Paul Thomas Anderson, who last collaborated with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix on The Master, traverses more comedic territory this time around, as he tackles an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel Inherent Vice.
A shaggy dog mystery featuring Joaquin Phoenix as a way in over his head private eye, Inherent Vice was screened for select press members at the New York Film Festival (as reported in this Indiewire piece).
I interviewed Josh Brolin, who plays police officer “Bigfoot” Bjornsen in the film, and during the chat he talked about working with Paul Thomas Anderson on Inherent Vice (the discussion occurred while Brolin was promoting the overlooked Spike Lee directed feature Oldboy, and he mentions his Oldboy character Joe Doucett in the clip):
Inherent Vice has a limited run December 12 (for Awards consideration) and opens nationwide January 9.
Édgar RamÃrez, seen earlier this year as a priest fighting demons in Deliver Us From Evil, reaches epic heights as Simón BolÃvar in The Liberator. Chronicling the evolution of the South American icon was certainly a daunting task for filmmaker Alberto Arvelo, and though the director mounts various BolÃvar campaigns to visually arresting affect, much of The Liberator’s success rests with RamÃrez’s inspired performance.
We are introduced to BolÃvar as a Venezuelan who’s born into privilege, and his youthful confidence is tempered by his insightful beliefs on equality and social justice, lessons imparted by his tutor Simon Rodriguez (Francisco Denis). After his marriage (a luminous Maria Valverde plays his wife) ends in tragedy, BolÃvar is initially disillusioned and directionless, until he leads a campaign to liberate northern South America.
Édgar Ramirez in The Liberator (Cohen Media Group)
Simon BolÃvar is a near mythic figure, and having been known as fighting over 100 battles against the Spanish Empire and riding over 70,000 miles on horseback, it’s easy to see why Arvelo infuses The Liberator with grand scale storytelling (Gustavo Dudamel’s sweeping and resonant score adds to the mix).
But amidst the battles and BolÃvar’s speeches, the film’s biggest takeaway is RamÃrez, who effectively portrays the inner struggles that reside within this iconic figure. RamÃrez knows that before one portrays a legend, he must play the actual man (BolÃvar died of tuberculosis at 47).
Filmed in Spain and Venezuela, The Liberator is also pleasing to the eye, as Arvelo and crew get the most out of the project’s reported $50 million budget. Now playing in limited release, The Liberator (119 minutes, R) is a narrative that should be seen on the big screen, especially if you love historical epics.
**In the audio clip below, RamÃrez explains how Simón BolÃvar’s personal loss inspired his lifelong quest for freedom and liberty:
Opening October 10 in New York and Los Angeles, Whiplash centers on Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller in a breakout role), a driven jazz drummer who risks it all to learn from revered instructor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). Fletcher’s emotionally and physically abusive methods push Andrew to the brink at the prestigious music conservatory, and their battle of wills serves as the story’s heart and soul.
The picture is inspired by director/writer Damien Chazelle’s own life in the music world. “I asked Damien some technical questions with drumming because he is a better jazz drummer than I am,” said Teller at the Whiplash press conference. “I was using him for that as much as I could, but for the character, it was all there on the page. It was very clear what Andrew Neyman was all about. For Andrew, he wants to be the greatest drummer of all time and that’s really his sole kind of desire.”
Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons – Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics, CR: Daniel McFadden)
Miles Teller’s extensive music background started on the piano at just six years old. Eventually he would move on to drums, and those well honed skills helped ease Whiplash’s seemingly steep learning curve.
Click on the media bar below to hear Miles Teller talk about his music background (J.K. Simmons is also heard on the clip):
Released this week on DVD, Lucky Them (IFC Films, 96 minutes, R) centers on Ellie Klug (Toni Collette), a Seattle rock journalist who’s assigned by her magazine’s editor (Oliver Platt) to search for Matthew Smith, a music legend who disappeared years ago. A reluctant Ellie is forced to write a story about her ex-boyfriend to increase the magazine’s flagging business and, in turn, save her job.
Helping Ellie’s mission is Charlie (Thomas Haden Church), an eccentric former love interest who documents (he’s an aspiring filmmaker) their journey to find her presumed dead lover. The Blacklist’s Ryan Eggold also stars as the struggling musician who romances his way into Ellie’s life and all too jaded heart.
Thomas Haden Church & Toni Collette in ‘Lucky Them’ – (IFC Films)
Directed by Megan Griffiths, the project took years to get off the ground, as co-writer/producer Emily Wachtel initially pitched the project to late actor Paul Newman. Although Newman, who died in 2008, was interested in the project, his flagging health made his participation impossible (Newman’s widow Joanne Woodward is credited as an executive producer on Lucky Them).
