One of Whiplash’s strengths rests in the sheer physicality of the performance of actors Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. The story of a highly ambitious young drummer (Teller) who takes his sanity to the limits while learning from an abusive jazz instructor (J.K. Simmons), Whiplash should be a favorite come awards season time, and the feature also marks the arrival of promising filmmaker Damien Chazelle.
Whiplash maintains its fever pitch throughout its 106 minutes, and the final chapter, which features a showdown between the drummer and his mentor, is a sight to behold. “We don’t think of instruments as physical,” said Chazelle, whose story was inspired by his own experience as part of a high school jazz orchestra. “We think of dance as physical. We think of sports as physical. (With) music, we don’t. But trumpeters screw their lips up, violinists screw their backs up, and drummers screw their hands up.”
Although Terence Fletcher (Simmons) is a teacher who crosses the line with his students, there is a perverse method to his madness. Certain musicians thrive under pressure and may actually flourish under abusive tactics, and it’s an issue that Chazelle addresses in the narrative:
“I had teacher like (Terence Fletcher) and it made me a better drummer. But as a humanist I can’t condone what he does – and I wanted to make the character as monstrous as possible so that it’s hard to condone what he does. It’s undeniable that it’s a big part of jazz and music history – this kind of streak of tyranny leading to great musicianship.”
J.K. Simmons, Damien Chazelle, Miles Teller (Sony Pictures Classics, CR: Daniel McFadden)
Whiplash captures the pulse and rhythm of New York, but most of the production was shot in downtown Los Angeles. During the press conference, Chazelle explains why, even with tax credits available in the Big Apple, he shot Whiplash in the City of Angels.
Whiplash is now playing in New York and Los Angeles.
Esquire magazine has named Oscar winning actress Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) as the “Sexiest Woman Alive.” Cruz, whose film credits include Abre Los Ojos, Vanilla Sky, Volver, and last year’s underrated drama The Counselor, is featured on the November issue of Esquire, which hits newsstands October 21.
In her Esquire interview, Penelope Cruz talked about her willingness to explore the dark corners of humanity in various roles:
“I’ve played a lot of tricks on myself. I’ve made it hard for me sometimes, especially in my teens and twenties. I had an attraction to drama. Most of us have that, especially if you are an artist— you feel like you are tempted to explore the darkness. I could not be less interested now. For me, the most attractive, charming, cool, fun, interesting thing—how could I call it? A plan.”
Cruz is Esquire magazine’s 11th “Sexiest Woman Alive,” as she follows two time winner Scarlett Johansson (the pair worked together on Vicky Cristina Barcelona).
Premiering tomorrow night, Marry Me centers on Annie (Casey Wilson) and Jake (Ken Marino), a couple who’ve been together for six years but still haven’t made the trip down the aisle. Annie believes Jake just doesn’t want to commit, but unfortunately Jake’s recent marriage proposal ended up in disaster.
Will Jake finally get down on one knee and pop the question, and will any kind of proposal satisfy Annie’s expectations? Writer David Caspe (who’s married to Wilson and worked with her on Happy Endings), director Seth Gordon (The Goldbergs) and producer Jamie Tarses (Men at Work) have all played a part in nurturing the project, whose success will partly hinge on the chemistry between Wilson and Marino.
“It’s going to be more of a show about a couple and their friends and parents versus a show about a wedding,” said Wilson, who also co-penned the 2009 Anne Hathaway/Kate Hudson comedy Bride Wars. “It’s not super girly – it’s kind of about a relationship that I think everyone can hopefully relate to.”
In the video clip below, Casey Wilson talks about how a portion of Marry Me is inspired by her union with Caspe (he also penned the 2012 Adam Sandler comedy That’s My Boy).
Marry Me, co-starring Tim Meadows, John Gemberling, and Sarah Wright Olsen, premieres Tuesday, October 14 (9 pm et/pt) on NBC.
http://youtu.be/3BCTZFGygz0
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You’re in for a wild (yet adorable) ride! #MarryMe
If you’ve seen Brokeback Mountain, End of Watch or last year’s Prisoners, Jake Gyllenhaal’s acting skills may be something you appreciate. Part of that his skill set, at times, requires a full immersion in the role, and it’s an experience he had shooting his latest film Nightcrawler.
