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The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann is a twisted tale of obsession, danger, and discovery all with a great mix of science and history in one book about the travels through the South American jungles.
The film, which is slated to begin production in late April, is about Robin Hood and his life. Russell Crowe is set to play Robin Hood with Cate Blanchett having just signed on to play Maid Marian. Originally Sienna Miller was in talks for the role, but it did not work out. The film was being called "Nottingham" but a title change is occurring. O the anticipation of unnamed projects!
That is the premise that appears to be the movie Gran Torino which stars Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski. His character has alot more to say however in the film than just "get off my lawn." At first he appears to be a lonely, backwards thinking old man who seems to have no real connection to any living person around him. As the plot unfolds however and events cause him to begin interacting with those around him more and more, you realize how this troubled man really is a caring and good-hearted individual. This movie really is a must see as it touches a true note on what it is to be human and live a life that is fulled with not only joys but many sorrows.
Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, and now Freida Pinto will be starring in Woody Allen's still untitled next project. Will she be his next obsession? More information on the project is to be released soon which is currently labeled as "Unititled Woody Allen London Project"...even without the plot, the cast sounds quite worthwhile!
Last night's Academy Awards played out beautifully with song & dance numbers by the wonderful host Hugh Jackman, joined by many different faces including Anne Hathaway, Beyonce, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and so on. The actual award presentations were great to watch as well as they brought out five past winners in various categories to present the bigger awards for acting in the evening. As for who actually won, Slumdog Millionaire literally became rich last night with eight trophies...and here is the majority of the list:
Best Picutre: Slumdog MillionaireBest Actor: Sean Penn for Milk
Best Actress: Kate Winslet for The Reader
Best Director: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Orginial Screenplay: Milk
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Milionaire
Animated Feature: WALL-E
Art Direction, Makeup, and Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Costume Design: The Duchess
Sound Mixing, Original Score, Best Song: Slumdog Millionaire
Film Editing & Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
Some I agreed with, others not entirely, but overall I believe these films truly all deserved to be nominated & find themselves on a winners list. I thought Waltz with Bashir was an incredible foreign film, but since I have not seen the others on the list, I couldn't get upset with it not winning. Sean Penn was incredible, but I would've given it to Mickey, but Penn did give a great speech. Other wonderful speeches of the night came from Penelope Cruz & Kate Winslet who are always elegant and eloquent and wonderful to just watch. In general the night was full of a lot of energy and I found the ceremony to move along and keep up an entertaining beat for its entirety.
In the spirit of the movie I reviewed below, this week's book pick is The Last Single Woman in America. A hilarious tongue in cheek collection of essays by Cindy Guidry, a former film executive from Hollywood, who after finding herself without even the hint of a beau at 40 deems herself the title and puts pen to paper that results in brutle honest tales of her endeavors in the battlefield that is love.
There were many emotions I felt while watching He's Just Not That Into You, one of those being a sense of utter frustration with 95% of the female characters to get it together & the same percentage of male characters to stop behaving like stereotypical non committal men.
Okay so the movie had its cheese moments but with an overall great cast it was quite funny. I definitely recommend it for the ladies, but would say go with a friend because you will surely not want to hang out with a guy after wards unless he ends up being as perfect as Justin Long's character in the film...and since most will probably fall in Bradley Cooper's character's category, definately leave them behind.
I have never read the book and can't very much relate to any character except Ben Affleck as funny as that is being a girl, but I laughed out loud alot and didn't seem to notice it was over 129 min long until the credits were reeling.
My fetish for beautiful old European garb had not been looked into for a while and so I rented The Duchess. A little Keira Knightley in puffy dresses and big wigs did the trick and also told an interesting story. Her character of Georgiana, the duchess of Devonshire, is far from being a perfect person, however you do feel for her as she is trapped in a suphocating marriage to the Duke of Devonshire played by usually liked, but fiersly loathed in this role, Ralph Fiennes.
The story follows this unhappily wedded duo as they try to have what every titled nobility of the time want... a son. Very Henry the VIII but alot less wife murdering. Overall the picture is shot beautifully and should definately be looked at in the Oscar contenders list for Best Makeup & Costume Design. Since the real life duchess really was quite the fashionista of her day.
Gomorra presented by Martin Scorsese, directed by Matteo Garrone, paints a very different picture for the crowd who has grown up of the romanticized mob films which include The Godfather, Goodfellas, and Casino. The film is based on a book by the same name by Roberto Saviano, who was basically a whistleblower of the modern day crime associations that inhabit Naples, Italy. The tragic and graphic movie follows various characters as you watch them try to escape an inevitable demise in a world that is neither fair or full of much hope. The film is definately worth catching, although playing in limited release. A fair warning though, it runs 140 minutes...which may have been my only qualms with the film, the necessity for additional editing, but apart from that it was definately eye opening!
One of the only tracks I had heard of by the Rascall Flatts before Thursday night, when I attended their concert at Madison Square Garden. As I am not a country music fan, I did not know what to expect of the night, with the hit group headlining and the newly turned country crooner former pop ditz Jessica Simspon opening.
The night started with a beautiful, and not at all "fat" as she has been called recently Simpson belting out powerful but breathy tracks from her new album and trying to bring in the love as a true southerner, accent and all. Although I wouldnt say she was a bad performer by any means, I perferred the old chicken of the sea version of Jessica and her overall set left much to be desired. O the fall of pop singers...one of my guilty pleasures that needs to be indulged sometimes!
As RF came on I noticed how completely packed the Garden was and the level of energy that this trio brought with them the moment they began playing. Although my lack of familiarity with their music was evident, I enjoyed the set alot. The show was beautiful, fun, and left someone who would never have considered going, wanting to go again. Although I still may not go out and buy the album or watch CMT as my channel of choice, you bet I would be up to seeing the Flatts again!
Candy Land the board game is set to be made into a film, with Kevin Lima to direct. Should be an interesting undertaking but I think it will turn out well since Lima's last film Enchanted was a success and had the same whimsical fairytale/reality theme going on.
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani is appropriate for not only February but any month, with a well written enjoyable book that will surely be a quick read. For excerpts...
That is the name of the movie slated to begin production this spring and set to star is Sally Hawkins from Happy-Go-Lucky. The film will focus on a famous walkout of 850 women from a car plant in 1968 when they demanded equal pay. The title comes from a banner held during the walkout that was supposed to read "We want sex equality" but the last word was cut off! So instead it read We Want Sex.
Our City Dreams follows five female artists for one year as they continue to pursue their dreams and further their careers. The film is opening in very limited release but it is worth catching if its playing near you. For more information & the Times review...
Silence a screenplay adapted by Jay Cocks from the novel by Shusaku Endo is in production talks. Martin Scorsese is set to make it his and has apparently had it in his radar for around a decade. He is in talks with Graham King of GK films to make the film. Tentatively to star are Daniel Day-Lewis and Benicio Del Toro with Gael Garcia Bernal also in consideration. The story follows two Jesuit priests in their trials and tribulations as they travel through 17th century Japan looking for their mentor and spreading the Christian belief system.
That is the premise that appears to be the movie Gran Torino which stars Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski. His character has alot more to say however in the film than just "get off my lawn." At first he appears to be a lonely, backwards thinking old man who seems to have no real connection to any living person around him. As the plot unfolds however and events cause him to begin interacting with those around him more and more, you realize how this troubled man really is a caring and good-hearted individual. This movie really is a must see as it touches a true note on what it is to be human and live a life that is fulled with not only joys but many sorrows.
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