundup: Trailer For Michelle Williams’ ‘Take This Waltz’, ‘Game of Thrones’ Fan Art, and More

Laura Aguirre — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:56:15 +0000

Time for another round-up of this week’s entertainment bits and pieces. We’ve got the official trailer for Michelle Williams‘ Take this Waltz. Also, very cool Game of Thrones fan art courtesy of Unreality Magazine; and a gallery featuring Alfred Hitchcock‘s classics as Nintendo Games. All that and more below.

Game of Thrones Fan Art: Unreality Magazine posted a gallery featuring Game of Thrones fan art. It’s a collection of 15 solid pics, check that out.
Celebrities & The Muppet Show: Although The Muppet Show is primarily for kids, there’s been a number of very cool celebrity guest stars who aren’t very kid-friendly. Unreality Magazine put together a list of Seven of the Most Endearing Celebrity Appearances from The Muppet Show. In their list the include celebrities like Alice Cooper, Debbie Harry John Cleese, and Peter Sellers. Check that out.
Drunk Writers: Slashfilm‘s Jordan Hoffman wrote an article of the Best Movies About Drunken Writers You Probably Haven’t Seen. It’s a pretty funny read mainly because it was influenced by Demon Rum. Hoffman’s list includes Barfly, The Lost Weekend (an awesome movie), and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle. Check that out.

Photos:

Alfred Hitchcock Movies As Nintendo Games: The Curious Brain posted a very funny gallery by Joe Spiotto featuring Alfred Hitchcock’s classics as Nintendo games.

Videos:

Take This Waltz Trailer: So, Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen made a movie together in which they play a couple, and it actually looks pretty darn good. Sarah Polley, known for 2006′s Away From Her, is at the helm here. Take This Waltz tells the story of a happily married woman who develops feelings for another man. It’s not what you’d expect. Here’s the trailer:

That’s the end of our round-up. Keep checking back at ScreenCrave for more entertainment news and features.

What are you excited for?

My Week with Marilyn: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:18:27 +0000

Marilyn Monroe is back in theaters again, this time played by the lovely and brave Michelle Williams, who much like Monroe always seems to be up for pushing herself and taking on a challenge. My Week with Marilyn is not your typical Monroe bio-film, though they throw in a few homages to her iconic dance numbers and songs, this film is really about pulling back the curtain and getting to know what really made Monroe an icon. It wasn’t her curves, it was that mysterious something else that gave her that edge, that sent directors mad, but ultimately made her one of the biggest stars, ever…

The Players:

Director: Simon Curtis
Writer: Adrian Hodges
Based on Books by: Colin Clark
Actors: Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Judi Dench, Emma Watson, Dominic Cooper, Philip Jackson, Dougray Scott, Zoë Wanamaker, Derek Jacobi
Producer: David Parfitt and Harvey Weinstein
Composer: Conrad Pope
Cinematographer: Ben Smithard

The Plot:

Much like the title suggests, the film gives the brief glimpse into the life of Marilyn Monroe through the eyes of one of her admirers, who for one week, become something a bit more to Monroe.

The Good:

Michelle Williams: She’s getting rave reviews everywhere and rightly so. There are moments where every inch of her, head to toe, you could freeze frame and match directly to a photo of Monroe. She embodied the part, and didn’t just play it. She also didn’t play the cliche, sexy, seductress Marilyn Monroe, but the woman she (likely) was behind the scenes. Which leads us to…
Not Your Average Marilyn: They do a great job of showing all the tiny little details that very well made Marilyn, Marlyn Monroe. The fears, the anxiety, the pressure, the need to be loved — they do a great job of exploring what went into the woman, to make her the icon. It wasn’t an easy journey and one, that though we admire, came at a heavy price.
Production Quality: From the sets, to the hair, to the chaise lounges and the silk robes, they really made every inch of this film count. You really felt like you were back in that time, with those people and a part of what was going on. Really a great overall production, which made for a great, immersive experience, which made the film feel that much more important.
Amazing Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Dominic Cooper, Philip Jackson, Michelle Williams and the rest, all deserve a round of applause for their work on this film. Though Williams leads the way, with Branagh and Redmayne supporting her all the way, it’s really the impressive cast as a whole that makes this film work as well as it does.

The Bad:

Monroe Hip Pads: There are a few shots where it’s very obvious that they simply padded Michelle Williams’ hips and boobs to give her the Monroe curves. It’s not a problem that they did it (even if Williams would have gained enough to be Monroe’s weight, it’s hard to gain it in all the right spots), it’s simply a problem because you can SEE the pads and it takes away from William’s performance and the believability.