The actor is also on board as a producer in Nightcrawler, the story of Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal), a hard working opportunist who’s in desperate need of a job. After witnessing a freeway car accident that is taped by freelance camera man (Bill Paxton), he realizes that selling video footage to news stations may signal a new career.
Armed with a police scanner, tons of moxie and sociopathic tendencies, Lou skirts the Los Angeles streets for “if it bleeds, it leads” stories. Even if his methods are unscrupulous and manipulative, Lou understands that juicy news footage can only help his flourishing career.
Gyllenhaal has starred in two visionary takes on a different side of Los Angeles with End of Watch and Nightcrawler, and during a recent interview I asked him which city (New York or Los Angeles), is the best place to nurture one’s acting life.
“What nurtures my acting life is – my life,” said the actor, who grew up in the Los Angeles suburbs Hancock Park. “My life and my family happens to be in New York. A majority of my family is there. That’s my connection to something that feels the most real and grounded – (and) that’s the thing that’s made my work, I think, more interesting to me.”
Click on the media bar to hear Jake Gyllenhaal explain why he really didn’t have much of a life during the production of Nightcrawler:
Co-starring Rene Russo and directed by Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler opens nationwide October 31.
Gone Girl shook off three new films to retain the top spot at the box-office, as it made $26.8 million. The closest challenger to the film was Dracula Untold, which made $23.5 million. Robert Downey Jr.’ s star power couldn’t life The Judge from a mediocre opening weekend, as it limped into fifth place.
This weekend’s box-office top 10:
Gone Girl – $26.8 million
Dracula Untold – Takes a substantial box office bite with a $23.5 million debut.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible No Good Very Bad Day – Family film checks in $19.1 million. If you want to see a great film with Alexander co-star Logan Lerman, check out Fury when it comes out October 17.
Annabelle – $16.4 million
The Judge – Disappoints with a $13.3 million.
The Equalizer – Denzel Washington flick turns in $9.7 million.
Dead Snow 2: Red Vs. Dead is director Tommy Wirkola’s follow up to beloved film Dead Snow. Initiates to the universe should be intimidated, however, as the first several minutes of the sequel gives an adrenaline fueled recap of the storyline.
All you’ll need to know is that Martin (Vegar Hoel) continues his battle with Colonel Herzog and his Nazi Zombies, but this time out he’s blessed (and cursed) with an invincible Zombie arm that kills everything in its path.
Dead Snow 2: Red Vs. Dead – Well Go USA
With the help of the U.S. based group known as the Zombie Squad (Martin Starr, Jocelyn DeBoer, Ingrid Haas), Martin is on a mission to finally wipe Herzog off the face of the earth. Although he’s Nazi zombie killing is his main priority, Martin still has romantic designs on his skin-rotting, undead girlfriend (he accidentally killed her in the first film).
“It was really hard, because the script was so ambitious – based on the budget,” said Wirkola, who previously directed the feature Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. “We had a lot of fun on set, and it always helps when you enjoy working with the crew. It pushes you even further.”
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead poster – Well Go USA
In the audio clip below, Wirkola talks about the challenges of shooting in Iceland and why he’s passionate about using practical effects in his movies (Martin Starr can be heard in the background):
Now playing in select theaters, Field of Lost Shoes, is an ambitious Civil War epic that centers on the Battle of New Market, a conflict which had 274 Virginia Military Institute (VMI) cadets squaring off against Union soldiers. Keith David, Tom Skerritt (as Ulysses S. Grant), David Arquette, Lauren Holly, and Jason Isaacs (as Confederate General John C. Breckenridge) are among the go-to veteran actors featured in the film.
Armed with a solid cast, a script polish from screenwriting guru Ronald Bass (Rain Man, The Joy Luck Club) and a nose to the grindstone director (Soul Surfer filmmaker Sean McNamara), Field of Lost Shoes has all the right ingredients for a good film. McNamara, who also worked with Bass for his upcoming project The Moon and the Sun, explains that even with all the right elements, everything starts with the screenplay.
“Can you feel for these boys who gave their life for this cause,” said McNamara, who also directed the family films Raise Your Voice and Bratz. “Personally, I have three boys – they are 5, 6, and 11. The thought of them going off to any war – no matter what, when you’re a boy you’re just going to believe the side you’re on. It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong – they fight for their families and for what they believe in.”
Zach Roerig as Jack Stanard and Luke Benward as John Wise in the historical drama “FIELD OF LOST SHOES” a Bosch Media release. Photo courtesy of Bosch Media.
Although it wasn’t armed with a $100 million budget, Field of Lost Shoes is blessed with arresting performances from its ensemble (Luke Benward and Max Lloyd-Jones are particularly memorable) and surefooted filmmaking from McNamara.
While scouting locations and visualizing sequences for Field of Lost Shoes, McNamara utilized such devices as his iPhone and the Go Pro Camera to help plan his shots for the feature. A lifelong devotee of film (he’s shot most of his movies on 35mm), McNamara also embraces the reality (and convenience) of the digital age.
Field of Lost Shoes – Bosch Media
“But now, technologically, literally with your iPhone you can shoot things, edit it, and put music to it and come up with a point of view that nobody’s ever seen before,” says McNamara, who shot three movies last year. “Today is the time for the filmmaker because they can prove themselves, and then they can get more expensive stuff to make a studio film. That being said, there’s more opportunities for distribution (with streaming services and VOD). I think there’s more opportunities and production everywhere.”
Speaking of opportunities, Field of Lost Shoes is definitely worth a look on the big screen, as McNamara effectively maximized the film’s relatively modest budget.
The new trailer for Digimon All-Star Rumblefeatures the various playable Digimon and their Digivolved forms in the throes of conflict. Under the game’s Story Mode, players will discover the genesis behind the “Digimon Evolution Tournament” and uncover the secret agenda that has kept its wheels turning.
Digimon All Star Rumble – (Bandai Namco Games)
Each Digmon gets their own sequence under Story Mode, and at the end of each stage players will take on a rival that will try to knock them out of the tournament. The goal is to Digivolve, vanquish your opponents and become a tough as nails Digimon hero. The game is being featured at this year’s New York Comic Con (it runs October 9-12) and a Digimon giveaway is being hosted on Tumblr during the convention. For details, go to: http://bandainamcous.tumblr.com/
Digimon All Star Rumble (Bandai Namco Games)
Digimon All-Star Rumble (Bandai Namco Games, ESRB: E10+, $39.99) is slated for release November 11 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. To pre-order the game, please go to this link: http://amzn.to/ZcDbwi
It’s been a creatively productive several years for actress Camilla Luddington, thanks to her work on Grey’s Anatomy as well as playing the indomitable Lara Croft in last year’s acclaimed videogame Tomb Raider (Rise of the Tomb Raider is set for 2015). If you’re into thrillers, her next choice might be up your alley.
With The Pact 2, Luddington is June Abbott, a crime-scene cleaner and emotionally complex artist who may hold a connection to the Judas Killer (the murderer featured in The Pact). There’s a valid reason why June immerses herself in a world of shadows, and though directors Dallas Richard Hallam and Patrick Horvath aren’t afraid to spill a little blood in The Pact 2 (the picture opens Friday), many of the film’s scares surface from the atmospheric unease that surrounds June’s universe.
During our conversation, Luddington talked about her love of horror films and creating a backstory for her character on The Pact 2. She also elaborates on why she loves getting feedback from Grey’s Anatomy and Tomb Raider fans.
Luddington was gracious and refreshingly gregarious throughout the chat, and when artists are filled with good intentions, one can only hope for their continued success.
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What led you to The Pact 2? Was it the narrative or simply the chance to work with the filmmakers?
Well first off, I’m a huge horror movie fan. My family members are all huge horror movie fans. We grew up watching Halloween and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and even kind of odd movies like the French film Martyrs.
I had an interest in doing a horror movie and I was approached about (The Pact 2) during the summer of my hiatus off of Grey’s Anatomy and I was asked to meet the directors. The first thing I did was watch (The Pact) which I really loved and I loved Caity Lotz’s performance.
(The Pact 2 directors Hallam and Horvath) were super passionate and they had a clear idea of what they wanted to do with the movie. I’m always attracted to characters are in no way bimbos or kind of perfect – a little bit tortured, which is what June is. That conversation led to a chemistry reading with Scott Michael Foster (he plays June’s police officer boyfriend) and it kind of went from there.
What was the key to creating June? Much of her world is an interior one, as she often internalizes her feelings and works them out through her drawings.
It was very fortunate for me. I went home to England for a couple of weeks and I got to sit with the script. When I came back, I had maybe four or five days with the directors before shooting, which doesn’t always happen. It was really nice. I spent that time in England just asking a million questions about her backstory.
So a lot of her backstory and the choices I made for the character came out of those meetings – and it really helped inform me. June isn’t very emotional necessarily. She channels a lot of her inner conflicts through her comics and her drawings. That was really fun to play, but again I had a lot of questions about her backstory and it kind of all got answered in those five days.
Sometimes the (directors) didn’t have the answer and we would discuss what would make sense for her, or where I thought she was coming from. It was definitely fun to have that and it informed (the character) while filming.
The Pact 2 – (IFC Films / IFC Midnight)
As a film geek and actress, do you see more opportunities thanks to VOD and streaming? Is there more interesting material out there to explore?
I think so, and especially with the found footage films which started really with The Blair Witch Project, from what I remember. It’s encouraging people to pick up a camera and go and write their own material. There are lots of horror movies that are taking the opportunity to do their own stuff. For example, V/H/S – some of the stuff that comes out are really incredible and they’re done for no money and are very entertaining. (Just) being to get your hands on incredible technology for a very cheap price.
It’s really interesting for an actress and a horror movie fan to sit back and watch all the films that are coming out and see what people create. Even things like Slender Man, which was created over the internet, that’s interesting to me that something can go viral like that and sort of become part of pop culture and then urban legend. That’s just someone creating with exposure and the light. So yeah, there’s just a lot of great stuff out there.
Camilla Luddington in ‘The Pact 2’ (IFC Films/IFC Midnight)
Whether it’s being gutsy in taking on Lara Croft, your recurring work on Californication, or pushing the envelope with The Pact 2, it seems you love taking on new challenges as an actress.
I assume that every actor wants to do that. I’ve definitely done fantasy – I played a faerie on True Blood. I played Kate Middleton (William & Kate). Then I played this ridiculous, wonderful character on Californication and Lara Croft and now a doctor (on Grey’s Anatomy).
Part of it is me seeking out these projects and part of it is luck, to be honest. Because you go out for a lot of things that you like and you kind of just pray that you fit.
There are things that I turn down that I think won’t help in the longevity of my career. It’s always important to change it up as an actress. So yeah, a lot of thought goes into what I’ll audition for and meetings that I will take with directors. I hope that continues, because I feel very lucky so far.
I was a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan but I checked out when Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) left the show…
Oh no! I know…
On that note, you’re obviously working with a great writing staff and ensemble with Grey’s Anatomy, but what has it been like to also be in contact with the show’s loyal fans?
First off, it’s incredible. It’s in its 11th season. It blows my mind. The only experience I’ve had with fans this passionate are probably the Tomb Raider fans. They are absolutely exceptional – I have to say.
It’s very interesting with Grey’s Anatomy and having access (to the fans) with Twitter and Instagram because I feel very old, actually (laughs). They informed me of what “shipping” is, which I never knew. I don’t know if you know the term . . .
No I don’t.
Shipping is when you support two people getting into a relationship. I remember first getting on the show and people saying ‘Oh I ship Alex and Jo.’ I thought ‘ship them where?’ I was so confused (laughs), So I feel like the fans are keeping me young a little bit because they are so passionate.
What’s happening now are girls on the street who are 16 or 17 – they’re huge fans of Grey’s Anatomy and they would have been 6 or 7 when the show started. People are catching up and binge watching on Netflix. It’s incredible interacting with everybody and especially this younger generation that have newfound passion for the show. It’s pretty incredible.
Has working on Tomb Raider made you a better actress? Plus, playing one of videogames’ most iconic and beloved characters must be such a gratifying experience.
First of all, I didn’t know I was specifically auditioning for Tomb Raider. It had a codename of Krypted, and her name was Sarah. So when I got the role, I was blown away that I was getting to play Lara Croft. And yeah, she is iconic so it’s an honor to be part of the reboot.
Physically and emotionally, Tomb Raider pushed me more than any other project. She is often in the depths of despair and very interesting things happen when you’re at that point. The directors for Tomb Raider are constantly pushing me in that role because it’s very difficult. I’ve been able to explore a lot as an actress playing Lara Croft.
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#mova being applied #tombraider #laracroft #bonuspicforIG
I recently interviewed Patrick Fischler (The Pact 2 co-star) and he was talking about the ability to snap in and out of a role – as long as it’s not a big emotional scene. Do you have that same facility?
I have to say I work a little bit different. I adore Patrick – he’s amazing. I got to work with him on Californication and The Pact 2. When scenes are a little bit heavy, or if I’m doing something where I’m having a fight with my boyfriend in a scene, I find it difficult to be laughing or joking with them beforehand. I do like to separate myself.
But that’s not for everything. Sometimes you are playing really lighthearted stuff and that’s great. I can joke around with people and then jump into the scene. Sometimes when things are really dark, I enjoy that ride home in my car just to kind of shake that emotion off. I do think you can carry that with you. At least I can.
When people ask you for acting advice, what do you say? Is perseverance an important part of what you do?
Yeah, I think you get told that all the time. We hear that as something that’s common – of course everyone says that. But one thing that was a practical piece of advice I’d give actors is that oftentimes, especially when you’re starting out, you feel in an audition that you . . . I always felt like if I did a scene once and I knew I could do better and the casting director says ‘Okay thanks, goodbye’ – I never wanted to ask if I could do it again. (It would look like) I didn’t know what I was doing.
Now I realize it was the most ridiculous thing to think. It’s so important to make that time in the audition room your own. If you want to go again, ask to go again. Even if you’re halfway through your scene but you’re feeling that if you start over, you’ll get it. It’s so important to feel empowered in the audition room. That’s my advice to actors.
You’ve played your share of emotionally resilient characters. Where do you get sense of strength and confidence from? Is that a quality gained from experience, or was that already ingrained from your family?
I think of course experience always helps. You become a stronger actor the more you have that on set experience. And then there are elements of myself that I bring to all of my characters. Anything that is perceived as strong is probably the result of my family. They always instilled a lot of confidence in me, and that’s why I felt I could persevere in acting because I had the attitude of not letting things get to me. So maybe that’s it. But I do think it’s a mix of both.
The Pact 2 opens in New York and select cities Friday, October 10 and expands to Los Angeles on October 31. For more release info, check out IFC Films.
Directed by David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers), The Judge features Robert Downey Jr. as Hank Palmer, a talented and jaded Chicago defense attorney who returns to his Indiana hometown after his mother passes.
Coming back home turns into a completely bittersweet process for Hank, who is more than happy to see his two brothers (Vincent D’Onofrio and Jeremy Strong). Relations with his father (Robert Duvall), however, are absolutely strained, and though they both share a lifelong dedication to the legal profession (Duvall is the judge), the pair refuse to meet each other halfway.
When the judge is accused of killing an ex-convict on his way home, Hank represents his dad in what one assumes is the most important trial of his life.
During The Judge press conference, Robert Downey Jr. talked about the reactions he’s received at various screenings of the movie:
“To me the audience is a cast member in The Judge . . . when people were reading the script or when Warner Bros. called us and said ‘this is special we really want to make it.’ Or as we’ve been having these screenings, people are saying, ‘Look, I know it’s called The Judge – but that’s my mom’ . . . The great thing for me is the dialogue that’s been going on with people who have just seen the movie – and that to me has been the big reward.”
To hear Robert Downey Jr. discuss the universality behind The Judge as well as collaborating with Robert Duvall (he appreciates that Duvall doesn’t use any acting tricks), click on the media bar below:
The Judge, co-starring Vera Farmiga and Leighton Meester, opens October 10.