Filmed on a shoestring budget by Megan Griffiths, Lucky Them’s biggest challenge is getting viewers to sympathize with Ellie Klug, as she comes across as self-centered and dismissive from the get go. The root of Ellie’s crisis, however, lies in her refusal to deal with her past scars and attempt to move on with the present. As a music junkie, her domicile is filled with records, CDs, and a whole pile of memories she refuses to deal with. Her quixotic mission to find Matthew may bring some much needed closure.
Thomas Haden Church brings his distinct cadence and comedic delivery to the proceedings, and Charlie is Lucky Them’s most unpredictable element. Although the big mystery is whether Matthew is still alive, Charlie’s eccentric point of view leads to memorable exchanges with Ellie, as she eventually warms up to his refreshing candor.
Griffiths directs the film with a sure hand, as she’s not afraid to lead her story in different and unexpected directions. The final chapter, when Ellie comes face to face with a surprising revelation, gives the narrative a surprising and subtle level of resonance.
Toni Collette in Lucky Them (IFC Films)
There is a slight twist to Lucky Them that, if Megan Griffiths desired, may have led to more “box-office” business to the film (it was released earlier this year). But Griffiths takes a page out of Ellie Klug’s playbooks, preferring that viewers eventually uncover the big secret sans any media fanfare. It’s a creative decision that should be applauded, as many filmmakers would have trumpeted the film’s “twist” just to scrounge up more business.
I refuse to spoil the ending of Lucky Them, and if you check out the film – try to see it with fresh eyes. Sometimes the past should be left behind, and whether it’s Seattle, Los Angeles, or the ends of the earth, playing the same old song isn’t the way to go. There’s always music just around the corner, and Lucky Them spins quite an arresting, and at times heartbreaking, tune.
Special Features: The DVD comes with a featurette and behind the scenes look at the making of Lucky Them. Both segments, though brief, offer an informative look at the diligent, 10-year journey it took to get the film made. Actors Toni Collette, Thomas Haden Church, Nina Arianda, Ryan Eggold, Ahna O’Reilly, and Oliver Platt, as well as cinematographer Ben Kutchins, director Megan Griffiths, and screenwriter/producer Emily Wachtel are among the cast and crew that are interviewed on the bonus features.
Third Person (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 137 minutes, R), which was just released this week on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD, is an ambitious narrative centering on love and betrayal that takes place in Paris, Rome, and New York. Directed and penned by Paul Haggis (Crash, In the Valley of Elah), the project took Haggis over two and a half years to finish.
Some moviegoers were perplexed and frustrated by the film’s ambiguity and puzzle laden storyline, but if you’re inspired by non-linear, perspective shifting tales (Third Person is partially inspired by such films as Blow-Up and The Passenger), then Third Person is worth your attention.
The three storylines from Third Person are as follows:
Paris: Â Liam Neeson is a Pulitzer Prize winning writer who’s suffering a creative crises. Selfish and self-indulgent to the core, he spends his day with a younger colleague (Olivia Wilde) who’s trying to get her own career off the ground. Though both of them are madly in love with each other, continued manipulations and deceit drive a wedge to their union.
Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde in Third Person – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rome: Adrien Brody is a businessman who becomes instantly infatuated with a gypsy (Moran Atias) while drinking at a bar. Upon learning the woman’s daughter was kidnapped, he gets embroiled in an operation that places his life in danger.
Adrien Brody and Moran Atias in ‘Third Person’ – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
New York: A former soap opera actress turned maid (Mila Kunis) is in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband/artist (James Franco). Even with a competent lawyer by her side (Maria Bello), her continued irresponsibility leads to dire consequences.
Mila Kunis in Third Person (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Eventually, all of these stories intersect in a huge twist that can, depending on the viewer, be deemed infuriating or creatively invigorating.
Special features on this disc include:
The Making of Third Person (9:50)- The featurette on the making of the flick, contains the opening Paul Haggis comment: “I always hope the same thing when I’m making a film, which is just to write an interesting story and then tell it well.” Liam Neeson, Adrian Brody, Moran Atias, Olivia Wilde, Mila Kunis, Maria Bello, and producer Michael Nozik are among the cast and crew interviewed on the segment.
Filmmaker Commentary – Paul Haggis, Moran Atias, producer Michael Nozik, production designer Laurence Bennett, and editor Jo Francis are on the commentary track. If you’ve already the seen the movie and are a bit confused with the story’s final chapter, this commentary breaks everything down and leaves no questions left unanswered.
Q&A With Paul Haggis (33:29) – A KCET Cinema Series Q&A moderated by Pete Hammond, this special feature is a must watch if you’re curious about Paul Haggis’ writing process. Haggis is very lively and frank during the chat, and Hammond was more than up to the task as the interviewer.
In the media clip below, Mila Kunis explains why she loved exploring her character in Third Person:
Third Person is now out on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD.