Overall:

This is a great film. One that will be nominated for many statues come award season. Is it the winner? There’s something about it that might not quite have the edge to push it over the top, BUT it’s a great film, finely made, never dull and definitely worth a trip to the cinemas.

Rating: 8.5

See My Week with Marilyn in theaters November 25th!

News Roundup: John Waters, My Week With Marilyn, J. Edgar and More

Laura Aguirre — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:13:46 +0000

There was a lot of entertainment news this week, from the cancellation of “The Playboy Club” to the unfortunate death of our era’s Edison, Steve Jobs. So, we’ve compiled a list of news bits for you to catch up.

The American Cinematheque in Los Angeles will open their doors to John Lithgow and John Waters this coming week. They’ll both get their own night to talk about their experiences in the movie business, and will share new projects. Tom Six‘s The Human Centipede II debuts this weekend in Los Angeles. We also have a few trailers to show you including My Week With Marilyn, where Michelle Williams channels one of the most famous faces of Hollywood’s Golden Era. Catch up below.

John Lithgow and John Waters events: The American Cinematheque & Live Talks Los Angeles are hosting ‘An Evening with John Lithgow” and “An Evening with “John Waters” at the Aero Theatre. On Thursday October 6, the acclaimed actor (Lithgow) will have a discussion about his new book ‘Drama: An Actor’s Education.’ On Saturday October 15, there will be a double feature, both films directed by John Waters (Female Trouble, Serial Mom). Waters will be there, so you’ll get to hear him talk about his experiences. For more information like prices and times, go to www.aerotheatre.com
Human Centipede: You probably remember that very first disturbing trailer of The Human Centipede, but now, brace yourself, because Tom Six has made a sequel to the controversial horror film. The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) will open on October 7 in Los Angeles at the Nuart theater in Los Angeles.
Boy Wonder: The New York Comic Con is on the way (October 15) and one of the films that will be showcased during the event is the psychological thriller Boy Wonder. The film comes to us from first time director Michael Morrisey, who’s a comic-book junkie. The film follows a boy who is haunted by the murder of his mother during a carjacking. This triggers him to seek out murderers and he becomes a vigilante in Brooklyn. Watch the trailer here:

Marilyn Monroe: A year ago we saw the first photos of Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe – now we get to see Williams portray the blonde bombshell in the first trailer of My Week With Marilyn. The film is based on a true story by Colin Clark. He got to interact with Marilyn while working as Sir Laurence Olivier’s assistant during the filming of The Prince and The Showgirl. Take a look at the trailer below. What’s your first impression? Can Williams pull off Marilyn Monroe?

J. Edgar: Clint Eastwood‘s J. Edgar is one of the most anticipated films of the year. The biopic stars Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover during the time of the Palmer Raids and on. Below we have two similar new posters featuring a very angry DiCaprio. Which version of the poster do you like best?

That’s our roundup for today. Hopefully you’re all caught up by now. Keep checking back with us at ScreenCrave for more entertainment news.

What are you excited for?

D23: Live Action Round-Up – The Muppets Wins, John Carter Stumbles and Oz: The Great and Powerful introduces itself!

Damon Houx — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 23:08:03 +0000

Though The Odd Life of Timothy Green and the nature film Chimpanzee had trailers shown (and Jennifer Garner talked briefly about Green), the majority of attention for Disney’s live Actions films at D23 went to The Muppets and John Carter. The Muppets went over like gangbusters, while Carter just busted. There was also a brief presentation on Oz: The Great and Powerful, which just started shooting. Our report follows.

John Carter

John Carter‘s presentation began with director Andrew Stanton fumbling his way through a teleprompter, talking about how he and the writers loved the books when they were younger. Then they brought out stars Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe and Lynn Collins to talk about the film, and though Kitsch spoke passionattely about his enthusiasm for the project, Collins came off as a blank, and Dafoe was relegated to talking about how he did his part (as a motion captured nine foot tall, four-armed martian) on stilts. The first clip showed John Carter (Kitsch) during his first day on Mars, and his first experience with Dafoe’s Tars Tarkas as they try to understand each other. Perhaps the desert settings make it a little colder, but there was no sense of wonder there as a CGI creation and a guy in a desert who can jump really high try to communicate for the first time.

The second clip was probably the best as Carter is captured, put in a semi-prison and then meets a martain dog who wants to play with him. The dog has a large head and mouth and can run real fast. Again, the problem with the footage so far is that everything is a little too familiar. The dog looks like when the Dog in The Mask puts on the Mask.
In the third clip, Carter is with Dejah Thoris (Collins), and she gives him a magical trinket that has the power to transport him back to Earth. The two have a lovers argument as she wants him to stay and fight, and then at the end of the footage Dominic West shows up (and immediately made it seem like The Wire vs. Friday Night Lights) and Carter seems gone. The problem with this clip is that if this is a scene with the hero and the leading lady at ninety minute mark of the film, him leaving is not really dramatic, because he can’t. He’s the hero of the piece (hence the title).
The last clip had Carter and Tarkas in an arena facing off against a giant four armed ape. Yes, everyone in the auditorium started thinking “hey this is like Attack of the Clones” at the same time.
With the third clip having no great context, and the rest looking like familiar empty spectacle, the footage didn’t win over many converts. There was no hint at the pulp origins of the material, nor and it didn’t seem very propulsive – the model would seem to be Raiders of the Lost Ark, but with a dour hero, perhaps they’re going The Dark Knight/”moody” route. There might be a good movie in there, but when Stanton said that the teaser trailer suggested the tone of the film, well watch it and see if that gets you excited.

The Muppets

The Muppets brought out Jason Segel, Kermit and Miss Piggy to talk about the film. Though their antics were kept short (and Piggy arriving to “Born to be Wild” wasn’t a great joke), they showed two scenes from the film, and both were great. The first had Segel, along with a new muppet named Walter, and Amy Adams arriving at Kermit’s place, where Kermit has become a recluse. After running into an electric fence, Kermit takes them in, and in his house we meet Kermit’s stuck-in-the-80′s robot, who is designed a little like Wall*E, but also the robot in Rocky IV as it offers the guests the options of Tab or New Coke.
The second clip shows the Muppets cleaning up the Muppet theater in a musical number staged to Starship’s “We Built This City,” and they couldn’t have found a more winning sequence to highlight. The Swedish Chef, the Muppet band (Animal!) and many other regulars make an appearance as they clean in a montage of funny bits (the chickens dust with their rumps, old food gets blow-torched, etc.) If you love the muppets, it looks liek they got the tone right, irreverent, but childish.

Oz: The Great and Powerful

Oz: The Great and Powerful just started shooting in Detroit, but Sam Raimi gave a personal introduction via video, and a featurette played, with interviews with James Franco, Zach Braff and the film’s witches Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz. AS this is just going, the interviews with vacuous. Everyone followed the standard interview procedures of talking about how great it was, and right at the end there seemed to be a shot from the film – in black and white and 1.33:1 – that is meant to mimic the 1939 Wizard of Oz. The stills shown of the storyboards and conceptual art seemed familiar to the ’39 version, but of a greater (and CGI enhanced) scale. It also reminded a little of Tim Burton‘s Alice in Wonderland. At this stage, it’s hard to know how it will turn out.

What of these films do you most want to see?

Michelle Williams in Meek’s Cutoff Movie Trailer

Krystal Clark — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 01:40:32 +0000

Among her amazing performance in the Oscar nominated feature Blue Valentine, Michelle Williams somehow managed to sneak in a period piece. The busy actress appears in a drama set in the middle of nowhere that pits a family against the elements and savages. It’s a complete change of pace from what we’ve seen Williams tackle in the past. Check out the trailer…

Prior to watching this trailer, we had no idea that Paul Dano was in this movie. We started to have flashbacks to There Will Be Blood. Whenever there’s a desert, guns, and some kind of savagery he’s there!

Official Synopsis:

The year is 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, and a wagon team of three families has hired the mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Claiming to know a short cut, Meek leads the group on an unmarked path across the high plain desert, only to become lost in the dry rock and sage. Over the coming days, the emigrants must face the scourges of hunger, thirst and their own lack of faith in each other’s instincts for survival. When a Native American wanderer crosses their path, the emigrants are torn between their trust in a guide who has proven himself unreliable and a man who has always been seen as the natural enemy.

Meek’s Cutoff opens on April 8th.

What do you think of the trailer? Are you interested in seeing the film?

