Gillian Anderson Describes ‘Crisis’ As An “Unbelievable Page Turner”

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March 16, 2014

Premiering tonight on NBC (10 pm et/pt), Crisis centers on a group of kidnapped Washington, D.C. students who are the victims of a conspiracy plot that’s aimed at the president of the United States and a high powered executive named Meg Fitch (Gillian Anderson). Dermot Mulroney is Francis Gibson, a “slightly disgruntled CIA analyst” who is one of the adult chaperones that accompanied the teenagers, and Lance Gross is a wet behind the ears Secret Service agent tasked with protecting the President’s son.

“One of the great things about these characters is they all have a personal connection to the story, even as the story gets more wilder and extravagant,” said Mulroney, whose TV work includes a recurring role on New Girl and the HBO series Enlightened. “That’s the dramatic pull of the story, so as actors we would always bring our imagination and parts of our personal life to the character.”

The show was created by writer/director Rand Ravich, whose skills at crafting complex characters is evident in his previous TV series Life, a show which featured inspired work from Damian Lewis (Homeland) as a wrongly imprisoned cop whose surprisingly positive outlook masks his true intentions.

In the video below, Gillian Anderson, who describes tonight’s pilot as a total page turner, talked about what drew her into the world of Crisis:

Theo James Channels Paul Newman Swagger With ‘Divergent’

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 14, 2014

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Theo James, along with the rest of the Divergent crew, has been doing their share of press these days, and the British actor received his share of YouTube notoriety (and we mean that in a good way) earlier this week by swallowing a raw egg on the Late Show with David Letterman. Since Sylvester Stallone and Letterman each downed two eggs earlier in the evening, the affable James was more than ready to follow suit.

It’s these type of appearances, but most importantly his much talked about role as Four in Divergent, which should see a huge uptick in James’ promising career. Displaying an easy charm that’s matched with a rugged sensibility, the actor is definite leading man material.

During a recent press conference held in Los Angeles, the actor, whose previous film credits include You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and Underworld: Awakening, talked about making smart choices with his future roles now that Divergent is on his resume.

“I don’t think I’ve experienced it too much to be honest at the moment,” said James, who also headlined the CBS series Golden Boy. “The press tour we just did was interesting because suddenly we saw some of the fandom, but I don’t think perceptions of me has changed massively.”

“I think it will be important for me as I go on, because there are potentially three films, to make choices that are, as much as I love the character, to make smart choices that are different from him and the world that he everyone else in the film inhabits.”

In the following audio clip, Theo James talks about what makes Four a unique, masculine protagonist (he mentions Paul Newman in his response).

Divergent, co-starring Shailene Woodley (The Spectacular Now), opens March 21.

If you haven’t seen the egg swallow sequence on Letterman, check out the video below:

Ben Briley on ‘American Idol’ Exit: “Nobody Is Going To Outwork Me”

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 14, 2014

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Ben Briley was eliminated on this week’s American Idol, and if the adage that adversity builds character rings true, then this Tennessee native will still be standing long after this season is over.

“If you want something, you got to take it. You got to go out and get it,” said a determined Briley after his elimination. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

But first things first. Briley, who performed Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” this week, plans to take a much needed respite before hitting the boards once again. “I’m going go home, and I’m going to take a really long nap and hang out with my wife and have a glass of whiskey and a big ole steak for free, hopefully. I think I’ve earned that at least.”

The steak and whiskey comment, considering Briley’s candid and effusive personality, should be taken with a dash of humor. When it comes to his career, however, the singer is extremely serious and focused about his future opportunities.

Click on the audio bar to hear Ben Briley talk about his success, as well as his feeling of personal gratification, for the American Idol experience:

My favorite moment from Briley came with “Turning Home,” as it perfectly captured his down home, countrified persona. He also has solid vocal range, so take a gander below if you haven’t seen the performance:

Scarlett Johansson Goes ‘Under the Skin’ With Scotland Production

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 13, 2014

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In Under the Skin, Scarlett Johannson plays a mysterious being whose seductive siren song leads to its share of tragedy for the humans who are caught under her spell. The picture is directed by British filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, a visualist whose previous movies (***Sexy Beast,* Birth) has led to frequent comparisons to Stanley Kubrick and Roman Polanski.**

The picture is based on Michael Faber’s book of the same name, which centers on an alien who tracks down hitchhikers in the Scottish highlands, and for the production Glazer decided to shoot his film in Scotland. This creative choice led to a greater sense of anonymity during the production, and it’s this sense of space which should give the movie an added sense of atmosphere and narrative depth.

