ScreenCrave.com » Robin Wright Penn

Justin Long Joins Redford’s The Conspirator

Krystal Clark — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:22:20 +0000

Everytime I see Justin Long I want to burst into laughter. Not because he’s weird looking or anything, but because he’s been featured in some of my favorite comedies. According to THR, the actor is about to make a serious shift to drama in Robert Redford‘s highly publicized, The Conspirator.

The Conspirator tells the story of Confederate sympathizer Mary Surratt (Robin Wright Penn), who was tried as a conspirator in the Lincoln assassination, and Col. Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), who reluctantly agreed to defend her before a military tribunal. Long will portray Aiken’s friend and confidante who happens to be a soldier who lost a limb in war. Is it bad that I kind of giggled when I read that description? There I go again, thinking of him in terms of comedy.

This film will definitely give Long the opportunity to show the world what he’s made of when it comes to drama. He’ll be working closely with McAvoy, who I think is one of the most talented young actors in the industry, and taking direction from the legendary Robert Redford. I wonder what he pulled in his audition, because I have to admit this is a brave choice.

What do you think of Justin Long joining The Conspirator?

New York, I Love You Trailer Starring EVERYONE

Mali Elfman — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:25:25 +0000

This is quite possibly one of the biggest cast of directors and actors out there. New York, I Love You is a combination of 12 short films that take place in New York. The film follows (or rather pays omage to) the style of Paris, Je T’Aime. Each film has a different director, different actors, but they all come together in one way; they are about finding love in New York.

The film includes a series of short films directed by Jian Wen, Mira Nair, Brett Ratner, Allen Hughes, Shekhar Khapur, Natalie Portman, Fatih Akin, Joshua Marston and Randy Balsmyer. The film’s ensemble cast includes actors from all different genres including: Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Andy Garcia, Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Natalie Portman, Irrfan Khan, Emilie Ohana, Orlando Bloom, Christina Ricci, Maggie Q, Ethan Hawke, Anton Yelchin, James Caan, Olivia Thilrlby, Blake Lively, Drea de Matteo, Julie Christie, John Hurt, Shia LaBeouf, Ugur Yucel, Taylor Geare, Carlos Acosta, Jacinda Barrett, Shu Qi, Burt Young, Chris Cooper, Robin Wright Penn, Eva Ammuri, Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman.

Check out the trailer below…

For something that could seem so hectic, it’s actually very easy to take in. It’s nice to see such a wide variety of talent together. It seems like it’s a great excuse for some bigger stars who haven’t really done the romantic dramedy scene yet (Orlando Bloom, Shia La Beouf) to give the genre a try, as well as a place for up and comers (Rachel Bilson, Olivia Thirlby) to work with some big names.

The film will be in theaters October 28th.

Will you go and see it?

A Christmas Carol German Poster

Krystal Clark — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:32:18 +0000

The movies for this upcoming holiday season are really trying to bring the little kid out in me. First with the The Princess and the Frog and now with A Christmas Carol. Carol is a CGI adaptation of the Charles Dickens literary classic with Jim Carrey starring as the heartless Ebenezer Scrooge. Robert Zemeckis is the director behind the piece, which looks like it will be a great addition to my holiday movie collection in the future. Over at the DVD-Forum.at, they’ve gotten a hold of a German poster promoting the film and it looks amazing!

Check out the full sized photo after the jump.

Is it just me or does this image make you want to curl up with some hot cocoa on a cold winter’s night? Perhaps that was a bit dramatic but this is a great looking poster. A Christmas Carol hits theaters stateside on November 6, and co-stars Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Robin Wright Penn. I need this movie in my life, but I don’t know if I can wait so long.

Are you excited about seeing Robert Zemeckis’ version of A Christmas Carol?

Review: What Just Happened?

Mali Elfman — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:47:24 +0000

The title says it all. Which leads me to believe that, that empty feeling you walk out of the theater with is exactly what they wanted you to feel.

I remember when I was about 10 and I asked someone who worked in “the biz”, what a Producer does. He said something along the lines of “a bit of everything.” I asked, what that meant. He couldn’t answer. At least he couldn’t come up with an answer that a 10-year-old would be satisfied with. I think this film is exactly that. It is a bit of everything, but doesn’t know exactly what it’s meant to do.

The film as a whole is clever, but everything in it is not. The first half of the film is quick enough that you’re entertained, but the second half appears to wash away into a sea of nothingness. I get that, that is their point. That they are giving you the ending that no one will give you. BUT if you’re going to do that you have to do something else to make it worthwhile. The dialogue and the dark humor should be top notch and it’s just not quite there.

The acting in it is amazing. Obviously this film had struck a cord with Hollywood actors because they managed to gather Robert De Niro, Stanely Tucci, Bruce Willis, John Turturro, Catherine Keener, Robin Wright Penn, Sean Penn and more. If they would have had anyone but the best, this film would have been atrocious. With this cast it would be a challenge to really fuck it up.

I don’t know how far this film will go as it seems like an inside joke with Hollywood. From Bruce Willis throw a huge tantrum because they want him to shave his beard, to the over emotional director, to the studios controlling everything that gets made. Although they over-dramatize the situations in many ways this film is very true to life and it’s very bleak. I have a thing about depressing movies, if the filmmakers are going to go there I want there to be some redemption at the end or some reason for the depression, I got neither from this film. The film seems very real as in, it’s the way life goes. But I know the way life goes. I have to live with “the way life goes” every single day. I need hope, change, or complete destruction to be okay with watching something so dismal.

It’s hard to watch a character that never seems to get anything right and never really changes. He even realizes he should change, he realizes his life is shit, and yet he does nothing. Robert De Niro’s character is so un-likable and without almost no redeeming qualities. You pity him. But you can only feel that way for so long seeing as he’s the one that has made his life that way and won’t do anything to change it. But perhaps that’s the point. Realizing that the people who stifle filmmakers creativity, the people who make the big bucks and live in the nice cars, the people who tell you what to do are really the most miserable of all.

I will say this. The film is interesting, it made me think, and it made for a great conversation after. I don’t think the film itself is that great, but I think the thoughts it provokes and the way it feelings it leaves one with are enough to make it worth a gander.

In theaters November 13th.

For more information check out whatjusthappenedfilm.com

Review: Hounddog is for the Dogs

Guest Writer — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:41:02 +0000

Last week, a new film by Deborah Kampmeier, hit theaters. “Hounddog” is a story about a young girl finding sanctuary within music – or at least that’s what the story should have been about. I’ll admit it – I am a sucker for cutesy, heartfelt movies with Southern accents. Plus this one had an amazing cast including Dakota Fanning, Robin Wright Penn, David Morse, Piper Laurie and many more. So when I saw the trailer for “Hounddogs” I was happy to spend my sunny afternoon in a dark theatre. I was ready to walk out of the theatre with that warm feeling and a slight twang in my speech.

But by the end, I wanted Dakota Fanning to get bitten by the snakes that she has some inexplicable cosmic connection with throughout the film. And I never want to hear the song “Hounddog” again. This movie is not “My Girl” and it’s not “Forrest Gump”, but it kind of wants to be both and fails.

Again, I was really rooting for this film. It has a great cast who all play their parts well – Robin Wright Penn, Dakota Fanning, David Morse and Piper Laurie – but it tried to cram too much in to what should have been a simple and strong story: Girl loves Elvis. Elvis comes to town. Girl wants to see Elvis play and runaway with him. Story about what happens.

It’s not a pretty story, in fact it deals with some pretty heavy stuff. Dakota Fanning does a decent job of dealing with the issues and events in this girl’s life – abusive father, rape, alcoholism, povery. But in the telling of the story, the characters role in her life get jumbled, the timeline doesn’t quite work and the influence of all of these characters gets lost in their competition for her attention.

I’ll give it an A for effort, but a B- for the final cut.

ScreenCrave.com » Robin Wright Penn

Justin Long Joins Redford’s The Conspirator

Related Posts

New York, I Love You Trailer Starring EVERYONE

Related Posts

A Christmas Carol German Poster

Related Posts

Review: What Just Happened?

Related Posts

Review: Hounddog is for the Dogs

Related Posts