Source: Apple Trailers

Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams, Scarlett Johansson Rumored for The Great Gatsby

Krystal Clark — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:38:19 +0000

Hollywood is rounding up the usual suspects for the female lead in the upcoming big screen adaptation of The Great Gatsby, the film based on the classic novel of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald from 1925. According to Deadline, a who’s who of actresses have been named as serious contenders for the part including Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Keira Knightley, Rachel Hall, and Michelle Williams.

In late December it was announced that Australian director Bahz Luhrmann would helm The Great Gatsby. If you remember, the book was previously adapted in 1974 with Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, and Bruce Dern playing the three main roles. This incarnation could feature Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire as the male leads Jay Gatsby and narrator Nick Carraway. Hall recently read for the part of Daisy Buchanan, Jay’s love interest and Nick’s cousin.

Luhrmann definitely wants DiCaprio and Maguire to play the men, but he’s looking for a little more in terms of Daisy. Besides the aforementioned actresses he’s also got his eye on Amanda Seyfried, Abbie Cornish, and Blake Lively. Out of this bunch, Portman and Williams seem to have the upper hand in our eyes. Nothing against the other ladies but aesthetically and talent-wise they seem like better choices.

Who do you think should play Daisy in the film? Who has the upper hand in this fight?

Blue Valentine Gets NC-17 Rating and a Trailer

Krystal Clark — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:46:20 +0000

Earlier this morning it was reported (via Deadline) that the MPAA had given the indie drama Blue Valentine an NC-17 rating. This pretty much ensures that this critically acclaimed Oscar contender won’t receive a wide opening and won’t be seen by the general public. If we’ve learned anything from the Hatchet II scandal, it’s that theater chains cave, and they don’t like to play things that don’t have the rating board’s blessing. Coincidentally, the same day this news broke a trailer was released for the film. We have the skinny on the risque rating plus the new trailer below…

The film stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams and here’s the description of the NC-17 scene that went a little too far for the MPAA.

The rating was given for a scene in which the characters played by Gosling and Williams try to save their crumbling marriage by spending a night away in a hotel. They get drunk and their problems intensify when he wants to have sex and she doesn’t, but will to get him off her back. That hurts his pride and the result is an upsetting scene that makes you squirm, but is an honest one that establishes clearly that this couple has nothing left and isn’t going to make it because love has turned into contempt. There is barely any nudity in the scene, as I recall (though I haven’t seen it since last January) and there is no violence.

I haven’t seen the movie but one of our fellow writers reviewed the movie at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. You should really give it a read. From what we’ve heard it’s a brutally honest portrayal of a marriage gone down the tubes. No sugar coating. Just the truth.

Check out the trailer:

Blue Valentine opens in theaters on December 31st.

What do you think of the NC-17 rating being given to the film?

Source: Yahoo Movies

First Photo: Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn

Krystal Clark — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:51:39 +0000

The Weinstein Company and Trademark Films have released the first official photo of Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe. The actress plays the blond bombshell in the film, My Week With Marilyn. A couple weeks ago we learned that Harry Potter star Emma Watson had signed on for a small supporting role in the movie that’s directed by Simon Curtis. Take a look at the full photo of Williams below along with a comparison shot of the real Monroe. Is she a carbon copy? You be the judge…

In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark, just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl, the film that famously united Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe, who was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Arthur Miller.

Nearly 40 years on, his diary account “The Prince, the Showgirl and Me” was published, but one week was missing and this was published some years later as “My Week with Marilyn” – this is the story of that week. When Arthur Miller leaves England, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce Marilyn to some of the pleasures of British life; an idyllic week in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.

Marilyn Monroe is played by the Academy Award nominated Michelle Williams and Tony award winning Eddie Redmayne stars as Colin Clark. Kenneth Branagh plays Sir Laurence Olivier with Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike. They are joined by Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh, Dougray Scott as Arthur Miller, Zoe Wanamaker, Emma Watson, Toby Jones, Philip Jackson, Geraldine Somerville, Derek Jacobi, Simon Russell Beale and Dominic Cooper.

Here’s the real Monroe:

What do you think of Williams take on the actress? Does she look like her?

Source: Coming Soon

Emma Watson Cast in My Week With Marilyn

Krystal Clark — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 19:24:47 +0000

Emma Watson is wasting no time with her post-Harry Potter career. The 20 year old is currently enrolled in Brown University and is still acting on the side. The latest film to catch her eye is entitled My Week with Marilyn. It’s directed by Simon Curtis, and is a period piece that centers on, you guessed it Marilyn Monroe. But this isn’t a biopic, it’s an ensemble that has a lot more to offer than its title star.

According to the Daily Mail, Watson has joined the cast that already includes Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Dominic Cooper and Judi Dench. My Week With Marilyn centers on a young man named “Colin Clark (Redmayne), who worked as Laurence Olivier’s assistant on the picture The Prince And The Showgirl, which starred bombshell Marilyn Monroe (Williams) and Olivier ( Branagh), who also directed.”

Watson will star as Lucy, a wardrobe assistant working behind the scenes during the making of The Prince And The Showgirl in 1956. It’s not not a big role but her character will share a few dates with Clark. Her portion of the film is said to only take a few days to shoot and after that it’s back to the books.

What do you think of Watson in My Week With Marilyn? Are you interested in the film?

Shutter Island: Movie Review

Ben McCarthy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:02:45 +0000

After his long awaited Oscar win 3 years ago, Martin Scorsese is back behind the camera in his fourth collaboration with his muse Leonardo DiCaprio with Shutter Island. The film was moved back from its original October 2009 release date, due to various marketing strategies and Leo not being able to do any press tours as he was filming Christopher Nolan’s new film Inception. Is this latest collaboration between the two going to match up to Gangs Of New York, The Aviator and the Oscar-Winning The Departed?

Players:

Director: Martin Scorsese
Producers: Martin Scorsese, Bradley J. Fischer, Arnie Messer and Mike Medavoy
Screenwriter: Laeta Kalogridis (Adapted From the novel written by Dennis Lehane)
Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Emile Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson and Max Von Sydow

The Plot:

Shutter Island is the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island’s fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.

The Good:

Leonardo DiCaprio: Leo always produces his best performances when work with Martin Scorsese, and this film in no exception. This might even be his best performance to date. His character, Teddy Daniels is very complex character, he has just lost his wife and he plagued by nightmares from WW2. Mr. DiCaprio gives absolutely everything and it pays off, he is wounded, he is fighting against everything, suffering from horrific nightmares but its his character’s utter conviction in finding out the truth is absolutely terrifying.
Martin Scorsese’s direction: It is such a joy watching a master at work. After the first 5 minutes of Scorsese embracing his Hitchcockian side, complete with a moody tone and a masterful score, we are unnerved and he keeps us enthralled until the credits role. The artistry in creating these flashback scenes are truly remarkable, showing that the master has clearly not lost his touch. The way that he orchestrates each character in the film is brilliant, no one is quite who they seam. This is certainly the closest thing that we are ever going to get to a Scorsese horror movie (along with his remake if Cape Fear), the horror is embedded the psychosis of each character and it is absolutely thrilling to watch.
Supporting Cast: The supporting cast do have a great hand in racking up the tension during the course of the film. Emile Mortimer is effective as the prison escapee, Michelle Williams is haunting as Daniels’s wife, and the very reliable Max Von Sydow is stallar as a the suspicious German doctor. But the best performance from the cast Sir Ben Kingsley, in which our assumption of the character changes multiple times during the course of the film. Although his story could have been drawn into cliche territory, Kingsley brings much need humanity to the character, which in turn makes his decisions creditable as the head doctor of the mental hospital.
Involving Jigsaw Puzzle/Murder Mystery: This is a very complex murder mystery, with twists and turns and it is riveting to watch on screen. There are so many layers to the film that it is impossible to catch on first viewing. There are moments in the film where you think it is going one way, but it does a complete 360-degree turn, and you are completely baffled. This is certainly an ambiguous film, which you can take whatever mean you want out of it, in turn makes it a fantastic viewing pleasure, without giving any easy solutions.
Marketing Campaign: Just a quick mention to the marketing people at Paramount, to say good job. They really have kept things under wraps, including the content for the trailer by just laying down the basics of the plot. By doing this, the film’s overall impact is even more effective.

The Bad:

Climax: This really is the only downside to the film, but the build up to the film is a lot better than the climax. You get a clear sense of Déjà vu at the end of the film. I keep think back to it, knowing that it was the only way that they could have ended the film, and there is certainly some emotional impact in knowing what happens to them. But there is a certain air of preposterous about the end, that slight distracted and annoying me about the film.

Overall:

With the climax providing the only disappointment of the film. There is no slowing down with Team DiCaprio/Scorsese by creating one of the most intriguing and engrossing films of the year.

Rating: 8/10

Check out Shutter Island in theaters February 19th!

Trailer

ScreenCrave.com » Michelle Williams

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