Archive for the ‘Films’ Category

Health Ledger’s family say that they are “proud and excited” that the actor has been nominated for a posthumous Oscar.

Ledger died from an accidental overdose exactly one year before being short listed for the best supporting actor role for his part as the joker in the latest Batman movie: The Dark Knight.

Ledger’s portrayal of a maniacal killer/tortured soul won critical acclaim in the media, and is considered to be one of the best played roles in history by the films fans.

Ledgers sister Ashleigh Bell said that he thought playing the Joker was “the most fun he ever had working on a film”.

She said that he said it was “the time of his life!.

“We will take this opportunity today to honour his wonderful life and take comfort in knowing Heath will continue to touch future generations through this amazing art-form,” she added.

The actor who also had starring roles in Brokeback Mountain, First Knight and
The Brothers Grimm is up against Josh Brolin, Robert Downey and previous winner Philip Seymour Hoffman.

If Ledger wins the award it will be the second time that a deseased actor will have won an Oscar, after Robert Finch’s award for Network back in 1977.

Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment with a bottle of prescription sleeping pills nearby. The inquest that followed his death showed that the 28 year old died because he’d taken a mix that included pain killers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication.

Ledger’s sister Kate said: “It seems like merely yesterday. We are still all nursing broken heart.”

Meanwhile other Oscar nominees are getting excited about the fact they could walk away with a prestigious award. Danny Boyle, director of Brit-flick-that-isn’t-a-gangster-movie Slumdog Millionaire is over the moon with his films 10 nominations.

He said: “I’m ecstatic! Thank you to the Academy from the cast and crew.

“It feels like you’ve given us a billion nominations!”

Kate Winslet who had a teary/pathetic acceptance speech at the recent Bafta awards is nominated for her role in The Reader, she said: “I’m extremely happy to have been nominated. And very fortunate. Playing Hanna Schmitz will always remain one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever been blessed with.”

Brad Pitt’s new movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, is currently leading the Oscar charge with 13 nominations, including Best Actor. He said: “It’s great fun for the movie to see it get acknowledged that way, but it’s not the goal.

“It’s a fickle business, and there to be enjoyed if you’re invited and there to be enjoyed if you’re not.”

The 81st Award show will take place in Los Angeles on 22 February.

Right men, listen up. A new study has been released that will get us out of having to be subjected to the dreaded Rom-Com. The study by Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh has found that these movies promote “unrealistic expectations” when it comes to love and relationships.

The researchers blame films like Four Wedding and a Funeral with the foppish gent Hugh Grant, and Notting Hill with the foppish gent Hugh Grant, essentially anything with Hugh Grant, and a host of other slushy, obvious movies.

The study found that men and women have a serious difference of opinion over Rom-com’s such as Runaway Bride – because its rubbish according to men, and good according to women.

The study by psychologists at the family and personal relationships lab at the University studied 40 soppy box office hits between 1995 and 205, identifying common unrealistic themes in each one.

The movies quite often included Meg Ryan and Jennifer Lopez - Two Rom-com actresses that would look entirely out of place in any other type of movie.

The university’s Dr Bjarne Holmes said: “Marriage counsellors often see couples who believe that sex should always be perfect, and if someone is meant to be with you then they will know what you want without you needing to communicate it.

“We now have some emerging evidence that suggests popular media play a role in perpetuating these ideas in people’s minds.

“The problem is that while most of us know that the idea of a perfect relationship is unrealistic, some of us are still more influenced by media portrayals than we realise.”

One part of the project involved 100 students watching the 2001 Rom-com Serendipity, while another 100 students watched a David Lynch drama. The students who watched/suffered the romantic film were more likely to believe in fate and destiny, and a stronger belief in predestined love.

Kimberly Johnson, who worked on the study, said: “Films do capture the excitement of new relationships but they also wrongly suggest that trust and committed love exist from the moment people meet, whereas these are qualities that normally take years to develop.”

The moral of this story? Avoid anything with Hugh Grant on the poster. It’s a rule I’ve lived by for many years.

When was the last time you got excited about a film? Did Batman’s latest effort do the trick? Or were you more excited about the unexpected Cloverfield? I got excited about seeing Tropic Thunder, and after going last weekend I came away feeling that although it was funny in parts, they could have used better actors for some of the roles, and maybe I missed the hype.

Ben Stiller was funny, the bit where he murders the panda will probably crack me up for the rest of my life, along with the part when he launches the little kid off a bridge. His portrayal as the actor trying to prove that he belongs in the movie is great, and as I was a fan of the actor in Zoolander and Dodgeball, I was always going to dig it.

Robert Downey Jr. was awesome. Uttering lines like: “The Same thing happened to me when I played Neil Armstrong in Moonshot. They found me in an alley in Burbank trying to re-enter the earth’s atmosphere in an old refrigerator box.” He played the role – clearly aimed at Russell Crow’s paparazzi fighting antics – brilliantly.

Tom Cruise, was the surprise to me. He almost stole the show with his role as a towering millionaire Les Grossman. Not only was the dancing hilarious he said awesome great lines like: “Speedman is a dying star. A white dwarf headed for a black hole. That’s physics. It’s inevitable.” He added so much aggression to the role, and came off like a nastier version of Goldmember from Austin Powers.

But then there was a downside…

The generally hilarious Jack Black had no good lines. I’m not sure if this was to emphasise the fact his character was taking the micky out of Eddie Murphy’s fart humour, but I think that with the three heavyweight leads, he was just pushed to a bit part. There was one mildly funny bit when he was tied to a tree begging for heroin, but overall he was a one joke guy.

The two other characters; Alpa Chino – the young African American star of “Booty Juice” energy drink, and the guy who should have been played by Justin Long, Kevin Sandusky, were pretty much side dressing.

The film itself, while having a few funny moments, was pretty rubbish. The hype machine built it up, and I’d seen trailers for it for months. It took me so long to watch it (it’s been out for about a month I think) that they excitement had gone, which I believe hindered my enjoyment of an otherwise decent film.

I’m starting to think that we are more influenced than we think we are when it comes to movies, and the same could be said for games, phones, clothes, and all that jazz. It’s the marketing companies around the world, working hard to make us get excited about stuff, so hats off to them.

My advice is to go to movies when the hype is happening, otherwise you will no-where near enjoy it as much as you will if you wait.

I finally went to see the new Batman movie a couple of days ago, yes I know I’m well behind the times, but movies are quite far down on the agenda at the minute. Cry me a river.

I must say that with all the hype surrounding the movie, it put me off going. I loved the first film: no-one new what to expect and that made it great. Solid performances from Bale and Cillian Murphy, and a good turn from Michael Caine made it a brilliant dark-ish movie.

With the unfortunate death of Heath Ledger surrounding the new films release, I couldn’t help but think that it was not going to - if you’ll pardon the pun - live up to the first one. I was however, pleasantly surprised. Rather than a review, because it’s a bit late for that, I’m going to talk about the actors and characters.

Bale: This guy is one of the best actors around at the moment. A renowned method actor, he looked notably smaller than in the first Batman, no doubt the cause of his last role. He has an astounding ability to lose weight: we all remember his skeletal form in The Machinist. Playing Batman well, as the playboy during the day and the Dark knight after dusk, Bale was not as grim as the first movie, but just grim enough.

The scrawny one who played Rachel, who replaced Joey from Dawsons Crap: She sucked. I mean, weakest point in the film was anytime she spoke. I was never a fan of that little midget’s wife Holmes, but she was a little less pliable than the new one.

The Holmes: Chipboard

The weird looking one: Rich Mahogany

I think the casting agent, went ‘oh crap, we need a bad actress with a weird face. I hear Drew Barrymore doesn’t do much these days…Yeah, but let’s go for an expensive option, she rocked in Secretary.’ Idiots.

Harvey Dent/two face: I don’t know much about this actor, I didn’t like him until his face melted off, and then he rocked. It just took far too long and then…he died…or did he? and then you realise that yes, yes he did. Sucks.

Heath Ledger/Joker/Heath Ledger/Joker: Two be honest, this was one of the most genuinely frightening performances I’d ever seen. He had the comic book version of the character down to a terrifying T. No respect to the legendary ladies man, Jack Nickleson, but man this guy stole the show and the role will be forever remembered with him playing it, and deserves numerous Oscars, or whatever trophies they want to give him. He managed to prise humour, terror, fear, vulnerability, and showed how humans can really be. He was almost a real person.

The rest of the characters were just there, but never really did much. I’ll buy it on DVD when its out and I’ll try to watch the fight scenes again in slow-motion so I know what the hell is going on. Roll on Batman 3: If the rumours are correct, we could see Angelina Jolie as Catwoman. Yay. The worst character in the comic series.

So there is ton’s of these type of lists on the internet, but…here’s part one of my top ten movie quotes up to this point, in no particular order…Anchorman: The legend of Ron Burgundy

One of my favourite lines from the movie, its right at the start, your just getting introduced to Will Ferrell’s character and he comes out with this priceless line toward an off camera make-up women:

Ron Burgundy: “Oh Audrey - I look like hell! I got bags under my eyes. What’s that? Well if you were a man, I’d punch you. Punch you right in the mouth. That’s bush. Bush league. YOU HEAR ME? AUDREY! LOOK AT ME! I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Alright?”

Friday

Classic stoner film with Ice cube and Chris Tucker. The sequels sucked, and everyone always says the best line is the ?you got knocked the f##k out’ line, but its too obvious for me, so this one is my favourite.

Smokey: “I got mind control over Deebo. He be like “shut the f**k up.” I be quiet. But when he leave, I be talking again.”

Love Actually

Yeah, yeah, it’s a soppy Rom-com, but it also has the legendary Bill Nighy in it that plays an ageing rock star trying for the xmas number one, uttering this awesome line.

Billy Mack: “Hiya kids. Here is an important message from your Uncle Bill. Don’t buy drugs. Become a pop star, and they give you them for free.”

Hot Fuzz

The UK cop comedy that takes the mick out of pretty much every supped-up cop film from the last twenty years. Simon Pegg tries to convince Nick Frost that Frank s a bad guy:

Nicholas Angel: “It’s Frank! He’s appointed himself Judge, Jury and Executioner.”
Danny Butterman: “He is NOT Judge Judy and Executioner!!”

Superbad

When Evan is at his cooking class with Hiroki, and Seth’s partner doesn’t show, he says this excellent little rant to the teacher, who just looks at him with a shocked expression, I can’t decide whether some of it was ad-libbed because its genius, frantic but also really articulate.

Seth: “I’m over here in my unit, isolated and alone, eating my terrible tasting food, and I have to look over at that. That looks like the most fun I’ve ever seen in my entire life, and it’s B.S. - excuse my language. I’m just saying that I wash and dry; I’m like a single mother. Look, we all know home-ec is a joke - no offence - it’s just that everyone takes this class to get an A, and its bullsh#t - and I’m sorry. I’m not putting down your profession, but it’s just the way I feel. I don’t want to sit here, all by myself, cooking this sh#tty food - no offense - and I just think that I don’t need to cook tiramisu. Am I going to be a chef? No. There’s three weeks left of school, give me a f##kin’ break! I’m sorry for cursing.”

Stay tuned for part two tomorrow…

Everyone loves a good scare, and today in Hollywood the film and television community are bracing themselves for what could turn in to a horror.

At midnight tonight, actors could go on strike if talks breakdown over a new contract to replace the existing on between SAG (the Screen Actors Guild) and film studio owners.

Earlier this year, the writers strike caused Hollywood to come to a standstill. It cost Hollywood $2.5bn (?1.25bn) in lost wages and other revenues. A further shutdown from the actors will hit those in the non-acting trades such as scene-builders, stage managers, lighting engineers and make-up artists.

“If you’re a below-the-line worker, your blood is probably running cold. They’re the ones who took the biggest hit from the writers strike,” said Jack Kyser, the chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation.

“Too many people would be put out of work,” said Alexandra Leighton, 28, a TV actress who opposes a strike. “It’s just not worth it. The economy is already iffy.”

SAG leaders are pushing the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, who represent the studio owners, for improved pay conditions, particularly for mid-ranking performers, to reflect new income from DVD residuals and replays on the internet.

But SAG has managed to stage its own mini soap opera within the negotiations, after a minority of its members who simultaneously belong to another smaller union, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said they were ready to accept the offer on the table from the studios. The division has set A-list actors against one another.

“Rather than pitting artist against artist, maybe we could find a way to get what both unions are looking for,” George Clooney declared last week in an attempt at playing mediator.

For big screen films, many of which are in the can long before they show up in cinemas, a strike may be a small problem if it doesn’t last too long. However, the stakes are higher for television producers who are getting into high gear to tape shows for the autumn schedules.

If like me you find yourself logged onto the internet at least 10 hours a day, it begs the question ? ?Is the internet addictive??

The internet seems to be taking over our lives, we bank online, we buy online, we sell online and now thanks to sites like ?Second Life? we can now actually live online!

The internet reminds me of that Jim Carey movie ?The Truman Show? where Carey was taken by a studio as a baby and placed in a world which was full of actors. His life was filmed and shown everywhere around the world with millions upon millions of people watching him grow from a young child into a man, becoming a little more inquisitive everyday, until he finally realised that things were not quite right. Slowly but surely he began to push the boundaries further and further until he finally realised the truth.

Over the last couple of years it sometimes feels as though all of our moves are being tracked on the internet. We have Friends Reunited sites which let people known where we went to school, what lessons we attended (and the ones we did not!) and our friends as we progressed through school. Just lately we have seen the authorities loading up each and every consensus there has ever been onto the internet for all to see, meaning that much of our life is now public knowledge.

The latest twist has seen the likes of Google introducing Web 2 and adverts which are themed exactly to our surfing patters, with many suggesting that these new advertising programs will actually know where you are going next before you do. Now we are hearing that our surfing habits are actually being sold and there is a big court case looming about the possible infringement to privacy laws.

All in all the internet continues to progress at lightening quick speed but are we all being dragged into this new virtual world where all aspects of our life are on show? Are we entering the world of The Truman Show?

TOP 12 MUST SEE FILMS OF 2008

Sweeney Todd
Released 25 January - The magical triumvirate of director Tim Burton with his favourite muses Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter seldom fails. They’re maxing up the goth-ness to true Edward Scissorhands proportions here as Depp tackles lethal barber Todd.

John Rambo

Released February 22nd - Rambo is that much older and that much more violent for his big comeback. The original action hero is not pulling any punches as he rescues some Christian missionaries from the nasties in the Burmese jungle. Enchanted fans be warned?

Juno
Released February 1 - It’s already out in the States and the buzz has spread like wildfire for this hilarious teenage pregnancy story. Director Jason Reitman has proved that the excellent Thank You For Smoking was not a fluke.

There Will Be Blood
Released February 8 - Everyone’s talking about Daniel Day Lewis’ role in this Paul Thomas Anderson period drama - an eccentric oil man driven by greed at the turn of the 20th Century. He’s favourite in the Best Actor Oscar race as we type this.

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
Released May 22 - It looked for all the world as if the title was going to be ‘Indiana Jones And The City Of The Gods’. The new title, wordy as it is, refers to the real-life discovery of a quartz skull in Belize. The sinister world that comes from this starting point will be where senior Indy and young apprentice Shia LaBoeuf get to terms with the year’s biggest action budget. More than just a payday for the old guard, we hope?

Iron Man
Released May 2 - The second most exciting superhero flick of the year has Robert Downey Junior looking right at home as a weapons-toting maniac who just loves to blow stuff up and turn himself into the turbo-charged cyborg above. Expect a special-effects action binge?

Sex And The City: The Movie
Released 30 May - To some, the thought of a two hour SATC sounds worse than pulling teeth. To others it’ll provide the climax to one of the most successful shows ever to cross our screens. Expect shopping, clothes and urrr? sex!

Valkyrie
Released 11 July - Remember Tom Cruise’s weird haircut at the Lions For Lambs premiere? This was the reason. Tom had been shooting the now nearly completed Valkyrie in which he plays Nazi officer Claus von Stauffenberg and plots to assassinate Hitler - A challenging part. With Bryan Singer at the reins it might just be a winner.

The Dark Knight
Released 25 July - Of all the summer’s big hitters, this has to be the most mouth-watering. We’ve been lucky enough to catch the first 7 minutes of the new bat flick (with Heath Ledger looking insane as The Joker) and it’s already pretty stunning. Complete with his new two-wheeler toy (above), The Bat may just steal Summer.

Wanted
Released 20 June - It’s seldom been heard of thus far. But the combination of James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Nightwatch director Timur Bekmambetov is not to be sniffed at. Look out for fast cars and snazzy effects as average Joe McAvoy discovers deadly new powers he never thought he had.

Bond 22
Released 7 November - Currently entering principal photography, the still-nameless new Bond is shrouded in mystery. The personnel, however, including Mark Forster in the director’s chair and Bourne stunt man Dan Bradley, are a good start.

Star Trek
Released 26 December - Things weren’t looking good for the ancient sci-fi series. But JJ Abrams’ desire to breathe new life into ‘the trek’ eventually won over the big wigs at Paramount. Expect an improvement on Star Trek: Nemesis.