During the New York press conference for Under the Skin, Scarlett Johansson talked about how shooting in Glasgow helped Glazer fulfill his overall vision. “The way that Scotland looks itself, it’s so raw and is immensely beautiful, breathtakingly so,” said the actress, who was seen (or heard) last year in Her. “It’s almost other worldly.”

Click on the audio below to hear Johansson talk about working on the Scotland based production:

RPG Adventure ‘Dragon Fin Soup’ Heads to Kickstarter

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 13, 2014

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Dragon Fin Soup, the flagship title for nascent indie RPG game studio Grimm Bros, has started a Kickstarter campaign. The developers are targeting a minimum of $24,000 to “add additional polish, features and content” to their title, which is slated for release this year on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC, and PlayStation Vita.

The game contains a pretty dark storyline (the darker the better in my opinion), as players take on the identity of Red Robin. An alcoholic and bounty hunter by trade, Robin loses her memory, and when she attempts to move on with her life, the past inevitably catches up with the present. Along with the pure joy that’s derived from supporting indie game developers, backers will be treated to art books, t-shirts, engraved crystals and hand-drawn illustrations.

“Dragon Fin Soup is our debut title, and we’ve been pouring our hearts and souls into crafting a fantastic game experience,” said Grimm Bros CEO Ash Monif. “As an indie studio comprised of veteran developers, we see Kickstarter as a great platform to connect with gamers and make Dragon Fin Soup a phenomenal experience.We’re indie because we really want to make the kind of games we would personally enjoy playing and don’t want to compromise our vision to outside influences. Dragon Fin Soup reflects that in every way.”

The game’s mixture of classic console RPG style storyline along with a dash of the dungeon crawling dynamic (not to mention the excellent title) has me intrigued. For more info on the game, check out its official page.

‘Growing Up Fisher’s’ Jenna Elfman On Origins of Comedic Timing

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 12, 2014

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With her work on Dharma & Greg, the short-lived 1600 Penn, and now Growing Up Fisher, Jenna Elfman has crafted a solid acting career that’s partly anchored by her impeccable sense of comedic timing. Of course, a bit of that elusive charm and a subtle sense of self-confidence are also part of the mix, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to place her in a lineage that includes Carole Lombard, Judy Holliday, and Carol Burnett.

During our interviews with the actress, Elfman talked about presenting Burnett collaborator Tim Conway with an 80th birthday cake. “That was awesome for me,” said Elfman, who also cites Harvey Korman, Lucille Ball, and Judy Holliday as influences. “I kind of couldn’t believe it, because I used to sit in front of the TV with bated breath waiting for them to break down laughing. I was obsessed with them.”

As for Growing Up Fisher, one hopes the show’s easy as pie chemistry among the leads and the solid comedic writing will constitute for a long TV life. Inspired by executive producer DJ Nash’s childhood, Growing Up Fisher airs Tuesdays on NBC (9:30 pm et/pt). The last episode, titled “The Date from Hell-nado” contains a memorable sequence in which Joyce Fisher (Elfman) is asked out on a date while shopping at the supermarket. Actually, the whole episode has a bunch of memorable moments (including Mel Fisher comparing his son to a Prius), so give the show a shot, especially if you value well executed comedy.

I’ve always wondered how Elfman developed her sense of comedic timing. Click on the video below and find out:

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Jason Bateman Directs ‘Bad Words’ With Perfect Timing

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 11, 2014

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With years of experience in the film and television medium, Jason Bateman was bound to direct his own feature. That moment came with Bad Words, an acerbic comedy about a middle aged malcontent named Guy Trilby (Bateman) who enters a spelling bee contest for reasons unknown.

One wise choice of Bateman’s was to cast himself as the lead, as it inevitably helped lower the project’s overall budget. Another excellent movie was his hiring of cinematographer Ken Seng, a DP he met on the set of the drama Disconnect. The pair are also collaborating on Bateman’s next directing effort, The Family Fang.

“I have been very, very lucky to have great experiences,” said Bateman. “And this was the best. So that’s saying a lot. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time and I wanted to make sure that I was responsible with picking the right time to do it, as far as knowing enough and making sure it didn’t derail the day job as well.”

“This just seemed liked the right time for that and the right material. I was thrilled that it was as comfortable as it was. It certainly wasn’t easy, and I was glad it wasn’t easy. I was hoping it would be challenging as it was, and it was one of the reasons I wanted to do it. But it called upon everything that I’ve learned and that was a real gift.”

Click on the audio below to hear Bateman talk about the challenges of directing and acting in Bad Words, and he also discusses the spirit of collaboration that was prevalent during production.

Bad Words hits select theaters March 14 and expands across the U.S. on March 21 and March 28.

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Tilda Swinton Chews The Cud With ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 11, 2014

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One of Jim Jarmusch’s strengths as a storyteller rests in his ability to take a long standing genre, whether it’s a Western (DeadMan) or a crime drama (Ghost Dog: Way of the *Samurai***), and transform them into visually stirring and evocative examinations of our own mortality.

Vampires are Jim Jarmusch’s obsession with his latest film Only Lovers Left Alive, and although Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) hunger for blood, they are equally dependent on each other. Jarmusch has described his film, which was inspired by the Mark Twain book The Diaries of Adam and Eve, as a love story between two outsiders who have “a vast overview of human and natural history, including stunning achievements and tragic and brutal failures.”

As with most of Jarmusch’s work, expect a healthy share of fluid, lingering camera movements coupled with long (and thankfully interesting) conversations about love, humanity, and sometimes absolutely nothing at all. Most notably, Only Lovers Left Alive, aside from a few moments of vampirism, is mainly focused on two beings who’ve lived, and loved, through the centuries.

“We wanted it to be about a marriage in which they talk, as long relationships do,” said Swinton, who previously collaborated with Jarmusch in BrokenFlowers and The Limits of Control. “There’s a tradition of sort of showing people coming together and then (it’s) the end. You never really see them actually living it out. Living the ups and the downs and talking it through. Chewing the cud. We really spent a lot of time wanting to get that tone of people who were family…they are the same kind, and that’s why they still dig each other, even through they are so different.”

In the audio clip below, Tilda Swinton talks about the acting process, a craft that she finds “endlessly fascinating.”

Only Lovers Left Alive, co-starring Anton Yelchin and Mia Wasikowska, opens in New York and Los Angeles April 11.

Shailene Woodley: “I Live My Life With a Lot of Integrity”

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 8, 2014

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With Divergent opening March 21 and The Fault in Our Stars slated for June 6, Shailene Woodley’s career will continue to gain momentum. Already the recipient of accolades from The Descendants and *The Spectacular**Now, Woodley has also carved out a solid fan base thanks to her run on ABC Family’s The Secret Life of an American Teenager*.

During today’s Divergent press conference, a convivial Woodley answered reporters’ questions with refreshing candor, as she talked about how she found a personal connection with Beatrice ‘Tris’ Prior, the film’s resolute and courageous protagonist. One of the story’s themes is finding the courage to follow one’s own path and identity in a world that can all be too homogenous in its thinking, and going along with the crowd is a trait that Woodley thankfully doesn’t possess.

“That’s how I relate to her, as well as just being a very strong, empowered woman.” said Woodley, who cites compassion and empathy as two qualities she learned at an early age from her parents. “I feel very strong, and I live my life with a lot of integrity based on what I want from my life and who I am. And I think Tris is similar.”

In the clip below, Woodley elaborates on how she and Tris share some of the same characteristics.

‘Grand Piano’ Plays Inspired Notes With Elijah Wood & Eugenio Mira

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Greg Srisavasdi

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March 6, 2014

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Grand Piano (Magnet Releasing) — Grand Piano

Even though technology is increasing the creative limits of film, many of these advances lie in the execution of special effects and its surrounding spectacle. Unfortunately, many of these studio driven projects lack the visual ingenuity and inspiration of such filmmakers as Alfred Hitchcock, Roman Polanski, Fritz Lang, or Brian De Palma.

I bring these four paragons of the moving image since they are personal heroes of filmmaker Eugenio Mira, and although Grand Piano may have been borne from his love of German Expressionism and perfectly executed suspense thrillers, the movie thankfully doesn’t exist as a one-dimensional exercise in homage.

The narrative centers on Tom Selznick (a moniker that’s an obvious nod to Hollywood legend David O. Selznick), a pianist who, due to an unfortunate mishap several years ago, has a horrible case of stage fright. When Selznick decides to return to the stage, his comeback is met with a threat from a stranger (John Cusack) who leaves him a rather nasty message: “Play one wrong note and you die.”

During the Grand Piano interviews, I asked Wood about his unique collaboration with Mira. The camera’s movements remain fluid throughout the story, and Wood enjoyed working within the filmmaker’s specified universe.

“It’s a slightly different process, in the sense that traditionally with a film you shoot a scene, potentially that scene could take two days or three days,” said Wood. “In this case it was literally shots, so our call sheet was comprised of shots, not scenes. Because all the shots were compiled within the context of the animatics, so it was highly technical but I had all the information at my disposal so there was no challenge in that. I found it enjoyable. I knew the film he wanted to make because it was beautifully articulated in the context of a moving image. We were working on a daily basis to recreate those individual moments and pieces of the puzzle.”

The film, which had the production traveling to Barcelona, Chicago, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, took 44 days to shoot. Along with mounting his project with an ambitious visual scope, Mira also amped up the difficulty level by placing Grand Piano in a 35mm universe. It’s an extremely purist move in a world that’s completely gone digital, and it’s one of the many reasons why Grand Piano, if anything, has tons of cinematic moxie.

“I want to keep making movies until I die,” said Mira. “It’s almost a romantic expression (in regards to) making these movies in this particular way of crafting them in terms of believing that, through the size of the shot and the lens and where the camera is going to be, you’re telling something in a way that you can’t do in other mediums…I was always more interested in composing than reproducing. I’m not a performer, and the only place in my life that I feel completely comfortable performing is in the intimacy of designing a movie. I like directors who perform

Grand Piano, which also stars Kerry Bishe as Selznick’s actress wife, opens in select theaters March 7 and is also available On Demand and iTunes.

Deepest DreamWhere Dreaming Is Believing

Deepest DreamWhere Dreaming Is Believing

Gillian Anderson Describes ‘Crisis’ As An “Unbelievable Page Turner”

Theo James Channels Paul Newman Swagger With ‘Divergent’

If you haven’t seen the egg swallow sequence on Letterman, check out the video below:

Ben Briley on ‘American Idol’ Exit: “Nobody Is Going To Outwork Me”

Scarlett Johansson Goes ‘Under the Skin’ With Scotland Production

RPG Adventure ‘Dragon Fin Soup’ Heads to Kickstarter

‘Growing Up Fisher’s’ Jenna Elfman On Origins of Comedic Timing

Jason Bateman Directs ‘Bad Words’ With Perfect Timing

With years of experience in the film and television medium, Jason Bateman was bound to direct his own feature. That moment came with Bad Words, an acerbic comedy about a middle aged malcontent named Guy Trilby (Bateman) who enters a spelling bee contest for reasons unknown.

Tilda Swinton Chews The Cud With ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’

One of Jim Jarmusch’s strengths as a storyteller rests in his ability to take a long standing genre, whether it’s a Western (DeadMan) or a crime drama (Ghost Dog: Way of the *Samurai***), and transform them into visually stirring and evocative examinations of our own mortality.

In the audio clip below, Tilda Swinton talks about the acting process, a craft that she finds “endlessly fascinating.”

Only Lovers Left Alive, co-starring Anton Yelchin and Mia Wasikowska, opens in New York and Los Angeles April 11.

Shailene Woodley: “I Live My Life With a Lot of Integrity”

‘Grand Piano’ Plays Inspired Notes With Elijah Wood & Eugenio Mira

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Deepest DreamWhere Dreaming Is Believing

Deepest DreamWhere Dreaming Is Believing

If you haven’t seen the egg swallow sequence on Letterman, check out the video below:

With years of experience in the film and television medium, Jason Bateman was bound to direct his own feature. That moment came with Bad Words, an acerbic comedy about a middle aged malcontent named Guy Trilby (Bateman) who enters a spelling bee contest for reasons unknown.

One of Jim Jarmusch’s strengths as a storyteller rests in his ability to take a long standing genre, whether it’s a Western (DeadMan) or a crime drama (Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai), and transform them into visually stirring and evocative examinations of our own mortality.

In the audio clip below, Tilda Swinton talks about the acting process, a craft that she finds “endlessly fascinating.”

Only Lovers Left Alive, co-starring Anton Yelchin and Mia Wasikowska, opens in New York and Los Angeles April 11.

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

FOLLOW US

One of Jim Jarmusch’s strengths as a storyteller rests in his ability to take a long standing genre, whether it’s a Western (DeadMan) or a crime drama (Ghost Dog: Way of the *Samurai***), and transform them into visually stirring and evocative examinations of our own mortality.