Although Kate Walsh may have carved out a solid dramatic career thanks to her work on TV series Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and most recently Fargo, the actress also has a comedic background. Those seeds were planted years ago during her days at Chicago’s Piven Theatre Workshop.
“I’ve always kind of lived in both worlds,” said Walsh, whose new show Bad Judge premieres on NBC tomorrow night at 9 pm et/pt. “I always did comedy and drama (but) then Grey’s Anatomy came along and hit and that’s what I became known for.”
With Bad Judge, Walsh stars as Rebecca Wright, a judge who lays down the law in her courtroom but finds her life outside the legal system a bit chaotic for her own good. Carousing, boozing, and not plain giving a darn does have its appeal, and viewers can expect Wright to partake in all sorts of mayhem.
BAD JUDGE — “Pilot” — Pictured: Kate Walsh as Rebecca — (Photo by: John Fleenor/NBC)
In our video below, Kate Walsh talks about her improv days in Chicago, where she met Bad Judge executive producer (and Anchorman filmmaker) Adam McKay and a host of talented performers.
Bad Judge, co-starring Tone Bell, debuts October 2 on NBC (9 pm et/pt)
Ridley Scott is a master at directing epics, and he pulled off one of his more amazing feats by shooting Exodus: Gods and Kings in just 74 days. Christian Bale joins Scott’s sword and sandal universe as Moses with Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Animal Kingdom) playing the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses.
20th Century Fox provided the media with an early look of Exodus: Gods and Kings, as they showed select scenes from the film, followed by a Q&A with Christian Bale (the event’s details are covered in a Hitfix post).
Although the special effects and music were still at their temp stages, Ridley Scott’s visually ambitious scope was fully evident in a riveting action sequence involving Edgerton and Bale. The chemistry between the two leads is also evident, and co-star Maria Valverde (The Liberator) also lights up the screen as Moses’ love interest.
With such epics as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Robin Hood under his belt, Ridley Scott looks like he’s in fine form with Exodus: Gods and Kings.
Audience members can decide for themselves if Scott and company pull it off when the film opens nationwide December 12. But for now here’s the latest trailer that was just released this morning:
Exodus: Gods and Kings opens nationwide December 12.
One of the most ambitious games I’ve played on my PlayStation Vita is the recently released BANDAI NAMCO Games America Inc. title Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment. A major update was released last week to heighten the title’s MMO simulated, RPG experience.
With the update, gamers can take part in the “Grand Quest,” an eent which gives players the chance to gain a secret special attack. New bosses, monsters, weapons, as well as character interactions with Argo, Sachi, and Kibaou are also available with the update.
I’ll be posting aSword Art Online: Hollow Fragment review later this week, and if you’re a fan of RPG journeys that contain beautifully rendered cut scenes and possess an addictive hack and slash mechanic, this game shouldn’t disappoint.
Below is a selection of what you’ll see with the update:
John Fogerty revisits a seminal moment in his creative life, as his ‘1969’ tour starting November 7 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Fogerty, who coincidentally is 69, released three albums with Creedence Clearwater Revival(Bayou Country, Green River, Will and the Poor Boys) that year. Although the first leg of his tour will be a coast to coast trek throughout Canada, more countries and dates will be announced in 2015.
The tour’s song selection will be culled from the three ’69 albums but also include his catalog of hits. Fogerty, who as a solo artist is best known for the 1985 album Centerfield, continues to record music. In 2013, he released the album Wrote a Song For Everyone, a collection that featured him covering CCR tunes with various artists (Foo Fighters collaborated with him on “Fortunate Son,” and Kid Rock appeared on “Born on the Bayou”).
John Fogerty’s “1969” Tour Details:
11/7 – St. John’s, NL                          Mile One Stadium 11/8 – St. John’s, NL                          Mile One Stadium 11/10 -Halifax, NS                             Halifax Metro Centre 11/12 – Montreal, QC                      Bell Centre 11/13 – Rama, ON                              Casino Rama 11/14 – Oshawa, ON                        GM Centre 11/15 – Hamilton, ON                      Copps Coliseum 11/17 – Sudbury, ON                        Sudbury Arena 11/19 – Winnipeg, MB                     MTS Centre 11/20 – Moose Jaw, SK                    Mosaic Place 11/21 – Saskatoon, SK                      Credit Union Centre 11/23 – Edmonton, AB                     Rexall Place 11/24 – Calgary, AB                            Scotiabank Saddledome 11/25 – Dawson Creek, BC            EnCana Events Centre 11/27 – Penticton, BC                       South Okanagan Events Centre 11/28 – Abbotsford, BC                   Abbotsford Centre
11/29 – Victoria, BC Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Save On Foods Memorial Centre
Denzel Washington is one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and his go-to status continues with $35 million opening of The Equalizer. Coming in second was The Maze Runner, which took in $17.5 million, followed by a solid third place opening from the stop motion animated flick The Boxtrolls. Here’s the top 10:
